Actress Jodie Sweetin is opening up about the very beginning of “Full House,” revealing that another well-known actor almost played the role of Danny Tanner instead of Bob Saget. In a new episode of “Taboo’s Comics & Kicks” podcast, Sweetin, 44, said that after the production company shot the pilot, they wound up replacing actor John Posey with Saget, explaining that the “America’s Funniest Home Videos” host was the creator’s original choice for the role to begin with.

“We shot an entire pilot, actually, with a different dad … with John Posey, who was a lovely human being and very sweet and wonderful,” Sweetin confessed on the podcast, adding that while Saget was the actor the production team wanted, he was busy with another commitment.

Sweetin went on to say that “Full House” creator Jeff Franklin went to bat to have the pilot reshot with Saget after the network decided to send the show to series. “He was like, ‘I just know it. I just know this is who we need as the dad.’ And he was right,” Sweetin shared.

Posey Recalled Being Recast In ‘Full House’ After The Series Was Greenlit

During a previous interview with Yahoo, Posey, whose son is actor Tyler Posey of MTV’s “Teen Wolf,” opened up about the process of filming the “Full House” pilot, revealing that he learned he’d been recast with Saget months after shooting.

“And, you know, in all honesty, if somebody were to ask me now, I have no idea whether I was good in that pilot or not. It was all very new to me,” he said at the time.

Posey confessed that he was a bit in his head while on the “Full House” set because he grew up with a different style of comedy than what viewers saw on the beloved sitcom.

“So I can’t say that I was the most experienced guy on the set, plus you’re holding a baby in your arms the whole time, so I was learning about this, going along but I, overall I thought everything was pretty decent. And the show went. [ABC] picked it up with me, and everything was fine, until about a month or so later when I heard otherwise,” he said.

Jodie Sweetin Previously Joked About Returning To ‘Full House’ For A Third Spin-Off

Sweetin played the role of Stephanie Tanner in the ABC sitcom from 1987 to 1995. She later returned to the series in 2016 to reprise her role in the Netflix spin-off, “Fuller House.”

According to a previous report from The Blast, Sweetin said that she’d be more than open to returning to the series a third time if the opportunity ever presented itself.

“Absolutely. I love working with them,” she said in 2022. “It’s like, ‘Do you wanna go back and have fun and work with the people that you love, that you’ve known your whole life?’ Of course!”

The spin-off ended in 2020, and Sweetin joked years later that she could see hers, Andrea Barber’s, and Candace Cameron Bure’s characters filming a “Golden Girls” type of show.

“If you would have asked me twenty years ago if I would be coming back someday to play Stephanie Tanner as an adult, I would have been like, I don’t think that is going to happen. Who knows, in another 10, 15, 20 years we will do Fullest House, and I get to finally portray my Bea Arthur wannabe as one of The Golden Girls,” she said.

Jodie Sweetin Went To Extreme Lengths To Try And Shed What She Believed Was A ‘Stuck-Up’ Persona In High School

Another report from The Blast details Sweetin’s recent confession about her attempts to relate to her high school classmates at the height of her “Full House” fame.

“I had this weird, I’ll say, I had this, particularly after the show ended, like, in high school, there was this strange feeling that I had, because everyone assumed I was quote unquote a TV star. So, like, you know, the rumor before you would even start at a school was like, ‘Oh, she’s a stuck-up b-tch,’” she said.

According to Sweetin, she tried to course correct by acting “worse than them” and by “getting more f-cked up” than them with drugs and alcohol.

Sweetin previously spoke candidly about her past substance abuse, revealing that it began after her first drink at just 14-years-old at co-star Bure’s wedding.

Later, Sweetin said that her behavior spun so far out of control that her peers began expressing concern for her, advising her to “settle down” before things reached the point of no return.

Saget Died In 2022

In January 2022, Saget was found dead in his hotel room at The Ritz-Carlton Orlando from blunt head trauma following an “unwitnessed fall,” according to PEOPLE.

His memorial service was attended by his close friends and family, including his “Full House” co-stars, John Stamos, Bure, Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, Sweetin, Dave Coulier, and Lori Loughlin.

Love Island USA‘s Parmida Keshani got brutally honest with Corbin Mims about his oral hygiene.

During the Sunday, June 28, episode, Corbin tried to kiss Parmida but she shut it down. She told him they wouldn’t do anything with his “stinky ass mouth” before he went to the bathroom to go brush his teeth.

Corbin was adjusting back to life in the villa after finding a connection with Parmida in Casa Amor. Their recoupling sparked backlash after Kenzie Annis dragged him for not considering her when he went to explore his chemistry with other women.

Earlier in the week, Corbin revealed there were “red flags” he didn’t address with Kenzie. This inspired Corbin to explore his options — and he later told the guys he “hasn’t thought” of Kenzie at all.

Love Island USA originally premiered in the U.K. in 2002 before it expanded worldwide with various spinoffs, including Love Island USA on Peacock. The series follows a different group of singles every season who have to pair off in order to stay in the show’s luxury villa.

The contestants — referred to as Islanders — live in isolation in a villa and are under constant video surveillance. They must be coupled up to remain on the show and stand a chance at receiving the $100,000 prize.

Season 8 escalated the sex that took place in the villa with multiple couples going all the way while sharing a bedroom in the villa. The drama escalated with Casa Amor when the new women discussed which guys they thought would pair off with them before returning to the villa.

They poked fun at Kenzie’s possible reaction to Parmida walking in with Corbin.

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“Kenzie just likes anyone who likes her,” Parmida said after the rest of the women made fun of how Kenzie spoke to Corbin.

New episodes of Love Island USA are released six days a week — except for Wednesdays — on Peacock.

Join Us Weekly and Bracketology.tv in our first-ever Love Island USA fantasy league! This is your chance to predict who you think will win Season 8 and rank the Islanders weekly based on how confident you are that they will survive the next elimination. You will be playing against our editors, get access to exclusive content and have the chance to win fun prizes. Sign up for free today!

Avatar: The Last Airbender is a one-of-a-kind series. It’s no surprise that fans haven’t loved any of the sequels, spinoffs, or adaptations quite as much as they loved the original, from the direct sequel The Legend of Korra to the live-action adaptation, which just premiered its second season on Netflix. It can be frustrating to watch this franchise stumble forward down treacherous storytelling paths when the perfect next step is right there waiting for it. Avatar Studios has an easy win in the Chronicles of the Avatar novel series, which is practically begging to be adapted into an animated series. These books have everything fans love about the original series without any of the baggage that comes with a live-action adaptation or a sequel in an uncertain future.

It’s been a rough couple of years for Avatar Studios, which hasn’t even officially released anything since its formation in 2021. The studio will debut this fall with the movie Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender, but the movie has already leaked online, softening its impact on the fandom. Many who watched the leaked movie left lackluster reviews, and the whole ordeal spawned a distracting cycle of discourse about studio politics and the ethics of media consumption. Meanwhile, Avatar Studios is charging ahead with its next sequel series, Avatar: Seven Havens — the third series in what they’re now calling the Avatar Legends franchise. None of this has helped get us back into the fictional setting we love to explore it’s amazing potential.

The ‘Avatar Legends’ Franchise Needs a Win

Image via Amulet Books

Aside from Avatar Aang, Avatar: Seven Havens is the only other project Avatar Studios has pulicly announced. It’s expected to debut next year, and it has all the talent it could need to succeed creatively — assuming it gets enough financial and marketing support from Paramount. However, some fans will inevitably feel alienated from the show since it takes place after The Legend of Korra. That series had its own ups and downs, and it changed the setting of the Avatar Legends franchise a lot in its time. It introduced advanced technology and industrialization to the Avatar world, which is too much for some fans to handle.

That’s not to say that Avatar Studios shouldn’t make sequels — Korra has some die-hard fans, and it will be exciting to see what comes next for this world. However, considering the franchise has a whole studio behind it, it’s surprising that they’re not taking the path of least resistance to draw lapsed fans back with prequels. Even without the Chronicles of the Avatar series, prequels would be a no-brainer for this franchise. Considering how great the novels are, they should definitely be adapted, as readers have been saying for years now.

‘Chronicles of the Avatar’ is The Ideal Prequel Format

Image via Nickelodeon Animation Studio

The Chronicles of the Avatar novel series kicked off in 2019 with The Rise of Kyoshi, written by F.C. Yee. As the title suggests, the novel centers around Avatar Kyoshi, the earth-bending Avatar who preceded Aang by two generations, living before Avatar Roku. Yee published a direct sequel the following year, The Shadow of Kyoshi, then wrote two more books in the series titled The Dawn of Yang Chen and The Legacy of Yang Chen. These leapt back another generation in the timeline. From there, author Randy Ribay took over for The Reckoning of Roku in 2024 and The Awakening of Roku in 2025. Ribay has signed on to write at least one more book in the series, but so far we don’t know which Avatar it will be about or when it might come out.

Each of these novels tells of a momentous adventure in the lives of one of Aang’s predecessors in the Avatar cycle. They take some time to explore the political and social climate of their times, but since they all take place before the 100-Year War, they are all pre-industrial and relatively familiar from a worldbuilding perspective. Of course, fans already know a bit about these past Avatars thanks to Aang’s interactions with them in the main series, but these novels give us a chance to learn more about them, and by extension, learn about the nature of the Avatar cycle itself.

Those who have read these books could probably rattle off ten reasons they should be adapted off the tops of their heads. There are some incredible action scenes in the prose format, and seeing them animated would be a dream come true. There are also some unforgettable characters begging to be brought to life on screen, as every Avatar had their own version of “the Gaang.”

An adaptation of the Chronicles of the Avatar novels would work well as a series of animated movies, or as an anthology TV series. The team behind the Avatar Aang movie displayed some incredible art and animation skills, and they could have done wonders with Yee and Ribay’s writing. Hopefully it’s not too late, as it seems like Avatar Studios’ best days are still ahead of it. Sadly, there’s only one chance to make a first impression, and this studio’s first impression was denied a theatrical release, then leaked unceremoniously.

If nothing else, hopefully the Avatar Legends renaissance will introduce more fans to the Chronicles of the Avatar novel series. All six installments are available now in print, digital, and audiobook formats, and at least one more is on the way. Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender will premiere on Paramount+ on October 9. The live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender Season 2 premiered on Thursday, June 25 on Netflix.

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Release Date

2005 – 2008

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Network

Nickelodeon

Showrunner

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Michael Dante DiMartino

Directors

Giancarlo Volpe, Ethan Spaulding, Lauren MacMullan, Dave Filoni, Joaquim Dos Santos, Anthony Lioi

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Writers

Tim Hedrick, Elizabeth Welch Ehasz, Joshua Hamilton, James Eagan, Joann Estoesta, Nick Malis, May Chan, Katie Mattila

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Sometimes we seek out movies that are lighthearted and easy to watch. Then, there are those of us who love to get our blood pumping and adrenaline rushing. Whether through a juicy horror thriller, a high-octane action flick, or a tantalizing sci-fi film, if the film is intense, we’re happy. But what if there are trilogies that deliver tension from start to finish? Turn on the TV and prepare to be stressed!

We are here to celebrate eight film franchises that are masterclasses in tension. These films might require your blood pressure to be checked upon completion. Our list will include game-changing sci-fi action flicks, action-packed superhero stories, and sensational spy thrillers. If you spend your weekend binging these fantastic trilogies, you might need something soothing to calm your senses afterward.

1

‘Evil Dead’ Trilogy

Image via New Line Cinema

Long before Sam Raimi entertained the world with a near-perfect Spider-Man trilogy, he delighted horror fans with the cult classic Evil Dead trilogy. The trilogy chronicles the horrific and darkly comedic misadventures of Ashley “Ash” Williams (Bruce Campbell) as he battles demonic entities released from an ancient Sumerian book. Throughout the films, Ash transforms from an ordinary guy into a chainsaw-wielding, shotgun-blasting icon. The trilogy unfolds as an evolving saga of survival, madness, and time travel. In the 1981 film, five college students vacation at an isolated cabin in the woods, where they discover the inciting Book of the Dead. As the sole survivor, Evil Dead II follows Ash as he returns to the cabin with his girlfriend, Linda (Denise Bixler), only for the demon to haunt her and his own right hand, causing him to chop it off and replace it with a chainsaw. Picking up after the second film, in Army of Darkness, Ash is sucked back in time by a vortex to 1300 A.D., where he is seen as a savior who must battle the army of the undead. Though they may be stylistically different, Ash’s adventures are high-octane entertainment that doesn’t skimp on blood and gore.

What makes this trilogy unique is how they evolve. The first film is pure horror. The second moves into slapstick horror, utilizing the franchise’s signature dark, chaotic humor. By the third film, it’s fully evolved into a fantasy-comedy adventure. The Evil Dead trilogy is a wildly entertaining ride defined by its iconic protagonist. From scared college student to a chainsaw-wielding, one-liner-spouting badass, Ash anchors the film. His adventures are full-throttle and unrelenting. Through Raimi’s dizzying camera work, he simulates the presence of the demonic entity. He uses the famous shaky cam and low-angle propulsive tracking shots to depict the monster itself. With aggressive direction, Raimi keeps the audience in a place of unnerving restlessness. He even masters the balance of claustrophobic quiet and explosive, chaotic violence. The terror is practical and tactical. The jump scares are active. From start to finish, no matter the genre, the Evil Dead trilogy is an escalation in tension.

2

‘Fear Street’ Trilogy

Image via Netflix

If there is any trilogy that properly depicts the true evolution of horror, it’s Netflix’s Fear Street trilogy. Based on R.L. Stine’s book series of the same name, it follows a group of teenagers in the cursed town of Shadyside, who must uncover the centuries-old secrets of a legendary witch to stop a recurring cycle of mass murders. Set across three distinct times—Part One: 1994, Part Two: 1978, and Part Three: 1666—Fear Street’s eras pay homage to different styles of horror cinema while delivering the spooks and scares from start to finish. Fear Street successfully blends nostalgic 90s slasher thrills with a deep, serialized curse mythology by tackling a multi-generational curse in reverse. Rather than a collection of random kills, the story of Shadyside and its rivalry with affluent Sunnyvale is a captivating, overarching mystery with a satisfying payoff.

The films evolve in tone, shifting from the Scream-inspired, high-energy terror of 1994 to the gritty Friday the 13th camp aesthetic of 1978, and finally ending with a dark period piece set in 1666. Though the frights are at the forefront, the trilogy is anchored by strong interpersonal relationships. From the central queer romance between Deena Johnson (Kiana Madeira) and Sam Fraser (Olivia Scott Welch) to the complex sibling bond of Nick (Ashley Zukerman) and Will Goode (Matthew Zuk), the characters drive the action. You care for the characters, so when you’re met with the relentless dread of classic slashers with deep, generational lore, the franchise sustains nail-biting suspense across 300 years of history. Knowing that the stakes are cyclical and that plot armor proves no one is safe, the audience’s foreknowledge of who survives makes the immediate chase sequences terrifying. Fear Street keeps you on your toes. Just be sure to watch in release order, please.

3

‘Planet of the Apes’ Reboot Trilogy

Image via 20th Century Studios

Depending on your vantage of the original iteration of Planet of the Apes, you might find it hokey. But it was an important part of the evolution of science fiction cinema. Then, when Tim Burton’s version arrived, it played by the same playbook, yet became even more unintentionally comical. Then, one last reboot came in 2011, and finally, the masterpiece was born. Beginning with Rise of the Planet of the Apes, the franchise chronicles the fall of humanity and the concurrent rise of an intelligent ape civilization. Centering on Caesar (Andy Serkis), a hyper-intelligent chimpanzee, as he breaks free from captivity and is tested in order to liberate his fellow apes. In Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, Caesar leads a thriving, peaceful colony of evolved apes hidden in the redwood forests, only to fall into a devastating war against extremist humans and apes. In the conclusion, War for the Planet of the Apes, the apes are locked in an intense, grueling conflict with a ruthless human military faction known as Alpha-Omega. Caesar battles his own darker instincts to exact revenge on the human leader (Woody Harrelson).

Elevating a classic sci-fi premise into a deeply emotional, character-driven epic, the reboot enhanced the story through incredible advanced CGI that gave the apes genuine emotions, with their faces showcasing them all. By making the apes less human and more life-like, the narrative earns stronger stakes. You have an emotional attachment to both humans and animals because you can emotionally relate to their hurt, pain, and joy. This is not a good vs. evil story; the reboot presented a morally grey area driven by survival, fear, and prejudice in which empathy arrives on both sides. With such brilliant stories that ultimately tie together, the Planet of the Apes trilogy is not only highly entertaining but also extraordinary in its action. All built around core emotions. The trilogy proved that science fiction action thrillers can evolve into something genially profound.

4

The Bourne Trilogy

Image via Universal Pictures

If the premise of the first film doesn’t stress you out, I’m not quite sure what will. Based on the character created by Robert Ludlum, the Bourne trilogy revolves around Jason Bourne (Matt Damon), an amnesic super-assassin trying to uncover his identity and survive rogue intelligence programs hunting him. Across the first three films in the broader franchise, a celebrated, cohesive arc follows Bourne on an unrelenting run around the world. Comprised of The Bourne Identity, The Bourne Supremacy, and The Bourne Ultimatum, Bourne is an unconventional anti-hero played by the non-traditional action star, and yet, it was a match made in heaven. Bourne operates as an empathetic, tortured individual on an emotional journey to discover the truth to keep himself alive. The Bourne trilogy redefined the espionage genre, swapping out moments of fantastical camp for grounded, gritty realism.

A major factor in the film’s success is the intense stunts. Whether it was action-packed hand-to-hand combat or epic car chases with real-world vehicles, the action heightened the tension throughout the film. But none of that would have resonated had it not been for the smart storytelling with its paranoiac direction. With fast-paced editing and flawless shaky-cam cinematography, the techniques immersed its viewers in the street-level action. It’s a frantic, chaotic experience that allows the audience to feel as if they’re on the run with the titular character. And yet, the controlled chaos gave the story the legs to stand on. Unlike many spy thrillers, the Bourne trilogy opts for sound over score. Every boom and pow can be heard, almost as if you can feel it without the music-filled underscoring taking focus. The films escalate brilliantly. After Bourne regains his past through a journey of literal self-discovery, the sequels elevate the narrative into an unrelenting global manhunt, bringing the story to full closure.

5

The Dark Knight Trilogy

Image via Warner Bros. Pictures

Often, we think that superhero film adaptations should have an aura of a comic book to them. At least that’s what we were led to believe in the late ’80s and ’90s with the Batman films. They were dark enough, but still had a hint of comic campiness. Then, Christopher Nolan arrived and stripped that all away with his masterpiece The Dark Knight trilogy. In a gritty, real-world take, billionaire Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) transforms from a traumatized, vengeful orphan into Gotham’s greatest protector, fighting systemic corruption, pure chaos, and ultimate destruction to save his city. Set in a hyperrealistic Gotham City, the Dark Knight trilogy showcases a man with no superpowers fighting a cavalcade of iconic villains with true grit, tactical intellect, and cutting-edge technology. Comprised of Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, and The Dark Knight Rises, there may not be a greater superhero trilogy in history.

The Dark Knight trilogy moves beyond the standard superhero tropes. Nolan taps into complex themes of justice, corruption, sacrifice, and the toll that vigilantism takes on the human psyche. By giving audiences an emotional journey to watch, the Caped Crusader takes on a whole new cinematic identity. There are certainly extraordinary physical brawls within the three films, but it’s the psychological battles that triumph. Especially in the case of Heath Ledger‘s award-winning take on the Joker. The second film is almost stripped of large-scale action to make way for a mega clash of ideology. Watching the brilliant Batman nearly taken down by a sinister mastermind is tension at its finest. Gotham City was always under attack, but not as threatened as it is in this trilogy. The threat of anarchy led viewers to believe that the city was not only impenetrable but also nearly overrun by the bad guys for good. Nolan’s direction not only reshaped the DC IP but the entire superhero genre for good.

6

‘The Matrix’ Trilogy

Image via Warner Bros. Pictures

Very few films have the power to recalibrate an entire genre of cinema, but anything seemed possible when the Wachowskis gave the world the chance to enter The Matrix. The cyberpunk sci-fi action thriller franchise follows a hacker named Neo (Keanu Reeves) who soon discovers that humanity’s reality is a complex computer simulation called the Matrix. Built by intelligent machines, the simulation keeps humanity pacified while using their bodies as a power source. Neo joins a rebellion led by Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne) and Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss) to free humanity and stop the machines. The epic story, made up of The Matrix, The Matrix Reloaded, and The Matrix Revolutions, blends action with deep philosophical themes that build across the films.

The Matrix is a masterclass of tension: while the Wachowskis entertain you with groundbreaking cinematic innovations, it’s the philosophical idea that our lives might be merely a simulation this whole time. There is an innate claustrophobic, life-or-death peril. There is constant dread within the Matrix, from rogue agents in the simulation to an all-out rage against the machines. The action is unrelenting, especially as the rules constantly shift. The Wachowskis keep viewers on their toes as the rules of the simulation constantly change, causing Neo to continually adapt to his surroundings. What’s worse than a rapidly multiplying Agent Smith (Hugo Weaving)? Perhaps the most intense element of The Matrix is the weight of choice. We watch characters become nearly paralyzed by moral dilemmas— namely, the decision of personal sacrifice for the greater good and questioning the illusion of free will. As much as the bullet time bent our minds, The Matrix is much bigger than it.

7

The Millennium Trilogy

Image via Nordisk Film

One of the most highly anticipated page-to-screen adaptations in America was Stieg Larsson‘s The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. But wouldn’t you know it, the American version is not the first version. In fact, the Swedish version arrived first, alongside The Girl Who Played with Fire and The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets’ Nest. The highly successful Millennium movie trilogy centers on Mikael Blomkvist (Michael Nyqvist), an investigative journalist, and Lisbeth Salander (Noomi Rapace), a brilliant but antisocial computer hacker, as they unravel dark conspiracies, corruptions, and serial murders. The interconnecting films tackle a range of themes, including corporate greed, abuse of power, systemic misogyny, and justice. With a raw, unflinching tone, the film’s portrayal of the unparalleled alliance of the iconic protagonists delivers a heart-pounding blend of intimate mystery and sprawling political thriller.

There is nothing sleek about these Swedish films. And that’s a good thing. Rather than rely on polish you might find in a Hollywood drama, the trilogy relies on a stark, oppressive Scandinavian atmosphere. It allows the ground-level themes to resonate more practically. The films works wonderfully as a compelling arc that builds upon itself. The first film operates as a tight, isolated family mystery. The second and third films then shift into an expansive espionage and legal-conspiracy thriller that brings closure to Lisbeth’s traumatic past introduced in the first film. The high-stakes threats are a ticking clock of abuse. The series revolves around the “men who hate women” overarching theme, presented in an exceptional manner. Directed by Daniel Alfredson and Niels Arden, the Millennium trilogy is rightly suffocating. No offense to David Fincher for his interpretation of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, but he was outmatched.

8

Vengeance Trilogy

Image via Show East

If you’re still pressed about the American remake of Oldboy, now’s the perfect time to revisit the original Vengeance trilogy to remind yourself why it was a futile attempt at capturing greatness. Directed by Park Chan-wook, the South Korean film trilogy is thematically linked by revenge, ethics, violence, and salvation. Comprising Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance, Oldboy, and Lady Vengeance, the films may not be linked by plot, but they are linked by the consuming, cyclical, and morally devastating nature of their shared themes. In Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance, a deaf-mute factory worker kidnaps his former boss’s daughter to pay for his sister’s life-saving kidney transplant, but a tragic accident sets off an escalating, vicious, and senseless cycle of retaliation. In Oldboy, a man who is mysteriously imprisoned in a hotel room for 15 years is given five days to uncover who orchestrated his imprisonment and why. Finally, in Lady Vengeance, a woman wrongfully imprisoned for 13 years for the kidnapping and murder of a child is released, setting out to exact brutal justice and revenge on the true culprit.

Celebrated for Park’s vision, the Vengeance trilogy deconstructs the traditional revenge narratives for an enthralling, visually stunning journey of unrelenting action. The plots give way to an intense set of stories, but what sets these films apart is their intricate visual storytelling. With a bold color palette and meticulously crafted action, the stylistic approach enhances the gruesome subject into pure art that matches the chaotic nature of the central characters. Now, don’t call them heroes, as moral ambiguity reigns supreme. There are no clear-cut heroes or villains as the characters are deeply flawed yet sympathetic, driven by desperation and grief. The Vengeance trilogy begs the audience to question whom to root for as the violence enters an endless cycle. The tension is turned up to full through the concept of an inescapable predetermined fate. Park uses extreme structural symmetry in each film to remind the audience that, no matter the story, every step digs the central character into an inescapable hole they might never pull themselves out of. The technical execution of the films perfectly mirror the psychological and emotional toll of the journey. The Vengeance trilogy is characterized by unpredictability, which makes it a worthy watch.

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Oldboy

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Release Date

November 21, 2003

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Runtime

120 minutes

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Blue Ivy has spent much of her life making history, but her next ambition could be her biggest yet. 

After winning awards, starring alongside Beyoncé, and building an entertainment résumé before even finishing school, the teenager is now reportedly setting her sights on filmmaking. 

While her famous parents are fully supportive, insiders say they’re also keeping a careful eye on how she enters Hollywood, determined to ensure she develops her own creative voice instead of simply relying on the Carter family name.

Blue Ivy’s Hollywood ambitions are said to be shifting beyond music and acting, with insiders claiming the 14-year-old is eager to develop films centered on young girls navigating everyday life. 

After voicing Princess Kiara in “Mufasa: The Lion King” in 2023, the young star reportedly became even more inspired to tell stories of her own.

Speaking to the Daily Mail, one source claimed Blue Ivy has taken inspiration from Sasha Obama and hopes to produce projects herself. 

According to the insider, “Blue is interested in following in Sasha Obama’s footsteps and wants to produce her own movies. She loves movies like Eve’s Bayou and The Cheetah Girls and wants to create coming of age movies for girls her age.”

The source also alleged that Obama has promised to help Blue Ivy develop those ideas if she chooses to pursue them, while adding that the teenager is already quietly developing a movie without pressure to complete it anytime soon.

Blue Ivy’s Parents Want School To Come Before Stardom

Despite her growing list of entertainment achievements, Beyoncé and Jay-Z are reportedly determined not to rush their daughter’s career.

Insiders say the superstar couple encourages Blue Ivy’s creative interests but continues to prioritize education, allowing her to observe the business while ensuring she remains focused on school.

“They are big on traditional schoolwork as well as her creative work and they include her in some meetings so she can get a good eye on how the business works,” one source explained.

The insider added that the power couple understands their daughter is destined for success but wants her to gain life experience before fully stepping into the industry. 

According to the source, they hope she becomes “an educated and well-rounded person” before branching out after high school or college.

The careful approach comes after the young actress described her “Mufasa” experience as unforgettable. During an interview with “Good Morning America,” she said she was “really happy for girls that look like me all around the world… to watch this movie and hear and see themselves in it.”

Blue Ivy Has Already Built An Entertainment Résumé Most Adults Would Envy

Although she’s still a teenager, Blue Ivy has spent years quietly building an impressive career. Dubbed “the most famous baby in the world” shortly after her birth in 2012, she appeared on Jay-Z’s song “Glory” before she was even two weeks old. 

She later received a credit on Beyoncé’s song “Blue” and continued to add accomplishments throughout her childhood. 

She performed “Lift Every Voice and Sing” on “Homecoming: The Live Album,” became the youngest female artist to chart on the Hot 100 after appearing on “Brown Skin Girl,” and earned both a Grammy Award and a Guinness World Record.

Blue Ivy also appeared in “Black Is King,” several of Beyoncé’s music videos, and eventually landed her role in “Mufasa,” where director Barry Jenkins reportedly believed she “crushed” the performance.

According to one insider, music isn’t her primary focus anymore. “She’s a really innovative kid,” the source said, adding that while she continues recording music, “her passion really is TV, film and creative direction.”

Blue Ivy Is Working To Escape The ‘Nepo Baby’ Label

Even with two of the biggest names in entertainment as parents, insiders claim Blue Ivy wants to build her own reputation through hard work rather than family connections.

One source said she has already begun surrounding herself with her own advisers as she seeks to establish independence.

“She seems intent on building her own network of guidance along the way,” the insider explained, adding that Blue Ivy wants to push past “those ‘nepo’ labels by establishing her own foundation and earning opportunities through actual effort and hard work rather than relying solely on her family name.”

One of the people reportedly helping guide her is veteran entertainment executive Andrea Nelson Meigs, a longtime Beyoncé collaborator credited with helping broker films including “Dreamgirls” and “Cadillac Records.”

An insider added that Beyoncé is particularly careful about who gains access to her eldest daughter, saying simply, “She runs a tight ship.”

Blue Ivy Continues Navigating Fame While Comparisons Grow

Even as Beyoncé and Jay-Z work to protect their children’s privacy, Blue Ivy’s public profile continues to expand.

Beyoncé previously told GQ in 2024 that one of her biggest priorities was making sure her children experienced as much “normalcy and privacy as possible” while preventing her personal life from becoming a brand.

Still, Blue Ivy has increasingly found herself in the spotlight, from joining Beyoncé during the Renaissance Tour to facing online scrutiny over her performances.

Insiders also believe comparisons with Kim Kardashian and Kanye West’s daughter, North West, will only intensify.

“A rivalry has already been created in the public’s mind, and it’s only likely to grow as they get older and become more active whether they like it or not,” one source claimed.

The insider added that many people see Blue Ivy’s career following a more traditional Hollywood path, while North’s public image has become associated with viral headlines and constant media attention. 

According to the source, the comparisons may be inevitable, but both families appear to have very different plans for how their daughters will navigate fame.

Yellowstone‘s Kelly Reilly and Cole Hauser finally broke their silence after their Dutton Ranch spinoff went through a shocking showrunner shakeup.

“Showrunners change all the time,” Hauser, 51, recently told The Hollywood Reporter in a joint interview. “This business is about adapting.”

He continued: “We’ve been doing this for a long time. Things change. People move on.”

Reilly, 48, had a similar outlook, adding, ” We finished [season one] with Chad beautifully. We finished this season together. It was a really difficult but really satisfying show to make. And so was Yellowstone.”

Looking ahead, the actress wanted to focus on the positive. “So is anything worth making,” she concluded. “We’re all creative minds and we all work together and I’m so proud of that.”

Shortly before the show premiered in June, Chad Feehan was in charge of the Yellowstone spinoff.

Us Weekly later confirmed that Feehan would not return as showrunner after an April report that the producer who created Lawmen: Bass Reeves with creator Taylor Sheridan stepped away from Dutton Ranch after alleged friction with series stars Hauser and Reilly, among others.

Sheridan and his producing partner David Glasser, along with the two leads, were allegedly more unhappy with how Feehan ran the production than with the scripts.

Executive producer Christina Voros broke her silence about Feehan’s reported firing, telling ScreenRant in May that he did “an exceptional job building a world of adversaries for Rip and Beth” in the Yellowstone spinoff.

Voros noted that when it came to “dynamics behind his departure,” she didn’t have much to add. She went on to say that Dutton Ranch had at that point not “come out into the world yet” so a future without Feehan was “beyond” her knowledge on the subject.

The director expressed gratitude to Feehan and his team for “creating a world for these characters to move into.”

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Paramount+ later renewed Dutton Ranch for season 2 — but there hasn’t been a showrunner update yet.

Dutton Ranch isn’t the only Sheridan show to go through showrunner changes. Lioness, Tulsa King and Frisco King have also experienced shifts — and not every show had a showrunner season to season.

Dutton Ranch airs on Paramount+ Fridays.

For a long time, I assumed action thrillers would be the easiest genre to get tired of. This was when I had just started rolling through Hollywood’s catalog. After all, there are only so many car chases, explosions, and shootouts a movie can throw at you before all of those films start looking the same. That happened to me with a lot of action movies. I always mixed up their names and action sequences because most of the time they all looked the same to me.

The movies on this list, however, even then, never had that problem. You can watch them multiple times, year after year, and still won’t get tired because the adrenaline rush will be the same as if you’re watching it for the first time. Let’s have a look at eight such exciting thrillers.

8

‘Speed’ (1994)

Image via 20th Century Studios

In Speed, Officer Jack Traven (Keanu Reeves) discovers that a city bus has been rigged with a bomb that will explode if the vehicle drops below 50 miles per hour. This simple idea becomes ridiculous almost immediately because Los Angeles is not exactly designed for a bus that doesn’t slow down. Passengers panic, traffic keeps getting in the way, and Annie Porter (Sandra Bullock) suddenly finds herself driving dozens of strangers through a situation she barely understands herself.

The movie becomes more fun because their problems keep changing. At one point, the bus is running out of road. Later, Jack has to climb underneath it while it is moving. Even the passengers become part of the tension because they start doing absurd things out of fear. The film spends two hours showing multiple disasters can happen on one bus before everything finally goes wrong, and somehow it keeps finding new answers.

7

‘The Fugitive’ (1993)

Image via Warner Bros. Pictures

In The Fugitive, Dr. Richard Kimble (Harrison Ford) is convicted of murdering his wife, though he knows somebody else committed the crime. Before he can begin proving it, the prison transport carrying him crashes, sending inmates and guards into chaos. Kimble escapes and disappears, which immediately turns him into the target of Deputy U.S. Marshal Samuel Gerard (Tommy Lee Jones) and an entire manhunt stretching across Chicago. Every step forward in the investigation creates another risk because Kimble cannot go to the police without being arrested.

The film is a lot different from other chase thrillers. Kimble sneaks into hospitals, studies medical records, and follows leads connected to the mysterious one-armed man he saw the night his wife died. Meanwhile, Gerard is never portrayed as incompetent. He keeps getting closer because he is good at his job. That balance makes every encounter dangerous and thrilling because both men are smart enough to stay one step ahead of almost everyone else.

6

‘The Bourne Ultimatum’ (2007)

Image via Universal Pictures

The Bourne Ultimatum starts with Jason Bourne (Matt Damon) still trying to understand who turned him into an assassin and why. A newspaper reporter begins investigating Treadstone, which draws Bourne back into the story he has been trying to piece together for years. CIA officials scramble to contain the damage, while Bourne moves across Europe following fragments of information that might finally lead him to the truth about his past.

Some of the film’s most exciting scenes involve people simply talking into phones. At Waterloo Station, Bourne guides a journalist through crowds while secretly watching CIA agents close in from every direction. Later, he manages to stay ahead of entire surveillance teams by predicting their movements before they happen. The action scenes are excellent, though what really makes Bourne interesting is how quickly he processes information. Every room becomes something to analyze, every exit becomes a plan, and his every mistake could get somebody killed but still he maneuvers his way through everything. While watching The Bourne Ultimatum you are just glued to your seats.

5

‘Mission: Impossible – Fallout’ (2018)

Image via Paramount Pictures

In Mission: Impossible – Fallout, Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) loses control of plutonium that could be used in a devastating terrorist attack. The mission quickly spirals into a race across multiple countries as Ethan, Luther (Ving Rhames), Benji (Simon Pegg), and Ilsa Faust (Rebecca Ferguson) try to prevent a group known as the Apostles from carrying out a catastrophic plan. The problem becomes even messier once CIA operative August Walker (Henry Cavill) enters the picture.

The film constantly places Ethan in situations where completing the mission and saving lives are not the same thing. He always has to choose one over the other. Early on, he chooses to protect a teammate instead of securing the plutonium, which creates the entire crisis. The most exhilarating scee of the movie was the helicopter chase through the mountains, where Ethan is hanging from the aircraft, crashing through terrain, and trying to stop multiple nuclear detonations at the same time. The scale, the pressure and the thrill is what makes it a must-watch.

4

‘Die Hard’ (1988)

Image via 20th Century Studios

Die Hard begins with New York police officer John McClane (Bruce Willis) arriving in Los Angeles to visit his estranged wife during a company Christmas party. Before he can repair his marriage, a group of heavily armed criminals led by Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman) takes over Nakatomi Plaza and traps everyone inside. McClane escapes detection almost by accident, leaving him alone in a skyscraper filled with men who have far more weapons and manpower than he does.

Unlike many action heroes, McClane gets noticeably worse at his job as the night goes on. He becomes exhausted, bloody, and increasingly desperate. By the middle of the film, he is pulling glass from his feet and wondering whether he will survive long enough to see his wife again. The action sequences of the film are still memorable, though the vulnerability is what keeps the tension alive.

3

‘Mad Max: Fury Road’ (2015)

Image via Warner Bros. Pictures

In Mad Max: Fury Road, Imperator Furiosa (Charlize Theron) drives a war rig away from the Citadel while secretly helping Immortan Joe’s wives escape. Max Rockatansky (Tom Hardy) becomes involved almost by accident after being captured and used as a living blood bag by Joe’s army. Once Furiosa changes course, the entire wasteland seems to come after them, turning the story into a massive pursuit across deserts, canyons, and sandstorms.

What I find most interesting is that the movie eventually realizes the destination does not exist anymore. Furiosa spends years dreaming about returning to the Green Place, only to discover it has disappeared. Suddenly the entire journey has to be reconsidered. Instead of continuing forward, the characters decide their best option is to turn around and drive directly back through the army chasing them. That decision changes everything that follows.

2

‘The Dark Knight’ (2008)

Image via Warner Bros.

The Dark Knight starts with Gotham’s criminal underworld struggling to adapt after Batman (Christian Bale) begins disrupting its operations. Into that chaos steps the Joker (Heath Ledger), a criminal who seems less interested in money than in creating disorder wherever he goes. His attacks become increasingly unpredictable, drawing Batman, Lieutenant Gordon (Gary Oldman), and District Attorney Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart) into a conflict that keeps expanding beyond ordinary crime.

The Joker spends most of the movie attacking people’s assumptions rather than their physical safety and immediately becomes the favorite character. Heath has performed it with immaculate versatility. He targets Harvey because Gotham views him as its future. He targets Batman because Gotham believes heroes can solve problems. Two groups of strangers are handed the power to destroy each other, and the Joker expects both sides to choose themselves. The film is a treat to watch nonetheless.

1

‘Raiders of the Lost Ark’ (1981)

Image via Paramount Pictures

In Raiders of the Lost Ark, archaeologist Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) is recruited to locate the Ark of the Covenant before Nazi forces can get their hands on it. The search takes him from jungles to deserts to ancient excavation sites as he races against rival archaeologist Belloq (Paul Freeman), who keeps appearing at exactly the wrong moment. Every major discovery seems to create a new obstacle, usually involving snakes, traps, armed soldiers, or all three.

One reason the movie remains so entertaining is that Indy spends surprisingly little time in control of the situation. He finds the Ark, then loses it. He steals it back, then loses it again. Even the famous truck sequence begins because he is desperately trying to recover something that has already been taken from him. The film keeps throwing him into trouble and forcing him to improvise his way out which creates the sense of thrill. That unpredictability makes the movie a wholesome thriller.

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Raiders of the Lost Ark

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Release Date

June 12, 1981

Runtime

115 minutes

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Writers

Lawrence Kasdan, George Lucas, Philip Kaufman

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Elon Musk seeimingly supported Armie Hammer’s attempt at resurrecting his film career by sharing a link to his new movie via X.

Musk, 55, shared a streaming link to Citizen Vigilante, a German film starring Hammer, 39, that was banned in its home country, on Friday, June 26. According to Variety, the link was ”active for 48 hours” before going dark.

The film, which was released in the U.S. on June 19, provided Hammer which his first big-screen role after an alleged sexual abuse scandal that saw the actor’s career crumble in 2021. Per reporting by The Telegraph, Citizen Vigilante was banned in Germany as a result of its extremely violent “migrant-killing” subject matter.

Musk, who bought Twitter in 2022 and rebranded the social media platform as X the following year, deciding to share a streaming link to the film meant anybody could watch it for free. It also led to reposts by X users. The film’s director, Uwe Boll, also shared a link via his own X account.

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Per Variety, Citizen Vigilante sees Hammer return to the big screen as “an American abroad in Europe on a blood-soaked mission to eliminate all criminal migrants.” The outlet also offered a review of the film that painted it as “so astonishingly bad” that it felt like “deliberately sabotaging” Hammer’s attempted comeback.

In 2021, Hammer was accused of sending text messages to various women that detailed sexual fantasies of rape, mutilation and cannibalism. The Social Network star was also accused of raping a woman in 2017, but he denied all allegations made against him.

The Los Angeles Police Department declined to file charges against Hammer due to insufficient evidence after conducting a 2023 investigation.

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During an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, published on June 19, Hammer reflected on how grateful he was to have landed a role in Citizen Vigilante. “I’m pretty sure I cried. It was just this moment where I was, like, ‘I’m going to get to do the thing that I love more than anything, other than my children,’” he said at the time. “I would have done a f***ing cat food commercial. I just wanted to work again.” (Hammer shares daughter Harper, 11, and son Ford, 9, with ex-wife Elizabeth Chambers.)

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He continued, “I was scared s***less until the moment Uwe said action for the first time. And then I was like, ‘Wait. I do know how to do this.’ There’s a reason I had the success I had.”

Boll spoke exclusively to Us Weekly in February about why he cast Hammer in the role, reiterating the actor’s star quality. “I’ve worked with some big actors like Ben Kingsley, and Oscar-winning actors like J.K. Simmons, but they don’t have that star thing where you dominate the screen, like a Tom Cruise. [Armie] can do this,” the director told Us at the time. “I felt like after four years, it was time to give him another chance. He’s a great actor, he’s so talented, and it was so much fun to work with him.”

Former President Joe Biden criticized Donald Trump on the back of failed attempts to restore the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.

“What a loser,” Biden, 83, told the crowd at the Maryland Democratic Party’s inaugural Back & Win Summit and Gala on Saturday, June 27. “It’s not just his vanity projects. Tearing down the East Wing of the White House. Making room for his ballroom. Putting his name on the Kennedy Center. Building an arch in his own honor. Even hiring his own pool guy to fix the Reflecting Pool.”

Biden’s audience erupted in applause over his summation, per social media footage shared by CBS News that captured the moment.

He continued, “Look, folks, it’s not just that. The Reflecting Pool reflects something even worse than the narcissism and incompetence at the core of this administration. It’s the corruption.”

Related: Trump Administration Sued for Changing Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool

The Cultural Landscape Foundation and the nonprofit’s founder, Charles A. Birnbaum, have sued the Department of the Interior and the National Park Service for changing the appearance of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool without allegedly following “Congressional mandatory procedures.” According to court documents obtained by Us Weekly on Tuesday, May 12, the plaintiffs allege that […]

President Trump, 80, recently addressed the deterioration of the Reflecting Pool that occurred after ordering an estimated $15 million renovation of the famed body of water between the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument.

“We’ve cleaned, renovated, and beautified over 45 Monuments and Memorials, 28 Statues, and 22 Fountains in Washington, D.C.,” the president wrote via his social media platform Truth Social on June 19. “However, we’ve had some real problems with vandalism at the beautiful Reflecting Pool. Just like three days ago, they destroyed the grass outside of the Pool, they’ve also done everything possible to hurt the inside surface that was just installed.”

The renovation had originally been ordered to improve the pool’s appearance, turning it “American flag blue” in time for the country’s 250th birthday celebration. According to The New York Times, the pool appeared to have been “rejecting” the renovation, with the outlet claiming that the bottom of the pool was peeling amid “chunks of coating.”

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The outlet also noted that the peeling was a result of renovation attempts tackling an algae issue that turned what should be clear water into an acid-green shade.

In addition to referencing the pool, Biden’s speech also referenced how a Kennedy Center official revealed earlier this month that all references to the President have been removed from the venue, per reporting by NBC News.

All references to the President had been removed “inside, outside and online” in compliance with a court order that was issued “six months after a board handpicked by the President voted to rebrand the iconic performing arts venue by adding his name to it,” per the outlet.

The 2026 BET Awards definitely gave viewers something to talk about.

Multiple spheres of entertainment — including music, film and sports — collided during the Sunday, June 28, ceremony at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. The biggest names from Janet Jackson, Queen Latifah, Lizzo and T.I. were present, watching a slate of high-energy performances and giving away well-earned trophies. (I mean, Latifah’s duet with Common in honor of the unimitable Lauryn Hill had Us dancing in our seats.)

Before the event even began, this year’s BET Awards were guaranteed to deliver headline-making moments, with Druski making his hosting debut, Cardi B leading the pack of impressive nominees and Queen Latifah, Doechii, Raye, Common and more gearing up to perform during the telecast.

Scroll through Us Weekly’s roundup of the best and worst moments from the awards show below:

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Best: Teyana Taylor Is the Icon of the Year

Fresh off her Golden Globes win, Taylor was presented with the coveted trophy by the ever-ageless Janet Jackson.

“Oh my, God, bitch, I’m gagging! They did not tell me Janet was coming,” she began her speech. “I love you so much, thank you, thank you, thank you for always seeing me. Thank you for text, every hug, every talk. You are my biggest inspiration. … The fact that you took the time to be here to celebrate with me, this is crazy.”

Janet had won the 2025 Icon of the Year honor, with Taylor earning the trophy the next year.

“Tonight they handed me a title and that title is Icon of the Year and for a little minute I wondered if I was supposed to feel uncomfortable saying that title outloud, but nah, I worked my ass off 20 years for this,” she quipped in her acceptance speech. “So I’m not accepting what I have earned with arrogance. I am accepting what I have earned with gratitude. In this year alone I continued to give the world the artist, actress, director, choreographer, creative director, stylist, designer, writer, producer and chef — I graduated [in] September, y’all.”

Worst: Druski’s Shares Net Worths

After the comedian descended from the rafters to a choir’s melody at the start of the show, he praised the guests in attendance by sharing the net worths of stars who weren’t there, including Tyler Perry and Stevie Wonder for a “Collect and Praise” segment of a fake church sermon. (Since Wonder is blind, the entry was written in Braille.)

“Shut up, he can’t see it,” Druski quipped. “That check is sign, sealed, delivered. Amen.”

Needless to say, it had Us cringing at the TV.

Best: D’Angelo’s Kids Pay Tribute to His Loss

Months after the soul icon died in October 2025, his three kids introduced Raye, Ari Lennox and George Clinton’s tribute performance.

“To the world, he was D’Angelo, to us he was just dad,” daughter Imani began, before her brother Morocco noted that the “Brown Sugar” crooner was their “biggest hype man and protector.”

Their brother, Swayvo, further gushed that D’Angelo “meant the whole world to us.”

Even before the performance began, D’Angelo’s kids had Us in tears.

Worst: The Length

While we’re not knocking the incredible performances or the well-deserved trophies, the ceremony extended past its scheduled end date with less time devoted to presenting the awards.

Best: A Fitting Honor for Lauryn Hill

The BET Awards featured a lengthy (and well-deserved) tribute to Hill on Sunday, beginning with a star-studded musical medley that even featured Queen Latifah and Common joining forces.

“I wasn’t supposed to perform, but then I heard someone wasn’t doing their set,” she said, beginning an impromptu performance.

Hill earned the coveted Living Legend Award, presented by Ice Cube.

“I do this because I love y’all,” she said in her acceptance speech. “I want you to have everything that I experience. I had wonderful parents who loved on me, poured onto me and protected me. Once I realized that not everybody got to have that experience, I felt it was my duty, my responsibility to share as much love and to pour into as much people as I possibly could. Music was a way for me to do that, but I’ve always cared about the expression and the representation of our people.”

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While Hill gushed about her love for her career, she also noted that she’s a mother first and celebrated her son’s birthday and her daughter’s high school graduation onstage during her speech.

“I love my people,” she gushed.

Best: Raye Shuts It Down Onstage

Raye, best known for her hit “Where the Hell Is My Husband?”, stepped onto the BET stage for the first time on Sunday. Dressed in a sleek black gown, Raye belted “Nightangale Lane” and stunned Us with her impressive vocals.