It’s been nearly three weeks since Project Hail Mary was released in theaters, and it has broken another box-office milestone. This Ryan Gosling-led science fiction was highly praised by fans and critics alike, and throughout its theatrical run, it surpassed many major films, including James Gunn‘s Superman. As Project Hail Mary continues its theatrical run, achieving this major milestone was inevitable, given its current trajectory.

Project Hail Mary is a science fiction feature based on Andy Weir’s 2021 novel of the same name. It stars Gosling as Ryland Grace, a teacher-turned-astronaut tasked with saving Earth as the sun dims due to astrophage activity. Along the way, he meets Rocky, a rock-shaped alien with a similar mission, and the two team up to save their planets. Since its release, Project Hail Mary has become a massive success, and fans are speculating whether the film could land some award nominations. But before that happened, Project Hail Mary had one more mission to prove it was a hit — surpassing its spiritual predecessor.

Project Hail Mary is the second Andy Weir novel to be adapted for the big screen. The first was the 2015 film The Martian, starring Matt Damon and directed by Ridley Scott, which grossed over $630 million worldwide during its release, making it Scott’s highest-grossing film to date. Recently, it was reported that Project Hail Mary surpassed its previous film adaptation, making over $641 million worldwide. As of this writing, Project Hail Mary is the 3rd-highest-grossing film of 2026, sitting between Pegasus 3 and Michael.

Is ‘Project Hail Mary’ Worth Watching?

Since its release, Project Hail Mary earned a 94% critics’ score and a 95% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. Meanwhile, on Letterboxd, the film earned a high 4.3 stars and an “A” rating on CinemaScore. According to critics, ScreenRant described Project Hail Mary as a film “destined for the all-time great sci-fi movie pantheon” and claimed it could be Gosling’s best performance to date. Meanwhile, CBR praised James Ortiz‘s performance as Rocky and how this character’s charm is reminiscent of Groot (Vin Diesel) in Guardians of the Galaxy. It also claimed that it’s “the perfect sci-fi movie for people who don’t like sci-fi movies.”

Collider’s Ross Bonamie gave Project Hail Mary a 9/10 in his review. According to him, he praised Christopher Miller and Phil Lord‘s “ambitious filmmaking” and their ability to bring it to a live-action setting. He also noted that Gosling was the perfect lead and his character’s relationship with Rocky could go down as “one of the great human-alien friendships in movies.”

Project Hail Mary is now playing in theaters. Follow Collider for more updates.

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Release Date

March 15, 2026

Runtime

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157 minutes

Director

Christopher Miller, Phil Lord

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Writers

Drew Goddard, Andy Weir

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Producers

Aditya Sood, Amy Pascal, Andy Weir, Christopher Miller, Phil Lord, Rachel O’Connor, Ryan Gosling

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Action perfection is a very particular thing. It’s a movie where nothing feels ornamental. The geography is clear. The momentum is alive. The star body matters. The camera knows what the movement means. The plot gives the action shape instead of interrupting it. The action gives the plot emotion instead of merely decorating it. And when it is really at the highest level, the movie starts feeling like it could not have been made any other way.

That is why these eight are different. They are not merely beloved action films. They are action films where craft becomes its own kind of ecstasy. You can feel the confidence in them. The calm. The absence of panic. They know exactly where the audience is, exactly what the body in motion can do, exactly when to speed up and exactly when to hold. Some are funny. Some are brutal. Some are practically religious in their commitment to pursuit. All of them feel complete.

8

‘Speed’ (1994)

Image via 20th Century Studios

The thing that makes Speed so perfect is how ruthlessly it understands premise as structure. There is a bomb on a bus and it cannot go below fifty, is a brilliant hook. And then it is a complete action grammar. Every choice, every lane change, every bit of traffic, every passenger panic, every patch of open road or city congestion becomes dramatically legible instantly. The movie does not have to keep inventing fake urgency, because urgency is baked into the design at the molecular level. That is such a hard thing to pull off this cleanly, and Speed makes it feel easy.

And then there is the human side of its precision. Jack Traven (Keanu Reeves) is not cool in a distant, invincible way. Reeves makes him physical, reactive, fast-thinking, sometimes improvisational to the point of recklessness. Annie Porter (Sandra Bullock) gets pulled into the machine and Bullock does the exact right thing with the role: she does not become dead weight, comic side garnish, or forced action heroine. She becomes part of the pressure system. Howard Payne (Dennis Hopper), meanwhile, understands villainy as gleeful theatrical engineering. But the deeper reason the movie feels perfect is that the action never loses contact with bodies. A bus should feel huge, unstable, overcommitted, and full of panicking human beings. In Speed, it always does.

7

‘John Wick: Chapter 4’ (2023)

Image via Lionsgate

What puts John Wick: Chapter 4 this high is that it is one of the few modern action movies that understands excess can become form. A lot of long action films feel swollen. This one feels symphonic. It keeps taking the same core idea, a man moving through systems designed to kill him, and finding new visual and rhythmic ways to restate it until repetition turns into style and style turns into destiny. By this point, John Wick (Keanu Reeves) is not just an assassin but this symbol and myth wandering through architecture, and the movie fully commits to that without losing the tactile joy of bodies being thrown, slammed, shot, chased, and broken.

And the set pieces are ridiculous in the right way. The Osaka sequence. The Arc de Triomphe insanity. The overhead dragon’s-breath section, which feels like an action director briefly turning into a god with a cruel sense of play. Then the staircase, which is funny, painful, humiliating, and heroic at once. That is the trick with John Wick: Chapter 4. It knows action can be beautiful and absurd simultaneously. Reeves’ performance is part of the perfection too. He is not giving you a lot in traditional dialogue terms, but his exhaustion, persistence, and pain shape the whole movie.

6

‘Hard Boiled’ (1992)

Image via Golden Princess Film Production

There are action movies with great gunfights, and then there is Hard Boiled, which feels like John Woo deciding that bullets, loyalty, sacrifice, male grief, and pure movement can all belong to one emotional language. This is one of the most deliriously confident action films ever made. Every gunfight is filmed beautifully — choreography as moral weather. Tequila Yuen (Chow Yun-fat) is not just a cop blasting his way through rooms. He is a man moving with so much sorrowful aggression that the whole film starts feeling like balletic self-destruction.

The hospital sequence alone would secure the movie’s place in the canon. It is one of the greatest endurance-action constructions ever put on film, a set piece that just keeps mutating without losing spatial readability or emotional heat. Babies, gangsters, glass, white walls, elevators, corridors, double-crosses, it all becomes part of the same fever. But what makes Hard Boiled feel perfectly made instead of merely gloriously excessive is Woo’s control over tone. The movie can go broad, tender, savage, and tragic without snapping apart. Chow Yun-fat gives Tequila that miraculous combination of charisma and bruised nobility, and the result is action cinema at full operatic intensity.

5

‘Mission: Impossible – Fallout’ (2018)

Image via Paramount Pictures

This is one of the cleanest examples in modern blockbuster filmmaking of a movie understanding that action is trust. Trust in the audience’s eye. Trust in star labor. Trust in geography. Trust in the idea that if the movement is clear and the stakes are clean, the tension will build itself. Mission: Impossible – Fallout feels like a machine designed by people who respect action enough not to bury it. Every set piece is allowed to breathe. The HALO jump, the bathroom fight, the Paris chase, the helicopter finale, none of it feels chopped into submission. You can actually watch what is happening, which in this era still feels borderline radical.

And then there is Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise), who by this point is not merely starring in these movies but turning his body into part of their marketing, mythology, and internal truth. Ethan Hunt’s whole deal in Fallout is that competence and emotional loyalty are inseparable. He is amazing at this work, and that very quality keeps making the work harder because he refuses to reduce people to collateral. That is why the action matters emotionally. He is trying to save everyone and pay every moral bill at full speed. The whole film is structured around that impossibly high standard, and the action becomes the physical expression of it.

4

‘The Raid’ (2011)

Image via PT Merantau Films

The Raid is what happens when an action film strips itself down until almost nothing remains except momentum, impact, and survival, and then discovers that “almost nothing” can still feel enormous if the craft is exact enough. The premise is so simple it is almost blunt: a SWAT team enters a building controlled by a crime lord, everything goes wrong, and now they have to fight floor by floor to stay alive. That is it. No wasted mythology. No false complexity. Just vertical hell and men trying to get through it with bones still functioning.

What makes it perfect is that the movie understands the building as action structure. Every hallway, doorway, room, stairwell, and choke point means something. Every fight changes the audience’s relationship to space. The bodies matter. The fatigue matters. The hits feel like they cost energy that will be needed later. Rama (Iko Uwais) moves with terrifying grace, but the movie never turns that grace into ease. The action has clarity and pain in equal measure. And because the narrative is so stripped, the film has nowhere to hide. If one fight were dull, the whole thing would wobble. It never does. It just gets meaner, tighter, and more impressive the longer it goes. That is purity.

3

‘Terminator 2: Judgment Day’ (1991)

Image via Tri-Star Pictures

There are bigger action films. There are grimmer action films. There are maybe even films with individual set pieces as iconic. But Terminator 2: Judgment Day is one of the rare action masterpieces where scale, emotion, concept, and physical craftsmanship all lock together so fully that the movie starts feeling inevitable. It is not just a sequel upgrade. It is one of the best demonstrations ever of how to take a premise and deepen it rather than merely enlarge it. The first film gives you terror. The second takes the same mythic machinery and builds toward something stranger and more moving: protection, chosen family, and the impossible fantasy of teaching a killing machine how to become morally legible.

That is why the action scenes land so hard. The T-1000 (Robert Patrick) is not just cool effects innovation, though it absolutely is that. It is a conceptual nightmare, relentless, adaptive, smooth where the old model was brutal. The truck chase, the asylum break, the canal pursuit, the steel mill finale, every set piece is doing technical work and emotional work simultaneously. Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton) is harder now, John Connor (Edward Furlong) is still a child trying to figure out what kind of future is being written around him, and the T-800 (Arnold Schwarzenegger) becomes a paradox: a machine made more heroic by gradually acquiring something like human devotion. Heads up: the ending of this film hurts.

2

‘Die Hard’ (1988)

Image via 20th Century Studios

If Speed is the masterpiece of the perfect premise, Die Hard is the masterpiece of the perfect containment system. It takes one building, one man, one group of thieves, one holiday setting, one marriage in trouble, and turns all of it into action architecture so exact it almost feels supernatural. John McClane (Bruce Willis) is not an abstract hero or that perfect hero archetype either. He is tired, irritated, vulnerable, improvisational, increasingly battered, and emotionally invested in the situation in ways that go beyond generic heroism. McClane bleeds, limps, panics, guesses, hides, and keeps going anyway.

And every supporting piece is doing real structural work. Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman) is elegant enough to elevate the whole movie because he does not mistake cruelty for loudness. Al Powell (Reginald VelJohnson) gives the film its off-site human warmth. Holly Gennero McClane (Bonnie Bedelia) matters as more than hostages usually matter. Even the corporate and media irritants make the story richer by sharpening the social ecosystem around the siege. Then the action itself is a lesson in escalation. The roof. The broken glass. The vent. The elevator shaft. The unfinished floors. The movie learns the building so thoroughly that the building becomes part of the storytelling body. That is why it feels immortal. It is not just exciting. It is organized with genius.

1

‘Mad Max: Fury Road’ (2015)

Image via Warner Bros. Pictures

This is number one because it is one of the very few action films that feels like pure cinema from the first frame to the last without ever drifting into abstraction or self-admiration. Mad Max: Fury Road is not a chase movie in the reductive sense. It is a complete action cosmology built out of pursuit, rhythm, war machinery, and desperate rebirth. The genius is that George Miller takes something simple, escape, chase, turn, return, and loads every second of it with visual intelligence, character information, world-building, and escalating emotional consequence. There is no slack. There is not a dead image in the movie.

And what makes it the most perfectly made action film is that for all the formal precision, it still feels feral. Imperator Furiosa (Charlize Theron)’s mission is not just plot. It is spiritual revolt. Max Rockatansky (Tom Hardy) is not just a helpful drifter. He is trauma on wheels, slowly turning back into a participant in human survival. Immortan Joe (Hugh Keays-Byrne)’s world is grotesque and mythic and horribly functional. The War Boys are not just cannon fodder but a whole theology of weaponized desperation. The action scenes are incomprehensibly rigorous in craft terms, center framing, color clarity, motion continuity, practical weight, but the film never presents that rigor as homework. It feels like a scream with perfect grammar. That is why it sits at the top. Not just because it is great. Because it is complete.

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Mad Max: Fury Road

Release Date

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May 15, 2015

Runtime

121 minutes

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Director

George Miller

Writers

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Brendan McCarthy, George Miller, Nico Lathouris

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We get it: Your bodycon dresses don’t fit the way they did a decade ago. But tight dresses are phasing out anyway, and they’re being replaced with loose, breezy styles. For women over 40, it’s a great time to be alive!

Amazon is overflowing with chic loose dresses, but these 13 styles take the cake. Classy, versatile and mega flattering, these dresses feature slimming silhouettes that skim your shape to subtly conceal areas you’d rather not highlight. From beach vacations to July weddings, these flowy dresses deliver for whatever the warm weather brings. Browse our favorites, which start at just $13.

13 Loose Dresses to Flatter Women Over 40 — From $13

1. Our Favorite: Stretchy and luxe, this dreamy blue maxi hangs without clinging. The T-shirt style makes you appear effortlessly put together.

2. Modest Mini: Mini dresses can sometimes feel too short after 40, but this tiered mini has a modest length and sleeves that cover the upper arms.

3. Summer Staple: Wear this drapey maxi dress to outdoor weddings, beach dinners and baby showers. The fabric moves like water, and the neckline keeps it polished.

4. Mood Boost: Black dresses have their place, but this bright yellow midi radiates sunny energy. The loose fit means you’ll want to wear it on hot afternoons.

5. Wear-Everywhere Outfit: Grab this short-sleeve dress for school pickups, grocery runs and casual dinners. The fun print options make this pick look intentional, even when you got dressed in two minutes.

Related: These Lilly Pulitzer-Like Dresses Should Cost Hundreds, But Start at $8

Take one trip to the Hamptons and it becomes clear: Lilly Pulitzer dresses are part of the rich mom summer uniform. If you want the look without the triple-digit price tag, these 17 Lilly Pulitzer-style dresses deliver the same billowy silhouettes, preppy details and eye-catching color palettes, yet start at just $8. You’ll look like […]

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6. Could Be Linen: Real linen wrinkles the second you sit down. This linen-looking shirtdress channels the same airy, expensive vibe without the constant ironing (or the high price).

7. Boho Babe: Oversized styles usually look shapeless, but this boho-like maxi features a bold print and defined sleeves that add the perfect amount of structure.

8. Breezy Cotton: This airy gauze maxi dress is made with 100% breathable cotton, which matters when temperatures climb. Unlike synthetic blends, it actually lets air through.

9. Simple Stunner: Large floral blooms and a square neckline make this floral mini dress extra memorable. Short sleeves keep it appropriate for daytime events.

10. Country Club: Look like an East Coast socialite in this preppy maxi dress. With a stand collar, tiered skirt and front buttons, it never goes out of style.

11. Santorini Style: With a dreamy blue and white print, this Mediterranean-style mini evokes a Greek island vacation. It’s hard to believe it’s only $13.

12. Boutique Find: This one-of-a-kind mini looks like something from a pricey boutique. The short puff sleeves and bold color palette give it a romantic appeal.

13. Beach Day: Wet swimsuits and tight dresses are a nightmare combo. Thankfully, this billowy maxi slides right over a damp bikini and still looks polished at the beach bar.

Related: 17 Chic Two-Piece Sets That Channel ‘New York City Rich Mom‘ Vibes

Everyone’s going somewhere this spring or summer. Whether you’re jetting to Europe or your in-laws’ place in the Midwest, the right outfit makes you appear effortlessly sleek and polished. A two-piece set feels like loungewear yet reads so elevated, perfect for those who refuse to choose between comfort, class and style. Better yet, the chic pieces […]

Blake Lively is facing intense scrutiny for her haircare line after newly unsealed court documents reportedly revealed a wave of customer complaints tied to the products. The internal documents reportedly became public following Blake Lively’s legal settlement with Justin Baldoni.

According to filings obtained by the Daily Mail, users of Blake Lively’s Blake Brown Beauty line allegedly claimed the products left their hair feeling “dry,” “brittle,” tangled, and in some cases even caused hair loss. Lively launched her beauty brand in August 2024, around the same time her film “It Ends with Us” hit theaters.

Several customer reviews included in the filings described disappointing or alarming experiences after using the products. One woman reportedly claimed she experienced “extreme hair loss” after trying one of the shampoos. Another frustrated customer wrote, “WTF did you put in this?? My hair feels like a god damn NEST, that’s it, never ever getting this product again.”

Other reviews allegedly described hair becoming excessively dry, tangled, greasy, frizzy, or difficult to manage after repeated use. One customer wrote that her “hair broke off and fell out,” while another claimed the shampoo “absolutely wrecked my hair.” Others reportedly complained about itchy scalps, overpowering fragrance, and packaging issues that made the products difficult to use.

Internal Memo Reportedly Acknowledged Negative Feedback About Blake Lively’s Beauty Brand

The backlash allegedly became significant enough that an internal staff memo was sent to Lively and members of her team in September 2024. According to the reported memo, 42% of customer comments regarding the nourishing shampoo referenced “dryness, brittleness, and damage to hair.” The strengthening shampoo reportedly faced similar criticism, with 40% of feedback mentioning dryness, frizz, or hair falling out.

The documents also allegedly stated that more than half of the comments about Lively’s strengthening shampoo described the scent as too strong or unpleasant. Packaging complaints were another recurring issue, with some users reportedly saying the oversized bottles were impractical or difficult to squeeze. The memo also acknowledged concerns over the products’ pricing, with some customers allegedly feeling the formulas “didn’t justify” the cost.

Blake Brown Beauty Team Reportedly Discussed Damage Control Strategy

According to the filings, the memo included a proposed turnaround strategy for handling the growing criticism. A Blake Brown Beauty executive reportedly suggested reminding consumers that the products offered a low “price per use” despite the overall retail cost. The memo also allegedly acknowledged that the packaging style “wouldn’t be for everyone,” while defending Lively’s product scents by noting that many customers still enjoyed them.

Despite the controversy, Blake Brown Beauty products remain available through retailers including Target, with the brand now offering 18 different products and bundles priced upwards of $70. On the company’s website, Lively says, “I spent 7 years creating & personally testing every element of this collection. The concept of Blake Brown is simple: love your hair well & it will love you well.”

Blake Lively’s Legal Battle With Justin Baldoni Recently Came To An End

The resurfaced product complaints became public shortly after Lively and Justin Baldoni officially settled their highly publicized legal war tied to “It Ends with Us.” Lively had previously accused Baldoni of sexual harassment connected to the production of the film, while Baldoni strongly denied the allegations throughout the case.

Although the legal dispute finally came to an end, reports suggest the settlement did not result in a major financial victory for Lively. According to TMZ, the actress reportedly received no payout as part of the agreement despite the lengthy court battle.

Blake Lively’s Legal Team Brought In Heavy Hitters

The outlet also reported that Lively brought in powerhouse litigation firm Susman Godfrey just days before the settlement was finalized. The high-profile firm is known for securing massive courtroom victories, including a reported $425 million verdict against Google. However, despite the firm’s reputation, insiders claimed the only people who truly profited from the months-long legal fight were the attorneys involved.

According to reports, lawyers tied to both sides of the case allegedly walked away with a combined $60 million in earnings as the bitter dispute finally came to a close. Neither Blake Lively nor Justin Baldoni issued a public apology in the joint statement announcing the settlement.

Britney Spears is opening up for the first time following her recent DUI sentencing and rehab stay, describing the ordeal as a “blessing in disguise” while reflecting on what she called her ongoing “spiritual journey.” The pop icon returned to Instagram on Saturday with a lengthy caption alongside a photo of a yellow-and-white snake after spending nearly three weeks at a luxury rehabilitation facility focused on mental health and substance abuse treatment.

In the post, Spears shared a message about healing, gratitude, and self-growth. “Went to the pet store with my kids and look at what a beautiful baby snake this is…” she wrote.

“Snakes are symbolic of good health, higher consciousness, and pure luck… I’m so damn thankful to my friends and so many new beautiful people I have met through my spiritual journey,” she continued. “All a blessing in disguise…”

The singer also admitted she’s still working on how she treats herself emotionally. “I still need to learn how to be kind to myself and the way I speak to myself…” Spears added. “It’s a never-ending journey, and sometimes I just stop, look up, and say, ‘ Wow, God, I think that was you and smile on!!!!”

Spears Was Absent From Family Graduation Celebration

The singer’s latest social media post also came as members of her family reunited this weekend without her to celebrate niece Maddie Aldridge’s high school graduation.

Family members in attendance reportedly included sister Jamie Lynn Spears, parents Lynne Spears and Jamie Spears, as well as Spears’ son Sean Preston Federline.

Britney Spears Recently Accepted DUI Plea Deal

Spears’ comments also come just days after she pleaded guilty during an arraignment held at Ventura County Superior Court. The singer entered the plea through attorney Michael Goldstein and was sentenced to 12 months of probation along with one day in jail, which she had reportedly already served. She was also ordered to complete a three-month alcohol and drug education program while continuing mental health treatment.

In addition, Spears was fined $721 and ordered to meet with both a psychologist and a psychiatrist on a regular basis. The court also ruled that Spears cannot consume alcohol or illegal drugs aside from prescribed medication, and police may search her vehicle without a warrant if she is pulled over again.

Following the hearing, Goldstein briefly addressed reporters outside the court. “Miss Spears is doing well,” he said. “She came home in anticipation of this hearing.”

Plea Deal Came After Voluntary Rehab Stay

Before the arraignment, Spears had voluntarily checked into the luxury rehab facility Borden Cottage in Maine after being charged with misdemeanor DUI following her March 4 arrest. “Britney has been very open and honest in her AA meetings,” a Daily Mail insider previously claimed. “She has said she loves pouring her heart out as she knows that is the best way to heal and feel better.”

The plea agreement Spears accepted is commonly referred to as a “wet reckless” deal, typically reserved for defendants with no previous DUI history, low blood alcohol levels, and evidence that they are proactively seeking treatment through rehabilitation programs.

Although the treatment center reportedly recommends a minimum 45-day stay costing as much as $140,000, Spears left after less than three weeks.

Britney Spears’ Divorce And Conservatorship Exit Reportedly Took Emotional Toll

Several insiders have also pointed to Sam Asghari and Spears’ highly publicized divorce as a major emotional turning point for the singer in recent years.

According to one source, Spears became increasingly isolated following the split, spending long stretches of time alone at home while struggling emotionally behind the scenes. The insider alleged that the combination of loneliness, newfound independence, and years of pent-up frustration after the end of her conservatorship may have contributed to unhealthy choices and reckless behavior.

Another source claimed Spears felt a sense of freedom after regaining control of her life, explaining that “for a while, she felt like there were no real consequences.”

Still, those close to the singer reportedly remain hopeful that her recent rehab stay, counseling, and ongoing treatment requirements could mark the beginning of a healthier chapter for the pop icon moving forward.

Mindy Kaling led the glamorous arrivals at the 2026 Gold Gala over the weekend, drawing attention for her noticeably transformed look. The fifth annual Gold Gala was held in celebration of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month and honored members of the 2026 Gold100 List. This year’s theme, “A New Gold World,” focused on creating “shared abundance in an era increasingly defined by division.” Several stars were recognized for their cultural impact across entertainment, sports, fashion, and business, including Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Charles Melton, Eileen Gu, Simu Liu, and Jet Li.

The “Office” alum stepped onto the red carpet in a stunning sleeveless gown featuring intricate embroidery, shimmering sequins, and gold detailing in shades of blue and green. Kaling completed the look with an elegant updo, side-swept bangs, and delicate diamond jewelry as she posed for photos at the star-studded event held at the Music Center in downtown Los Angeles.

Kaling Previously Opened Up About Weight Loss Journey

Kaling’s red carpet appearance also reignited conversation surrounding her highly discussed health and fitness transformation. The actress has previously addressed public fascination with her body and admitted she understands why people are curious.

“I know people are really interested in my body and the changes in my body, and I think it’s flattering and sometimes it’s just a little much, so I don’t try to tune it in too much,” she previously told PEOPLE.

Kaling has also emphasized that her mindset around fitness has shifted significantly over the years. “I’ve tried really hard to let go of this idea of losing weight for vanity reasons and really trying to think of how I can be healthy,” she explained in a past interview.

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According to Kaling, staying active, drinking water, and removing negative associations with exercise have all become priorities for her rather than chasing unrealistic standards.

Mindy Kaling Says Her Kids Changed Her Perspective On Health

The actress has also credited her three children for motivating her to a healthier lifestyle. “I grew up without parents who worked out,” Kaling previously shared. “They were trying to establish themselves in this country, and they did not put a premium on their own health and working out.”

She added that prioritizing wellness now allows her to set a different example for her own kids. “So, I think it’s been great to show my kids that part of my life,” she said.

Kaling also admitted she used to associate exercise with punishment rather than self-care. “When I was younger, I had a very specific idea of how working out needed to be,” she explained. “It was like 45 minutes on the treadmill, seven-minute mile, it needed to be punishing, I needed to hate it.”

Kaling Says Balance Is Her Health Philosophy

Kaling has also shared that her current eating habits are centered around incorporating healthier options without completely depriving herself of foods she enjoys. In a previous interview with Prevention, she explained that she tries to prioritize leafy green vegetables while keeping red meat and dairy consumption more limited.

“For me, at this point in my life, I feel like I know what I’m supposed to be eating,” she said. “You know, more leafy green vegetables and keeping red meat to a minimum, and for me personally, I also try to keep dairy at a minimum.”

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Mindy Kaling Says Moderation Changed Her Relationship With Food

Mindy Kaling has also been candid about how her mindset around dieting and nutrition has evolved over the years, telling TODAY.com that she no longer believes in extreme dieting or cutting out entire food groups before major events or appearances. “If there was an awards show or I was shooting something, I used to be the person that was like, ‘I have to stop eating these foods, or six weeks beforehand, I’m only going to juice,’” Kaling explained.

These days, however, the actress said she focuses far more on balance and moderation rather than restriction. “I’m never going be someone who can just have spinach and salmon every day,” she admitted. “I just am really for the first time in my life, trying moderation, and I love it.”

All eyes were on Nicole Kidman and her daughter, Sunday Rose Kidman Urban, at the 2026 Met Gala, where the 17-year-old made her highly anticipated debut alongside her famous mother. But according to new reports, the glamorous red carpet appearance may have carried a much deeper meaning behind the scenes amid Kidman’s ongoing split from Keith Urban.

Sources speaking to the Daily Mail claimed Urban was deeply hurt by the now-viral mother-daughter moment, with one insider alleging the public appearance felt like “a message” about where Sunday Rose’s loyalties currently stand. “They’re icing him out,” a source claimed. “He feels disrespected and cast aside by his own daughters.”

The reported family tension comes after Sunday Rose allegedly unfollowed Urban on Instagram, fueling speculation about a growing divide within the family following Kidman and Urban’s split. According to insiders, the Met Gala appearance only intensified those rumors.

“I know that the Met Gala scene was very hurtful,” one source alleged. “It was a public statement for Sunday. She’s definitely on her mom’s side. This public appearance is 100% a message of who she’s chosen.” Another source claimed Urban was privately dealing with “FOMO” over missing the major milestone moment in his daughter’s life.

Nicole Kidman Reportedly Received Primary Custody Following Split

According to reports, Kidman retained primary custody of the couple’s daughters following the pair’s January divorce settlement. Sources claimed Kidman has the girls for the majority of the year, while Urban reportedly receives alternate weekends and certain holidays.

Insiders alleged Urban initially pushed for more equal parenting time, though the arrangement ultimately reflected Kidman’s desire to keep her daughters especially close following the emotional fallout of her divorce from Tom Cruise decades earlier.

Kidman famously shares adopted children Isabella Cruise and Connor Cruise with Cruise, both of whom remained closely tied to Scientology following the couple’s 2001 split. Reports claim that experience still weighs heavily on the actress today.

Rumors About Urban’s Dating Life Allegedly Created Family Friction

Some insiders also claimed the family tension may have been fueled by rumors linking Urban to younger women following the split. The country singer was previously rumored to be romantically connected to rising country artist Maggie Baugh after the pair toured together last year, though those claims were later denied.

Urban was also linked earlier this year to singer Karley Scott Collins, who opened for him during his 2025 tour. Collins publicly shut down the rumors at the time, calling them “absolutely ridiculous and untrue.” Still, insiders claimed the speculation reportedly upset daughters Sunday Rose and Faith Margaret Kidman Urban. One source alleged the girls are now “completely team Nicole.”

Sunday Rose Previously Praised Nicole Kidman Publicly

The growing speculation surrounding the family dynamic has also spilled into public interviews and social media activity. During an interview with Elle Australia earlier this year, Sunday Rose spoke glowingly about her mother while noticeably not mentioning Urban. “My mom is someone who has always been so creative and my biggest inspiration in life,” she said.

She also described Kidman as “a key part of everything I do.” Meanwhile, fans noticed Urban briefly reappeared on Sunday Rose’s Instagram following list after initially being unfollowed, adding even more speculation about the current state of their relationship. One longtime friend of Urban reportedly described the situation as “awful” for the singer. “He’s a man in a lot of pain,” the source claimed.

Keith Urban Is Reportedly Trying To Avoid More Drama

Despite the rumors and public scrutiny, sources close to Urban insisted the singer is trying to remain calm and focused on maintaining relationships with his daughters moving forward. One insider claimed Urban’s main takeaway from the Met Gala was simply how beautiful Sunday Rose looked during her big night. “Keith saw his daughter in her dress and thought she was absolutely beautiful,” the source said.

The insider added that Urban is attempting not to escalate tensions with Kidman because he understands they will continue sharing important milestones involving their children in the future. “Someday they are going to go through different milestones, weddings, birthdays, and Keith will have to be there with Nicole,” the source explained.

Another insider insisted both Kidman and Urban are trying not to involve their daughters too deeply in the fallout from the separation, despite ongoing speculation surrounding the family dynamic.

By Chris Snellgrove
| Published 1 hour ago

“Propaganda” is one of the dirtiest words in Hollywood. Regardless of how they vote, most prefer their movies to be free of any overt political messaging. After all, we get enough of that from our hellish 24-hour news cycle; why would we want to see it on the big screen?

However, some of the most beloved films of the 20th and 21st centuries have secretly served as propaganda. Top Gun is basically one long advertisement for the Navy, which is presented as our only defense against international attackers. Michael Bay’s first Transformers movie is also propaganda, presenting the Army as our main line of defense against enemies both domestic and very, very foreign.

Interestingly, the most successful propaganda film ever made came out in the ‘90s, and it rallied the country together like never before. I’m talking about Independence Day, the rollicking action adventure that had Will Smith punching an alien (maybe it said something about his wife?) and Jeff Goldblum hacking UFOs. Oh, and it had Bill Pullman rallying the entire world together with a speech that had audiences around the world cheering at the screen. The whole thing is so infectiously cool that it’s easy to overlook the obvious: that, from the ground up, this movie is all about how America deserves to rule the entire world.

America (F*ck Yeah!)

Why is Independence Day propaganda, exactly? The most obvious reason is its focus on military might as the only real solution for driving away alien invaders. This isn’t sci-fi like Star Trek, where everything can be solved with peace and diplomacy. It’s not even like Star Wars, in which a coalition of humans and aliens overthrows a fascist Empire. No, this is about how the only solutions to extraterrestrial invasion come in the form of bullets and missiles. Oh, and technology: amid the high-flying internet explosion of the ‘90s, Independence Day posits that a little vibe coding from a quirked-up, military-aligned scientist can instantly overcome the most advanced civilization humanity has ever encountered.

Given the name of the film, it’s no surprise that Independence Day centers on this military supremacy around America. Not in an exclusionary way, of course: characters don’t badmouth other countries, and the film doesn’t portray other nations in a negative light. Instead, it simply situates the United States as integral to the survival and prosperity of the rest of the world. In this light, directly dunking on other countries is unnecessary because the film makes it clear that when the very survival of humanity is at stake, the world will be saved by American weapons, American technology, and gloriously stubborn American gumption.

The Cold War Gets Hot

It’s easy to forget, but Independence Day came out very soon after the Cold War finally ended. That gives the rah-rah propaganda messaging its own special verve, of course. The United States had just effectively defeated its only real existential threat since the end of World War II. Who else, then, could possibly save all of humanity from the deadliest threat since the Soviet Union? Lest that subtlety be lost on viewers, Independence Day drapes itself in flags and patriotic speeches to drive home America’s nascent noblesse oblige: the obligation to use our position as the only dominant world power for good, not evil.

That leads to the obvious question: Independence Day may be blatant American propaganda, but is that an inherently bad thing? Not really. Sure, such cinematic propaganda always runs the risk of glorifying amoral politicians who destroy countless lives while excusing half a century of questionable American interventions and adventurism. But that’s not really the primary thrust of Independence Day. The film arguably serves as a direct extension of the American dream, glorifying the very best the country has to offer. America does not represent a dangerous and nefarious world police in this film; rather, it represents a country that can’t be tamed and will always rise to the occasion in the face of tyranny.

Welcome To Earth

In retrospect, it’s easy for cynics to chalk this up to the pie-in-the-sky idealism of the ‘90s, and that may very well be true. But these days, the heroes of Independence Day are more aspirational and inspirational than ever before. America is bitterly divided along political lines, with people fighting endless culture wars against their fellow countrymen over the stupidest subjects imaginable. It may be simplistic, but Independence Day is a reminder that when the states are truly united, America is unstoppable. If a little bit of celluloid propaganda can help us make our actual future more like the fictional past, a bit of blockbuster propaganda is a small price to pay.

Do you want to experience just how fun propaganda can be? Stoke your own patriotic fervor, or maybe just watch Will Smith punching someone other than Chris Rock? Good news, space cadets: the dream of the ‘90s is alive, right here in your living room. Independence Day is currently streaming on Netflix, and trust me: it’s just as intoxicatingly fun and deliriously dumb as you remember. It may be the most successful propaganda movie ever made, but it’s also an action-packed, weirdly hilarious thrill ride that will instantly appeal to your inner alien lover. Come for the UFOs and stay for the alien autopsy. 

If you want your own anal probe, though, don’t look at me; go ask your partner nicely. Just don’t be surprised if she says “Welcome to Earth” when she does it!