Entertainment
Star Trek’s Most Infamous Scene Began With A Beloved Actor Stripping Down
By Chris Snellgrove
| Updated
For a franchise that is known for its progressive messages, Star Trek has always been known for something else: sex appeal. The first pilot episode featured a scantily-clad Orion slave girl; later spinoffs would shamelessly put attractive female characters in skimpy clothing, from the skant of Deanna Troi to the skintight catsuit of Seven of Nine. Eventually, Enterprise one-upped everything that came before with a sexy Vulcan in a skintight suit and a plot contrivance where characters would regularly strip down to their skivvies and massage each other with gel.
While early Trek was insanely popular with women, the franchise has historically been targeted at men. That’s why the above examples predominantly feature sexy ladies wearing as little as possible. However, The Original Series threw the ladies some serious eye candy in “The Naked Time,” an episode in which George Takei’s Sulu ditches his shirt and shows off a seriously buff bod. What most fans don’t realize is how this scene started: with a director demanding that Takei take off his clothes to make sure he’d look good stripping down onscreen!
Back On The Fence
“The Naked Time” is one of those Star Trek episodes that really shouldn’t work. The plot involves the Enterprise crew getting infected with a weird space virus that makes everyone act drunk. While this is meant to be a dangerous situation (left unchecked, it will get the whole crew killed), the episode is filled with silly situations that are hard to take seriously, including a wonderfully surreal, wonderfully drunk Irish ballad.
Arguably, the most memorable moment from the episode involves George Takei’s Sulu. He inexplicably takes off his shirt and runs around with a sword like a lost member of the Three Musketeers. Because Takei was in such great shape, fans have spent decades fixated on his topless misadventures. Those misadventures were later referenced in Star Trek (2009), which confirmed that even the Kelvinverse Sulu is a master of fencing.
Interestingly, Takei wasn’t originally scripted to run around the Enterprise half-naked. Rather, Sulu was simply written as someone roaming the ship with a sword, fully clothed. Writer John D.T. Black was divided on whether it should be a samurai sword (signaling Sulu’s Japanese heritage) or a fencing blade. He left the decision to Takei, and the actor chose the fencing blade as a way of signifying that in the far future, nobody’s preferences would be restricted by their ethnicity. Takei ended up really taking to the blade: he practiced extensively with it on set, which resulted in a nearly hypnotic performance onscreen.
Oh, My!
So, why did he end up stripping down? This was apparently a command decision on the part of director Marc Daniels. He reasoned (correctly, as it turned out) that Sulu’s big fencing scene would have more impact if the character were shirtless, but he didn’t know if the actor had the physique to pull it off.
Accordingly, he visited Takei’s trailer and asked the man to take off his shirt. Daniels liked what he saw and promptly declared that the fencing scene would be shirtless. As for Takei, he was a little nervous about the scene, so he did what most of us would do in his place: he spent the three days before shooting performing as many pushups as humanly possible.
Putting Star Trek On The Map
Fortunately, all that hard work paid off, and Takei looked absolutely stunning as he swashbuckled his way across the screen. This became the most iconic moment of a Star Trek episode that was nominated for a Hugo and named by Gene Roddenberry as one of his personal favorites. Later, “The Naked Time” was homaged in the Next Generation episode “The Naked Now,” where Captain Picard’s crew deals with the same space virus (oh, and Data got lucky).
This Original Series episode even put the show on the map, with Leonard Nimoy estimating that his fan mail went from a few dozen letters per week to a few thousand after it aired. As an episode that has entertained audiences for 60 years, “The Naked Time” helped define decades of Star Trek history. However, that might have never happened if a director hadn’t walked into George Takei’s trailer and asked him to strip down!
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It’s already a point of interest to look back on an individual year’s film offerings in a modern context to see which films have maintained their qualities or grown more well-crafted in the years since, yet even by most standards, 2021 was an unusual year for cinema history. The world was still massively recovering from the pandemic, which was largely felt in the slow release of major studio films as well as in releasing films in theaters and for premium digital rental or on streaming at the same time.
However, even if the actual release structure of the films was strange, the inherent quality was certainly there for the year’s best films. The year saw the release of iconic blockbusters, memorable indie films, and everything in between that helped bring a sense of normalcy back to filmmaking after the even more chaotic year of 2020. This makes returning to the 2021 films 5 years later that much more interesting, as the very best have maintained their qualities beyond the wild times of pandemic-era thinking.
10
‘The Tragedy of Macbeth’
The Tragedy of Macbeth is one of the most striking and clear-cut collaborations of sheer talent from just about everyone involved in terms of bringing to life this Shakespearean classic to the modern age. Through the directorial vision of Joel Coen, exceptional performances from Denzel Washington and Frances McDormand, and amazing cinematography from Bruno Delbonnel, the film truly comes to life as a work of art. What’s rather sad is that the film’s legacy and staying power have felt limited in the years since its release, as it was originally made for Apple TV+.
However, the quality is certainly there to revel in and be inspired by, with beautiful black-and-white visuals complementing the powerful performances and classic storytelling at its center. Joel Coen still hasn’t had another feature-length directorial work since the release of this film. Yet, he’s already proven his directorial strengths this decade with this masterclass of Shakespearean brilliance.
9
‘Judas and the Black Messiah’
Judas and the Black Messiah operates in a wholly individual spot as far as award-contending dramas, making use of the extension given to 2020s slate of films during the pandemic to release and compete alongside 2020 films like Nomadland and Mank despite releasing in February 2021. This makes the film often forgotten in the pantheon of 2021 as a year in film history, which is a shame considering just how striking and emotionally powerful this story of real-life revolution and heartbreak truly is.
The film truly comes into its own thanks to a masterful central performance from Daniel Kaluuya as the late Fred Hampton, building up his truly electrifying presence as a public speaker and a true visionary that people would latch onto and see hope for the future in. It makes the impending fall and betrayal of the story all the more painful, knowing that such strong will and battle for rights will be snuffed out by higher powers before it even has a chance to flourish and make a change.
8
‘The Green Knight’
There have been a multitude of fantasy films that have either directly adapted or found great inspiration from the Arthurian tales of the past, yet The Green Knight stands out as one of the most beautiful and original takes on this all-time classic material. David Lowery’s distinct vision of pain, perseverance, and growth told through the story of Sir Gawain arguably makes it one of the all-time greatest adaptations of Arthurian tales to film to date.
It’s a ruthlessly intense fantasy film that is quick to delve into the sheer darkness and psychological gravitas of Gawain’s journey, made all the more impactful by a striking lead performance by Dev Patel. The film truly goes all out in terms of bringing to life a sprawling, multi-layered adventure not just for Gawain to experience, but for the audience to witness and share every step of the way. Time has only been kind to this fantasy masterclass, as more and more people have grown to appreciate its brilliance.
7
‘Pig’
To an unfamiliar person, the plot and synopsis of Pig make it seem like little more than an overly nonsensical action thriller that feels ripped out of Nicolas Cage’s previous era, à la Bangkok Dangerous or Face/Off. However, Pig couldn’t be more different tonally than a goofy action movie, as this story of a lonesome man traveling into the city to retrieve his lost pig is one of the most emotionally touching and beautiful experiences that 2021 cinema has to offer.
There is a real sense of earnestness and raw vulnerability to the execution of Pig that makes it stand out that much more as an emotionally moving piece of art. Cage easily gives what is his best performance not just of the 2020s so far, but what was his best performance in decades through this film, with such deep range and emotional depth to his character amplifying an already powerful script into icon status.
6
‘Dune’
It simply wouldn’t be right to not include at least one of the prominent blockbusters that released in 2021, seeing as they helped revitalize enthusiasm for blockbuster filmmaking after a year of abandonment during the pandemic. While films like Spider-Man: No Way Home and No Time to Die might have made more money, there’s no question that Dune is the absolute highlight of blockbuster filmmaking for the year in terms of quality as well as cultural impact and legacy.
This extravagant high-budget space opera achieves the previously thought to be impossible in doing great justice and significance to one of the all-time greatest sci-fi novels ever written. Denis Villeneuve’s meticulous filmmaking style exudes prowess and craft in every moment of the film, creating a true sci-fi epic experience that makes the most of the budget and delivers on spectacle in spades. While some have written off the original film following the improvements made to the sequel, there is still an undeniable magic that makes the first part of Dune such an icon.
5
‘Titane’
The only Palme d’Or winner of this decade to not be nominated for an Academy Award, Titane is a strange, ruthlessly bleak and abstract piece of body horror that, between the ruthless carnage and uncomfortable concepts, tells a surprisingly beautiful story of found family and unconditional love. It’s an incredibly difficult balancing act that is pulled off without a hitch, as the moments of horror and shock hit that much harder when the in-between is this story of tense secrecy that leads to familial love despite it all.
Simply describing the insanity of the story doesn’t do the film justice, as it bounces between sickening and chaotic concepts that all build on top of one another until they spiral uncontrollably into complete chaos. However, the bedrock cushioning of love that these characters have built for one another makes the release of tension somewhat beautiful, fully living up to the brilliance and strengths of the body horror genre.
4
‘West Side Story’
The lead-up to the release of Steven Spielberg‘s modern-day remake of the Best Picture-winning musical classic West Side Story certainly had hype, but many were skeptical of the film’s ability to live up to the stature of the original, especially when Spielberg’s last film was the dismal Ready Player One. However, not only did Spielberg far exceed the expectations for this remake, but he proves to be so great at directing musicals that it feels like he’s been doing it his entire career instead of this being his only musical to date.
The film has a perfect balance of tones and styles, knowing when to be high-energy and full of life during the upbeat songs and knowing when to slow down and let the emotions of the song and performances whisk away the audience during moments of bliss and heartbreak. West Side Story, even despite a nonexistent box-office run where it got wiped off the map by Spider-Man, has a sustained and effective legacy thanks to its overwhelming strengths, being an important mark on Spielberg’s modern career outings.
3
‘Licorice Pizza’
While Paul Thomas Anderson‘s legacy of 2020s filmmaking will undoubtedly be defined by his monumental achievements in One Battle After Another, that doesn’t take away from the sweet melancholy charm that he exudes in his prior film, Licorice Pizza. This charming story of young love is chock-full of a lot of the distinct human elements and offbeat comedy that made films like Punch-Drunk Love and Magnolia such major hits in Anderson’s catalog.
The film makes perfect use of its central breakout performance from Alana Haim and Cooper Hoffman, tapping into an infectious mixture of whimsy and innocence towards the world that makes their complicated story of love that much more compelling, even with all its flaws. It’s hard to truly get a sense as to how the film’s legacy will grow, considering every other Anderson film is a near-masterpiece, yet the greatness inherent to Licorice Pizza still shouldn’t be ignored or looked past.
2
‘Mass’
While Mass may have been massively overlooked by the various awards bodies when it came to the 2021 awards season, it nevertheless stands as one of the most emotionally heartwrenching masterpiece dramas of the 2020s so far. This underrated gem follows a duo of parents who are connected by their late sons having lost their lives in a school shooting, with one being the shooter and one being a victim. After having had to live with the pain and anger for so long, they take the opportunity to meet for a painful and raw conversation in the basement of a church.
Mass brilliantly cuts right to the heart of the indescribable pain that comes from losing a child, with each character in the film having their own approach to grief and remembrance for what has occurred. The way that the film balances these different perspectives and keeps an exceptionally realistic vision throughout makes it an absolute tour de force in terms of performance art and emotional complexity.
1
‘The Worst Person in the World’
Especially in an era directly following Parasite‘s massive Academy Awards sweep, the unilateral trend that has defined 2020s film culture over previous decades is a much greater acceptance towards international film and experimental voices as a whole. The Worst Person in the World proves to be one of the best examples of such a compelling foreign language work, with the abstract Norwegian rom-com being a near-perfect exploration of the difficulties and uneasiness of young adulthood.
It would be one thing if the film simply delivered on great performances and complex, layered characters to create and emotionally rich experience, which the film certainly achieves, yet it’s all in the abstract execution that makes the film such a joy to experience again and again. From its exceptionally paced chapter structure to a wide array of compelling cinematography and abstract sequences, the film is far from a traditional romance story in its visual style, a perfect fit considering that its characters prove to be far from typical rom-com archetypes.
The Worst Person in the World
- Release Date
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October 13, 2021
- Runtime
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127 minutes
- Director
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Joachim Trier
- Writers
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Joachim Trier, Eskil Vogt
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Anders Danielson Lie
Julie
By Chris Snellgrove
| Published
Under the leadership of David Zaslav, Warner Bros. has made quite a few moves that have annoyed various groups. For example, many superhero fans were annoyed when he shuttered Batgirl (a completed film) for a tax write-off, and others were annoyed when he pulled the plug on both the Arrowverse and the DCEU. Film buffs (including Steven Spielberg) hated it when he started laying people off at Turner Classic Movies. Meanwhile, general audiences were annoyed by strange moves like rebranding (and then re-rebranding) the HBO Max subscription service. However, nobody hates what Warner Bros. has done the past few years more than animation fans.
The studio killed the highly anticipated Scoob! Holiday Haunt movie while purging dozens of beloved cartoon shows (including classics from Cartoon Network, DC Animation, and the golden age of Looney Tunes). The studio tried to kill movies like The Day the Earth Blew Up and Coyote vs. Acme; they only relented amid fan outcry, and those movies ended up with an indie distributor. For these reasons and more, Warner Bros. has become enemy number one for cartoon lovers, but the studio is trying to change that. At the recent Annecy Animation Film Festival, WB announced several killer projects sure to please animation fans of all ages.
It’s All About Batman
Long before David Zaslav started killing WB’s reputation, the studio became known for its awesome, direct-to-video DC animated movies. That trend isn’t going away anytime soon, and WB is taking some big, nostalgic swings aimed square at ‘80s and ‘90s kids. At the Annecy Animation Film Festival, they are giving audiences their first real look at Batman: Knightfall, which adapts the comic story in which Bane breaks Batman’s back. This R-rated movie is the first of a multipart film series that will chronicle Bruce Wayne’s recovery, his successor’s problematic time as Batman, and Bruce eventually reclaiming the mantle of the Bat.
If that’s not enough bat-action, then you’re in luck. At the film festival, WB also debuted footage of Dynamic Duo, a movie that centers around two Robins (Dick Grayson and Jason Todd) and how their lives were changed forever by Batman. The movie is being made with Swaybox’s pioneering “Momo animation” style, and those who have seen footage of the film favorably compare it to Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. While we’ll have to wait over two years to see the film, Dynamic Duo will be getting a theatrical release, highlighting WB’s newfound confidence in their animated projects.
All the Nostalgia, All The Time
There’s nothing as potent as nostalgia, which is why studios rely so heavily on sequels, prequels, and reboots. Warner Bros. is no exception, and many of the animated projects they announced or showed off at Annecy are designed to bring beloved old IPs back. This includes Oh, The Places You’ll Go!, a Dr. Seuss adaptation featuring Josh Gad and Ariana Grande. WB is also making a Hello Kitty movie for audiences who need a little more cuteness in their lives. If you prefer slapstick or action, though, the studio has you covered: they are also working on projects involving Tom & Jerry as well as Thundercats, which is now on its fourth reboot.
Speaking of stuff that just keeps getting rebooted, one of the most shocking announcements from Warner Bros. is that they are making a new Powerpuff Girls movie. Or at least, trying to: officially, they are still negotiating the rights, but that didn’t keep the studio from teasing Annecy audiences about their plans to make a new film. Previously, the original show got a weird anime adaptation, an aggressively polarizing reboot in 2016, and nearly got a live-action TV show. Like Thundercats, this will be the fourth attempt to bring Powerpuff Girls back, so let’s hope the gals stick the superhero landing.
A New Chapter?
At the Annecy Animation Film Festival, all of these announcements came courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures Animation President and Chief Creative Officer Bill Damaschke. The general consensus among attendees is that the man talks a good game, and he did an excellent job of portraying everyone at the studio as ready and willing to fully throw themselves back into the world of theatrical and streaming-first animation.
However, cynics who feel burned by previous WB decisions have largely adopted a “wait and see” approach here. These announcements all sound great, but all of those aforementioned canceled and otherwise abandoned projects all started out as breathless announcements. The real litmus test will be whether or not all of these projects ever see the light of day or if they get shuttered in the relentless pursuit of another tax write-off. Only then will we know if the WB is ready to stop being the greatest supervillain the animation world has ever known.
Jack White is now one of the most famous guitarists of all time, but at one point, his personal life was very much part of his act.
In 1997, Jack (born John Anthony Gillis) cofounded rock duo The White Stripes with his then-wife, Meg White. Earlier in their career, however, the pair claimed they were brother and sister. Even after proof of their marriage — and 2000 divorce — emerged, Jack continued to say they were related.
He eventually explained that he thought a sibling relationship would keep the focus on their music rather than any romantic connection between them.
“When you see a band that is two pieces, husband and wife, boyfriend and girlfriend, you think. ‘Oh, I see … ’ When they’re brother and sister, you go, ‘Oh, that’s interesting,’” he told Rolling Stone in 2005. “You care more about the music, not the relationship.”
MFleetwood Mac is perhaps the most famous example of bandmates dating each other — and the ensuing complications that come with it. “I broke up with Lindsey [Buckingham] in 1976. We’d only been in Fleetwood Mac for a year and a half, and we were breaking up when we joined Fleetwood Mac,” Stevie Nicks recalled […]
After The White Stripes rose to fame, Jack was linked to actress Renée Zellweger. He also married two more times — to Karen Elson, from 2005 to 2001, and to Olivia Jean, whom he wed in 2022. Jack and Jean split in June 2026 after the Black Belles singer filed for divorce, citing “inappropriate marital conduct.”
Keep scrolling to see Jack’s dating history through the years:
Meg White
Jack met his first wife, Meg, while he was still in high school in Detroit, Michigan. They tied the knot on September 21, 1996, and went on to form The White Stripes the following year. As the band became prominent, they told the press they were siblings, and Jack introduced Meg as his “big sister” on stage.
Jack and Meg divorced in 2000 but continued recording and performing as The White Stripes for several more years. They released their sixth and final album, Icky Thump, in 2007 and played their final concert that same year before officially announcing their breakup in 2011. The band was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2025 by Iggy Pop, but Meg did not attend the ceremony.
In 2014, Jack told Rolling Stone he “almost never” talked to Meg anymore but later apologized for claiming in the same interview that she wasn’t supportive. When she turned 50 in December 2024, Jack shared his well-wishes via Instagram, writing, “HAPPY 50TH BIRTHDAY to my big sister, the great Meg White. There’s only one of you Meggo, they broke the mold. You’re still inspiring people, including me. Love you so much.”
Renee Zellweger
When The White Stripes were at the height of their fame, Jack began dating Zellweger after they met on the set of 2003’s Cold Mountain. Zellweger starred as Ruby Thewes, later winning an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress, while Jack had a minor role as a character named Georgia and contributed several songs to the soundtrack.
The duo dated for a year and a half before calling it quits in September 2004.
Karen Elson
Following his split from Zellweger, Jack moved on with British supermodel Elson after meeting on the set of The White Stripes’ music video for “Blue Orchid” in 2005. They tied the knot just one month later in a ceremony held in a canoe on the Amazon River and officiated by a shaman. Meg served as the maid of honor.
Following their wedding, Elson and Jack welcomed two children: daughter Scarlett, born in 2006, and son Henry, born in 2007.
In 2010, Elson released her debut album, The Ghost Who Walks, which Jack produced and released on his Third Man label.
The following year, the duo announced their split in a release and said they were throwing a “divorce party” to celebrate, describing it as “an evening together in Nashville to reaffirm our friendship and celebrate the past and future with close friends and family.”
In 2013, Elson was granted a temporary restraining order against Jack, accusing him of harassment and “bullying” as they battled over custody of their children. Jack denied her accusations in his own court filing, which read, “Mr. White does not want to be portrayed as something he is not, violent toward his wife and children.” The pair finalized their divorce later that year.
In October 2025, Elson and Jack teamed up for a TikTok video with Scarlett as she walked the runway for Paris Fashion Week.
Olivia Jean
Jack met his third wife, Jean, in 2009 after she left her demo CD at a concert by his band The Dead Weather. After he asked her to come to Nashville to record, she formed a band called The Black Belles, and the group released their self-titled debut album in 2011.
The Black Belles split the following year, but Jean went on to release a solo album in 2014. Around that time, Jean’s relationship with Jack turned romantic.
On April 8, 2022, Jack proposed on stage during a concert at Detroit’s Masonic Temple Theatre as Jean duetted with him on The White Stripes’ “Hotel Yorba.” During the show’s encore, the pair tied the knot, with Jack’s Third Man cofounder, Ben Swank, officiating.
Us confirmed in June 2026 that Jean filed for divorce from Jack after four years of marriage. Jean claimed in court docs obtained by Us that Jack was “guilty of inappropriate marital conduct, which makes further cohabitation unsafe and improper.”
Jean requested spousal support, claiming that she depends on her estranged husband’s income to pay for her bills. She also requested the court mandate she be added to his life insurance.
Years before the BBC struck gold with the near-perfect crime series Broadchurch, there was another realistic drama that cut deep into the characters’ emotions. In 2007, the BBC, in conjunction with HBO, released a harrowing five-part series that had all the makings of a crime classic. Five Days follows five non-consecutive days of a crime that baffles police.
Hugh Bonneville, David Oyelowo, Rory Kinnear, and Penelope Wilton are just a few of the performers in the drama who went on to have impressive careers. Despite its grounded performances and gripping drama, Five Days is not a story that endured in the pop culture zeitgeist. Nevertheless, the grim telling of a classic missing person’s story deserves a second look.
‘Fives’ Is An Emotionally Devastating Crime Series Unlike Any Other
Crime dramas may seem like a dime a dozen, but there is something about English mysteries that cuts to the bone. Five Days isn’t just a typical case of a missing mother but an exploration of some of the darkest emotional experiences. The heartwrenching narrative follows a loving mother, Leanne (Christine Tremarco), who disappears while out with her seven and five-year-old children, Ethan (Lee Massey) and Rosie (Tyler Anthony).
The opening sequence is particularly brutal as it shows the disappearance from the perspective of the children. The audience is thrown into the terrified minds of two kids who feel the fear of seeing their mother one minute and disappearing the next. Abandoned at the side of a highway, Rosie and Ethan take their dog and walk by themselves to civilization. The story gets even more grueling when they themselves are kidnapped in a seemingly unrelated occurrence.
Five Days doesn’t shy away from these difficult subjects in a series that marries storylines of the family affected, the press, and the detectives. Like any good crime drama, this story isn’t just about the mystery at play but how these events unravel the characters. Shows like Broadchurch and Five Days work because these crimes are always personal.
Episode by episode, tensions increase as the crime escalates from a missing person to a murder. The children are thankfully found relatively fine, but Leanne’s death raises the stakes and hypes up the questions that surround the influx of clues. Five Days uses its unique structure and captivating performances to bring home a story that, in any other hands, could have been derivative.
Crime stories often use the mystique of the cheating husband or family secrets to set up twists. Even with these elements in rotation, Five Days sets up red herrings that drive the narrative forward. The five episodes of the series are the perfect length to tell a story with twists and turns and leave audiences guessing until the final moments.
The critical success of the mystery was undeniable, leading to a spin-off series following Hugh Bonneville’s character, DSI Iain Barclay, in the show Hunter, which aired on BBC One. Bonneville may be most recognizable for his work in Downton Abbey, but his early performance in the crime drama should not be missed. Viewers can experience all five episodes streaming on HBO Max.
- Release Date
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2007 – 2010-00-00
- Network
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BBC One
- Directors
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Otto Bathurst, Toby Haynes, Simon Curtis, Peter Hoar
- Writers
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Gwyneth Hughes
Cast
-
-
Chris Fountain
PC Paul Tait
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Edward Woodward
Vic Marsham
-
Pop star Taylor Swift is officially the richest female musician in history! Fueled by the success of The Eras Tour and her highly publicized master re-recordings, Swift has bypassed Rihanna and Beyoncé to become the richest female singer. She entered the billionaire club in late 2023 and effectively doubled her net worth by 2026, thanks in part to her world-breaking tour and massive music catalog.
Taylor Swift Is Now Worth A Cool $2 Billion
At only 36 years old, Swift is worth $2 billion dollars, according to Forbes. The publication called her “one of the most commercially successful songwriters of all time” and described how she changed the music industry in 2020 when she started to re-record some of her old albums.
“As a result, her royalties flowed straight into her pocket, and she inspired fellow artists to take ownership of their music,” the blurb continued. “In 2024, Swift reached billionaire status thanks to The Eras Tour, which became the highest-grossing concert tour in history with revenue of $2.2 billion.”
Swift then used the money generated from her tour to buy back her original masters for approximately $360 million.
Where Swift Stands Among The Greats
According to Forbes, Beyoncé Knowles-Carter, 44, became the fifth musician to reach billionaire status last December, thanks in part to her country music album, Cowboy Carter. It won Album of the Year at the Grammys and made her the first Black woman to win for Best Country Album. The Cowboy Carter Tour became the highest-grossing concert tour of 2025, earning about $450 million in ticket and merchandise sales. She followed it up with her Renaissance World Tour, which grossed nearly $600 million in 2023.
Unfortunately, neither of them is worth as much as Jay-Z. According to his Forbes profile, he is worth $2.8 billion due to his lucrative liquor businesses. He is also the chairman and cofounder of the entertainment company Roc Nation and has stakes in Tidal, the music streamer, and the 40/40 Club sports bar. His other assets include a fine art collection, his music catalog, and various shares in companies like Block and Uber.
Will Taylor Swift’s Net Worth Increase With ‘Toy Story 5’?
It’s possible that Swift’s net worth can increase following the release of her new song, “I Knew It, I Knew You,” which was featured on the “Toy Story 5” soundtrack. She sang the song live for the first time at the “Toy Story 5” premiere in Los Angeles on June 9. She also took the stage to perform a surprise duet of “You’ve Got A Friend In Me” with Randy Newman.
Swift had nothing but praise for the legendary composer in an exclusive interview for the ABC special “Toy Story 30 Years and Beyond — A Special Edition of 20/20.”‘
“There’s country, pop, folk, rock, Randy Newman,” Swift said. “He has his own signature syncopations to things, and the chords that he would reach for are so different than what anybody else would think to go for.”
“He’s got a way of just writing such intricate, yet beautifully pure, simple lyrics about how you feel that get to the heart of it. They’re so complex,” she continued. “They’re exactly how you feel, and they’re so universal.”
She went on to say that she had Newman’s blessing as she entered the “Toy Story” world.
“Knowing I had his blessing to enter this world was really special for me and kind of helped ease what might have been a stressful situation, if I didn’t know that he was good with it,” she said, noting that he has been “amazing and supportive and encouraging” of her new song.
Taylor Swift Is Engaged To Travis Kelce
2026 is another big year for Swift. In addition to the release of her new song, many fans anticipate that she will get married this year. She has been engaged to NFL star Travis Kelce since August 26, 2025.
She broke the news on Instagram, with a post captioned, “Your English teacher and your gym teacher are getting married.”
Although many fans initially suspected she would marry in Rhode Island, where she owns a home, recent reports suggest she will marry at Madison Square Garden later this year.
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Zoey Deutch has a knack for making even the trendiest accessories feel timeless. The actress recently stepped out carrying a sleek black handbag that instantly elevated her outfit. Her bag choice proves that a structured bag can transform even the simplest summer look, and I found a similar version for just $29 on Amazon.
On June 15, 2026, Deutch was photographed in New York City wearing a silky white satin dress and strappy heels while carrying a retro-inspired bowling bag. Her exact accessory is a $3,050 Alaïa design, but the Molodo Retro Shoulder Bag delivers a remarkably similar look for a fraction of the price. The ‘bowling bag’ trend has been quietly building momentum, and Deutch just gave it a celebrity stamp of approval.
Get the Molodo Retro Shoulder Bag for $25 at Amazon! Please note, prices are accurate at the date of publication, June 23, 2026, but are subject to change.
What makes the silhouette so appealing is its versatility. The rounded shape feels vintage, while the structured design makes it look polished and modern. It’s the kind of handbag that works just as well with a sundress as it does with jeans and a blazer.
Nina Dobrev has a knack for making even the most casual outfit feel fashion-forward, and her latest look is proof that straw totes aren’t the only summer bag worth carrying. This season, woven bags are everywhere, offering the same warm-weather appeal with a slightly more elevated feel. The best part? You can channel the trend […]
The Molodo bag is made from PU leather and features the same sleek, curved silhouette that made Deutch’s designer version stand out. Despite its compact appearance, the purse has plenty of room for everyday essentials, including a phone, wallet, keys and makeup.
If black isn’t your style, this pick also comes in cream, brown, burgundy and several other colors. The color range makes it easy to find a version that works with the rest of your wardrobe.
A great handbag does most of the heavy lifting in an outfit, and this one delivers the same vintage-inspired energy as Deutch’s designer pick without the four-figure price tag. At just $25, it’s an easy way to try the bowling bag trend before it inevitably takes over summer.
Obsessed with Deutch’s vintage-inspired bag? Check out more trendy Amazon finds below.
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Rachel Lindsay knows how to make everyday basics look instantly cool, and her latest denim outfit is proof. The former Bachelorette star recently stepped out in a New York City-esque outfit that was complete with a pair of relaxed light-wash jeans. Her ensemble felt effortless and polished without trying too hard, and these $42 bottoms […]
Melissa Gilbert is saying goodbye to eight years of memories in her New York City apartment.
“So long perfect little one bedroom apartment on the Upper West Side. The last eight years here have been so special,” Gilbert, 62, wrote via Instagram on Tuesday, June 22. “A lot of amazing work was done in and around this city. So many theaters and soundstages. So many wonderful dinners with friends and nights out on the town.”
While Gilbert didn’t provide a specific reason for the move, she expressed hopes of a return in the future.
“I promise we will be back, it’s just that right now…..well….you know,” she wrote. “Excited to live in our wonderful home upstate full time for a good long while. #nyc #goodbye #alwaysanasventure #happytrails #alwaysintherightplaceattherighttime.”
Melissa Gilbert is standing by husband Timothy Busfield after he surrendered to cops following allegations of child sexual abuse. “During this period, her focus is on supporting and caring for their very large family, as they navigate this moment,” Gilbert’s rep told Us Weekly in a statement on Tuesday, January 13. “Melissa stands with and […]
The Little House on the Prairie actress’ post comes as her husband, Timothy Busfield, continues to fight allegations in a child sex abuse case.
Busfield, 69, was first indicted on child sex abuse charges by a grand jury in New Mexico on February 6. The actor was specifically indicted on four counts of criminal sexual contact of a child, the Bernalillo County District Attorney’s office said in a press release obtained by Us Weekly at the time.
Busfield — who has pleaded not guilty to the charges — recently filed a motion to quash the grand jury indictment.
“Timothy Busfield is innocent. This motion describes egregious prosecutorial misconduct during grand jury proceedings, thereby preventing the jurors from hearing testimony, witnesses and evidence even after repeated requests by the grand jury itself,” Busfield’s civil attorney Stanton “Larry” Stein claimed in a statement to Us earlier this month. “The government repressed and suppressed exculpatory evidence, misstated the law and failed in the most basic due process afforded any person under either Constitutional or State laws designed to protect actual innocence from abuse of government power.”
Gilbert has stood by her husband and called his arrest “the most traumatizing experience of our lives.”
Melissa Gilbert reiterated her support for husband Timothy Busfield in a new TV interview nearly three months after his arrest. The Little House on the Prairie alum, 61, sat down with George Stephanopoulos for a conversation that aired during the Monday, April 6, episode of Good Morning America. When asked about prior allegations against her […]
“Our life as we knew it is done,” she said on Good Morning America in April. “We are grieving what we had — all of our plans, all of our dreams, all of our ideas, all of our projects. For Tim, it’s done. He’s canceled. Even if he’s exonerated, he will always be that guy. [He’s] the last person in the world who would hurt a child.”
In her latest social media post, Gilbert shared the things she will miss most about her neighborhood as she says goodbye to a property she fell in love with.
“I’ll miss the walking and our neighborhood, the subway rides, the amazing people I’ve met there and on the streets. This city truly has a pulse,” she explained after packing up U-Haul boxes. “You can feel it in your heart. Goodbye favorite newsstand, bodega, dance studio and laundry. Goodbye shoe repair, dry cleaners, nail salon. Goodbye sweet neighbors whom we love so much. And a very fond ‘farewell and see you soon’ to our favorite city in the world.”
Entertainment
Bailey Zimmerman breaks silence after felony warrant issued for his arrest: 'I know that I fell short that day'
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The singer faces a felony criminal damage to property charge after an abruptly canceled show on May 27.
Netflix has released plenty of new projects this year, but none have shined as bright as War Machine, the epic sci-fi thriller starring Alan Ritchson. Best known for his lead role as Reacher in the hit Prime Video series of the same name, Ritchson proved to be the perfect action star to lead War Machine — the film is among Netflix’s top 10 most-watched titles ever, and the streamer has already confirmed that a sequel is in the early stages of development. Netflix has maintained an edge over other big streaming services like Prime Video due to its commitment to not only releasing fresh new originals but also picking up discarded classics and giving them a new home. Older shows like Dexter and Suits were both in line for revivals after being added to Netflix in recent years, and picking up a larger audience than they ever had while they were on the air.
Netflix has already picked out another series that could be the perfect candidate for a redemption arc, and all episodes of the five-season show are streaming on the platform right now, as of this Monday. The series in question is The Last Ship, the dystopian sci-fi naval thriller led by the late Eric Dane. The show ran for five seasons on TNT between 2014 and 2018, and it even features other notable stars such as Adam Baldwin and Charles Parnell. It’s been only a few days since all five seasons of The Last Ship were added to Netflix, but the show is already climbing streaming charts — it has crept into the Netflix top 10, and it seeks to rise higher in the rankings before it’s said and done.
What Is ‘The Last Ship’ About?
An official synopsis for The Last Ship, which holds a 69% from audiences on Rotten Tomatoes, reads as follows:
“After a devastating global pandemic wipes out most of humanity, the crew of the USS Nathan James remains one of the last functioning military forces on Earth. Led by Captain Tom Chandler, they embark on a perilous mission to develop a cure, confront emerging threats, and help rebuild civilization while navigating war, politics, and survival on a global scale.”
The show has been compared to The Last of Us due to its dystopian nature, but it also shares similarities to Greyhound, the hit Tom Hanks movie on Apple TV. Fans of either project are sure to find The Last Ship as their next streaming obsession, and if it picks up enough steam in the coming months, it could even be in line for a revival.
Check out all five seasons of The Last Ship on Netflix and stay tuned to Collider for more updates and coverage of the show.
- Release Date
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2014 – 2018-00-00
- Network
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TNT
- Directors
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Paul Holahan, Jack Bender, Peter Weller, Michael Katleman, Bill Roe, Sergio Mimica-Gezzan, Bobby Roth, Brad Turner, Greg Beeman, Jann Turner, Jonathan Mostow, Kenneth Fink, Mario Van Peebles, Michael Nankin, Olatunde Osunsanmi, Tim Matheson, Nelson McCormick, Reza Tabrizi, Anton Cropper, Mairzee Almas
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Eric Dane
CO CDR Tom Chandler
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Rhona Mitra
Dr. Rachel Scott
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Charles Parnell
CMC Jeter
The magical world of spells and potions isn’t always what the children’s books boast. That is the stance that SyFy’s highly underrated dark fantasy series takes during its five seasons of heartwrenching storylines. The Magicians debuted in 2015, adapted from Lev Grossman’s book of the same name. A marriage between Harry Potter and the dark academia genre, the series follows a group of graduate students invited to the magical university of Brakebills.
Viewers came for the magic but stayed for the enduring and sometimes horrifying storylines about adulthood that put a spin on the whimsy of places like Narnia. Quentin Coldwater (Jason Ralph) functions as a proxy for the audience, who is elated to be a magician. He is doused with cold reality, however, when he learns that magic comes with a price, and all the tales he read as a child are more real than they should be.
‘The Magicians’ Is the Antidote To Overly Sentimental Magic Schools
Who hasn’t wished that they would be spirited away to a magical school to learn spellcasting and witchcraft? The Magicians posits that even in students’ twenties, they could still have such a gift – only this one some may want to return. Quentin and his group of cohorts learn how to bend the laws of reality, but that is only so they can defend the school against an entity known as the Beast.
The first season chronicles the Brakebills’ students’ attempt to power up and fight a creature that no one in the history of magic has been able to defeat. The Beast is the gut-wrenching antithesis to Voldemort, whose origins are not easy viewing. The villains of The Magicians cause real-world consequences as the series depicts harrowing issues such as mental health issues and sexual assault.
This series is truly for the older set, as these adult magicians have adult problems. This dark material is perfect for viewers ready for the next level, but it also contains much-needed levity. In addition to trickster gods and infinite time loops, The Magicians also shows what Narnia would be like if it existed.
The fantasy show’s version of Narnia is Fillory, a place Quentin first perceived as fictional. This turns out to be false when the students learn they can visit the inspiration for the in-show books. However, it isn’t the world full of wonder that Quentin grew up with. This Fillory is full of monsters, torture dungeons, and a declining aristocratic state. The Magicians is perfect from start to finish and pokes fun at the C.S. Lewis series while also exploring mature themes that set the story apart from every other magical school narrative.
SyFy’s five-part series was perhaps too brilliant because it missed the attention of many. Similar to AMC’s The Vampire Lestat, which has a niche audience, The Magicians also uses dark humor and in-depth lore to tell incredible human stories. The show may have premiered over a decade ago, but these intense themes hit harder than ever before. A series truly about reaching adulthood, The Magicians is a must-watch no matter what the era.
- Release Date
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2015 – 2020-00-00
- Directors
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Chris Fisher, James L. Conway, Joshua Butler, John Scott, Carol Banker, Scott Smith, Guy Norman Bee, Rebecca Johnson, Salli Richardson-Whitfield, Meera Menon, amanda tapping, Bill Eagles, Jan Eliasberg, Kate Woods, Shannon Kohli
- Writers
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John McNamara, Henry Alonso Myers, David Reed, Noga Landau, Christina Strain, Leah Fong, Alex Raiman, Elle Lipson, David Reed
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Olivia Taylor Dudley
Alice Quinn
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