Cody John was romantically linked to actress Emma Roberts for several years before the pair officially said “I do” in an intimate Idaho wedding.

The pair became Instagram official in August 2022 following her split from Garrett Hedlund earlier that year. (Roberts welcomed son Rhodes with ex Hedlund in 2020.)

“Sweet sweet,” John captioned a black-and-white snap of the twosome kissing at the time.

Since their social media debut, Emma — the daughter of Eric Roberts and Kelly Cunningham and Pretty Woman star Julia Roberts’ niece — and John have kept their romance private. Ahead of their relationship, Roberts opened up about her decision to keep her love life low-key.

“I never want to talk about relationships I’m in or that are ending or have ended. It’s hard enough to be with someone by yourself, let alone with an audience,” she told Cosmopolitan in May 2019. “Growing up is hard. Sometimes it makes me sad that I can’t have a private moment. Because of Twitter and Instagram, there’s a whole other element where everybody can comment on what you’re doing, and no one knows the real story.”

The couple shared in July 2024 that they were engaged and tied the knot two years later.

Scroll down to learn more about John:

Cody John Is an Actor

John has been in several shows, including Hulu’s Wu-Tang: An American Saga and The CW’s In the Dark. Emma, who was previously in a relationship with American Horror Story costar Evan Peters, reflected on dating an actor in a 2024 interview.

“One day the veil was lifted and I didn’t want to date actors anymore,” she quipped to Flaunt magazine at the time. “It’s hard, I think, for two actors to be together. I’m trying to think if I’ve seen it done successfully. Also, the actors I’ve been with border on method actors, and that is something that I think is extremely difficult to be in a relationship with — at least for me, especially the characters that they were playing.”

Cody John Is Not Very Active on Social Media

While John is not very active on social media, he shares a sweet tribute to Emma each year on her birthday.

“You make everything magic,” he wrote via Instagram in February 2026. “Happy birthday emma 🫠🫠.” In the comments section, Emma replied, “I love you.”

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Cody John Popped the Question to Emma Roberts in 2024

In 2024, Emma shared that she and John were engaged. “Putting this here before my mom tells everyone ❤️,” she wrote via Instagram at the time, jokingly referring to her mom sharing her private life. (Cunningham shared in 2020 that Emma was pregnant with son Rhodes before the actress publicly revealed the news.)

Cody John Wed Emma Roberts in 2026

John and Emma officially said “I do” in July 2026 in Idaho. John donned a custom espresso-colored Ferragamo suit, while Emma opted for a one-shouldered ivory Monique Lhuillier gown. The dress featured a long train with white roses.

Emma’s aunt Julia was photographed in Idaho with her husband, Danny Moder, ahead of the nuptials.

Influencer Sara Gilson’s ex-husband, Lyle Landers, allegedly “begged” her to leave her estranged husband Shawn Duffey before the couple’s apparent murder-suicide.

“She had been stuck in a relationship where domestic abuse seemed ‘OK,’” Landers, 46, claimed in an interview with People published on Sunday, July 26, of his ex-wife, with whom he shared two kids, and her recent marriage. “I had begged her for five years to get away from him. I had offered to help her, in any way I could, to get away from him. But, he seemed to have some sort of control over her, and she couldn’t seem to get away.”

Landers explained that he and Gilson divorced seven years ago, and were amicably coparenting their children prior to her shocking death at the alleged hands of her husband.

“It had been the best thing in the world for our kids, but also for us. We coparent as well as anyone, and it has shown in our kids,” Landers told the outlet of their dynamic. “She was a wonderful mother and would die for her children. In fact, her trying to protect children is what ultimately led to her death.”

Related: Who Is Sara Gilson? Mom Was Allegedly Killed By Husband Amid Pedophile Claim

Influencer Sara Gilson was allegedly killed by her estranged husband, Shawn Duffey, mere weeks after she allegedly accused him of being a pedophile. Tulsa’s ABC affiliate reported on July 23, 2026, that Gilson and Duffey were found dead in their Oklahoma City home after a fatal shooting. A juvenile family member present at the scene […]

Gilson and Duffey were found dead inside their Tulsa, Oklahoma, home on Thursday, July 23. She was 43. According to local reports, law enforcement officials interviewed an unidentified family member on the scene who claimed Gilson and Duffey died by murder-suicide.

Two weeks before the pair’s deaths, Gilson publicly accused Duffey of pedophila.

“Preparing for when Netflix drops a documentary about my soon-to-be ex-husband, who I just found out is a pedophile,” Gilson wrote over a July 11 TikTok video of herself sitting in a chair and pretending to get mic’ed up, participating in the viral social media trend.

Duffey, who never addressed the allegations ahead of his death, and Gilson had separated earlier this summer.

“Thank you for the army. Your thoughts, prayers and gift cards have meant more than you know,” Gilson wrote via TikTok last month, addressing her divorce. “While I’m grieving and trying to process the worst thing imaginable, I’m solely focused on my children and their well-being. Their safety and mental health is my only concern at this time.”

Related: Influencer Deaths of 2026: Rebecca Luna and More Creators

Social media is paying tribute to many influencers who died in 2026. While recording a private New Year’s Eve livestream, Sergio Jiménez died at age 37. Days later, content creator Athira Auni died on January 3 at age 21 after a motorcycle accident. In February, Chinnu Papu died by suicide at age 24. In March, […]

She added at the time, “We are not OK and I’m not sure I’ll ever be the same, but God has been so faithful in this process and I feel his presence in everything I do.”

Further details regarding Gilson and Duffey’s deaths have yet to be publicly shared. A police investigation is ongoing.

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As for Landers, he says he will forever remember Gilson as “a beautiful person, inside and out.”

“She loved people immensely, and without judgment,” he told People. “Her greatest achievement in life, though, was in our two babies. She was always so worried before we had kids that she wouldn’t know what to do, or that she wouldn’t be a good mom. Turns out, she was a great mom. She went over the top for our kids, and always made sure that they knew she loved them.”

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org. If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 for confidential support. If you or someone you know is experiencing child abuse, call or text Child Help Hotline at 1-800-422-4453.

90 Day Fiancé alum Armando Niedermeier-Rubio is giving an update on the status of his visa amid daughter Hannah’s continued health battle.

“Approved ✅ My Humanitarian Visa has been extended for 30 more days!” Armando, 37, wrote via Instagram on Sunday, July 26. “This means I can continue being in Arizona with Hannah while she receives the medical treatment she still needs and, most importantly, remain by her side through her recovery, together with Kenny, for the next month at least 🙏🏻.”

He continued, “I want to extend my deepest gratitude and appreciation to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) @cbpgov for reviewing my case with compassion and granting this extension. Every officer I’ve interacted with has treated me with kindness and respect, and I am forever grateful.”

Armando went on to give a “very special thank you” to Representative Adelita Grijalva, who he said has been “advocating on my behalf.” He added that Grijalva has “gone above and beyond for us, helped our family & achieved what we thought might not be possible.”

Related: 90 Day’s Armando Reunites With Husband and Daughter Amid Hospital Stay

90 Day Fiancé alum Armando Niedermeier-Rubio has successfully secured a visa and since reunited with his 13-year-old daughter, Hannah, amid her hospitalization in Arizona. Armando, 37, arrived in the United States from Mexico on Friday, July 17, where he was seen greeting husband Kenny Niedermeier outside the medical facility, per footage obtained by TMZ. The […]

“And to our immigration attorney, @kelseyzubkoff , and her amazing team at @zubkofflaw Thank you for working tirelessly every step of the way, specially as this process continues,” he wrote. “Finally, a huge thank you to every single one of you who have prayed for @hannah_rubio_ , shared our story, sent encouraging messages, and supported our family. Your love has carried us through the hardest days of our lives.”

He concluded, “This approval to remain at my daughters side is one more answered prayer, thank you ❤️‍🩹 Please keep Hannah in your prayers as she continues healing.”

Armando shared earlier this month that Hannah had been taken to a hospital in the United States following a medical emergency. Due to visa issues, Aramando did not accompany his daughter but was able to secure an emergency visa the next day.

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He was then reunited with Hannah and his husband, Kenny Niedermeier, in the hospital. While Hannah was discharged from the facility, she was re-admitted on Friday, July 24. One day later, Armando said that Hannah had been released.

Related: 90 Day’s Armando Gives Update on Daughter After Reunion at Hospital

90 Day Fiancé: The Other Way alum Armando Niedermeier-Rubio shared a positive update on his 13-year-old daughter Hannah’s health following her hospitalization. “She’s improving every day, doing amazing and getting back to her old self slowly but surely,” Niedermeier-Rubio revealed via Instagram on Saturday, July 18. “Although we still have so many unanswered questions as […]

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“Hannah was released from the hospital again,” Armando wrote via his Instagram Story on Saturday, July 25. “She started having a headache, weakness, difficulty walking and she was instead on her feet — symptoms the doctors had told us to be on alert for and watch closely. They found a little internal swelling, so she received IV medication.”

He concluded, “Thankfully, the doctors were pleased with how she responded [to treatment] and felt comfortable letting her leave the hospital. Hannah is feeling better. Please continue praying for her healing and recovery. Thank you for continuing your thoughts and prayers. We appreciate every bit of love and support.”

Below Deck alum Natalya Scudder is detailing her alleged experience in an immigration detention center after she said she was held for “30 to 40” hours.

“I basically got pulled from, like, this main waiting area to the behind-the-scenes area of the airport, which is like a detention holding center,” Scudder, who starred on season 7 and 8 of the hit Bravo reality TV show, alleged while speaking to TMZ in an interview published on Saturday, July 25. “Dirty blankets on the floor; there’s stains all over the walls; there’s a shower but there’s no towels.”

Scudder added, “I said, like, ‘How long am I going to be here for?’ And they were like, ‘You’re going to be here from one to five days.’”

The reality TV alum, an Australian resident who had a visa to visit the United States but not work in the country, said she landed in LAX and was going through immigration when she realized “something is wrong here.”

Related: Why Former ‘Below Deck’ Guest’s House Was Raided by Federal Agents

Former Below Deck guest Anthony Drewitt-Barlow’s house has been raided by federal agents. Drewitt-Barlow, who appeared on one episode of the hit Bravo series in 2021, had his home raided by Homeland Security agents in Tampa, Florida earlier this week,according to TMZ. “Homeland Security Investigations Tampa did execute a federal search warrant at that location,” […]

“They were just like, ‘In 2024, you took photos on the land that generated this much money.’ They said that, ‘You earned this money by taking photos on American soil,’” she alleged. “And they had a problem with it, saying I legally worked on the wrong visa.”

She continued of her alleged experience, “There’s no, like, consent form — they just take your iPhone. They went through absolutely everything — your ChatGPT history, your notes, your texts. They even pulled up deleted messages. Whatever you think is deleted in your iPhone is not deleted it all goes into, like, some storage.”

Scudder claimed that the authorities went through “everything you’ve ever screenshotted, taken a picture of, googled,” calling the experience “embarrassing” and alleging that some agents were laughing when they “came out of this room.”

“So you get taken to, like, a detention center where I was the only girl and they give you no information — they just tell you you’re detained,” she continued, adding that after asking for a blanket she was allegedly told she’s not at the “Beverly Hills Hotel.”

“I said, ‘If I’m here for one to five days, how will I shower?’ They said, ‘Oh, you just wash yourself and dry yourself with your dirty clothes and put them back on,’” she claimed.

Scudder said that after finally calming down and managing to fall asleep, agents shook her awake for her official interview. After answering “the first few questions,” she claimed, she said she knew she was going to be deported.

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She said that after a 17-hour flight to the U.S., she was detained for 30-40 hours and then sent back to Australia via another 17-hour flight.

“I love America, but I think the laws — the warning from this, for anyone who does content creation, would be: they really have locked in now on people who do Instagram or make any money from YouTube, OnlyFans, Playboy,” she concluded, adding that if a person is “taking pictures on American soil” they should have a work Visa.

Us has reached out to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials for comment.

The Kardashian-Jenner family is thinking of their late matriarch, Mary Jo “MJ” Shannon, on her heavenly birthday.

“Happy Heavenly 92nd Birthday grandma!” Shannon’s granddaughter Kim Kardashian wrote via Instagram on Sunday, July 26. “It’s only been a week but wow the amount of things I’ve learned about you this week from going through all of your stuff with mom has been beautiful ! I thought I knew it all! Makes me respect you and love you more if that’s even possible. Today we celebrate you! I miss you like crazy and I love you endlessly my sweet grandma MJ.”

While honoring Shannon, Kardashian, 45, shared a series of photos from an outing with her grandmother and family. In one pic, Shannon stretched her arms above her head as Kardashian smiled in the background. Kris Jenner, one of Shannon’s daughters, also paid tribute to the late matriarch on Sunday.

“Happy Heavenly Birthday Mommy. I love you. 🤍,” Jenner, 70, wrote via Instagram, alongside a series of photos of Shannon.

Related: Kim Kardashian Breaks Silence on Grandmother Mary Jo ‘MJ’ Shannon’s Death

Kim Kardashian is paying tribute to grandmother Mary Jo “MJ” Shannon after her death at age 91. “My sweet Grandma MJ, my best friend, my gossip buddy, my forever twin…” Kardashian, 45, wrote via Instagram on Thursday, July 16. “You taught all of us the importance of family, and those values are something we’ll carry […]

Earlier this month, Jenner shared that her mom died at age 91.

“Today, we said goodbye to my beautiful Mommy MJ. 😞💔,” Jenner wrote via Instagram at the time. “There are no words that could ever capture what she has meant to me or the heartbreak of having to say goodbye. My mom was the heart of our family.”

Jenner continued, “She taught me everything that truly matters… to love your family fiercely, to be kind, to show up for the people you love, and to never take a single moment together for granted. She taught us that family is everything. She showed us how to love unconditionally and how to find joy in the little moments. She showed me how to face life’s challenges with resilience and faith.”

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Jenner went on to thank her mom for “every sacrifice you made, every piece of wisdom you shared, and every moment you loved us so completely.”

“I will miss our daily talks, your smile, your laughter … Our hearts are broken, but we find comfort knowing that love like yours never truly leaves us,” she wrote. “Your love will live on in our family, in our traditions, in every moment we are together, and in every life you touched. When I look at my kids and my grandkids, I will forever see pieces of you in all of us. There is not a part of me that isn’t shaped by you.”

She concluded, “And if I have done anything right in this world, it’s because I spent my life trying to live in a way that would make you proud. Every memory, every moment, every blessing, it was all because of you, and I will forever thank God every single day for making you my mommy. My heart is broken into a million pieces… thank you for giving me the greatest childhood and oh what a beautiful blessed life… I love you forever Mommy. Thank you for giving us everything. ❤️.”

We love when a celebrity reveals the beauty products they use regularly — and we especially love it when their go-tos are affordable options that actually work. Mindy Kaling, for instance, swears by a tried-and-true facial cleanser that costs under $20. Although the bottle indicates it’s for normal to dry skin, Kaling gives it the thumbs up for oily skin, too.

Speaking with Today, Kaling revealed that, when she’s ready to wash her face, she reaches for the Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser. She highlighted the fact that the wash “is not expensive” and that “you can get it in any supermarket.” The celeb-loved find is also available at CVS.

Get the Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser for $17 at CVS!

This water-based cleanser is formulated with just 10 ingredients. Still, it packs in niacinamide (vitamin B3), panthenol (vitamin B5) and glycerin to provide hydration, improve sensitive skin’s resilience and reinforce the natural moisture barrier. It removes dirt and makeup, which explains why skin feels so good afterward.

Related: Jennifer Garner‘s $21 ‘Everyday‘ Sunscreen ‘Works Under Makeup‘

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Just because you can afford expensive beauty products doesn’t mean they’re better than drugstore options — just ask Jennifer Garner. The long-standing Neutrogena ambassador relies on an affordable facial sunscreen to get optimal protection against those harmful rays. Even better, the star’s go-to pick won’t interfere with other steps in your routine, including skincare and makeup. […]

You can use this facial cleanser with or without water. For the dry approach, Cetaphil recommends applying the product to the skin and rubbing gently before removing what’s left with a soft cloth (a thin film left behind is OK). To use with water, just rinse after you’re done applying it to the skin and rubbing it in.

Everyday users agree that this facial cleanser is gentle enough for daily use, but it still properly rids pores of makeup and leaves skin feeling clean.

“I have been using the same skin cleanser for years. I always get compliments on how smooth my skin looks. I love that it has no smell to it, and it doesn’t irritate my skin, so I can use it every day,” a five-star reviewer wrote.

“I love this cleanser. It is super gentle and cleans without stripping the surface of your skin,” another happy shopper shared. “It also does a very good job at removing makeup when I am too lazy to grab a makeup wipe.”

Some of the best products are super accessible and hiding on drugstore shelves, and even Kaling appreciates the magic of a quality, affordable find.

Get the Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser for $17 at CVS!

Trans actress Dylan Mulvaney is seemingly lending her support to CNN reporter and anchor Kaitlan Collins after President Donald Trump compared the two women during the rescheduled White House Correspondents’ Dinner.

On Saturday, July 25, Mulvaney, 29, shared an inspirational quote attributed to former first lady Eleanor Roosevelt via her Instagram Stories — the same quote Collins, 34, shared via Instagram in a recap of the annual fundraiser meant to celebrate the First Amendment — in an apparent nod to the reporter.

“No one can make you feel inferior without your consent,” the quote read. The actress added three white heart emojis in the since-vanished post, per People.

Collins, a frequent target of the president’s ire, received an award for her coverage of the notoriously contentious Oval Office meeting with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday, July 24, during the dinner, which was moved to the Waldorf Astoria in Washington, D.C., after the April security breach and shooting at the originally scheduled event.

Related: Donald Trump Compares CNN’s Kaitlan Collins to Trans Actress During WHCD

President Donald Trump took aim at frequent target Kaitlan Collins during this year’s rescheduled White House Correspondents’ Dinner. “I want to personally congratulate CNN’s Kaitlan Collins on receiving her award. It was all about me. It’s a fake — she shouldn’t get the award, it was a fake,” Trump, 80, said during the Friday, July […]

After Collins received her award, Trump, 80, took aim at the reporter — first degrading her reporting before making disparaging comments about her looks and comparing her to Mulvaney.

“It’s a fake — she shouldn’t get the award, it was a fake,” Trump said at the time. “But I don’t mind, I said, ‘Kaitlan, congratulations.’ But it was fake, there’s no question about it. She’s a young, attractive woman. She never smiles. I said, ‘Kaitlan, do you ever smile? Smile. You have a nice position, you’re at CNN fake news, you should be a happy person. So smile, Kaitlan, just smile.”

He continued, “I thought Kaitlan had really made it big with a major new sponsorship, but then I informed that it wasn’t her on the Bud Light can, it was Dylan Mulvaney.”

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Us reached out to the White House at the time for comment.

Related: President Donald Trump Criticizes CNN’s Kaitlan Collins for Not Smiling

President Donald Trump once again criticized CNN’s chief White House correspondent Kaitlan Collins during an Oval Office press conference on Wednesday, June 3. Trump, 79, called CNN “a very corrupt organization” before taking aim at Collins, 34, who was in attendance for the press briefing. Pointing to Collins, he described the journalist as “a corrupt […]

In the wake of the president’s latest attack on Collins, CNN issued a statement standing by the network anchor and her reporting.

“Kaitlan Collins is an exceptional, trusted journalist being honored tonight for her depth of knowledge and the context she provides to audiences all over the world,” a CNN spokesperson said in a written statement shared with Us. “She reports every day from the White House and the field with real strength and tenacity and skillfully brings that reporting to the anchor chair and CNN platforms every day. We stand by her to the fullest extent.”

2026 has been a huge year for Tom Hanks, who finally returned to his tenured role as Woody in Toy Story 5, which is expected to be the third movie of the year to gross over $1 billion at the box office. Hanks also returned to the World War II genre to narrate a moving new docuseries, World War II with Tom Hanks, which is now streaming on the History Channel with more episodes still to come. Hanks has also been hard at work filming the sequel to one of his most underrated movies of his career, Greyhound, the WWII naval thriller that dropped on Apple TV back in 2020. No word yet on when the film will be released, but with production taking place throughout 2026, it’s a safe bet that the sequel will be released before the end of 2027.

Back in 2021, only one year after starring in Greyhound, Hanks returned to the platform for a much different movie, Finch. The sci-fi thriller has shades of The Last of Us, though it’s set in a much more futuristic world, and one much less horrifying. Similar to Greyhound, the film was not released in theaters and was instead dropped straight to Apple TV, but it’s since been one of the platform’s most popular movies. Even now, five years removed from its initial premiere, fans around the world can’t stop watching Finch, which has pushed the film back into the Apple TV top 10 in more than 10 countries around the world. Ivor Powell and Craig Luck wrote the script for Finch, with long-time Game of Thrones producer Miguel Sapochnik directing the film.

What Is ‘Finch’ About?

The official synopsis for Finch, which also stars Caleb Landry Jones, reads as follows: “Finch follows a lone survivor (Tom Hanks) navigating a scorched, post-apocalyptic America with only his loyal dog for company. Knowing his time is running out, he builds a robot companion to care for his beloved pet after he’s gone. As the trio embarks on a perilous cross-country journey, unexpected bonds form, testing what it means to protect those we love.” Finch earned a respectable 74% from critics on Rotten Tomatoes, and a 68% on the audience-driven Popcornmeter. The composer for Finch, Gustavo Santaolalla, also did the music for The Last of Us games and show.

Check out Finch on Apple TV and stay tuned to Collider for more updates and coverage of the film.

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Release Date

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November 5, 2021

Runtime

115minutes

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Editor’s note: The below recap contains spoilers for House of the Dragon Season 3 Episode 6.

What made Game of Thrones such a phenomenon when it first released was how it felt like any character was in constant danger of being killed off at any moment. This is a series where Ned Stark, one of the show’s best-known characters (played by the show’s most well-known actor, Sean Bean), dies in the first season, after all. 2014, however, marked a significant year in the Game of Thrones fandom, as, after years upon years of watching their favorite characters meet an unceremonious end, viewers got to see one of the show’s most hated enemies finally earn his comeuppance.

There are many reprehensible characters in Westeros, but none was more despised in Game of Thrones than King Joffrey (Jack Gleeson), whose callous behavior and unabashed cruelty made him one of the most hated characters in television history until he was poisoned to death in Season 4. Now, in House of the Dragon, which many fans have praised for bringing the franchise back to its roots with more political intrigue and developed characters, it has had its own equivalent moment with the demise of a similarly hated character.

Ser Criston Cole Meets His End in ‘House of the Dragon’ Season 3 Episode 6

Despite House of the Dragon having a (somehow) beloved character who groomed and married his niece, killed his wife, and has slaughtered innocent lives, no member of the show’s vast ensemble is more widely reviled than Ser Criston Cole (Fabien Frankel). The former Kingsguard-turned-Hand of the King has had a bumpy road ever since he went full incel after his public love was rejected by a young Rhaenyra (played by Milly Alcock). Something in Criston snapped that day, leading him to stop at nothing to make Rhaenyra’s life a living hell.

The version of Criston that Season 3 has presented thus far paints a picture of a man who has an almost deluded opinion of himself. He calls himself the realm’s greatest warrior, all while leading his slowly deteriorating battalion on an aimless campaign to nowhere now that Aegon (Tom Glynn-Carney) and Aemond (Ewan Mitchell) are nowhere to be found. Eventually, the Starks and the Tullys catch up to Cole and his forces, and it’s all but over for the mad Hand of the King. After taking out the handkerchief he’s been keeping safe since Alicent (Olivia Cooke) first gave it to him and asking for a proper duel, Criston is shot to death with arrows, almost identically to how Jace (Harry Collett), the young prince that Cole would practically abuse during training, died. It’s a somewhat anticlimactic, but also oddly fitting ending for House of the Dragon‘s most hated character.

Daemon Hunts the Goldcloaks’ Killers in ‘House of the Dragon’ Season 3 Episode 6

After finding some of his most loyal Goldcloaks slaughtered, Daemon (Matt Smith) is incensed and is ready to find the perpetrators by any means necessary. Some of the Goldcloaks are even resigning from their posts out of fear of getting killed. His recent schism with Rhaenyra (Emma D’Arcy) makes finding the culprit a bit more difficult than usual, although it’s clear that Ormund (James Norton) is the one pulling the strings.

Speaking of Ormund, the Hightower villain is now hosting a battle-exhausted Gwayne (Freddie Fox), who abandoned his station with Cole as soon as he realized the now-dead soldier was fighting a losing battle. Not only is Daeron (Benjamin Evan Ainsworth) desperate for any news about his mother, Alicent, but he’s also willing to confide in his uncle that he wants to be free of Ormund’s influence once and for all. For the time being, this trio will have to work together, but at least they’re in a better spot than Aegon, Larys (Matthew Needham), and Tyland (Jefferson Hall), who are barely able to make camp.

Big moves are also being made in Rhaena (Phoebe Campbell) and her sister Baela’s (Bethany Antonia) worlds. Rhaena is chastised by Lady Jeyne Arryn (Amanda Collin) after she and Sheepstealer were spotted in the Vale, and Baela is busy taking a break from hunting down rogue dragons to instead do some smooching with her half-uncle, Alyn of Hull (Abubakar Salim). Par for the course in the Game of Thrones universe.

Aemond Makes a Game-Changing Discovery in ‘House of the Dragon’ Season 3 Episode 6

Image via HBO Max

Baela and Alyn aren’t the only ones who have sparked up a romance. Love is also in the air for Aemond and the witch who saved his life, Alys Rivers (Gayle Rankin), who still has quite a few surprises up her sleeve. Alys reveals that she’s been watching over at least five unhatched dragon eggs, offering all of them to her new beau. A small army of new dragons could be just what Aemond needs to turn the tide of the war, even though Game of Thrones taught us that dragons can take entire seasons to age.

While Aemond has taken a step forward toward reclaiming the throne, he now has Rhaenyra hot on his trail, who’s just learned from Alicent that he has been separated from his gargantuan dragon Vhagar. Aemond has already eluded her capture before, so Rhaenyra hatches a devious plan to use Alicent as bait to lure Aemond out from Harrenhal so she can kill or capture him. After bidding farewell to her pregnant daughter Helaena (Phia Saban), Alicent finally leaves King’s Landing as a pawn in Rhaenyra’s greater scheme. What the queen doesn’t yet know, however, is that one of her closest frenemies, Lord Corlys Velaryon (Steve Toussaint), has been captured by Ormund’s men.

House of the Dragon Season 3 is streaming now on HBO Max.

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Release Date

August 21, 2022

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Network

HBO

Showrunner

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George R.R. Martin

Directors

Clare Kilner, Geeta Patel

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Writers

Gabe Fonseca

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• 
• 

  Fabien Frankel

  Ser Criston Cole

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Pros & Cons

• Lots of great new character dynamics introduced.
• Aemond’s new clutch of dragon eggs could be a game-changing move.
• Cole is FINALLY dead.

• Ormund is still a silly goose (but a fun silly goose).

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Editor’s note: The below interview contains spoilers for House of the Dragon Season 3 Episode 6.

Out of all the newcomers joining House of the Dragon this season, Benjamin Evan Ainsworth‘s casting as Daeron Targaryen might have been the best-kept secret. Season 3 performs a bait-and-switch on the characters initially, too, when Ormund Hightower (James Norton) hands over a lowborn boy with dyed hair intended to pass as Alicent’s (Olivia Cooke) prodigal son. However, the dowager queen immediately identifies him as an imposter in front of Rhaenyra (Emma D’Arcy), all but confirming Ormund’s greater scheme to position Daeron as a rival to her claim.

Ahead of Episode 6’s premiere, Collider had the opportunity to speak with Ainsworth about his character’s most pivotal moments. Over the course of the interview, which you can read below, the actor behind the real Daeron Targaryen discusses how Gwayne’s (Freddie Fox) arrival in Tumbleton throws a new wrench into the dynamic between Daeron and Ormund, what his most “Game of Thrones day ever” on set actually puts into sharp context about Ormund’s biggest weakness, how stunt training for House of the Dragon prepared him to play Link in the upcoming Legend of Zelda movie, and more.

COLLIDER: I spoke with James [Norton] previously about the relationship between Ormund and Daeron, but Gwayne showing up in Tumbleton this week really puts their dynamic into a new perspective. How did the stark differences between Ormund and Gwayne help you build out your performance as Daeron, including what his past has been like, and how he’s forged relationships with these two men?

BENJAMIN EVAN AINSWORTH: I think both relationships have a lot of love within them, one more twisted than the other. With Gwayne, there’s clearly a history with him, and he’s more of a brotherly parental figure, one [Daeron] can speak eye to eye with, whereas Ormund is more of a domineering parental figure for Daeron. In general, Ormund’s relationship with Daeron is almost emblematic of this thing tugging him towards the Hightower side. He is a character who is between Targaryen and Hightower. It’s like being between a rock and a hard place within this kind of dance, this chaos surrounding him. Gwayne is a chance for Daeron to express himself more as who he is, rather than the layers of protection he’s built up between who he is internally and Ormund.

Freddie Fox was one of my favorite parts of Season 2, and so the admiration I have for him as an actor is almost mirrored in the admiration Daeron has for him. He sees him as this honorable man, someone who’s balanced, but also someone who’s not there all the time. Ormund is the person who’s there all the time.

Lots has changed since the last time Gwayne was here, so I suppose that scene is the tension of [Daeron] finding out firsthand what’s happened, and, now being styled king, trying to make it up to him and trying to speak to him about issues. Lots of fun scenes for those relationships, which speak to the tension that exists broadly between Hightower and Targaryen.

‘House of the Dragon’s Benjamin Evan Ainsworth Explains Why Daeron Seeks “Refuge” With Gwayne

“Generally, Gwayne is the closest point of contact he has to Alicent.”

Image via HBO

Daeron is willing to indulge Ormund when Ormund is making crude jokes about Gwayne, but as soon as it’s him and Gwayne alone in the corridor together, you see that it’s all an act that he’s putting on, that there really is a closeness between the two of them, especially when Daeron asks Gwayne about Alicent. As we know, Alicent sent Daeron away to Oldtown when he was young, and they haven’t had much of a relationship. What did Daeron asking Gwayne for information about his mother confirm for you about his feelings toward Alicent at this point in his life?

AINSWORTH: As you say, he was sent away to ward in Oldtown when he was younger, and so with that comes a lot of isolation, for better or for worse. He’s away from the sour politics, the chaos of King’s Landing up until this point, but also he’s away from his mother, and he’s grown up with a quite disjointed, twisted, parental figure. Deep within him, there is that longing for connection, longing for some kind of love, some adoration. A lot of why he goes along with Ormund’s plans and Ormund’s demands within that relationship is the sense of being stuck, but also that sense of longing for acceptance or to be seen.

Generally, Gwayne is the closest point of contact he has to Alicent. He’s almost defeated because of where he’s been and is out of fight in many ways when he returns to Tumbleton. That’s something that I think Daeron sees and just wants to cling to, because Gwayne’s almost a point of refuge in a way, a point where he can breathe and take the weight off his shoulders a little bit. It’s part just a truth that’s within him, missing his mom, but also anything to hold on to Gwayne, like you were saying. Just trying to open up to Gwayne, in that moment, is the main thing — just trying to hold on to him and to hold on to some sense of reality.

When Rhaenyra sends assassins to kill Daeron, Ormund’s distaste for odors becomes almost debilitating. He recoils, so he doesn’t pick up on the small details that Gwayne observes, which allow him to be the one to actually step in and protect Daeron. Do you feel like Daeron, at that moment, realizes that it’s not just about trying to keep Gwayne close — that Gwayne might actually be the one who can keep him safer than Ormund can?

AINSWORTH: Within the chaos of that scene, there are a lot of moments which are revealing for Daeron and also things that he hadn’t expected, especially between Gwayne and Ormund. He feels like he’s wrapped around Ormund’s finger, almost. In their relationship, [Ormund’s] the one that’s very much in control of Daeron, and is aware of the dangers.

To see him throwing up and debilitated when this has just happened, A) the stakes are way higher than they were before, but then B) Daeron is held almost captive by this person who, in this moment, is so vulnerable. There’s almost like a frustration that comes from that, especially with Gwayne being like, “I’m going to return to Oldtown and pick up the pieces,” that whole idea. It’s important now that Gwayne should stay. He’s certainly got his head screwed on. Daeron, in that scene, is aware of certain things and details that he isn’t, either.

I think, really, it’s, like you say, just reevaluating the stakes of things and realizing just how deep they are. There’s no return. People are after Daeron’s head because Ormund put his head on a coin. It was just really fun to play that, as well. It was like the most Game of Thrones day ever — blood, dead bodies, swords, sick. It was everything. It was cool to witness.

Benjamin Evan Ainsworth Used ‘House of the Dragon’ To Prepare for ‘The Legend of Zelda’

“It was really insightful to be able to have some practice with swords beforehand.”

Image via HBO

Towards the end of the episode, in the background of Ormund and Gwayne talking, you’re getting in on the sword action yourself, with Daeron having that sparring practice in the courtyard. I’d be remiss if I didn’t ask whether that set you up at all for playing Link in The Legend of Zelda.

AINSWORTH: They’ve got a wonderful stunt team on House of the Dragon, so we had a couple of sessions with them, kind of quite close to the filming of it, really. That was fun, to get my first sense of acting with swords, and stunt work of that kind. I think for Daeron, in general, especially after the assassination, it’s both avoidance, trying to get his mind off of the chaos into something like sparring — which he has a joy for and has this high expectation of himself, which comes from Ormund and his presence — but also to prove to himself that he can protect himself, with the knowledge that Ormund is watching, as well.

Then with it linking to Link, too, [Laughs] it was a wonderful experience to film that. It was really insightful to be able to have some practice with swords beforehand. I can’t say too much more. It was both very fun experiences with the stunt team, and both stunt teams are great. There’s actually a stunt guy who was on House of the Dragon that also came onto the Zelda movie, so there’s a bit of that continuity, which was fun.

New episodes of House of the Dragon Season 3 premiere Sundays on HBO and HBO Max.