Natalie Portman is reportedly furious over speculation that Rachel Cusk’s upcoming novel contains an unflattering portrait of her. “Life of M” follows an unnamed writer attempting to chronicle the life of a famous actress identified only as “M.” Although Cusk has never confirmed that the character is based on Portman, readers have identified numerous similarities between M’s career and the Oscar winner’s life. Sources close to Portman now claim she feels unfairly dragged into a publicity campaign for a book she neither approved nor helped create.

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One Paris-based friend claimed the actress has been deeply upset by the discussion surrounding “Life of M.” “Natalie is a very private person, that’s why she moved to Paris, so Rachel’s book, ‘Life Of M,’ has really pissed her off,” the insider told the Daily Mail.

The source also rejected speculation that Portman secretly cooperated with Cusk or agreed to generate controversy ahead of the novel’s release. “She thinks it is a real low blow and is horrified about the rumors she was in on the book in some way, which she certainly was not,” the friend continued. “The celebrity in the book is nothing like her, she is far from a diva, she is a quiet bookworm.”

The insider framed the situation as particularly upsetting because of Portman’s stated commitment to supporting other women. “Natalie is big on girl power and sisterhood, so this is a gross violation of her code,” the source claimed. “She believes women’s bonds should be nurtured and not manipulated for commerce.”

Another insider similarly defended the “Black Swan” star’s character. “Natalie is such a kind and warm person… The personality of the character bears absolutely no resemblance to her,” the source said.

Portman’s Camp Denies The Women Were Close Friends

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The rumors have gained additional traction because Portman has publicly celebrated Cusk’s work. The actress selected Cusk’s 2021 novel “Second Place” for Nat’s Book Club and later chose “Parade” in 2024. She also invited the novelist onto her book club podcast. “Forever in awe of Rachel Cusk and the way she disrupts form and the conventions of storytelling,” Portman wrote on Instagram while promoting “Parade.”

Both women also live in Paris, leading some reports to characterize them as close friends. However, sources close to Portman now insist that the pair “are not, and have never been, close friends.” They reportedly saw one another only a handful of times around the city.

The actress allegedly believes publishers have exaggerated their relationship to make the novel’s release appear like a dramatic betrayal between two former friends.

Readers Have Identified Numerous Similarities

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“Life of M,” which publisher Farrar, Straus and Giroux is scheduled to release on August 25, examines fame and power through the relationship between M and the writer documenting her life. M is portrayed as an isolated and self-absorbed celebrity whose attempts to live normally are repeatedly distorted by her extraordinary fame.

The actress lives in a large, impersonal home described as being “like a big doll’s house, with her as a doll inside of it.” She is surrounded by employees, receives special accommodations wherever she goes and struggles to connect with ordinary people.

While those personality traits are fictional, several biographical details have fueled the Portman theory. M appears in an advertising campaign while “wreathed in pink flowers.” Portman has represented Dior since 2010 and has appeared with pink roses and peonies in campaigns for Miss Dior fragrances.

M was also a child actor whose mother objected to sexually suggestive scenes in her first movie. Portman became famous through the 1994 thriller “Léon: The Professional,” which she filmed at 11 and 12. Her mother reportedly demanded that sexually explicit material be removed from the script.

M’s Film Roles Fuel The Natalie Portman Comparisons

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The fictional actress later stars as a ballet dancer competing for a major role, echoing Portman’s Oscar-winning performance in “Black Swan.”

M also visits a mansion dedicated to a powerful, famous family before portraying one of its members. Portman played former First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy in the 2016 film “Jackie.”

Those parallels have led readers and literary commentators to speculate that Portman supplied at least part of the inspiration for M. However, not every element of the character’s life matches the actress, and Cusk has not said that M should be read as Portman.

The Actress Reportedly Will Not Address The Controversy

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Despite her alleged anger, Portman is not expected to publicly confront Cusk or participate in the debate. “Natalie is trying to focus now on her pregnancy – she is due any moment – and be in the present with her boyfriend Tanguy [Destable], who grounds her,” the Paris-based friend claimed. “She will not address the book and is writing it off as an unfortunate phase of her life.”

Portman shares two children with her former husband, Benjamin Millepied, and is expecting her third with Destable, a French electronic music producer.

Insider Claims Natalie Portman Has A ‘Tough Exterior’

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A different insider offered a less flattering assessment of the actress, suggesting that certain aspects of M’s personality might resonate with people familiar with Portman. “Natalie is known for having a tough exterior and being a bit difficult to get along with,” the source claimed. “She’s particular and a perfectionist and has been in the industry forever.”

The insider added, “She knows she sometimes doesn’t have the best reputation, but she doesn’t seem bothered by it. Not everyone’s personality suits everyone in this world.”

Whether Portman directly inspired M remains unanswered. Until Cusk confirms otherwise, the similarities remain the subject of pure speculation rather than proof that the novel is revealing the actress’s private personality.

Adam Vinatieri took a shot at Bill Belichick after his former New England Patriots head coach skipped the famed kicker’s induction into the NFL’s Hall of Fame.

“Thank you for demanding excellence every single day,” Vinatieri, 53, said in his near-20 minute speech in Canton, Ohio, on Saturday, August 8. “Your preparation, discipline and attention to detail shaped far more than my football career. Unfortunately Bill couldn’t make it here today – ha, there’s a lot going on at UNC right now. He may be on a recruiting trip right now looking for the next Lawrence Taylor. I thought it was because training camp had already started. But in truth, it’s because he’s judging his girlfriend’s cheerleading competition.”

He added, “All jokes aside, all jokes aside, in my opinion Bill is the greatest coach of all-time.”

Vinatieri — who joined the NFL in 1996 and played for a remarkable 24 years before retiring after the 2019 season — was referring, of course, to Belichick’s 48-year age-gap romance with Jordon Hudson, a former Bridgewater State University national champion cheerleader and member of the competitive adult cheerleading squad Cheer Extreme Code Black.

Related: Jordon Hudson Breaks Silence on Bill Belichick’s Pro Hall of Fame Snub

Jordon Hudson appears to have broken her silence after reports emerged that her boyfriend, Bill Belichick, will not be a first-ballot pick for the 2026 Pro Football Hall of Fame. Hudson, 24, shared a screenshot of an email notifying her of a canceled order from the Pro Football Hall of Fame online store via Instagram […]

Belichick, 74, met on an airplane when Hudson, now 25, was a college student, going on to spark relationship rumors after they made various public appearances together. Hudson confirmed their romance one year later, sharing photos of the couple on Instagram.

In his light-hearted jabs at his former coach, the former Patriots and Indianapolis Colts kicker also referenced the turmoil at the University of North Carolina, where Belichick is preparing to kick off his second season as head coach amid some staff shakeups.

In July, general manager Michael Lombardi was placed on paid administrative leave amid an ongoing investigation related to a human resources complaint, according to The Athletic. (His attorney, Tom Mars, said in a statement to The Athletic at the time that Lombardi, 67, “welcomes the opportunity to clear his name.”)

Shortly after, Belichick’s son, Steve Belichick, was placed on indefinite medical leave after an arrest warrant was issued for his wife, Jen, who failed to appear before a North Carolina judge for a hearing related to a traffic stop. (The arrest warrant was recalled shortly after being issued. Jen’s attorney, Alex Kintner, filed a motion to recall the warrant, saying she was absent from court because his services had been “just retained,” according to court documents viewed by Us. She is now scheduled to appear for a deposition hearing on September 25.)

Vinatieri, who won four total Super Bowls during his time as a pro football player and remains the NFL’s all-time leading scorer with 2,673 points, also took aim at his former Patriots quarterback, Tom Brady.

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“I played with the greatest quarterback in Patriots history,” he said. “Unfortunately, he wasn’t able to make it here today: Drew Bledsoe. … I have a few more Tom Brady jokes, but I was afraid he’d run up on stage and maybe give me a ‘Will Smith’ like he did to Logan Paul last month.”

He added, “Tom, you changed the game forever, but what I’ll remember most is the teammate you were. Your belief in the people around you inspired us all to raise the standards, and I’m honored our careers became part of the same path.”

The former NFL quarterback, 48, slapped the WWE star, 31, across the face during a live appearance at the New York City event on July 17, seen in a video shared by the official Fanatics X account.

Shane Gillis recently broke the world record for the most tickets sold for a solo comedy show, but his mom missed the historic event while vacationing in Europe.

The controversial comedian has previously opened up about how he got into comedy, saying he struggled in the military and at school, which eventually led to his expulsion and his parents branding him “a loser.”

He has also made headlines for his controversial remarks about Donald Trump, once saying the president was “circling the drain.”

Over 73,000 people took to Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia last month as Shane Gillis made history by setting two Guinness World Records for the largest live audience for a standalone comedian and the most tickets sold for a solo comedy show.

However, he has now revealed that one special seat remained empty throughout the event — the one reserved for his mom.

During an August 6 appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, the 38-year-old revealed that his mom was away on holiday and missed out on seeing him achieve the enviable record. Watch the interview on YouTube.

“Oh, my mom didn’t go to the show,” he told Fallon, referring to his performance. “She was on vacation.”

He continued, “She would text me and be like, ‘My heart’s with you. Good luck, I love you.’ I was like, ‘You’re in Croatia. You’re having fun.’”

Shane Gillis Opens Up About His Past Struggles Before Comedy

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Reflecting on the Guinness World Record he set, Gillis said the experience was “crazy” and admitted he never thought such a feat was possible.

“I don’t think anyone should do that again. No, it was cool,” he said.

Host Jimmy Fallon then asked him if he brought out any special guests, and he revealed that Meek Mill, Jason Kelce, Dave Chappelle, Bam Margera and a host of others were all there to spice things up.

When asked how he got into comedy, he noted that he was just “depressed,” before going on to recount how he couldn’t seem to get anything right before he found comedy, which left his parents disappointed.

Gillis said he went to the United States Military Academy but “failed out immediately,” after which he enrolled at Elon University and played football. However, he quit after a while because he wasn’t good at it and eventually stopped going to class, which led to his expulsion.

He then said that when he told his parents about it, they told him, “You’re a loser.”

Shane Gillis Made Negative Headlines Over His Racial Slurs

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Over the years, the “Madden” actor has made headlines for negative reasons, including his firing from “Saturday Night Live” in 2019 over racist and homophobic remarks he had previously made.

At the time, he was announced as a new member of the show but was fired days later after an old clip of him using an anti-Asian slur went viral on social media.

More videos of him making offensive remarks then began resurfacing, including one in which he imitated a Chinese accent by using the word “nooders” instead of noodles.

“We want ‘SNL’ to have a variety of voices and points of view within the show, and we hired Shane on the strength of his talent as a comedian and his impressive audition for ‘SNL,’” a spokesperson for “SNL” executive producer Lorne Michaels told NBC News at the time. “We were not aware of his prior remarks that have surfaced over the past few days. The language he used is offensive, hurtful, and unacceptable.”

Shane Gillis Calls ‘SNL’ Hiring And Firing A ‘Traumatic Experience’

According to the news outlet, Gillis later apologized, saying in a deleted tweet that he was a “comedian who pushes boundaries” who sometimes missed the mark.

“Of course I wanted an opportunity to prove myself on ‘SNL,’ but I understand it would be too much of a distraction,” he added. “I respect the decision they made.”

However, he admitted in an interview with Theo Von that the whole thing was a “traumatic experience” for him and that he was left dealing with nightmares from negative articles.

“I definitely wouldn’t have changed what we did on our podcast,” Gillis told Von. “That’s how I got to New York.”

Shane Gillis Says Trump’s Mental Health Was ‘Circling The Drain’

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Since then, he has continued to push the boundaries of what is acceptable with several of his satirical punchlines.

He has also not refrained from taking light jabs at Donald Trump, something many comedians seem to love doing.

In a November 2025 episode of “Matt and Shane’s Secret Podcast,” co-host Matt McCusker asked him if he believed the president was “getting dementia,” and he responded with a sigh, “I mean, I don’t know. He just seems a little slower than usual.”

McCusker then brought up speculation that “T-Dog might be rocking Biden brains,” referring to former President Joe Biden.

“He’s definitely not at Biden brains yet,” Gillis responded. “But he’s circling the drain.”

Olivia Culpo is prioritizing comfort now that she’s in the third trimester of her pregnancy with baby No. 2.

“Not sure if this is considered pajamas or day clothes, but right now I’m only wearing things that qualify as both,” Culpo, 34, wrote via her Instagram Stories on Saturday, August 8, sharing a mirror selfie of her ASTR the Label blue pinstripe two-piece. “This is prettyyyy comfy!”

The pregnant model sported the brand’s Rena Longline Tunic Top, which she left unbuttoned to show off her growing belly, and a matching pair of pants in the same fabric.

Culpo and her husband, NFL star Christian McCaffrey, announced in May that they are expecting their second baby. (Culpo and McCaffrey, 30, previously welcomed eldest daughter Colette in July 2025.)

Related: Why Pregnant Olivia Culpo Plans to Have a C-Section With Baby No. 2

Olivia Culpo is making plans for a hopefully smooth delivery. “This is officially the third trimester,” Culpo, 34, began a Thursday, July 23, video shared via TikTok. “I’m having a C-section because I had a C-section in July last year, so having a VBAC [vaginal birth after cesarean] wasn’t an option.” (Many doctors recommend waiting […]

Since becoming a parent, Culpo has realized that her entire sense of fashion has shifted.

“When you’re a mom, you really do have to find ways to streamline your life,” the former Miss Universe exclusively told Us in December 2025 of her style changes. “You don’t have enough time to go through piles and piles of clothes, and you don’t want to — you want to spend time with your baby.”

She added at the time, “I find myself reaching for the same things — having more uniforms, if you will. It’s been a really great way to just simplify getting dressed. As a new mom, I definitely like to take the guesswork out of what to wear.”

In addition to putting together undoubtedly chic maternity outfits, Culpo is also figuring out her birth plan.

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“I’m having a C-section because I had a C-section in July last year, so having a VBAC [vaginal birth after cesarean] wasn’t an option,” Culpo said in a TikTok video last month, referring to physician advice to wait 18 to 24 months before scheduling a VBAC due to risk of uterine rupture. “I scheduled it on a day Christian has a slightly easier [day], basically it’s not an off-day for him.”

Related: Revisit Olivia Culpo‘s Baby Bump Album Before Welcoming 1st Child

Pregnant Olivia Culpo is proudly bumping along as she and her husband, NFL running back Christian McCaffrey, prepare to welcome their first baby. Culpo announced in March 2025 that she is pregnant nearly one year after she and McCaffrey tied the knot in the model’s native Rhode Island. “I’ve been truly on bedrest for, like, […]

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McCaffrey, a running back for the San Francisco 49ers, is currently training for the upcoming 2026-2027 NFL season.

“He’ll be able to come just for the birth and then, aside from that, he’ll have to go back. It’s going to be different than my first birth,” Culpo added in her social media upload at the time. “A common misconception is that football season starts in September when all the games start, but it really doesn’t. It starts at the end of July because that’s when they go to camp and it just goes right into the season.”

Carmen Electra has the fondest memories of filming “Baywatch” except for one thing!

The media personality expressed her willingness to be a part of the television show as it enters a reboot, adding that there is a part of her original experience she is willing to rewrite.

Carmen Electra joined the cast of “Baywatch” in 1997 for season 8 as Lani McKenzie after she broke into the scene modeling for “Playboy” in 1996. Her time on the show cemented her as one of the defining sex symbols of the 1990s.

The actress revealed that she was excited to learn that her on-screen love interest on the hit show, David Chokachi, is already returning for the reboot as Cody Madison. Electra affirmed that she would be more than excited to make a cameo and reunite with him.

Beneath all that excitement, however, is a yearning to alter one important part of her experience the first time she appeared on the series. The star revealed that she does not want to repeat the draining schooling schedule she had to combine with filming the first time she joined “Baywatch.”

She described going through the experience the first time as a difficult experience, adding that she recently found herself outside her comfort zone when she competed on the celebrity show “Nation’s Dumbest.” She admitted she initially had reservations about participating because she never considered herself particularly attentive in school. 

Eventually, producers talked her into it, assuring her it would be entertaining and telling her to think of it as a job in the acting world, but when she started shooting, the pressure began getting to her. Electra remembered feeling anxious and even frozen when contestants were required to think fast, answer questions on time, or do something unusual. 

She recalled to Fox News about making one mistake that stuck with her, which was forgetting what BBL meant. Electra was stunned that she missed what was supposed to be an easy question specifically chosen with the expectation that she would know the answer.

The Actress Recalled Stunts That Pushed Her To The Limit On The Hit Show

Electra, during an interview with PEOPLE in 2024, recalled confidently telling producers during her audition that she could swim; however, she soon realized that performing stunts in the pool was not the same as dealing with the ocean.

The actress joined the show as part of its rookie class, having to deal with producers bent on having the actors perform most of their stunts, which required intense preparation involving running, swimming, diving, and jumping into the water as the cast trained to portray lifeguards convincingly.

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During these intense physical demands, Electra found herself struggling to keep up the pace as her male co-stars sometimes moved faster than she did, which forced directors to reposition and make it appear the reality star was keeping up.

The terrain also affected Electra’s balance, leaving her feet hurting from the sweltering heat. She also had to deal with the intimidating water sequence that went against her swimming and gymnastic background as a classical ballet performer.

Electra also never quite mastered keeping water from going up her nose while swimming. Despite that lingering struggle, she remembers successfully pulling off demanding stunts as some of the most rewarding moments of her time on the series.

Carmen Electra Revealed What She Expects From Men After Two Divorces

The television personality, despite her decades of experience with love and heartbreak, has maintained a very old-fashioned approach to dating. As noted by The Blast, Electra, after being married twice, also opened up about finding romance later in life, adding that relationships do not always work out as planned.

The media personality shared her perspective that when it came to dating, she still believes men must go on the offensive. Instead of directly approaching someone she finds attractive, she likes to signal her interest through playful body language and subtle flirting.

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The “Baywatch” alum explained that she might walk past someone with a little extra confidence, sway her hips, or use eye contact to get their attention. After that, however, she generally leaves it up to the man to take things further.

For Electra, whether he follows through can also reveal how interested he really is, noting that the man will find a way to initiate a conversation or to ensure that she has his number.

Electra was briefly married to former NBA star Dennis Rodman in 1998 before the marriage was annulled months later. In 2003, she wed musician Dave Navarro, but their marriage ended four years later.

The 54-Year-Old Recalled Having To Defend Herself From Gold Digging Rumors During Marriage To Dennis Rodman

Electra looked back on her brief union with the NBA legend and how she found herself living life on the fast lane with unhealthy drinking habits and constant partying. As noted by The Blast, Electra confessed that her decision to marry Rodman was not taken on her best days, as his lifestyle became too much for her to handle.

She added that her entry into his life was also another major source of tension because the people working with him always felt she entered his life to go after his fortune. Electra pushed against the thought, insisting that she already had a career and her own money before the marriage.

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By then, Electra had landed major opportunities with MTV and “Baywatch” and was supporting herself while living in a Beverly Hills condo she paid for. The actress said maintaining that independence has always been important to her and remains a philosophy she believes women should embrace.

Rodman and the actress famously eloped in Las Vegas in 1998 after a highly publicized romance that continued in a turbulent manner for several months until they officially ended the union the next April.

Electra has since revealed that picking up a self-help book after she disliked what she saw in the mirror gave her the courage to finally leave the athlete behind and walk away from the marriage.

Carmen Electra’s Romantic Past Is As Starry As Her Hollywood Career

The actress’s dating history in the industry over the years ranged from the biggest names in music, sports, and Hollywood, beginning with singer Prince in the early 1990s.

The List shared that Prince and Electra met when she auditioned for a girl group he was assembling, and while she did not get in, Prince did play a role in shaping her solo career.

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He famously gave her the name “Carmen Electra,” and when the professional relationship became romantic, the actress’ refusal to follow him to Minnesota led to the demise of their romance. Following her failed marriage to Rodman, Electra tied the knot with Jane’s Addiction guitarist Navarro in 2003, and MTV covered the preparation.

The former couple divorced in 2006, but unlike her complicated relationship with Rodman, she has maintained a friendship with Navarro, famously sharing that their bond remains strong and she will always love him.

Electra has also been linked to several famous personalities like Tommy Lee, Fred Durst, Vin Diesel, Mark McGrath, David Spade, Colin Farrell, Joan Jett, Simon Cowell, Max George and Ryan Lochte.

However, in recent times, Electra has largely kept her romantic life away from the spotlight, with few people having knowledge about her endeavors.

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Looks like Carmen Electra has drawn out the perfect map for her to have the most fun if the “Baywatch” reboot comes calling!

Later this year, in December, director Denis Villeneuve will conclude what will likely go down as one of the greatest sci-fi trilogies in decades with Dune: Part Three. Based on the seminal novels by Frank Herbert, the trilogy is headlined by Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya, with a star-studded supporting cast. The first two installments — Dune and Dune: Part Two — have grossed a combined total of more than $1 billion at the worldwide box office, even though the first part’s theatrical performance was undercut by a day-and-date streaming release. The two movies have received a total of 15 Oscar nominations, with Dune winning in six categories. This doesn’t typically happen with genre films, and the last time that the industry witnessed something like this was over two decades ago, with arguably the greatest fantasy trilogy ever made.

The series in question was filmed back-to-back and released one after the other between 2001 and 2003. Combined, the three movies generated nearly $3 billion at the worldwide box office and received near-universal acclaim. The third installment famously won in each of the 13 categories it was nominated for at the Oscars. The series starred Elijah Wood, Viggo Mortensen, Ian McKellen, and dozens of other actors in prominent roles.

‘The Lord of the Rings’ Franchise Is Returning to Live-Action

By now you’ve obviously guessed that we’re talking about Peter Jackson’s beloved The Lord of the Rings trilogy, which includes The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. All three movies were critically acclaimed, and are now sitting at “Certified Fresh” scores of 91%, 95%, and 94% on the aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes. Jackson returned to direct a trilogy of prequels based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit, but the new movies were generally viewed as inferior to the original trilogy. A new interquel, titled The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum, is currently in production with Andy Serkis at the helm.

The upcoming movie will be released in theaters next year, but the original trilogy is currently streaming in the United States on HBO Max, and surging on Disney+ globally in Canada, Belgium, Turkey, and more. Stay tuned to Collider for more updates.

Prime Video subscribers have been treated to some of the finest streaming content so far in 2026. Legally Blonde fans finally got their prequel series with the debut of Elle; the ever-brilliant Sophie Turner turned in one of the most underrated performances of the year so far in Steal; The Summer I Turned Pretty fans received their latest must-watch small town romance in Every Year After; Guy Ritchie returned to TV with Young Sherlock; and Riz Ahmed delivered the best series on Prime Video this year so far with Bait.

But of all the shows so far released on Prime Video this year, none have proven more addictive than Off Campus. Based on a series of books by Elle Kennedy, and adapted for the screen by Louisa Levy, this steamy eight-episode series follows Ella Bright and Belmont Cameli as music major and hockey captain, Hannah and Garrett, as love begins to blossom in the fictional Briar University. The series was a big hit with critics and audiences, scoring 91% from the former and 88% from the latter on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes. Collider’s Therese Lacson agreed, describing the show in her review as “the perfect blend of sizzling romance and soapy drama.”

By reaching 36 million global viewers in its first 12 days of release, Off Campus became a surprise phenomenon and even ranked as Prime Video’s third most-watched series launch of all time, falling short of just The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power and Fallout. However, in the 18-34 age demographic, Off Campus is Prime Video’s biggest debut ever, even higher than The Summer I Turned Pretty​​​​​​. Almost three months since the finale premiered, Off Campus is still a major hit. At the time of writing, the series is the most-watched show on Prime Video in the world, outperforming the much newer hit Ride or Die.

Is ‘Off Campus’ Getting a Second Season?

No hit this big wouldn’t win a second season. Even before the first had aired, back in February, Off Campus ​​​​​​was greenlit for a second season. There will be a big shake-up for Season 2, as the romance between Allie Hayes (Mika Abdalla) and Dean Di Laurentis (Stephen Kalyn) takes center stage. Production is reportedly underway, although we still have no idea when Season 2 might debut.

Make sure to stay tuned to Collider for all the latest streaming stories.

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Release Date

May 13, 2026

Network

Prime Video

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Directors

Dawn Wilkinson, Erica Dunton, Silver Tree, Sam Bailey

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Writers

Emmy St. Pierre

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Nevaeh Akira is reportedly about two weeks away from her due date for her son, Solar Porter. Rather than a calm last lap of her pregnancy, she recently took to the internet to weigh in on new, viral clips of her unborn child’s father, Blueface, and his on-and-off boo, Chrisean Rock. Despite repeatedly denying he is the father of Chrisean Jesus, Blue was on a livestream with the three-year-old son and his mother — all lying in bed together. The apparent family reunion comes amid Jaidyn Alexis calling Blueface a “disappointment” for allegedly not calling their daughter, Journey, on her fourth birthday just days ago.

RELATED: Whew! Chrisean Rock Sounds Off On Rumors Linking Her To The Death Of Ex-Boyfriend Ronny Doe (VIDEO)

Blueface Feeds Chrisean Rock’s Son As She Snoozes In Bed

Nevaeh Akira’s shade towards Chrisean Rock started with the viral clips of Blueface seemingly playing daddy to Chrisean Jesus. Before his death in Feb. 2025, Rock’s ex-boyfriend, Ronny Doe, alleged he was the biological dad of Rock’s son. It’s a claim Blueface has pushed several times, including this year. Chrisean has shut down that narrative, maintaining that Blueface is her son’s dad. Most recently, he even claimed she was the one who posted a photo on his profile claiming it was her son.

Despite Blueface’s consistent resistance to claiming CJ, he appeared cozy, feeding the three-year-old in bed during a livestream. More than 9,700 viewers were tuned in as Blue spoon-fed the toddler, who giggled, squealed and pulled away at times. Meanwhile, Chrisean Rock appeared to be in a deep sleep. Other clips show Chrisean Jesus seemingly laughing at cartoons on the TV while Blue used his phone next to him. Swipe below to see the mentioned footage. 

Nevaeh Akira Seemingly Slams Chrisean Rock Over Livestream

As the livestream footage of Blueface and both Chriseans picked up steam, his pregnant girlfriend hopped on a stream of her own. Speaking from inside their shared home, Nevaeh Akira appeared shocked when she received a phone call, allegedly about Blue’s whereabouts.

The moment Neveah FOUND out that Blueface was WITH Chrisean while he LEFT😳🤯 pic.twitter.com/aFB86jjgny

— Akademiks TV (@AkademiksTV) August 9, 2026

Later, during that same stream, she was seen speaking to a friend about the situation. Without naming Chrisean Rock, she expressed confusion about someone blasting Blueface as evil, but wanting to be in his face. Akira also popped off about being with her firstborn son, Superior, 24/7.

“I’m with mines 24/7, ain’t never put mines to the side. And if a n*gga ain’t claiming mine, I ain’t gliding with him, sliding with him, kissing him, touching him, f**king him none of that. You heard me? None of that,” Nevaeh Akira said.

Then, she responded to a live comment that said Blueface appears “genuinely happy” with Chrisean Rock. “He ain’t genuinely happy with a motherf**ker that he’s [pushing gesture] the whole f**king time to stay out the f**k camera view,” she said. Akira also questioned why she’s in the loop and his home. She added: “Let dirty and dirty have theyselves at this point ’cause it’s giving that.” In another clip, Akira appeared to call Chrisean Rock a hypocrite. 

“These h*es be hypocrites. B*tch he so evil, why the f**k you in his face? It don’t make sense to me,” she said, before telling her friend, “NoI’m talking ’bout a h*e that’s calling this n*gga evil 24/7 but stay in his face so homey. I’m tired of these b*tches.”

After her friend says that “b*tches are begging for their family back,” Akira agrees and laughs. Later, she acknowledges that her “baby daddy/man” might be treating her “like sh*t” but that’s it’s okay. “N*gga might wake up and treat me right one day,” she said. Adding:

“He just getting his rocks off while I’m pregnant. Cause b*tch imma be back, 2.0 bad b*tch. Hello, and a b*tch got potential, a b*tch just sitting down. Real quiet on the creek h*e. F*ck y’all.”

Another viral clip shows Nevaeh Akira pushing a box out of a room, but it’s unclear if it means she plans to move out.

RELATED: Oop! Social Media Reacts After Jaidyn Alexis Calls Blueface A “Disappointment” And Says He Didn’t Call Their Daughter On Her Birthday (VIDEOS)

Okay, so “perfect” is a big word to throw around for a whole list, and it does not mean that these movies have zero flaws if you go looking for them. They are here because, let’s be honest, watch any one of these and try to think of a single change that would actually make it better. You can’t, not really. Every choice, every weird creature design, every slow scene, is doing exactly what it’s supposed to be doing.

A few of these can easily show up on other lists and rightfully so they’re talked about a lot more. Some movies are genuinely great enough to earn a spot no matter what angle you’re ranking them from. So here they are, worst to best, ten fantasy movies that don’t really have a weak spot to poke at.

10

‘The Princess Bride’ (1987)

Image via 20th Century Studios

This movie is just endlessly quotable, and I think that’s actually the best sign a script is doing its job right. Westley (Cary Elwes) and Buttercup (Robin Wright) are the actual love story, but everyone remembers Inigo Montoya (Mandy Patinkin) and his whole “you killed my father, prepare to die” thing way more, because Rob Reiner and William Goldman clearly cared just as much about the side characters as the leads.

It flopped in theaters when it came out, which is wild to think about now, and only became the beloved thing it is once people started renting it on VHS and passing it around. It’s a swordfight movie, a comedy, and a genuine romance all at once, and none of those parts ever get in each other’s way.

9

‘Pan’s Labyrinth’ (2006)

Image via Warner Bros. Pictures

Guillermo del Toro built the Pale Man, one of the creepiest creatures in movie history, entirely as a practical suit worn by Doug Jones, no CGI doing its magic. That’s kind of the whole deal with this movie where every fantasy creature looks like it’s actually standing in the room with Ofelia, because it usually was.

It won three Oscars, for cinematography, makeup, and art direction, and all of those awards were well-deserved. The fantasy stuff and the real-world horror of fascist Spain sit right next to each other the entire runtime, and del Toro never once lets one half feel like it’s just decorating the other.

8

‘The Green Knight’ (2021)

Image via A24

David Lowery made a movie where almost nothing gets explained outright, and it works precisely because he never flinches from that choice. Dev Patel is at his best here yet again as he plays Gawain with real nervous energy, like a guy who knows he’s not ready for what he agreed to, and the whole thing is shot so beautifully you’d watch it with the sound off and still feel something.

Most movies this ambiguous end up frustrating people. This one earns the ambiguity, because every unanswered question feels intentional instead of lazy. That’s a hard needle to thread, and it’s a big part of why this belongs on a perfect list instead of just a good one.

7

‘The Wizard of Oz’ (1939)

Image via Warner Bros.

The Wizard of Oz is literally everyone’s childhood at this point. The moment Dorothy opens that door and the movie switches from black-and-white Kansas into full color Oz still gets me, and that was an insanely bold technical choice for 1939. Judy Garland carries the whole thing on “Over the Rainbow” alone, honestly.

They actually changed the slippers from silver, like in the book, to ruby red just because red popped better on the new Technicolor film. That’s such a small, practical decision, and it ended up becoming one of the most iconic images in movie history. Almost ninety years later, the effects still hold up in a way a lot of far more expensive fantasy movies don’t.

6

‘Princess Mononoke’ (1997)

Image via Studio Ghibli

Hayao Miyazaki’s team hand-drew something like 144,000 individual frames for this movie, without any shortcuts, and you can feel that effort in every single shot of the forest. San and Ashitaka don’t get a clean, easy love story either, which some people complain about, but that’s exactly why the movie earns its ending instead of just handing you one.

Nobody in this movie is fully good or fully evil, not even the woman literally destroying the forest, and Miyazaki trusts the audience enough to sit with that discomfort; he beautifully painted characters in the grey areas for them to be more realistic.

5

‘Spirited Away’ (2001)

Image via Studio Ghibli

This was the first anime to ever win the Oscar for Best Animated Feature, and it also broke Japan’s all-time box office record for years afterward, which tells you it wasn’t just critics who loved it. Chihiro’s world is packed with stuff like No-Face and the bathhouse spirits, and none of it feels like filler, every creature actually means something by the end.

Miyazaki apparently came up with the idea partly to make something for his friends’ daughters. There were kids who were bored of typical princess stories, and you can feel that specific care in how seriously the movie takes a ten-year-old’s fear and boredom and courage. It is one of the best children movies to exist.

4

‘The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring’ (2001)

Image via New Line Cinema

Peter Jackson shot this whole trilogy back to back in New Zealand with actual mountains and actual forests standing in for Middle-earth, and that groundedness is honestly why the fantasy stuff lands as hard as it does. The locations were real and that made it 100x better. The crew arranged a WETA Workshop built with real armor and real weapons the actors could actually move in, instead of a bunch of CGI.

This first one especially still gets me every time the Fellowship breaks apart at the end, Boromir’s death, Frodo and Sam heading off alone. It’s a long movie and it never once feels like it’s just killing time waiting to get somewhere. The trilogy is the best one to exist and every movie in its feather is just better than the other one.

3

‘The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers’ (2002)

Image via New Line Cinema

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Gollum is the reason this one belongs on a perfect list, honestly. Andy Serkis did full motion-capture performance work for a character that’s mostly just eyes and a voice, and he still made Gollum feel more human, more genuinely torn apart inside, than most fully CGI characters manage today.

Helm’s Deep took months to film and it shows, since it’s still one of the best battle sequences ever put on screen. There was no shaky-cam nonsense hiding bad choreography, and everything was just so beautifully flowing that it genuinely felt like a wholesome cinematic experience. This is the middle chapter of a trilogy, technically the hardest one to make work on its own, and it still holds together completely.

2

‘The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King’ (2003)

Image via New Line Cinema

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This movie won eleven Oscars, every single category it was nominated for, which basically never happens, and it earned every one of them. The Battle of Pelennor Fields alone probably took more actual planning than most entire movies get, which is why for most people this one is the best movie in the trilogy.

What really gets me about this one is how much time it spends on the ending after the ending, Frodo coming home and not being able to feel okay again, the Grey Haven, etc. Most trilogies would’ve just cut to credits after the ring gets destroyed. This one trusts you to sit with what the war actually cost everyone first and probably that’s why it still lingers on the minds of viewers.

1

‘The Dark Crystal’ (1982)

Image via Universal Pictures

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Every single character in this movie is a puppet, hand-built and operated by Jim Henson’s team, and there’s not a frame of CGI anywhere near it because it came out in 1982, before that was even an option. Brian Froud designed the Skeksis and the Mystics, and they’re still genuinely unsettling to look at, way darker than anything you’d expect from the Muppets guy.

It’s a kids’ movie that never once talks down to kids, dark tone and all. Jen and Kira’s whole quest has real stakes and danger, and the fact that it still is talked about as one of the most fully realized fantasy worlds ever built, entirely by hand, is why it takes the top spot here.

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The Dark Crystal

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Release Date

December 17, 1982

Runtime

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93 minutes

Director

Frank Oz

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Writers

David Odell, Jim Henson

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• 

  Jim Henson

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  Jen / High Priest, Ritual Master

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  Kathryn Mullen

  Kira, a Gelfling

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Toni shared two new photos that appear to capture her wedding day, posing solo in a gorgeous embroidered white wedding gown with her veil pulled back. The singer kept the glam elegant with French-tip nails, sparkling stud earrings, a flawless face beat, and her hair styled in a sleek middle-part updo. And of course, that HUGE diamond ring was front and center, giving all the “I’m a wife” energy as she celebrated the milestone.

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The pair’s relationship had been surrounded by marriage rumors before Toni eventually confirmed Birdman was her husband. On August 8, 2025, she shared a photo of a white floral bouquet alongside her massive diamond ring, captioning it simply, “Happy Anniversary.” The post came after TMZ reported that the couple privately married in 2024 and that Toni had filed for divorce just two days later, but despite the eyebrow-raising report, the couple made it to their first anniversary — and Toni is now celebrating year two.