Sandra Bullock is opening up about the private grief that began long before she said goodbye to Bryan Randall. 

The actress recently revisited the three-year ALS battle her longtime partner endured, revealing how keeping his diagnosis private left her carrying an enormous emotional burden largely alone. 

As Bullock reflected on Randall’s final years, she also described the complicated reality of caring for someone she loved while helping their children navigate an illness that changed their family long before his death in August 2023.

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For Sandra Bullock, her husband’s illness was not something she could openly discuss, even as its impact reshaped their lives. 

Appearing on Jason Bateman, Will Arnett and Sean Hayes’ “SmartLess” podcast, the “Bird Box” actress explained that Randall had specifically asked her not to reveal his ALS diagnosis. 

“I wasn’t allowed to speak about it. That was the request and I tried — I honored it,” Bullock explained. 

The 62-year-old understood why Randall wanted privacy, yet keeping the diagnosis to herself during an already difficult period became isolating.

“It isolated me in the process,” she shared. The COVID-19 pandemic intensified that experience, leaving Bullock to carry what she described as the “huge weight” of the diagnosis without being able to publicly acknowledge what her family was facing.

Bullock also revealed that her grieving process began much earlier than people might have realized. 

“I started grieving Bryan four years before he passed,” she said, explaining that he “was ill for half of our relationship.” 

Randall ultimately died at 57 in August 2023 following his private three-year battle with ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.

Bullock Was Already Grieving Before Randall Died

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Sandra Bullock described the emotional experience as unfolding gradually rather than beginning with Bryan Randall’s death. 

As his illness progressed, the “Lost City” star was forced to confront the reality of losing the person she considered her partner while he was still physically present.

“My person left a lot earlier than the body left,” Bullock revealed. She admitted that she did not fully process that reality until after Randall died because she remained focused on getting through each day.

ALS itself added another layer of uncertainty. The Hollywood star described the diagnosis as “the process of elimination over the course of a year,” involving repeated medical evaluations and physical assessments. 

She recalled doctors giving Randall different milestones and tests, including grips and breathing tests, as they worked through the progression of the disease.

For Bullock, that uncertainty meant planning quietly while continuing to care for her family. 

“You have to quietly plan. And I’m a very good planner with illness,” she explained. Her experience with illness in her own family had already shaped that instinct, as her father had experienced “accidents” and her mother had cancer.

Sandra Bullock Focused On Her Children Through The Darkest Period

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Bryan Randall’s illness was particularly difficult because Bullock was not navigating it alone. The couple co-parented the actress’s son, Louis, and daughter, Laila, while Randall was also the father of his daughter, Skylar. Bullock said the children’s needs remained central as she dealt with the worsening condition.

“It doesn’t scare me — not the illness itself, it doesn’t scare me. I can see and be around just about anything,” she noted. 

However, the presence of young children made the experience considerably more complicated. Bullock was especially concerned about how Laila would process Randall’s decline because she viewed him as a father figure.

“I had two young kids that were navigating it, especially a little girl who saw [Randall] as a father figure,” Bullock said.

The family’s circumstances meant she had to balance caregiving, planning and parenting while maintaining the privacy Randall had requested. 

Bullock’s sister, Gesine, was the only person who knew about Randall’s diagnosis for a period of time. Eventually, Bullock confided in friends, including Jennifer Aniston and Amanda Anka, Bateman’s wife.

“When the physical illness was then coupled with the mental health aspect of things — and it’s something that people don’t talk about… it was a trifecta that was pretty dark,” Bullock said, revealing just how layered the experience had become.

Sandra Bullock Focused On Healing Before Returning To Hollywood

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Bullock’s careful focus on her children also shaped the way she approached life after Bryan Randall’s death. 

Rather than immediately returning to Hollywood’s demands, she stepped away from the spotlight and focused on healing and spending time with Louis and Laila. 

A source told PEOPLE in April that the doting mom wanted to make sure she and her children were in “the best possible place” before resuming her career. 

That period eventually led to her highly anticipated return with “Practical Magic 2,” marking her first movie since 2022. 

Bullock appeared alongside Nicole Kidman at CinemaCon that month to promote the sequel, signaling that she was ready to begin another chapter professionally. 

Her return was not presented as a rush back to work, however. Instead, it followed years in which family and personal recovery took precedence. 

Bullock Gives Rare Glimpse Into Life With Her Children

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After years of keeping her family life largely out of the public eye, Sandra Bullock has offered another rare glimpse into the world she has built around her children. 

On August 18, the actress shared a rare Instagram carousel offering an unusually personal look at her recent life, captioning the post, “Friends, family, fun, fishies, furries, aaaand work.” 

The collection included Bullock enjoying the outdoors, fishing and rafting, spending time with friends, including Jason Bateman and Amanda Anka, and visiting her parents’ graves with her sister, Gesine Bullock-Prado. 

Most notably, the carousel included a rare image of her children, Louis and Laila, walking with their mother through the countryside. 

The three were photographed from behind, allowing Bullock to share the family moment while continuing to protect her children’s privacy. The post also included glimpses of Bullock’s dog and other personal moments.

Jason Kelce has taken an unconventional approach to address the enormous amount of water consumed by AI data centers.

The retired Philadelphia Eagles legend stars in an ad campaign urging citizens to donate their pee to cool data centers.

Jason does take part in advocacy from time to time and recently put his beer-drinking skills to work to raise money for the Eagles Autism Foundation at his annual bash.

Jason Kelce thinks there’s a better way to handle the issue of AI data centers consuming huge amounts of water.

In a bizarre new advertising campaign, the former football star joined forces with canned water giant Liquid Death and light beer brand Garage Beer, which he co-owns with his brother Travis, to take a stand against the enormous environmental impact of AI infrastructure.

The campaign starts with a shot of Jason filling up a glass jar with urine while speaking to viewers.

“AI data centers waste millions of gallons of water. That’s why Liquid Death and Garage Beer have decided to team up. We want your pee … to cool these data centers,” he says.

Kelce’s Pee Pitch Highlights A Real AI Problem

The video then cuts to a scene in which he performs a song asking for “endless gallons of pee” and encouraging viewers to send it to data centers.

In another scene, a crowd of people can be seen taking jars of urine to the post office, with a disclaimer saying, “The suits want us to tell you to please don’t actually send your pee.”

The move was a promotional effort for Liquid Death’s sparkling energy drinks and Garage Beer, which Jason co-owns with his brother, Kansas City Chiefs star Travis Kelce.

While the campaign is satirical, it draws attention to a very real ecological concern that has sparked tense debate online.

A study funded by the Department of Energy found that data centers across the United States consumed 66 billion liters of water, while another study found that local community water systems could require $10 billion to $58 billion in new infrastructure by 2030.

Jason Kelce Has Used His Platform To Support Good Causes

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Jason is no stranger to speaking up on societal issues and championing causes close to his heart.

Back in June, the New Heights podcast cohost put his drinking skills to good use during the annual Eagles Autism Foundation fundraiser in New Jersey.

The event saw him compete against a patron in the Beer Bowl, where they drank to become the champion and win a $50,000 prize. Jason won the drinking competition and reportedly donated $50,000 of his own money to the fundraiser, per the New York Post.

Sam Altman Calls AI Water Consumption Claims ‘Fake’

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Meanwhile, OpenAI boss Sam Altman dismissed concerns about data centers consuming large amounts of water as “fake,” arguing that humans also consume energy.

He made the assertion while weighing in on some of the common criticisms the new technology continues to garner during the India AI Impact Summit.

Altman noted at the time that rumors suggesting ChatGPT uses gallons of water per query were “completely untrue, totally insane” and have “no connection to reality,” per CNBC.

Sam Altman Says AI’s Energy Demands Matter More Than Water

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While data centers traditionally rely on large amounts of water to cool operating systems and prevent overheating, some evolved models don’t require it at all.

In his address, Altman implied that energy availability was a far more critical concern to the advancement of AI than water.

“Not per query, but in total – because the world is using so much AI … and we need to move towards nuclear or wind and solar very quickly,” he said.

He then pushed back against a previous comment by Bill Gates that the efficiency of the human brain suggests AI will become progressively more energy-efficient.

“One of the things that is always unfair in this comparison is people talk about how much energy it takes to train an AI model … But it also takes a lot of energy to train a human,” he said. “It takes like 20 years of life, and all the food you eat before that time, before you get smart.”

“The fair comparison is if you ask ChatGPT a question, how much energy does it take once a model is trained to answer that question, versus a human, and probably AI has already caught up on an energy efficiency basis, measured that way,” he added.

Hayden Panettiere posed for what would be her final PETA campaign mere weeks before her shocking death at age 36.

On Tuesday, August 18, PETA unveiled a new promo video Panettiere filmed in the final weeks of her life to protest the captivity of whales, dolphins and other marine life at theme parks across the world.

“Can you imagine [the animals’] frustration, their trauma, their depression? All that is important and crucial for their well-being is ripped away,” Panettiere argues in comments about the animals, obtained by Us. “We can end this. You and me. In their ocean homes, they can be with their families, dive deep to escape the hot sun and enjoy the rain on their backs … all of that is taken from them when they are confined to small tanks.”

In the ad, Panettiere draws attention to the way animals are forced to live inside small enclosures at various parks around the planet, performing tricks for screaming visitors without any refuge.

The powerful PETA clip ends with the former Heroes star asking viewers to pledge to stop visiting marine theme parks.

“Vow today to never go to a marine park that keeps dolphins in extreme captivity. Together, we can end this cruelty,” she asks.

Alongside the video’s release, PETA Senior Vice President Lisa Lange paid tribute to Panettiere’s long history of fierce animal rights activism. (Panettiere memorably appeared in the acclaimed 2009 documentary The Cove, where she was shown paddling into the ocean off the coast of Japan to confront dolphin hunters.)

“Hayden Panettiere became a household name playing a hero on TV, but to animals, she was the real deal,” Lange said on Tuesday. “She fearlessly paddled into the blood-stained waters of Taiji, Japan to stare down dolphin hunters during their annual massacre, a moment captured in the Oscar-winning documentary The Cove, and never stopped denouncing marine parks like SeaWorld, calling their confinement of complex, far-ranging marine mammals in concrete tanks ‘disgusting.’ The world has lost a kind soul and the animals a fierce ally, and everyone at PETA holds her memory close.”

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The actress was also the spokesperson for the Hawaii-based marine charity Whaleman Foundation, which fights for the welfare of whales, dolphins, and porpoises in their natural habitat.

PETA joined a chorus of Hollywood stars in paying tribute to Panettiere’s life and legacy following her death on Sunday, August 16. The Greenville Police Department confirmed on Sunday that Panettiere was found “unresponsive” at a residence in Greenville, South Carolina. The Nashville alum was later pronounced dead from a suspected overdose.

“It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic passing of our beloved Hayden,” Panettiere’s father, Skip Panettiere, told Us in a statement at the time. “She was an incredible light and a force of nature who brought immeasurable love and joy to all who knew her — and to the millions who watched her onscreen.”

An autopsy — which was completed on Monday, August 17 — determined that “no signs of trauma were discovered that would have contributed” to Panettiere’s death. An official cause of death is “pending further investigation and the completion of additional studies,” per the Greenville County Coroner’s Office.

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Hayden Panettiere‘s former fiancé, Wladimir Klitschko, is speaking out for the first time about her shocking death. “Our family is going through a time of profound shock and grief,” Klitschko, 50, wrote via Instagram on Tuesday, August 18, alongside a throwback photo of him, Panettiere and their daughter, Kaya. “The announcement of Hayden’s tragic death […]

Us reported that Panettiere’s ex-boyfriend Brian Hickerson and his brother, Zach Hickerson, were at the Greenville apartment when emergency personnel arrived on Sunday. An incident report obtained by Us indicated that Brian, 37, provided a “bag of medication” that Panettiere was “currently on.”

Local police are still investigating the circumstances surrounding Panettiere’s death.

If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).

It may be hard to imagine, even with today’s massive critical and commercial genre hits like the John Wick and the Mission: Impossible series, but fast-moving, crowd-pleasing action pictures once had a legitimate shot at sweeping the Academy Awards. One of those films was Andrew Davis‘s The Fugitive in 1993. Still a staple of the dad cinema and TNT afternoon canon, the impeccably crafted thriller is now enjoying a second life as it skyrockets up the Pluto TV charts — people will never be able to get enough of Richard Kimble’s quest for justice.

Fresh off the surprise-hit Steven Seagal vehicle Under Siege, Davis tackled The Fugitive not as a typical television adaptation (though it absolutely is that), but a bare-bones, take-no-prisoners thriller loaded with character moments for character actors and practical special effects. It earned co-star Tommy Lee Jones his only Oscar win for Best Supporting Actor and the film itself a Best Picture nod, among five other nominations and near-universal acclaim. Luckily, this prototype for today’s man-on-the run films still thrills.

What Is ‘The Fugitive’ About?

Image via Warner Bros.

The Fugitive begins with Ford’s Dr. Richard Kimble discovering the murder of his wife — and a glimpse of the one-armed man who killed her. Kimble’s trial and sentencing to death are played as a Kafka-esque nightmare until a violent prisoner revolt and a bus crash leave him on the run and in the crosshairs of Jones’ U.S. Marshal Sam Gerard. The cat and mouse pursuit that follows, with Kimble desperately gathering evidence to clear his name and barely stymieing Gerard at every turn, largely plays out in and around the city of Chicago and eventually balloons into a larger (and less plausible) conspiracy plot.

The film is a somewhat faithful adaptation of the massively influential 1960s TV series with David Janssen and Barry Morse in the Ford and Jones roles, respectively. The series was one of the first to follow a single, twisted plot across multiple seasons with a two-part finale built up as an event viewers couldn’t refuse to miss. Series creator Roy Huggins stayed on board as executive producer for the film, which proved a box office juggernaut in 1993, earning almost $400 million at the global box office.

What Makes ‘The Fugitive’ Special

With as much plot as it has, The Fugitive, as a cinematic experience, is not really about it. In fact, for years, audiences have thoroughly picked the film’s series of wild coincidences and unbelievable twists apart. Rather, The Fugitive represents a perfect, alchemical mix of incredible star power (Ford v. Jones), action and effects (by master genre craftsman Davis), and sturdy, propulsive storytelling that doesn’t get too bogged down in the details (Die Hard veteran Jeb Stuart).

It’s Kimble’s moment-to-moment escape artistry and near-misses with Jones’ task force that carries the viewer from the spectacular train derailment/bus crash to the fugitive and the lawman’s confrontation atop a roaring dam (a sequence that includes Jones’ iconic delivery of the line “I don’t care”), to the highly-charged (albeit unbelievable) showdown at a medical conference. Davis’ proficiency with elaborate practical effects worked much to the film’s power as well, with the train derailment being shot in a single, one million-dollar take that looks spectacular and, most importantly, real.

The film was such a unanimous hit among critics and audiences that it almost swept awards season, with a Best Picture nod that ranks alongside The Silence of the Lambs as one of the biggest surprises in Oscar history. And the film’s timeless effects, bruising action, and rock-solid performances make it every bit as rewatchable today as in 1993. It’s currently among the top-streamed films, free on Pluto TV.

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Release Date

August 6, 1993

Runtime

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131 minutes

Director

Andrew Davis

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Producers

Arnold Kopelson

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Most science fiction franchises tend to try to reinvent themselves over the years, with mixed results. Some, like Star Wars, return with new installments that often spark divisive discourse. Others, like Blade Runner or Tron, have extremely lengthy gaps between sequels. One sci-fi franchise not only reinvented itself in the early 2010s but also delivered a truly epic scale that very few blockbusters have matched. This honor goes to the Planet of the Apes reboot series, which is available to stream on Hulu and Prime Video.

Starting with Rise of the Planet of the Apes, the new films focus on the birth of the titular Planet of the Apes, especially how the apes evolve into the dominant species on the planet. It’s not the first time someone has tried to reboot the series; Tim Burton launched his own version of Planet of the Apes in 2001, and James Cameron was even approached to revive the series on film before he eventually made Titanic. The new Planet of the Apes succeeds because it takes the time to show how its world is constantly evolving, offering a sense of growth that other sci-fi franchises lack. It also doesn’t hurt that one of Hollywood’s best directors helped take the series to a new level.

The ‘Planet of the Apes’ Reboot Revamps a Major Element of the Original Series

In the original Planet of the Apes, humanity has devolved into a mute class of workers while the apes lord over them. This led to arguably one of the greatest twists in science fiction history, in which George Taylor (Charlton Heston) discovers that the “planet” he’s landed on is actually Earth, ravaged by nuclear war. Rise of the Planet of the Apes shifts from a nuclear threat to a viral one, as scientist Will Rodman (James Franco) creates a drug called ALZ-112 to reverse the effects of Alzheimer’s disease.

While ALZ-112 increases the intelligence of the chimpanzee Caesar (Andy Serkis), it proves to be deadly to humans, triggering a global pandemic. Director Rupert Wyatt also said that future films would explore the conflict between man and ape:

“We’ve incorporated elements from Conquest of the Planet of the Apes, in terms of how the apes begin to revolt, but this is primarily a prequel to the 1968 film… Caesar is a revolutionary figure who will be talked about by his fellow apes for centuries… This is just the first step in the evolution of the apes, and there’s a lot more stories to tell after this. I imagine the next film will be about the all-out war between the apes and humans.”

True to Wyatt’s words, the next two films, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes and War for the Planet of the Apes, focused on how humanity and apes came to battle. It also brought a new director into the fold, as Matt Reeves stepped up to helm both sequels. Reeves brought a truly epic scale to the Planet of the Apes reboot, showcasing just how much the world changed in the wake of humanity’s decimation. Rain-soaked forests, snow-covered terrain, and a massive military fortress are given plenty of sweeping shots, with cinematographer Michael Seresin taking time to close in on both human and apes’ facial expressions — letting their eyes say much more than words could. Reeves’ vision led to critical and commercial success for both Apes sequels, and paved the way for his work on The Batman.

Thanks to Andy Serkis, the New ‘Planet of the Apes’ Blends Pathos with Blockbuster Thrills

There’s one person who helped make the Planet of the Apes reboot a bona fide success, and it’s Andy Serkis. Serkis delivers a career-best performance as Caesar, thanks to a blend of motion capture and a truly magnetic performance. Every time Caesar is on-screen, the camera gravitates toward him, showcasing his transformation from a mere ape to a leader to a messianic figure. Even in death, Caesar continues to cast a large shadow as Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes shows how apes have taken up his words, for good and ill. It’s also led the Planet of the Apes reboot to continue topping the streaming charts, showing that the new films have just as strong a hold on modern audiences as the original Planet of the Apes did on its audience.

The Planet of the Apes reboot proves that not every reboot of a popular franchise needs to rely on nostalgia or simply rehash the original story. It also showcases that there’s still room for sweeping epics in the sci-fi landscape, especially as Dune: Part Three gears up to hit theaters.

Post Malone and Christy Lee are reportedly engaged one year after they called it quits.

Malone, 31, seemingly proposed to Lee, a stylist, earlier this week with some of her best friends in attendance, according to a social media post from Lee’s friend.

“Mom and dad got engaged,” Matthew Madonna wrote via his Instagram Story on Wednesday, August 19, sharing a video of the couple cozying up while Lee was sitting on Malone’s (real name Austin Richard Post) lap.

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The couple shared a kiss in the clip, which also revealed Lee wearing a large diamond sparkler on her ring finger.

Us has reached out to Malone’s rep for comment.

Phoebe Mckeaan, a friend of Lee, also shared a photo from what appeared to be the engagement dinner via her Instagram Story on Wednesday.

She posted a snap of the bride-to-be holding the back of the “Sunflower” singer’s neck as they drove together in a car. Lee’s new bling was front and center in the picture, which McKeaan captioned with a ring and red heart emoji.

Another close friend of Lee’s posted about the special moment, capturing some PDA between the newly-engaged pair.

“So happy for you both,” model Brooke Donovan wrote via her Instagram Story.

Related: Post Malone’s Relationship With Ex Hee Sung ‘Jamie’ Park: What to Know

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Post Malone and Hee Sung “Jamie” Park kept most of their relationship private. Malone (real name Austin Post) confirmed he had a new woman in his life in May 2022, when he revealed that his then-unidentified girlfriend was pregnant with their first baby. Throughout Park’s pregnancy and delivery, the “Sunflower” rapper kept details about their […]

Neither Malone nor Lee have publicly commented on the news, but that isn’t unusual as they’ve kept most of their relationship out of the public eye.

The rapper was first linked to Lee, a Parsons School of Design at the New School student, in January 2025 when they were photographed leaving the Mascagni Hotel in Rome.

That March, Malone was seen with Lee at a bar in Idaho before traveling together through Paris in April 2025.

News broke in June 2025 that the pair had called it quits one month prior, but it’s clear they have since rekindled their romance.

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Prior to his relationship with Lee, Malone was engaged to Hee Sung “Jamie” Park.

Malone welcomed his daughter with Park in May 2022, the same year he confirmed they quietly got engaged. The musician battled Park in court for custody following their November 2024 split, which was settled the following year.

Us confirmed in November 2025 that the exes filed court documents in Utah, where Malone lives, informing the judge that they had agreed to a custody deal.

After a rollicking four seasons, Netflix’s most impulsive and poor decision-making teenagers from North Carolina have finally reached the end of their adventure. When Outer Banks first started back in 2020, the series was a weird combination of teen drama, class struggle, and treasure hunting. Some shows might have honed in on one of those dynamics as the seasons progressed, but, for better or worse, Outer Banks has never forgotten its roots.

From hunting for the gold of El Dorado to finding Blackbeard’s treasure, the series has led this gang of kids to all corners of the world, taking on everyone from international mercenaries to long-lost evil dads. In some ways, it’s nice that the final season of Outer Banks sticks to what it knows. It doesn’t try to blindside the audience with any big last-minute twists; it isn’t trying to change the formula now that one of its characters has died. While that makes for a less exciting finale, Season 5 of Outer Banks sticks to its guns, and there’s something admirable about that at least.

‘Outer Banks’ Season 5 Grapples With the Death of J.J.

When Season 4 wrapped up, fans of OBX were stunned to see that the show killed off one of its most beloved characters, J.J. Maybank (Rudy Pankow). Admittedly, if anyone was going to die from the Pogues, J.J. seems like the most logical candidate given that he was by far the most impulsive kid in the group and was facing major upheaval after finding out his father wasn’t Luke (Gary Weeks), the alcoholic and abusive man who raised him, but somehow a worse and more wicked man named Chandler Groff (J. Anthony Crane). After witnessing Groff kill J.J. over the Blue Crown, Kiara (Madison Bailey) is understandably traumatized. Much of Season 5 is spent with Kie dealing with the grief and trauma of losing one of her best friends and her boyfriend.

While there’s been a lot of speculation surrounding why Pankow left the series, it’s hard to deny that J.J.’s death did add a bit of real gravitas. After so many outrageous adventures, it always seemed a little too lucky that everyone kept getting out of every scrape happy and healthy, ready to head back to the fish camp in the OBX. That these characters continued to make the worst decisions only added to both the show’s most frustrating elements and addictive allure. Kie’s grief and her process of overcoming the heartbreak of losing J.J. is one of the best storylines of the season, and the one that makes the most sense. While her friends don’t seem to grasp why she’s so dogged about revenge, it’s understandable why she’s the only one who feels this way.

‘Outer Banks’ Season 5 Throws the Pogues Into Their Most Dire Straits

Image via Netflix

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J.J.’s ghost looms large over the group, but it’s not the only problem that the kids face. Kildare is dealing with development changes by the Kooks, who seem determined to wipe the Pogues off the map; Groff is still bounding around being dastardly with the Corsair pirates now on his tail, and while Kie grieves, her friends are also dealing with their own personal battles. Pope (Jonathan Daviss) is traumatized, living in the aftermath of killing Lightner (Rigo Sanchez), and Cleo (Carlacia Grant) has been separated from the group and shipped back to Nassau. Sarah (Madelyn Cline) and John B. (Chase Stokes) are grappling with Sarah’s pregnancy and the fact that they are quite literally homeless now that they’re back in Kildare.

While the OBX used to be a safe place for the kids, things have changed since their latest trip. Kildare has turned on the Pogues, and everywhere they look, there seems to be another old enemy sprouting up to either take their treasure or their home. Rafe (Drew Starkey), who was once one of the big bads of the show, has been given a semi-decent redemption arc that puts him on the side of the Pogues this season, but lest you think he’s been brought in to replace J.J., that is far from the truth. His own journey of facing the ghosts that he’s had since Season 1 is both the most outrageous part of the finale and, oddly, one of the more cathartic moments.

But while Outer Banks tries to wrap up some of these major storylines, it often feels like the solutions come a little too easily. The series both has too much it wants to say and not enough. From launching the kids back into an international adventure mid-season to tossing in a hurricane that hits the Outer Banks, there’s a lot happening in Season 5, and it muddies the waters regarding which storylines actually matter.

‘Outer Banks’ Introduces an Overwhelming Amount of Villains in Season 5

Alongside Groff, who clearly has it in for the kids, is a slew of villains now chasing the Pogues. From the Corsairs to mercenaries to drug lords to wicked stepmothers to Kooks eager to steal their land, it feels like there is no shortage of people who hate the Pogues. This hits at one of the biggest issues of Season 5. This show has always been a teen drama with elements of class struggle and treasure hunting, but it turns out that when you have so much going on, you’re going to have a lot to wrap up. The final season moves at a frenzied pace, jumping from one conflict into another.

The Pogues aren’t helping themselves, either. Almost immediately upon their return to Kildare, John B. makes one of the most foolish mistakes he’s made in a while, throwing the kids out of the frying pan and into the fire. On the list of egregious and irresponsible things that the Pogues have done, this might just rank at the top. It is so silly that it feels obviously manufactured to throw another obstacle back in the Pogues’ faces — and worst of all, it’s unnecessary.

There’s already a lot for the group to contend with and, rather than diving deeper and becoming more introspective about the actions of the past few years, the added troubles attempt to obfuscate that none of these characters are really getting the well-rounded conclusion they deserve. This is a familiar format for Outer Banks, and old habits die hard, but it’s hard not to feel like the saccharine, fairytale series finale feels a bit hollow when looking back at the show as a whole.

‘Outer Banks’ Fails To Stick the Landing in Its Final Season

Image via Netflix

Outer Banks is still ridiculously addicting to watch — only soap operas can rival the twists on this show — but after so many years, the finale should have given viewers a bit more to chew on. The fact that some of the worst characters in Kildare seem happy and friendly with the Pogues by the end is just the disappointing cherry on top. With so little introspection, it doesn’t feel like these characters have fundamentally changed in any way since we first met them. They’ve lost one of their closest friends, and yet they barely hesitate to jump on another plane heading to another country halfway around the world to get themselves into another life-threatening situation.

Who’s to say another treasure hunt doesn’t come around five years down the line that will send the Pogues back on a globe-trotting journey? Considering how quickly the Pogues seem to fall into trouble, it seems more like a matter of when and not if. In many ways, the story doesn’t feel complete, or that this particular chapter of their lives is coming to a close. Perhaps that’s just how it is in the OBX, but after all of that grief and trauma, it certainly feels like the kids deserve more than what they got — and we’re not talking about the gold.

Outer Banks‘ final season is now streaming on Netflix.

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Release Date

2020 – 2026-00-00

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Network

Netflix

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Showrunner

Jonas Pate, Shannon Burke, Josh Pate

Directors

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Jonas Pate

Writers

Josh Pate, Shannon Burke, Jonas Pate

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• 

  Chase Stokes

  John B. Routledge

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  Madelyn Cline

  Sarah Cameron

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Pros & Cons

• Kiara’s story is by far the most interesting this season as she grapples with J.J.’s death.
• The show is still masterful when it comes to surprising plot twists that keep the viewer hooked.

• Season 5 has far too many villains to contend with and not enough time to actually deal with them.
• The story wraps up a bit too neatly by the end of the series, and it doesn’t feel like the Pogues have actually really changed or grown.
• The ending feels incomplete, with too much character development left unexplored.

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Tracy Tutor confirmed she’s joining the cast of Real Housewives of Beverly Hills for season 16.

“Well … the secret’s officially out. 💎,” the real estate professional, 51, wrote via Instagram alongside what appeared to be her official cast photo, confirming she’ll be featured in the upcoming series. “I’m joining the cast of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills and I could not be more excited for this next chapter.”

Tracy continued, “Beverly Hills is home. I’ve raised my girls here, built my career here, and now apparently I’ve decided to let you all even further into my life. 😂.”

Tracy also teased that she is “excited” and also “nervous” to join the iconic Bravo series.

Related: Million Dollar Listing’s Tracy Tutor Sues Luxury Realtor for Sexual Assault

Million Dollar Listing: Los Angeles star Tracy Tutor has accused fellow luxury real estate agent Oren Alexander of sexual assault. Tutor, 50, claimed in a Thursday, March 5, lawsuit obtained by Us Weekly that Alexander, 38, allegedly drugged and sexually assaulted her in 2014. In Tutor’s filing, she claimed that she was invited to meet Alexander […]

“Excited? Very. Nervous? A little. Likely to get into some trouble? Absolutely,” she penned. “So what’s left to say but, Let’s f***king go. 🥂💎.”

Several Real Housewives stars immediately welcomed Tracy into their reality TV sisterhood.

“Welcome to the fam Tracy!!!! Adore you ❤️,” Real Housewives of New York City’s Jessel Taank gushed in the comments section while Real Housewives of Orange County’s Gina Kirschenheiter replied, “So exciting!!! Love this for you!!! 🔥.”

No additional details about RHOBH season 16 were shared.

This isn’t Tracy’s first time on reality TV — she initially starred on Million Dollar Listing Los Angeles back in 2017. When she joined the series for season 10, Tracy was the show’s first female real estate broker. She remained on the series for 15 seasons and until it wrapped up for good in September 2024.

Before embarking on her real estate career, Tracy was an actress and appeared in the films Exposé and No Vacancy, which were released in 1997 and 1999, respectively.

Three years before officially joining the RHOBH cast, Tracy teased she would be interested in joining the show one day.

“I know a lot of the women on the show, and I love them all… not equally,” she said during a 2023 appearance on Watch What Happens Live. “I think I could bring a little heat.”

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Related: ‘Million Dollar Listing L.A.’ Star Tracy Tutor Leaving Real Estate Agency

Million Dollar Listing Los Angeles star Tracy Tutor has officially departed Douglas Elliman, Us Weekly can confirm. Tutor, 49, is kicking off a new chapter in her real estate career, taking her expertise to Compass. A press release announcing the news stated that Tutor has over $4.5 billion in sales throughout her 25-year career and […]

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Tracy is no stranger to Beverly Hills either, and has well-known connections to multiple RHOBH stars. Tracy is friends with Kyle Richards’ estranged husband Mauricio Umansky. Tracy and Mauricio formed a connection as they both work in real estate.

On the other hand, Tracy also has a history with Dorit Kemsley. The women ignited a feud last year. During a March 2025 appearance on Radio Andy, Tracy claimed Dorit “doesn’t pay her bills” and owes money to “several people,” including a hairstylist they once shared. Dorit subsequently slammed Tracy’s allegations.

“It’s hysterical,” Dorit said during an appearance on WWHL later that month. “That’s the funniest thing I’ve ever heard, genuinely.”

A royal expert is shedding light on how Prince William and Kate Middleton are likely reacting to the news that their estranged family members Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are moving back to the U.K.

“All I can think of is: here we go again,” Brothers and Wives author Christopher Andersen exclusively tells Us. “For starters, I can only imagine that William and Kate are tearing their hair out. They have so much on their plate as it is trying to shore up the monarchy and propel it into the future; they don’t really need to cope with having Harry and Megan on their proverbial doorstep.”

Andersen, 77, added, “By returning to the U.K., the Sussexes will inevitably suck up all the oxygen in the room. They will generate countless tabloid stories and take the focus away from other members of the Royal family, which is a major no-no. King Charles and Queen Camilla, in particular, don’t like to be upstaged, and the same goes for William.”

It was reported earlier on Wednesday that Harry, 41, and Meghan, 45, intend to relocate later this month to the U.K. after spending six years in Montecito, California. People reported that the Sussexes plan to stay in the U.K. for an extended period, with their son, Prince Archie, 7, and daughter, Princess Lilibet, 5, expected to enroll in school there in September. (The royal will reportedly keep their home in Montecito as well as other international properties.)

“There are the obvious privacy concerns. If Archie and Lilibet are actually enrolled in school in the UK, then that is where Harry and Meghan will be based full-time, period,” Anderson told Us. “We all know how that turned out the last time. Meghan was miserable trying to cope with British sensibilities and England’s often savage tabloid press.”

The royal watcher continued, “As parents, Harry and Macon have made it clear that they don’t even want their children’s faces shown on a Christmas card. We still don’t have a clear idea of what Archie and Lili look like, which seems absurd given the fact that the faces of Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis have been known to us all since birth. How do Harry and Megan plan to shield their children from paparazzi crouching behind cars and lurking in the shadows? It is bound to be a nightmare.”

“The Sussexes have made it crystal clear that they love their life in California. Are they really willing to give all that up?” Andersen questioned.

Anderson suggested that the Sussexes’ move is bound to raise “security concerns,” especially considering Harry’s longstanding fight to receive public-funded security personnel for his family while in the U.K. after he walked away from his royal duties as a senior member of the monarchy.

“Unless the King has decided to provide for royal protection out of his own pocket – and there is no indication that he has — Harry will have to foot the bill for private bodyguards, and in the end that could cost millions,” Andersen pointed out. “This news of a sudden move back to the UK also begs the question — why do it in the first place if you are not going to at least try to resume royal duties? Apparently, Harry has said he won’t have a royal role, so what’s the point? “

Andersen theorized that Harry and Meghan’s decision may be rooted in a desire to return to royal life in some capacity. (The couple announced on January 8, 2020, that they were stepping down as working royals.)

“It is possible that this is Harry and Meghan’s way of forcing the royal family’s hand,” the author noted. “With Harry and Meghan right under his nose and getting constant coverage in the British press, the King may be compelled to find a way to welcome Harry back into the fold. Of course, that doesn’t mean that William is OK with his brother having any Royal role at all. There is still bitterness there. All is not forgiven.”

Us has reached out to Buckingham Palace as well as Harry and Meghan’s representatives for comment.

Harry’s decision to return to his home country is a sharp turnaround from comments the prince made during a May 2025 interview with the BBC. At the time, Harry had lost an appeal for security for his family in the U.K.

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“I can’t see a world in which I would bring my wife and children back to the U.K. at this point,” Harry told the BBC at the time. “I love my country, I always have done, despite what some people in that country have done.”

Since that time, he reconciled with his father, King Charles, during a visit to the U.K. in September 2025. More recently, Harry and his whole family visited with the King and Queen Camilla at Highgrove House in Gloucestershire, England, on July 10. (King Charles was reunited with his grandchildren, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, for the first time in four years during their visit in July.)

“The King and Prince William were apparently gobsmacked by the announcement. Oh well, here comes the drama,” Andersen said. “The Palace is scrambling to make sense of this. After all, it was not that long ago that Meghan and the children cut short their stay in the U.K. after a meeting with the King and Queen that was described as perfunctory.”

Former talk show host Rosie O‘Donnell began her guest-hosting duties on ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” on August 17. Recently, while reacting to the news, fellow comedian Kathy Griffin opened up about why she has mixed emotions about O’Donnell’s TV gig, revealing that she’d previously hoped her longtime friend would include her.

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Griffin took to her official YouTube channel on August 18 to discuss O’Donnell’s return to television via filling in for Jimmy Kimmel while he’s on summer vacation. However, instead of strictly congratulating the former host of “The View,” Griffin revealed that she felt a bit left out. Notably, she titled the full episode “If Rosie would have called, I would have jumped.”

She began, “I’m just gonna come out and say it. Are you ready? It’s embarrassing to say, but I have to tell you guys because we’re friends.” After that, the Bravo alum stated, “My feelings are really hurt that I was not invited to go on Rosie’s week of ‘The Jimmy Kimmel Show.’”

After that, she admitted that O’Donnell “may have no say in it,” before stating that many of her friends had reached out, wondering if she’d be a guest on the hit late-night show.

Kathy Griffin Says She Allowed Herself To Get Excited About Possibly Going On ‘Kimmel’

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Griffin continued her line of conversation by noting how, partly due to mutual friends of hers and O’Donnell, she’d allowed herself to believe she’d be asked to appear on “Jimmy Kimmel Live.” According to her, “I admit, I was kind of getting excited, like yeah, this could be a really cool moment.”

She continued, “Then that moment passed and kept passing.” After that, she highlighted O’Donnell, saying, “She’s doing a great job and will continue to. If I have one call to action, it’s that you guys watch the show and support her.”

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Regarding her wishes to be included, Griffin claimed, “I just think it’s a tricky situation because I’m having all kinds [of] feels.” At the end of the clip, the comedian stated that she would “watch every night and cheer her on.”

Kathy Remains On Good Terms With Kimmel Despite Being ‘Banned’ From Late Night

Griffin has been open throughout her decades-long career about being banned from certain shows and even from late-night television in general. This includes her years-long feud with ABC’s hit daytime talk show “The View.” However, Kimmel has remained a notable exception, with her even appearing on the show in 2025.

However, regarding late-night, Griffin revealed in June 2026 that Jimmy Fallon had banned her. The comedian said in a clip from her YouTube, “I have not done the Jimmy Fallon show since it was on at 12:30 Eastern and Pacific, so I guess I’m banned from the Fallon show, or inappropriate, or too controversial.”

She continued, “I don’t even know. When you’re banned from a show — and if you guys know me, I’m banned from most of them. You’re welcome, America and Indonesia. They don’t usually tell you you’re banned. They just can’t seem to find room for you.” Still, she admitted that Fallon had always been “super nice” to her despite not having her on his show.

Kathy Griffin Supported Jimmy Kimmel Amid His Show’s Suspension

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Kimmel’s show was suspended for a week in September 2025 following his comments about the death of podcaster Charlie Kirk. Then, in October, Griffin opened up to PEOPLE about why Kimmel’s suspension reminded her of the 2017 situation in which she was canceled over the controversial Donald Trump photo.

She told the outlet, “It’s been really triggering for me because Jimmy was the only one who would have me on his show during all those years I was canceled. I know what it’s like to have the bigwigs and head honchos say, ‘She’s too dangerous.’”

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Regarding her support for Kimmel, Griffin says she reached out to him “day one.”

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Griffin first launched the “New Face, New Tour’ in November 2025 with dates extending until May 2026. More recently, the comedian has announced a fall leg of the tour, set to begin on September 11 in Tacoma, Washington.

Per her official website, this new leg of the tour will run until March 2027, ending in Palm Springs, California.