Actor and author Wil Wheaton did not hold back his frustration with Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson this week, slamming him as a “coward” for choosing to remain politically neutral.

Johnson played coy when asked whether he had stayed silent to maximize the audience for his movies.

He leaned Democratic in 2020 when he endorsed Joe Biden, but later said he regretted his endorsement.

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson has come under fire from a Hollywood colleague for choosing to remain silent politically, even as the country plunges deeper into political division.

In a passionate social media post, Wil Wheaton labeled Johnson a “coward,” seemingly maintaining that public figures have a moral obligation to take a stand on critical social and political issues.

“So disappointing to find out he is such a coward,” Wheaton wrote on Threads on Monday, per Entertainment Weekly.

Wheaton’s criticism came in response to a post by George Takei that quoted Esquire’s recent interview with Johnson.

“Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson’s recent comments to Esquire about wanting to ‘keep my politics to myself’ have divided fans, with some calling out his silence,” Takei wrote on Threads.

In a follow-up response, he added, “Silence is complicity.”

Dwayne Johnson Says Art Is His ‘Main Thing’

Wheaton has remained a vocal Trump critic and previously campaigned for Kamala Harris in the buildup to the 2024 presidential election.

Unlike him, whose political stand is known, Johnson is neither here nor there. In an interview with Esquire last month, he explained why he intentionally avoids the topic when asked whether he was trying to maximize his movies’ audience by doing so.

“What I have learned through experience is that I need to keep — need, not want — the main thing the main thing. And the main thing for me, the thing that in the morning I swing my legs out of bed, and I run towards, is creating. It’s art. It’s storytelling,” he told the outlet.

Wheaton has remained a vocal Trump critic and previously campaigned for Kamala Harris in the buildup to the 2024 presidential elections.

Johnson Says He ‘Hates’ Politics

Johnson went further to explain in the interview that he does not want his politics to distract from his work, but is always open to dialogue.

“I’ve learned I’m going to keep my politics to myself,” he said. “There are moments when, hey, there’s nothing we can’t talk about. If I’m wrong, I’ll tell you I’m wrong. Or if I feel like I got a leg up and this is the right way to go, I’ll share it with you.”

He continued, “Politics is omnipresent, and it’s forever. I don’t like it. [Laughs.] I hate it at times. I hate the slinging. I hate all the bullsh-t that comes with it.”

He then addressed the reporter, who had brought up politics with a remark about Bruce Springsteen’s recent anti-Trump tour, saying it would be better if both parties that do not see eye to eye had a conversation rather than calling each other out.

Dwayne Johnson Vowed Not To Repeat 2020 Endorsement

Johnson leaned Democratic in 2020 when he publicly endorsed Joe Biden in the buildup to the presidential election.

However, in a 2024 chat with Fox News’ Will Cain, the “Black Adam” star expressed regret for his actions, noting that his endorsement caused significant division among his fanbase.

“The endorsement that I made years ago with Biden was one I thought was the best decision for me at that time… And I thought back then, when we talk about, ‘Hey, you know, I’m in this position where I have some influence, and it’s my job then… to exercise my influence and share… this is who I’m going to endorse,’” he said at the time.

“Am I gonna do that again this year? That answer is no, I’m not gonna do that, because what I realized — what that caused back then — was something that tears me up in my guts, back then and now, which is division,” he added. “And that got me. The takeaway after that, months and months and months, I started to realize, like, ‘Oh man, that caused an incredible amount of division in our country.’”

Dwayne Johnson Opened Up About Cancer Scare

Away from his political stance, Johnson has also had a difficult time with his health, as he opened up about a very painful cancer scare in his interview with Esquire.

He revealed that, before press time for “Jumanji: Open World,” he discovered a lump on one of his testicles while showering.

“By the way: I’m fine,” he insisted. “But I didn’t know that then, and the thing was really painful.”

He added that he decided to keep it away from everyone and did not even tell his wife of nearly two decades, Lauren Hashian.

“I didn’t want to worry her before I knew if it was anything to even worry about,” he said.

When he visited his doctor, he was told it could be a case of epididymitis or a symptom of testicular cancer and was asked to take an ultrasound immediately.

“So, I had to live with that for those 24 hours, not knowing,” he recalled, later adding that he is “OK” now. “And I had to be on all day, joking around, making speeches.”

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.

General Hospital delivers drama between Danny Morgan (Asher Jared Antonyzyn) and Rocco Falconeri (Finn Carr). And based on recent spoilers, things are about to get a lot worse between them.

When Danny heard from Charlotte Cassadine (Bluesy Burke) that Rocco shot Ross Cullum (Andrew Hawkes), remember he went berserk. And Danny wanted to immediately tell the WSB that his dad, Jason Morgan (Steve Burton), was innocent. He didn’t, but it looks like it’s all going to come out very soon.

General Hospital: The Rocco-Danny Conflict Intensifies

So recently, Charlotte was really upset after she told Danny that Rocco is the one who really shot Cullum. And if you remember, Charlotte only just found out herself after eavesdropping on Lulu Spencer (Alexa Havins Bruening), telling Laura Spencer (Genie Francis) that Rocco was the shooter and had to be protected. And Danny’s first instinct was to throw Rocco under the bus because he wants to get his father Jason out of the WSB lockup. We know he’s being held in Indonesia. And Charlotte got mad at Danny for wanting to expose Rocco to save Jason. In the end, he got really mad and Danny stormed out.

Then later, he went over to the WSB and he started some stuff. And he wound up getting out of that mess only thanks to Alexis Davis (Nancy Lee Grahn). But it looks like Danny isn’t done stirring the pot.

Charlotte & Danny Doomed on GH

So, for now, Charlotte and Danny are back on good terms because he saved her from Cullum’s WSB goon, who was trying to chloroform and kidnap her. But I don’t expect Charlotte and Danny’s good vibes to last because other General Hospital spoilers for this summer suggest that Danny is going to turn Rocco into the PCPD.

So, very soon, we’re going to have Anna Devane (Finola Hughes) getting out of the French hospital. She’s heading home and then Dante Falconeri (Dominic Zamprogna) is going to happily give back the police commissioner job to Anna. And so Danny may wait until Anna’s back in the job knowing that Dante likely wouldn’t take action when Danny comes in to report that Rocco shot WSB bad guy Cullum because Dante knows.

But with WSB head honcho Z hitting Port Charles this week, that’s going to be the end of Cullum. And that means Lulu and Dante can head home with Rocco without worrying about danger. But when Rocco finds out Dante and Lulu had Britt Westbourne (Kelly Thiebaud) arrested for kidnapping him, Rocco’s ticked off. He feels like Dante and Lulu betrayed him because they promised to leave Britt alone. But of course, Dante called and reported her and the local cops on the island picked Britt up.

General Hospital: Danny & Rocco Clash

Also, when Rocco is back, he and Danny have an unhappy reunion, and I expect that he confronts Rocco about letting Jason take the blame for the shooting. So, Danny’s mad that Rocco shot Cullum and let Jason go down for it. And I’m thinking Danny’s going to press Rocco to come clean. But other General Hospital summer spoilers say that Rocco refuses to break his word.

Now, while that might be something to do with Britt, I don’t think so because based on other spoilers, I feel like it is about Jason Morgan because he told Rocco, “Never tell anybody that you shot Cullum.” But Danny’s too mad to think this through. Like the fact that Jason would be dead if not for Rocco.

Not just locked up in Indonesia. Because if you remember, Cullum had Britt knocked out and he got Jason knocked down. Got the better of him and Cullum was two seconds from finishing off Jason, and then going and finishing off Britt. But with Dante in place as police commissioner, Danny’s got to know things won’t go that well if he goes down there.

General Hospital: Danny Spills the Truth

So, I think he’s going to wait till Anna’s back. And once she is, I think this is when another spoiler for summer happens. It says Danny is mad about Rocco keeping his word. And that’s presumably Rocco’s word he gave to Jason to let everybody think that he shot Cullum.

Then, Danny retaliates by naming names according to the spoilers. So, it sounds like he rats out Rocco trying to help Jason and then spoilers say it’s going to be a lot of Danny versus Rocco that makes things difficult for Charlotte and Rocco as siblings. And this should all happen soon because Steve Burton is back on July 13th.

However, I suspect Jason is going to be spotted in Indonesia first and then come back to Port Charles later. So, I do think Danny is desperate to get his dad Jason out of WSB custody and back home. And Danny may think Rocco won’t be punished for this crime.

General Hospital: Anna Back in Action

There’s another General Hospital summer spoiler that says once she’s back as police commissioner, Anna has to deal with the case of Rocco shooting Cullum. And the only way that would happen is if Rocco was ratted out by somebody. And that spoiler says Danny is naming names. That makes it clear that he is dropping a dime.

Other General Hospital spoilers say Rocco’s not out of the woods for shooting Cullum. But then Rocco gets help from Dante, Laura, Sonny Corinthos (Maurice Benard), and even Jack Brennan (Chris McKenna). And I’m sure the local WSB boss will reveal that Cullum was a dangerous double agent and that what Rocco did was in self-defense. I mean, heck, it was a community service, right?

General Hospital: Rocco Off the Hook

Plus, once he’s back in Port Charles, spoilers say Jason presses Rocco to just put Cullum’s shooting behind him. And that means Rocco is likely not going to face any harsh consequences. He may get off scot-free. In fact, Anna is the commissioner very soon again.

And she hates Cullum for what he did to her. And Justine Turner (Nazneen Contractor), assuming she survives this Sidwell thing, may not be in a hurry to prosecute anybody for anything that was done to Cullum or Sidwell.

Plus, Dante destroyed the evidence against Rocco. That included the blood samples from the gun that shot Cullum. So even if Anna or Justine wanted to press charges, there may not be enough physical evidence to prosecute Rocco anyway.

And with the problems between Danny and Rocco and also Charlotte and Rocco, he actually winds up turning to Scout Cain (Kayden Brenna Tokarski), who is Scout. She’s going to be aged up into being a teenager and they’re going to be together. So, it looks like all these spoilers paint a pretty clear picture that Danny’s going to rat out Rocco for shooting Cullum trying to clear Jason’s name so he can come home and not have to face any consequences, not have to do time when he didn’t do the crime, even though he did lots of other crimes.

General Hospital: Jason Sets Out on a New Path

And of course, we know Jason comes back transformed and he’s made this big decision to live his life differently. I expect him to step away from the mob while still remaining friends with Sonny. And in fact, we’ve heard Jason may decide to join the WSB, which would be a big twist.

I’m also interested to see, assuming Danny does rat out Rocco, how Jason’s going to react to that because he wanted to protect Rocco anyway because he’s just a kid. But also, Jason knows he’d be dead if not for Rocco shooting Cullum. Jason’s not a big fan of snitches either because of Sonny and the mob. So, I’m not sure Jason will approve of what Danny did.

And in the end, I don’t think Britt’s going to go down for kidnapping Rocco because he’ll probably tell the cops he insisted on going with Britt. Wouldn’t take no for an answer. Plus, if his parents, Dante and Lulu, push on that, Rocco might never forgive them.

General Hospital: Danny & Rocco’s Relationship Permanently Damaged

And at the same time, I don’t think Rocco is going to face any consequences for shooting Cullum, and he shouldn’t. But in the end, things may never ever be the same between Danny and Rocco after he tattles on him to Anna and tells the PCPD as well because he’s trying to save Jason.

Hopefully, after all the dust settles, Rocco can get some therapy and let go of the stress of the shooting. I tend to think all this is going to pull him closer to Britt despite fans not liking this and despite Lulu and Dante not liking it.

Bold and the Beautiful reels as everybody at Forrester Creations is still in shock from Hope Logan’s (Annika Noelle) betrayal, especially Brooke Logan (Katherine Kelly Lang) and their mother-daughter relationship may never be the same.

Plus, Steffy Forrester (Jacqueline MacInnes Wood) is absolutely fuming and I suspect that she’s going to want revenge.

Bold and the Beautiful: Hope’s Betrayal Forges an Unlikely Alliance

So, when Brooke and Steffy watched Hope take the stage at Logan on the live stream, their jaws dropped. Brooke was in absolute shock, disbelief, and even a little bit of denial. Meanwhile, Steffy was fuming and called Hope a traitor.

And Steffy said she knew something was going on with Hope. And then Steffy was quick to remind everybody that Hope stole the company not that long ago. So, it’s no surprise she’s stabbing the Forresters in the back again.

And Steffy had lots to say while Brooke was running over to Logan to confront Katie Logan (Heather Tom) and try and snatch Hope all the way back to Forrester Creations. But despite Brooke’s unhinged behavior and her demands, I don’t think Hope is going to come back to Forrester Creations. Not now, maybe not ever.

Bold and the Beautiful: Hope Persona non Grata at FC

And honestly, I don’t think Ridge Forrester (Thorsten Kaye) and Steffy would take Hope at this point after this very public betrayal. Brooke’s daughter lied to their faces, lied about the leave of absence, and she was working with Katie behind their backs instead of just quitting and being honest. And now that’s made things at Forrester Creations a mess.

Ridge and Steffy decided they can’t launch Eric Forrester’s (John McCook) new couture line now because it’ll be totally overshadowed by the blindside move that Katie made because she debuted Hope for Logan right before theirs. So now, Eric’s line is actually on the shelf which means no couture sales. And Carter Walton (Lawrence Saint-Victor) just told the Forresters they needed the launch to hit hard because Eric’s line was so expensive to produce and now it is on hold.

Steffy Wants Revenge on Hope on B&B

So, at this point, with Hope turning her back on Brooke and Forrester Creations, I think Steffy’s going to want Hope to pay. And Brooke definitely wants Katie to pay, but she also feels betrayed by Hope. Now, at this point, I don’t think that there’s much that Steffy or Brooke can do to Logan to punish the company.

And even if Steffy and Brooke trash talk them to the fashion media, I think that will just look like sour grapes. So, they’ve got to suck it up and act calm. But Steffy may decide on some revenge that’s a little more personal.

Something that’ll hit Hope where she is hurting right now, which is in this rift with her mom. Brooke thinks Katie stole Hope and manipulated her. But Brooke’s about to find out otherwise when Hope’s going to tell her that she’s staying at Logan.

Bold and the Beautiful: New Vibe Between Steffy & Brooke

And right before all of this went down, I was getting this vibe between Brooke and Steffy. Remember when Hope tried to get Brooke to swipe Steffy’s co-CEO seat? That was when Brooke backed down and said she just couldn’t do it to Ridge.

Then she sent Steffy a really nice text about how great she is as co-CEO. And Hope was so mad. And that was pretty much the tipping point that sent her over to Logan to sign that contract on Bold and the Beautiful.

Now we could see Steffy and Brooke doing some bonding over Hope’s betrayal and this latest stunt by Katie at Logan. Brooke feels betrayed on a more personal level by Hope and Katie. Meanwhile, Steffy feels like Hope betrayed both the Forrester family and the family business.

So, Steffy mentioned to Brooke before when all this came out that she thought something had happened that Hope wasn’t telling them. And I suspect that’s why Steffy told Hope that they were relaunching her line. Plus, it was really weird that Steffy was hugging Hope the other day.

And I think Steffy was almost trying to squeeze the truth out of Hope. I think she knew something was off, but just not what. And then Brooke came in and that gave some room for Hope to run right back over to Logan.

Bold and the Beautiful: Hope’s Apologies Won’t Work on Brooke

So, now Hope is trying to make amends with Brooke, but we know it’s not going to work. And official B&B spoilers say when she and Hope bicker, we’re going to see Brooke reach a breaking point.

Plus, Liam Spencer (Scott Clifton) already asked Hope to move to the Spencer mansion and she agreed. So Brooke’s going to see this as Hope bailing on her both at work and at home.

Although I’m sure Ridge will be glad to not have to see Hope hanging around the house. But Brooke and Steffy are both going to be ticked at how happy that Hope is over at Logan and away from Forrester Creations.

Bold and the Beautiful: Steffy’s Revenge Plot

So, very soon we’re going to see Brooke going back and telling Steffy and the other Forresters that Hope is not coming back. She’s going to stay at Logan. And I’m sure Brooke’s going to get lots of support from Ridge, Eric, and also Steffy. I can see Brooke and Steffy venting and bonding over Hope’s betrayal. And I think this will bring Steffy and Brooke closer.

Honestly, I can even see Steffy deliberately getting closer to Brooke to salt the wound to show Hope that Brooke doesn’t need her. She has a stepdaughter, Steffy, to fill up the space that Hope left behind. And at this point, Steffy and Hope’s rivalry, I think, is back in full effect and stronger than ever. But instead of the rivalry being over a man, usually Liam, it’s about Logan and Forrester Creations and maybe even about Brooke as well.

Bold and the Beautiful: Steffy at Her Breaking point with Hope

In Steffy’s mind, Hope is the ultimate traitor and betrayer and liar. So, Steffy is going to hit back hard. And I could totally see her getting the ultimate revenge on Hope by building a tight relationship with her stepmom, Brooke, and then rubbing it in Hope’s face every chance she gets. Maybe also publicly, like when Forrester Creations finally launches Eric’s new couture line.

That would be the perfect time for Steffy to take a real hard slap at Hope. I could see Steffy taking the stage, thanking Eric, and then calling Brooke up, talking about doing another launch. Steffy putting her arm around Brooke, talking about the importance of family and loyalty.

Steffy might talk about how much Brooke means to her. And that might bug Taylor Hayes (Rebecca Budig) a little, but she’s busy with Deacon Sharpe (Sean Kanan). Plus, Taylor is smart enough to realize when Steffy’s playing mind games.

Hope Fuming Soon on B&B

But I think all of that would totally get under Hope’s skin if she was watching it on the live stream of the launch. The same way it hit Brooke hard when she saw Hope on the runway with Katie talking about how great each of them is. So, I could see Hope being crushed to see Steffy and Brooke so close on the live stream of the launch.

I think Katie would reassure Hope that Brooke will get over it and things will smooth out with them, but honestly, she’s salty now about Hope leaving. So, Brooke might actually lean into showing her daughter what she’s missing out on.

Forrester vs. Logan Gets Brutal on Bold

I expect the competition between Logan and Forrester Creations to continue to be absolutely brutal. And I can see Steffy and Brooke conspiring to outdo Logan and prove to Katie that Forrester Creations will always come out on top. Steffy might even suggest that they revamp Hope’s old line into something new that she and Brooke run together.

So, things are getting really bad, especially with Katie and Brooke getting into a full-on physical brawl this week, which to be fair was absolutely initiated by Brooke. And I think it’s just the beginning. It’s going to get worse from there. Things are going to explode. Relationships are never going to be the same. And I fully expect Steffy to want to punish Hope for this.

And while Brooke is angrier at Katie, she is also not happy with Hope this week when she won’t come back to Forrester Creations. Honestly, Brooke is so hurt. Steffy might get closer to Brooke, genuinely out of concern, and then see an opportunity for revenge on Hope and grab it with both hands.

Chloe Bailey is getting candid about how being compared to her sister, Halle Bailey, has hurt them both over the years. The two singers, known for their viral YouTube covers and award-nominated albums, have faced criticism for their different sounds, and in a new interview, Chloe said they’ve come to realize that their differences are part of what makes them so unique.

During her interview on Alex Cooper’s “Call Her Daddy” podcast, the 28-year-old revealed that the comparison to her sister came very early during their careers. After being posted on WorldStar, Chloe said that was the “first time” that people failed to truly understand how their differences brought them together.

“But like, the thing that people don’t realize with sis and I is that we are so different,” Chloe said. “[Halle] grew up loving jazz. She’ll still do jazz, neo soul, the vibes. Me? I love pop, locking, drop it, the heavy drums… That’s the beauty of Chloe and Halle.”

Chloe explained that the criticism was challenging to hear because they showed the world “two different sides of ourselves.”

Still speaking about the negative comments, Chloe admitted that reading them “hurt” her and her sister, Halle.

“We’d talk to each other like, ‘Oh my gosh. Is this true about me?’ We’d be like, ‘No, it’s not.’ We’d have to uplift each other,” she said. “That’s the beauty of us. We’re like fire and water.”

Regarding their bond, Chloe said they both “clung” tightly to each other at the beginning of their careers. “We weren’t going through criticism, even the positivity, alone. We were rejoicing together, and we had a partner to celebrate with and even cry with,” she added.

Chloe Bailey Talks About Working With ‘Safety Blanket’ Halle

In a previous interview, Chloe spoke about how excited she was to see her sister flourishing in Hollywood. Over the last few years, the 26-year-old starred as Ariel in Disney’s remake of “The Little Mermaid” and Anna in the rom-com feature film, “You, Me, & Tuscany.”

Chloe said that she’s enjoyed cheering for her sister and seeing her thrive while doing her own thing. “… it just makes when we come together that much more special,” she said. “Sis and I, we started doing everything together, so we’re each other’s safety blanket.”

What Prompted Chloe To Switch Up Her Hairstyle?

Last Sunday, Chloe appeared on the red carpet at the annual BET Awards. This year, she sported a new look: platinum blonde hair. According to a previous report from The Blast, the “Trouble in Paradise” singer said that she decided to switch things up after previously being “so serious” about her image.

So, what prompted her new look? Superheroes! “… I’ve been reading more comic books, and I just love how sexy and feminine and colorful the superheroes are in there,” she said, speaking about Wonder Woman, Storm, and Thor.

Chloe Just Released A Mixtape With An Iconic Music Producer

Days before her BET Awards appearance, Chloe released a new mixtape, “Resurrection,” alongside the iconic Timbaland. The 13-track project is her first full-length set of tracks since her last release in August 2024.

“Resurrection” was released on June 19, 2026, and primarily features R&B and alternative songs.

“I created this mixtape with Timberland… and we’re releasing it on Juneteenth! It’s a celebration of the beauty within our community and our power that we hold within our skin, but also he has been such a prominent figure within the music industry,” Chloe said. “And I’ve been so inspired by him and Missy Elliott. Like I’ve never been shy of crediting them for the producer that I am.”

A week after the release, Chloe’s latest movie, “Strung,” was released on Peacock. In the film, she plays Laila, a music tutor who moved in with a rich family with many skeletons in their closet. According to Chloe, acting has turned her into a better artist.

“You have to be raw and vulnerable, and you have to let your guard down. And with music, it’s all about performing, putting on a show. And that’s what I’ve always been used to. So right now my next goal is to [tell a story] better. But I feel like acting is getting me there more and more because you tell the story of someone else that has nothing to do with you. And there’s beauty in the rawness,” she said.

Young and the Restless excites as Victor Newman (Eric Braeden) and Nikki Newman’s (Melody Thomas Scott) reconciliation story kicking off, but it’s not going to be an easy road, especially because Victor really needs to make some big changes in how he treats Nikki and how he behaves inside their marriage.

Young and the Restless: Victor’s Path to Redemption

As Victor paces and waits at the hospital to see how his wife’s doing, we’ve got him and Nikki still estranged. But ever since Victor found out about Nikki’s terrifying health scare with this mass in her brain that could leave her permanently blind, guilt is eating away at him, as it should be.

Already, Victor is stepping up for Nikki in an unbelievable way. He found her a top surgeon, and Victor flew the woman in on his jet so that she could operate on Nikki super fast, trying to save her eyesight. That was a good deed. And Victor has been steadfast. He’s been staying up at the hospital even when the rest of the family has gone home to rest. I think Nikki will appreciate his efforts, but also she’s not just going to roll over and take him back. All of her issues with Victor still exist. And the reason Nikki didn’t want him knowing about her illness is that she didn’t want Victor taking her back out of pity.

And it might feel that way to her, but for Nikki to agree to reunite with Victor and put on those wedding rings that she gave back to him, I think he’s going to need to make some big changes.

So, we’re going to talk about exactly what he’s got to do to fix his marriage with Nikki. And be sure to stick around to the end because we’re going to talk about Jack Abbott (Peter Bergman) last because that’s the most important thing.

Young and the Restless: The First Big Issue: Matt Clark

So, the first thing Victor needs to do is get Matt Clark (Roger Howarth) off of the Newman Ranch property. I understand that Victor is trying to keep an eye on Matt to make sure he doesn’t revert to his old evil ways because honestly, he might terrorize Nick Newman (Joshua Morrow), Sharon Newman (Sharon Case), Noah Newman (Lucas Adams), and many others.

Again, Matt is a criminal. He is a bad dude. And remember, Nikki tried to convince Victor to not keep Matt living on the family property, but Victor absolutely would not listen to her. And if you remember, Nikki said just the other day how awful it was that Victor kicked her off the ranch. Kicked her out of the home that he built for her. Yet Matt Clark is welcome there when Nikki is not. And it’s all because Victor wants to use Matt to spy on Cane Ashby (Billy Flynn). It’s just another vendetta, another revenge game of The Mustache.

You know, Victor and his never-ending vendettas are a big problem for their marriage, period. And at this point, Matt doesn’t seem like he’s a danger, but nobody but Victor wants him on the ranch, least of all Nikki. So, in the end, Victor needs to get Matt gone ASAP.

Y&R: Stop Interfering in the Kids’ Lives

The next thing he needs to do to prove himself to Nikki is we need to see Victor stop interfering in his kids’ lives so much and so dastardly in the way he’s doing it. The most recent stunt Victor pulled was conspiring with Audra Charles (Zuleyka Silver) to seduce Kyle Abbott (Michael Mealor) to get him away from Claire Grace Newman (Hayley Erin). And that was just awful.

Victor paid Audra basically to break Claire’s heart. And Nikki enabled it. She excused it. She didn’t want to believe it. But then she couldn’t deny what Victor did on Young and the Restless. And of course, Claire forgave him way too fast, I thought.

And of course, Victor has targeted Billy Abbott (Jason Thompson) in horrible ways despite him being father to Victoria Newman’s (Amelia Heinle) kids. So, I think Nikki would love it if Victor just left the kids alone to live their lives.

Young and the Restless: Stop Committing Crimes

The next thing is a big one. To get Nikki to see him in a new light, I think Victor needs to, you know, stop committing crimes, especially ones that involve sexual assault. Apparently, Victor hasn’t learned his lesson. Years ago, he kidnapped Jack, gave him to that crazy Kelly girl, replaced him with Marco Annicelli, and Phyllis Summers (Michelle Stafford) married him.

So, Marco essentially assaulted Phyllis for months. Back in the day, Victor hired someone to drug and rape Billy, and she wound up pregnant. And very recently, Victor paid Patty Williams (Stacy Haiduk) to kidnap and sexually assault Jack on that yacht. And Patty is still lurking and stalking Jack.

Victor also used illegal AI to ransack Cane’s company, Arabesque. And of course, karma got Victor on that one since Phyllis stole Newman Enterprises from him using the AI. But Nikki would be thrilled if Victor just stopped doing crime. He could, you know, just act like a normal human person instead of a Greek tragedy looking for a place to happen.

Young and the Restless: Hand Over Newman Enterprises

Another thing I think would help Nikki embrace a reconciliation with Victor is if he handed Newman Enterprises over to the next generation and took a step back. He could give it to Nick, Victoria, and Adam Newman (Mark Grossman) to run together. You know, Nikki’s ticked that he gave Chancellor away. So, maybe Victor needs to give up Newman, too. That way both Nikki and Victor will be effectively retired from business and they can focus on each other and their family.

A lot of the stress and problems in Nikki and Victor’s marriage over the years have come from fights about Newman Enterprises, within Newman Enterprises, about people trying to take it over, just infighting and scheming. So, why not just have Victor step back?

Young and the Restless: The Jack Abbott Problem

Last but not least, the big elephant in the room causing problems between Nikki and Victor and preventing this reconciliation. It’s Jack Abbott. When Nikki asked Victor about reconciling, he said, “Sure thing, no problem. Just cut Jack completely out of your life.”

Victor is explosive where Jack is concerned, but Nikki considers Jack her best friend. He’s been there for her through thick and thin. But this is no doubt the single most important thing that Victor could do to get Nikki to reconcile.

Victor needs to stop going after Jack, stop targeting him, stop the endless and pointless vendetta. Victor can’t seem to stop his suspicions about that night at the Genoa City Athletic Club. When Jack took those pills and nearly died trying to scare Nikki into going to rehab, he thinks they had sex.

Eric Braeden said in a recent interview that Victor thinks that the night of debauchery included Jack and Nikki doing the deed. They didn’t, but Victor’s certain they did, but he’s just got to let it go.

Jack doesn’t want to keep this rivalry alive, but at this point it’s understandable why he hates Victor. He brought Patty back into their lives. And first she kidnapped Jack. Now, she’s kidnapped Diane Jenkins (Susan Walters) and is moving in on Jack being a really creepy predator.

Y&R: Victor’s Grand Gesture Must Be About Jack

So, if Victor is going to make a grand gesture to impress Nikki and get her to take him back, it’s got to be about Jack. Not a fancy ring, not a blingy diamond necklace. Victor needs to stop Patty, run her out of town with a threat to never come back.

And he needs to save Diane, save Jack. And then Victor needs to extend his hand to Jack and thank him for saving Nikki’s life that night and tell him that he wants to bury the hatchet once and for all. No tricks, no vendetta, no more revenge, just it’s over.

I think he can tell Jack, “Let’s make peace.” Because Victor has to know that that will mean so much to Nikki. Honestly, more than anything else he can do. And I think that’s going to be the lynch pin into whether or not she agrees to reconcile with him is if he can let all this stuff with Jack go.

Bachelor in Paradise’s Alli Jo Hinkes and Sam McKinney found their match outside of filming.

Bachelor Nation first met Sam when he appeared as a contestant on Jenn Tran’s season 21 of The Bachelorette in 2024. After receiving the first impression rose, Sam was later eliminated after struggling to answer questions about the lead outside of their physical connection.

Sam then headed to the beach on season 10 of Bachelor in Paradise the following year, where Alli Jo also appeared after not finding love with Grant Ellis on season 29 of The Bachelor.

“If I got asked to do Paradise and I was single at that point in my life … possibly,” Alli Jo exclusively told Us Weekly in 2025 about possibly joining the series. “We will see.”

While Sam and Alli Jo did not find love on the show, the pair later established a romance outside of romance — which they hard-launched via social media in 2025.

Scroll down to see a timeline of Alli Jo and Sam’s relationship:

July 2025

In a joint Instagram post shared in July 2025, Alli Jo and Sam confirmed their romance. “Sometimes… You just gotta do it your damn self,” they captioned a post, alongside photos of the pair cuddled up. “Be a force and #StayRelentless.”

April 2026

In a sweet social media post, Alli Jo reflected on leaving to film Bachelor in Paradise one year prior — where she hoped to meet Sam.

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“Crazy to think a year ago today we were leaving to film Bachelor in Paradise. I had such a good feeling about what I thought was going to be. I remember being so excited to hopefully meet you. Till this day I’m so disappointed in how that experience played out to be. Because that’s exactly how I felt, played. BUT on the other hand, it led me to meeting you in real time, in real life, writing our own real story. And as we know, nothings ever easy, but easy isn’t worth having,” she wrote via Instagram.

She continued, “Fast forward to exactly a year later, I finally got my hometown date 😘 it’s funny how timing and how life works out. What’s not funny is NJ being 40 degrees and raining in April 🫠.”

June 2026

Alli Jo shared in June 2026 that Sam would be moving in with her in Florida. “One way ticket cause we’re finally going home together! ✈️,” she wrote via Instagram at the time.

Days of Our Lives saw Roman Brady (Josh Taylor) just kicking out his wife, Kate Roberts (Lauren Koslow), and he’s been spending a lot more time lately with Marlena Evans (Deidre Hall) for various reasons.

So, is Roman about to go from his current wife Kate back to his ex-wife Marlena? And there have been a couple of hints dropped lately that Marlena might be getting another shot at romance with Roman a year after John Black’s (Drake Hogestyn) death.

Days of Our Lives: Roman and Kate’s Marriage Breaks Down

So, we know that the cracks in Roman and Kate’s marriage have gotten really bad lately. And when Roman found out that yes indeed, Kate set up his grandson Johnny DiMera (Carson Boatman) and Bonnie Lockhart (Judi Evans) with a plagiarized book, that was a deal breaker. Kate and Xander Cook Kiriakis (Paul Telfer) plotted it out and they slapped a copyright suit against DiMera.

And it’s bad enough that Kate played dirty with one of Roman’s grandkids, but Kate lied right to Roman’s face about it. And Kate insisted she didn’t set up Johnny to take the bait of Bonnie’s smutty stolen book that she lifted from Stephanie Johnson’s (Abigail Klein) bestselling smutty novel. I mean, you got to love a good racy book, though, right? Kate actually set it all up right there in the Brady Pub. She left the book out for Johnny to see during a meeting and walked away.

Kate Needs to Come Clean to Roman on DOOL

And then once Xander decided that Titan had to drop the lawsuit, that left Kate twisting in the wind because she knew Roman would find out the truth. So Xander advised Kate, just go come clean to Roman before he hears the truth elsewhere. And while I do commend Kate for finally telling Roman the truth, as we saw, it was too little too late.

Plus, Kate should have never targeted Johnny in the first place. That is Roman’s family. Even worse, Kate is super ticked off and she’s actually blaming Marlena for a lot of this. And that’s because Xander’s therapist told him if he didn’t drop the suit against Johnny, he needed to go find another shrink.

Marlena wasn’t going to enable his shady antics. So, Xander agreed to drop the suit. And Kate even ranted at Marlena about it. You know, she’s so angry. Kate thought she and Xander had a good thing going and that Marlena screwed it up with her ethics. And Kate seems to have it in her head that Marlena is messing with her marriage. But this is just Kate getting caught for doing bad.

Days of our Lives: Kate & Roman Estranged

And since the truth bomb blew up, Roman and Kate have been sleeping in separate rooms. But then when Roman’s great-granddaughter Arianna Horton (Vico Escorcia) needed a place to stay, Roman gave her Kate’s room. No hesitation. Roman also told Arianna that he knows what it’s like when a loved one lies to you. So she’s upset at Gabi Hernandez (Cherie Jimenez) paying off Liam Selejko (Hank Northrop) to ghost her and leave town. But Roman, of course, was referring to his own issues with Kate.

She was flat-out stunned when Roman told her that Arianna is moving into her room above the pub. Like, Kate just couldn’t even believe it. But she guessed right away that this wasn’t a sign that Roman was inviting her back into his bed.

And then when Kate asked Roman where she was supposed to go, he said, “You’ll figure it out.” And at this point, he just doesn’t seem interested in working things out with Kate. She lied and she targeted Roman’s family for selfish reasons. All that “deal breaker” stuff.

So, that’s when Kate called her son Philip Kiriakis (John-Paul Lavoisier) and said she is moving into the Kiriakis mansion. Good thing Maggie’s out of town because she would not want Kate there. But that is definitely where she’s going.

Days of Our Lives: Roman and Marlena Reconnecting?

Meanwhile, I expect Roman may be talking this through very soon with Marlena. And I think we’ve all noticed that Kate seems taken aback by Roman and Marlena’s close friendship that’s gotten even closer since John’s untimely death. I don’t think Kate would be surprised if Roman ran straight to Marlena to tell her all about him tossing out Kate to make room for Arianna.

Roman and Marlena once had a wonderful marriage and they had their twins Sami Brady (Alison Sweeney) and Eric Brady (Greg Vaughan) together. But back in the day, Stefano DiMera (Joseph Mascolo) interfered with their lives. And of course, Marlena wound up falling in love with John Black when she thought he was Roman and that ruined their marriage. Despite all that, Marlena and Roman remained friends over the years. And Kate probably thinks that Roman would go back to Marlena in a heartbeat. Now that Kate has been pushed to the curb, you know, we might see Roman asking her for a divorce.

And there was this red flag recently on Days of Our Lives that Marlena might be ready to open her heart to love again soon. Not right away. She’s not ready to date yet. But when Marlena was talking to Julie Williams (Susan Seaforth Hayes), she has been going out on dates with former book club owner Foster, you know, and we saw Marlena offering some sage advice. What she told Julie actually applies to Marlena’s own situation. That was the red flag.

Days of our Lives: Will Marlena Take Her Own Advice?

So, Julie was talking about how it felt strange after losing Doug Williams (Bill Hayes) to be going out with Foster and having a nice time. He’s a sweet guy. And Marlena told Julie that Doug would want Julie to be happy and that Doug wouldn’t want Julie to be alone. So, Marlena encouraged Julie to explore things with Foster.

And the same may soon be true for Marlena and Roman. Since Marlena and Roman have a history together, I can honestly see them sliding into a slow-burn situation. Something where they’re falling back in love without even really realizing that’s what’s happening and then it’s like bam, hearts, you know.

I think that Roman is going to go update Marlena on everything with him and Kate, including Roman telling Kate to move out to make room for Arianna. Roman had already told Marlena that Kate lied to him. And Marlena told Roman from the bottom of her heart that she hoped that they could work it out, but he just can’t let it go.

He’s still stewing over it. If anybody else but Johnny had been CEO of DiMera when Kate pulled that shady book deal, Roman probably wouldn’t care. But that’s his grandson. But what’s done is done. And Roman is still steamed about it. And it can’t be undone. I don’t think he’s going to get over this soon, if at all.

Days of our Lives: Roman Leans on Marlena

And with him needing a friend to lean on, I bet that Marlena is the first person Roman runs to. And this could be just the start of a rekindling. You know, Marlena and Roman, that was a big romance from back when on Days of Our Lives, and it certainly sounds intriguing, but fans are kind of conflicted on this topic.

A lot of it’s down to John Black. It has been a year since Marlena lost John, but just barely that. And Marlena is still grieving. So, I just don’t see Roman approaching Marlena looking for some rebound loving or anything like that. Plus, Roman’s still married to Kate. And until recently, Marlena considered Kate her friend. But now, Marlena doesn’t even want Kate involved at Basic Black and Marlena has pretty much turned her back on Kate over the Johnny lawsuit stuff and all her lies about it.

So, Roman might get closer to Marlena and both of them might get farther away from Kate and we could have a Roman and Marlena romance. So what do you think? Drop in the comments. Are you for or against a Roman and Marlena reunion? Or do you think he belongs with Kate? And do you think it’s too soon for Marlena to even be looking at another man?

“Full House” star Jodie Sweetin is opening up about where she and the rest of the cast stand with twins Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen. While appearing on a recent episode of “Comics and Kicks,” Sweetin said that she and the Olsens are fine despite rumors that the 40-year-olds were in a bad place with a majority of the cast. According to Sweetin, there’s no truth to the claims, and she confirmed that the pair spent several days together in 2022, when actor Bob Saget died.

“Everyone’s on good terms with them, but they were 8 years old when this show stopped,” Sweetin said about her and the rest of the cast’s relationship with the twins. “Then, they did all of those movies and all that stuff that I don’t know that they really loved doing all the time.”

Don’t forget, Mary-Kate and Ashley shared the role of Michelle Tanner in the ’80s sitcom “Full House.” After that, the pair went on to star in several films, including “Passport to Paris,” “Our Lips Are Sealed,” “It Takes Two,” and “Double Double.”

The sisters left the entertainment industry behind in the early 2000s to begin building their fashion brands, “The Row” and “Elizabeth and James.” According to Sweetin, the two left the world of acting because it wasn’t “what they love.”

Jodie Sweetin Says Mary-Kate And Ashley Olsen Have A ‘Different Relationship’ With The Acting Industry

Later in the podcast interview, Sweetin talked about the twins’ relationship with the acting industry, stating that they didn’t enjoy being on the show’s set.

“They have a different relationship to being on set all the time,” she said. “Like, they might not remember being 2 years old and having, you know, us all carrying them around and doing this stuff, but I do, you know, and I think that’s not their thing.”

Sweetin shared even more about her beliefs behind Mary-Kate and Ashley’s choice to leave the industry after their last film, “New York Minute.”

“Their empire blew up and they don’t want attention, and I get it. They had so much and were so invaded and for public consumption. I totally understand why they don’t want to do that,” she said.

Jodie Sweetin Spills The Beans About That Mary-Kate And Ashley Joke In The ‘Fuller House’ Reboot

While “Full House” concluded in 1995, a majority of the cast reunited for the Netflix reboot “Fuller House” in 2016. Mary-Kate and Ashley, however, chose not to join, prompting the cast to address their absence in the first episode.

“Basically it’s the first episode of Fuller House and the whole family’s back. We’re standing in the kitchen and we’re talking about all being together again,” Sweetin said on the podcast. “And then we say something about, ‘Well, if only Michelle were here, or Michelle’s off running her fashion empire in New York.’ And then every we all just kind of looked to the camera like, ‘Uh-huh.’”

The on-screen joke, though, wasn’t meant to be a jab at the twins; it was supposed to be a light-hearted joke about their absence.

“You have to address it,” Sweetin said. “You can’t just not say anything.”

Some Cast Members Were Angry That The Twins Didn’t Come Back To Reprise Their Role

On a previous episode of the “And That’s What You REALLY Missed” podcast, actor John Stamos, who played Uncle Jesse on “Full House,” admitted he was “angry” that the twins decided not to participate in the reboot.

“When I did Fuller House, they didn’t wanna come back. And I was angry for a minute,” he said. However, his feelings subsided, and he said the entire cast reunited with them in 2022, when Saget passed away.

“… they were, like, ‘We loved our childhood. We loved being with you. We miss Bob.’ They came over to my house. They brought a pork chop and sage. I don’t know why, but thank you? It was a frozen pork chop, so that was really nice. So we stayed very close,” Stamos said.

Sweetin Recalled Things Being ‘Just Like Before’ When They Reunited Following Saget’s Death

Sweetin shared a similar statement on the “Comics and Kicks” show, revealing that when the cast reunited with Mary-Kate and Ashley, things were “just like it was before.”

She added, “It was normal. We all, you know, spent like four days just constantly together… and it was like nothing had changed.”