Anya Taylor-Joy has already added well over $1 billion to her career box office total in 2026, and as the year goes along, this total is only going to grow with more new releases. Taylor-Joy headlined the first $1 billion movie of 2026 with The Super Mario Galaxy Movie (co-starring Chris Pratt), but she then took her talents to streaming to star in one of the biggest Apple TV shows of the year, Lucky (co-starring Timothy Olyphant). ATJ previously starred in one of the most successful Apple TV sci-fi movies of all time in The Gorge, which is billed as a mash-up of John Wick and The Last of Us. Later this year, Taylor-Joy will return to the sands of Arrakis in Dune: Part Three, which is expected to be one of the highest-grossing movies of the year, despite opening on the same day as Avengers: Doomsday.

Although some years have passed since it was released, most fans would agree that The Queen’s Gambit is still one of Anya Taylor-Joy’s most famous projects. The show won a whopping 11 Emmys at the 2021 award ceremonies, most of which were technical awards — Taylor-Joy was nominated for her performance as Beth Harmon, but she didn’t win the award. Now six years removed from the premiere of The Queen’s Gambit, Taylor-Joy is officially returning to Netflix in one month with the premiere of Sacrifice, her new cult thriller co-starring Chris Evans. Taylor-Joy has had other movies streamed on Netflix in the last few years, but this will be the first project since The Queen’s Gambit that will only be available to watch on Netflix upon its global premiere.

When Does ‘Sacrifice’ Come Out on Netflix?

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Netflix has officially announced that Sacrifice will begin streaming around the world on October 16, in almost exactly one month. Additional cast members for the film include Salma Hayek-Pinault and John Malkovich, and it was written and directed by Romain Gavras with help from Will Arbery on the script. The official synopsis for Sacrifice, which holds a score of 37% from critics on Rotten Tomatoes, reads as follows:

“After the fiery death of their mother, Joan (Anya Taylor-Joy) and her siblings, driven by a mysterious volcanic prophecy, believe it is their duty to cleanse the Earth. Their radical group hijacks a glamorous charity gala and takes three unlikely hostages for a sacrificial ritual: their hero, movie star Mike Tyler (Chris Evans); their villain, pragmatically cold billionaire Ben Bracken (Vincent Cassel); and their lover, an unlucky performer named Katie (Ambika Mod). As the night descends into chaos, both an inward journey and an outward adventure ensue, where the line between performance and belief, salvation and sacrifice, begins to blur.”

Check out Sacrifice on Netflix on October 16 and stay tuned to Collider for more updates and coverage of Anya Taylor-Joy’s future projects.

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Release Date

October 18, 2026

Runtime

103 minutes

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Director

Romain Gavras

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Writers

Will Arbery, Romain Gavras

Producers

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Giorgos Karnavas, Gregory Jankilevitsch, Jacob Perlin, Klaudia Śmieja-Rostworowska, Robert Walak, Romain Gavras

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Catherine Zeta-Jones is pushing back against the “nepo baby” label surrounding her children and their Hollywood ambitions.

Zeta-Jones and Michael Douglas have spent decades at the center of Hollywood, making their children’s career choices impossible to separate from that legacy. Their family tree also includes Michael’s father, Oscar-winning Hollywood legend Kirk Douglas.

Catherine Zeta-Jones’s children, Dylan and Carys, are the third generation connected to the entertainment industry in the family. That history inevitably makes the “nepo baby” conversation more complicated for the family. 

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Zeta-Jones said both of her children are currently “plugging away” as they explore careers connected to their parents’ world. Dylan is 26, while Carys is 23, and both have shown interest in following the family business. The actress acknowledged that having famous parents makes forging an independent path difficult.

She believes the public can easily reduce their efforts to their family connections instead of recognizing their individual ambitions. Carys once wanted to become Amal Clooney, the human rights lawyer, before pursuing other dreams. Zeta-Jones believes her daughter should follow whatever passion genuinely drives her.

The mother of two described “nepo baby” as a “horrific phrase” because children do not choose the families into which they are born. The Times shared that Zeta-Jones believes Dylan and Carys are “finding their own way in life.” She added that she and her husband would be the first to suggest law school if their children were not good at acting.

The Actress’s Husband Previously Defended His Family’s Hollywood Legacy

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Michael has been married to actress Catherine Zeta-Jones for 24 years, with the couple sharing two children. Their children are also exploring careers in the family business, but Michael does not want their opportunities dismissed as nepotism. He believes parents naturally try to help their children succeed in whatever profession they choose.

Michael admitted that he was initially offended by the “nepo baby” conversation. He recalled a New York Magazine article from around two years ago, from the time of his comment, that discussed second-generation actors.

“I thought, how snarky,” he said, questioning why helping children enter a parent’s profession should automatically be viewed negatively. According to TimeInk, the actor also acknowledged that he is part of the same cycle himself. “I’m a nepo baby too,” he admitted. “That’s the way it goes,” he added.

His family’s Hollywood connections have not stopped him from building a career of his own. His filmography includes “The China Syndrome,” “Romancing the Stone,” “Fatal Attraction,” “Basic Instinct,” and “Traffic.”

The ‘Nepo Baby’ Debate Extends Beyond The Douglas Family

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The pressure surrounding famous children is not unique to the Douglas family. Other Hollywood families have faced the same “nepo baby” allegation.

The Blast previously reported that Robert De Niro has also pushed back against the idea that having a famous parent makes an acting career easy. He said famous performers’ children can actually face greater pressure because people watch them more closely. 

“If you don’t look like you’re really sincere about it and busting your ass and working hard, it’ll have a negative impact,” De Niro explained. De Niro’s daughter Airyn said her parents deliberately protected her from Hollywood exposure while she was growing up. She said her father was “very big on us finding our own sort of path.”

She also revealed that she spent seven years pursuing voice acting and modeling. According to Airyn, casting directors repeatedly rejected or ghosted her, and she wanted any eventual success to happen on her own merit. De Niro’s comments suggest that a famous name can create expectations that ordinary performers do not face. 

Zeta-Jones’ Son Experience In The Entertainment Industry

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Zeta-Jones’s son has built his own entertainment profile as an actor, producer, and SiriusXM host. Dylan’s recent television experience has also demonstrated the pressure that can come with the Douglas name. He appeared on CNN during a debate with Scott Jennings about the U.S. government shutdown.

Reports later claimed Zeta-Jones and Michael were furious with CNN after Dylan appeared unprepared during the discussion. A representative for Zeta-Jones denied that the couple planned to boycott the network. The representative said the family supports accurate news reporting and that Dylan himself had no reservations about appearing on CNN again.

His career has continued across acting, producing, and broadcasting. Sources later claimed Dylan wanted to avoid platforms where he could feel exposed. One insider said CNN “really spooked him” and claimed he wanted appearances where difficult questions would not corner him.

Catherine Zeta-Jones’ Career History And Life Outside Hollywood

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Her early experience in Wales included dancing and singing, eventually leading her toward theater and screen acting. Zeta-Jones won a national talent contest at 10 before moving into London stage productions. She later landed a lead role in “42nd Street” at 17 after serving as the production’s second understudy.

Her early career also involved repeated rejection. By 1991, she landed a role in “The Darling Buds of May,” which made her widely recognized in the United Kingdom. Zeta-Jones described the experience as “a learning curve.” She said one hour of the show screening changed her life because she suddenly became recognized everywhere.

The actress has spent much of her adult life on the East Coast rather than building her social world around Los Angeles. She said she has “never been in L.A. schmoozing.”

Her social circle instead includes New York business people, “Wall Street” figures and people connected to the art world. She said those relationships give her a different experience from what her life might look like in Los Angeles.

She enjoys visiting fancy houses in the Hamptons to look at art and has begun collecting pieces. She also discussed bringing $60,000 worth of Leica cameras she had collected throughout her life. The Blast shared that Zeta-Jones’ East Coast lifestyle has kept her social world away from many traditional Hollywood circles.

Catherine Zeta-Jones believes the “nepo baby” is an “horrific phrase” to be used to address her children.

Kelly Osbourne and her family appeared more united than ever as they navigated the devastating loss of Ozzy Osbourne, but just over a year after his death, cracks are reportedly emerging behind the scenes.

The 41-year-old is said to be barely speaking to her mother, Sharon Osbourne, while her relationship with brother Jack Osbourne is also reportedly strained.

Sources claim political differences have contributed to the divide as Kelly builds a new life in the United Kingdom away from the family brand.

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The reported deterioration is particularly striking considering how closely Kelly Osbourne and Sharon leaned on one another following Ozzy’s July 2025 death.

At the 2026 BRIT Awards, they clung to each other while accepting a posthumous Lifetime Achievement Award for the Black Sabbath legend. Now, the Daily Mail claims they are “barely speaking,” while Kelly’s once-close relationship with Jack is also said to be strained.

“They’re worlds apart just now in every possible sense,” a source claimed, saying Kelly is separated from Sharon and Jack “both geographically and ideologically.”

The reversal comes after a difficult grieving period for Kelly. The Blast previously reported that insiders noticed a dramatic change in her personality following Ozzy’s death.

Political Differences Reportedly Fuel The Family Rift

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The Daily Mail‘s sources claim politics is at the heart of many of Kelly and Sharon’s recent disagreements, but Kelly has publicly confirmed only that she disagrees with some of her mother’s views.

Speaking to Attitude at the National Television Awards, Kelly addressed Sharon’s support for Tommy Robinson.

“I don’t agree. I don’t agree with my mum, no,” she said. “It’s hard because I love my mum, but I also have to understand that she’s entitled to her own opinions as well.”

Kelly also said Sharon’s views on trans issues made her “sad,” explaining that she didn’t believe her mother knew enough transgender people to make a fair judgment.

However, she added that when she discusses the issue with Sharon privately, “she gets it.”

Kelly Osbourne Is Reportedly Breaking From The Family Brand

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The alleged tension coincides with Kelly establishing a more independent life in Britain.

She is believed to have bought a rural property in Buckinghamshire where she plans to raise her 3-year-old son, Sidney. Sharon continues to divide her time between Los Angeles and the family’s Buckinghamshire estate, where Ozzy is buried.

Kelly has also signed with Keye Talent and become a regular at British celebrity and fashion events.

The Daily Mail claims some brands pay celebrities around £10,000 ($13,484) for appearances and that several of Kelly’s recent engagements commanded substantial fees.

“Kelly needs the money, she is going it alone now and doesn’t want to rely on family money,” a source claimed, adding that she is trying to “fend for herself.”

More From The Blast

Kelly Osbourne Is Raising Her Son After Sid Wilson Split

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Kelly’s changing family dynamic follows another major personal upheaval.

She and Sid Wilson ended their engagement in March after reportedly struggling to make the relationship work. The Blast reported that the couple had been experiencing problems while Kelly was also dealing with her father’s death.

More recently, Kelly appeared to vent about her ex on Instagram, writing, “Wake up and take responsibility,” before declaring, “I’m done. I want to be happy and I have a beautiful son to raise.”

She also asked for her dogs and possessions back and added, “Oh yeah and maybe some child support?”

Jack recently said Kelly is focusing on herself and Sidney and described his sister as being in a “happier place” while living a quieter country life.

Kelly Osbourne Is Still Navigating Her Grief

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The reported family fracture comes as Kelly continues to speak candidly about the toll of losing Ozzy.

She recently revealed that her grief contributed to dramatic weight loss and said she didn’t initially recognize how thin she had become. After seeing herself in a photograph during a Grammy fitting, Kelly recalled thinking, “This is scary. I didn’t know I looked like this.”

The revelation adds context to months of public concern about her appearance. Kelly previously fought back against cruel body-shaming comments, with The Blast reporting that she branded one particularly vicious remark “abuse.”

Despite the upheaval, Kelly has continued rebuilding her life. The Blast previously reported that she views dealing with her grief as a “lifetime of work.”

Over the weekend, U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett and Texas State Rep. Venton Jones made a move to honor two of R&B’s icons, Usher and Chris Brown. The singers are currently on a joint tour that’s scheduled to wrap in December. During their show at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, Crockett and Jones presented the artists with Congressional Record recognitions for their contributions to music and culture. After videos of the moment swept the internet, social media users slipped into a heated, divided debate! Crockett, especially, caught heat for being a woman honoring Brown, despite his documented violent past and run-ins with the law.

RELATED: Okay! Usher And Chris Brown Extend ‘R&B’ Tour Dates And Fans Are Cuttin’ Up

Jasmine Crockett & Venton Jones Team Up To Recognize Usher & Chris Brown

Jasmine Crockett walked on stage with Venton Jones in Arlington, wearing a tied shirt, black pants and a shimmery bralette. The Texas State representative wore a striped suit jacket and slacks. Crockett engaged with the crowd on the mic as Jones stayed a few steps away. She spoke of the audience “experiencing Black Joy at the highest level.” At one point, she quoted Yung Miami, called Breezy a “real one,” and hugged him before leaving the stage.

Social Media Tears Into Crockett For Honoring Chris Brown

After the video of Jasmine Crockett and Venton Jones spread online, social media users tore into Jasmine Crockett. Despite Jones also being present, the backlash has largely focused on Crockett. She has yet to explain her thinking behind the congressional recognitions. Still, that hasn’t stopped the internet from penning think pieces about the exchange.

Meanwhile, Venton Jones, Chris Brown and Usher have also not reacted to the pointed backlash. Keep scrolling to see a little of what’s being said.

 

 

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Why Is The Internet In Shambles Over The Recognition?

As mentioned, Chris Brown’s legal issues are part of the reason social media is going off about the congressional recognition from Jasmine Crockett and Venton Jones. The most standout incident is his 2009 domestic violence case involving Rihanna. A photo following the altercation showed RiRi’s badly bruised and swollen face, including a busted lip. Ultimately, he pled guilty to felony assault and received five years of probation, community labor and domestic-violence counseling, per PEOPLE. That probation ended in 2015. Though they reportedly rekindled by January 2013, the relationship ended again months later.

In the years since that incident, Chris Brown has been arrested multiple times. There were two separate assault incidents between 2013 and 2016. He was arrested and charged in one, and arrested but not charged in the other. Then, in 2017, his ex-girlfriend Karrueche Tran got a five-year restraining order against him. She testified in court that he physically abused her and made threats to kill her. He was not criminally convicted, and the probation ended in March 2015.

Additionally, Breezy has had multiple sexual assault and rape allegations that have not led to convictions. Then, earlier this year, he pled guilty to an affray charge in connection to the 2023 assault of a music producer in a London nightclub. He’s scheduled to be sentenced next month.

RELATED: Wayment! Chris Brown Reacts After Lionel Richie Takes Jab At Him & Usher Over Their ‘R&B Tour’ (VIDEO)

Howard Stern is addressing the controversy that followed him throughout the summer as “The Howard Stern Show” begins its new season.

The 72-year-old radio personality responded to allegations about his workplace while also pushing back against some of the reports surrounding him.

The claims against Howard Stern emerged during a critical period that included a lawsuit from a former assistant, staff cuts, and major changes to his SiriusXM program.

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Stern has decided to address the negative allegations surrounding him when he returned to SiriusXM for his season premiere. Rather than completely avoiding the controversy, the broadcaster used sarcasm to acknowledge how he had been portrayed during his time away.

“I’ve never had a summer where I was treated so well in the press,” Stern joked on the Monday episode of his show, per Page Six. “It was so positive. I can’t believe it.”

He then added, “I can’t tell you how many different people have called me a scumbag.”

Stern also denied a report claiming employees had been instructed not to speak to him during company parties. He further addressed suggestions that his wife, Beth Stern, had recently come to his defense.

According to the radio host, she was simply responding to a question about his new HBO Max arrangement rather than trying to protect his reputation.

“They interpreted it some other way,” Stern said of the coverage. “When did I ever need a defense?” He later jokingly conceded, “If you think I’m a scumbag, you’re probably right.”

The Shock Jock Insists He Has ‘Never Been More Successful’

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Speaking more about the claims surrounding his show, Stern stressed that it was his decision to drop his iconic Howard 101 channel.

According to the famous comedian, he simply no longer wanted “the responsibility” for the channel.

Stern then bragged a bit about his career in radio, labeling himself the most successful of all time.

“I’ve never been more successful. I am the most successful radio personality,” he stated. “I mean, not that that’s anything to boast. I mean, it didn’t take much effort.”

Former Assistant Accused Howard Stern And His  Wife Of A Hostile Work Environment

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Part of the scrutiny surrounding Stern stems from a legal dispute involving Leslie Kuhn, a former executive assistant who sued Howard and Beth in April. Kuhn accused the couple of maintaining a hostile working environment while she was employed by them.

According to court documents obtained by Page Six, Kuhn described facing “immense pressure” while overseeing the couple’s Hamptons residence. Her responsibilities also included assisting Beth with the “extensive at-home feline rescue and fostering operations,” which she didn’t particularly enjoy.

Kuhn additionally claimed Stern’s production company, One Twelve, presented her with a nondisclosure agreement that she maintained she never signed. She alleged that the circumstances surrounding her dismissal and the NDA were created most particularly by Beth.

The dispute later produced a favorable ruling for the Sterns as the ruling judge rejected Kuhn’s allegations.  However, the workplace accusations remained among the controversies surrounding the broadcaster ahead of his show comeback.

HBO Max Contract Came At The Right Time

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Amid the scrutiny surrounding his workplace and the wider changes to his radio program, Stern has secured a new opportunity with HBO Max. The agreement will allow new episodes of “The Howard Stern Show” to reach streaming viewers every Thursday.

SiriusXM described the partnership as giving Stern’s audience a deserved “seat in the studio,” allowing viewers to watch the conversations and moments they previously experienced primarily through radio.

The streaming agreement comes as Stern continues his relationship with SiriusXM under a three-year contract signed in December. At the time, he explained that the new arrangement would allow him to balance his career with a less demanding schedule.

“I am happy to announce that I have figured out a way to have it all,” Stern told listeners when revealing the contract. He said the agreement offered him “more free time and continuing to be on the radio.”

The HBO Max expansion therefore arrives during a period of significant transition for Stern. While his SiriusXM show is undergoing major changes, the streaming partnership gives him another platform to reach his audience.

Fans Are Not Loving The New Changes To Stern’s SiriusXM Show

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Not everyone is pleased with the new direction of Stern’s show. Some longtime SiriusXM listeners have threatened to cancel their subscriptions after learning that the program would be reduced to one new three-hour episode each week.

According to a report, one listener described the idea of continuing to pay for only one fresh weekly show as “insane,” despite praising the program’s cast.

Other fans claimed on Reddit that they had already ended subscriptions they had maintained for years. However, there are currently no official figures showing how many customers have actually canceled because of the changes.

The frustration has also been intensified by the reduction in Stern’s staff. Around a dozen employees reportedly lost their positions as the show prepared for its smaller output.

For some listeners, Stern’s desire for greater flexibility has therefore come at a cost. The combination of fewer episodes and a smaller team has left some longtime fans questioning whether their subscriptions are still worth keeping.

It’s a shame people don’t call works of noir literature “book noir” the way “film noir” is the name of a genre (or movement) when you’re talking about movies, but either way, noir books do exist. Plenty of them were adapted into film noir movies, if you’re looking at the golden age of noir fiction, yet sticking to that period a little before – and then around – the middle of the 20th century means missing out on some great neo-noir movies, and also compelling noir books.

Enter James Ellroy, whose earliest novels were published around the start of the 1980s, and whose best novels started coming out nearer to the end of the decade in question. The 1990s was also a good decade for Ellroy, and he’s had some interesting books published in the 21st century, too. His works of noir and/or historical fiction are very intense, downbeat, violent, and unpredictable, and the following books of James Ellroy’s stand as his best.

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‘Blood’s a Rover’ (2009)

Image via Windmill Books

Ellroy’s Underworld USA trilogy concluded with Blood’s a Rover, which is certainly the most challenging of the three, a little like how his other well-known series ended with its most out-there entry (more on that one shortly). The first of the Underworld USA books covers 1958 to 1963, the second 1963 to 1968, and Blood’s a Rover 1968 to approximately 1972… intentionally ducking away from covering the Watergate scandal, maybe because it was too convenient an endpoint?

Big historical events that happened in 1963 and 1968 were what the other two books, respectively, built to. Ellroy’s not super interested in establishing patterns, though, and that makes Blood’s a Rover admirable and sometimes frustrating. It’s uncompromising, at least; that can’t really be denied. It also pushes things especially far with how many of its characters are intensely unlikable, because most people here feel like they could be villains of any ordinary story, which contrasts with most Ellroy novels where you’ll have at least one prominent character who feels almost like a hero compared to everyone else. Blood’s a Rover is too miserable and cynical (even by Ellroy’s standards) for that.

7

‘White Jazz’ (1992)

Image via Arrow Books Ltd

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The other big series that’s inevitably going to get mentioned alongside Underworld USA, if you’re talking about James Ellroy, is the L.A. Quartet, with the first book in that quadrilogy being the one that really put him on the map, as a writer of crime fiction. White Jazz is not that first book, though, instead being the fourth and easily the densest of the bunch. Again, it’s like Blood’s a Rover and its position within the overall saga it belongs to.

The best parts of White Jazz concern some threads left hanging from earlier books in the L.A. Quartet, making it a necessary sequel if you want some closure. It’s harder to recommend in other regards, because Ellroy goes all-out on his signature style of punchy sentences and a cutting of words that only the most ruthless of editors would consider unnecessary. The result is a book that tells a story which would usually be told across 600 to 700 pages, but Ellroy does it in about 350. It’s hard to keep up, to put it mildly, but if you can manage to avoid drowning while immersed in White Jazz, it can certainly be a rewarding read.

6

‘The Cold Six Thousand’ (2001)

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The Cold Six Thousand is the second book in the Underworld USA trilogy and, what do you know, also the second-best. Narratively, this one picks up right after the assassination of John F. Kennedy, with the lead-up to that event being what the first book focused on, and then The Cold Six Thousand ends up building to two more assassinations that happened just a couple of months apart in 1968: Martin Luther King Jr.’s and Robert F. Kennedy’s.

Characters both fictional and based on real-life people are involved in various shady events that, in Ellroy’s version of this historical period, contribute to those two assassinations eventually happening. That probably sounds a bit vague, but it’s hard to go into more detail than that without dedicating countless more paragraphs. The Cold Six Thousand is almost a bit much, but it’s a stronger effort overall than Blood’s a Rover, and there is ever-so-slightly more room for things to breathe than was the case with the plot of White Jazz.

5

‘My Dark Places’ (1996)

Image via Random House

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The title here is certainly not deceitful, as My Dark Places does indeed go to some incredibly dark places. There might be more by way of cynicism in some of Ellroy’s fiction, but My Dark Places, which is part memoir and part true crime, could well be the boldest of all his books. What Ellroy acknowledges while getting painfully introspective about some very traumatic events sometimes proves hard to comprehend.

My Dark Places is about the murder of James Ellroy’s mother, Geneva “Jean” Ellroy, which happened when he was only 10 years old, detailing the aftermath and how it shaped Ellroy’s life and outlook on the world. Much of it also concerns his efforts, nearly four decades later, to assist in solving the murder (unsolved since 1958), desperate for any sort of closure. My Dark Places is beyond striking, as far as memoirs go, and very much worth reading, as long as you’re prepared for at least some of the heaviness you’re in for through the act of picking it up.

4

‘The Big Nowhere’ (1988)

Image via The Mysterious Press

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The Big Nowhere complicates things, as the second of the L.A. Quartet books, in terms of its style and structure. There are three different point of view characters here, and that’s one reason why the scope of the story here is also more ambitious than the crime novels Ellroy had written before, with a fair few crimes needing to be solved, and certain ways those crimes are all linked, via conspiracies and all that.

It’s dizzying, like a lot of James Ellroy books, and also pretty upsetting in parts. Saying that might not sound like much when Blood’s a Rover and My Dark Places have already been singled out for being depressing and particularly downbeat, but hey, what can you do? It’s another Ellroy novel that scratches that itch, really digging in its nails and drawing blood in the process, but the hurt is possibly what you’re here for (or at least anticipating), in any event.

3

‘The Black Dahlia’ (1987)

Image via The Mysterious Press

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Before My Dark Places, James Ellroy explored similar things in the book that opened the L.A. Quartet: The Black Dahlia. The murder at the center of this story did really happen, to a woman named Elizabeth Short who ended up being known as the Black Dahlia, and it was also infamously unsolved in real life. If that’s not enough to make it line up with My Dark Places, then the dedication at the start of The Black Dahlia (“to Geneva Hilliker Ellroy”) definitely will.

The main characters, though, are fictional, and the story’s ultimately about them getting wrapped up in the Black Dahlia case, and torn apart psychologically by all the uncertainty and anxiety that came with it. Plenty of things expanded on thematically in later James Ellroy books are present here, with that leading to it being a good deal more approachable than most of his other novels. It’s the ideal starting point, if you want to tackle Ellroy’s body of work, since it was his first great book, and the one that justifiably made him a well-known writer of crime fiction.

2

‘L.A. Confidential’ (1990)

Image via The Mysterious Press

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The style and structure of The Big Nowhere are retained in L.A. Confidential, with three protagonists being cycled through here (and the multiple point of view thing is something he’d continued with the Underworld USA trilogy, of course). It’s an arguable refinement of what already worked in The Big Nowhere, with these two books being perhaps the most similar out of any potential pairing in Ellroy’s whole bibliography.

Call it a Goodfellas to Casino situation, if you want to make a film/director-related comparison, but he really makes it work, and there’s enough here, in L.A. Confidential, to stop it from feeling exclusively like a retread. The retreading is also compelling anyway, because what James Ellroy did in The Big Nowhere arguably deserved to be repeated and then built upon. Crime, conspiracies, death, show-business, copious amounts of immorality… it’s all here.

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L.A. Confidential

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Release Date

September 19, 1997

Runtime

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138 Minutes

Director

Curtis Hanson

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Writers

Brian Helgeland, Curtis Hanson

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1

‘American Tabloid’ (1995)

Image via Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.

The basic premise of American Tabloid was already alluded to, when talking about the other two books in the Underworld USA trilogy. This one’s set between 1958 and 1963, and so it works as something of a sequel to the L.A. Quartet books, too, since the events of that series begin in the late 1940s and then end around the end of the 1950s, with a few characters and historical figures being relevant to both of the series in question.

American Tabloid benefits from being about an especially interesting and dramatic period in American history, and it builds up an immense amount of dread throughout. This time in history is depicted as the start of a downfall for the entire United States, which sounds like a bit much for one book to handle, but American Tabloid does pack a whole lot into its nearly 600 pages, with the next two books then showing the even more chaotic fallout of what happens here. Still, what does happen here is the most interesting, and overall, American Tabloid manages to be Ellroy’s most impressive and compelling novel.

Starring comedian Mae Martin playing a version of themself, Feel Good is the funniest, most heartfelt show streaming on Netflix, and it’s only 12 episodes long. Uptight formerly-straight woman, George (played by Charlotte Ritchie of Call the Midwife) falls hard for Mae Martin, who is recovering from a cocaine addiction. Martin’s writing paints a witty, poignant portrait of addiction that somehow manages to be laugh-out-loud hilarious. The show tracks the development of Mae and George’s relationship, finding the comedy in situations like coming out to homophobic loved ones, learning how to love without codependency, and reckoning with a difficult past. There’s also a particularly gut-busting scene featuring a horny Alien reference (no spoilers—it’s too good). Funnier than Friends or The Office, its runtime is under five hours, making Feel Good the best bang-for-your-buck comedy on streaming.

Despite the fact that you could binge the entire show in an afternoon, Feel Good tackles the complex intersection of love and addiction with clarity, compassion, and remarkable humor. Part of what makes the show so funny is that all the characters believe they are in a drama, experiencing high stakes at every turn. By allowing humor and drama to co-exist, Feel Good is able to transition seamlessly from pure comedy to pure disaster without any unpleasant whiplash. (Though there’s pleasant whiplash aplenty.) The dual presence of comedy and drama speaks to the emotional heart of the show: in life, one can be grappling with impossibly difficult things and still find pleasure, joy, and humor. In fact, Feel Good posits that one can’t always tell pain and pleasure apart.

‘Feel Good’ is Surprisingly Optimistic

Image via Netflix

Early in their relationship, it becomes clear that Mae has swapped one addiction (cocaine) for another (her new girlfriend, George). In Episode 2, George goes to a wedding without Mae. To keep from calling George constantly, Mae goes to great lengths to separate herself from her phone, eventually getting herself locked out of her apartment without any shoes on. This neurotic behavior serves to show how strong Mae’s compulsions are when it comes to George. Mae says to her Narcotics Anonymous sponsor, “I love grapes. Sometimes I think I just love George, but I actually also love grapes.” Mae and George are both keeping secrets: after 3 months dating, Mae hasn’t told George about her addiction, and George hasn’t come out to her friends or family.

To avoid talking about their problems, the pair engage in increasingly ridiculous sexual roleplay, which they are hilariously bad at. George admits to spending 300 pounds on a police uniform to roleplay with Mae, and when Mae only half-plays along with the fantasy, asking to speak to her lawyer, George responds, entirely horrified at what she’s saying, that Mae’s lawyer is taking personal time “because his kid’s got ALS.” In a landscape of pessimistic media that explores humanity’s worst (see: BoJack Horseman, Breaking Bad, Black Mirror), Feel Good believes that people can get better, and there’s a lot to laugh at while doing so.

Mae Martin’s Writing Uses Tension Masterfully for Both Comedy and Drama

Image via Netflix

Every time Mae or George finds a way to come clean to the other about their shortcomings, even by accident or disaster, they grow closer. They stumble into the truth that hiding from pain only makes it stronger. The parts where they stumble are what makes the show funny, like any sitcom is funny. Shows like How I Met Your Mother and New Girl are built on idiot plots in which characters are rubber-banded closer to and further away from each other. It’s not just the negative tension that’s funny, however. Watching Feel Good is like riding a wave of tension, and the show is smart enough to manipulate that tension to produce both humor and anxiety, which often amplify each other.

Martin’s writing is clever enough and the show’s actors are charismatic enough that drawing closer together is also funny. In one scene, George ends up in the hospital, and finally comes out to her friends in spectacular fashion, proudly declaring to Mae, “I love you,” before pulling a purple strap-on out of her purse. Everyone is shocked and embarrassed except for George and Mae, who finally get to be out in front of other people, including the old woman sharing a hospital room with George, who watches them make out once the doctor leaves. Tension creates comedy when pulling characters apart, but also when bringing them back together.

‘Feel Good’ Escapes the Trap of the Sitcom

The sitcom genre depends on everything staying the same. There can be infinite hijinks and gags if the world resets at the end of every episode. In The Office, Jim can put all of Dwight’s things into the vending machine, but he has to give Dwight a bag of quarters to get them all back and reset for the next episode. The unchangeability of the sitcom is such an established rule that meta-inclined shows like Community play with this convention, recognizing it in-dialogue and then re-setting at the end of an episode anyway.

While Feel Good‘s comedy is very situational, it escapes the trap of the genre by allowing the characters to change. In a conversation with Mae’s mom, played by Lisa Kudrow (Phoebe from Friends), Mae says “I just can’t even remember what I used to think about before George.” Over Skype, Mae’s mom says, “Well, before George, you thought about Nicole, who was your true love. Before that, you thought about Caroline, who, oh yes, was also your true love. And before that it was drugs.” Mae’s mom may be direct and unforgiving in her assessment, but Mae does begin to recognize that her relationship with George follows the patterns of addiction, and that both she and George deserve better.

Growth certainly isn’t linear, and viewers may question if Mae and George are even ultimately right for each other, but the characters do grow. In a climactic argument at the end of Season 1, Mae says to George, “I think you’re right that I need to be okay on my own, because what I’m doing now is just jumping from thing to thing, and that’s not healthy.” The characters move from failure, to recognition of failure, to attempts at healing and amends. The traditional sitcom structure actually mirrors the cycle of addiction, in which tension rises and resolution is sought and nothing really changes. Feel Good seeks to break that cycle in the structure of the show as well as in the lives of its characters. With wit, heart, and an incredibly economical runtime, Feel Good is one comedy that no one should skip.

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Release Date

2020 – 2021-00-00

Network

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Channel 4

Directors

Luke Snellin

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Writers

Mae Martin

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Taylor Frankie Paul shared a cryptic Instagram Story calling out her Secret Lives of Mormon Wives costars.

“Stayed off my phone most of the day then got on just to see more videos directed to me and as a group they are STILL going and if I respond I’m in the wrong,” Taylor, 32, wrote over a mirror selfie shared late Sunday, September 13.

She continued, “The only reason I’m continuing the show is to share my story and hopefully help people. I originally had no desire to be around them either but I have a bigger purpose I’m aiming towards and need to focus on that only. I have a good heart at [my] core and I just need to remember I’m not this evil person they want me to be.”

Taylor didn’t name any specific costars from the hit Hulu reality show; however, fans on TikTok have speculated that recent videos shared by Mikayla Matthews and Mayci Neeley may be about her.

The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives returned for its long-awaited fifth season on Thursday, September 10, after production was paused earlier this year amid legal issues involving Taylor and her ex Dakota Mortensen.

In an Instagram post on Saturday, September 12, Taylor responded to viewer reactions to season 5, in which she admitted to sleeping with Dakota, 33, after getting engaged on her canceled season of The Bachelorette.

Related: How ‘Mormon Wives’ Season 5 Addressed Taylor and Dakota’s Domestic Dispute

The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives‘ shortened season 5 didn’t waste time addressing Taylor Frankie Paul and Dakota Mortensen‘s domestic dispute. “In May 2026, the Secret Lives cast returned to finish filming interviews following a 2 month production pause … without Taylor,” read a message before the first of the season’s five episodes, which was […]

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“Sorry to those that thought they were going to see my redemption arc. That has slowly just begun,” she wrote via Instagram. “I’ve stayed in, single and celibate this entire time and nobody will have intimate access to me again unless he’s my person — and that’s a promise to myself.”

ABC pulled Taylor’s season of The Bachelorette days before it was set to premiere in March after footage emerged of a 2023 domestic dispute between Taylor and Dakota.

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“In light of the newly released video just surfaced today, we have made the decision to not move forward with the new season of The Bachelorette at this time, and our focus is on supporting the family,” a Disney Entertainment Television spokesperson said at the time.

During season 5 of Mormon Wives, Taylor revealed that she had gotten engaged to Bachelorette contestant Doug Mason, though she said she later broke things off with him. Viewers also saw her contend with her feelings for Dakota and musician Ben Lambert.

“[I said,] ‘Yes.’ Yes, I did [get engaged],” Taylor told her costars. “Then, I come home. Obviously [me and Dakota] were texting. ‘When are you going to be home?’ I don’t know how it led to it, but he came over.”

Halloween is coming, and we’re officially ready to trade our everyday tees for something a little more spooky. But if you’re not exactly looking to spend hours putting together an elaborate costume, there’s an easier way to get into the Halloween spirit: a really good shirt. From playful graphics and cheeky phrases to creepy-cute designs that won’t make you look like you raided the clearance bin, the right tee can make a festive statement without going full ‘haunted house.’

Amazon has plenty of options that prove Halloween shirts don’t have to be cheesy. Whether you’re dressing for a Halloween party, planning a pumpkin-patch outing or simply want an excuse to wear something delightfully witchy, these styles make getting dressed a little more fun. We rounded up 13 Halloween shirts that bring plenty of personality to your seasonal wardrobe, and they start at only $10.

13 Cute Amazon Halloween Tees

1. For Witchy Women: Calling all witches! This cotton-blend crewneck brings the Halloween attitude with five illustrated witches and a cheeky ‘girls will be girls’ slogan. The vintage-inspired graphic gives the tee plenty of personality without requiring a full costume, making it an easy pick for everything from pumpkin carving parties to casual October weekends.

2. Most Wonderful Time: Who says the most wonderful time of the year has to be December? This soft, stretchy cotton-blend crewneck makes a case for October instead, featuring a happy skeleton, jack-o’-lantern, fall leaves and the festive phrase front and center.

3. Spooky Sketch: The hand-drawn look gives this ’tis the season tee a little more charm than your average Halloween graphic. Pumpkins, ghosts, skeletons, graves and other spooky illustrations come together across the oversized crewneck for a playful, lived-in feel. Add jeans and sneakers, and you’re ready for whatever October has planned.

4. Subtle Spook: For a Halloween look that’s more understated than over-the-top, this quarter-sleeve tee gets the job done. Tiny ghosts decorate each arm, while ‘spooky season’ appears in cursive around the neckline for a pretty seasonal touch. The V-neck silhouette makes it especially easy to style with your favorite jeans or leggings.

5. Coffin Cutie: This skeleton clearly has no complaints. The graphic features a coffin-dwelling skeleton giving a cheerful thumbs-up alongside the words ‘never better,’ bringing a hilarious twist to the spooky season.

6. Retro Arcade: Game night meets Halloween with this clever graphic tee, where a jack-o’-lantern takes on Pac-Man’s famous role and chases a trail of ghosts. The oversized crewneck gives the playful design a relaxed, casual feel that’s perfect for pairing with jeans, joggers or your favorite Halloween accessories.

7. Disney Pick: Mickey Mouse is getting in on the trick-or-treating fun. This 100% cotton tee features Disney’s favorite mouse dressed as a mummy, complete with pumpkins and a trick-or-treat basket. The lightweight fabric and classic fit make it an easy, everyday choice for Disney fans who like their Halloween style with a little extra nostalgia.

8. Basic Witch: Pumpkin spice season has entered the chat. This cheeky tee puts a Halloween spin on the instantly recognizable Starbucks-style coffee logo with ‘basic witch’ lettering, making it practically made for your next seasonal coffee run. The stretchy, round-neck design keeps the look casual and comfortable.

9. Haunted Main Street: This vintage-inspired graphic has all the makings of a Halloween night out: a jack-o’-lantern couple dancing beneath ‘Nightmare on Main Street’ and ‘Wish You Were Here’ lettering. The nostalgic artwork gives the tee the feel of a spooky souvenir from a fictional small town you’d absolutely want to visit.

10. Boo in Velvet: Sometimes all you need to say is “Boo!” This cozy sweatshirt makes the message a little more glamorous with 3D velvet lettering framed by shimmering gold thread. The soft, stretchy construction keeps it comfortable enough for a movie marathon, but the dimensional embroidery gives it plenty of festive flair.

11. A Love Letter to Halloween: This comfy tee features a collage of illustrated Halloween postage stamps for a charming, collected-over-time look. It comes in lavender, black, orange and cream, so you can choose between a classic spooky shade or something a little more unexpected.

12. Pet Parent Pumpkin: Pet parents, this one’s for you. Instead of traditional pumpkin details, this classic crewneck creates a jack-o’-lantern-inspired design from paw prints, giving your Halloween wardrobe a sweet nod to your four-legged bestie.

13. Playful Pattern: This long-sleeve V-neck tee packs a whole Halloween scene into its all-over pattern with ghosts, candy and pumpkins scattered throughout. The comfy, wrinkle-resistant fabric is the icing on the cake!

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Jennifer Aniston’s love life has long fascinated fans, but the latest insight into her relationship with Jim Curtis suggests their connection developed in a very different way than many might expect. 

Rather than starting with instant romance, the pair built a foundation away from the spotlight, letting a friendship grow before taking things further. 

According to Curtis, that slower path ultimately changed the way he approached love altogether.

Long before Jennifer Aniston and Jim Curtis became a couple, they spent months getting to know each other as friends. 

That early bond appears to have played a major role in reshaping the hypnotherapist’s perspective on relationships, especially compared with his past experiences.

“There was a many-month friendship first,” Curtis explained in a recent interview with Sunday Times Magazine, revealing that their connection evolved naturally rather than being driven by immediate romantic expectations.

For Curtis, that difference was significant. Reflecting on previous relationships, he admitted that his approach had often been influenced by a desire for validation. 

“In the past I’ve felt this idea of, ‘I need you to be in love with me,’” he said. This time, however, things unfolded differently. “The drive was more natural, more organic, less needy,” Curtis shared, adding, “I wasn’t searching for love anymore.”

The relationship reportedly began after Aniston interacted with some of Curtis’ Instagram content. The pair already shared interests in wellness and self-development before eventually being introduced through a mutual friend. 

Curtis also revealed that years before meeting the actress, he felt something unexpected was ahead. 

On his 47th birthday, he experienced what he described as a premonition that by age 50 he would find romance “with someone unlike anyone [he] had ever been in a relationship with,” a prediction that now appears to have taken on new meaning.

Aniston’s Inner Circle Reportedly Divided Over Curtis

If Jim Curtis recently opened up about finding a calmer, more organic kind of love with Jennifer Aniston, not everyone around the actress is viewing the relationship through the same lens.

Recently, The Blast reported that Aniston’s friends were split over her romance with the wellness coach. While some were thrilled to see her happy after years of keeping her personal life largely private, others were reportedly approaching the relationship with caution. 

Sources revealed that “some of Jen’s friends aren’t totally sold on Jim yet” and worried that he “could be an opportunist” who could sometimes come across as “performative.” 

The concerns seemed to stem less from any specific incident and more from how quickly Curtis became a visible part of Aniston’s public life. 

Since the couple went public, he has appeared in social media posts, spoken about their relationship in interviews, and recently shared the stage with her during a major book event in New York. 

However, there is another side to the story. Insiders familiar with the “Friends” actress said many people in her circle had fully embraced Curtis and believed he was genuinely good for her. 

Jennifer Aniston And Jim Curtis Make Rare Public Appearance Together