Entertainment
Why Megan Moroney Missed the 2026 ACM Awards in Las Vegas
Megan Moroney had a very good reason why she couldn’t attend the 2026 Academy of Country Music Awards in Las Vegas.
“I’m so honored to be nominated tonight at @ACMAwards & I’m rooting on all my friends from afar!” Moroney, 28, wrote via her Instagram Story on Sunday, May 17. “I’m out of the country this week on MOH [maid of honor] duty to get my bestie married @Inatalieking.”
Instead of showcasing a designer gown perfect for a red carpet, the country singer posed in a comfy two-piece loungewear set as she prepared to get Natalie King — the subject of her 2021 song “Wonder” — married.
“I love you guys & can’t wait to see y’all in Columbus!” she said when referring to her sold-out tour date on May 29. “Counting down the days.”
Country music’s biggest stars delivered a fashion moment worth singing about even before the trophies were handed out at the 61st Academy of Country Music Awards. Thank You! You have successfully subscribed. Subscribe to newsletters Enter your email Please enter a valid email. Subscribe By signing up, I agree to the Terms and Privacy Policy […]
During the 2026 ACM Awards later on Sunday, host Shania Twain acknowledged that Moroney was not present inside the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas for the star-studded event.
At the same time, Twain, 60, was thrilled to welcome the “Tennessee Orange” singer to the show virtually with a pretaped message.
“Country music has the power to bring people together, to help people improve and heal lives, so it’s only right that ACM Lifting Lives supports great causes like St. Jude Children’s Hospital,” Twain shared. “Megan Maroney, one of country music’s newest superstars, couldn’t be here tonight but for a really beautiful reason. She’s busy being the bridesmaid of honor at her best friend’s wedding. However, Megan still sent us this very special message on this very important cause.”
Soon after, Moroney appeared wearing a St. Jude Music Gives T-shirt and asked fans and viewers alike to show support.
Megan Moroney Courtesy of Megan Moroney/Instagram
“I wish I could be there tonight,” she said before praising St. Jude Children’s Hospital staff members for providing “life-changing and life-saving work.”
“Let’s all band together to help St. Jude beat childhood cancer,” she said while showcasing her T-shirt, available online. “Please get yours and twin with me.”
During Sunday’s awards show, Moroney led the pack of nominees with nine nods, including Entertainer of the Year and Female Artist of the Year.
Shania Twain took the reins to ensure a night of big fun for the winners and nominees at the 2026 Academy of Country Music Awards. The singer, 60, was the host of the Sunday, May 17, awards show at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. This year marked Twain’s first time overseeing the […]
She will continue celebrating her success on The Cloud 9 Tour, which kicks off May 29.
“Rehearsals are complete✅,” she wrote via Instagram on May 12. “17 days until opening night! which means u have 17 days to learn a new song! swipe for a surprise ;).”
The 2026 ACM Awards are streaming Prime Video.
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Lainey Wilson sings about heartbreak in her music, but in real life, she’s found lasting love with Devlin “Duck” Hodges.
The country singer introduced her fans to Hodges while attending the 2023 ACM Awards, but the duo’s romance actually began two years prior. Wilson confirmed their timeline in June 2023, teasing that she almost blew her own cover in April of that year while giving a nod to Hodges on stage.
“What’s funny is literally a couple weeks before the [awards] show, we had played out in Pittsburgh and me and my band, we all wore Duck Hodges jerseys,” Wilson said on The Bobby Bones Show. “And so that kind of started a few rumors.”
Hodges was a quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers and a few other NFL teams before he retired in 2022. His nickname “Duck” dates back to his college football days and has nothing to do with the fact that he is also a duck hunter.
Atta girl! Lainey Wilson is living her best life on the road, and gave Us Weekly a VIP backstage pass at a day in her life. “I do all of my own glam on tour,” the country songstress, 31, exclusively reveals in the latest issue of Us Weekly. “I love trying new products and techniques. It’s an art […]
The couple celebrated a big milestone in February 2025 when Wilson announced their engagement. One year later, they tied the knot in May 2026 in Tennessee.
Scroll down to see Wilson and Hodges’ romance from the beginning:
2021
The twosome began dating sometime in 2021, which Wilson confirmed two years later.
July 2021
Wilson first commented on Hodges’ Instagram page when he posted a photo of himself sitting on a fence in the country. “I’m your huckleberry,” Hodges captioned the snap, which prompted Wilson to reply, “What you on the fence about?”
April 2023
Wilson sparked romance speculation with Hodges when she wore his Steelers jersey at her Pittsburgh show. “Is Lainey Wilson wearing a @DevlinHodges10 at the concert tonight. Homeboy is gonna be in heaven when he finds out,” one fan wrote via X. Hodges saw the message and responded, “Did she really?!?! Y’all are lying !!!! @laineywilson holla at me !!! 🏈.”
The singer commented on the post as well, writing, “This is me hollerin 🤠.” Hodges replied, “OH.MY.GOD 👀 hello.” The former NFL player later posted pictures from the Pittsburgh concert, revealing he was there in person.
Lainey Wilson has made waves both as a country star and for standing up against body-shamers. In December 2022, a video of Wilson performing in a pair of leopard print bell-bottom pants went viral on TikTok. “Didn’t want to be a gatekeeper of my Lainey view,” a user captioned the post, which featured the singer […]
Earlier that month, Hodges hinted at their relationship by sharing a photo from what appeared to be Wilson’s Stagecoach Festival performance in California. He wore a Wilson T-shirt, yellow bandana, camouflage jacket and cowboy hat. Hodges gushed about how “thankful” he was “for the friendships and memories” while celebrating his birthday via Instagram.
May 2023
Just weeks after flirting via X, the couple made their red carpet debut at the 2023 Academy of Country Music Awards.
June 2023
“He’s been around for a while,” Wilson said of Hodges during an appearance on The Bobby Bones Show. “I just decided to make him wait for two and a half years.” She told host Bobby Bones that the retired athlete is a “good dude.”
Wilson revealed that Hodges is also very close with her inner circle. “It’s so great. I mean, he’s buddies with all my buddies,” she shared. “He’ll FaceTime me and he’ll be with Hardy or he’ll be with Cole Swindell and all of them. I’m like, ‘Can you please stop taking my friends?’”
November 2023
Hodges joined Wilson and her family at the 2023 Country Music Association Awards in Nashville. After Wilson won five awards, including Entertainer of the Year, her then-boyfriend sang her praises on social media.
“She already heard what I’m fixing to say, but I just want y’all to hear it once. This girl is the most hard-working person I know,” Hodges wrote via Instagram, sharing photos of the pair getting cozy at the awards show. “Her work ethic and her desire to be the best person she can be is contagious. I’m so happy that all the hard work continues to pay off. Congrats on all the awards last night and especially the BIGGEST AWARD OF THE NIGHT! ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR!”
Whether high school sweethearts or second chances at love, these country couples are in it for the long haul. Faith Hill and Tim McGraw have a love story for the ages. The twosome tied the knot in 1996 and went on to welcome daughters Gracie, Maggie and Audrey in 1997, 1998 and 2001, respectively. Despite […]
He added: “I’m so glad she can be some of y’all’s favorite artist, sing your favorite song. Or be your daughters favorite role model. I’m just thankful to call her my best friend. Love ya LW 🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆.”
January 2024
Wilson gave fans a look into her life on the road in an episode of CMT’s “On the Road.” Within the first few minutes, Hodges popped up on screen and gave Wilson a kiss before she took the stage for a show in Las Vegas. The episode was filmed in December 2023.
October 2024
Wilson gave fans a sweet look inside her low-key romance by dedicating her song “4x4xU” to Hodges.
“Ain’t nowhere I’d rather be #4x4xu @devlinhodges,” Wilson captioned a reel of her and Hodges in a car with the country tune playing during their scenic drive.
Lainey Wilson opened up about her relationship with her fiancé, Devlin “Duck” Hodges, in her new documentary — and credited him with helping her survive her meteoric rise to fame. “I don’t know how I would have survived these last few years,” the Grammy winner, 33, said in Lainey Wilson: Keepin’ Country Cool, which debuts […]
February 2025
Wilson announced the pair’s engagement via Instagram, sharing a glimpse of her diamond ring. “4x4xU forever ❤️,” she wrote in the caption.
October 2025
In an interview with Southern Living, Wilson revealed that she lied to Hodges on their first date — but the ploy worked. “I told him that people call me Goose,” she recalled, referencing her fiancé’s nickname. “I was lying, but he fell for it. I think he was like, ‘Oh, I’m in love.’”
She also noted that Hodges is an amazing cook, saying, “He’s an Alabama boy, so he knows how to whip it up.”
November 2025
In a cover interview with Us Weekly, Wilson gushed about her relationship with Hodges. “He’s such a good dude. He is my best friend. He’s my biggest cheerleader,” she said. “We lift each other up. He understands that this life is full of a lot of late nights and travel, and we might be ships passing in the night, but he’s always my rock through it all. He’s my home, no matter where we are. I feel like my blood pressure comes down, and he’s a safe place to land. I can just let loose.”
That same month, Hodges supported Wilson as she hosted the CMA Awards solo for the first time. When Wilson won the evening’s top prize, Entertainer of the Year, she gave a shout-out to Hodges, adding, “We’re getting married next year, come on now!”
April 2026
Lainey Wilson and Devlin ‘Duck’ Hodges in her Netflix documentary, ‘Lainey Wilson: Keepin’ Country Cool.’ Courtesy of Netflix
Wilson and Hodges opened up about their relationship in her Netflix documentary, Lainey Wilson: Keepin’ Country Cool. “I don’t know how I would have survived these last few years,” Wilson said. “He adds so much to my life, I’m like, ‘Why wouldn’t I wanna spend the rest of my life with my best friend?’ Somebody who lifts me up and encourages me and shoots me straight, who cooks potato soup for me. This is making it.”
Hodges, meanwhile, said he knew Wilson was The One as soon as they went on their first date. “I felt like I’d known her for years, really,” he recalled. “I knew that night, like, this was the person I was gonna spend the rest of my life with. I really did.”
May 2026
Wilson and Hodges got married on May 10 at the Ruskin Cave in Dickson, Tennessee, surrounded by family and celebrity friends including Wynonna Judd and Miranda Lambert.
“I have never seen Duck smile as big as he did then,” Wilson told Vogue, reflecting on their ceremony, which took place outside in front of a waterfall. “It made me feel giddy about turning the page into this next chapter of marriage. We were both anxious to say ‘I do!’”
The pair’s special day also included a second line march in honor of Wilson’s Louisiana roots, a Cajun fest for dinner with chefs from her Bell Bottoms Up bar and a reception inside a cave that enhanced the vintage decor and wildflower accents.
One week later, the couple stepped out on the 2026 ACM Awards red carpet in Las Vegas, where Wilson was nominated for Entertainer of the Year.
Seven of the biggest names in country music faced off in the Entertainer of the Year category at the 2026 Academy of Country Music Awards.
Cody Johnson ultimately took home the top prize, which he dedicated to his “buddy” and fellow nominee Luke Combs during the Sunday, May 17, ceremony at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
“When I was a little kid, I remember my mom walked in my room, and I had little microphone, and it was duct-taped to the side of my bunk bed, and I had a guitar with no strings on it, and I was singing, ‘Girl, while you’re walking out / Please walk out real slow / ‘Cause I’m learning as you go.’ It’s a Rick Trevino song,” Johnson, 38, said during his acceptance speech. “All I’ve ever wanted to do was be in front of a crowd and entertain.”
He continued, “They say that music is the sound of emotion, and I get to use my platform to not only promote positivity in this country and all over the world, [but] I get to use it to make you feel emotions that I feel. … It’s the greatest drug that has ever been introduced on planet Earth.”
Country music’s biggest stars delivered a fashion moment worth singing about even before the trophies were handed out at the 61st Academy of Country Music Awards. Thank You! You have successfully subscribed. Subscribe to newsletters Enter your email Please enter a valid email. Subscribe By signing up, I agree to the Terms and Privacy Policy […]
Combs, 36, Chris Stapleton, Jelly Roll, Lainey Wilson, Megan Moroney and Morgan Wallen rounded out the list of nominees in the Entertainer of the Year category.
Of the contenders, Moroney, 28, led with nine total nominations this year, including Female Artist of the Year, Song of the Year for “Am I Okay?,” Single of the Year and Visual Media of the Year for “6 Months Later,” Music Event of the Year for “You Had to Be There” with Kenny Chesney and Artist-Songwriter of the Year.
Wilson, 33, followed closely behind with seven nods for Female Artist of the Year, Song of the Year, Single of the Year and Visual Media of the Year for “Somewhere Over Laredo” and Music Event of the Year for “Trailblazer” with Reba McEntire and Miranda Lambert.
Stapleton, 48, trailed with six nominations for Male Artist of the Year as well as Song of the Year, Music Event of the Year and Visual Media of the Year for “A Song to Sing” with Lambert, 42.
For his part, Johnson earned four nods for Male Artist of the Year, which he also won, as well as Single of the Year and Visual Media of the Year for “The Fall.”
Combs and Wallen, 33, received three nominations each. Both were recognized in the Artist-Songwriter of the Year category. Combs was also up for Male Artist of the Year, while Wallen’s I’m the Problem vied for Album of the Year.
Country music’s biggest names are gearing up for the 2026 Academy of Country Music Awards. The 61st annual awards show is moving from Texas to Las Vegas for the Sunday, May 17, ceremony. “We couldn’t be more thrilled to return to MGM Grand for the 61st ACM Awards next May, a place that holds a […]
Jelly Roll, 41, garnered two total nods, as his and Shaboozey’s song, “Amen,” competed for Music Event of the Year.
Prior to Sunday’s ceremony, Wilson was the two-time reigning Entertainer of the Year after earning the accolade in 2024 and 2025. Stapleton was the only other nominee with a past win in the category in 2023.
During her 2025 acceptance speech, Wilson confessed, “I’m sure everybody deals with a little bit of imposter syndrome, but I won’t lie to you — I have a little bit.”
Despite her doubts at times, the songstress noted, “I dreamed about entertaining. I love making people feel things. I love making people laugh and smile and cry. I’m sorry, I like to make you cry. … Country music has given me more than I deserve.”
Over the years, Stapleton has been nominated for Entertainer of the Year eight times, followed by Combs with seven nods and Wallen with four. Wilson, Johnson and Jelly Roll have each been up for the award three times, while Moroney landed her first-ever nomination in the category this year.
M. Night Shyamalan recently revealed that his upcoming supernatural romance film, Remain, has tested higher than any movie in his career. This is an impressive feat, considering the crowd-pleasers that Shyamalan has made over the last three decades. Unfortunately, Remain is still a few months away from release. The good news, on the other hand, is that Shyamalan’s most recent movie appears to be seeing a spike in streaming viewership. Shyamalan seems to be having fun again in the last decade, pushing his typically ambitious ideas to the limit in movies such as Old and Split. His most recent movie, the one that’s now among the most-watched titles on Netflix, unleashed not just one of Shyamalan’s trademark climactic twists, but an entire third act that nobody saw coming.
We’re talking, of course, about Trap. Starring Josh Hartnett as a serial killer who discovers that the concert he’s attending with his daughter is an elaborate ruse to corner him, the movie unfolds like a combination of a Hitman video game and Home Alone. The protagonist uses every trick in the book to evade capture, while also pretending to play a regular dad to his excited teenage daughter. Many read it as a metaphor for the disconnect that Shyamalan himself feels about making unhinged genre films while also parenting three daughters. One of Shyamalan’s children, incidentally, plays a key role in Trap.
Shyamalan Is At His Best When He’s Not Trying to Please Everyone
Saleka Night Shyamalan, who is also a singer and musician, plays the pop star whose concert is used to lure the serial killer into the cops’ hands. She composed original music that plays throughout the film, and in many ways, becomes the film’s lead in the third act. Released in 2024, Trap marked Shyamalan’s first movie with Warner Bros. after a long stint at Universal. It grossed nearly $85 million worldwide against a reported budget of $30 million. The movie received mixed reviews and is currently sitting at a 56% score on the aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes. The site’s consensus reads, “An arch thriller given some grounding by Josh Hartnett’s committed performance, Shyamalan’s Trap will ensnare those who appreciate its tongue-in-cheek style while the rest will be eager to wriggle out from it.”
Trap is streaming now on Netflix. Stay tuned to Collider for more updates.
- Release Date
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August 2, 2024
- Runtime
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105 minutes
- Producers
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Marc Bienstock
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There’s something magical about a dress you can throw on in seconds and instantly feel put together, especially during the hottest days of summer. Those pieces are hard to come by, but Amazon shoppers discovered a chic, lightweight dress that fits the bill. The Anrabess Tie-Waist Midi Sundress combines a flattering silhouette with breathable comfort, meaning it might very well become your favorite style of the season.
The easy midi dress is quickly becoming a warm-weather favorite, thanks to its effortless fit and versatile styling potential. Whether you’re heading out to brunch, vacation dinners, casual days at the office or simply running weekend errands, this airy sundress still manages to feel comfortable, polished and universally flattering all at the same time.
Get the Anrabess Tie-Waist Midi Sundress for $40 at Amazon! Please note, prices are accurate as of the publishing date but are subject to change.
Clean lines, a breezy silhouette and a waist-defining tie detail make this sundress stand out from the rest. The fit strikes that sweet spot between relaxed and refined, giving it an elevated feel while still remaining comfortable enough for all-day wear.
One of the best parts of the weather warming up is getting to wear flowy, breezy dresses — especially in vibrant colors and patterns. Lucky for Us, Nordstrom just dropped the prettiest new arrival: a gorgeous, bright poppy red and pink maxi dress with the sweetest ruffle sleeves. It’s practically begging to be worn on […]
Styling it is easy because it works with nearly all of the shoes and accessories that are already in your closet. Pair it with sandals and a straw tote for daytime plants, or dress it up with espadrilles and gold jewelry for dinner or summer events. The lightweight fabric and subtle slit keep the whole look feeling poised and laid-back cool.
“The fit is especially flattering — it accentuates the waist while still providing coverage in a really comfortable way,” shared one Amazon reviewer.
Another shopper said they appreciate the quality material. “What stood out most to me is how cool and lightweight it feels,” they wrote. “The fabric moves well and does not feel bulky or stiff at all, which makes it great for warm weather or long wear.”
Every summer wardrobe needs one easy, wear-anywhere piece, and this tie-waist midi dress is it. Lightweight, flattering and infinitely versatile, it’s the kind of staple you’ll find yourself reaching for on repeat. Maximize your summer style by adding it to your cart ASAP.
Get the Anrabess Tie-Waist Midi Sundress for $40 at Amazon! Please note, prices are accurate as of the publishing date but are subject to change.
Looking for something else? Explore more midi sundresses here and don’t forget to check out all of Amazon’s Daily Deals for more great finds!
The wedding invitations keep arriving, and the dress code keeps shifting. A garden ceremony in June, black tie reception in September and there’s a cocktail hour at a vineyard somewhere in between. After a certain point, raiding the back of your closet for that one reliable navy sheath dress starts to feel like a tired […]
Annabelle Wallis officially unveiled her growing baby bump in the most glamorous of settings.
The Peaky Blinders star, 41, was joined by boyfriend, Sebastian Stan, on Sunday, May 17, while posing for photos on the 2016 Kering Women in Motion Awards red carpet at Cannes Film Festival.
Dressed in a floor-length one-shoulder black gown that cut out at the side to reveal her torso, Wallis beamed for the cameras while holding one firm hand on her belly. Stan, 43, was snapped placing a protective arm around his girlfriend while rocking his own sophisticated ensemble: a black pinstripe suit paired with a narrow black tie.
News broke in April that Wallis, who was first romantically linked to the Thunderbolts star in May 2022 after they were spotted together at Robert Pattinson’s birthday party, was expecting the pair’s first child. At the time, Wallis was spotted with a baby bump while walking in New York City.
Annabelle Wallis was Sebastian Stan’s No. 1 fan when he won his first-ever Golden Globe trophy on Sunday, January 5. After it was announced that Stan, 42, won the trophy for Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Motion Picture — Musical or Comedy, Wallis, 38, leaped to her feet to congratulate her beau […]
Last week, Stan addressed the prospect of parenthood during an interview with Deadline. “I want to be a good dad,” he told the outlet during the interview, published on Monday, May 11. “I’m feeling the responsibility of being a good father. And not to mention a good man. I’m 43 and I feel, in a lot of ways, I’m just starting to learn now. It’s just crazy to me. So, I love when I see I’m discovering different people’s point of view. I try to read as much as I can, no matter what the point of view is, just to understand it.”
The interview, sparked by his role in the upcoming film Fjord which premieres at Cannes on Monday, May 18, also touched on his romance with Wallis. Given the actress’ upbringing in Oxford, England, Stan explained that he’s been introduced to the world of British television as a result of their romance.
“Oh, my god! What is the show that my girlfriend [and] I watch all the time where you’re watching other people watch TV? Gogglebox! It’s hilarious,” he told the outlet. “And it has a very weird, pleasing, soothing quality to it.”
The Cannes Film Festival has become a glamorous stage for more than just movie premieres — it’s also where several stars have chosen to unveil their growing baby bumps to the world. From Blake Lively‘s curve-hugging Versace gown to Barbara Palvin‘s joyful announcement alongside husband Dylan Sprouse and Annabelle Wallis‘ reveal alongside boyfriend Sebastian Stan, […]
Stan and Wallis initially kept their romance under wraps for the most part. After their first 2022 sighting, the duo were only next publicly sighted in Greece while celebrating the actor’s 40th birthday with friends.
Almost three years later, in January 2025, the pair began letting the world in, stepping out for their first red carpet debut as a couple at the Golden Globes. Winning an award for his work in A Different Man, Stan acknowledged Wallis during his acceptance speech.
“Annabelle, I love you,” he told the crowd as she watched him from her seat.
Meryl Streep and Martin Short enjoyed a meal out together in London recently.
In a fan photo shared via X on Sunday, May 17, the Only Murders in the Building costars were seen seated side-by-side inside a restaurant. As Short and Streep, both 76, focused their attention on a phone screen, the actress rested her shoulder on the actor’s chest.
“Spending a few days in London, choosing a restaurant at random and ending up eating just a few meters from Meryl Streep and her husband,” the fan’s caption read, mistakenly taking Short to be Streep’s husband. (Streep is currently single following her 2023 split from Don Gummer, and Short remains single since the the death of his wife Nancy Dolman in 2010.)
Us Weekly has reached out to representatives for Streep and Short for comment.
The sighting comes amid reports that the Netflix series is currently filming its sixth season in London, marking the show’s first filming location outside of the U.S.. In recent days, Short and Streep’s costar Steve Martin posted multiple Instagram photos of himself exploring local sites including Trafalgar Square and a gift store selling beanies inscribed with “London.”
Streep and Short first sparked dating rumors in January 2024 after they attended the Golden Globes together. However, a rep at the time denied that their friendship had turned romantic. “They are just very good friends, nothing more,” a statement obtained by People read.
Rumors refused to die down, however, as Short spoke fondly about his costar during several interviews and Amy Schumer even stated that she believed Short was “off the market” after seeing him with Streep during Saturday Night Live’s 50th anniversary celebrations. “I think that the tea is, I think Marty might be off the market. That’s what I’m seeing,” Schumer, 44, told People in February 2025.
The pair have also shown a string of PDA while promoting OMITB, including hand-holding.
Short revealed during a June 2025 appearance on the “Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend” podcast that he had been nervous to work with Streep on OMITB. “I remember the first day working with Meryl and driving to the studio and thinking, ‘I’m nervous today,’” he said at the time. “I [hadn’t] been nervous going to the set for a long time.” (Streep first appeared on the show as Loretta Durkin in season 3.)
“The first scene we shot in Only Murders was a scene where we’re at the piano and we’re, kind of, flirting a little bit,” Short went on. “The first shot set up is over her to me, so pressure’s on me and then we break down so that they can reverse the cameras and do her side. We go into [the] holding area and she just says, ‘OK, nerves to half.’ I go, ‘Wait a second, I was nervous. You can’t be nervous.’”
Five months later, Streep and Short attended the opening night of Tom Hanks’ play This World of Tomorrow, posing for a backstage photo with Martin, 80, Martin’s wife, Anne Stringfield, Hanks, 69, Hanks’ wife Rita Wilson, and Chet Hanks.
Streep and Short have also proven to be repeat customers at Los Angeles’ Giorgio Baldi restaurant in recent months, with the pair spotted leaving the star-studded eatery together on multiple occasions.
Ella Langley couldn’t hold back tears when accepting a major award at the 2026 Academy of Country Music Awards.
After being named the Female Artist of the Year on Sunday, May 17, Langley, 27, became visibly emotional when thanking her fellow nominees.
“I’m trying to say something, but I can’t,” she said. “Thank you. To the women in this category, to the women in this life, this is a weird thing to do. Today I was having a strange day. I don’t know what it is about awards, but I have strange days in the mornings here.”
Fortunately, it was her fellow nominees who lifted her up and reminded her she is more than enough.
Country music’s biggest stars delivered a fashion moment worth singing about even before the trophies were handed out at the 61st Academy of Country Music Awards. Thank You! You have successfully subscribed. Subscribe to newsletters Enter your email Please enter a valid email. Subscribe By signing up, I agree to the Terms and Privacy Policy […]
“I walked right into Lainey [Wilson’s] room, and I just got emotional, and she hugged me, wrapped me up and started praying for me, and then all of a sudden, here comes Miranda Lambert in her little pink hat,” Langley shared. “And I would not be standing up here without just the encouragement of so many women. Kelsea [Ballerini], thank you so much for loving me.”
Megan Moroney was also nominated in the category but was not in attendance, as she served as her best friend’s maid of honor.
During her emotional speech, Langley also made it a priority to thank her family for their support throughout her music career.
Ella Langley Ethan Miller/Getty Images
“Thank you to my parents for believing in me and my family for showing up and being weird as always, so it keeps me humble,” she said. “Thank you, Jesus, for letting me do this for a whip. Thank you to the ACMs.”
During the star-studded awards show, which was hosted by Shania Twain and held inside the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Langley also picked up awards for Song of the Year, Artist-Songwriter of the Year, Single of the Year and Music Event of the Year, making her the winningest artist of the night.
“Thank you to the women,” she proclaimed on Sunday night. “I would not be standing up here without that. So, thank you.”
Langley is hard at work traveling the country as part of The Dandelion Tour. From now until August 15, the “You Look Like You Love Me” singer will perform her biggest hits for fans, including her award-winning single “Choosin’ Texas.”
“You know we had to take this record on the road… So excited to announce The Dandelion Tour!” she wrote via Instagram on February 2 when first announcing the tour. “Also, bringing some of my favorite people along, you won’t wanna miss this 🌼.”
The 2026 ACM Awards are streaming Prime Video.
Thrillers are, by their very nature, designed to push audiences to the edge. They mean to leave no knuckle unwhitened and no nail unbitten in their mission to thrill. Sometimes that devotion to thrills can be intense, almost too intense in some cases, with movies that threaten to push audiences over the edge. Those movies might not be for everyone, especially those viewers who prefer their thrills to be more exciting than overwhelming, but for those who can handle them, they are unique experiences.
What constitutes an intense thriller may be a slight matter of opinion. For some, the most intense are the ones that get violent and nasty to the point they almost qualify more as horror than thriller, while others might consider the movies that send them into a spiral of anxiety as the most intense. Then there are those that fill their audiences with a sense of dread based solely on their oppressive atmosphere. Whatever qualifier you want to assign to it, these are the thrillers that crank the intensity up to eleven.
‘The Wages of Fear’ (1953)
The classic suspense thrillerThe Wages of Fear, directed by Henri-Georges Clouzot, is every bit as potent and palpably tense as it was in 1953. Its razor-sharp sequences of sweat-inducing thrills can be held up against any modern equivalent, which includes both of its remakes, the equally brilliant and thrilling Sorcerer from 1977 and the stunningly dull version released on Netflix in 2024.
Based on the novel of the same name by Georges Arnaud, the film follows a group of expats living in poverty in South America who are hired by an oil company to transport highly volatile nitroglycerin in trucks across the jungle to help extinguish a massive oil fire. The majority of the runtime is then devoted to that transportation, as they make a perilous journey over rocky mountain roads and rickety bridges. With every bump and pothole holding the potential for explosive death, it’s a nerve-wracking viewing experience that is perfectly designed to keep an audience on the edge of their seats.
‘The Hitcher’ (1986)
Open road thrillers are a subgenre that exploits audiences inherent fears of isolation and vulnerability. Expert thrillers like Duel, Road Games, and Breakdown all exploit those fears with visceral efficiency, but there’s no matching the intensity and apocalyptic terror of The Hitcher. It’s a nihilistic thrill ride through hell that comes as close to the horror of something like Wolf Creek but stays firmly within its genre boundaries. It’s also got a devilishly good performance by Rutger Hauer as the titular character, who belongs in the hall of fame of cinematic psychopaths of seemingly supernatural evil.
The film begins with C. Thomas Howell as Jim Halsey, tired and behind the wheel of a vehicle he’s meant to deliver to California. Out on a lonely stretch of desert highway during a torrential downpour, he picks up John Ryder (Hauer), who makes his sinister intentions clear within minutes of getting into Jim’s car. From their its a torturous game of cat and mouse across the American Southwest as Ryder torments Jim and pushes him to the edge of sanity while leaving a trail of bloody bodies. The Hitcher puts the pedal to the metal in its first scene, and it doesn’t let its foot up for one second.
‘Good Time’ (2017)
When Uncut Gems was released, many compared it to experiencing a sustained panic attack. The film’s infuriating and effective depiction of gambling addiction is undeniably intense, but it’s arguable that Josh and Benny Safdie‘s previous film is even more gritty and extreme. Following in the grimy footsteps of the character-driven New York thrillers of the ’70s and ’80s, Good Time is a kinetic film that will get your pulse racing and elevate your heart rate as if you were the one being chased by the cops.
Pattinson plays Connie, who, along with his brother Nick (Benny Safdie), robs a bank in broad daylight. That ill-advised heist gets Nick arrested, and Connie devises a plan to get him out of custody. Through a series of compounding mistakes and bad decisions, the film becomes a nocturnal odyssey of criminal stupidity that would be comical if it weren’t played so heartbreakingly straight by the Safdies and Pattinson. It’s an anxiety-inducing modern masterpiece that was an early herald for its directors as heir apparnet to auteurs like Sidney Lumet and John Cassavetes.
‘Se7en’ (1995)
David Fincher‘s Se7en has a reputation for being visceral and violent, but while the film certainly has some gruesome imagery, it’s far more tame than the more explicit films that would attempt to emulate it. The majority of the kills happen off-screen, but Fincher fills the frame with dread, painting a bleak portrait of a decaying modern world where apathy and pessimism reign and violence is a natural occurrence. Se7en resurrected Fincher’s career after the debacle of Alien 3, and it reinvigorated the genre, influencing dozens of films and television series.
Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman play the archetypal brash rookie and jaded veteran detectives, who team up to track down a serial killer who bases his murders on the seven deadly sins, realized in vivid post-mortems that use the power of suggestion to more effect rather than any Grand Guignol splatter effects. The procedural elements keep us engrossed in the investigation all the way up until the film starts to tug at the rug beneath our feet in its final act. The iconic twist ending is itself an exercise in restraint that had many audience members convinced they’d seen something more explicit than they had.
‘Green Room’ (2015)
Siege thrillers don’t put their characters on the run but instead box them in, exerting external pressure on them until violence inevitably erupts. From the finale of Straw Dogs to the entirety of Assault on Precinct 13, these movies trap their characters in a location and force them to fight their way out. More often than not, that fighting can be rather intense, as it is in Jeremy Saulnier‘s unrelenting Green Room. Here, Saulnier ratchets up the tension incrementally, and while the film does engage with ultraviolence, it does so purposefully and with intent. Every bullet impact and knife wound is viscerally felt, and it makes the danger all the more real.
When a punk band is strapped for cash, they take the next gig they can get, which just so happens to be in the hangout spot of some neo-Nazi skinheads. They play the gig and take the money, but when they also witness a murder, they get locked in the club’s green room with some trigger-happy white supremacists on the other side. Green Room revels in torturing its characters as much as it does the audience, showing them a way out before turning the tables in violent fashion. It’s a grindhouse thriller made with incredible skill, and the cast is filled with above-the-grade talent, including the late Anton Yelchin and Patrick Stewart playing very against type as the leader of the skinheads.
‘Cape Fear’ (1991)
The original Cape Fear is the most Hitchcockian thriller that Alfred Hitchcock never made. Based on the novel The Executioners, the film has a classic suspense setup, and it executes it to a T. The 1991 remake, directed by Martin Scorsese, is similarly well-executed, but it amps up the intensity and ferocity for ’90s audiences. Where the original was a stark tale of good versus evil shot in black and white, Scorsese’s remake is saturated in vibrant color and exists in a morally grey world. It also features a truly terrifying performance from Robert De Niro.
De Niro plays Max Cady, a criminal recently released from prison after serving a fourteen-year sentence for rape. He leaves prison with vengeance on his mind. His target is his former defense attorney, Sam Bowden (Nick Nolte), who deliberately suppressed evidence during Cady’s trial to guarantee his conviction. Sam’s sins are revisited upon him and his family as Cady stalks and psychologically tortures them before the film reaches its biblically bad climax. Cape Fear is Scorsese bringing his cinematic expertise and signature visual language to a piece of pure pulp, and the results are far more intense than even fans of the director’s crime films may be expecting.
‘Funny Games’ (1997)
Home invasion thrillers bring the terror to our doorsteps, and while they often end in gruesome tragedy, they are intensely thrilling right up until that end. Panic Room is the slickest of these kinds of thrillers, while Wait Until Dark is a classic of the subgenre, with both Hush and Don’t Breathe offering two different variations on its premise. They are all varied in intensity, but Michael Haneke’s controversial Funny Games is the most graphic and unflinching. At their lakeside house in Austria, a family of three’s tranquil afternoon is turned into a violent nightmare when two young men invade their home and subject them to a series of sadistic games.
The torture is hard enough to watch on its own, but it is made exponentially worse by the fact that the lead killer likes to break the fourth wall, engaging directly with the audience, inviting us to become participants in their games. Haneke is no simple sadist; his film has a purpose and a message about violent media. The director plays with the conventions of film and film violence, specifically those that would be familiar to American audiences. Years later, Haneke would remake his ambitious thriller shot-for-shot with an English-speaking cast. Both versions are dark, intense thrillers that are as intriguing as they are revolting.
‘Natural Born Killers’ (1994)
Similar to Funny Games, Oliver Stone‘s Natural Born Killers is obsessed with the connection between the media and violent crime. Still, whereas Haneke’s film is a more measure meta-thriller, Stone’s is a hyperactive music video set to the sounds of bloodshed. Shot with a wild mix of film stocks with contrasting visual styles and featuring rapid-fire editing, the film is an absolute assault on the senses. It perfectly encapsulates the era of tabloid journalism and ultraviolent cinema, and is still a very intense visual and aural experience.
Based on a story by Quentin Tarantino, whose script was heavily rewritten by Stone and his co-writers, the film follows the criminal couple of Mickey and Mallory Knox (Woody Harrelson and Juliette Lewis). The two come from broken homes and violent backgrounds, and after killing Mallory’s abusive family, they hit the road as homicidal lovers on the lam. They slaughter their way across America, and in the process become media darlings with a cult following. The film is far too blunt to effectively interrogate the relationship the media plays in developing the kind of twisted hero worship that evolves around murderers, but it is undoubtedly unsettling and intensely unforgettable.
‘I Saw the Devil’ (2010)
There is no shortage of violent Korean thrillers that could fill out several spots on a list like this. Movies like Oldboy, Memories of Murder, and The Chaser all make their Hollywood counterparts look like children’s programming in comparison, but if there’s one whose intensity cannot go unmentioned, it’s Kim Jee-woon’s bloody and brutal action thriller I Saw the Devil. Graphically violent, impeccably shot, and imminently watchable, this thriller juggles disparate tones and mixes fist-clenching action with horrific violence in a way that can be strangely, hypnotically entertaining despite how repulsive its content is.
Lee Byung-hun plays intelligence agent Soo-hyeon, whose fiancée is abducted and violently murdered by a serial killer, played by Oldboy star Choi Min-sik. After tracking him down, Soo-hyeon doesn’t immediately exact his revenge on the killer, but instead begins tracking him and methodically torturing him. The cat-and-mouse game takes several violent turns and accumulates plenty of collateral damage before reaching the film’s emotionally brutal ending. I Saw the Devil takes a strong stomach to get through, but it is one of the most compelling thrillers of the 2010s for those with a stern constitution.
‘Irreversible’ (2002)
Gaspar Noé is a true provocateur. Films like Into the Void, Love and Climax push the boundaries of good taste with their explicit violent and sexual content, but it’s his 2002 rape and revenge thriller Irreversible that is his most intense effort. Structured in reverse, the film gives us all its violence up front before any context or character development, which arguably makes it all the harder to watch as we become acquainted with the interior lives of its characters. It’s not a film that can be reasonably recommended, but it is uniquely unnerving and unabashed in its exploration of cycles of violence.
Vincent Cassel and Monica Bellucci play Marcus and Alex, a young couple living in Paris. When we first meet them, Marcus is descending into a sex club intent on violence, which is unleashed on a man’s head with a fire extinguisher, and Alex is subjected to an absolutely horrendous sexual assault in an underground tunnel. The unpleasantness is right up front in Irreversible, which makes its final act conversely softer in comparison to the majority of thrillers. That does not negate the violence that occurs in the first act, which will linger with anyone who watches the movie. Irreversible is, if nothing else, intense, but it’s up to the individual viewer willing to subject themselves to it whether that intensity is in service of anything more than exploitative brutality.
Sydney Sweeney‘s risqué character Cassie defended her sex work on Euphoria after several graphic scenes.
During the Sunday, May 17, episode of the hit HBO show, Cassie got her big break on a movie set but it didn’t take long for her job on OnlyFans to come up. Lexi (Maude Apatow) specifically threw shade at her sister for filming herself topless, engaged in sexual situations and even getting paid extra for “jerk off instructions.”
“I am not a sex worker,” Cassie said before clarifying her job, “I’m a performer. That uses my body to tell stories.”
Cassie was ultimately able to book the role, which evolved into a larger opportunity. But that meant deleting her OnlyFans account — and that wasn’t as easy for Cassie. She tried to get advice from husband Nate (Jacob Elordi) but he was too busy trying to come up with the money to pay off his debt. It didn’t work and Cassie received Nate’s finger in the mail.
Sydney Sweeney has been candid about what goes into stripping down for nude scenes in Euphoria and other projects. After Euphoria premiered in 2019, Sweeney, who plays Cassie, opened up about the downsides of being naked on screen. “I don’t think as many people took me seriously in Euphoria because I took my shirt off,” […]
Cassie’s arc in season 3 has received criticism after some OnlyFans creators weren’t thrilled with how their line of work was portrayed on screen. Creator Sam Levinson, however, defended the decision to push boundaries.
“[Cassie] has got her dog house and her little dog ears and the nose, and that has its own humor,” Levinson explained to The Hollywood Reporter in April. “But what makes the scene is the fact that her housekeeper is the one filming it.”
He continued: “What we wanted to always find is the other layer of absurdity that we’re able to tie into it so that we’re not too inside of her fantasy or illusion. The gag is to jump out, to break the wall.”
Levinson broke down how he and director of photography Marcell Rév brought the scenes to life.
Euphoria fans have watched the cast change on and off screen since the series first debuted. Based on the Israeli series of the same name, Euphoria follows troubled high school student Rue (Zendaya) as she struggled to remain sober after rehab. The series also explores topics including mental illness, toxic relationships, sexuality and more. After […]
“An obvious choice would’ve been something modern and very plain and fancy, but we ended up choosing this mid-century home, which is a little tacky, but also stuck in the ‘70s,” Rév explained. “It’s probably a strange choice, but also it gives us possibilities. OnlyFans has its own aesthetic and how you elevate that aesthetic to the show’s aesthetic is a challenge. I’m not going to lie.”
Despite the backlash, Levinson stood by his vision.
“Some of these scenes we only lit with these ring lights that she would use. When you’re inside, it’s a beautiful, glowing front light, but then you jump out of it and it’s just a pool of light and everything surrounding it is dark. It’s just gnarly and jarring,” he added. “We wanted to capture what she’s trying to show the audience and be inside of it. But then also pull back wider and see how depressing it is.”
Euphoria airs on HBO Sundays at 9 p.m. ET.
Lauren Alaina is reminding all music fans that it’s OK to not be OK.
During the 2026 Academy of Country Music Awards on Sunday, May 17, Alaina, 31, chose to bring attention to Mental Health Awareness Month before inviting Dan + Shay to the stage.
“Sometimes, lifting lives can mean saving lives. May is Mental Health Awareness Month and an important time to say if you are secretly suffering, you are not alone,” Alaina shared with the audience inside the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. “Like too many of you out there, I know what it’s like to lose someone who struggled with their mental health, so to anybody out there tonight suffering, please know there is always someone to listen and someone to help. Just please, please reach out.”
Alaina couldn’t hide her emotions as tears began streaming down her face.
Country music’s biggest stars delivered a fashion moment worth singing about even before the trophies were handed out at the 61st Academy of Country Music Awards. Thank You! You have successfully subscribed. Subscribe to newsletters Enter your email Please enter a valid email. Subscribe By signing up, I agree to the Terms and Privacy Policy […]
After telling herself, “Oh, man, OK, I’m doing a great job,” she took a deep breath and began sharing why Dan + Shay’s new song “Say So” is so meaningful.
“Two friends of mine, Dan + Shay, whose powerful new song ‘Say So’ was inspired by a heartbreaking loss in our country music family,” she said. “When I first heard it, [I knew] this song is going to save lives.”
According to Dan Smyers and Shay Mooney, their song was inspired by their close friend and mentor, Ben Vaughn, who died by suicide in January 2025 at the age of 49.
“If your light burns out and you’re in the dark / If you can’t pick up the pieces / If the world you trusted falls apart / If your heart’s run out of reasons / I’ll be there every time you call,” the duo sings in the song’s chorus. “Pick you up every time you fall / If you’rе going through hell, you’re not alone / If you need somеbody, say so.”
The performance was part of ACM Lifting Lives, which Alaina described as the philanthropy partner of the Academy of Country Music.
“It’s dedicated to improving lives through the power of music,” she said.
Alaina has been open about her own mental health struggles. The former American Idol contestant said she experienced depression at the start of the coronavirus pandemic. She later documented her experience on her album Sitting Pretty on Top of the World.
The 2026 ACM Awards are streaming on Prime Video.
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org.
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