Entertainment
Van Halen Was Better with Sammy Hagar Replacing David Lee Roth
The Van Halen debate has been raging for nearly 40 years. Ask a room full of rock fans who the better lead singer was, and most will immediately say David Lee Roth. He was the original singer, the flamboyant showman who defined and influenced a decade of frontmen, and the face of the band during their unprecedented rise to superstardom. But if the question is who was better for Van Halen in the long run, the answer isn’t nearly as obvious.
When Sammy Hagar joined in 1985, the Mighty VH was coming off the biggest album of its career, 1984, and their first No. 1 single in “Jump.” They had also just lost one of music’s most recognizable frontmen. But instead of fading away, the former SoCal backyard-party band arguably got bigger. The group scored its first chart-topping album with 5150, followed it with three more number ones, expanded its audience, and enjoyed what many consider its most commercially successful period. Could they have done that with David Lee Roth? That’s the real debate.
Roth Was a Huge Star When He Left Van Halen
If Van Halen owned 1984, David Lee Roth was expected to have the following year all to himself. And for a while, it seemed to be trending in that direction. Coming off the band’s blockbuster album, there wasn’t a bigger frontman on the planet than Diamond Dave. He kicked off 1985 co-hosting MTV’s 4th Annual New Year’s Eve Rock ‘N Roll Ball with VJ Martha Quinn, a program which also served as an infomercial for his upcoming solo EP of covers, Crazy from the Heat.
The singer did mention at the top of the broadcast that he had a message from the rest of Van Halen for viewers to make resolutions before the clock struck midnight. But as the evening wore on, and the drinks flowed, talking about the group was the last thing on his mind; he had something else to promote, and it was obvious just how separated he had gotten from his soon-to-be ex-bandmates. However, Roth reassuringly added that his hands were also full with Van Halen goings on, and they would be heading into the studio in January 1985. Those sentiments were echoed the first week of the new year when he appeared as a guest on Late Night with David Letterman, days after the video premiere for “California Girls” at midnight on MTV.
But the more press he did, and the more numbers Crazy from the Heat put up, the further speculation was fueled that Roth was striking out on his own. It wasn’t just in the tabloid rock magazines like Circus and Hit Parader, which for years intimated the band were falling apart. This time felt different. Even the go-to industry publication Billboard ran a headline that screamed “Van Halen’s Roth: Maybe It’s Over,” though the corresponding article hardly indicated such.
Yet as 1985 wore on and Roth’s star kept rising, reports were getting to inescapable levels. The singer had certainly shown he was bankable as a solo artist. “California Girls” was a massive hit on MTV and the single ended up going to No. 3 on the Billboard Top 100 in March. The “Just a Gigolo”/“I Ain’t Got Nobody” medley did similarly, peaking at No. 12 in June. The EP itself had sold a million copies by summer and made it to an impressive No. 15 on the Billboard 200. Roth appeared on the cover of Rolling Stone. Then he revealed he’d struck a $10 million movie deal with CBS, also set to be titled Crazy from the Heat.
Finally, the dispatches started stating as fact that the unthinkable had happened: David Lee Roth had left Van Halen. And despite persistent claims to this day that the news broke on April Fool’s Day 1985, there was no official announcement. In fact, it was first reported as an aside in the Random Notes section of Rolling Stone that landed on shelves in late July that year, where Eddie Van Halen said, “The band as you know it is over. Dave left to be a movie star… Me, I’m lookin’ for a new lead singer, ’cause I’ve got so much material ready to go – stuff Dave probably wouldn’t have wanted to sing. It’s a little too melodic for him. If he can’t scream over it, he has trouble.”
Van Halen Flourishes as Roth Unravels
Popular as David Lee Roth was throughout the bulk of 1985, the wheels began to come off that September at the second annual MTV Video Music Awards. Not only was the singer up for a record eight nominations in six categories, but, as part of the hype machine leading up to the show, the music channel also chronicled a stunt in which the singer drove nonstop from Los Angeles to New York City in just three days to arrive at the awards program.
Of course, it was all for show. The vehicle, a 1951 Mercury lowrider seen in Van Halen’s “Panama” video, had been transported across the country on a flatbed while Roth took a budget airline incognito to meet it on the East Coast for the final leg of the trip to New York.
Notably, this was when word had begun to get out that Sammy Hagar was the new frontman for Van Halen. Roth addressed a question about it at the press conference in Los Angeles ahead of the journey. Then, the new lineup appeared in public for the first time at the VMAs, with Alex Van Halen telling a reporter, “This is the actual version of Van Halen. The other one was just, kind of, a tester model – so to speak.”
Hagar, the singer for Montrose in the early ‘70s, had also been a successful solo artist, with songs like “I Can’t Drive 55” and “Your Love Is Driving Me Crazy” modest radio hits, with the former landing in heavy rotation on MTV. He was a known commodity, and linking up with VH would only serve to raise his profile.
To add insult to injury, while his former bandmates were parading his replacement around the VMAs, Roth was completely – and somewhat shockingly – shut out at the awards ceremony. Still, he remained upbeat, touting the movie deal and saying he was looking for a new crop of musicians to back him. Then, CBS did away with its movie production division, effectively nixing any hopes of a film. Suddenly, the frontman was in damage control, attempting to shift the narrative to the music, and saying that he was successful in finding a backing band for his upcoming solo record.
The Rivalry Goes Head to Head
Van Halen had a leg up when it came to new material, as they’d begun working with Hagar in the summer of 1985, and on March 24 the following year, released 5150. It was a synth-heavy affair, showing that previous singles like “Jump” and “I’ll Wait” were just the beginning of Eddie Van Halen’s growing infatuation with keyboards. The singles “Why Can’t This Be Love,” “Dreams,” and “Love Walks In” didn’t just prominently feature the instrument; they were also decidedly more pop-oriented than most of the music they’d done previously.
Three weeks after it dropped, Van Halen had their first number one album. It drove home the point that they’d made the right move in bringing in Hagar, as did the ensuing tour, which sold out arenas two and three nights in some cities around the U.S.
For Van Halen fans turned off by the sudden influx of synthesizers and love songs, Roth offered up Eat ‘Em and Smile, released July 7, 1986. It featured what were dubbed “Van Halen assassins” in guitar prodigy Steve Vai and bass wunderkind Billy Sheehan. And while Van Halen chose not to do any videos for 5150, Roth was all too happy to provide MTV with over-the-top clips for the singles “Yankee Rose” and “Goin’ Crazy.” He even catered to the Spanish-speaking population by re-recording his vocals in the language for a version of the record titled Sonrisa Salvaje.
The fact that Van Halen producer Ted Templeman aligned himself with Roth for Eat ‘Em and Smile, and the record making a more than respectable showing on the charts by peaking at No. 4, made it seem like there was an actual contest between the two camps. But the truth became apparent as Roth hit the road in late summer, playing many of the same markets and venues Van Halen did. While the tour was praised in the majority of reviews, the singer was mainly doing one-night stands with the occasional pair of shows in any given city.
Shortly after Roth’s tour began, Van Halen finally began to distribute video clips featuring themselves, taken from the home video release Live Without a Net, recorded across two shows in New Haven, Conn. By contrast, a planned video shoot from the Eat ‘Em and Smile tour in early 1987 was cancelled. The cracks were showing, evident in an interview Roth did with Playboy that summer where the interviewer asked if there was anything he regretted about the split.
“I regret most that Van Halen saw fit to kick me when I was down, and they were on their way up,” he said. “It was unnecessary and particularly vicious, and I think they are a bunch of sick little morons for doing it. I’m angry.”
Hagar Kept Van Halen Relevant
The battle between Van Halen and David Lee Roth continued through 1988 when, once again, they released new material in the same calendar year. First up was Roth with Skyscraper, a surprisingly keyboard-centric record with programmed bass that turned off his core audience and stalled at No. 6 shortly after it came out in January. The tour to support the LP suffered from low ticket sales while the band’s lineup shifted, with Sheehan splitting before the trek and Vai departing at its conclusion.
That May, Van Halen released OU812, which also saw a marked decline in sales, was panned by critics, but still hit No. 1 in the second week of its release. More importantly, the band remained a top draw on the road, first headlining the Monsters of Rock package tour in stadiums with Scorpions, Dokken, Metallica, and Kingdom Come, then embarking on a run of arenas. On MTV, the videos for the ballad “When It’s Love” and the earworm “Finish What Ya Started” were fast-tracked into heavy rotation.
Going into the new decade, though, is when the competition stopped being close. While a Roth-led Van Halen inspired legions of imitators in the ‘80s – less talented acts with a blond singer up front that would soon be derisively known as hair metal – he was no longer a trendsetter but rather just another frontman in spandex. It was obvious when he released A Little Ain’t Enough in 1991 to stifled yawns that the rock and roll train had left the station with Roth still on the platform. More than a third of Stateside tour dates were cancelled due to a lack of interest from fans.
On the other hand, Van Halen transcended the genre with their own 1991 effort, For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge. Sure, there were many of the rock and roll clichés in songs like “Poundcake” and “Spanked,” but with the smash success of the topical and cerebral single “Right Now,” the band showed they could adjust to the incoming wave of grunge music while others in their peer group faltered. They even took Seattle up-and-comers Alice in Chains out as support on the tour for the record.
Roth, meanwhile, had grown disillusioned with the grind of album/tour/album/tour as returns harshly diminished. He lost interest in doing anything rock-related and wouldn’t tour or put out any new material for three years. And, when he did, it was the intentionally off-brand Your Filthy Little Mouth in 1994, with noted soul and R&B producer Nile Rodgers at the helm. It nosedived off the charts after debuting at No. 78.
Simply put, Roth’s time had passed. He was a shooting star from the late ‘70s through the mid ‘80s, but everything after that was a struggle. Even when surrounding himself with the best musicians available, he couldn’t sustain. Had he stuck with Van Halen, Roth’s antiquated mannerisms and musical directives would’ve likely torpedoed any chance at relevance that was achieved with Hagar.
Against the odds, Van Halen was able to do more than survive with Hagar at the microphone; they managed to evolve as a musical entity. Though he’d always been lyrically challenged, even the singer’s swan song LP with the band, 1995’s Balance, had less cringe on it than anything else prior, and didn’t sound dated at all.
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Screen legend Julie Andrews recently confirmed that she has no plans to appear in the currently in-development “The Princess Diaries 3.” In a recent interview, Anne Hathaway, who is involved with the movie, broke her silence about her former costar opting not to return to her role as Queen Clarisse Renaldi.
Hathaway attended the recent D23 Expo on August 16. Notably, she was inducted as a Disney Legend, the storied company’s highest honor for those who have contributed to its legacy. While on the red carpet, she spoke to Entertainment Tonight, with the reporter asking her how it felt to “take the reins” of the film, given Andrews’ decision not to appear.
The “Devil Wears Prada 2” star said, “First of all, I just want to say, if she has a change of heart, we’re down. Just anything, really.” After that, the actress stated that she and everyone else involved with the film would like to remain “respectful” of Andrews’ wishes not to be involved in the planned film.
Hathaway highlighted her former costar’s legacy, saying, “For goodness sake, if anybody has contributed to the world of entertainment and to our collective joy, it’s her. Whatever she wants, we completely understand.”
Anne Hathaway Admitted The Team Tried To Convince The ‘Mary Poppins’ Legend
Hathaway continued her thoughts about Andrews by admitting that there were real attempts made to convince the 90-year-old actress to sign on to appear in “The Princess Diaries 3.” According to her, “We did push really hard to see if she would want to do it.”
From there, she responded to questions about what moviegoers could expect from the film. The “Odyssey” star stated, “I just want it to be fun.” She then mentioned the movie’s legacy, noting that “women who were six when the first one came out” now, in some cases, have children of their own.
She continued, “I want them to feel like they’re bringing their children to something that matters to them. A core memory for them. Something that was a part of their heart and their lives.”
Toward the end of the clip, Hathaway stated her desire to do the film “justice” as well as “taking the time that it takes” to create something special.
Julie Andrews Says She’s Retired From On-Screen Acting
In recent years, Andrews has provided her work to several projects, including Netflix’s “Bridgerton.” However, she recently spoke to InStyle and revealed why she turned down “The Princess Diaries 3,” stating that she’s retired from appearing on screen.
The “Mary Poppins” alum said, “I think I probably passed – I think I’m retired, really, would be about the best description for that. [The film’s creative team] asked me all last year if I would be keen to do it. It was very, very hard to say ‘no,’ but I did because I thought I had a wonderful ride, and this one I felt would flourish very well and wouldn’t need Granny going in there at my age.”
Previously, in 2022, Andrews interviewed with Access Hollywood, saying she didn’t think the film would be made. She said, “I think we know that it’s probably not going to be possible. It was talked about very shortly after ‘2’ came out.” The actress went on to say that she felt it had been too long since the second film’s release for it to make sense.
Anne Hathaway Says Her Values Will Play Into The Film
Hathaway interviewed with PEOPLE in August 2026. During the discussion, she was asked what she could tease about “The Princess Diaries 3.” She responded, “Well, I can’t answer that without giving away some of the plot points we’re taking, but I’d say that Mia and I probably have very similar values.”
Hathaway explained, “I think that we want to see a world that’s full of equality and full of love. I think she wants love and I want her to have love.”
Anne’s Latest Movie Recently Arrived In Movie Theaters
In additon to having a hand in developing “The Princess Diaries 3,” Hathaway is both expecting her third child and also starring in several films this year. The latest of her new movies, “The House on Oak Street,” debuted in movie theaters on August 14.
The film was directed by David Robert Mitchell and also stars Ewan McGregor, Maisy Stella, and Christian Convery. Regarding reviews, it has an 86% positive rating from critics on Rotten Tomatoes. Next, she will star in “Verity,” which is set for release on October 2.
Get a rundown of Us‘ top stories making headlines in celebrity news, sports and entertainment on August 17, 2026. Here are the key takeaways:
• Hayden Panettiere‘s autopsy is complete, the Greenville County Coroner’s Office announced, and discovered no signs of trauma that could have contributed to the actress’ death. An official cause and manner of death remain pending further investigation, and dispatch audio referenced an overdose and cardiac arrest at the time of her August 16 death.
• U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche addressed the continued disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, mother of Today show host Savannah Guthrie, saying, “I wish I had an update.” Speaking on Meet the Press on August 16, Blanche said the FBI is committed to supporting the Pima County Sheriff’s Department, which is leading the investigation six months after Nancy was last seen.
• Lindsay Clancy‘s mother and sister testified about her declining mental state in the months before she killed her three children in January 2023. Her mother, Paula Musgrove, said Clancy told her in December 2022 that she “had thoughts of harming the children,” while her sister, Allison Ozga, testified that Clancy admitted to daily suicidal thoughts.
Edited by Samantha Benitz. Story produced with AI assistance
Editor’s Note: The following contains spoilers for The Odyssey and The Return.
Christopher Nolan’s new Homeric epic, The Odyssey, has emerged as a critical and box office smash. Thanks to its success, other Odyssey stories are rising in the streaming charts, too. One such movie is The Return, another retelling of Homer’s epic poem that’s been surging up the charts of Just Watch. Starring Ralph Fiennes as Odysseus, The Return boasts an impressive cast and a fresh take on the original story’s ending. If you loved Nolan’s fantasy adventure epic, here’s why The Return should be your next watch.
‘The Return’ Begins After Odysseus’ Journey Ends
Although Christopher Nolan’s version of The Odyssey adapts a more robust version of Homer’s poem, The Return takes an alternative approach to the source material. John Collee, Edward Bond, and director Uberto Pasolini’s script focuses entirely on Odysseus’ return home and the retaking of his kingdom. The movie begins with a haggard and exhausted Odysseus waking up on the shores of his homeland of Ithaca, only to find it in ruins and at the mercy of dastardly suitors who exploit Queen Penelope’s (Juliette Binoche) hospitality, as they attempt to take her hand in marriage and become the new king. Disguising himself as a beggar, Odysseus observes the situation and tries to find the strength to retake his homeland. However, he’s still mentally traumatized by the horrors of the Trojan War.
As The Return and The Odyssey adapt the same source material, viewers can recognize similar scenes in both versions, taken from Homer’s poem, and it’s interesting to see how the movies interpret those moments differently . For example, in both movies, Odysseus’ hunting dog Argos recognizes his old master Odysseus outside the royal palace before passing away from old age. The scene of the servant, Eurycleia, recognizing the scar on Odysseus’ leg while washing him also appears in both movies. However, since The Return’s entire narrative focuses on Odysseus’ return to Ithaca, it takes a slow-burn style, rather than the more ramped-up pacing of Nolan’s version.
Ralph Fiennes Delivers an Excellent Performance as the Haunted Hero
While watching both The Return and Nolan’s The Odyssey, one can easily recognize emotional parallels in Ralph Fiennes and Matt Damon’s respective versions of Odysseus. Both men are haunted by their experiences during the Trojan War, and both movies portray Odysseus’ inability to return home to Ithaca for years due to the trauma of the journey. As shown in The Odyssey, Damon’s Odysseus spends seven years on Calypso’s (Charlize Theron) island, eating lotus flowers in an attempt to forget the atrocities of the Trojan War. Damon’s Odysseus gravely fears the fallout from his actions after breaking the sacred bonds of men and the trust of Zeus’ law due to his trick with the Trojan horse.
Although Fiennes’ version of Odysseus is equally traumatized by the Trojan War, his nuanced approach is more akin to survivor’s guilt. Fiennes’ Odysseus doesn’t just feel guilty about the atrocities committed during the war; he also suffers with the fact that he survived while all of his soldiers perished. In the movie’s final moments, as Penelope confronts her husband about his long absence, Odysseus expresses his fear that she would no longer love the man he had become during the war. Fiennes and Binoche showcase exceptional pathos in their portrayals of Odysseus and Penelope, as they share a bittersweet, compassionate forgiveness in the movie’s emotionally hopeful and rewarding ending.
‘The Return’ Presents an Alternative Take on ‘The Odyssey’
The Return takes a granular approach to Odysseus returning to Ithaca, as the broken and despondent ruler must rediscover his strength to retake his ruined homeland. It results in a tighter, leaner, and more personalized adaptation of Homer’s poem. The Nolan version diverges from the poem and paints a grander, epic view by depicting the fallout from the Trojan War, as Damon’s Odysseus concludes his actions poisoned humanity, bringing about the fall of the Bronze Age and the start of the Dark Ages. He also fears his actions will spread to Ithaca, ruining his beloved homeland. Meanwhile, in The Return, Odysseus returns to Ithaca, with his home already a ruined “wasteland,” as the suitors attack and terrorize the people and civilians. However, that’s more a byproduct of the suitors acting out in Odysseus’ absence and the lack of a strong ruler to keep the bullying suitors in line, rather than Odysseus’ trick with the Trojan Horse causing a chain reaction that spreads to the rest of the world, bringing about the downfall of civilization.
Obviously, Nolan utilizes a much larger budget and canvas to work with for his $250 million fantasy epic, but The Return still provides a rewarding cinematic experience. Fiennes and Binoche bring a grounded, sobering reality to their performances as frayed yet forgiving versions of Odysseus and Penelope. The Return presents a contemplative emotional story about returning home from war and the way a husband and wife come to terms with how the experience changed them. It’s also deeply interesting to watch The Return after enjoying Nolan’s big-budget, engrossing, immersive version, recognizing parallel themes about the horror and trauma caused by war and conflict. The Return should be your next binge option after you watch The Odyssey.
The Return
- Release Date
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December 6, 2024
- Runtime
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116 Minutes
- Director
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Uberto Pasolini
- Writers
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Edward Bond, John Collee, Homer, Uberto Pasolini
Gillian Anderson recently opened up about an “illicit” relationship she had with “an older girl in high school.”
The actress shared in a new interview that she never thought of herself as gay, because she’d “had a couple of boyfriends” and also “didn’t have the language” to describe how she felt.
The confession from Gillian Anderson, who tends to keep her personal life private, sheds new light on her journey toward self-acceptance.
Gillian Anderson was just eleven years old when she relocated from London to Michigan, an abrupt transition made more challenging by her striking punk rock aesthetic.
Growing up in the conservative environment of Grand Rapids, her bold choices in self-expression heavily alienated her from her peers.
“I was a punk in a conservative town. There wasn’t a single other person who had a nose ring and a mohawk. I was very self-conscious, with low self-esteem,” Anderson recalled in a recent interview with The Sunday Times.
Thrust into this unfamiliar culture, she found herself navigating complex feelings when she grew attracted to an older girl. However, the social climate forced the relationship into secrecy.
“It felt secretive and illicit and wrong, and we had to hide,” she recalled of the romance. Now 58, the acclaimed star of “The Crown” and “Sex Education” admits that she simply lacked the terminology to process her identity at the time.
“I definitely felt I didn’t have the language for it,” she explained. “Even later on when I had other relationships [with women] I’m not sure I ever thought of them as being potentially forever.”
Despite her relationships with women, Anderson said she didn’t think she was gay because she’d “had a couple of boyfriends.”
The Actress’s Revelation Sparked Small Chatter Online
On social media, Anderson’s remarks have raised eyebrows, with many seemingly stunned by her remarks, which aren’t even necessarily new.
One individual on X said, “Only when their public relations people can get no interest generated in an actor or actress do they come out with this stuff.”
Another noted, “Her entire life she dates & marries only men, but now she feels compelled to tell us about our teenage years with another girl. Very strange. Maybe she’s looking for work?”
However, amid the criticism, Anderson also received praise for her candid comments, with many thanking her for being open about her sexuality.
Gillian Anderson Recalls Sneaking Into Gay Bars
Anderson recalled an adolescence marked by rebellion and a fierce striving for independence, which always put her in the way of her mother.
“I was getting into gay bars and dancing at 12 with a fake ID,” she reminisced. “I had the conversation with my mum about the things that were allowed. I was such a strong-willed child she would say there was no telling me, and she’s right.”
But the rebellion didn’t stop there. “Next was a boyfriend who was so much older; I was 15, and he was 24,” she continued. “We were together for three years.”
The Actress Previously Talked About Her Romance With Women
The actress has previously opened up about the “inappropriate behavior” during her youthful days. In a 2012 interview with Out Magazine, she reflected on her high school relationship and the eyebrow-raising choices she made.
“I was in a relationship with a girl for a long time when I was in high school,” she said at the time. “Then I was in a relationship with a punk rock drug addict. And then I was in a relationship with somebody who was way, way older than me.”
“Everything that that kind of anarchistic attitude brings, the inappropriate behavior it leads to, was how I chose to be in the world at that time, which was, you know, not what people did.”
She added, “Based on how I chose to look, dress, behave, you know, the relationships I was in at the time were freaking people out.”
Gillian Anderson’s Past Marriages
Anderson has been married twice. She tied the knot with her first husband, Clyde Klotz, who was the “X-Files” assistant art director, in 1994. They had a daughter together, and then divorced in 1997.
She got married a second time to documentary filmmaker Julian Ozanne, from 2004 to 2006. She also has two teenage sons, Oscar, 19, and Felix, 17, with her ex, businessman Mark Griffiths, whom she dated from 2006 to 2012.
Since 2016, Anderson has been romantically linked to “The Crown” creator and screenwriter Peter Morgan, whom she considers her “life partner.”
“The person I consider my life partner happens to be male,” she said during her chat with The Times. “But I think I would feel the same way if it were a woman.”
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My 64-year-old mom recently mentioned that her closet could use a little refresh before fall, and as a shopping editor, I was more than happy to take on the assignment. I wanted to find pieces that feel current without straying too far from her classic style, with plenty of comfortable options she can wear to work, on weekends and everywhere in between. Naturally, Amazon was the first place I looked.
My picks include a polished two-in-one sweater, wide-leg corduroy pants and suede clog mules, along with a few trendier styles I’m determined to get her to try. Everything strikes that sweet spot between comfortable and stylish, while still being versatile enough to mix with pieces she already owns. Even better, prices start at just $19, making a pre-fall closet refresh surprisingly affordable.
I Found My 64-Year-Old Mom the Perfect Pre-Fall Amazon Finds
1. My Favorite: This $23 two-in-one sweater is basically an outfit shortcut thanks to its clever design, which creates the look of a crisp white tee layered underneath. The lightweight knit and neutral almond shade make it especially easy to wear during those tricky in-between-weather days.
2. Comfy Corduroy: My mom prioritizes comfort, but I still want her pre-fall picks to feel stylish, and these wide-leg corduroy pants deliver on both. They have a stretchy elasticized waistband, roomy pockets and an on-trend silhouette that pairs just as easily with sweaters as button-downs.
3. Cozy Chic: This two-piece lounge set is exactly the kind of outfit I could see my mom wearing for everything from travel days to weekend errands. It’s currently 46% off at $27 and comes with a mock-neck top and drawstring wide-leg pants for an effortlessly put-together look.
Tomato red may have started as the color of the summer, but fashion girls clearly aren’t ready to pack it away just yet. The bold, juicy hue continues to pop up everywhere, from breezy vacation outfits to roomy crochet totes to sporty sneakers. If you’re looking for a simple way to refresh your wardrobe before […]
4. Transitional Knit: A lightweight sweater top is one of my favorite ways to start dressing for fall before the temperatures cooperate. This striped knit has breezy cap sleeves and a neutral color palette that my mom can wear with jeans now, then layer under a jacket later.
5. Cool Cargo: These olive green utility pants are a little trendier than what my mom typically reaches for, which is exactly why they made my refresh list. The relaxed barrel-leg shape feels current, while the high-rise waist keeps the silhouette polished.
6. Workday Win: Comfortable enough for a full day on her feet yet polished enough for the office, these suede clog mules give my mom the best of both worlds. The neutral suede and gold hardware make them especially easy to style with trousers, jeans or slacks.
7. Polished Layer: My mom loves timeless pieces, so this short trench jacket feels right up her alley. The camel color and button-front design keep it classic, while the cropped silhouette and plaid lining give it a fresh, modern update.
UsNow Summer Sale Alert: These Chic Fashion Finds are over 30% off – Plus Free Shipping
Welcome to summer with our biggest sale of the year. This summer’s chicest dresses, tops and swimsuits are all over 30% + free shipping. Inventory is limited so hurry before they’re gone.
I’m constantly scrolling through Amazon’s latest fashion arrivals, so it takes a lot for something to stop me in my tracks. This month, though, I kept finding pieces that I immediately wanted to add to my cart — from trend-forward accessories to elevated basics I’ll wear well into fall. After narrowing them down, these are […]
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General Hospital 2-Week Spoilers Aug 17-28: Sonny’s Ruthless Dig & Ric Completely Crumbles!
General Hospital fans, we have got all your latest spoilers for the two weeks starting August 17th with Sonny Corinthos (Maurice Benard) taunting someone and things may get vicious. Plus, Ric Lansing (Rick Hearst) is spiraling out and it looks like it may be over Elizabeth Webber (Rebecca Herbst).
Also, during the two weeks of August 17th through the 28th, we’re going to see Curtis Ashford (Donnell Turner) packed off to prison, Jenz Sidwell (Carlo Rota) waiting in his cell, and a bidding war at the PCPD auction over his assets. Let’s unpack all of that.
General Hospital Spoilers: Carly Teams Up with Hudson
Monday, August 17th, we’ve got Carly Corinthos (Laura Wright) forming a new alliance. It’s with Hudson Parker (Troy Lennon Appel). Carly summons businessman Hudson over and reveals that she owns the Metro Court Hotel where Jax put him up. That’s how Carly found Hudson and knew who he was.
So, Carly wants Hudson to ensure Josslyn Jacks (Eden McCoy) takes the job at JJE. Hudson tells Carly it’s too late, dead end. But Carly says wrong answer. Joss wants Michael Corinthos (Rory Gibson) to help choosing a CEO for the company. He wants something in return. Tells Joss the price for his help. So, Joss and Michael are meeting with Hudson out at the Q docks, which is a setup obviously for him to be able to get a look at baby Phoebe with Brook Lynn Quartermaine (Amanda Setton) and Harrison Chase (Josh Swickard).
GH Spoilers: BLQ Horrified by Michael
And speaking of Brook Lynn, she gets news that leaves her reeling. She’s horrified. Michael moves Willow Tait (Katelyn MacMullen) back into the gate house and Brook Lynn demands her granny, Tracy Quartermaine (Jane Elliot), tell Michael it’s not going to happen.
Meanwhile, Willow chats up Chase and says the move has a silver lining. She’s happy to see him. Also, Joe Fitzpatrick (Jonathan Bennett) and Lucas Jones (Van Hansis) have a bonding moment and this may be at the softball game. I think that they are going to get much closer soon. Somebody gets pushback from Serena and it may be Lucy Coe (Lynn Herring).
Britt Stunned by Jason on General Hospital
Tuesday, August 18th on General Hospital. Jason Morgan (Steve Burton) shocks Britt Westbourne (Kelly Thiebaud) with some news. She and Jason are in their softball uniforms at the park. She’s doing General Hospital. He’s got an ELQ shirt on, not Corinthos coffee.
And I expect Jason to tell Britt that he quit working for Sonny and that Jason’s no longer in the mob. He went legit for Danny Morgan’s (Asher Jared Antonyzyn) sake. And I think that Britt will be shocked but pleased. Also, Joss inadvertently offers up too much info. This may be talking to Hudson after he sees Brook Lynn’s baby.
Joss may reveal the little girl’s adopted and that her mom died in childbirth not too long ago. Basically, enough info for Hudson to start putting things together that Phoebe is his daughter. We also have Lucy shaken on Tuesday and it might be about her and Serena’s scheme.
Plus, Sonny and Anna Devane (Finola Hughes) find they have a common interest and I’m betting it is their mutual disapproval of Carly being with Valentin Cassadine (James Patrick Stuart). We know that Sonny hates Carly seeing Valentin and Anna may agree. Sonny already failed in his plan to get Brick (Stephen A. Smith) to break up Carly and Valentin, but maybe Anna can make it happen.
GH Spoilers: Ava Worries about Lucas
Ava Jerome (Maura West) has some concerns about Lucas and this may be just her worried about his ongoing grief over Marco, but now he’s spending more time with a cute cop. So, maybe hunky detective Joe is going to lift Lucas’ spirits and I think Ava will be happy for him.
On Wednesday, August 19th on General Hospital, spoilers have Sonny giving a blessing to somebody. So, Jason may circle back around and tell him he’s working for ELQ. Elsewhere, Ric gets an eyeful and could be Sonny and Justine Turner (Nazneen Contractor) or Ric might see Liz in a close moment with Dante Falconeri (Dominic Zamprogna) and go spiraling.
Somebody makes Jordan Ashford (Tanisha Harper) an unexpected offer. Valentin already asked Jordan to consult and advise him on Sidwell’s assets. So, Drew Cain (Cameron Mathison) might be making Jordan a similar offer or maybe something to do with Curtis packing off for prison.
General Hospital Spoilers: Kai Starts to Worry
Kai is feeling uneasy about something and it may be about Simon the producer pushing Trina Robinson (Tabyana Ali) and Gio together or it could be about Quen. We may see Kai Taylor (Jens Austin Astrup) suspecting that Trina Robinson (Tabyana Ali) has a stalker. He may notice something creepy going on. Drew and Nina Reeves (Cynthia Watros) have a tense run in.
They hate each other and Drew might bicker about Willow and promise to find a way to make both of them pay. We also may have Nino reporting this interaction back to Jack Brennan (Chris McKenna) this week. And of course, he just called out Drew for how he was talking to Alexis Davis (Nancy Lee Grahn) at the Metro Court last week.
Thursday, August 20th, General Hospital spoilers have Carly realizing something and it may be about Joss, Hudson, or Valentin. Plus, Liz is sharing something with Dante. She may tell him about Ric’s jealousy because that same day he is spiraling. And this may be after seeing Dante with Liz again. So, Ric’s also worried about Sonny right now, but his jealousy over Dante getting closer to Liz is what I suspect sends Ric off the rails.
Joss Meets Tristan on GH
Anna introduces Tristan Roberts (Dean Geyer) to Joss. They have the WSB in common. I’m wondering if Jack’s going to tell Joss to keep an eye on Tristan. We do know he was in Indonesia with Jason. Plus, Lulu Spencer (Alexa Havins Bruening) has lots to say to Valentin.
Of course, it’s about Charlotte Cassadine (Bluesy Burke). Lulu thought Valentin was renting a house in Port Charles, but now he’s buying Spoon Island. So, Lulu may push back on Charlotte moving out to Wyndemere. Also, Friday, August 21st on General Hospital, Drew extends an olive branch to somebody.
I’m curious if that’s on his own volition or if Jack has forced Drew’s hand. Ava is reassuring Portia Robinson (Brook Kerr) on Friday. So, Ava may share her concerns about Trina being crushed by Curtis going to prison, but Ava’s been in Pentonville, so she might have some good advice to give to Portia.
Jordan gets a vote of confidence from somebody. This may be Curtis because he and Jordan have a heartfelt talk at her place this week. They’re saying goodbye before Curtis turns himself in to do his time. And Jordan is absolutely going to stand by and wait faithfully for Curtis.
Sonny Visits Sidwell on GH
Sidwell gets a surprise visit from Sonny at Pentonville. And Sonny might be taunting Sidwell about the piers and other things that Sonny’s trying to buy at the police auction. Plus, Laura Spencer (Genie Francis) asks Rocco Falconeri (Finn Carr) for something and it may have something to do with Lulu and Charlotte.
Then the week of August 24th through the 28th, we’re going to have Curtis settling in at Pentonville, but I think he’s going to be shocked and horrified to find out Jordan’s ex-boss, Sidwell, is his cellmate. I’m guessing he may be punishing Curtis for Jordan’s betrayal. Jordan’s going to be struggling to adjust to life with Curtis behind bars.
I expect more of Jordan and her tantrums aimed at Portia and Isaiah Gannon (Sawandi Wilson) because she’s unreasonably blaming them for what Curtis did that landed himself in prison. We’ll find out who gets Sidwell’s assets at auction. Valentin wants Spoon Island and some legit assets.
General Hospital Spoilers: Drew Vows to Take Sonny Down
Drew wants the piers so Sonny can’t have them. So, there may be a bidding war that ends in some serious animosities. I expect to see Valentin getting Wyndemere moving back in. I don’t think Drew or Sonny want to buy it. Although if he knows Valentin wants it, Sonny might bid or drive up the bids just to be a jerk.
Willow and everybody on the Quartermain estate are struggling with her being there. She’s not happy to be under Michael’s thumb, but she’s stuck at least for now. Hudson is going to start digging into Phoebe’s backstory. If I were him, I’d steal a pacifier or something with a baby’s DNA on it to get a paternity test just to eliminate any guesswork.
Scout Cain (Kayden Brenna Tokarski) may be getting to see Alexis and Danny and the others if Jack forces Drew’s hand. And we could see Liz taking a step back from Ric because of his rampant jealousy. Lucas gets closer to Joe, but also to Ava and Britt.
And Anna has her eye on Britt, and Peter August (Wes Ramsey) stays in her ear, telling her to kill Britt. Now, Carly keeps plotting with Hudson about Joss and JJE, but they don’t know exactly what a bad guy that Hudson is. Michael’s going to help Joss get loose of it, and Jack is also trying to help getting some info on JJE from Alexis for her.
Also, Kirsten Storms is back in LA with a cute short blonde haircut. So, fans are wondering if we might be getting Maxie Jones back to GH. We’ll see.
Thriller books are everywhere, but it’s rare for one to keep a reader completely hooked, churning through every page in the hope of getting closer to the truth. Traditional thrillers often contain familiar elements: an unresolved conflict, flawed characters, and the suspense of knowing that we could be just one revelation away from the answer. However, the perfect thriller is the one that completely throws you off your trail, constantly challenging your expectations while keeping you desperate to uncover what happens next.
The best thrillers are also the ones that aren’t ambiguous about the message they’re trying to deliver, whether it’s a commentary on the upper class and their belief that they have the resources to manipulate the truth, or a story about underdogs who start off as unlikely heroes and ultimately become them. From a Stephen King ’80s favorite to books that have been adapted into global movie phenomena, here are thriller books that are perfect from first page to last.
1
‘And Then There Were None’ (1939)
And Then There Were None introduces eight strangers who share nothing in common, except that they’re all visiting a secluded island off the Devon coast. However, instead of meeting their hosts, they all encounter an empty house. All the more eerie is a disturbing gramophone recording accusing each of causing a death.
Thrillers aren’t supposed to be fun, but And Then There Were None somehow makes them so. The premise revolves around a ghastly nursery rhyme that serves as a vividly graphic premonition for the strangers who die one by one. Think of it as musical chairs, but instead of losing when you don’t get a seat when the song ends, you drop dead. The thrilling part is that there is no detective to seek out the culprit. It’s the job of these eight strangers, but like a game of Werewolf, it’s all a guessing game. It’s psychological torture at its best.
2
‘The Silence of the Lambs’ (1988)
Now a cult classic, The Silence of the Lambs follows young FBI trainee Clarice Starling, who is assigned to question the enigmatic Hannibal Lecter. Instead of helping her identify the serial killer Buffalo Bill, Lecter gives Clarice a series of cryptic clues for her to follow. Clarice is sent on a puzzle-piece investigation of sorts, but with another victim kidnapped, she has no time for second-guessing.
The Silence of the Lambs is a brilliant example of how gender dynamics and vulnerability can be weaponized. It’s not surprising that Clarice gets the brunt of the criticism at the FBI simply for being a woman, let alone hailing from rural West Virginia. Unexpectedly, Lecter becomes her most attentive listener and unlikely sympathizer. However, the novel makes it complicated for readers to root for Lecter. Apart from being a killer, the only way he’s willing to help Clarice is if she exchanges details about her traumatic past with him. Lecter’s empathy toward Clarice is inseparable from his manipulation of her openness.
3
‘The Day of the Jackal’ (1971)
Featuring a fictional assassination plot, The Day of the Jackal is set in the aftermath of a failed attempt on the life of the President of France, Charles de Gaulle. Unbeknownst to him, an OAS-backed assassin known as the Jackal is hired to finish the job. As that’s happening, Detective Claude Lebel races to identify the Jackal.
For thriller fans who want to get into the nitty-gritty of a methodical procedural, The Day of the Jackal is the perfect pick. Although the assassination itself is fictional, the author’s real-life objective and journalism experience give it a grounded quality without the unnecessary Hollywood espionage theatrics. Being an assassin may seem sleek and stylish, but the Jackal’s work is anything but glamorous. He undergoes continuous disguises, posing as a French student while obsessing over details like which hair dye to buy and which suitcase matches his identity. It’s meticulous, exhausting, and tense, proving that assassination is all about the details.
4
‘Gone Girl’ (2012)
There’s no telling right or wrong in Gone Girl. On their fifth wedding anniversary, pop-culture journalist Nick Dunne becomes the subject of a murder investigation when his wife, Amy Dunne, goes missing. Known for being the inspiration for her parents’ popular children’s book series, Amy’s disappearance immediately pulls Nick into a media frenzy.
Gone Girl is a true modern thriller because it completely twists the traditional notion of marriage, which is often viewed as sacred and a source of comfort. In the book, marriage becomes a weapon for manipulation, with nearly every conflict between Nick and Amy stemming from their fractured relationship. While most couples keep their problems behind closed doors, Gone Girl takes those private marital issues to disturbing extremes, showing just how far resentment and deception can push someone. Apart from Amy’s now-famous “Cool Girl” monologue, the novel’s massive plot twist remains one of its greatest strengths, turning marital dysfunction into a shocking, suspenseful mystery.
5
‘Misery’ (1987)
After bestselling author Paul Sheldon crashes his car during a Colorado snowstorm, he wakes up in the home of Annie Wilkes, his self-proclaimed number one fan. But Annie isn’t exactly the sweet rescuer Paul hoped for. Trapped with two broken legs, Paul is forced to revive his beloved Misery series while desperately looking for a way to escape.
Thanks to the internet, people have become desensitized to “stan culture” and the one-sided parasocial relationships we develop with the people we idolize. While it’s easy to stan someone from behind a screen today, Misery shows how much deadlier that obsession can become when there’s no screen separating the fan from the object of her devotion. Much of the plot takes place in a single bedroom inside a remote cabin, where Paul is completely trapped and unable to escape his captor. Then there’s Annie, who keeps Paul alive enough to write coherently, but she’s also willing to torture him with medication to force him to write.
6
‘The God of the Woods’ (2024)
The God of the Woods begins in 1975, when teenager Barbara Van Laar disappears from her family’s Adirondack summer camp. This isn’t the first time the family’s been struck with tragedy—fourteen years earlier, it was Barbara’s brother who went missing. Rookie investigator Judyta Luptack is up for the job, but the answers are protected by a family desperate to protect its reputation.
The God of the Woods unfolds across two timelines, showing how tragedy doesn’t simply end but instead morphs into the future when left unkempt. With the title alluding to the woods themselves, the wealthy Van Laars are ultimately no match for the wilderness they seek to control, which could swallow them at any moment. Set in an era when female detectives are notoriously undermined in the male-dominated profession, Judyta’s perseverance feels all the more human, with her anxieties and the need to work twice as hard to prove herself making her someone many female readers can relate to.
7
‘The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo’ (2005)
The David Fincher neo-noir wouldn’t exist without the original book. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo follows disgraced journalist Mikael Blomkvist, who is hired by a wealthy businessman, Henrik Vanger, to dig into the disappearance of his niece, Harriet. Presumably vanished from the family’s remote island, Mikael and his hacker partner, Lisbeth Salander, find the perfect scoop, only for it to lead to the Vangers’ family secrets.
In true Nordic noir, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is grim, dark, and bleak—all qualities that translate directly into the case itself: a cold case dating back a whopping 40 years, as well as the tragic backstories of its protagonists. Most importantly, it introduced Lisbeth to the world, a woman who has lived through the kind of pain that many women are unfortunately familiar with. Rather than allowing that pain to shatter her, she chooses to survive and seek justice outside the boundaries of the law.
Entertainment
Bold and Beautiful 2-Week Spoilers Aug 17-28: Electra’s Savage Jab & Katie Seethes with Anger!
Bold and the Beautiful spoilers for the two weeks that start August 17th with Electra Forrester (Laneya Grace) all pumped up and acting like a mean girl making threats. Plus, Katie Logan (Heather Tom) is fuming and on the war path when somebody rejects her advice.
We’re going to see Carter Walton (Lawrence Saint-Victor) begging Daphne, him getting a little too close to Steffy and Fen back to LA and Desperate. Let’s jump into it. We have lots to talk about.
Bold and the Beautiful: Will Steffy & Carter Cross the Line?
Monday, August 17th on B&B. We are still in Monte Carlo. We’re carrying over from Friday’s episode. We’ve got Finn Finnegan (Tanner Novlan) in full panic mode, and Ridge Forrester (Thorsten Kaye) continues to unreasonably rage at him. Both Brooke Logan (Katherine Kelly Lang) and Ridge are going off on Finn for not telling Steffy that Sheila Carter (Kimberlin Brown) was in Monaco.
Ridge hasn’t heard back from Steffy either but isn’t sure that he can tell his daughter that she can trust Finn. Ridge makes it very clear he doubts Finn, who tells them that the look on Steffy’s face is something that will horrify Finn forever.
Also carrying over from Friday, Carter and Steffy are drunk and comforting each other up at the office. Though, will Carter and Steffy get intimate while they’re at a low point in their lives? Both of them think their marriages are over, but still Carter should keep it zipped. Steffy’s telling Carter what happened with Finn and Sheila in Monaco, and Steffy says she just wants to be free of the woman who’s trying to destroy her family.
I’m sure Carter tells her that Daphne left him and they’ll commiserate. Steffy heads home later to sober up but is moping in her bathrobe with Taylor Hayes (Rebecca Budig) asking what’s going on. Deacon Sharpe (Sean Kanan) pops by Steffy’s place to see Taylor with hot coffee and pastries. Deacon’s going to be stunned to hear that Sheila stalked them all the way to Monte Carlo.
Bold and the Beautiful: Finn Heads Back to LA
Tuesday, August 18th on the Bold and the Beautiful. After Brooke and Ridge go off on Finn, he hops a flight home to LA and he’s talking to himself. He’s on the plane saying, “I have got to get to you Steffy before it is too late.” So on Tuesday, Finn is back to Los Angeles and he’s desperately trying to make amends with Steffy. He really doesn’t want to lose her. Taylor may mediate if Steffy wants her there. All of her loved ones are rallying around her with this Finn and Sheila drama.
Then Wednesday, August 19th on Bold and the Beautiful, Katie remains suspicious of Melissa Dylan’s (Sydney Bullock) motives. Then she’s taking a slap at Will Spencer (Crew Morrow). So, Katie’s over at Will’s beach house and she starts chewing out her son. Katie wants to know if Will misses Electra so much, then why is he hooking up with her best friend Dylan? Well, he hasn’t hooked up with her just yet. So, I expect Will to push back. He knows he and Electra are done even though it hurts him. And Dylan is somebody that Will likes and it makes him feel good. Bill Spencer (and Wyatt are team Dylan. They just need Katie on board.
Bold and the Beautiful: Electra & Dylan Face Off
Also, Electra and Dylan get into it again at Forrester Creations. With Daphne leaving, that’s going to bounce Dylan back to being Electra’s assistant, and that won’t go well. R.J. Forrester (Brayan Nicoletti) has Electra’s ego all pumped up, and she gets really nasty with Dylan, saying, “I am Electra Forrester. If I want it, you are gone.”
She is fully channeling R.J., Dylan’s glaring at Electra and says, “R.J.’s going to blab about this big new line that he’s pitching to Ridge. Ticking off Dylan is a bad idea because she’s loyal to Will.”
We also have Steffy struggling with the idea that she can’t trust Finn ever again. Steffy doesn’t want to end her marriage, but she thinks cutting out Finn’s the only way to protect her and the kids from Sheila.
And we’ve seen Steffy spiral whenever Finn mentions giving his bio-mom a chance. So, I don’t think Steffy and Finn are done for good, but if he can’t convince her, they may be done for now. I fully expect things to turn around at some point. But Steffy’s feeling very, very betrayed right now.
The Bold and the Beautiful: Youth Line Pitch and Marriage Crises
Bold and the Beautiful on Thursday, August 20th. Has R.J. approaching Zende Forrester (Delon de Metz) with his big new idea. So R.J. is going to pitch to Zende likely before Brooke and Ridge are back from Monaco about the youth line. I’m sure Zena will be amped up about this new opportunity, but Electra is not an issue for him. He likes her fine, but Zende is not going to want to answer to R.J. But this new line will be hope for Zende’s future.
Carter and Daphne reach an understanding. Of course, Carter was crushed because Daphne’s going back to Paris and gave Carter back her wedding rings. But maybe this understanding is that she’ll stay in LA and take it day by day despite the awful diagnosis. But Daphne may also leave, but with a promise to return soon. We’ll see.
Bold and the Beautiful: Ridge Tries to Help
Friday, August 21st on the Bold and the Beautiful. Daphne’s confiding in Ridge. And I think Daphne’s going to tell Ridge why she gave Carter back her rings. Because Daphne feels like she can’t give Carter the life he wants. I expect Ridge to tell Daphne he’s never seen Carter feel this way for anybody else and will encourage her to stay in LA and work it out. Since Ridge is Carter’s best friend, I’m sure he’ll help out if he can, but it’s all down to Daphne.
Will and Dylan run into Electra and R.J. at Bikini and it is awkward. So, it looks like Electra and R.J. may be out celebrating the youth line. Will may be hanging out while Dylan’s working, or this may be a legit date, but this run in and seeing Electra there with R.J. may be what triggers Will to finally sleep with Dylan.
Then the week of August 24th through the 28th, we know Will and Dylan are going to get intimate soon, so they may wake up together next week. Katie, of course, is going to be annoyed. And this is one step closer to Dylan getting fired or in a position where she has got to quit Forester. I know if Electra hears Dylan slept with Will, it’s game over. Find a new job.
I do wonder if Electra will go nuts and slap Dylan again. Also, her mom, Darcy Dylan (Kelly Sullivan), arrives in town that week and should shake things up. I expect to see her face off with Katie, but be very nice to Will. Darcy might have some things to say to Electra. And I also wonder if Darcy Dylan is going to chew Remy a new one and tell him that she’s going to tell his parents what he did to elect her because I don’t think they know and it’s super dodgy.
Taylor & Deacon May Go Downhill on B&B
Things may get bumpy between Taylor and Deacon now that Taylor rejected his proposal. Steffy and Finn’s marriage continues to be on the rocks. Sheila’s also back to LA and may try and apologize, but her coming around to see Finn at work, even if she’s trying to make it right, will only make things worse. And I do expect Steffy to catch Finn with his bio-mom, Sheila, again and lose it. We’ll see more of Carter’s issues with Daphne.
Hopefully, she won’t leave or she goes and comes back really fast so that she and Carter can work on things. He’s going to be struggling. And I think we’re going to see Steffy and Carter leaning on each other more, but they may be hiding a dirty secret. We should see the pitch of Electra’s youth line that R.J. is going to make with Zende. I expect an enthusiastic green light from Ridge and Brooke and Steffy once she’s back at work.
Bold and the Beautiful: Li Rages at Sheila?
So, Zende, R.J. and Electra should get started very soon, possibly even this week. And I’m betting Ridge and Steffy plot to stun Logan by doing a blindside launch of this youth line. So we could see Dylan leaving Forrester soon. I do expect her to wind up over Logan working at some point. I bet Bill would jump at the chance to give Dylan a job to keep Will happy at the Spencer Tower and to keep him away from Electra.
Sheila may face some beef from Li Finnegan (Naomi Matsuda), who won’t be happy that Sheila stalked Finn in Monaco and ruined his marriage. Now, Li does feel bad for her, but I don’t think she will like or approve of this stunt that Sheila has pulled. I wouldn’t be surprised if Steffy gets a visit from Sheila, who tells her, “Fine, you win. I’ll go away quietly.” Because bottom line, if Finn loses Steffy, he’s going to resent Sheila and will refuse to be around Sheila anyway. So, anything she does will make things worse for Finn and Steffy.
Brad Pitt has a complicated history with his sobriety.
Pitt attended Alcoholics Anonymous in 2016 following an incident on a private jet with his family which led to a child abuse investigation. One week after the news broke, Angelina Jolie, whom Pitt married in 2014, filed for divorce. (Jolie and Pitt’s divorce continued in court until it was finalized in December 2024.)
Later that year, the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services cleared Pitt. In 2017, Pitt opened up about quitting drinking and how his life had improved.
“Personally, I can’t remember a day since I got out of college when I wasn’t boozing or had a spliff or something. Something. And you realize that a lot of it is, um — cigarettes, you know, pacifiers. And I’m running from feelings,” he told GQ at the time. “I’m really, really happy to be done with all of that.”
Less than a decade later, the F1 star admitted that he had started drinking again — but “in a more restrained manner.”
Keep scrolling to see Pitt’s best quotes about getting sober:
Being Around Alcohol
At the start of Pitt’s struggles, he opened up about how he abstained from alcohol especially while owning his winery, Miraval.
“I enjoy wine very, very much, but I just ran it to the ground,” he reflected to GQ in 2017. “ I had to step away for a minute. And truthfully I could drink a Russian under the table with his own vodka. I was a professional. I was good. Don’t want to live that way anymore.”
Knowing When to Stop
Brad Pitt Maria Moratti/Getty Images
Pitt previously told the New York Times in September 2019 that he “had taken things as far as” he could so he “removed” his “drinking privileges.” When the actor sought recovery, he was surrounded by men going through similar struggles.
“You had all these men sitting around being open and honest in a way I have never heard,” he recalled. “It was this safe space where there was little judgment, and therefore little judgment of yourself … It was actually really freeing just to expose the ugly sides of yourself. There’s great value in that.”
Unhealthy Coping Mechanism
During a sit down with Interview magazine in December 2019, Pitt referred to his drinking habit as an “escape” and “disservice” to himself.
“I think we’re living in a time where we’re extremely judgmental and quick to treat people as disposable. We’ve always placed great importance on the mistake. But the next move, what you do after the mistake, is what really defines a person,” he reflected. “We’re all going to make mistakes. But what is that next step? We don’t, as a culture, seem to stick around to see what that person’s next step is. And that’s the part I find so much more invigorating and interesting.”
Support System
Bradley Cooper, Brad Pitt Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for National Board of Review
Pitt credited pal Bradley Cooper as one of his influences to refrain from drinking.
“I got sober because of this guy,” Pitt said after Cooper presented him with the award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood during the 2020 National Board of Review Annual Awards Gala. “And every day’s been happier ever since.”
Making Connections in AA
While in AA, Pitt formed a friendship with Dax Shepard.
“You go around in a circle, it’s kind of a spiral because it’s a really crowded room. Dax was usually near the end because he’s been there a while. He’s kind of like an elder statesman. And I really respected it,” he said during a June 2025 appearance on Shepard’s “Armchair Expert” podcast. “It was really open, honest, was a way to take whatever theme seemed to go in the evening and then put it in the funniest package. And it meant a lot to me, it really did.”
Pitt added that when he was in AA where he was at a low point.
“I was trying anything and everyone, anything anyone threw at me. It was a difficult time. I needed rebooting,” he continued. “I needed to wake the f*** up in some areas.”
Brad Pitt Reveals He Ended His Sobriety
“I was sober for seven years. And then I got back off the wagon,” Pitt told Esquire in August 2026. “In a more restrained manner. I got overconfident a couple times, went, ‘Yep, nope, not good for me.’ Not in big quantities.”
Brad Pitt’s relationship with alcohol shifted before he ended his seven-year sobriety streak.
“His decision to start drinking again wasn’t based on a dramatic thing that happened where he decided sobriety was over,” a source exclusively tells Us. “It was a gradual shift in how he viewed alcohol and his own relationship with it.”
The insider adds that Pitt, 62, “had enough distance” from alcohol to the point where he believed he “could approach it differently with much stricter boundaries.” While the F1 star “hasn’t gone back to hard liquor,” he has always had a “passion” for wine and “enjoys a glass or two in moderation.”
“He is able control that because it’s a different relationship with alcohol than he’s had before,” the source continues. “It’s something that became unhealthy for him during a period of time, so there are limits he can’t cross, and he is aware of those parameters.”
Pitt joined Alcoholics Anonymous in 2016 following his highly publicized split from Angelina Jolie. (She filed for divorce in September of that year, citing irreconcilable differences as the reason for their split. Their divorce was finalized in December 2024.) He has been candid over the years about how his heavy drinking habits contributed to the downfall of his marriage.
Last week, Pitt told Esquire that he had gotten “back off the wagon” after seven years of sobriety, noting that he began drinking again “in a more restrained manner.”
“The issue was he felt it was more excess in the past,” the source tells Us. “He was at a point where he was at rock bottom, and the excess was the issue, and he is in a different place now.”
The insider emphasizes that Pitt doesn’t drink “every single day” and has “changed his actions and habits considerably.”
“It’s a different life today than the intensely turbulent period surrounding the end of his marriage,” the source explains. “He is more emotionally stable and less inclined to use alcohol as a coping mechanism. He doesn’t want to spend the rest of his life according to the rules created during the worst chapter of his life.”
Brad Pitt‘s got a new lease on life after admittedly overcoming “struggles.” The actor, who recently opened up on the “New Heights” podcast about facing obstacles with perseverance, is ready to put the past behind him as he’s learned from his mistakes when it comes to parenthood and marriage. “The divorce is something that had […]
The source adds that people close to Pitt are “cautious” about his new approach given his past. However, so far, there “haven’t been any signs there’s an issue.”
“One to two glasses of wine doesn’t seem concerning to those close to him because he’s at a different point in his life,” says the source of those who know Pitt best.
“He has a lot of pain about the situation with his children, but he has entered a chapter where he’s realized certain relationships and circumstances may not return to what they once were,” says the insider. “It is out of his hands. He can’t force the children to see him. He feels he did the best he could to try to repair the relationships as much as possible.”
Pitt and Jolie, 51, share kids Maddox, 24, Pax, 22, Zahara, 21, Shiloh, 20, and twins Knox and Vivienne, 18. The Mr. & Mrs. Smith actor has become estranged from many of their children following their divorce.
“There are regrets, but he has accepted what’s happened,” the source concludes. “He carries a lot of pain and wishes he had a better relationship. He has accepted their decision but still hopes as time goes on things change in the future.”
Us reached out to reps for Pitt for comment.
If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
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