Whether he’s anchoring massive billion-dollar franchises or dominating recent prestige cinema—like his scene-stealing work in Derek Cianfrance’s late-2025 true-crime hit Roofman—Dinklage treats every character with the same uncompromising complexity. He proved to the world that a leading man is defined by his gravitas, not his height.

To honor his birthday today, we are counting down his 10 greatest and most outstanding on-screen roles.

1. Tyrion Lannister in Game of Thrones (2011–2019)

There was never any doubt about the crown jewel of Dinklage’s career. When George R.R. Martin and HBO were developing the fantasy epic, Dinklage was the only actor considered for the role of Tyrion Lannister—and he completely reinvented the modern television antihero. For eight seasons, Tyrion was the literal conscience and intellectual heartbeat of Westeros. Dinklage balanced the character’s hedonistic defense mechanisms with a deep, crushing sorrow, culminating in his iconic, vein-popping courtroom monologue in season four. The performance earned him a historic, record-breaking four Primetime Emmy Awards and propelled him into the global A-list stratosphere.

2. Finbar McBride in The Station Agent (2003)

Before the dragons and the iron thrones, there was Thomas McCarthy’s quiet independent masterpiece The Station Agent. This is the film that officially put Dinklage on the map as a serious dramatic leading man. Playing Finbar, a deeply reclusive man who inherits an abandoned rural train depot seeking absolute isolation, Dinklage delivered a performance of astonishing, quiet restraint. He carried the film on subtext, subtle glances, and a heavy, internalized grief, proving that his screen presence could hold an entire movie together without a single explosion.

3. Cyrano de Bergerac in Cyrano (2021)

Joe Wright’s lush, musical reimagining of the classic French tale allowed Dinklage to execute the ultimate romantic leading-man showcase. Stepping away from the traditional prosthetic nose archetype, the film repositioned Cyrano’s romantic insecurities around his height. Dinklage, performing his own vocals, brought an heartbreaking, swashbuckling vulnerability to the character. His performance was a beautiful, poetic reminder that he possesses the sweeping, classic romantic energy of cinema’s old-school greats.

4. Miles Finch in Elf (2003)

It takes a monumental level of screen presence to walk into a Christmas movie, share a scene with a manic Will Ferrell dressed as a giant elf, and completely command the entire room. Playing Miles Finch, a hyper-successful, short-tempered, and fiercely professional children’s book author, Dinklage was a masterclass in comedic intimidation. By refusing to let his character be treated as a visual punchline, he turned a brief cameo into one of the most quotable, culturally enduring highlights of the entire holiday genre.

5. Casca Highbottom in The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes (2023)

Dinklage brought a cold, ghost-like sophistication to the massive dystopian prequel as Dean Casca Highbottom, the opium-addled, regret-filled architect of the brutal Hunger Games. Draped in academic robes and delivering his lines with a slow, venomous drawl, Dinklage served as the critical moral anchor of the film. His intellectual chess match opposite Tom Blyth’s young Coriolanus Snow provided the blockbuster with its most compelling, slow-burning dramatic tension.

6. Bolivar Trask in X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014)

When Bryan Singer needed a primary antagonist for his massive, time-bending mutant blockbuster, he didn’t look for a giant, muscle-bound comic book villain. Instead, he hired Dinklage to play military scientist Bolivar Trask. Dinklage portrayed Trask not as a mustache-twirling psychopath, but as a deeply rational, cold, and highly articulate corporate executive who genuinely believes he is saving humanity. It was a grounded, terrifyingly realistic approach to a sci-fi villain that highlighted his ability to class up massive studio spectacles.

7. Roman Lunyov in I Care a Lot (2020)

J Blakeson’s slick, pitch-black satirical thriller pitted Dinklage against a fiercely formidable Rosamund Pike, and the resulting corporate-mafia warfare was pure entertainment. Playing Roman Lunyov, a dangerous Russian mob boss with a penchant for high-end pastries and an unyielding devotion to his institutionalized mother, Dinklage was delightfully menacing. He masterfully subverted traditional mob tropes, infusing the criminal underworld with an air of refined, eccentric corporate calculation.

8. James in Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (2017)

Martin McDonagh’s blistering, Oscar-winning dark drama features one of Dinklage’s most vulnerable and quietly tragic supporting performances. Playing James, the local pool shark who harbors a deep, unrequited crush on Frances McDormand’s hardened protagonist, Dinklage provided the incredibly intense, violent film with a vital, deeply human sense of empathy. The dinner scene where his character calls out McDormand for treating him with casual condescension is a brief, heartbreaking masterclass in emotional exposure.

9. Eitri the Dwarf King in Avengers: Infinity War (2018)

In one of the most brilliant, meta-textual casting choices in Marvel Cinematic Universe history, the Russos cast the 4-foot-5 Dinklage as Eitri, the King of the Dwarves—who happens to stand at a towering eleven feet tall. Left isolated on the ruined star-forge of Nidavellir, Dinklage brought a mythic, booming, and Shakespearean grief to the giant blacksmith who forged Thor’s Stormbreaker axe. It remains a visually spectacular, highly memorable contribution to the highest-grossing cinematic event of the decade.

10. Peter in Death at a Funeral (2007)

Frank Oz’s frantic, ensemble British farce proved that Dinklage possessed elite-tier dark comedic timing. Playing Peter, a mysterious secret lover who arrives at a chaotic family funeral demanding blackmail money, Dinklage was the ultimate narrative wrench thrown into the gears of propriety. His deadpan delivery amidst escalating slapstick absurdity—including a legendary accidental drug overdose sequence—was so universally praised that he was the only actor brought back to repeat his role in the 2010 American remake.

While these days Holt dominates the digital landscape as a highly successful lifestyle entrepreneur, mother of three, and relatable internet favorite, her acting resume contains some of the most nostalgic and culturally dominant television milestones of the 21st century. Whether you first met her as a teenage mermaid or a thousand-year-old Original vampire, there is no denying her screen presence.

To honor her birthday today, we are diving into the archives to rank the 5 most recognized, celebrated, and definitive roles of Claire Holt’s career.

1. Rebekah Mikaelson in The Vampire Diaries & The Originals

There was never any question about the top spot. In 2011, Holt walked onto the set of The CW’s flagship supernatural drama The Vampire Diaries as Rebekah Mikaelson, the fiercely protective, deeply insecure, and brutally lethal Original vampire. What was initially intended to be a brief guest arc turned into a decade-long franchise-defining performance.

Holt infused a thousand-year-old monster with a desperate, heartbreaking desire to simply be human and be loved. Her chemistry with her on-screen brothers (Joseph Morgan and Daniel Gillies) was so electric that it launched the massively successful spinoff The Originals, running for five seasons and cementing Rebekah as an immortal icon of modern fantasy television.

2. Emma Gilbert in H2O: Just Add Water (2006–2008)

Before she was terrorizing Mystic Falls, Holt was fueling the childhood nostalgia of an entire generation of millennial and Gen-Z viewers. Alongside real-life best friend Phoebe Tonkin and Cariba Heine, Holt starred in the Australian smash-hit teen fantasy H2O: Just Add Water. Playing Emma Gilbert, the hyper-organized, athletic voice of reason who accidentally transforms into a mermaid with the power to freeze water, Holt became an overnight international star. The show was syndicated in over 120 countries, creating a massive foundational fanbase that followed her to Hollywood.

3. Lisa in 47 Meters Down (2017)

In 2017, Holt took a massive bite out of the Hollywood box office by headlining the intense, claustrophobic survival horror hit 47 Meters Down. Starring opposite Mandy Moore, Holt played Lisa, a vacationing sister trapped in a shark cage that snaps and plunges to the ocean floor. The film was a massive commercial triumph, raking in over $62 million on a modest $5 million budget. Holt carried the grueling, physically demanding underwater performance with a raw, breathless terror that kept audiences white-knuckled from start to finish.

4. Officer Charmain Tully in Aquarius (2015–2016)

For fans who only associated her with teenage genre programming, NBC’s gritty, 1960s historical crime drama Aquarius served as a sharp reminder of Holt’s serious dramatic range. Sharing the screen with David Duchovny, Holt portrayed Charmain Tully, a pioneering female police officer fighting rampant, systemic sexism within the LAPD while trying to infiltrate Charles Manson’s notorious cult. Holt’s nuanced performance was widely praised by critics, showcasing her ability to thrive in prestige network procedurals.

5. Samara Cook in Pretty Little Liars (2011)

Though her time in Rosewood was brief, Holt’s recurring guest run in the second season of Pretty Little Liars left a lasting impression on the fandom. Playing Samara Cook, an articulate, proud, and fiercely supportive LGBTQ+ student who becomes a romantic interest for Emily Fields (Shay Mitchell), Holt brought a grounded, drama-free maturity to a notoriously chaotic show. Her appearance remains a celebrated, comforting chapter in the series’ massive history.

Today, June 11, 2026, LaBeouf officially hits a major milestone: his 40th birthday.

Lately, he has been keeping film lovers talking via the recent, chaotic behind-the-scenes documentary Megadoc, which detailed his infamously explosive, boundary-pushing creative clashes with Francis Ford Coppola on the set of Megalopolis. But whether he’s pulling out his own teeth for a role or beefing with cinematic legends, LaBeouf’s underlying, raw emotional frequency on screen is entirely undeniable.

To honor his 40th today, we are charting his wild artistic evolution by counting down the 10 greatest and most definitive roles of his career.

1. James Lort in Honey Boy (2019)

There is method acting, and then there is exorcising your deepest psychological demons on a movie set. Written by LaBeouf during a court-mandated rehab stint, this searingly personal, semi-autobiographical drama saw Shia take on the profoundly uncomfortable task of playing his own abusive, alcoholic, former-rodeo-clown father. It is a terrifyingly raw, deeply empathetic tour-de-force that strips away all ego, offering an unfiltered look at generational trauma and parental failure. It remains the absolute crown jewel of his artistic legacy.

2. Tyler in The Peanut Butter Falcon (2019)

In total contrast to the emotional violence of Honey Boy, this modern, Mark Twain-esque indie adventure allowed LaBeouf to showcase his immense capacity for warmth, gentleness, and quiet humanity. Playing Tyler, a grief-stricken, drifting thief who strikes up an unlikely partnership with a young man with Down syndrome (Zack Gottsagen), LaBeouf delivered a performance of sublime, naturalistic restraint. His real-life, protective chemistry with Gottsagen radiates through every frame, anchoring one of the most universally beloved feel-good movies of the decade.

3. Boyd “Bible” Swan in Fury (2014)

David Ayer’s brutal World War II tank drama is where LaBeouf’s legendary, intense commitment to the craft famously went into overdrive. To play the hyper-religious, battle-hardened gunner “Bible” Swan, LaBeouf reportedly refused to shower for weeks, cut his own face, and had a tooth removed. On screen, that manic dedication translates into a mesmerizingly intense, ghost-like performance. Sitting inside that metal tank alongside Brad Pitt, LaBeouf commands the screen through a heavy, thousand-yard stare that perfectly captures the psychological rot of combat.

4. Sam Witwicky in Transformers (2007)

It is easy to minimize Michael Bay blockbusters, but anchoring a multi-billion-dollar franchise while acting opposite giant, nonexistent CGI robots requires an elite level of physical comedy and expressive imagination. As the fast-talking, hyper-anxious teenager Sam Witwicky, LaBeouf’s manic, lightning-fast vocal delivery and genuine panic turned a ridiculous concept into an instant global phenomenon. He gave the explosive spectacle its essential, highly relatable human heartbeat.

5. Stanley “Caveman” Yelnats IV in Holes (2003)

This flawless Disney adaptation served as the vital bridge that allowed LaBeouf to break free from television syndication and enter the cinematic mainstream. Playing the wrongfully accused, cursed teenager digging holes in the desert of Camp Green Lake, LaBeouf carried the entire weight of a complex, multi-generational mystery on his adolescent shoulders. His understated, quiet resilience instantly signaled to the industry that he possessed the dramatic gravity of a future leading man.

6. Kale Brecht in Disturbia (2007)

Before Transformers officially launched him into space, D.J. Caruso’s slick, contemporary update of Hitchcock’s Rear Window solidified LaBeouf as a premier box-office draw. Playing a grieving, frustrated teenager placed under house arrest who begins to suspect his neighbor is a serial killer, LaBeouf effortlessly balanced adolescent boredom, romantic charm, and absolute, skin-crawling terror. It is a highly entertaining masterclass in building tension through confined spaces.

7. Louis Stevens in Even Stevens (2000–2003)

You cannot fully appreciate the actor Shia LaBeouf became without honoring the foundational comedic genius of Louis Stevens. At just fourteen years old, LaBeouf possessed a level of physical comedy, rapid-fire timing, and expressive facial elasticity that rivaled Jim Carrey. Winning a Daytime Emmy in 2003 for the series, his performance as the chaotic, scheme-heavy younger brother remains a defining, nostalgic touchstone for an entire generation of viewers.

8. Jack Bondurant in Lawless (2012)

John Hillcoat’s gritty, Depression-era gangster epic pitted LaBeouf against a formidable ensemble of heavyweight actors, including Tom Hardy and Gary Oldman. Playing Jack, the youngest of the bootlegging Bondurant brothers, LaBeouf excelled at portraying a reckless, ambitious young man desperate to outrun his own cowardice. His physical transformation and slow descent into the cold, violent realities of the criminal underworld provided the film with its most compelling character arc.

9. Francis Ouimet in The Greatest Game Ever Played (2005)

Directed by Bill Paxton, this sweeping biographical sports drama handed a nineteen-year-old LaBeouf his very first traditional, adult dramatic leading role. Playing the real-life, lower-class caddy who shocked the sports world by winning the 1913 U.S. Open, LaBeouf shed his usual spastic, high-energy tics. Instead, he delivered a remarkably disciplined, stoic, and quietly intense performance that captured the suffocating pressure of class warfare and athletic isolation.

10. Young Dito Montiel in A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints (2006)

Long before he was making blockbusters, LaBeouf proved his gritty indie credentials in this raw, sweeping coming-of-age memoir film. Playing the younger version of author-director Dito Montiel in a fractured, violent 1980s Astoria, Queens, LaBeouf delivered an explosive, live-wire performance. Sharing scenes with a young Channing Tatum, his portrayal of a boy suffocating under the weight of neighborhood loyalty and familial guilt is a beautifully frantic look at his early dramatic capabilities.

Produced in creative partnership with Balich Wonder Studio, the stadium-shaking opening ceremony beautifully re-engineered the stadium into a living, breathing carnival of folklore, indigenous artistry, and ultra-modern pop choreography.

If you missed the dazzling pre-match broadcast, we have you covered. Here is the definitive breakdown of the specific setlist and stellar tracks that just set the world on fire at the Azteca.

1. MANÁ — “Oye mi amor” (1992)

There is no better way to command a stadium of over 80,000 screaming fans than by tapping into the literal bedrock of Mexican rock history. The legendary MANÁ kicked off the musical ceremonies by blasting into their immortal 1992 anthem, “Oye mi amor.” Fusing Fher Olvera’s iconic, soaring vocals with that instantly recognizable synthesized pan-flute hook, the performance was a massive, cross-generational singalong that immediately set a high-octane, emotional baseline for the stadium.

2. Danny Ocean

Riding the wave of rock nostalgia, Venezuelan urban-pop hitmaker Danny Ocean smoothly took over the center stage layout. Bringing his signature, laid-back Caribbean swagger and slick contemporary rhythms, Ocean provided the perfect bridge from old-school stadium anthems to the modern global streaming era. His smooth vocal delivery kept the energy infectious and flowing as hundreds of dancers filled the pitch.

3. Belinda y Los Ángeles Azules — “Por ella”

If you wanted a moment that perfectly encapsulated the vibrant, pulsing core of Mexican musical identity, this was it. Pop princess Belinda joined forces with the legendary kings of Iztapalapa, Los Ángeles Azules, for a dazzling live rendition of “Por ella.” Blending traditional accordion-heavy cumbia instrumentation with sleek, modern electronic pop beats, the collaboration transformed the grass field into the world’s largest dance floor.

4. J Balvin

Colombia’s global ambassador, J Balvin, turned the football cathedral into an absolute global club, executing a rapid-fire, multi-song takeover that proved exactly why he remains a premier festival headliner.

• “Qué Calor” (with Ryan Castro): Balvin brought out fellow paisa innovator Ryan Castro for a blistering, bass-heavy performance of “Qué Calor.” Complete with massive pyrotechnics and traditional dance arrangements remixed with hard-hitting dembow, the performance was pure adrenaline.
• “I Like It” (“Like It”): Keeping the momentum at a fever pitch, Balvin transitioned directly into his massive, brass-heavy global crossover anthem. The stadium practically shook as the horn samples echoed through the rafters, providing the perfect soundtrack for the colorful flag ceremony.

5. Shakira + Burna Boy — “Dai Dai”

The absolute crown jewel of the afternoon arrived when the Queen of the World Cup herself took the stage. Shakira, making her historic return to the tournament’s opening ceremonies, united with Nigerian Afrobeats titan Burna Boy for the exclusive global live debut of “Dai Dai.” Serving as the official anthem of the FIFA World Cup 2026™—in active support of the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund—the track is a staggering fusion of Afro-Colombian percussion and modern African rhythms. Watching the duo command the center circle with a massive troupe of global dancers was a chill-inducing moment of pure, cross-continental unity, officially crowning the ceremony before the players ever walked out of the tunnel.

The tournament officially gets underway in Mexico City, launching an unprecedented trilogy of opening ceremonies across North America. Headlining the spectacular curtain-raiser at the Estadio Azteca is none other than the High Priestess of Football herself: Shakira.

Alongside Nigerian sensation Burna Boy, the Colombian superstar is taking the stage today to debut “Dai Dai,” the official anthem of the 2026 tournament. In a beautiful twist of cosmic irony, today’s opening match features a face-off between Mexico and South Africa—a direct throwback to the 2010 opening match that birthed Shakira’s most legendary World Cup chapter.

To mark the kickoff of the 2026 games, let’s chart the extraordinary, four-act history of how Shakira became the undisputed, eternal Queen of the World Cup.

Act I: The Berlin Breakthrough (Germany, 2006)

Shakira’s love affair with the beautiful game didn’t start with an official anthem; it started with a hostile takeover of a closing ceremony. In the summer of 2006, her global smash hit “Hips Don’t Lie” was dominating the radio waves. Recognizing a cultural phenomenon, FIFA brought her to Berlin ahead of the Italy vs. France final to perform a specially commissioned “Bamboo Remix” of the track.

Draped in a flowing red skirt and flanked by a stadium full of dancers, Shakira injected a heavy dose of rhythmic, cross-cultural energy into a historically rigid ceremony. The performance proved to executives that pop music and international soccer were a match made in heaven, forever shifting how the tournament approached its musical entertainment.

Act II: The Gold Standard of Anthems (South Africa, 2010)

If 2006 was an introduction, 2010 was the coronation. Tasked with creating the official song for the first-ever World Cup held on African soil, Shakira collaborated with South African band Freshlyground to deliver “Waka Waka (This Time for Africa).” The track didn’t just succeed; it became a permanent cultural monument. Driven by an infectious Afro-Colombian rhythm and a celebratory, stadium-shaking choreography, the song topped the charts in dozens of countries and its music video went on to log billions of views. Sixteen years later, it remains the gold standard against which every single sports anthem is measured.

Act III: The Rio Hijacking (Brazil, 2014)

By the time the 2014 tournament rolled around in Brazil, FIFA opted to go in a different direction for its official anthem, selecting a track by Pitbull and Jennifer Lopez. The internet, however, had other plans.

Sensing that the fans wanted that distinct Shakira flavor, she released “La La La (Brazil 2014)”—a reworked version of her track “Dare”—featuring Brazilian musician Carlinhos Brown. The music video, which featured cameos from global soccer royalty like Lionel Messi and Neymar Jr., completely eclipsed the tournament’s official song in views and popularity. Yielding to public demand, FIFA brought her back to headline the Closing Ceremony at the Maracanã Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, completing her World Cup performance trilogy.

Act IV: The Ultimate Crown (North America, 2026)

After sitting out the tournaments in Russia and Qatar, Shakira has made her triumphant return today for the 2026 expansion, and she is claiming more real estate than ever before.

Her performance of “Dai Dai” at the Estadio Azteca today is just the opening salvo of her 2026 reign. In an unprecedented move, FIFA has announced that the July 19 Final at the New York New Jersey Stadium will feature a massive, Super Bowl-style halftime show—and Shakira is locked in to co-headline the historic broadcast alongside pop royalty Madonna and K-pop icons BTS. Proceeds from the performance are actively funding the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, proving her legacy extends far beyond pure pop spectacle.

June 11 is not just an ordinary day on the calendar; it is the holy grail of cinematic milestones. By an almost unbelievable twist of distribution scheduling, today marks the twin anniversaries of two of the most influential, highest-grossing, and beloved movies ever projected onto a silver screen: Steven Spielberg’s E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (released 44 years ago today, in 1982) and Jurassic Park (released 33 years ago today, in 1993).

Think about the sheer creative flex required for one director to own a single calendar date with two generational masterpieces. What makes the coincidence even more poetic is their historical box-office relationship: E.T. shattered records to become the highest-grossing film of all time in 1982, holding onto that crown for eleven years until it was finally dethroned in 1993 by… Spielberg’s own Jurassic Park.

To celebrate this legendary double feature, we are breaking down how both films changed the DNA of movies forever.

44 Years Ago: ‘E.T.’ and the Birth of Modern Cinematic Empathy

Before the summer of 1982, science fiction cinema had spent decades treating alien visitation as a looming, cold-war metaphor for global destruction. Aliens were supposed to blow up the White House or abduct citizens in rural towns.

Spielberg turned that entire paradigm inside out by scaling the cosmic down to the suburban. Written by Melissa Mathison, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial traded weaponized spaceships for a glowing finger, a Speak & Spell, a basket of Reese’s Pieces, and a lonely boy named Elliott navigating his parents’ divorce.

Why It Changed Movies

• The Magic of Puppetry: Built by special effects wizard Carlo Rambaldi for just $1.5 million, the animatronic and puppet versions of E.T. were marvels of emotional expression. Spielberg shot the entire film from a child’s eye level, forcing adults into the background and making the audience form an intense, immediate, and tear-filled empathetic bond with a wrinkled brown animatronic creature.
• The Power of the Amblin Aesthetic: E.T. solidified what the world now recognizes as the “Amblin style”—suburban kids on bicycles facing supernatural wonders, a visual shorthand that modern pop culture hits like Stranger Things are still mimicking decades later.

“Phone home.” — A two-word piece of dialogue that reduced global audiences to tears and transformed a puppet into an immortal icon.

33 Years Ago: ‘Jurassic Park’ and the Dawn of the Digital Era

Exactly eleven years after Elliott and E.T. flew past the moon, Spielberg returned to June 11 to unleash an entirely different kind of prehistoric magic. If E.T. proved Hollywood had a heart, Jurassic Park proved it had the technology to build the future.

Jurassic Park represents the literal boundary line between traditional, old-school filmmaking and the modern digital age. Before 1993, putting full-scale, fast-moving dinosaurs on screen was deemed an impossibility. Spielberg’s team at Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) changed that by rendering a fully digital Brachiosaurus and a Tyrannosaurus Rex, dragging cinema out of the stop-motion era and birthing the modern CGI revolution.

Why It Changed Movies

• The Formula of Restraint: Despite its massive reputation as a digital pioneer, the 127-minute film features only 14 minutes of actual dinosaur footage. Only six minutes of that footage utilized CGI. By perfectly blending Stan Winston’s massive, hyper-realistic physical animatronics with ILM’s computer graphics, Spielberg created a tangible reality that modern blockbusters frequently fail to replicate.
• The Audio Revolution: Spielberg used the film to launch DTS (Digital Theater Systems) sound, storing high-definition audio on separate CD-ROM discs synchronized to the projector. It fundamentally upgraded the acoustic experience of movie theaters worldwide, making the T-Rex roar a literal, chest-thumping reality.

One Director, One Date, Total Immortality

It is easy to get lost in the metrics of budgets, box office numbers, and technological breakthroughs, but the true magic of June 11 belongs entirely to Steven Spielberg’s understanding of human wonder.

Whether it is a young boy looking up at a spaceship ascending into the starry night sky, or a paleontologist falling to his knees as a prehistoric giant walks past, Spielberg mastered the art of capturing the collective imagination of humanity. Forty-four years later, thirty-three years later, and long into the future, the world will still be looking up at the screen on June 11 in absolute, breathless awe.

Laurie’s cultural footprint is as massive as ever. Earlier this year, he sent shockwaves through the streaming world by making a top-secret, resurrected return as the villainous Richard Roper in the long-awaited season finale of The Night Manager Season 2. And just yesterday, the BBC and MGM+ announced he is jumping right back into the spy game, joining Matthew Macfadyen in the star-studded John le Carré thriller Legacy of Spies as the commanding, morally gray director “Control.”

To celebrate his birthday today, we are charting the absolute apex of his chameleonic career by ranking his 10 most outstanding and memorable roles.

1. Dr. Gregory House in House (2004–2012)

There was never any doubt about the top spot. When the pilot for House was casting, executive producer Bryan Singer famously demanded a “quintessential American actor,” entirely unaware that Laurie’s flawless, gravelly New Jersey accent belonged to a Cambridge-educated Brit. For eight seasons and 177 episodes, Laurie completely reinvented the network antihero. His performance as the limping, Vicodin-addicted diagnostic genius paired a brutal, misanthropic wit with an underlying, devastating emotional vulnerability. The role earned him two Golden Globes, six Emmy nominations, and a permanent spot in the television hall of fame.

2. Richard Onslow Roper in The Night Manager (2016, 2026)

John le Carré famously described Richard Roper as “the worst man in the world,” and Laurie stepped into those tailored linen suits with a chilling, terrifying charisma. Playing a multi-billionaire arms dealer hiding monstrous atrocities beneath a veneer of aristocratic charm, Laurie commanded every single frame opposite Tom Hiddleston. The performance originally won him a Golden Globe in 2017, but his legacy with the character reached new heights just months ago in early 2026, when his shocking, unannounced resurrection in Season 2 completely blew up the internet and set the stage for the upcoming Season 3.

3. Bertie Wooster in Jeeves and Wooster (1990–1993)

Before he was fixing rare medical anomalies, Laurie was giving a masterclass in classic British literature adaptation alongside his real-life best friend and comedic soulmate, Stephen Fry. As P.G. Wodehouse’s famously dim-witted, wealthy young bachelor Bertie Wooster, Laurie was an absolute joy to watch. His performance was an incredible display of physical elasticity, vocal squeaks, and brilliant piano-playing routines, anchored by Fry’s dry, long-suffering valet, Jeeves.

4. George, Prince Regent / Lieutenant George in Blackadder (1987–1989)

Joining Rowan Atkinson’s legendary historical sitcom for its third and fourth seasons, Laurie injected the series with a lightning bolt of manic energy. Whether he was playing the dense, powdered-wig-wearing Prince George in Blackadder the Third or the blindingly optimistic, doomed Lieutenant George in the trenches of World War I in Blackadder Goes Forth, Laurie mastered the art of playing an elite-class idiot.

5. Senator Tom James in Veep (2015–2019)

Armando Iannucci’s political satire handed Laurie a brilliant arena to show off his sharpest, most cynical comedic timing. Entering the series as Senator Tom James—the charming, seemingly normal politician selected to be Selina Meyer’s (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) running mate—Laurie was an absolute revelation. He beautifully peeling back the character’s smooth, folksy exterior to reveal a calculated, ruthless, and power-hungry political operative who could trade verbal daggers with the best of the West Wing.

6. Various Roles in A Bit of Fry & Laurie (1989–1995)

This foundational BBC sketch comedy series represents the raw, unfiltered DNA of Laurie’s creative genius. Writing and starring alongside Stephen Fry, the show was an eccentric playground of wordplay, political satire, and musical numbers. It remains a stunning archive of Laurie’s multi-instrumental talents, frequently jumping from absurd vox-pop characters to belting out hilariously biting, satirical protest songs on an acoustic guitar.

7. Captain Ryan Clark in Avenue 5 (2020–2022)

Reuniting with the Veep creative team, Laurie took the helm of a luxury space cruise ship that gets knocked off course, turning a brief vacation into a multi-year cosmic nightmare. Playing Captain Ryan Clark, Laurie delivered a brilliant, frantic look at a complete fraud: a man hired purely for his deep, reassuring American voice and handsome looks who actually has zero knowledge of how to operate a spacecraft. Watching Laurie’s suave exterior slowly crack into absolute, hyperventilating panic as the cruise fell into chaos was a comedic highlight of the streaming era.

8. Mr. Frederick Little in Stuart Little (1999)

For millions of millennials and Gen-Z viewers, Hugh Laurie wasn’t an intimidating television doctor or a bumbling British aristocrat—he was simply the ultimate, gentlest cinematic father. Playing Mr. Frederick Little in the beloved live-action/CGI family classic, Laurie brought a pure, earnest, and deeply comforting warmth to a father who opens his home and heart to a talking white mouse.

9. Dr. Eldon Chance in Chance (2016–2017)

Following the monolithic success of House, Laurie actively avoided standard copycat medical dramas, choosing instead to dive into the shadows of this highly atmospheric, neo-noir Hulu thriller. Playing a San Francisco-based forensic neuropsychiatrist who gets dragged into a dangerous underworld of police corruption, domestic abuse, and vigilantism, Laurie stripped away his usual theatrical wit. Instead, he delivered a remarkably quiet, tense, and slow-burning performance centered on moral compromise.

10. Major de Coverley in Catch-22 (2019)

In George Clooney’s sleek, star-studded Hulu miniseries adaptation of Joseph Heller’s classic satirical war novel, Laurie occupied a brief but utterly unforgettable supporting footprint. Playing Major de Coverley—a mythic, deeply intimidating executive officer who spends his time playing horseshoes, renting apartments for officers in conquered cities, and completely ignoring the bureaucratic nightmare of World War II—Laurie commanded his scenes with a hilarious, detached, and terrifying stoic authority.

From Punk-Rock Rebel to Theatrical Grace

Long before she was synonymous with high-society glamour and red-carpet royalty, Hurley’s roots were planted firmly in the avant-garde. Growing up in Hampshire, England, she initially trained as a professional ballet dancer before trading the leotard for the safety pins, pink hair, and heavy leather jackets of the late-1970s punk-rock scene.

This early immersion in counter-culture gave Hurley an invaluable edge: a complete lack of reverence for traditional Hollywood expectations. When she officially transitioned into acting in the late 1980s, she brought with her a sharp, defensive wit and a distinct fearlessness that allowed her to navigate the grueling early days of the studio system without losing her core identity to the Hollywood machine.

The 29-Year-Old Rookie: Shattering the Modeling Mold

One of the most extraordinary, frequently overlooked chapters of Hurley’s career is her entry into the high-fashion modeling world. In an industry that historically deemed women over the age of 23 as “past their prime,” Hurley completely shattered the glass ceiling by landing her first-ever major modeling contract at the age of 29.

Signing as the global face of cosmetics giant Estée Lauder in 1995 with zero prior modeling experience on her resume wasn’t just a win—it was an absolute anomaly.

That historic corporate partnership didn’t just launch her face onto billboards across the globe; it laid the foundation for an unprecedented, three-decade-long cosmetic relationship that has defined her public profile well into 2026.

The Executive Suite: Simian Films and Swimwear Empires

Hurley recognized early on that true longevity in Hollywood requires seizing the means of production. Instead of waiting for scripts to find her, she stepped into the executive suite, co-founding Simian Films in the mid-1990s. As a hands-on producer, she steered major studio features like the medical thriller Extreme Measures and the mob comedy Mickey Blue Eyes, establishing herself as a formidable force behind the camera long before female-led production companies were a normalized industry trend.

In 2005, she diversified her portfolio yet again by launching Elizabeth Hurley Beach, a luxury swimwear collective. Operating as the active CEO, head designer, and primary fit-model for the brand, Hurley turned an independent fashion venture into a thriving global e-commerce powerhouse that continues to dominate the resort-wear market by focusing on empowering women of all ages to feel fabulous.

A Legacy Written in Pink: The Philanthropic Crusade

While her business savvy and cinematic chapters are formidable, Hurley’s most enduring legacy is written in pink. For over three decades, she has served as the tireless, global ambassador for the Estée Lauder Breast Cancer Campaign, traveling the world to raise awareness, destigmatize the disease, and fund life-saving medical research.

Her philanthropic crusade has helped raise tens of millions of dollars globally, transforming her from a red-carpet magnet into an international humanitarian force. For Hurley, the work is deeply personal, driven by the loss of her own grandmother to the disease, and it remains her most fiercely protected priority outside of her family.

As she navigates the modern landscape of 2026, Hurley’s cultural footprint is defined by absolute, unapologetic autonomy.

But nobody was actually looking at the box office receipts. They were talking about the thermonuclear screen chemistry between its two lead mega-stars: Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie.

Today marks the 21st anniversary of the film’s theatrical release. Looking back from 2026, the legacy of Mr. & Mrs. Smith has evolved from a simple popcorn blockbuster into the catalyst for a decades-long family drama that is, remarkably, still dropping bombshells in real-time.

The Spark of 2005: A Box Office Obsession

When production on Mr. & Mrs. Smith began in 2004, Brad Pitt was still heavily married to America’s sweetheart, Jennifer Aniston. However, the moment paparazzi photos from the set began leaking to the press, rumors of an intense, off-screen affair between Pitt and Jolie ignited a media circus.

By the time the movie officially premiered on June 10, 2005, Pitt and Aniston had already announced their separation, and the public was deeply divided into “Team Aniston” and “Team Jolie” camps. The film essentially functioned as a multi-million-dollar public debut for their real-life attraction. Pitt later admitted that the movie remained a favorite for his children because:

“Not a lot of people get to see a movie where their parents fell in love.”

Brad Pitt

For the next decade, “Brangelina” reigned as the undisputed king and queen of global pop culture, expanding their family to include six children and eventually marrying in an intimate 2014 ceremony at their French estate, Château Miraval.

The 21-Year Evolution: From ‘Brangelina’ to Courtroom Contenders

The romantic illusion famously dissolved in 2016 following a highly publicized mid-air altercation on a private plane. What followed was a complete real-world mirroring of John and Jane Smith’s cinematic warfare—minus the happy ending.

While their complex, bitter divorce was finally officially finalized in December 2024, the fallout from their split has stretched all the way into mid-2026. The real-life assassins are still trading legal blows, and the focus has shifted entirely to two major fronts: property and the kids.

The War of the Rosé Continues

The primary battleground today remains the $164 million Château Miraval winery in France. Pitt sued Jolie back in 2022 after she sold her shares of the estate to a third party without his consent. The legal posturing is still active; just this spring, their respective legal teams have been actively filing motions debating whether the massive trial over the vineyard should be pushed as far back as August or September of 2027.

The Reality in 2026: The Surname Fallout

Perhaps the most devastating development for the Mr. & Mrs. Smith legacy is how the couple’s adult children are actively reacting to the rift. In a series of back-to-back filings that hit the headlines, the children have systematically begun dropping “Pitt” from their hyphenated surnames.

• Zahara Jolie (21): Official court documents sourced just this week reveal that Zahara has formally petitioned the Superior Court of California to legally change her name to Zahara Marley Jolie, following her introduction at her Spelman College graduation under the shortened moniker.
• Maddox Jolie (24): Their eldest son had his legal name change officially finalized, dropping “Pitt” for what he cited as purely “personal” reasons.
• Shiloh Jolie (22): Legally removed “Pitt” from her surname a few years ago upon turning 18, and has recently been credited professionally in her dance career under the pseudonym Shi Joli.
• Vivienne Jolie (17): While not a legal change yet, she opted to drop “Pitt” on the official Broadway playbill for The Outsiders, which she co-produced alongside her mother.

Twenty-one years later, Mr. & Mrs. Smith remains a highly entertaining, beautifully shot relic of mid-2000s star power. But it also serves as a haunting reminder of how easily Hollywood fantasy can bleed into a complicated, high-stakes reality. John and Jane Smith managed to put their guns down at the end of two hours, but for Brad and Angelina, the crossfire has lasted for a decade—and shows no signs of stopping.

While history often fixates heavily on the tragic machinery of the studio system that exploited her, her true legacy is enshrined in the staggering artistic heights she achieved. Garland was a master technician of emotion, an accomplished dancer, a brilliant physical comedian, and a dramatic powerhouse who could command a scene with nothing but a trembling glance.

To celebrate her birthday today, we are skipping the tragic bios and turning on the screen to rank the 10 greatest and most definitive film performances of a true Hollywood titan.

1. Vicki Lester / Esther Blodgett in A Star Is Born (1954)

This is not just Garland’s greatest performance; it is widely considered one of the greatest performances in the history of cinema. Returning to the screen after being brutally cast out by MGM, Garland poured every ounce of her personal trauma, industry disillusionment, and raw genius into George Cukor’s tragic musical epic. From the blistering, one-take intimacy of “The Man That Got Away” to the agonizing dressing-room breakdown where she rails against the cost of fame, Garland delivered a masterclass in dramatic range. Her historic Oscar loss that year remains one of the Academy’s most egregious snubs.

2. Dorothy Gale in The Wizard of Oz (1939)

It is the performance that granted her cinematic immortality. At just 16 years old, Garland anchored a massive, unstable fantasy production with an unparalleled sense of emotional reality. Sitting in a sepia-toned barnyard and singing “Over the Rainbow,” she captured the universal adolescent ache for escape so purely that the song became the definitive cultural anthem of hope. Her performance earned her a special Juvenile Academy Award and created a character that remains a foundational piece of global pop culture.

3. Esther Smith in Meet Me in St. Louis (1944)

Directed by her future husband Vincente Minnelli, this glorious Technicolor masterpiece captured Garland at the absolute peak of her romantic, musical powers. Playing a vibrant young woman navigating family transitions at the turn of the 21st century, Garland grounded the nostalgia with genuine emotional high stakes. Her performance of “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”—sung to a weeping Margaret O’Brien—is a devastatingly beautiful moment of comfort wrapped in quiet melancholy that still defines the holidays.

4. Irene Hoffmann in Judgment at Nuremberg (1961)

For anyone who foolishly believed Garland could only succeed inside the safe, stylized boundaries of the musical genre, Stanley Kramer’s courtroom drama was a shocking revelation. Stripped entirely of glamour, makeup, and music, Garland delivered a brief, shattering dramatic performance as a German woman terrified to testify about a past relationship that violated Nazi racial laws. Her trembling, panic-stricken breakdown on the witness stand earned her a richly deserved Best Supporting Actress Oscar nomination.

5. Alice Mayberry in The Clock (1945)

This deeply underappreciated wartime romance represents a massive milestone in Garland’s career: her very first completely non-singing dramatic role. Playing an everyday New York office worker who accidentally falls in love with a soldier on a 48-hour leave, Garland carried the entire movie on pure acting chops. She infused Alice with a quiet, tender, and incredibly realistic vulnerability that proved she didn’t need a three-piece orchestra to completely capture an audience’s heart.

6. Hannah Brown in Easter Parade (1948)

Pairing up with dancing legend Fred Astaire, Garland proved she could match the absolute best in the business step-for-step while delivering elite-tier physical comedy. Originally intended for Gene Kelly, the film was completely stolen by Garland’s impeccable slapstick timing. The definitive highlight remains the “A Couple of Swells” routine, where she willingly smudged dirt on her face, donned rags, and successfully out-charmed Astaire, showing her utter lack of vanity on screen.

7. Jane Falbury in Summer Stock (1950)

This film stands as a monumental testament to Garland’s sheer professionalism and resilience. Filmed during a period of intense personal illness and emotional exhaustion, Garland pushed through the production to deliver a delightfully warm, engaging performance as a conservative farm owner whose barn is hijacked by a theater troupe. The film climaxes with the iconic, late-addition “Get Happy” routine. Draped in a black tuxedo jacket and a tilted fedora, Garland delivered a vibrant, electrifying burst of pure star power that became one of the most famous musical numbers of all time.

8. Susan Bradley in The Harvey Girls (1946)

Garland headed out to the wild frontier for this quintessential, high-spirited MGM western musical. Playing a naive young woman who travels West to become a waitress at the historic Fred Harvey restaurants, she brought an infectious sense of determination and proto-feminist grit to the role. Leading the sprawling ensemble through the Oscar-winning anthem “On the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe,” Garland radiated a pure, studio-era joy that defined the Golden Age of Hollywood.

9. Jenny Bowman in I Could Go On Singing (1963)

Garland’s final feature film performance is a deeply poignant, borderline uncomfortable piece of art. Playing a highly successful, erratic American concert singer traveling to London to reclaim her estranged son, the film functions as a meta-textual, semi-autobiographical mirror of Garland’s own chaotic life. The scene where her character delivers a frantic, emotionally raw monologue from a hospital bed isn’t just acting—it is a boundary-blurring look into the heart of a genius who spent her entire life giving everything she had to her audience.

10. Betsy Booth in the Andy Hardy Franchise (1938–1940)

You cannot fully understand the meteoric rise of Judy Garland without examining her electric, kinetic partnership with Mickey Rooney. Stepping into the wholesome world of Carvel as the multi-talented girl-next-door Betsy Booth, Garland served as the ultimate secret weapon for the franchise. Her effortless, rapid-fire banter and teenage vulnerability alongside Rooney birthed the quintessential “let’s put on a show!” musical subgenre, laying the groundwork for the massive superstardom that followed.

The actor is officially keeping his foot on the gas. Deadline reports that Teller has signed a deal to star in Copperhead, an upcoming original crime thriller from director John Swab (King Ivory) and financier-producer Black Label Media.

The film, which boasts a screenplay co-written by Chad Feehan (Lawmen: Bass Reeves) and J. Todd Scott, promises to be a bruising, realistic look at institutional decay. Here is everything we know about the project so far, and a look at the jaw-dropping career run that brought Teller to this point.

The Plot: Betrayal in West Texas

Copperhead drops audiences directly into the rugged, unforgiving landscape of the Lone Star State. The narrative ignites when an intense, undercover drug transaction goes catastrophically sideways in West Texas, leaving a trail of bodies in its wake.

In the aftermath of the botched operation, Teller will portray a battle-weary, veteran detective who finds himself in a bureaucratic nightmare. He is forced to form an uneasy, high-friction partnership with a young, idealistic federal agent. As the mismatched duo digs into the evidence, they discover that the rot goes all the way to the top—uncovering a massive, deep-seated web of corruption and conspiracy operating entirely inside their own elite, specialized task force.

Production is officially locked to begin shooting this August 2026. The project is a true collaborative effort behind the scenes, functioning as a joint production between Black Label Media, John Swab’s Milk Boy banner, and Teller’s own production vehicle, Lime Tree Productions.

Tracking the Extraordinary 2022–2026 Miles Teller Streak

To understand why landing Teller for Copperhead is such a massive coup for Black Label Media, you only have to look at his box-office metrics. Teller has quietly engineered one of the most bulletproof, wildly lucrative winning streaks in modern Hollywood history.

• The A-List Catalyst (Top Gun: Maverick): Playing Bradley “Rooster” Bradshaw—mustache, piano chops, and all—opposite Tom Cruise catapulted Teller into the absolute stratosphere of global stardom. With Paramount recently giving the official green light to Top Gun 3, Teller remains firmly cemented as the future of Hollywood’s premier aviation franchise.
• The Billion-Dollar Biopic (Michael, 2026): Right now, Teller is absolutely dominating the global cultural conversation for his work in Antoine Fuqua’s box-office behemoth Michael. Playing John Branca, Michael Jackson’s legendary, calculating attorney and estate executor, Teller grounded the spectacular musical biopic with essential dramatic weight. The film premiered in late April 2026 and is already on the precipice of crossing a staggering $900 million worldwide.
• The Cannes Masterclass (Paper Tiger, 2026): Just last month, in May 2026, Teller walked the steps at the Cannes Film Festival for the world premiere of James Gray’s crime drama Paper Tiger. Co-starring alongside Scarlett Johansson and Adam Driver, Teller’s performance as an engineer entangled in a Russian mafia scheme earned a booming, 10-minute standing ovation and was promptly snatched up for domestic distribution by Neon.

John Swab: Hollywood’s New Go-To Action Auteur

Pairing Teller’s intense, internal dramatic energy with director John Swab is an absolute match made in thriller heaven. Swab has rapidly become one of the most prolific, highly demanded directors in the action-crime genre.

Following the critical success of his drug-trafficking drama King Ivory—which turned heads at the 81st Venice Film Festival—Swab’s directorial dance card has exploded. In addition to Copperhead, he is currently linked to direct Netflix’s upcoming high-octane feature Fast & Loose starring Will Smith, a highly anticipated Hells Angels screenplay vehicle for Jason Momoa, and the Netflix crime-drama Night Work led by Mark Wahlberg.

Following a year of whirlwind headlines—including her high-profile romance with country star Billy Ray Cyrus and marking three decades of iconic collaboration with Estée Lauder—Hurley continues to prove that age is merely a suggestion.

To honor her birthday today, we are shifting our focus to her acting career. Beyond the runway and the tabloids, Hurley has dropped some genuinely unforgettable, delightfully campy, and fiercely sharp performances into pop culture history. Here are the 10 greatest roles to binge today in her honor.

1. The Devil in Bedazzled (2000)

If you want to see Hurley at the absolute peak of her cinematic power, look no further than Harold Ramis’s fantasy-comedy remake. Playing Satan herself, Hurley didn’t just understand the assignment—she rewrote the textbook. Operating as a shape-shifting, contract-wielding temptress tormenting a clueless Brendan Fraser, she cycled through dozens of jaw-dropping wardrobe changes with an effortlessly wicked, playful charm. It is an infinitely rewatchable, scene-stealing performance that remains a cornerstone of Y2K cinema.

2. Vanessa Kensington in Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery (1997)

It takes an immense amount of comedic composure to play the straight-faced foil to Mike Myers’ chaotic, randy 1960s British spy, but Hurley pulled it off flawlessly. As the leather-clad, hyper-competent British secret agent Vanessa Kensington, she anchored the iconic spy spoof with an air of aristocratic superiority and brilliant physical comedy. The film exploded into a multi-million-dollar global phenomenon, permanently cementing her face into the foundation of 90s pop culture.

3. Queen Helena in The Royals (2015–2018)

When the E! Network decided to launch its first-ever scripted drama about a fictional, wildly dysfunctional British royal family, there was only one woman on Earth with the regal gravity to lead it. For four seasons, Hurley reigned supreme as Queen Helena Henstridge. Playing a fiercely manipulative, unapologetically powerful, and deeply protective matriarch navigating palace conspiracies and tabloids, the role allowed Hurley to fully lean into high-camp melodrama with absolute, delicious precision.

4. Diana Payne in Gossip Girl (2011–2012)

When the Upper East Side needed a fresh jolt of adult drama in its fifth season, Gossip Girl brought in Hurley to stir the pot. Playing Diana Payne, a wealthy, media-savvy, and highly secretive British media mogul who starts an illicit affair with a young Nate Archibald, Hurley brought a distinct air of mature predatoriness to the teen soap. Her effortless sophistication and sharp, calculated line delivery made her one of the most memorable adult antagonists in the show’s entire run.

5. Sabrina Ritchie in Passenger 57 (1992)

Long before she was a household name, a young Hurley made a bruising, high-impact splash in Hollywood by jumping headfirst into the action genre. In this Wesley Snipes airline thriller, she played Sabrina Ritchie, a cold-blooded, deep-cover terrorist disguised as an innocent flight attendant. Stripping away her traditional glamorous persona, Hurley delivered a genuinely sinister physical performance, proving early on that she possessed an underlying, calculating edge.

6. Sara Moore in Serving Sara (2002)

Teaming up with Friends alumnus Matthew Perry, Hurley took center stage in this frantic, cross-country romantic comedy. Playing a wealthy, betrayed wife trying to dodge divorce papers served by a stressed-out process server, Hurley weaponized her sharp-tongued wit and natural charm. The film is a breezy, nostalgic time capsule of early-2000s studio comedies, showcasing her capability as a leading lady in slapstick environments.

7. Morgan le Fay in Marvel’s Runaways (2019)

Marvel officially tapped into Hurley’s mystical allure for the third season of the Hulu comic-book series. Stepping into the supernatural role of Morgan le Fay, an immortal, immensely powerful sorceress from the Dark Dimension, Hurley looked entirely in her element. Draped in elaborate, gothic-chic capes and channeling a terrifying, ancient authority, she provided the teen heroes with a genuinely imposing, charismatic, and magical threat.

8. Sandra Stahl in Permanent Midnight (1998)

For audiences who assumed she could only operate in commercial comedies, David Veloz’s gritty independent biopic offered a stark reality check. Starring opposite Ben Stiller—who played real-life heroin-addicted comedy writer Jerry Stahl—Hurley delivered a remarkably grounded, dramatic performance as Sandra, a television executive who enters into a green-card marriage with Stahl. It remains a deeply underappreciated, raw look at her dramatic range.

9. Jill in EDtv (1999)

In Ron Howard’s prophetic, star-studded satire about the invasive nature of reality television, Hurley played Jill, a hyper-glamorous, calculating model brought into the narrative specifically to seduce Matthew McConaughey’s everyday protagonist for a bump in network television ratings. The performance was a brilliant, meta-textual nod to Hurley’s real-world status as a media magnet, allowing her to playfully satirize her own public image.

10. Lily in Strictly Confidential (2024)

Rounding out her most memorable chapters is a deeply personal project that marked a monumental full-circle milestone. Written and directed by her lookalike son, Damian Hurley, in his feature directorial debut, this sensual, twist-filled Caribbean thriller starred Elizabeth as Lily, a protective mother navigating a web of dark family secrets, betrayal, and seduction. The project highlighted not just her enduring screen presence, but her fierce devotion to supporting the next creative generation of her family.

If the initial buzz is any indication, the answer is a resounding, tear-soaked yes.

The world premiere of Toy Story 5 wrapped up at the iconic Dolby Theatre on Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles, and the first wave of critical reactions has officially flooded the internet. Stripping away all skepticism, critics are hailing the film as a triumphant return to form. But the biggest headline of the night didn’t just come from the screen—it came from a surprise red-carpet appearance and a historic musical endorsement by none other than Taylor Swift.

“Pure Perfection”: The Raving First Reactions

The consensus from the premiere is overwhelmingly ecstatic, with several major critics ranking Toy Story 5 directly alongside the gold standards of Toy Story 2 and 3.

Directed by Andrew Stanton and McKenna Harris, the plot takes a sharp, contemporary turn, tackling the ultimate modern existential threat to traditional playtime: the screen time divide. The story follows Buzz, Woody, and the gang as they face off against a sleek new tablet introduced into their child’s home. Fortunately, critics assure fans that the “toys vs. tech” message is incredibly nuanced, opting for a profound look at one-on-one human connection rather than a simple anti-technology lecture.

The early critical highlights include:

• Jessie Takes Center Stage: Joan Cusack’s yodeling cowgirl is the undisputed emotional anchor of the film. Critics note that Jessie finally gets the masterpiece storyline she deserves, noting that she “breaks your heart wide open” as she is rediscovering her purpose.
• The Puddle of Tears: Standard warning for a Pixar film—bring tissues. Industry insiders are reporting that many tears were shed inside the Dolby Theatre during a generation-defining climax.

Taylor Swift Crowns It Her Favorite ‘Toy Story’ Movie

Adding an immense amount of star power to the evening, Taylor Swift made a massive surprise appearance at the Dolby Theatre. Dressed in a stunning structured Erdem gown, Swift skipped the traditional press line but happily joined Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, and Joan Cusack for an epic ensemble cast photo on the red carpet.

Swift’s involvement in the project was recently cemented with the release of her original track “I Knew It, I Knew You,” which she wrote and produced alongside longtime collaborator Jack Antonoff specifically for the character of Jessie.

Taking to social media and speaking at the event, Swift completely gushed over the film, officially calling Toy Story 5 her absolute favorite entry in the entire 31-year franchise. Having been a die-hard fan since she was five years old, she revealed that she fell instantly in love with the script during its early development stages. 

A Legendary Duet with Randy Newman

The magic didn’t stop when the credits rolled. Once inside the theater, Swift surprised the elite audience by taking the stage in a sunshine-yellow Oscar de la Renta gown to deliver a live piano performance of “I Knew It, I Knew You.”Then, in a moment that brought down the house, she introduced the legendary Randy Newman as the “architect of the Toy Story musical universe.” Newman took his seat at the piano, and the duo performed a breathtaking, live duet of the franchise’s immortal anthem, “You’ve Got a Friend in Me,” sending the crowd into an absolute frenzy.

Looking back across her three-decade-long career, her trajectory stands as a textbook masterclass in artistic autonomy. She didn’t just let her career happen to her; she actively shifted its gears, moving from a striking teenage prodigy to an elite, Oscar-winning actress and an uncompromising independent producer.

Here is how Natalie Portman successfully engineered one of the most impressive career evolutions in cinematic history.

The Raw, Searing Debut: Léon: The Professional (1994)

Portman didn’t ease her way into the film industry; she shattered the door down. At just 12 years old, she made her feature film debut in Luc Besson’s gritty thriller Léon: The Professional. Playing Mathilda, an orphaned girl taken in by a reluctant hitman, Portman delivered a performance of astonishing maturity, fierce intelligence, and profound grief. It was an immediately mesmerizing arrival that instantly signaled to Hollywood that she possessed a raw, innate dramatic gravity far beyond her years.

The Blockbuster Crucible and The Harvard Sabbatical (1999–2005)

By the late 1990s, Portman was thrust into the absolute apex of global pop-culture mania when George Lucas cast her as Padmé Amidala in the Star Wars prequel trilogy. While the films brought her unparalleled international visibility, they also risked trapping her in the hollow gears of the green-screen blockbuster machine.

Instead of riding the studio wave, Portman made a choice that stunned her agents: she actively stepped back from Hollywood to pursue a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology from Harvard University. She famously declared that she didn’t care if college ruined her career, choosing intellectual enrichment over steady typecasting.

This intellectual grounding fundamentally altered her approach to her craft. When she returned to acting full-time, her choices became vastly more psychological, daring, and precise.

Shifting into Adult Acclaim: Closer and Black Swan

The definitive shift from “former child star” to “prestige dramatic actress” materialized rapidly through two monumental performances:

• The Breakthrough (Closer, 2004): Directed by Mike Nichols, this sharp, cynical romantic drama allowed Portman to shed any remaining trace of her adolescent image. Playing Alice, a mysterious, emotionally guarded American stripper in London, she held her own alongside veterans like Julia Roberts and Jude Law. The performance earned her her first career Golden Globe and her first Academy Award nomination.
• The Masterclass Pinnacle (Black Swan, 2010): Darren Aronofsky’s psychological horror masterpiece pushed Portman to her absolute physical and psychological limits. Putting her body through a grueling, year-long ballet training regimen, she delivered a terrifyingly visceral portrait of Nina Sayers, a dancer fracturing under the weight of artistic perfection. Her performance swept award season, earning her a well-deserved Best Actress Academy Award and solidifying her status as an A-list titan.

The Modern Auteur and Producer Era

In the decade following her Oscar win, Portman shifted her focus yet again—this time, seizing the means of production. Recognizing the historical lack of complex, multidimensional roles written for women, she co-founded her own production company, MountainA, alongside producing partner Sophie Mas.

Rather than chasing safe commercial payouts, Portman has utilized her industry leverage to produce and star in daring, deeply artistic character studies. This includes her haunting, Oscar-nominated biographical turn in Jackie (2016), her cerebral science-fiction work in Annihilation (2018), and Todd Haynes’ magnificent, campy psychological drama May December (2023).Her creative evolution shows absolutely no signs of slowing down in 2026. Fresh off producing and starring in the Apple TV+ miniseries Lady in the Lake, Portman is currently flexing her chameleonic range across the streaming landscape—headlining Guy Ritchie’s high-stakes global heist adventure Fountain of Youth and leading Lena Dunham’s upcoming Netflix romantic comedy Good S*x.

To mark the milestone, we are looking at how he continues to navigate his complex health journey and revisiting the five praised performances that shaped his extraordinary career.

An Unfiltered Update on His Health Journey

Fox has been fighting a highly visible, public battle with young-onset Parkinson’s disease for 35 years, having been secretly diagnosed in 1991 at the age of 29 before going public in 1998. Now entering his mid-sixties, Fox has always maintained a refreshing, grounded candor about the reality of living with an advanced, degenerative neurological condition.

In recent updates, Fox has been open about the fact that the physical toll of the disease is getting increasingly difficult. He utilizes a wheelchair for long-distance mobility, requires assistance with daily tasks to avoid frequent falls, and has spoken about the frustration of navigating modern voice-to-text technology with speech fluctuations.

Despite retiring from full-time acting in 2020 due to cognitive and vocal exhaustion, 2026 has been a remarkably active year for the star. In March, he surprised and delighted the industry by making a rare appearance at the 2026 Actor Awards to close out the “I Am an Actor” segment alongside his son, Sam Fox, receiving a thunderous standing ovation.

Furthermore, he officially returned to the screen for a recurring guest arc in Season 3 of Apple TV+’s acclaimed dramedy Shrinking. Playing a patient struggling with Parkinson’s opposite Harrison Ford, Fox utilized his real-life symptoms to bring an authentic, darkly humorous, and unsentimental perspective to the screen. Off-camera, his Michael J. Fox Foundation (MJFF) continues to break records, officially crossing over $2.5 billion raised to date in the global pursuit of a cure.

The 5 Greatest and Most Praised Roles

1. Marty McFly in the Back to the Future Trilogy (1985–1990)

There is no cinema history without Marty McFly. Stepping into the DeLorean as the red-vest-wearing, skateboard-riding teenager, Fox delivered a performance of pure, lightning-in-a-bottle perfection. His manic energy, frantic double-takes, and flawless comedic chemistry with Christopher Lloyd’s Doc Brown anchored a complex sci-fi premise into a deeply relatable human adventure, creating a timeless trilogy that remains pristine decades later.

2. Alex P. Keaton in Family Ties (1982–1989)

Originally intended to be a minor character in a show about ex-hippie parents, Fox’s portrayal of the hyper-capitalist, suit-wearing Young Republican Alex P. Keaton completely hijacked the NBC sitcom. Fox infused the potentially unlikable, briefcase-toting teenager with an underlying warmth, vulnerability, and charm that won him three consecutive Primetime Emmy Awards and turned the series into a ratings juggernaut.

3. Mike Flaherty in Spin City (1996–2000)

Returning to network television in the mid-90s, Fox reminded the world that he was the undisputed king of the workplace sitcom. Playing Mike Flaherty, the hyper-efficient Deputy Mayor of New York City tasked with constantly managing political disasters, Fox was a masterclass in controlled chaos. It was during the production of this show that his Parkinson’s symptoms began to visibly worsen, leading to his emotional departure from the series in 2000, though not before securing a final Primetime Emmy and three Golden Globes.

4. Louis Canning in The Good Wife (2010–2016)

In what is widely considered his most brilliant adult dramatic achievement, Fox joined CBS’s legal drama in a recurring guest role that turned his real-world health struggles into a narrative weapon. Playing Louis Canning, a ruthless, cynical defense attorney, the character actively used his neurological condition to manipulate juries, delay trials, and gain sympathy. It was a beautifully complex, unsentimental performance that allowed Fox to play a brilliant antagonist, earning him five Emmy nominations.

5. Dr. Benjamin Stone in Doc Hollywood (1991)

This charming romantic comedy stands as a pivotal milestone in Fox’s life, as it was on this exact set that he first noticed the finger tremors that led to his initial Parkinson’s diagnosis. Playing a hotshot, ego-driven Los Angeles plastic surgeon who gets stranded in a small, eccentric rural town, Fox excelled at playing the arrogant city slicker slowly humbled by a community’s genuine heart.

Cars didn’t just win over family audiences; it completely shifted the landscape of children’s entertainment, transforming a humble Route 66 story into a multi-billion-dollar global empire.

Now, in honor of its momentous 20th anniversary, Disney and Pixar are officially offering fans a chance to experience the magic where it belongs. This September 2026, Cars is returning to movie theaters for a special anniversary re-release.

Heading Back to Route 66: The September Re-Release

While streaming has made the residents of Radiator Springs a daily fixture in living rooms worldwide, nothing quite matches the scale of seeing Lightning McQueen blast past the screen in a crowded theater.

Participating theaters worldwide will put the original 2006 classic back on the big screen, giving long-time fans and a brand-new generation of kids the chance to experience the roaring engines, dust storms, and neon glow of Radiator Springs.

Why ‘Cars’ Still Rules the Road After Two Decades

When Cars first rolled out of the garage in 2006, it faced a wave of skepticism from critics who wondered if audiences could emotionally connect with characters made entirely of metal and fiberglass. Director John Lasseter and co-director Joe Ranft silenced the doubters by delivering arguably one of Pixar’s most structurally sound, emotionally mature redemption arcs.

The secret to the film’s timeless longevity relies on three specific cylinders:

The Voice Chemistry: The film boasted an elite voice cast that perfectly bridged the gap between old Hollywood and modern comedy. Owen Wilson’s drawling, arrogant-yet-lovable execution of Lightning McQueen found the perfect counterweight in screen legend Paul Newman’s final major film role as the stoic, wise Doc Hudson

The Emotional Speed Limit: At its core, the movie is a beautiful, melancholic love letter to small-town America and the forgotten history of Route 66. It forced a hyper-fast protagonist to slow down and realize that life is about the journey, not the finish line.

The Merch Juggernaut: Beyond the box office, Cars became the ultimate retail phenomenon. From Mattel die-cast cars to lunchboxes and clothing lines, the franchise’s merchandise has generated tens of billions of dollars, securing its spot as a crown jewel in the Disney consumer products portfolio.

To celebrate her incredible impact on modern cinema, we are looking at her 10 absolute best works across the board. 

Jane Foster / Mighty Thor in Thor: Love and Thunder (2022)

Returning to the Marvel Cinematic Universe after a long hiatus, Portman didn’t just play the love interest this time—she completely reinvented the character. Getting aggressively ripped to wield Mjolnir as the Mighty Thor, Portman clearly had the time of her life leaning into Taika Waititi’s campy, cosmic humor. Crucially, she grounded the superhero spectacle by beautifully portraying Jane’s internal, heartbreaking battle with terminal cancer, proving she could bring genuine human weight to a massive comic-book blockbuster.

Sam in Garden State (2004)

Before it became an overused cinematic trope, Portman breathed definitive life into the “Manic Pixie Dream Girl” archetype in Zach Braff’s beloved mid-2000s indie. Playing a quirky, hyper-vulnerable compulsive liar, Portman injected the film with an irresistible warmth and emotional safety net. It remains a flawless showcase of her natural charm and her ability to anchor a generation-defining independent hit.

Lena in Annihilation (2018)

Alex Garland’s cerebral, terrifying sci-fi thriller handed Portman one of her most quiet and heavily internal roles. As a cellular biologist and former soldier exploring a mutating alien anomaly, she anchors a deeply unsettling nightmare with a cold, clinical, and calculating resolve. It is a brilliant display of acting through observation, letting her expressive eyes convey a complex mix of grief, guilt, and scientific curiosity.

Elizabeth Berry in May December (2023)

Todd Haynes’ darkly comedic psychological drama handed Portman a delicious, meta-textual sandbox. Playing an ambitious Hollywood actress who embedded herself with a controversial real-life tabloid figure (Julianne Moore) to research an upcoming indie film, Portman was magnificently sociopathic. Her gradual, predatory absorption of her subject’s tics culminates in a chilling, mirror-image climax that exposed the parasitic reality of the acting craft itself.

Padmé Amidala in Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith (2005)

Say what you want about the green-screen challenges of George Lucas’s prequel trilogy, but Portman’s work as the doomed moral compass of the Republic is a monumental blockbuster achievement. In Revenge of the Sith, she elevates the formal, operatic dialogue into a tragic, classical romance. Her quiet, weeping despair as she watches democracy—and the man she loves—collapse into fascism remains the emotional anchor of the entire multi-billion-dollar franchise.

Mathilda in Léon: The Professional (1994)

It is practically unheard of for a twelve-year-old actor to make a debut so powerful that it remains a high-water mark of their career decades later. Standing toe-to-toe with Jean Reno and Gary Oldman, a young Portman commanded the screen with an astonishing emotional gravity, a cigarette-smoking weariness, and an unflinching portrayal of grief that instantly announced her to the world as a generational prodigy.

Evey Hammond in V for Vendetta (2005)

This Wachowski-produced studio blockbuster required Portman to execute a complete psychological and physical shedding of skin. Her portrayal of Evey’s transformation from a terrified, oppressed civilian into a fierce, bald revolutionary icon serves as the literal spine of the film. The legendary, real-time head-shaving sequence is a visceral, unforgettable piece of cinema that highlights her zero-compromise dedication to a role.

Alice Ayres in Closer (2004)

Weaponizing mystery, sharp wit, and a protective emotional armor, Portman’s performance in Mike Nichols’ cynical relationship drama marked her official graduation into adult prestige. Playing a pink-wigged American expatriate caught in a toxic romantic quadrangle, she held her own against a heavyweight veteran cast. The performance earned her a first career Golden Globe and her maiden Academy Award nomination.

Jackie Kennedy in Jackie (2016)

Pablo Larraín’s radically unconventional biographical portrait required Portman to embody one of history’s most fiercely protected and scrutinized icons during her most private, horrific tragedy. Mastering the rigid posture and breathy, mid-Atlantic cadence of the First Lady in the immediate days following JFK’s assassination, Portman delivered a devastating, ghost-like performance that explored the raw machinery of myth-making, grief, and survival.

Nina Sayers in Black Swan (2010)

There was never any doubt. Darren Aronofsky’s psychological horror masterpiece remains the undisputed crown jewel of Portman’s artistic legacy—and a massive box-office hit to boot. Her Oscar-winning portrayal of a hyper-disciplined, repressed ballerina fracturing into madness under the pursuit of artistic perfection is a staggering physical and psychological marathon. Balancing the fragile, childlike terror of the White Swan with the feral, uninhibited release of the Black Swan, Portman delivered a performance of such terrifying intensity that it permanently redefined modern cinema.

However, from a cinematic standpoint, Depp’s footprint on the industry remains an influential chapter in modern film history. Rejecting the traditional “heartthrob” path laid out for him in the late 1980s, he built his multi-billion-dollar box-office status on a foundation of eccentric outsiders, silent-era-inspired physical comedy, and heavily stylized transformations.

The 10 most critically acclaimed and culturally significant performances of his acting career:

1. Edward in Edward Scissorhands (1990)

This is the pivotal performance that fundamentally rescued Depp from the teen-idol trajectory of 21 Jump Street. In his first collaboration with director Tim Burton, Depp delivered a performance driven almost entirely by body language and facial expressions, speaking fewer than 170 words in the entire film. Drawing heavy inspiration from silent film stars like Charlie Chaplin, he infused the unfinished, blade-handed creation with a fragile, tragic innocence that became the blueprint for his entire career as an on-screen outsider.

2. Captain Jack Sparrow in Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)

It is difficult to overstate how much of a gamble this performance was in 2003. Disney executives famously panicked over early dailies, terrified by Depp’s decision to model the swashbuckler on a cocktail of Keith Richards and Pepé Le Pew. However, his slurred delivery, erratic swagger, and gold-toothed charisma completely revitalized a dead genre. The role earned him his first career Academy Award nomination and launched one of the highest-grossing cinematic franchises of all time.

3. Ed Wood in Ed Wood (1994)

While blockbusters brought him global fame, many critics still consider this black-and-white biographical comedy to be Depp’s finest hour. Portraying the real-life historical figure widely dubbed the “worst director of all time,” Depp resisted the urge to play the character as a cheap joke. Instead, he infused Wood with a relentless, wide-eyed optimism and a Buster Keaton-esque charm, turning a story about creative failure into a deeply empathetic love letter to Hollywood’s fringes.

4. Donnie Brasco / Joe Pistone in Donnie Brasco (1997)

For audiences who believed Depp could only operate in the realms of fairy tales and gothic fantasy, Mike Newell’s gritty mob drama offered a stark reality check. Sharing the screen with Al Pacino, Depp played an undercover FBI agent slowly losing his identity to his criminal persona. The performance is remarkably restrained, relying on quiet paranoia, shifting loyalties, and a slow, internal rot rather than theatrical eccentricities.

5. Raoul Duke in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998)

To bring Hunter S. Thompson’s legendary, drug-fueled gonzo journalism to life, Depp underwent an extreme level of method immersion—even living in Thompson’s basement for months and letting the author shave his head. Under Terry Gilliam’s chaotic direction, Depp’s performance as the hallucinating, cigarette-holder-clenching Raoul Duke is a masterclass in physical comedy, capturing a fractured, manic energy that has since become a major cult-classic artifact.

6. Gilbert Grape in What’s Eating Gilbert Grape (1993)

Lasse Hallström’s tender family drama showcases a side of Depp that Hollywood rarely utilized in the decades that followed: a completely ordinary, grounded young man. Serving as the quiet, stoic straight man to a breakout Leonardo DiCaprio, Depp anchored the film with a heavy, deeply internal sense of quiet desperation, capturing the suffocating weight of small-town domestic responsibility without relying on a single makeup effect or vocal tic.

7. Sweeney Todd in Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007)

Taking on a complex Stephen Sondheim musical is a daunting task for a non-traditional singer, but Depp’s dark, punk-rock-inspired vocal delivery worked perfectly for this blood-soaked gothic adaptation. As the vengeful, murderous barber of Fleet Street, he traded his usual whimsical charm for a cold, nihilistic fury. The performance earned him his third Academy Award nomination and won him a Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Comedy or Musical.

8. Ichabod Crane in Sleepy Hollow (1999)

In this highly stylized reimagining of Washington Irving’s classic tale, Depp made the conscious decision to subvert the traditional, stoic action-hero archetype. Instead of playing Ichabod Crane as a fearless detective, he portrayed him as a squeamish, hyper-rational coward who frequently shrieks at bugs and faints at the sight of blood. This comedic choice injected the dark, atmospheric horror film with an essential sense of levity.

9. J.M. Barrie in Finding Neverland (2004)

Released just a year after his bombastic debut as Jack Sparrow, Marc Forster’s Finding Neverland served as a poignant reminder of Depp’s capacity for gentleness. Portraying the Scottish playwright behind Peter Pan, Depp delivered a quiet, melancholy performance centered on grief, imagination, and childlike wonder. The performance resonated strongly with the industry, securing him his second consecutive Academy Award nomination for Best Actor.

10. James “Whitey” Bulger in Black Mass (2015)

In the later chapters of his career, this biographical crime drama stood out as a sharp return to critical favor. Buried under severe prosthetics and sporting a piercing, icy stare, Depp portrayed the notorious Boston mob boss with a calculating, sociopathic stillness. Stripping away all trace of his signature theatrical playfulness, he delivered a genuinely chilling, predatory performance that reminded the industry of his underlying dramatic weight.

Exactly 16 years ago today—on June 8, 2010—four black-clad high schoolers stood over a coffin in the rain while a cell phone buzzed in unison. With that simple, chilling text message from an anonymous, omnipresent villain known simply as “A,” Pretty Little Liars (PLL) officially entered the pop culture lexicon.

Looking back from 2026, I. Marlene King’s adaptation of Sara Shepard’s popular book series isn’t just a nostalgic relic of the early 2010s; it is the ultimate blueprint for the modern social-media thriller. The show took a basic “Desperate Housewives for teens” premise and weaponized it into a global phenomenon.

Here is why Pretty Little Liars remains an unkillable titan of teen television on its 16th anniversary.

Why ‘PLL’ Was an Absolute Visual and Social Juggernaut

Before PLL, networks judged a show’s success almost entirely by traditional Nielsen television ratings. Pretty Little Liars blew that antiquated system to pieces. It was the first series in history to completely conquer Twitter, routinely breaking records as the most-tweeted-about television broadcast on the planet.

The show was custom-built for the internet age:

• The Infinite Mystery: Every single episode provided clues, red herrings, and jaw-dropping cliffhangers that turned fans into digital detectives, analyzing everything from wallpaper patterns to the color of a character’s coat.
• The Fashion Culture: From Aria’s edgy boho-chic to Hanna’s rock-glam, Emily’s sporty streetwear, and Spencer’s academic preppiness, the show dictated fashion trends for an entire generation of young viewers.
• The “Ships”: The relationships (Ezria, Haleb, Spoby, Paily) created a fanatical shipping culture that drove intense online engagement, creating a direct feedback loop between the viewers and the writers.

Launching a New Generation of Hollywood Icons

PLL was an absolute star-making machine. The core ensemble—affectionately dubbed the “Liars”—stepped into the show as relatively unknown or up-and-coming actresses and left as global household names.

• Lucy Hale (Aria Montgomery): Already a familiar face, PLL solidified Hale as a definitive leading lady, paving the way for her future roles in Katy Keene, The Hating Game, and an active music career.
• Ashley Benson (Hanna Marin): Benson brought flawless comedic timing and deep emotional layers to Rosewood’s resident IT-girl, quickly parlaying her fame into major film projects like Harmony Korine’s Spring Breakers.
• Troian Bellisario (Spencer Hastings): Widely regarded as the dramatic anchor of the series, Bellisario’s powerhouse performance culminated in the wild twist of playing Spencer’s British twin, Alex Drake. She has since transitioned into an accomplished indie filmmaker, director, and stage actress.
• Shay Mitchell (Emily Fields): Emily’s groundbreaking storyline as a prominent, multi-ethnic LGBTQ+ main character on a teen network was historic. Mitchell used her massive platform to launch the wildly successful lifestyle brand BÉIS and continue her TV run in hits like You.
• Sasha Pieterse (Alison DiLaurentis): Pieterse was a mere 13 years old when she filmed the pilot, playing a manipulative queen bee who was supposed to be dead. Her maturity and screen presence anchored the entire mystery.

The Historic “Extra” Two Seasons and the Five-Year Jump

Most teen shows suffer from a fatal flaw: what happens when the characters graduate high school and go to college?

PLL handled this by scoring a massive two-season renewal (Seasons 6 and 7) before Season 5 even finished airing—making it the network’s longest-running original scripted series.

To keep the momentum going after finally unmasking “Big A” (Charlotte DiLaurentis) in Season 6, the writers pulled off a bold creative gamble: The “5 Years Forward” Time Jump. Skipping the college years entirely, the show aged the characters into their mid-twenties, giving them adult careers, new relationships, and a brand-new stalker named “A.D.” It was a chaotic, soap-opera-infused final chapter that gave fans 160 episodes of pure entertainment before wrapping up in 2017.

The Ever-Expanding Universe: Three Spinoffs

The PLL universe proved so lucrative that it actually spawned three distinct spinoff series over the years, attempting to capture that signature Marlene King lightning in a bottle.

1. Ravenswood (2013–2014)

Launched during the parent show’s fourth season, this short-lived spinoff took Tyler Blackburn’s Caleb Rivers and placed him in a nearby, cursed town. It leaned heavily into supernatural horror and ghosts but was canceled after 10 episodes.

2. Pretty Little Liars: The Perfectionists (2019)

A standalone sequel that brought Sasha Pieterse (Alison) and Janel Parrish (Mona) back to television. Set at a high-pressure college town, it mixed Sara Shepard’s other book series with the PLL formula but met a similar fate after one season.

3. Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin / Summer School (2022–2024)

The most successful expansion of the brand. This Max streaming series took a slasher-horror approach to the universe, focusing on a brand-new group of teens in Millwood being terrorized by a new “A.” It successfully ran for two critically acclaimed, blood-soaked seasons.Sixteen years later, the cultural footprint of Pretty Little Liars is undeniable. It taught Hollywood that teenage audiences wanted high-stakes mystery, proved that social media interaction could carry a television network, and left us with a theme song we still can’t get out of our heads.

There is no better way to honor her legacy than by watching her do what she did best: commanding a screen, making audiences gasp, and turning tragedy into comedic gold. Whether you want to witness her historic late-night triumphs, her iconic voice acting work, or the raw, unfiltered reality of her daily life, here is the definitive viewing guide to remembering Joan Rivers.

1. Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work (2010)

If you only have time to watch one thing today, make it this magnificent, award-winning documentary directed by Ricki Stern and Annie Sundberg. Filmed over the course of her 76th year, the movie peels back the plastic-surgery jokes and glamorous fur coats to reveal the fiercely driven, vulnerable, and sometimes terrified woman underneath. Watching Joan look at a completely empty calendar with absolute dread—and then witnessing her meticulously organize her archive of thousands of index-card jokes—is an intimate masterclass in artistic survival.

2. The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1965–1986)

To understand how Joan completely transformed television, you have to go back to where it all began. After years of being told women weren’t built for stand-up, her 1965 debut on The Tonight Show changed everything. Carson was so enchanted by her frantic, self-deprecating wit that he immediately launched her into superstardom. Her subsequent years as his permanent guest host feature some of the sharpest, fastest improvisational crowd work in late-night history.

3. Spaceballs (1987)

Joan’s distinct, raspy Brooklyn cadence was so legendary that she didn’t even need to appear on camera to steal a movie. In Mel Brooks’ brilliant Star Wars parody, Joan provided the voice for Dot Matrix, Princess Vespa’s neurotic, hyper-protective android chaperone. Sporting a golden C-3PO-style chassis equipped with a literal “Virgin Alarm,” Joan’s dry, sarcastic delivery provided the cult-classic film with some of its biggest laugh-out-loud moments.

4. Fashion Police (2010–2014)

Joan didn’t just attend award shows; she turned the post-show post-mortem into appointment television. As the sharp-tongued matriarch of E!’s Fashion Police, Joan brought her signature bite back to mainstream pop culture every week. Alongside her co-hosts, she treated bad Hollywood fashion as a high crime, delivering rapid-fire, jaw-dropping roasts that proved her comedic reflexes were just as fast in her late seventies as they were in her twenties.

5. The Late Show Starring Joan Rivers (1986–1987)

This show represents one of the most volatile, historic chapters in television. By accepting Fox’s offer to launch her own late-night program, Joan permanently fractured her relationship with Johnny Carson, but she also shattered the ultimate glass ceiling. As the first woman to ever host a major network late-night talk show, Joan brought an electric, chaotic energy to the desk that paved the way for every female host who followed.

6. The Joan Rivers Show (1989–1993)

Following the cancellation of her Fox show and the tragic suicide of her husband, Edgar Rosenberg, Hollywood tried to write Joan off. Instead, she pivoted to daytime television and pulled off a spectacular redemption arc. The Joan Rivers Show was a massive hit, blending heavy-hitting journalistic topics with broad comedy. The industry rightfully rewarded her resilience in 1990, when she took home the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Talk Show Host.

7. The Celebrity Apprentice (Season 8 / Celebrity Season 2) (2009)

Before the series became a bizarre political footnote, Joan delivered one of the most wildly entertaining reality TV runs in history. Entering the competition at age 75 alongside her daughter, Melissa, Joan treated the corporate tasks like actual life-or-death warfare. Her legendary, screaming locker-room confrontations with Melissa’s detractors showed a fiercely protective maternal instinct and an unyielding work ethic that eventually propelled her to win the entire season.

8. Louie (Season 2, Episode 11: “Joan”) (2011)

In this highly acclaimed guest appearance, Joan played a fictionalized version of herself performing in a hotel showroom. When a younger, disillusioned comic (played by Louis C.K.) complains about how brutal the comedy industry is, Joan delivers a raw, stunning, and beautifully written monologue about why the struggle is a privilege. It is an incredibly poignant, meta moment that perfectly encapsulated her deep, lifelong reverence for the craft of making people laugh.

9. The Muppets Take Manhattan (1984)

Joan was an absolute master of the brief, high-impact cinematic cameo. In this classic Muppet feature, Miss Piggy takes a job working at a high-end department store perfume counter alongside Joan. What follows is a brilliantly chaotic 90 seconds of the two legends aggressively applying makeup to each other in a frantic, ad-libbed frenzy. It remains a masterclass in how to leave a permanent mark on a film with minimal screen time.

10. Joan Rivers: Don’t Start With Me (2012)

To remember Joan at her most lethal, you have to watch her on a stand-up stage without network censors. Released just two years before her passing, this Showtime special features Joan performing at the absolute height of her powers. At nearly 80 years old, she paces the stage like a caged tiger, unleashing a relentless torrent of unfiltered, politically incorrect, and brilliant jokes targeting absolutely everyone and everything. It stands as a beautiful, ferocious reminder that Joan Rivers never, ever slowed down

Today marks what would have been Jerry Stiller’s 99th birthday. Though the comedy pioneer passed away in 2020 at the age of 92, his legendary performances continue to circulate in endless loops of internet memes, syndication marathons, and streaming playlists. Before he became one of internet’s favorite TV dads, he spent decades dominating the 1960s and ’70s comedy club circuits alongside his beloved wife, Anne Meara, as the iconic duo Stiller and Meara.

To remember him, we are turning up the volume and counting down the 5 most remembered, culturally definitive roles of his extraordinary career.

1. Frank Costanza in Seinfeld

There is no better place to start than the role that introduced Stiller to a completely new generation of fans and permanently altered sitcom history. Joining the cast in the show’s fifth season, Stiller took over the role of George Costanza’s hyper-irritable, Kasha-loving father and immediately struck gold. Originally directed to play the character as self-effacing and quiet, Stiller realized the character only worked if he matched the screaming energy of Estelle Harris (Estelle Costanza).

The result was an absolute force of nature. Frank gave the world the concept of “Festivus” (the holiday for the rest of us), the “Manssiere” (or the “Bro”), and an unforgettable, heavily shouted coping mechanism that still echoes through modern offices whenever stress levels peak:

The role earned Stiller a richly deserved Primetime Emmy nomination in 1997 and solidified Frank Costanza as one of the greatest television characters ever constructed.

2. Arthur Spooner in The King of Queens

Immediately after Seinfeld wrapped its historic run in 1998, producers knew they needed Stiller’s manic energy back on network television. He immediately jumped into The King of Queens, playing Arthur Spooner—the eccentric, scheme-heavy, deeply paranoid father of Leah Remini’s Carrie Heffernan.

For nine seasons and over 200 episodes, Arthur lived in the basement of Carrie and Doug’s (Kevin James) suburban home, functioning as a human wrench thrown into the gears of their domestic peace. Whether he was demanding that his oatmeal be served at a highly specific temperature, fabricating wild historical lies, or screaming at the television, Stiller’s flawless chemistry with Kevin James anchored the entire series and proved his sitcom dominance wasn’t a one-hit wonder.

3. Maury Ballstein in Zoolander

Jerry Stiller’s greatest real-world legacy is undoubtedly his family, including his immensely talented son, Ben Stiller. The duo teamed up on the big screen multiple times, but nothing matches the absolute hilarity of the 2001 male-modeling satire Zoolander.

Jerry stepped into the film as Maury Ballstein, the cigar-chomping, loose-skinned, and heavily accessorized talent agent representing the dimwitted Derek Zoolander. Wearing ridiculous tracksuits and sporting a hilarious hairpiece, Jerry brought an old-school, Borscht Belt theatricality to the modern fashion parody. Watching him navigate an incredibly awkward, backstabbing corporate conspiracy with a fiercely defensive, fatherly protective streak toward Derek remains an absolute highlight of the cult-classic film.

4. Wilbur Turnblad in Hairspray

Long before he was screaming at George Costanza on NBC, Stiller endeared himself to midnight-movie aficionados and cult cinema lovers everywhere by joining forces with legendary indie director John Waters. In the original 1988 pop-masterpiece Hairspray, Stiller portrayed Wilbur Turnblad, the eccentric, joke-shop-owning husband to Divine’s Edna and the fiercely encouraging father to Ricki Lake’s Tracy.

In a departure from his later, rage-filled characters, Wilbur was a sweet, endlessly supportive, and fiercely progressive patriarch who loved his family completely without reservation. Stiller’s performance was so beloved by the franchise’s community that when Hollywood adapted the Broadway musical version back onto the big screen in 2007, they brought him back for a delightful full-circle cameo as Mr. Pinky, the owner of the plus-sized dress shop.

5. Doc Cantrow in The Heartbreak Kid

Rounding out his most memorable chapters is another brilliant, laugh-out-loud father-son collaboration directed by the Farrelly brothers. In this dark romantic comedy remake, Jerry played Doc Cantrow, the wildly inappropriate, Las Vegas-frequenting father of Ben Stiller’s Eddie.

Jerry spent his scenes lounging by resort pools, tossing out hilariously vulgar, completely unhelpful relationship advice, and aggressively prodding his son’s romantic anxieties. The film allowed Jerry to lean fully into an R-rated, unhinged old-timer persona, highlighting the effortless, real-world shorthand and comedic timing that only a real-life father and son could bring to the silver screen. Happy Heavenly Birthday, Jerry! We are airing our grievances in your honor today.

Today, June 8, 2026, marks what would have been Joan’s 93rd birthday. Though the stage has been empty since 2014, her presence is felt every single time a female comedian steps up to a microphone, and every single time a television network hosts a live red-carpet pre-show. To celebrate her heavenly birthday, we are looking back at who she was, the empire she built, and the heartbreaking way the world lost its loudest laugh.

Who Was Joan Rivers? The Woman Who Incinerated the Glass Ceiling

Born Joan Alexandra Molinsky in Brooklyn in 1933 to Russian Jewish immigrants, Joan Rivers didn’t just break the rules of comedy—she utterly pulverized them. In an era when women in entertainment were expected to be soft, safe, and pleasant, Joan walked on stage with a machine-gun delivery of brutal, self-deprecating, and fiercely honest truths.

Her massive breakthrough came in 1965 on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. Carson was so taken by her sharp wit that he told her on-air, “You’re gonna be a star.” She became his permanent guest host, but the relationship famously fractured when she made history in 1986 by signing with Fox to host The Late Show Starring Joan Rivers—making her the first woman to ever host a major late-night network talk show.

• The Famous Catchphrase: Her signature opening line, “Can we talk?”, became a global invitation to strip away Hollywood’s phony politeness.
• The Ethos: She was an unyielding workaholic who believed that absolutely everything in life—from grief to plastic surgery—could be healed with a punchline.

Invents the Modern Red Carpet

Long before every major entertainment website had fashion critics and live-streams, Joan and her daughter, Melissa Rivers, completely revolutionized award season. In the 1990s, they took over the E! Entertainment pre-shows, transforming a dull, polite walk into an electric, high-stakes arena.

By asking celebrities a deceptively simple, game-changing question—“Who are you wearing?”—Joan single-handedly bridged the gap between high fashion and mainstream pop culture. Later, as the matriarch of Fashion Police, she brought her signature bite to the industry, proving that a bad dress was just as funny as a bad joke.

What Happened to Joan Rivers? A Preventable Tragedy

The entertainment world was completely blindsided in late August 2014. Joan, who was a remarkably energetic 81-year-old still performing stand-up and filming weekly television, entered a Manhattan outpatient clinic for what should have been a routine, minor endoscopy to investigate voice changes and acid reflux.

During the procedure, severe medical mismanagement occurred. Joan suffered a critical drop in blood oxygen levels, leading to hypoxic arrest and catastrophic brain damage. Despite being rushed to a nearby hospital and placed on life support, the comedy icon passed away a week later on September 4, 2014.

A scathing federal and state investigation later revealed shocking incompetence at the clinic. Doctors had failed to properly monitor her deteriorating vital signs, administered inconsistent doses of the sedative Propofol, and performed unauthorized procedures. Most outrageously, it was revealed that a doctor had even taken a cell phone selfie with the star while she was unconscious on the operating table. Her daughter, Melissa, filed a major medical malpractice lawsuit that was settled in 2016, with the family redirecting their grief into fighting for stricter safety laws in outpatient surgical centers.

The Enduring Legacy: The Mold Was Broken

Thirteen years after her final curtain call, Joan Rivers’ impact on the world of entertainment is more visible than ever. She taught generations of performers—from Chelsea Handler and Amy Schumer to Nikki Glaser—that vulnerability is a superpower, boundaries are meant to be pushed, and nothing is off-limits if the joke is funny enough.

She was the ultimate survivor who faced bankruptcy, the tragic suicide of her husband Edgar, and industry blacklists, only to claw her way back to the top every single time. Happy Heavenly Birthday, Joan. Hollywood is a whole lot quieter—and a whole lot less interesting—without you.

With a script penned by The Revenant scribe Mark L. Smith—adapted from the celebrated 2012 novel by Peter Heller—this production trades the bleak hopelessness of traditional wasteland cinema for something focused on human connection. Here is your comprehensive guide to everything you need to know about the upcoming blockbuster.

The Plot: A Search for Meaning Beyond the Horizon

Set years after a devastating, hyper-lethal flu pandemic has completely eradicated over 95% of the global population, the narrative trades the usual zombie tropes for a meditative character study laced with explosive bursts of action.

The story centers on Hig, a widowed civilian pilot who lives a quiet, hyper-vigilant existence in an abandoned airport hangar nestled in the Colorado Rocky Mountains. His only companions are his loyal dog, Jasper, and Bangley, a fiercely anti-social, gun-toting ex-Marine who handles the perimeter defense against brutal raiders.

The status quo is permanently shattered when Hig intercepts a mysterious, voice-activated radio transmission on his Cessna’s radio. The faint signal hints at a thriving, civilized community existing somewhere outside their safe perimeter. Driven by a crushing loneliness and the desperate need to know if a better life exists, Hig decides to risk everything, fly past his point of no return, and chase the origin of the broadcast.

Heavyweight Cast

Ridley Scott has assembled a phenomenal, cross-generational ensemble to bring Heller’s rugged characters to life.

• Jacob Elordi as Hig: Taking over a role originally eyed for Paul Mescal, the Frankenstein and Wuthering Heights star continues his incredible cinematic hot streak. Elordi anchors the film as a former civilian pilot looking for a reason to keep surviving.
• Josh Brolin as Bangley: Bringing his trademark rugged intensity, Brolin plays an ex-Marine and Hig’s survivalist counterpart—a man who has completely adapted to the harsh brutality of the new world order.
• Margaret Qualley as Cima: A young, fiercely independent medic whom Hig encounters on his journey across the decimated landscape.
• Guy Pearce as Pops: A former Navy SEAL and Cima’s protective father, marking a welcome reunion between Pearce and Ridley Scott following 2012’s Prometheus.

While Ridley Scott is famous for delivering dark, beautifully oppressive worlds, he has explicitly noted that The Dog Stars carries a much more profound thematic weight.

But Nancy had other plans. Armed with a sharp platinum blonde blowout, a revolutionary pair of go-go boots, and an ice-cool attitude, she didn’t just step into the music industry—she stomped all over it.

Today, June 4, 2026, the definitive queen of 1960s cool turns 86 years old. To celebrate her birthday, we are tuning out the rest of the world and spinning her five most famous, culturally seismic songs that proved she was an absolute force entirely on her own terms.

1. “These Boots Are Made for Walkin’” (1966)

You simply cannot discuss the landscape of 1960s pop music without bowing down to this absolute masterpiece. Written by her longtime genius collaborator Lee Hazlewood, “These Boots Are Made for Walkin'” was the ultimate kiss-off anthem. Originally intended for a man to sing, Nancy famously convinced Hazlewood that a man singing it sounded abusive, but a young woman singing it sounded empowering.

She was entirely right. The song exploded to number one on both the US Billboard Hot 100 and the UK Singles Chart. Paired with a legendary promotional film featuring Nancy dancing in micro-minidresses and knee-high leather boots, it established her as a proto-feminist icon and a symbol of the Swingin’ Sixties.

2. “Somethin’ Stupid” (1967) — with Frank Sinatra

While Nancy spent her early career establishing her independence from her father, she wasn’t against teaming up with him when the right song came along. In 1967, the duo recorded “Somethin’ Stupid,” a beautiful, slow-swaying ballad about the agonizing anxiety of accidentally telling someone you love them too early.

The track was an absolute juggernaut, making them the first and only father-daughter duo to score a number-one hit on the Billboard Hot 100. Despite the song’s inherently romantic lyrics raising a few eyebrows among critics at the time due to their family tie, the pure vocal blend between the two Sinatras was undeniably magical.

3. “Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)” (1966)

While Cher originally had a massive upbeat hit with this Sonny Bono-penned track, Nancy stripped it down to its absolute bare essentials for her album How Does That Grab You?. Stripping away the production, she sang over nothing but a tremolo-heavy, melancholic electric guitar played by Billy Strange.

Her version turned a catchy pop tune into a haunting, desolate, and cinematic tragedy. Decades later, director Quentin Tarantino recognized the timeless power of the track, utilizing it as the opening theme for his 2003 masterpiece Kill Bill: Volume 1, introducing Nancy’s unique, moody vocal styling to a whole new generation of cinephiles.

4. “Sugar Town” (1966)

Proving she could pivot from gritty attitude to breezy, sun-drenched whimsy at the drop of a hat, “Sugar Town” was another massive top-ten hit for Nancy. With its jaunty rhythm and accordion-backed melody, the track sounds like a perfectly innocent, radio-friendly anthem about a carefree afternoon.

However, in true 1960s fashion, the track was delightfully subversive. Hazlewood later admitted that the song was a veiled nod to the burgeoning counter-culture trend of tripping on LSD-laced sugar cubes. It remains the rare pop artifact that was embraced equally by the hippies of the era and their unsuspecting parents.

5. “You Only Live Twice” (1967)

When you are asked to sing the theme song for a James Bond film, you know you have officially made it to the absolute peak of the entertainment industry. For the 1967 Sean Connery feature You Only Live Twice, John Barry and Leslie Bricusse crafted a sweeping, orchestral masterpiece.

Nancy admitted to being incredibly intimidated during the recording session—which featured a massive 60-piece orchestra—reportedly requiring nearly 30 takes to perfect. But the result is timeless. The hauntingly beautiful opening string sequence and Nancy’s silky, glamorous vocals created one of the most revered, influential Bond themes in the entire franchise’s history.

Over the past two decades, the Tulsa, Oklahoma native has pulled off one of the most impressive career evolutions in modern television history. He started as the ultimate utility player on late-night sketch comedy before transitioning into a critically revered, multi-hyphenate creator, writer, and prestige director.

Let’s strip away the impressions and count down the 5 absolute greatest, most defining roles of Bill Hader’s brilliant career.

1. Barry Berkman in Barry (2018–2023)

There is no better place to start than the magnum opus that completely redefined how the industry views Hader’s talent. Co-creating, writing, frequently directing, and starring in HBO’s pitch-black masterpiece, Hader spent four seasons playing Barry Berkman—a deeply depressed, traumatized Midwestern hitman who accidentally falls in love with the theater community while tracking a target in Los Angeles.

Hader’s performance was a masterclass in tonal tightrope walking. He could play Barry as a terrifying, cold-blooded void of violence in one moment, and a desperate, naive child looking for validation in the next. The role earned him consecutive Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series, permanently cementing him as a premier dramatic heavyweight.

2. Stefon on Saturday Night Live (2005–2013)

Long before he was sweeping the Emmys for heavy drama, Hader was the crown jewel of Studio 8H. While his impressions of everyone from Vincent Price to Alan Alda were legendary, his definitive contribution to pop culture history will always be Stefon, the flamboyant, wildly misinformed New York City city correspondent for Weekend Update.

The true magic of Stefon relied entirely on Hader’s real-time vulnerability. Because writer John Mulaney would famously change the jokes on the cue cards right before the live broadcast, Hader spent half the sketches actively breaking character, covering his face with his hands to hide his laughter. It became an instantly iconic, deeply comforting piece of television history that fans still revisit today.

3. Richie Tozier in It Chapter Two (2019)

Taking over a beloved character established by a younger actor is always a gamble, but Hader stole the entire show in Andy Muschietti’s horror blockbuster sequel. Playing the adult version of the trash-mouthed Richie Tozier, Hader provided the film with its absolute funniest, laugh-out-loud moments of relief against Pennywise the Dancing Clown.

However, Hader did something much deeper with the material. He infused Richie with a profound, closeted heartbreak regarding his unrequited love for his best friend, Eddie. His raw, agonizing grief during the film’s climax was widely hailed by critics as the emotional anchor of the entire horror epic.

4. Milo Dean in The Skeleton Twins (2014)

For industry insiders who assumed Hader could only operate within the safe boundaries of broad comedy, Craig Johnson’s indie darling The Skeleton Twins was a massive wake-up call. Reunited with his longtime SNL castmate Kristen Wiig, the duo played estranged, deeply troubled twins who reluctantly reunite after separately hitting rock bottom.

As Milo, a cynical, gay, out-of-work actor struggling with deep suicidal ideation, Hader was nothing short of magnificent. He brought a sharp, defensive wit to the role that masked an ocean of quiet pain. The film’s iconic, joyous lip-sync sequence to Starship’s “Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now” remains a legendary display of the natural, lightning-in-a-bottle chemistry between Hader and Wiig.

5. Officer Slater in Superbad (2007)

You cannot discuss the legacy of 21st-century studio comedies without bowing down to Greg Mottola’s Superbad. While Jonah Hill, Michael Cera, and Christopher Mintz-Plasse anchored the teenage chaos, Hader teamed up with Seth Rogen to deliver the ultimate adult comedic relief as Officer Slater and Officer Michaels.

As arguably the two most irresponsible, unhinged, and hilariously incompetent police officers ever put on screen, Hader and Rogen improvised a vast majority of their scenes. From taking a teenager out to shoot guns to accidentally drifting a police cruiser into a shopping cart, Slater became an infinitely quotable, timeless piece of comedic cinema that helped launch Hader’s big-screen career.

While lesser actors might have found themselves completely trapped by typecasting, Cera has cleverly evolved his signature awkward energy over the decades, transitioning seamlessly from indie darlings to massive, billion-dollar cinematic phenomenons. As he prepares to celebrate his 38th birthday, we are looking back at the five essential performances that define his brilliant, distinct legacy.

1. George Michael Bluth in Arrested Development (2003–2019)

Long before he was a blockbuster leading man, Cera was the moral, hyper-anxious center of the most dysfunctional family on television. As George Michael Bluth, the deeply earnest son of Michael Bluth (Jason Bateman), Cera spent years navigating frozen banana stands, a wildly chaotic family of grifters, and a deeply uncomfortable, unrequited crush on his cousin, Maeby. It was here that Cera perfected his signature physical comedy—the subtle shoulder drops, the downward glances, and the voice cracks that would go on to build his entire Hollywood career.

2. Evan in Superbad (2007)

It is practically impossible to discuss 21st-century comedy without bowing down to Superbad. Co-written by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, the raunchy coming-of-age masterpiece paired Cera with Jonah Hill as two co-dependent, high school best friends on a desperate, booze-fueled quest to impress their crushes before graduation. Playing the more cautious, sweet-natured Evan, Cera balanced out Hill’s loud, aggressive antics flawlessly. His hilarious, panic-stricken duet of “These Eyes” inside a room full of hostile criminals remains a timeless high-water mark of modern comedic cinema.

3. Paulie Bleeker in Juno (2007)

Released the exact same summer as Superbad, Jason Reitman’s Juno proved that Cera wasn’t just a one-trick comedic pony; he was also a genuinely fantastic romantic lead. Playing Paulie Bleeker—the track-suit-clad, Tic-Tac-obsessed teenager who accidentally gets his quirky best friend pregnant—Cera was the absolute heart of the movie. He infused the character with a quiet, unconditional devotion and unpretentious sweetness that perfectly anchored the film’s sharp, fast-talking dialogue, helping the indie darling secure an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay.

4. Scott Pilgrim in Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010)

Edgar Wright’s fast-paced, visually spectacular adaptation of the graphic novel series handed Cera his most physically demanding and unique role to date. As the bass-playing, video-game-loving slacker who must defeat his new girlfriend’s Seven Evil Exes in martial-arts combat, Cera was pitch-perfect. He brilliantly subverted the typical action-hero archetype, proving that a protagonist could be both an incredibly skilled fighter and a deeply insecure, emotionally clumsy dork. The role has aged so spectacularly that his voice reprisal in the anime series, Scott Pilgrim Takes Off, sparked massive global nostalgia.

5. Allan in Barbie (2023)

In a pastel-pink world entirely dominated by an army of flawless Barbies and generic Kens, Cera managed to pull off the ultimate coup: he stole a billion-dollar blockbuster by playing a single, discontinued doll named Allan. Greta Gerwig’s cultural juggernaut utilized Cera’s outsider energy perfectly. As the only man in Barbieland who doesn’t fit into the toxic patriarchy or the hyper-masculine Ken lifestyle, Allan became an instant, globally beloved fan-favorite. Watching Cera seamlessly fight off an entire construction crew of Kens while looking completely confused by his own physical competence is pure, unadulterated cinematic joy

It is a massive moment of celebration for the actor, particularly as he rides the wave of a monumental year. Fans across the globe are still emotionally recovering from the final episodes of The Boys, which wrapped up its legendary five-season run in May, all while watching Urban chew up the scenery on the big screen as Johnny Cage in Mortal Kombat II.

To honor his birthday, we are counting down the 10 most famous and culturally definitive roles of his incredible career.

1. William “Billy” Butcher in The Boys

There is no better place to start than the role that gave Urban the definitive performance of his adult career. For five seasons, Urban anchored Amazon Prime’s cynical, pitch-black superhero satire as Billy Butcher—the leather-jacket-wearing, crowbar-wielding, relentlessly profane leader of the titular vigilante crew. Urban infused Butcher with equal parts terrifying malice, deep-seated trauma, and a darkly hilarious anti-hero charm. His delivery of crude British slang and his unyielding hatred of “Supes” created a generation-defining television icon whose journey officially came to an explosive close just weeks ago.

2. Éomer in The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers & The Return of the King

For many mainstream moviegoers, Peter Jackson’s sweeping fantasy trilogy was the official introduction to Karl Urban. Stepping into the muddy, high-stakes world of Middle-earth, he portrayed Éomer, the fierce and fiercely loyal nephew of King Théoden of Rohan. Armed with a sword, a flowing blonde wig, and immense gravitas, Urban commanded the screen during iconic sequences like the Battle of the Pelennor Fields, perfectly embodying old-school cinematic heroism.

3. Dr. Leonard “Bones” McCoy in the Star Trek Reboot Trilogy

Taking over a role originally made famous by a legendary actor like DeForest Kelley is a terrifying task, but J.J. Abrams’ 2009 Star Trek reboot proved Urban was up to the challenge. As the deeply cynical, constantly exasperated Starfleet medical officer, Urban didn’t just mimic the original performance—he channeled its exact soul. His pitch-perfect comedic chemistry with Chris Pine’s Kirk and Zachary Quinto’s Spock quickly turned “Bones” into one of the absolute best elements of the modern trilogy.

4. Judge Joseph Dredd in Dredd (2012)

It takes a truly special kind of actor to deliver a critically revered, cult-classic performance while keeping the top half of their face entirely covered by a heavy comic-book helmet for the entire runtime. In the brutally violent, beautifully stylized 2012 adaptation of Dredd, Urban let his scowling mouth and gravelly voice do the talking. He gave audiences the definitive, uncompromising version of the futuristic lawman, turning a quiet box-office run into an enduring, heavily campaigned cult phenomenon.

5. Johnny Cage in Mortal Kombat II (2026)

Proving that he has absolutely no intention of slowing down as he enters his mid-fifties, Urban is currently dominating the summer box office as the latest incarnation of the iconic video game martial artist, Johnny Cage. Stepping into the action sequel, Urban brilliantly weaponized his natural swagger, portraying a slightly washed-up, ego-driven Hollywood actor forced to find his inner humanity while dodging brutal, interdimensional fatalities. It is a wildly entertaining, high-octane performance that injects the bloody franchise with a perfect dose of meta-humor.

6. Skurge the Executioner in Thor: Ragnarok (2017)

Taika Waititi’s neon-soaked, hilarious reinvention of the Thor franchise allowed Urban to officially tick the Marvel Cinematic Universe off his bucket list. Playing Skurge, an Asgardian warrior who desperately aligns himself with Cate Blanchett’s villainous Hela out of pure self-preservation, Urban found the perfect balance between pathetic comedic relief and eventual, redemptive tragedy. His final stand utilizing a pair of M16 rifles named “Des” and “Troy” remains a beloved MCU moment.

7. Julius Caesar and Cupid in Xena: Warrior Princess

Long before he was a Hollywood mainstay, a young Urban was cutting his teeth on the wonderfully campy television sets of his native New Zealand. Across several seasons of Xena: Warrior Princess and Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, Urban pulled off the ultimate flex by playing two completely polar-opposite recurring characters: the golden-winged, romance-inducing god Cupid, and the cold, calculating, historical conqueror Julius Caesar. It was an early masterclass in the sheer versatility that would define his future Hollywood career.

8. Kirill in The Bourne Supremacy (2004)

Every great action franchise needs a truly menacing, silent antagonist, and Paul Greengrass found exactly that in Urban for the second installment of the Bourne saga. Playing Kirill, a ruthless Russian secret service assassin tasked with tracking down Matt Damon’s titular spy, Urban exuded pure, cold-blooded physical intimidation. The film climaxes in a punishing, claustrophobic car chase through the streets of Moscow that stands as one of the finest action set-pieces of the 2000s.

9. Siberius Vaako in The Chronicles of Riddick Franchise

Urban teamed up with Vin Diesel to delve into the baroque, dark sci-fi universe of the Riddick films. Playing Commander Siberius Vaako—a fiercely ambitious, heavily armored leader within the fanatical Necromonger army—Urban brought a distinctly Shakespearean, political-thriller energy to the space opera. Alongside Thandiwe Newton, his character’s quiet schemes for power provided the narrative with a fantastic, backstabbing tension.

10. William Cooper in RED (2010)

In this star-studded, graphic-novel-adapted action-comedy, Urban proved he could easily trade blows with Hollywood’s old guard. Playing William Cooper, a sharp, hyper-efficient CIA agent tasked with hunting down Bruce Willis’s retired operative, Urban served as a relentless, modern physical threat. His brutal, hand-to-hand office brawl with Willis remains a high-water mark of the film, highlighting his uncanny ability to hold his own alongside absolute legends of the silver screen.

As the Northern Irish actor prepares to celebrate his 74th birthday today, we are stepping away from the film sets to look at the deeply human, remarkably private man behind the box-office numbers.

From Ballymena to the Ring: The Early Years

Long before he was rubbing shoulders with Hollywood royalty, Neeson’s life was miles away from the glamour of the red carpet. Growing up in Ballymena, Northern Ireland, during the height of the Troubles, he found focus and discipline through an unexpected outlet: amateur boxing. He won a series of regional titles before a severe concussion forced him to hang up his gloves at age 17.

Neeson’s journey to the screen was far from linear. Before finding his true calling at the Lyric Players’ Theatre in Belfast, he worked as a forklift driver for Guinness, a truck driver, and even spent time training to be a school teacher. That grounded, blue-collar work ethic never left him, establishing a reputation as one of the most disciplined and respectful actors in the industry.

The A-List Romances of the 1980s

When Neeson finally broke into the film world, his rugged Irish charm quickly caught the attention of some of the most prominent women in entertainment. Throughout the 1980s and early 90s, Neeson was involved in several high-profile relationships:

• Helen Mirren: The pair met on the set of the 1981 epic Excalibur and instantly hit it off, living together for four years. Neeson has frequently credited Mirren with helping him find a proper Hollywood agent and navigate the early stages of his global career.
• Brooke Shields: The duo shared a highly publicized, whirlwind romance in 1992, with Shields later revealing in her memoir that Neeson had even proposed to her during their time together.
• Barbra Streisand & Julia Roberts: Neeson was briefly linked to both iconic stars in the early 90s, earning a reputation as one of Hollywood’s most eligible and enigmatic bachelors.

Natasha Richardson: The Love of His Life

Everything changed for Neeson in 1993 when he was cast opposite British actress Natasha Richardson in the Broadway revival of Anna Christie. The chemistry between them was instantaneous and undeniable, despite Richardson being married at the time. After her divorce, the pair tied the knot in 1994, moving into a stunning estate in upstate New York and welcoming two sons, Micheál and Daniel.

For 14 years, Neeson and Richardson were considered one of Hollywood’s most stable, deeply devoted power couples. Tragically, that beautiful life was shattered in March 2009. While taking a beginner’s skiing lesson at the Mont Tremblant Resort in Quebec, Richardson suffered a seemingly minor fall. Hours later, she was rushed to the hospital, where she tragically passed away from an epidural hematoma at just 45 years old.

Neeson has been incredibly open about the profound, heavy grief that followed. He famously threw himself entirely into work—specifically leaning into the Taken action franchise—as a survival mechanism to keep standing for his teenage sons.

The 2025 Pamela Anderson Buzz and Family Milestones

In recent years, Neeson has kept his personal life completely out of the tabloids, famously declaring in late 2024 that he was entirely “past all that” when asked if he would ever date again.However, Hollywood had other plans. While filming the highly anticipated reboot of The Naked Gun action-comedy franchise, Neeson sparked massive global romance rumors with his co-star, Pamela Anderson. The duo generated a frenzy during their 2025 promotional tours, sharing affectionate public displays of attention. However, it was all part of a marketing campaign

Today, June 7, 2026, marks what would have been Prince’s 68th birthday. Though a decade has passed since he left his earthly vessel at Paisley Park in 2016, his presence in modern music remains entirely inescapable. From the gender-fluid aesthetics of today’s pop stars to the fierce fight for artists to own their master recordings, Prince wrote the modern blueprint for what it means to be a fearless creative.

To celebrate his heavenly birthday, we are turning the volume all the way up and revisiting the legacy and the definitive hits of the High Priest of Pop.

The Blueprint of Boundless Artistry

Born in Minneapolis in 1958, Prince didn’t just participate in genres; he invented his own. Dubbed the “Minneapolis Sound,” his brilliant blend of funk, synth-pop, new wave, and hard rock completely remapped the Top 40 charts in the 1980s.

What truly separated Prince from his peers was his terrifying level of musical proficiency. He was a true virtuoso, famously playing all 27 instruments on his debut album For You. He was also a prolific shadow-writer, penning timeless hits for other artists, including Sinead O’Connor’s “Nothing Compares 2 U,” The Bangles’ “Manic Monday,” and Chaka Khan’s “I Feel for You.”

The Purple Blueprint: His 5 Greatest Hits

While Prince’s discography spans a staggering 39 studio albums, a select few tracks stand as permanent monuments in the history of global music. Here are the five essential hits that define his legendary run.

1. “Purple Rain” (1984)

The definitive power ballad to end all power ballads. Serving as the title track to his smash-hit movie and album, “Purple Rain” is an emotional, gospel-infused rock epic. The track features what is universally considered one of the greatest, most expressive guitar solos ever recorded. Its status as a legendary piece of performance art was permanently cemented during the 2007 Super Bowl XLI halftime show, where Prince tore through the song live in the middle of a literal, blinding tropical downpour.

2. “When Doves Cry” (1984)

If you want to understand Prince’s absolute genius as a producer, look no further than this track. “When Doves Cry” was the lead single from Purple Rain and became the biggest-selling song of 1984. The most shocking element of the track? It has absolutely no bassline. Prince famously stripped the bass out of the final mix at the last minute because he felt it sounded too conventional. The result was a stark, avant-garde, and haunting masterpiece that dominated radio waves worldwide.

3. “Kiss” (1986)

A masterclass in minimalist funk. Warner Bros. initially didn’t even want to release the track as a single, believing it was too stripped-back and acoustic to succeed. Prince fought for it, and the track went straight to number one. Driven by a tight, dry guitar rhythm, a pounding drum machine, and Prince’s soaring, laser-focused falsetto, “Kiss” remains one of the most infectious dance-floor fillers ever created.

4. “1999” (1982)

Long before the world actually faced the anxiety of the new millennium, Prince gave humanity its ultimate apocalyptic dance anthem. Released in late 1982, “1999” masked the deep political paranoia of the Cold War era beneath an incredibly upbeat, funk-fueled party groove. It became his first top-ten hit and established the visual aesthetic—purple trenches, ruffles, and pure energy—that would conquer the decade.

5. “Little Red Corvette” (1983)

This sizzling, synth-heavy masterpiece was the song that officially launched Prince into the mainstream stratosphere. Utilizing automotive metaphors to describe a whirlwind, fast-paced romantic encounter, the track was a massive pop crossover success. Crucially, its heavy rotation on MTV helped shatter the network’s racial barriers alongside Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean,” paving the way for generations of Black artists to dominate the visual medium.

An Eternal Legacy

Prince’s influence didn’t stop when the music faded. He was a fierce advocate for artists’ rights, famously changing his name to an unpronounceable “Love Symbol” in the 1990s to protest his restrictive recording contract with Warner Bros., famously performing with the word “SLAVE” written across his face.

Today, his Paisley Park estate functions as a creative museum and a holy pilgrimage site for music lovers worldwide. As his estate carefully unearths treasures from his legendary “Vault” of thousands of unreleased recordings, the world is constantly reminded that Prince was operating on a completely different artistic plane.

Then, well into his fifties, he completely pivoted, transforming himself into a global, box-office-dominating action superstar. Whether he is playing a real-life historical hero, a Jedi Master, an enigmatic comic-book mentor, or a desperate father on a rampage, Neeson brings an unmatched intensity to every frame. To honor his birthday, we are counting down his 10 absolute greatest and most iconic roles.

Oskar Schindler in Schindler’s List (1993)

Steven Spielberg’s towering Holocaust masterpiece provided Neeson with the defining role of his dramatic career. Playing the narcissistic, hedonistic German industrialist who gradually risks his life and fortune to save more than a thousand Jewish refugees from the Nazi death camps, Neeson was magnificent. His evolution from a suave war profiteer to a deeply broken, repentant humanitarian earned him a well-deserved Academy Award nomination for Best Actor and permanently cemented his status as a dramatic heavyweight.

2. Bryan Mills in Taken (2008)

This is the lean, mean, Paris-set thriller that completely hijacked Neeson’s career trajectory. Playing a retired CIA operative who unleashes a relentless path of destruction across Europe to rescue his kidnapped daughter, Neeson birthed a brand-new subgenre of “geriatric action heroes.” His iconic, gravelly phone monologue delivering the line, “I will look for you, I will find you, and I will kill you,” remains one of the most quoted and heavily memed moments in modern cinematic history.

3. Qui-Gon Jinn in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace (1999)

Though the prequel trilogy initially faced polarizing reactions from critics, Neeson’s performance as the maverick Jedi Master has aged like fine wine. Qui-Gon Jinn brought a beautifully serene, philosophical, and unconventional energy to the Jedi Order. Neeson handled the high-concept world with effortless grace, providing the emotional foundation for the entire Skywalker saga and anchoring the legendary “Duel of the Fates” lightsaber climax.

4. Michael Collins in Michael Collins (1996)

Neeson channeled his own heritage and unmatched gravitas to portray the legendary Irish revolutionary leader who fought for his country’s independence. Directed by Neil Jordan, the sweeping historical biopic allowed Neeson to deliver some of the most fiercely passionate, charismatic, and emotionally charged speeches of his filmography. His raw, magnetic turn earned him the prestigious Volpi Cup for Best Actor at the Venice Film Festival.

5. John Ottway in The Grey (2011)

Often miscategorized as a simple movie about Liam Neeson fighting wolves, Joe Carnahan’s brutal survival thriller is actually a deeply profound, existential exploration of grief and mortality. Playing an oil refinery marksman struggling with suicidal ideation who must lead a group of plane crash survivors through the freezing Alaskan wilderness, Neeson delivered an incredibly raw, emotionally devastating performance that remains a massive high point of his post-Taken action era.

6. Henri Ducard / Ra’s al Ghul in Batman Begins (2005)

Christopher Nolan needed a deeply imposing, highly sophisticated actor to play the mentor responsible for training Christian Bale’s Bruce Wayne in the martial arts—before ultimately revealing himself as the sinister leader of the League of Shadows. Neeson was pitch-perfect, effortlessly blending a sharp, intellectual nobility with a cold, terrifying radicalism. He remains one of the best, most layered villains of the entire Dark Knight trilogy.

7. Alfred Kinsey in Kinsey (2004)

Stepping away from blockbusters, Neeson excelled in Bill Condon’s biographical drama about the pioneering and highly controversial sexologist Alfred Kinsey. Neeson infused the eccentric, socially awkward scientist with an immense, unwavering curiosity and a deep sense of empathy. It is a wonderfully intellectual, understated performance that highlighted his continued willingness to tackle complex, boundary-pushing material.

8. Daniel in Love Actually (2003)

Proving he could be just as effective in a soft, heartwarming romantic comedy as he is in a grim thriller, Neeson served as one of the emotional anchors of Richard Curtis’s holiday classic. Playing a recently widowed stepfather trying to navigate overwhelming grief while helping his young stepson win over his school crush, Neeson brought a beautiful, gentle vulnerability to the screen that continues to charm audiences every December.

9. Peyton Westlake in Darkman (1990)

Before the superhero genre completely dominated Hollywood, Neeson teamed up with visionary director Sam Raimi for this wonderfully manic, gothic comic-book thriller. Playing a brilliant scientist who is brutally disfigured by mobsters and utilizes synthetic skin to exact a hyper-violent revenge, Neeson brilliantly balanced tragic, Phantom of the Opera-style heartbreak with completely unhinged, delightfully over-the-top madness.

10. Rob Roy MacGregor in Rob Roy (1995)

Released the exact same summer as Braveheart, Michael Caton-Jones’s historical epic features what many consider to be Neeson’s finest physical performance. Playing the 18th-century Scottish outlaw and folk hero fighting to protect his family and honor from corrupt English nobility, Neeson exuded pure, old-school heroic nobility. The film culminates in a breathtakingly realistic, agonizing claymore-vs-rapier duel that stands as one of the greatest sword fights ever captured on film.

Brand officially celebrates his 51st birthday. While his career path has pivoted significantly over the last decade toward independent digital broadcasting and political podcasting, his run as a Hollywood leading man produced some genuinely unforgettable comedic highlights.

We are looking back at the silver screen and counting down the five best on-screen performances of his career.

1. Aldous Snow in Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008)

This is the role that turned Brand into an overnight global sensation. Nicholas Stoller’s classic romantic comedy was already packed with heavy hitters like Jason Segel, Kristen Bell, and Mila Kunis, but Brand entirely stole the show as Aldous Snow—the decadent, deeply philosophical, and relentlessly charming British rock star who happens to be dating the main character’s ex.

What made the performance brilliant was that Aldous wasn’t written as a one-dimensional, malicious antagonist. Instead, Brand infused him with a bizarre, zen-like benevolence and genuine warmth that made it completely understandable why everyone in the movie was under his spell.

2. Aldous Snow in Get Him to the Greek (2010)

The character of Aldous Snow was such a massive cultural home run that producer Judd Apatow decided he deserved an entire spin-off movie. Pairing Brand up with Jonah Hill, Get Him to the Greek follows a nervous record-label assistant tasked with escorting the erratic, relapsed rock star from London to a career-making concert at Los Angeles’ Greek Theatre.

While the film is packed with wild, R-rated debauchery and hilarious original music, it also allowed Brand to flex his dramatic muscles. Drawing heavily from his own real-life history with addiction and sobriety, he brought a surprising amount of pathos, vulnerability, and tragic clarity to a character struggling beneath the hollow weight of fame.

3. Dr. Nefario in the Despicable Me Franchise (2010–Present)

Mainstream audiences might be shocked to learn that one of Brand’s most lucrative and enduring roles is entirely animated. Since 2010, he has lent his voice to Dr. Nefario, Gru’s elderly, heavily hearing-impaired, and gadget-inventing mad scientist sidekick in Illumination’s multi-billion-dollar franchise.

Completely dropping his signature high-energy Essex drawl, Brand affects a slow, raspy, and hilariously weary old-man cadence. His voice work is an absolute masterclass in character acting, providing a perfect comedic foil to Steve Carell’s eccentric supervillain.

4. Dr. Linus Windlesham in Death on the Nile (2022)

For audiences who assumed Brand could only play hyper-exuberant versions of himself, Kenneth Branagh’s star-studded Agatha Christie adaptation was a massive wake-up call. Cast entirely against type, Brand stepped into the period murder mystery as Dr. Linus Windlesham, a quiet, reserved, and aristocratic aristocratic doctor who is secretly nursing a broken heart.

Shorn of his wild hair, wearing a sharp 1930s suit, and delivering a remarkably subdued, emotionally internal performance, Brand proved he possessed the dramatic restraint to effortlessly anchor a prestige ensemble piece without relying on a single comedic crutch.

5. Lonny Barnett in Rock of Ages (2012)

Adam Shankman’s big-screen adaptation of the hit Broadway jukebox musical may have divided critics, but Brand’s performance was universally heralded as one of the film’s brightest highlights. Playing Lonny Barnett, the energetic manager of the iconic, 1980s Bourbon Room, Brand looked entirely in his element.

Sharing an absolutely delightful, highly comedic on-screen partnership with Alec Baldwin, Brand threw himself headfirst into the campy, stadium-rock aesthetic, proving that his theatrical, over-the-top stand-up sensibilities were custom-built for the musical genre.

Jolie has never lived her life by anyone else’s script. Her romantic history reflects a woman who is fiercely passionate, unapologetically unconventional, and deeply evolutionary. Here is a definitive look back at the relationships that shaped the life of Hollywood’s ultimate enigma.

The 90s Rebellion: Jonny Lee Miller and Jenny Shimizu

Long before she was a polished regular on international red carpets, Jolie was Hollywood’s resident alt-girl. In 1995, she starred in the cult classic sci-fi film Hackers, where she met British actor Jonny Lee Miller. The chemistry was instant, and the pair tied the knot in 1996.

True to her edgy aesthetic, Jolie attended the wedding wearing black rubber pants and a white t-shirt featuring Miller’s name written across the back in her own blood. While the relationship burned bright, it burned fast; they separated in 1997 and officially divorced in 1999. Despite the split, they have remained close friends for decades.

During an off-period with Miller in 1996, Jolie also struck up a deeply passionate relationship with model and Foxfire co-star Jenny Shimizu. Jolie was incredibly open about her fluid sexuality at a time when Hollywood was far less progressive.

The Gothic Red Carpet Era: Billy Bob Thornton

If her first marriage was rebellious, her second was an absolute tabloid thunderstorm. In 2000, Jolie shocked the industry by eloping in Las Vegas with actor Billy Bob Thornton, who was 20 years her senior.

The couple quickly became infamous for their intensely passionate, highly public displays of affection. They famously wore matching vials of each other’s blood around their necks and frequently shared TMI details about their relationship during interviews. However, as Jolie’s focus began shifting heavily toward global humanitarian work and she adopted her first son, Maddox, from Cambodia, the couple grew apart, officially divorcing in 2003.

The Earth-Shattering Reign of “Brangelina”

There is celebrity gossip, and then there is Brangelina. In 2004, Jolie was cast opposite Brad Pitt in the slick action-comedy Mr. & Mrs. Smith. The on-screen chemistry was palpable, sparking an unprecedented media frenzy amid Pitt’s highly publicized separation from Jennifer Aniston.

For the next decade, Pitt and Jolie were the undisputed king and queen of pop culture. They completely redefined the concept of a modern, international celebrity family, raising six children together: Maddox, Pax, Zahara, Shiloh, Knox, and Vivienne.

• The Philanthropy: Together, they launched the Jolie-Pitt Foundation, donating millions to global crises.
• The Wedding: After a decade together, they officially tied the knot in an intimate 2014 ceremony at their French estate, Château Miraval, with their children famously decorating Jolie’s bridal veil.
• The Split: The world was stunned in September 2016 when Jolie officially filed for divorce. The high-profile split kicked off a complex, years-long legal battle over custody and corporate assets that has kept headlines buzzing well into the 2020s.

The Modern Era: Absolute Autonomy

In the decade following her split from Pitt, Jolie has deliberately stepped away from the traditional Hollywood romantic circuit. Instead, she has chosen to channel her formidable energy into her children, her creative passions, and her business ventures.

She launched Atelier Jolie, a sustainable fashion collective based in New York City, and has continued to deliver powerhouse cinematic moments both behind the lens and on screen—such as her highly anticipated biographical turn as opera singer Maria Callas. While the tabloids occasionally link her to various artists and intellectuals, Jolie has kept her personal life fiercely private, proving that her most enduring and powerful relationship is the one she has cultivated with her own autonomy.

Today, the Hollywood veteran officially marks his 55th birthday. But instead of looking back strictly at his legacy, the industry is celebrating his massive, present-day domination. Thanks to his central role in the critically acclaimed Max series The Pitt, Wyle hasn’t just returned to the hospital wards—he has completely redefined them.

Here is a look at the spectacular success of The Pitt and how Noah Wyle pulled off the ultimate mid-career masterclass.

The Revolutionary Reality of The Pitt

When it was first announced that Wyle was re-teaming with ER masterminds John Wells and R. Scott Gemmill for a new hospital drama on Max, fans naturally expected a nostalgic trip down memory lane. What they got instead was a breathless, uncompromising, and highly experimental piece of art.

Moving far away from the stale, comforting “case of the week” procedural format, The Pitt captures an unflinching, hyper-realistic portrait of contemporary American healthcare. The show follows a single, grueling 15-hour emergency room shift at the Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Center.

The structural genius? Each episode represents exactly one real-time hour.

This structural ticking clock gives the show a vertiginous, documentary-style pressure cooker energy. By tackling heavy, unvarnished themes like healthcare inequity, workplace bias, and the crushing weight of medical debt without ever becoming overly preachy, the series immediately separated itself from the pack to become a massive breakout hit.

Dr. Robby Robinavitch: An Award-Winning Resurgence

At the absolute center of this real-time storm is Wyle’s character, Dr. Michael “Robby” Robinavitch. Playing a hardened, deeply empathetic, yet beautifully flawed veteran ER doctor, Wyle utilizes every ounce of his television gravitas. It’s a performance stripped of Hollywood glamour, favoring raw exhaustion, quick wit, and deep human connection.

The industry has taken notice in a massive way. For his work on the series, Wyle has successfully swept award seasons, taking home:

• Two Primetime Emmy Awards (recognizing both his stellar Lead Actor performance and his behind-the-scenes work)
• A Golden Globe Award

Wyle’s success with The Pitt is a double triumph because he isn’t just standing in front of the camera. As an active Executive Producer and creative voice alongside showrunner Simran Baidwan, Wyle has been instrumental in crafting the show’s authentic rhythm, even stepping behind the typewriter to pen crucial episodes of the real-time thriller.

“I think coming back to the medical space at this point in my life allowed me to bring a completely different perspective,” Wyle shared during the show’s rollout. “It’s no longer about the wide-eyed wonder of learning the medicine; it’s about the survival of the people delivering it.”

Keeping It in the Family

As The Pitt continues its triumphant run through its second season, the show has found creative ways to keep audiences guessing, including some brilliant guest star spots. One of the most talked-about moments of the current season involved a hilariously meta family affair.

Wyle’s real-life wife, actress Sara Wells Wyle, made a surprise guest appearance in the ER as a fiercely health-conscious vegan patient suffering from an accidental turmeric overdose. In a display of true creative professionalism, Wyle actually chose to stay entirely off the set while she shot her scenes to ensure she had her own independent experience without him acting as a distraction.

Today Jolie officially celebrates her 51st birthday. We are shifting our focus to her incredible artistic legacy. Stripping away the tabloid noise, we are counting down the 10 greatest and most definitive performances that prove why Angelina Jolie is acting royalty.

1. Lisa Rowe in Girl, Interrupted (1999)

This is the ferocious, career-defining performance that rightfully earned Jolie her Best Supporting Actress Academy Award. Playing a charismatic, manipulative sociopath in a 1960s psychiatric hospital, Jolie completely hijacked the film from protagonist Winona Ryder. She infused Lisa with a terrifying predictability and deeply hidden vulnerability, creating an anti-heroine so magnetic that audiences could not look away whenever she swaggered onto the screen.

2. Gia Carangi in Gia (1998)

Before she conquered the big screen, Jolie delivered a tour-de-force performance in this HBO biographical film about America’s first tragic supermodel. Jolie bared her soul to portray Gia’s rapid rise in the fashion world and her devastating descent into addiction and illness. The raw, unfiltered vulnerability she brought to the role won her a Golden Globe and proved to the industry that she was a heavyweight dramatic force to be reckoned with.

3. Maleficent in Maleficent (2014)

Turning a legendary, cackling cartoon villain into a deeply empathetic, multi-dimensional protagonist is no easy feat, but Jolie pulled it off flawlessly. In this live-action reimagining of Sleeping Beauty, she utilized her sharp cheekbones and theatrical flair to deliver a masterclass in camp and emotional nuance. It remains the highest-grossing film of her career, largely because nobody else on Earth could balance wicked malice and maternal warmth quite like her.

4. Christine Collins in Changeling (2008)

Directed by Clint Eastwood, this 1920s period drama handed Jolie a richly deserved Best Actress Oscar nomination. Playing a grief-stricken mother who realizes the boy returned to her by a corrupt police department is not her missing son, Jolie delivered a masterclass in understated agony. Moving away from her usual explosive energy, she anchored the historical thriller with a quiet, trembling, yet unbreakable maternal resolve.

5. Jane Smith in Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2005)

This slick, globe-trotting action-comedy is the ultimate showcase for Jolie’s unmatched, pure-grade movie star charisma. Playing a bored suburban housewife who is secretly a world-class assassin tracking her equally lethal husband, Jolie weaponized her dry wit and flawless physical precision. The film exploded into a multi-million-dollar pop culture phenomenon, solidifying her status as a box-office-dominating leading lady who could out-shoot and out-smart anyone in the room.

6. Mariane Pearl in A Mighty Heart (2007)

In this deeply sobering, biographical drama, Jolie completely stripped away her glamorous Hollywood persona to play the pregnant wife of kidnapped journalist Daniel Pearl. Directed by Michael Winterbottom, the performance is a masterclass in realistic, documentary-style acting. Her gut-wrenching depiction of panic, hope, and eventual catastrophic grief stands as one of the most critically revered, dignified moments of her entire filmography.

7. Lara Croft in Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001)

At a time when Hollywood believed female-led action movies were guaranteed box-office poison, Jolie single-handedly shattered the glass ceiling. Bringing the iconic, British video game archaeologist to life with absolute physical dedication, she performed a vast majority of her own mind-boggling stunts. While the script was light, her pitch-perfect attitude, signature dual pistols, and athletic prowess successfully launched a massive global franchise.

8. Evelyn Salt in Salt (2010)

Originally written for a man (specifically Tom Cruise), the script for this intense espionage thriller was completely overhauled once Jolie showed interest. Playing a CIA officer forced to go on the run after being accused of being a deep-cover Russian sleeper agent, Jolie delivered a relentlessly gritty physical performance. She traded stylized superheroics for bruising, practical hand-to-hand combat, cementing herself as the definitive female action star of the 21st century.

9. Master Tigress in the Kung Fu Panda Franchise (2008–Present)

It takes a truly special kind of actor to convey an immense, intimidating authority using nothing but their vocal cords, and Jolie did exactly that for DreamWorks Animation. As the stern, hyper-disciplined leader of the Furious Five, she provided a beautiful, stoic counterweight to Jack Black’s goofy protagonist. Across the franchise, Jolie subtly peeled back Tigress’s hardened outer shell to reveal a deeply loyal, fiercely protective heart.

10. Maria Callas in Maria (2024)

Directed by Pablo Larraín, this haunting biographical drama represents the spectacular, latest pinnacle of Jolie’s adult acting era. Portraying the legendary opera singer Maria Callas during her final, melancholic days in 1970s Paris, Jolie delivered a deeply artistic, soul-baring performance. Immersing herself in the distinct isolation and fading brilliance of a genius, she garnered widespread critical acclaim, proving that her artistic flame burns brighter than ever as she enters her fifty-first year.

Exactly 13 years ago today, a 20-year-old Miley Cyrus released “We Can’t Stop,” the lead single from her explosive fourth studio album, Bangerz. Produced by Mike Will Made-It, the track wasn’t just a massive summer radio hit—it was a loud, unapologetic, and fiercely controversial declaration of independence. Looking back from 2026, “We Can’t Stop” stands as the exact moment Miley hijacked her own narrative and dismantled her corporate upbringing.

But while the song marked a brutal, necessary fracture from her childhood and her high-profile romance, Miley’s recent career moves have proven that you can never truly kill a Disney ghost. Instead, she has spent the last few years orchestrating the ultimate full-circle reclamation of her legacy.

The 2013 Radical Breakup with Hannah Montana

Before the summer of 2013, the world still largely viewed Cyrus through a wholesome, Disney Channel lens. While 2010’s Can’t Be Tamed was a solid attempt at rebellion, it still felt manufactured by the studio system. “We Can’t Stop” was different. It felt real, reckless, and entirely self-governed.

The music video—complete with gold grills, twerking, and a skull made of French fries—was a visceral shock to the system. By singing about “line[s] in the bathroom” and living by her own rules, Miley wasn’t just stepping out of Hannah Montana’s shadow; she was actively trying to incinerate it.

At the time, she needed the world to know that the wig was dead and buried. She was desperate to prove she was an adult artist, even if it meant alienating the empire that built her.

The Fracturing of the Liam Romance

You cannot talk about the Bangerz era without talking about the collateral damage to Miley’s personal life. At the time of the song’s release, Cyrus was technically still engaged to Australian actor Liam Hemsworth, her co-star from 2009’s The Last Song.

But the wild, hedonistic energy of “We Can’t Stop” clashed violently with the safe, domestic future the media had mapped out for them.

• The Ring Comes Off: Rumors of a split swirled all summer as Cyrus traded her engagement ring for oversized streetwear and a platinum pixie cut.
• The Infamous VMAs: The tension skyrocketed just a few months later during her infamous, foam-finger-wagging MTV VMA performance, which served as the final nail in the coffin for their first iteration as a couple.
• The Official Split: By September 2013, the engagement was officially off. Though they would famously reunite years later and marry in 2018 (before ultimately divorcing), the raw rebellion of “We Can’t Stop” was the sonic blueprint of their first major heartbreak.

2026: Coming Full Circle and Embracing the Past

While 2013 Miley wanted absolute distance from her Disney roots, her ultimate evolution has proven that her breakup with Hannah Montana was never final. Following her historic induction as the youngest-ever Disney Legend, Cyrus officially completed her full-circle journey just a few months ago.

In March 2026, Disney+ premiered the highly anticipated Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special. Sitting down for a deeply emotional, candid interview with Alex Cooper, Miley didn’t run from her pop-star alter ego—she fully embraced her.

The special featured nostalgic, tear-jerking reunions with her father Billy Ray Cyrus and her former on-screen rival Selena Gomez, alongside a stunning musical performance of “Younger You.” Miley used the platform to reflect on how her perspective has completely shifted since the volatile days of Bangerz.

In a television landscape that constantly changes, the bond between the cast of Friends remains one of Hollywood’s most enduring treasures. Variety recently brought internet favorites Jennifer Aniston and Lisa Kudrow back together for their acclaimed Actors on Actors series, and the result was pure, unadulterated nostalgia.

While the two Emmy winners spent time praising each other’s recent heavy-hitting dramatic work, the conversation inevitably drifted back to the multi-cam sitcom that defined a generation. In a series of delightfully witty exchanges, Aniston and Kudrow pulled back the curtain on the early days of their fame—and dropped a few shocking revelations about their viewing habits.

Watch Parties “Back in the 1900s”

Before they were pulling in historic $1 million-per-episode salaries, the cast of Friends was just a group of six young actors trying to process a sudden cultural phenomenon. Jennifer Aniston fondly recalled a sacred ritual the cast shared during the show’s infancy in the mid-1990s.

According to Aniston, the tight-knit group used to eagerly huddle together to watch their own work live.

“We used to gather in the very, very beginning,” Aniston shared with a laugh, playfully noting the timeline. “Back in the 1900s, we would watch the show at one of our homes.”

However, that wholesome tradition didn’t last forever. As the show’s ratings skyrocketed into the stratosphere, the cast’s schedules became notoriously grueling. As Kudrow simply put it, they eventually “got busy.”

Why Lisa Kudrow Finds Watching ‘Friends’ “Embarrassing”

While Aniston has spoken in the past about occasionally falling down a Friends rabbit hole on television, Kudrow made a surprising confession: there are still large chunks of the iconic sitcom she has never actually watched.

For the actress who brought the wonderfully eccentric Phoebe Buffay to life, the aversion to rewatching the series stems from a deeply relatable sense of self-consciousness.

“There were whole episodes that I hadn’t seen,” Kudrow confessed to an amused Aniston. “I just couldn’t sit there at home and have anybody walk by seeing me watching a show that I’m in. Because it felt embarrassing to me.”

Fortunately, the story doesn’t end with Kudrow missing out on her own iconic legacy. She shocked Aniston by admitting that she has finally sat down to watch the show as a viewer—and she quickly fell victim to the exact same addictive binge-watching habits that fans worldwide experience daily.

Kudrow: “So I have watched it now.”

Aniston: “Did you love it?”

Kudrow: “Loved it with all my heart. I’d end up sitting there for three hours, and then it’s like two in the morning: ‘I need to go to bed! This is bad!’ But, oh, it made me so happy to watch it. And, man, you’re all good. Holy cow! You were really good, Jennifer. It’s such a ridiculous thing to say to people! Like, of course.”

Imagine walking past Lisa Kudrow’s living room window in 2026 only to see her actively watching “The One with the Cop”—it is a hilariously meta mental image that explains her caution perfectly.

The Enduring Central Perk Legacy

The effortless shorthand and mutual adoration on display during the interview serves as a beautiful reminder of why Friends still dominates streaming charts today. The chemistry wasn’t just a byproduct of a great script; it was rooted in a genuine, lifelong sisterhood.

Whether you are looking for massive space-opera superheroics, nostalgia-fueled animation, or a terrifyingly real-world extraterrestrial puzzle, this month has something massive in store.

Here is your definitive guide to the five biggest movies landing in U.S. theaters this June.

1. Masters of the Universe (June 5)

By the power of Grayskull! After years trapped in development hell, the live-action resurrection of Eternia is finally hitting the big screen. Stepping out as the month’s first mega-blockbuster, Masters of the Universe aims to deliver a sprawling, high-fantasy action epic that appeals to both nostalgic 1980s purists and a whole new generation of fantasy fans. Expect massive scale, heavy practical effects, and a fierce battle for the cosmos right out of the gate.

2. Scary Movie 6 (June 5)

If high-fantasy isn’t your vibe, the definitive kings of early-2000s parody are back to save your weekend. Releasing the exact same day as He-Man, Scary Movie 6 marks the triumphant, long-awaited creative reunion of the Wayans family. No modern horror trend is safe in this installment—the laugh-out-loud trailers have already heavily targeted everything from “elevated horror” darlings to a dozen recent theatrical remakes. If you miss the era of absurd, unapologetic studio comedies, this is your saving grace.

3. Disclosure Day (June 12)

Undeniably one of the most hotly anticipated entries on the entire 2026 movie schedule, Steven Spielberg returns to the genre he practically perfected. Written by Jurassic Park scribe David Koepp, Disclosure Day is a pulse-pounding, 2-hour-and-25-minute psychological thriller surrounding the global revelation that humanity is not alone in the universe. Early critic reactions are already calling it a towering masterpiece, with immense praise leveled at Emily Blunt’s powerhouse performance alongside Josh O’Connor and Colin Firth.

“A half a century after Close Encounters, I made Disclosure Day with a lot more certainty that there’s more truth than fiction in this movie.” — Steven Spielberg

4. Toy Story 5 (June 19)

Pixar is gearing up to completely dominate the family box office with the return of Hollywood’s most iconic toys. This time around, Woody, Buzz Lightyear, and Jessie face their most terrifying antagonist yet: modern electronics. The plot finds the gang going head-to-head with Lilypad (voiced by Greta Lee), a brand-new tablet device that completely hijacks their kid Bonnie’s attention span. Directed by Pixar veteran Andrew Stanton, it promises a beautifully hilarious and poignant commentary on playtime in the digital age.

5. Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow (June 26)

Closing out the month is DC Studios’ highly anticipated interstellar epic. Moving far away from traditional, bright superhero tropes, director Craig Gillespie and star Milly Alcock (House of the Dragon) are delivering a much harsher, edgier, and deeply emotional take on Kara Zor-El. Inspired by the Tom King comic book run, the film follows a beautifully flawed, trauma-hardened Supergirl on a space-faring quest for vengeance. It is a massive, $170 million gamble for the new DCU, and the buzz is electric.

Walking the red carpet alongside his star-studded cast, the 79-year-old filmmaker sent shockwaves through the audience as he introduced his most ambitious project in years. If you thought Close Encounters of the Third Kind or War of the Worlds were just works of pure imagination, Spielberg is here to challenge everything you think you know about the night sky.

Here is your definitive breakdown of everything revealed at the historic Paris presentation.

The Topic: “More Truth Than Fiction”

At its core, Disclosure Day is a 2-hour-and-25-minute large-scale psychological thriller centered on the exact day humanity discovers it is no longer alone in the universe. Unlike his previous whimsical or catastrophic alien films, this movie is deeply anchored in our modern era, heavily drawing inspiration from recent real-world government reports on unidentified aerial phenomena (UAPs).

Spielberg didn’t mince words when describing the film’s chilling realism during its rollout, hinting that the movie borders on a warning rather than mere entertainment.

“A half a century after Close Encounters, I made Disclosure Day with a lot more certainty that there’s more truth than fiction in this movie,” Spielberg told the eager crowd. “I truly believe that this movie is going to answer questions, and cause you to ask a lot of questions.”

The narrative follows a breathless, pulse-pounding race against the clock as state secrets, political machinations, and technological pressures collide. The central, vertiginous question driving the plot is simple yet terrifying: “If you discovered that we are not alone on Earth—if it were absolutely proven to you—would you be afraid?”

A Legendary Creative Reunion

To bring this universe-altering thriller to life, Spielberg assembled his most trusted, legendary cinematic lieutenants:

• The Script: The screenplay is written by the brilliant David Koepp, the mastermind who previously penned the scripts for Spielberg’s most iconic blockbusters, including Jurassic Park and War of the Worlds.
• The Score: Providing the sonic landscape for our impending cosmic realization is none other than the immense John Williams. Disclosure Day marks a monumental, historic 30th collaboration between Spielberg and Williams.

The Star-Studded Cast

The Paris presentation also put the spotlight on the film’s stellar, intergenerational ensemble line-up. British powerhouse Emily Blunt takes the lead alongside Challengers breakout star Josh O’Connor.

Rounding out the solid A-list cast are:

• Colin Firth
• Eve Hewson
• Colman Domingo
• Wyatt Russell

When Can You See It? 

The rollout for Disclosure Day is moving at hyperspeed, avoiding the exhausting, months-long promotional tours of typical summer blockbusters. Following tonight’s historic Paris premiere, the general public won’t have to wait long to experience the thriller in theaters.

Universal Pictures has locked in a traditional theatrical window, with the U.S. release set for June 12, 2026. 

Spielberg also took a playful jab at modern streaming habits during the presentation, celebrating Universal’s commitment to protecting the traditional cinema experience with an extended theatrical window before the film hits digital platforms.

Directed by Peter Weir and written by Tom Schulman (who won an Academy Award for the screenplay), Dead Poets Society became a massive critical and commercial success. It grossed over $235 million worldwide, turning phrases like “Carpe Diem” into global mantras and redefining Robin Williams’s career.

But in an ever-changing cinematic landscape, how does a quiet, 37-year-old film about teenage boys reading 19th-century poetry still hold such immense cultural weight in 2026? The answer lies in its perfect storm of casting, universal themes, and an unapologetic emotional rawness.

The Robin Williams Factor

Before Dead Poets Society, Robin Williams was globally recognized as a kinetic, lightning-fast comedic genius. Audiences knew him from Mork & Mindy and Good Morning, Vietnam. However, as John Keating, Williams delivered a masterclass in dramatic restraint.

• A Quiet Rebellion: Keating wasn’t loud or cartoonish; he was deeply empathetic, warmly rebellious, and fiercely intelligent. He didn’t just teach his students poetry; he taught them how to think for themselves.
• The Legacy: Following Williams’s tragic passing in 2014, the film took on a profoundly new layer of emotional resonance. Watching Keating urge his students to find their voice and savor life carries a bittersweet weight that continues to bring modern audiences to tears.

A Timeless Battle: Individuality vs. Conformity

The true genius of Dead Poets Society is that it takes the universal teenage experience and treats it with the utmost respect. The boys of Welton Academy are buckling under the immense, suffocating weight of parental and societal expectations.

The tragic arc of Neil Perry (Robert Sean Leonard) and the quiet, painful awakening of Todd Anderson (Ethan Hawke) remain devastatingly relatable. The film accurately portrays the terrifying transition between childhood obedience and adult independence. Whether it is 1959 (when the film is set), 1989 (when it was released), or today, the pressure to conform to a path chosen by someone else is an eternal struggle.

The Enduring Power of Poetry

Ultimately, Dead Poets Society succeeds today for the exact same reason it succeeded 37 years ago: it is a fierce defense of the arts.

In a modern world that often prioritizes relentless productivity, algorithms, and rigid career paths, Keating’s central thesis remains an incredibly necessary reminder. As he passionately tells his students: “Medicine, law, business, engineering, these are noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life. But poetry, beauty, romance, love, these are what we stay alive for.

Decades after its release, Dead Poets Society continues to invite new generations to step up onto their desks, rip out the introductory pages of the rulebook, and figure out what their verse in the powerful play of life will be.

He possesses a rare, magnetic screen presence that allows him to effortlessly bounce between charming romantic leads, brilliant billionaire inventors, and deeply flawed, violent antiheroes. To honor his birthday, we are taking a definitive look back at the five most essential roles that showcase the absolute best of Dominic Cooper’s staggering range.

1. Uday Hussein and Latif Yahia in The Devil’s Double (2011)

If you want to see exactly what Cooper is capable of as a dramatic actor, look no further than this gripping biographical thriller. Taking on a monumental acting challenge, he played dual roles: the sadistic, completely unhinged Uday Hussein (son of Saddam Hussein) and Latif Yahia, the Iraqi soldier forced to become his political body double. Cooper is absolutely electrifying, flawlessly distinguishing the two characters through subtle posture shifts, voice modulation, and sheer intensity. It is a mesmerizing masterclass in acting against oneself.

2. Jesse Custer in Preacher (2016–2019)

Adapting the notoriously wild, violent, and highly controversial comic book series for television seemed impossible, but Cooper provided the perfect emotional anchor. Playing Jesse Custer—a chain-smoking, hard-drinking Texas preacher possessed by an entity that allows him to command anyone to do his bidding—Cooper perfectly balanced the show’s chaotic, supernatural absurdity with genuine, gritty gravitas. He gave the beloved antihero an undeniable swagger and a deeply conflicted soul.

3. Howard Stark in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (2011–2021)

Before Robert Downey Jr.’s Tony Stark was flying around in advanced armor, Dominic Cooper laid the absolute foundation for the Stark family legacy. First appearing in Captain America: The First Avenger (2011) and later reprising the role in the beloved Agent Carter television series, Cooper brought a fast-talking, 1940s playboy charm to the brilliant inventor. He infused Howard Stark with a perfect blend of arrogant genius and surprising warmth, making him a crucial, fan-favorite pillar of MCU history.

4. Dakin in The History Boys (2006)

This is the role that officially put him on the map. Originating the character in Alan Bennett’s acclaimed stage play before transitioning to the big-screen adaptation, Cooper played Dakin, the dangerously handsome, hyper-confident, and highly manipulative student preparing for his Oxford exams. He brought a sharp, irresistible arrogance to the role that made him completely captivating to watch, proving early on that he had the pure, magnetic charisma required to be a major movie star.

5. Sky in Mamma Mia! (2008) & Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again (2018)

No Dominic Cooper retrospective is complete without a trip to the fictional Greek island of Kalokairi. Taking on the role of Sky, the supportive fiancé to Amanda Seyfried’s Sophie, Cooper proved he could seamlessly step into a massive, lighthearted blockbuster. While it heavily contrasted with his darker dramatic work, his participation in the record-breaking musical (and its fantastic 2018 sequel) showcased a warm, fun, and highly charming side to the actor that introduced him to a massive, global mainstream audience.

His latest cover story for GQ is no exception. While promoting his role in Christopher Nolan’s upcoming ancient epic The Odyssey, Pattinson delivered a masterclass in refreshing honesty, pulling back the curtain on studio politics, his accidental movie marathon, and his hilariously specific wardrobe pitches.

The Only Man to Say “No” to Blind Faith: Asking Nolan for the Script

When Christopher Nolan calls, Hollywood generally drops everything and signs on the dotted line without asking a single question. For The Odyssey, stars like Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway, and Tom Holland famously jumped at the chance to join the massive ensemble blindly. But not Robert Pattinson.

Pattinson revealed that he was the solo holdout who explicitly requested to actually read the script before committing to the mythic blockbuster. Nolan’s reaction to the request was pure amusement:

“You want to read it? Everyone else just said yes,” Nolan replied.

Pattinson’s caution paid off, landing him a major role in the visual epic, though his independent streak clearly left a lasting impression on the notoriously meticulous director.

Accidentally Booking “A Lot of Movies” During The Batman Delays

Fans have been anxiously awaiting Pattinson’s return to Gotham City for The Batman: Part II. Originally scheduled much earlier, Matt Reeves’ highly anticipated detective-noir sequel has faced major writing and production delays, pushing its official theatrical release out to October 1, 2027.

When the superhero sequel first hit the pause button, Pattinson figured he would just find a quick indie project to pass the time. Instead, the timeline stretched so far that he accidentally became one of the busiest men in Hollywood, landing roles in Die My Love, The Drama, Prime Time, Dune: Part Three, and Nolan’s The Odyssey, among others.

“I’m like, ‘Well, I’ll do another movie in between.’ And then I ended up doing a lot of movies,” Pattinson joked regarding the extended hiatus.

Fortunately for fans of the Caped Crusader, the wait is officially nearing its end. Pattinson confirmed in the profile that he is finally back in training and preparing for an upcoming “11 weeks of nights” shoot in London as cameras finally get ready to roll on the sequel.

The Pitch for “Leopard Underpants” in The Odyssey

Of all the revelations in the GQ interview, nothing quite matches Pattinson’s creative vision for his wardrobe in The Odyssey. While the film promises a grounded, visually breathtaking take on Homer’s ancient Greek poem, Pattinson desperately wanted to sneak a highly specific, flashy modern flair into his period-accurate attire.

During his wardrobe department fittings, the actor campaigned hard to wear custom, glittering underwear beneath his classical tunic.

“I kept saying at my costume fitting, I was like, ‘I really want to have leopard underpants.’ I want to have it just coming out of my skirt, a little sparkly fur.”

While he didn’t explicitly confirm whether Nolan actually allowed the leopard-print fur to make the final theatrical cut, fans will undoubtedly be scanning the bottom of the IMAX screens this July to see if the actor’s wild fashion dream became a reality.

Wilder, who passed away in 2016 from complications of Alzheimer’s disease, possessed a rare comedic energy. He could oscillate from frantic, screaming hysteria to quiet, heartbreaking vulnerability in the blink of an eye. Tackling his life story is a massive undertaking, requiring a delicate balance of celebrating his cinematic triumphs and honoring his personal heartbreaks.

Here is a breakdown of what this newly announced biopic means for fans, the eras of his life it will likely cover, and the inevitable debate over who could possibly fill his iconic purple velvet coat.

The Golden Ticket: What the Film Needs to Cover

A standard cradle-to-grave biopic rarely captures the true essence of a creative genius. To truly understand Wilder, the upcoming film will need to heavily focus on the defining partnerships and moments that shaped his career and his heart.

• The Mel Brooks Era: You simply cannot tell Wilder’s story without Mel Brooks. Their collaboration was the bedrock of 1970s comedy, producing absolute masterpieces that pushed the boundaries of satire. The dynamic between Brooks’s chaotic directing style and Wilder’s meticulous acting process is cinematic gold.
• The Richard Pryor Partnership: Wilder and Pryor were the ultimate odd couple. Their on-screen chemistry in films like Silver Streak and Stir Crazy broke racial barriers and redefined the buddy-comedy genre, even while Pryor battled severe personal demons off-camera.
• The Gilda Radner Romance: The emotional core of Wilder’s life was his marriage to SNL legend Gilda Radner. Their profound love story, tragically cut short by Radner’s death from ovarian cancer in 1989, profoundly changed Wilder, leading him to step away from Hollywood and champion cancer research.

Casting the Inimitable

The moment the biopic was announced, the internet immediately launched into a fierce debate: Who on earth can play Gene Wilder?

Finding an actor who possesses his specific brand of neurotic charm, soulful eyes, and impeccable comedic timing is a monumental casting challenge. While the studio has yet to announce any official names, fan-casting is already leaning toward actors who can master both deep dramatic pathos and physical comedy. The chosen actor won’t just be doing an impression; they will have to capture the underlying anxiety and warmth that made Wilder so deeply relatable.

As we wait for more details on production and casting, it is the perfect time to revisit the roles that made this biopic so necessary.

Willy Wonka in Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971)

Perhaps his most globally recognized role, Wilder created the ultimate cinematic mix of childlike wonder and genuine, unpredictable danger. His performance as the eccentric chocolatier proved that family entertainment could be both deeply whimsical and remarkably dark, anchoring the film with a mysterious, magnetic energy.

Dr. Frederick Frankenstein in Young Frankenstein (1974)

This masterpiece showcased his brilliance not just in front of the camera, but behind the scenes as well. Wilder co-wrote the Oscar-nominated script with Mel Brooks, and his performance as the desperate, manic doctor trying to distance himself from his family’s infamous legacy was a masterclass in slow-burn comedy and hysterical outbursts.

Jim (The Waco Kid) in Blazing Saddles (1974)

In a movie absolutely bursting at the seams with chaotic, boundary-pushing satire, Wilder managed to completely steal the show by doing the exact opposite. Playing an alcoholic, washed-up gunslinger, he brought a quiet, lethargic coolness to the film, acting as the perfect, deadpan anchor amidst the absolute madness around him.

Leo Bloom in The Producers (1967)

This was the breakout film role that officially established his signature “hysterical panic attack” acting style. Playing a deeply anxious accountant who gets roped into a massive Broadway fraud scheme by Zero Mostel, Wilder was electrifying. The role earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor and marked the beginning of his legendary, career-defining partnership with Mel Brooks.

From scheduling wars between Marvel/Sony and Christopher Nolan to a massive update on his long-gestating passion project, Holland didn’t hold back. Here are the biggest, most shocking revelations from Tom Holland’s definitive GQ interview.

The “Very Uncomfortable” Showdown with Sony Over Christopher Nolan

With both Christopher Nolan’s sci-fi epic The Odyssey and Marvel’s Spider-Man: Brand New Day dropping back-to-back this July, fans have wondered how Holland physically managed to shoot both massive blockbusters. As it turns out, it required some terrifying corporate maneuvering.

Holland admitted to GQ that he had to have “a very uncomfortable conversation” with Sony executives to demand they shift his Spider-Man filming schedule so he could join Nolan’s star-studded ensemble.

So, how did he convince a multi-billion-dollar superhero machine to wait up? It all came down to Christopher Nolan’s legendary efficiency.

“One of the reasons why Sony were happy to move is because Chris has that reputation of ‘This movie isn’t going to go five months over, and we aren’t actually going to lose Tom for two years.’” Holland revealed. Moreover, the film finished shooting nine days earlier.

Holland then went a step further, comparing his time on Nolan’s set to his years spent building the Marvel Cinematic Universe—admitting that his observations might ruffle a few feathers back at Disney HQ.

“I think coming from the Marvel space, and I think this will upset Marvel a little bit—his level of preparation is unlike anything I’ve ever seen,” Holland confessed. “There’s not a single question you can ask him that he can’t answer immediately. He’s also quite simple in the way that he works. There are times when they use fancy camera tricks and things like that, but he really does come to set and he finds the shot.”

Entering His Thirties: A “Next Chapter” with Zendaya

Beyond the box office logistics, Holland struck a deeply reflective tone during the interview. Leaving his twenties behind has given the actor a completely revamped outlook on his career, his boundaries, and his highly publicized relationship with Zendaya.

While he politely sidestepped the rampant internet rumors that the couple has already secretly married, his comments about his off-screen happiness spoke volumes:

“It feels like the beginning of the next chapter of my life. I really feel like a young man now,” Holland told GQ. “I have so much amazing stuff happening in my personal life to take me through to the rest of my life, and I feel like I have a new perspective on where I want to exist in Hollywood.”

The actor hinted that he is no longer interested in the relentless Hollywood grind, choosing instead to protect his peace and focus on building a future with Zendaya away from the paparazzi lenses.

The Fred Astaire Biopic Finally Has a Filming Date

For years, fans have been waiting for an update on Holland’s dream project: a biographical film about the legendary golden-age dancer and actor Fred Astaire. Given Holland’s extensive background in dance (lest we forget his iconic West End run as Billy Elliot or his legendary “Umbrella” Lip Sync Battle), it’s the role he was born to play.

Holland officially confirmed to GQ that the script is fully developed, and the project is officially a go.

Even better? We have an exact timeline. Filming is officially being planned for January 2027. This gives Holland a much-needed breather after his chaotic summer 2026 press tours before he dives headfirst into grueling dance rehearsals later this year.

What makes this summer cinematic takeover even more spectacular? His longtime partner, Zendaya, happens to be co-starring in both of them.

From traversing ancient Greek mythology to navigating a gritty, street-level New York City, here is your definitive guide to the “Year of Tom Holland,” the massive projects hitting your local IMAX, and the couple’s unstoppable Hollywood reign.

Exploring the Mythic: The Odyssey (July 17)

First on the docket is Christopher Nolan’s sprawling, star-studded adaptation of Homer’s ancient epic poem, The Odyssey. Shot globally on massive IMAX cameras, the film promises to be a visually breathtaking, action-packed fantasy epic.

Holland steps into the crucial role of Telemachus, the fiercely determined prince of Ithaca searching for his father, King Odysseus (played by Matt Damon). The ensemble cast is absolutely staggering, featuring Anne Hathaway as Queen Penelope, Robert Pattinson, Charlize Theron, and even a surprise appearance by Travis Scott.

According to Holland, stepping onto Nolan’s set was a transformative experience. He recently called the project “the job of a lifetime,” noting that working alongside Nolan and producer Emma Thomas was an absolute masterclass in filmmaking. Interestingly, while Holland and Damon playfully admitted they were desperate to earn Nolan’s notoriously quiet praise on set, they both joked that the director ultimately saved all of his “perfects” for Zendaya, who plays the goddess Athena.

The MCU Return: Spider-Man: Brand New Day (July 31)

Exactly two weeks after conquering Greek mythology, Holland is throwing the red-and-blue suit back on. Directed by Destin Daniel Cretton (Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings), Spider-Man: Brand New Day officially ushers Peter Parker into his adult era.

Set four years after the devastating events of No Way Home, the film finds Peter completely alone. Having erased himself from the memories of everyone he loves, he is now operating as a full-time, gritty street-level protector of New York City. The movie promises to be the most grown-up and emotional entry in the franchise to date.

The casting for this new chapter is already causing massive hype online. Joining Holland for this darker adventure are:

• Zendaya (returning as MJ)
• Jon Bernthal (reprising his iconic role as Frank Castle / The Punisher)
• Mark Ruffalo (Bruce Banner / The Hulk)
• Sadie Sink (in a highly secretive, much-anticipated new role)

Co-Stars and Soulmates: Life with Zendaya

It is practically impossible to talk about Tom Holland’s monumental 2026 without highlighting the woman sharing the spotlight with him. The fact that Hollywood’s most beloved couple is headlining both of the summer’s biggest blockbusters together is nothing short of iconic.

Despite their stratospheric fame, the couple has managed to keep their relationship remarkably grounded and fiercely private. While the internet is constantly buzzing with unverified marriage rumors and engagement speculation, Holland and Zendaya prefer to let their work speak for itself. They have drawn strict boundaries regarding their personal lives, choosing to protect their peace in an industry that constantly demands access.

However, Holland’s adoration for Zendaya frequently bleeds into his off-screen pursuits as well. Case in point: his rapidly growing non-alcoholic beer brand, BERO. The actor recently revealed that the brand is launching a brand-new, limited-edition shandy-style drinks range specifically inspired by her.

“Zendaya, bless her, has never been a drinker, so she’s never drank beer,” Holland shared about the creative process. “She didn’t love the beers we have on sale. The idea behind the shandies was to create something authentic at the company that Z could enjoy.”

Whether they are playfully bickering about Christopher Nolan’s directing style, navigating the massive pressure cooker of the Marvel machine, or collaborating on a refreshing summer beverage, their partnership clearly thrives both on and off the camera. They are currently the undisputed King and Queen of the 2026 box office, and frankly, we are entirely here for it. 

Which Tom Holland blockbuster are you buying tickets for first this July?

Born Norma Jeane Mortenson in 1926, she navigated a deeply traumatic, impoverished childhood in the foster care system to become the most recognizable woman on the planet. Looking back at decades of media trends and pop culture shifts, the sheer volume of continued fascination surrounding her remains staggering. More than six decades after her tragic death in 1962, her face is still plastered across mood boards, high-fashion campaigns, and modern pop-star aesthetics.

But why does Marilyn Monroe still hold such absolute power over our collective imagination? As we celebrate her centenary, here is a look at the enduring cultural impact of Hollywood’s brightest, most complicated star.

Shattering the “Dumb Blonde” Myth

The greatest trick Marilyn Monroe ever pulled was convincing the world she was simply a naive, breathy blonde. The studio system of the 1950s worked tirelessly to package her as a beautiful, one-dimensional commodity, but the reality was vastly different.

Monroe was a fiercely intelligent, incredibly strategic artist who actively rebelled against the deeply misogynistic power structures of classic Hollywood. Consider these facts that often get lost in her mythology:

• She fought the system and won: When 20th Century Fox refused to pay her fairly or give her script approval, she famously walked out. In a move that was practically unheard of for a woman in 1954, she founded her own company, Marilyn Monroe Productions, ultimately forcing the studio to meet her demands.
• She was a dedicated intellectual: Behind the scenes, she surrounded herself with literary giants, married playwright Arthur Miller, and built an extensive personal library containing over 400 books, ranging from James Joyce to classical philosophy.
• A master of her own image: She heavily studied lighting, camera angles, and makeup chemistry. The “Marilyn” persona was a highly calculated, meticulously crafted performance that she could turn on and off at will.

The Blueprint for Modern Stardom

Before Madonna, before Britney Spears, and long before the Kardashian empire, there was Marilyn. She essentially invented the modern concept of the pop culture icon. She proved that a celebrity’s personal brand, aesthetic, and off-screen narrative could be just as powerful—if not more so—than their actual filmography.Modern pop stars constantly mine her legacy for inspiration. From Madonna’s “Material Girl” music video perfectly recreating the Gentlemen Prefer Blondes pink dress routine, to Billie Eilish channeling her vintage glamour at the Met Gala, to Kim Kardashian wearing Monroe’s actual “Happy Birthday, Mr. President” dress, modern fame is still entirely speaking Marilyn’s visual language.

However, amidst all the merchandise, the viral TikTok aesthetic edits, and the endless biographies, it can be shockingly easy to overlook the actual reason she became famous in the first place. Marilyn Monroe was a phenomenally gifted, wildly charismatic actress who could effortlessly oscillate between devastating emotional vulnerability and razor-sharp physical comedy.

To properly celebrate her centenary this weekend, it is time to turn off the documentaries and turn on the classics. Here is your definitive guide to the five greatest, most essential performances of her career that prove exactly why there will never be another Marilyn.

1. Some Like It Hot (1959)

If you only watch one film to celebrate her birthday, make it this one. Directed by the legendary Billy Wilder, this Prohibition-era farce follows two musicians (Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon) who dress in drag to escape the mob, only to fall hopelessly in love with the lead singer of an all-female band.

Playing the ukulele-strumming, lovelorn Sugar Kane, Monroe delivered the defining comedic performance of her life. She perfectly balanced breathless innocence with razor-sharp comedic timing, effortlessly stealing the movie from two of Hollywood’s greatest leading men. Her performance was so universally praised that it ultimately earned her the Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Comedy or Musical.

2. Niagara (1953)

Before the studios locked her into playing the bubbly, glamorous blonde, she starred in this gorgeous, Technicolor film noir. Niagara offers a rare, thrilling glimpse at a much darker side of Monroe’s acting abilities.

She plays Rose Loomis, a deeply unhappy, wildly seductive wife plotting to murder her traumatized war-veteran husband (Joseph Cotten) against the backdrop of Niagara Falls. She completely weaponized her sex appeal for this role, turning herself into a calculating, ruthless femme fatale. The film was a massive commercial success and officially signaled to the world that a dangerous, hypnotic new movie star had arrived.

3. Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953)

This is the movie that officially built the “Marilyn” brand. Directed by Howard Hawks, this delightfully vibrant musical pairs Monroe with the brilliantly sharp Jane Russell as two showgirls traveling to Paris on a luxury cruise liner.

While Russell provides the grounded sarcasm, Monroe absolutely dazzles as the unapologetically money-hungry, yet incredibly endearing, Lorelei Lee. The film features the legendary “Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend” musical sequence—an electric, hot-pink spectacle of choreography that has been referenced and replicated by everyone from Madonna to Margot Robbie. It is pure, unabashed cinematic joy from start to finish.

4. Bus Stop (1956)

Tired of not being taken seriously by 20th Century Fox, Monroe famously left Hollywood in the mid-1950s to study at the prestigious Actors Studio in New York. When she returned to the screen in Bus Stop, she was eager to prove her dramatic chops—and she succeeded brilliantly.

She plays Cherie, a painfully untalented but deeply hopeful Ozark saloon singer who is essentially kidnapped by an obsessive, overbearing cowboy. Stripping away her usual flawless glamour for a pale complexion and a shredded, tragic wardrobe, she delivered a surprisingly gritty, heartbreaking performance. It proved to critics that she was far more than just a beautiful face; she was an actress capable of immense depth and empathy.

5. The Misfits (1961)

Written specifically for her by her then-husband, playwright Arthur Miller, and directed by John Huston, The Misfits stands as her final completed film. It is also undeniably her most profound.

Acting alongside heavyweights Clark Gable and Montgomery Clift, Monroe plays Roslyn Taber, a deeply empathetic divorcee who connects with a group of broken, aging cowboys in the Nevada desert. The film is incredibly difficult to watch at times, as the character’s profound loneliness and emotional exhaustion closely mirrored Monroe’s real-life internal struggles. It is a haunting, beautiful, and devastatingly raw performance that leaves audiences wondering what incredible dramatic heights she could have reached in the 1970s.

While he is undeniably recognized globally for his superhero antics, his filmography boasts a remarkably dark, complex, and emotionally demanding body of work. To celebrate his 30th birthday, we are taking a definitive look back at the five most exceptional roles that permanently established him as Hollywood royalty.

1. Peter Parker / Spider-Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe

When Holland was cast as the iconic web-slinger ahead of 2016’s Captain America: Civil War, he faced the monumental task of rebooting a character that audiences had already seen portrayed by two other actors in the span of a decade. He completely blew expectations out of the water. By perfectly capturing the youthful, awkward, and genuinely heroic energy of a high school kid in way over his head, he became the definitive Peter Parker for an entire generation. His deeply emotional, multi-film arc—culminating in the billion-dollar, universe-shattering Spider-Man: No Way Home—cemented him as the ultimate emotional core of the modern MCU.

2. Lucas Bennett in The Impossible (2012)

Long before he put on the Spidey suit, a 16-year-old Holland delivered an absolute masterclass in raw, devastating survival acting in J.A. Bayona’s harrowing disaster drama. Based on the true story of the devastating 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, Holland played Lucas, the eldest son of a family violently torn apart by the massive wave. Going toe-to-toe with Hollywood heavyweights Naomi Watts and Ewan McGregor, he served as the fierce, terrifyingly mature emotional anchor of the film, proving instantly that he possessed dramatic chops far beyond his years.

3. Arvin Russell in The Devil All the Time (2020)

Actively seeking to shatter his squeaky-clean Disney image, Holland teamed up with director Antonio Campos for this bleak, deeply unsettling Southern Gothic psychological thriller. Playing a heavily traumatized, fiercely protective young man navigating a town filled with corrupt preachers and violent killers, he showcased a gritty, simmering rage that audiences had never seen from him before. His incredibly dark, violent, and morally complex performance forced the industry to look at him as a deeply serious, adult character actor.

4. Danny Sullivan in The Crowded Room (2023)

Taking on his most challenging and psychologically exhausting role to date, Holland both starred in and executive produced this gripping Apple TV+ psychological thriller series. Loosely based on the true story of Billy Milligan, he played Danny Sullivan, a young man arrested for his involvement in a 1979 shooting who is slowly forced to confront his own severely fractured mind. The demanding, transformative role pushed his acting abilities to their absolute limit, allowing him to dive deeply into the devastating realities of severe trauma and mental illness.

5. Cherry in Cherry (2021)

Reuniting with Avengers directors Joe and Anthony Russo, Holland pushed his physical and emotional boundaries entirely to the brink in this highly stylized crime drama. Playing the titular character—an army medic suffering from severe, untreated PTSD who eventually turns to robbing banks to feed a devastating opioid addiction—he completely lost himself in the role. From losing an intense amount of weight to perfectly capturing the agonizing spiral of addiction, it was an incredibly fearless, unglamorous swing that further proved his immense dedication to his craft.

WARNING: Massive spoilers ahead for the series finale of Euphoria. Read at your own risk!

It is officially the end of an era for Gen Z’s most defining, glitter-soaked teen drama. Following the broadcast of last night’s massive 93-minute Season 3 finale, titled “In God We Trust,” HBO and creator Sam Levinson officially confirmed what many fans had already suspected: Euphoria will not be returning for Season 4.

After seven years, three seasons, and 26 episodes, the journey has concluded. Levinson confirmed the news today, June 1, 2026, stating on The New York Times‘ Popcast that the story had simply reached its natural, inevitable endpoint. “In terms of the story that we set out to tell, which is a story about addiction and its consequences, this feels like the end to me,” Levinson explained.

Zendaya, who catapulted to A-list status through her Emmy-winning portrayal of Rue Bennett, had previously hinted that closure was coming this season. Now that the credits have officially rolled, the internet is absolutely reeling from one of the most devastating, violent, and debated television finales in recent memory. Here is a definitive breakdown of exactly how it all ended.

The Tragic End of Rue Bennett

The biggest and most heartbreaking question heading into the finale was whether Rue would finally find lasting peace. Tragically, she did not.

Midway through the supersized episode, Rue, seeking a brief escape from the harrowing adult world of drug trafficking she had become entangled in, takes what she believes is a standard prescription painkiller. The narrative then shifts into a beautiful, hopeful dream sequence. Viewers watch Rue reconnect with loved ones, visit meaningful childhood spots, and seemingly get a genuine second chance at life.

However, the episode pulls the rug out from under the audience in a devastating twist. The medication was secretly laced with fentanyl. The beautiful moments of reconciliation were simply a dying dream; in reality, Rue Bennett fatally overdoses and dies on Ali’s couch. In his post-finale interviews, Levinson revealed that Rue’s tragic passing was a deliberate narrative choice meant to honor the late Angus Cloud (who played Fezco and tragically passed away from an accidental overdose in 2023). Levinson noted that the ending was “a way of honoring Angus and saying a prayer for the future,” underscoring the lethal reality of modern addiction.

Ali’s Western-Style Revenge

With Rue gone, the narrative entirely shifts its focus to Ali (played brilliantly by Colman Domingo). Devastated by the loss of the girl he tried so desperately to sponsor and save, Ali delivers a gut-wrenching speech at a recovery meeting before taking matters into his own hands.

The final act of the series abandons the high school drama aesthetic completely, transforming into a tense, neon-lit Western shootout. Ali tracks down Alamo—the criminal figure responsible for the fentanyl-laced pills—and confronts him in a nightclub. Following a tense standoff where Alamo’s weapon is revealed to be unloaded, Ali fatally shoots him, securing a dark, hollow vengeance for Rue.

Surviving the Wreckage: Cassie, Maddy, Lexi, and Nate

While Rue and Ali’s storylines anchored the emotional core of the finale, the rest of the crew faced their own dark, deeply cynical adult conclusions following the show’s massive time jump.

• Nate Jacobs: Jacob Elordi’s deeply toxic antagonist didn’t even make it to the finale. In a brutally shocking twist during the penultimate episode, Nate was murdered after getting deeply entangled in massive debt with the Armenian mob (resulting in a horrific, violent death involving being buried alive and bitten by a rattlesnake).
• Cassie Howard: Left widowed and facing Nate’s massive, looming debts, Cassie proves to be an unexpected survivor. Instead of crumbling under the pressure, she pivots, transforming their giant McMansion into a highly lucrative OnlyFans and TikTok “content house.” While the final shots show her navigating some lingering grief among the ring lights, she ultimately secures her own financial independence and keeps the house on her own terms. She lives now with Maddy at Nate’s mansion.
• Maddy Perez: After spending the season trapped in debt and working under the thumb of Alamo (while simultaneously acting as a talent manager for Cassie’s content creation), Maddy finally gets her freedom when Ali kills the kingpin. Notably, Maddy and Cassie fully reconcile, living together in a twisted, co-dependent dynamic that creator Sam Levinson teased in the post-episode commentary as the true “love story” of the season.
• Lexi Howard: Always the quiet observer, Lexi receives the most stable ending. Grieving Rue, Lexi spends the finale reading a Bible that Rue had left on her couch. She comes to the profound realization that “bad things happen, and you just keep on going,” ultimately rejecting Cassie’s offer to join the content house so she can forge her own independent path.

A Deeply Divisive Farewell: Critics and Fans React

Much like the entirety of Season 3—which featured a massive time jump that threw the characters into the dark adult worlds of sex work and Hollywood—the finale is proving to be incredibly polarizing.

The Critics’ Take:

Professional reviews have been aggressively mixed. While some critics praised Zendaya and Colman Domingo’s raw performances, others felt the show completely lost its way. Page Six published a review this morning, calling the finale “tawdry, tasteless, and squandering its all-star cast with ludicrous writing.”

The Fans’ Take:

Social media is currently a battlefield of conflicting emotions.

• The Heartbroken: Many fans are absolutely devastated by Rue’s death, heavily praising the show for refusing to sugarcoat the fatal realities of drug abuse. They view it as a foundational text for Gen Z and a fitting, albeit tragic, end to a dark story.
• The Frustrated: On the other hand, platforms like Reddit are flooded with disappointed viewers. Many fans complained that the 93-minute runtime was bloated with unnecessarily long scenes.

Whether you view it as a tragic masterpiece or a disappointing misfire, there is no denying the absolute cultural stranglehold Euphoria held over the television landscape for the past seven years.

“I always tell my kids, if you lay down, people will step over you. But if you keep scrambling, if you keep going, someone will always give you a hand. Always.” — Morgan Freeman

To honor his 89th birthday, we are counting down the 10 absolute best roles of Morgan Freeman’s staggering career.

1. Ellis Boyd “Red” Redding in The Shawshank Redemption (1994)

It is practically impossible to separate Freeman from his role as Red, the contraband smuggler who forms a decades-long friendship with Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins) inside Shawshank State Penitentiary. Freeman provided both the emotional anchor and the iconic voiceover narration for the film. His journey from a cynical, institutionalized inmate to a man who finally rediscovers hope is the beating heart of what is widely considered one of the greatest movies ever made.

2. Detective William Somerset in Se7en (1995)

In David Fincher’s grim, rain-soaked psychological thriller, Freeman delivered a masterclass in world-weary exhaustion. Playing a seasoned, deeply intelligent homicide detective just days away from retirement, his calm, methodical demeanor served as the perfect foil to Brad Pitt’s impulsive, hot-headed rookie. Somerset’s quiet desperation in the face of absolute evil remains one of the most chillingly grounded performances of the 1990s.

3. Eddie “Scrap-Iron” Dupris in Million Dollar Baby (2004)

The role that finally won him a long-overdue Academy Award. Reuniting with director and co-star Clint Eastwood, Freeman played a half-blind former boxer who manages a rundown gym. He essentially acts as the film’s moral compass, bringing a gentle, fatherly warmth and profound tragedy to the gritty sports drama. His narration in this film is nothing short of poetic.

4. Hoke Colburn in Driving Miss Daisy (1989)

This film catapulted him into the A-list and secured his first Best Actor Oscar nomination. Freeman played a patient, dignified chauffeur navigating a highly complex, 25-year relationship with his stubborn, wealthy employer (Jessica Tandy) against the backdrop of the Civil Rights Movement. He brought immense grace, humor, and nuance to a role that easily could have fallen into caricature in lesser hands.

5. Nelson Mandela in Invictus (2009)

Portraying one of the most significant historical figures of the 20th century is a monumental task, but Freeman was practically destined for the role (Mandela himself once said Freeman was the only actor he wanted to play him). Focusing on Mandela’s strategy to unite a heavily divided South Africa through the 1995 Rugby World Cup, Freeman flawlessly captured the leader’s cadence, charisma, and unshakeable resolve.

6. God in Bruce Almighty (2003)

Only Morgan Freeman could wear a pristine white suit, step into a glowing room, and make global audiences unanimously agree: Yes, that is exactly what God looks and sounds like. While it is a mainstream Jim Carrey comedy, Freeman’s serene, perfectly deadpan, and warmly authoritative performance completely elevated the film, making it a beloved pop-culture touchstone.

7. Lucius Fox in The Dark Knight Trilogy (2005–2012)

Christopher Nolan needed an actor who could believably command the technology division of Wayne Enterprises while simultaneously acting as the ethical sounding board for Bruce Wayne. As Lucius Fox, Freeman was brilliant, sophisticated, and wonderfully dry. Watching him quietly outsmart corporate blackmailers and supply Batman with a military-grade arsenal was a consistent highlight across all three blockbuster films.

8. Principal Joe Clark in Lean on Me (1989)

Before he settled into playing calm, benevolent mentors, Freeman delivered an incredibly fiery, explosive performance based on the real-life New Jersey high school principal Joe Clark. Stalking the halls with a baseball bat and a megaphone, he played a man willing to use radically aggressive, deeply controversial tactics to save his failing, crime-ridden school. It is one of the most intense and powerful performances of his early career.

9. Fast Black in Street Smart (1987)

This is the gritty, terrifying supporting role that initially caught the attention of the Academy and essentially launched the second half of his career. Playing a volatile, highly dangerous pimp in New York City, Freeman completely shattered any expectations audiences had of him. He was electrifying, incredibly menacing, and completely magnetic, proving his staggering range as a dramatic actor.

10. Sergeant Major John Rawlins in Glory (1989)

In Edward Zwick’s sweeping American Civil War epic about the first all-Black volunteer company, Freeman served as the soul of the 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment. Playing a gravedigger turned soldier who eventually earns the rank of Sergeant Major, his fierce, deeply emotional dedication to the cause grounded the film’s spectacular battle sequences in raw, human stakes.

The Essential Roles at a Glance

1. Susan Keane in Suddenly Susan (1996–2000)

This was the massive television hit that officially proved Shields was a comedic powerhouse. Playing a glamorous magazine writer who suddenly leaves her wealthy fiancé at the altar to completely restart her life, she anchored the beloved NBC sitcom for four highly successful seasons. Her delightful, deeply relatable performance earned her two Golden Globe nominations and entirely redefined her public image for the 1990s.

2. Violet in Pretty Baby (1978)

In Louis Malle’s highly controversial historical drama, a 12-year-old Shields delivered a remarkably complex, critically acclaimed performance as a child living in a New Orleans brothel in 1917. While the subject matter sparked intense global debate, there was absolutely no denying the immense, raw talent she displayed, officially launching her into cinematic superstardom.

3. Emmeline Lestrange in The Blue Lagoon (1980)

One of the most famous and culturally defining films of the 1980s, this sweeping survival romance firmly established Shields as the ultimate cinematic beauty of her generation. Playing a young girl marooned on a tropical island who must come of age entirely isolated from society, she carried the visually stunning, massive box office hit entirely on her shoulders.

4. Erika Ford in Friends (1996)

In what is widely considered one of the greatest guest-star appearances in sitcom history, Shields completely shattered her serious, glamorous image. Playing Erika, a deeply unhinged, obsessive stalker who genuinely believes Joey Tribbiani is the real Dr. Drake Ramoray, her hilarious, manic performance directly led to network executives offering her Suddenly Susan.

5. Jade Butterfield in Endless Love (1981)

Directed by Franco Zeffirelli, this intense romantic drama further cemented her status as a leading lady. Playing a teenager caught in a highly obsessive, ultimately destructive first romance, she captured the chaotic, agonizing intensity of young love. The film was a massive commercial success and solidified her position as the defining teen idol of the era.

6. Wendy Healy in Lipstick Jungle (2008–2009)

Returning to leading television roles, Shields shined in this glossy comedy-drama based on Candace Bushnell’s novel. Playing a high-powered, fiercely ambitious film executive struggling to balance her demanding career with her crumbling marriage, she brought a fantastic, grounded maturity to the fun, fashion-forward series.

7. River Fields in Jane the Virgin (2018–2019)

Showcasing her incredible willingness to poke fun at herself, Shields took on a brilliant recurring role in the hit CW satirical telenovela. Playing River Fields, a famously demanding, narcissistic Hollywood actress who becomes Rogelio’s fierce rival and eventual co-star, she chewed the scenery with absolute comedic perfection.

8. Sophie Brown in A Castle for Christmas (2021)

Leaning into the massive popularity of the holiday streaming genre, Shields absolutely charmed audiences in this heartwarming Netflix romantic comedy. Playing a scandalized, bestselling American author who flees to Scotland and clashes with a grumpy duke (Cary Elwes), she proved that her undeniable leading-lady charisma is just as powerful as ever.

9. Sheila Jackson in Shameless (2017)

Stepping into the chaotic, gritty world of the hit Showtime dramedy, Shields delivered a fantastic, highly memorable guest arc. Playing a tough, fiercely protective mother who clashes violently with the Gallagher family, she completely abandoned her polished persona for a brilliantly raw, aggressive, and deeply entertaining performance.

10. Lana in Mother of the Bride (2024)

Continuing her successful streak with Netflix, Shields anchored this hilarious, beautiful destination rom-com alongside Benjamin Bratt. Playing a fiercely protective mother who discovers her daughter is marrying the son of the man who broke her heart decades ago, she expertly balanced lighthearted physical comedy with genuine emotional warmth.