Filmmaker Zack Snyder has been making movies for a long time, and is known for bringing his unique visual language to each new title. Snyder's movies include his tenure in the DCU (which is streaming with a HBO Max subscription), although before that he released titles like Sucker Punch and 300. When speaking about the latter blockbuster he went so far as to call it "the gayest movie ever made." Let's break it all down.

While moviegoers who spent years watching the DC movies in order might associate Zack Snyder with projects like Justice League (including the Snyder Cut) he was making movies long before joining the comic book genre. During a recent interview with Variety, the writer/director recalled being asked if he was a "fascist filmmaker" after debuting 300 at the Berlin Film Festival. He told the story by saying:

Talk about some big words. Even before conversations about LGBTQ+ representation became commonplace, there were some very gay movies out there. I'm talking The Birdcage, Pink Flamingos, Paris is Burning, Cruising and more. Still, Zack Snyder's comment do have some merit; it's hard to deny the queer undertones of 300. Namely the countless muscle-bound men who are wearing loincloths and harnesses throughout its 117-minute runtime.

And the 60 year-old filmmaker does seem proud about the homoeroticism of 300. He spoke more about this aspect of the movie and audience's response by offering:

While this might be the gayest movie Zack Snyder has personally ever made, I'm not sure it's worthy of the title that the filmmaker has given it. After all, there aren't any LGBTQ+ storylines in 300. Still, it likely served as an awakening for young gay moviegoers who went to see the movie when it hit theaters back in 2007. After all, the director brought a ton of muscle and not very much clothing to the big screen.

It's always funny to see what non-gay movies end up being gay awakenings for young moviegoers. For me, it was Batman & Robin's inherent queerness that I later reflected upon as an adult. Between Robin's rubber lips, Poison Ivy's burlesque number, and those infamous Bat-nipples, there many aspects of the movie that feel gay AF in retrospect. And for folks younger than me, 300 might have that same importance. At least, that's what Snyder seems to think.

300 is streaming now on Paramount+. As for what's next for Snyder, his new movie The Last Photograph recently premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival as part of the 2026 movie release list. We'll just have to see when it gets its wide theatrical release.

Sandra Bullock has been taking a break from acting in recent years, but she's back to promote her movie on the 2026 release schedule, Practical Magic 2. And wow, am I realizing how much I missed her. Exhibit A: Her hilariously relatable rant about chin hairs.

Man, did I forget how real the actress can be, and then the Practical Magic 2 press tour came along. Bullock is just one of those celebrities that I want to be best friends with. As if I didn’t already love her for calling herself “Zendaya’s shoe polisher”, just check out Sandra Bullock’s thoughts on the topic of chin hairs:

So I never thought about this before, but now I’m never going to forget it. Most women can certainly relate to the stray chin hair every so often. It’s quite normal actually. But it’s so rarely talked about in public interviews that it’s easy to isolate the experience to yourself.

There’s something so lovely about Bullock getting honest about what she thinks about chin hairs. And her fears about what would happen if she wasn’t conscious to pluck them when they need to be plucked at one point is so good.

This happened during an appearance on Royal Court with her Practical Magic 2 co-star Nicole Kidman. Funny enough, Kidman doesn’t have the same chin hair thoughts. As the exchange went:

• Nicole: "I'm kind of hairless. Like a hairless cat."
• Sandra: "I mean I didn't say it's a forest. I said there was one."

Kidman’s comments about her lack of hair led Bullock to make fun of her a bit. Thank goodness Bullock was there to bring the chin hair realness, because Kidman sounds like she might actually be a fairy princess of a woman. (Though Kidman did get real about midnight margaritas the other day).

Bullock also talked a bit about how the mirrors in our cars are a common place to find unwanted chin hair one might not have noticed before. It’s interview moments like these when I realize that sometimes we’re all just having the same shared experience in life and not talking about it.

One time Florence Pugh totally talked about chin hairs while sharing a glitzy selfie on social media, and I found that super refreshing, too. There’s just something about us women normalizing the preconceived imperfections we have and regularly deal with rather than pretending they don’t exist all the time. Here’s hoping we get some of this energy on Practical Magic 2, which Bullock wanted to make for an emotional reason. The sequel is in theaters now.

While Big Brother has gotten better about representation in recent years, it still has a ways to go, particularly as it relates to featuring older houseguests. If we get more than two houseguests over the age of forty in a season, it feels like a win. As frustrating as that can be to think about, it's just as inspiring when we do see an older houseguest play the game and really show what they're made of. That's what Big Brother Season 28 cast member LaTrice Verrett did earlier in Season 28 when she won the Wall endurance competition. Lala turned 58 years old in the Big Brother house this summer, and her Wall victory makes her the oldest houseguest to accomplish this in the history of the show.

If you're unfamiliar, the "Wall competition" has Big Brother houseguests standing on a ledge, up against a wall, while holding onto something (a bar, handles, etc). The wall usually tips forward at times, and they're occasionally sprayed with liquid or slime. Whether they slip or are too tired to hang on, one by one, the contestants drop. The last person up on the wall wins. In Season 28, that was Lala. She outlasted houseguests who were younger than her, including an MMA fighter, and secured the Head of Household title for the week.

As a woman who's approaching my 50s, I really wanted to hear more of her thoughts about her accomplishment when we had the opportunity to submit questions following her eviction last week. Like her performance in the Wall Competition, her response on the topic didn't disappoint.

As Lala noted, she came into the game wanting to play the Wall competition, and even now, she gets emotional talking about winning it:

That in itself is inspiring to hear, but what really got me was what Lala said about those final seconds that secured her the win:

If you watched the competition, you saw the moments she's referring to. It seemed like Lala and Kamu had struck a deal for him to win, and it was just a matter of Lala dropping. However, she held on, and as she pointed out to us, she was counting internally, just trying to stay up for a little bit longer. It was in those seconds that Kamu lost his footing and fell. Lala wrapped up her experience with these inspiring words:

I love this so much, and I'm going to do my absolute best to remember Lala's words and what she showed us on the wall during this Big Brother season.

I'm not entirely of the mindset that "age is just a number." Our age is a mark of the years we've lived, and I think there's too much value in that to dismiss it entirely, even with good intentions. Maybe not all of us can or will be as fit as Lala is at 58, but we work for and with what we've got. The message of pushing ourselves a little bit more can apply to anyone, regardless, and I really want to remember what she said the next time I need that advice.

I also really hope Lala's performance this season inspires Big Brother to consider including more over-40s (and over-50s!) in a future Big Brother season.

You can catch past episodes of Big Brother with a Paramount+ subscription. Season 28's Wall Competition is featured in Episode 17.

Spoilers ahead for the new episode of Ted Lasso, titled "Don't Jump Around Much Anymore".

Heated Rivalry was a sensation upon its release, with the stars of the book-to-screen adaptation becoming household names as a result. Those with an Apple TV subscription were recently treated to a very different popular sports show, the fourth season of Ted Lasso. And the most recent episode (almost) gave me the Heated Rivalry moment that I'd been wanting for years. Hear me out.

Ted Lasso Season 4 reviews were mixed, but as a fan, I've loved catching up with the beloved group of characters. Phil Dunster's Jamie Tartt finally showed up in Episode 6, and he had some really sweet moments with Bret Goldstein's Roy Kent. And for a few moments, I thought they were actually going to smooch. After all, we're in the age of steamy sports shows.

I Ship Roy And Jamie, Even If It's Not Rooted In Reality

Let me be clear: I logically know these two characters are never going to have a romantic connection. Still, I've spent years yelling "kiss!" at my TV as the two soccer players were feuding and eventually formed an endearing friendship. In Episode 6, they reunited on New Year's Eve, at a party celebrating Jamie's new brand of vodka. And that's when things (temporarily) got steamy between the two iconic characters.

Jamie and Roy seemed genuinely happy to see each other, going so far as to share how much they mean to each other while at the party. That was already adorable enough to have me once again yelling at the TV, but things got even sweeter when "Jump Around" by House of Pain started playing.

While Roy was about to leave the party, the minute this song played, he and Jamie turned around, ran at each other, and cut a rug on the dance floor. This sequence was funny and charming, but for a second or two it looked like they could actually smooch. Namely when holding each other's heads as they danced. Of course, any tension that I might have felt (unrealistic or not) was quickly gone once Roy's knee gave out. Luckily, we were treated to some more adorable moments, including Jamie picking him up and carrying him off the dance floor like he was a groom carrying a bride through the threshold.

I have to assume I'm not the only queer Ted Lasso fan who has these feelings and thought that Jamie and Roy's relationship was rife with sexual tension. It might not be a realistic pair to ship, but after The Shards recently had Bret and Robert hook up, I'll admit my hopes were temporarily high for the two Ted characters. Now they just need a couple name. Joy? Ramie? I'll keep workshopping it.

Ted Lasso airs new episodes Wednesdays on Apple TV as part of the 2026 TV schedule. I'm not holding my breath to actually see Jamie and Roy together, but I'll definitely be yelling "kiss!" at my TV if they share more scenes.

I’m usually not a fan of the romance genre. I've seen plenty of the best romantic comedies, but I like them more for their “comedic” elements rather than their “romantic” components.

I also usually don't swoon for the more serious romantic movies like The Notebook or Titanic. So, one might assume that romance is just not my genre.

However, two romantic movies are so heartbreakingly beautiful that even I fell hopelessly in love with them. And get this, they're both queer romances. The first is Brokeback Mountain, which definitely should have won Best Picture, and the second is the 2015 film Portrait of a Lady on Fire, which is one of the greatest love stories that I've ever seen. Here's why.

It's Visually Stunning, And The Lack Of Traditional Music Heightens The Burgeoning Romance

One of the most beautiful films I’ve ever watched is Stanley Kubrick’s Barry Lyndon, and a lot of this is due to the natural lighting. Well, Portrait of a Lady on Fire does one better, as it mostly features natural lighting and natural sound, which went a long way in immersing me in this love story.

One thing that a lot of films rely on too much is sweeping scores and musical cues to build an emotional connection with the viewer. Portrait of a Lady on Fire doesn’t go that route. In fact, the sounds are so minimal that you sometimes get lost in the silence, which plays a huge role in the story.

For example, certain moments of silence make the characters look visibly uncomfortable, while other moments bring the characters closer together as they FILL IN the silence. As you’re watching this story of “forbidden” love, there’s always the sense of danger that somebody will walk in on our heroines Marianne (Noemie Merlant) and Heloise (Adele Haenel) as they’re kissing or making love. It’s this sense of danger that makes this film both exciting and heartbreaking when it comes to their burgeoning romance.

This Is A Film From Women, And About Female Love, Which Gives It A Particularly Unique Lens

Another thing I adore about this film is that it has such a particular lens on love. The story concerns a painter (Marianne) and her subject (Heloise). It takes place in the 18th Century, and Heloise refuses to be painted because it means she will be one step closer to getting married, which she doesn’t want. Heloise’s mother hires Marianne to paint her daughter in secret, as Marianne pretends to just be a companion to Heloise, but paints her from memory after hours.

However, once Heloise sees the eventual clandestine portrait, she says it’s terrible. This makes Marianne want to know Heloise intimately to make a better portrait, which is how their romance - which is definitely sexually explicit - takes off.

What I love most about this is just how particularly feminine this movie is. There are very few men in the film, and the ones who are here don’t really concern the plot. This is definitely a movie about female love - both sexual and platonic. That makes the romance at the center of this film feel both different from anything that I’ve ever experienced, but also intoxicating. I also don’t think I’ve ever seen a romance that felt both this subtle and this intense at the same time. It really is a movie about the many facets of female love, and how special it can be.

Overall, I Am Head Over Heels For The Romance In This Film

There are more movies and TV shows about lesbian couples than ever before, but Portrait of a Lady on Fire is my favorite.

It’s mostly the forbiddenness of it all. Given the time period, every stolen kiss or hidden tryst feels vital to both of these women’s existence. So, while I’m not in love with most love stories, I can’t help but be head over heels for this one since it’s so good!

I love the western genre and have watched a great many of the best westerns ever made, but the thing about most westerns is that a vast majority of them are centered around white men.

Sure, there are a select few that feature Black characters, and I always welcome them, but most American westerns are focused on white men having white men problems.

Do you want to know another group that is rarely represented in westerns? Women! Which is strange since I'm sure women had their own problems back then, too. There are a few notable westerns focused on women, like Meek's Cutoff, True Grit, and 1956's Gunslinger, but my favorite is 1954's Johnny Guitar, and for several reasons. Here are just a few.

The Story Centers Around Joan Crawford As A Tough As Nails Saloon Owner

Today's younger cinephiles likely don't know much about Joan Crawford, unless it concerns the 1981 drama, Mommie Dearest, which stars Faye Dunaway as Crawford in a, let's just say, less than flattering light. However, Crawford had a pretty interesting career that had its high highs in the ‘20s and ‘30s, and its low lows in the late ‘60s/early ‘70s. The ‘50s in particular were an interesting period for Crawford, and that's where 1954's Johnny Guitar comes in.

Directed by Nicholas Ray, Crawford plays a saloon owner named Vienna who did everything she could to afford and build her saloon. The first time we see her, she's discussing business with a man, and you can tell she's the kind of woman who gets what she wants. That is until a posse arrives at her saloon, led by Emma Small (Mercedes McCambridge), who hates her guts and wants to see the place burn.

However, Vienna isn't going down without a fight, and even though she isn't quick to fire, she will definitely stand her ground, making her one of the more intriguing female characters in a western. First, I want to get back to the simmering anger between Vienna and Emma, as that's the crux of this film.

Her Rivalry With Another Woman Is One For The Ages

I really like westerns that subvert expectations. I recently wrote about The Big Country, and I love that movie since it stars a protagonist who preferred not to fight. I also love Johnny Guitar since it features something else that you don't often see in a western: a rivalry between women.

Which you wouldn't think, right, given the film's title. Johnny Guitar is actually a character in the film played by Sterling Hayden. While he is an important character, none of the men really matter as much as the hatred that Emma has for Vienna.

This hatred leads to a startling climax that rivals anything you might see in other, more popular westerns like The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, and Unforgiven.

In The End, It's Unlike Any Other Western From The '50s, Or Even Today

I've seen so many westerns in my life, but I've never seen one like Johnny Guitar. I usually love westerns where you root for the outlaw, but Johnny Guitar isn't that. I also love westerns where you have men squinting at each other for long periods of time before they have a shoot-out, but Johnny Guitar isn't that, either.

In fact, even after all I've written, it's still hard for me to explain just why I love this western so much since it doesn't follow any of the tropes that I'm so familiar with when it comes to the genre. This might be why the film did moderately well when it first came out, but it's since developed a new, modern appreciation.

This is why you should definitely watch Johnny Guitar if you haven't already (it's available on Kanopy), since I guarantee you haven't seen any other western like it.

Death is something that all of us experience eventually, and it can often be hard for people to process. While I've written about mourning my late friend while watching Wicked, just last week my grandmother died at 94. She lived a long life, but that didn't make her funeral services any less difficult. And when I got home, exhausted and puffy-eyed, I turned to TV shows like Gilmore Girls to help me continue to process my emotions.

Plenty of TV shows have episodes focused on grief and loss, and those are the exact titles that I turned to after my grandmother's funeral. Namely Gilmore Girls, Six Feet Under, and Girls (with the latter two streaming with a HBO Max subscription). And those episodes are exactly what I needed to continue sitting with my feelings.

I Used My Favorite Shows To Laugh, Cry, And More

While Gilmore Girls recently left Netflix, it's luckily still streaming with a Hulu subscription. After my grandmother's repast I put on Season 4's "The Reigning Lorelai." The episode focuses on the death of Richard's mother Lorelai "Trix" Gilmore. Her passing causes both Richard and Emily to spin out, to hilarious results. It felt good to laugh, and it was remarkably relatable to see the way that funeral services can sometimes make people nutty. I mean, who could forget Emily smoking and drinking after she finds Trix's letter saying she wasn't good enough to become a Gilmore?

After this I tuned into another one of my favorite shows Lena Dunham's Girls. Specifically the Season 3 episode "Dead Inside", where Hannah's publisher and mentor David (John Cameron Mitchell) suddenly dies. The episode shows the beloved group of Girls characters sharing their experiences with death, while Hannah struggles to feel anything but concern about her E-Book. Not everyone handles death and mourning well, and this episode has a great mixture of heart and gallows humor.

After watching that episode of Girls, I took a more serious pivot and really got in my feels. Namely by watching the episode "All Alone" from Six Feet Under, a TV show that actually ended well. This is one of the final episode of the entire series and shows the Fisher Family as they struggle with (SPOILER ALERT) the death of Peter Krause's Nate. The entire episode is an emotional gut punch, because the Fishers are all having a hard time throughout Nate's wake and burial.

Watching this had me back in tears, just when I thought I didn't have any more to offer. I felt seen, because I too was having a hard time emotionally. I understood the immense feelings of loss by characters like David and Ruth, as well as the occasional numbness that Claire had. After all, I hadn't cried until I stepped into the funeral home for my grandmother's services. And when Aunt Sarah (Patricia Clarkson) reads a passage from "Mystic Odes" by the poet Rumi, it was like I was hearing it for the first time. Particularly this passage:

This poem offered a helpful perspective on loss, as well as how to think about my grandmother and other loved ones that have recently died. Namely that it's not always wise to dwell on the specific of their life, but consider the life as a whole. Rewatching this episode brought a ton of emotion out of me, and I'm thankful to have expressed them so honestly instead of holding them inside.

It might sound silly, but I found that watching these episodes of TV allowed me to feel seen, and give pace to continue feeling the complicated emotions that came with burying my grandmother. To quote WandaVision's most iconic line: "What is grief, if not love persevering?"

If you go back and watch Sex And The City with an HBO Max subscription, you’ll see all sorts of famous actors you might forget were in the series. But one guest spot that’s too memorable to overlook is when Kristen Johnston was on an episode in Season 6. Johnston just reflected on where she was at in her life when she took on the role in 2004.

In an episode called “Splat!”Johnston plays Lexi Featherston, who Carrie calls one of “New York’s legendary party girls”. During a party Carrie is also at, she sees Lexi snorting a line of cocaine before she starts smoking at the function, and is asked to put it out or go out in the snow. It leads Lexi to go on a rant about how New York is changing. She declares she’s “so bored I could die!" before falling out of a window. Mind you, the party was on the 18th floor of a NYC skyrise.

When Johnston was recently talking about the scene, she was asked if she was sober herself during the time of her special appearance. In her words:

Johnston then clarified that she would “never” be on anything while on set, but at the time she was definitely struggling with addiction. Previously, the actress has described her struggles as an “off-and-on relationship” that got worse after wrapping her hit sitcom 3rd Rock From The Sun in 2001. As she added in this new interview on Dear Chelsea:

In Johnston’s 2012 memoir, Guts: The Endless Follies and Tiny Triumphs of a Giant Disaster, the actress got honest about her struggles with addiction, which started while she was in high school. The worst they got for her was reportedly drinking two bottles of wine and having 10 to 30 Vicodin pills a day at its peak.

These days Johnston says she’s been sober for ten years straight after a “little burble” of a relapse a decade ago, which came after ten previous years of sobriety. While Johnston may have related more to Lexi Featherston back when she was filming the episode than she would have liked, she’s proud of the episode. She said she’s often approached about it as well.

These days Kristen Johnston is the star of the new Chuck Lorre sitcom, Leanne, now streaming with a Netflix subscription. The show about a woman who grapples with life after her husband of 33 years leaves her for another woman was added to the 2026 TV schedule a month ago and remains on Netflix’s top 10.

Spoilers ahead for Lanterns Episode 3 "Outkast."

The DCU's first slate of projects is titled Gods and Monsters, and includes stories told on both the big screen and streaming with a HBO Max subscription. The latest release is the new show Lanterns, which features both Kyle Chandler's Hal Jordan and Aaron Pierre's John Stewart. The third episode "Outkast" showed the latter's backstory, and now one writer is responding to claims the show is "woke".

What we know about Lanterns has been limited, and there's been a ton of discourse over the new series online. While there was some backlash to there not being enough green in early footage, there's been a ton of chatter lately about John's history. Specifically how the Stewart family spoke about the Black experience in "Outkast", with some naysayers claiming the show was "too woke." Writer Vanessa Baden Kelly responded to these claims in an interview with The Wrap, saying:

There you go. It seems like Baden Kelly isn't taking the Lanterns backlash to heart. Namely because John Stewart's Blackness has always been a major aspect of the long-running superhero's history. She's seemingly standing by the script she wrote for "Outkast" and is pointing the source material for folks who are unhappy with the episode's contents and calling it "woke".

Episode 3 revealed John's childhood decades earlier, where racial inequality was worse than it is now. In the flashbacks his mother Bernadette (played by OG Hamilton star Jasmine Cephas Jones) spoke about how Black people needed to work twice as hard to get half as far, and also cued in Laura Linney's Lianna to how racism works on Earth. As the writer went on to explain, this was key to crafting a new backstory for Aaron Pierre's hero. In her words:

Personally, I thought that these discussions were part of what made "Outkast" such a strong episode of Lanterns. Seeing how John's family struggled with his father almost being chosen to be a Green Lantern was fascinating, along with the unconventional way they tried to raise him to be fearless. And while we're following a show involving an intergalactic law enforcement agency, including discussions about the Black experience helped make the story feel all the more real and human. As the writer points out, this has always been part of John's character on the page.

Lanterns airs new episodes Sundays on HBO as part of the 2026 TV schedule. We'll just have to wait and see how John and Hal's relationship changes throughout the rest of the show's first season.

One of the most exciting upcoming action movies coming out this fall is the new take on Street Fighter. It includes all your favorite players from the video game, including Ryu, who will be played by Andrew Koji. The actor has a personal reason why winning the big part means a lot to him.

Ryu is a Japanese lead character who’s been a big part of the fighting game since the beginning. Here’s what Andrew Koji said about his history with Street Fighter:

Japanese-English actor Andrew Koji was actually born in 1987, which is the same year Capcom first launched the game in arcades. When the actor was a kid, as he explained to Empire, he didn’t think he was very skilled at winning, but getting to play an Asian character meant a lot to him. So, when it came to getting to play the role in the movie, he wanted to do right by Ryu. In his words:

Andrew Koji is a talented martial artist who competed in taekwondo and Shaolin kung fu early in his life, but in order to embody the role of Ryu, he learned some new styles. As he added:

As he said, he trained closely with Callina Liang, who plays another popular character, Chun-Li, on a pretty rigorous schedule.

Andrew Koji started in Hollywood as a stunt double, notably in Fast & Furious 6. He was also famously in the Cinemax series Warrior for three seasons, the G.I. Joe spinoff Snake Eyes as Storm Shadow and Bullet Train with Brad Pitt. But Ryu is an icon, and it means a lot to him to do right by the Asian video game character with his portrayal.

Koji’s Ryu will get the chance to go up against his main rival in the game, Ken Masters, who is played by Noah Centineo. Also notably in the cast is Cody Rhodes as Guile, 50 Cent as Balrog, Jason Momoa as Blanka and David Dastmalchian as M. Bison. You can check out the Street Fighter trailer below:

Street Fighter was previously made into a movie in 1994 starring Jean-Claude Van Damme as Colonel William F. Guile. Hong Kong actor Byron Mann played Ryu, alongside the likes of Ming-Na Wen, Kylie Minogue and Raúl Juliá. While the movie turned a profit back then, critics panned the film, and it earned an 11% on Rotten Tomatoes by critics and 20% by audiences.

With the recent Mortal Kombat movies, we certainly wonder how this new potential franchise will stack up. You can see Street Fighter in theaters on October 16.

WARNING: THERE IS DISCUSSION OF SUICIDE AND DOMESTIC ABUSE IN THIS ARTICLE

Death Of The Pastor's Wife, which you can watch right now with a Netflix subscription, hit me a lot differently than most of the true crime series that I watch. One fair critique of all the true crime documentaries and podcasts is that they kind of serve to desensitize us to the actual crime sometimes. We get so wrapped up in the whodunnit, we sometimes lose focus on the tragedy. This new docuseries doesn’t really have a mystery at its core, at least not the way I see it, but the consequences of the death hit me hard.

A Controlling Husband And Mental Illness

Death Of The Pastor's Wife focuses on the death of Mica Miller, the wife of Pastor John Paul “TJ” Miller. Mica died by suicide on April 27, 2024. She called police from Lumber River State Park in North Carolina before hanging up the phone and, using a firearm she’d purchased hours before and taking her own life. The series starts with the phone call and before taking us back in time to walk viewers through Mica’s life and eventual marriage to TJ. TJ was 15 years older than Mica and had known her since she was a teenager in his church.

The two were married for seven years, and, as presented in the true crime docuseries, it was not a happy marriage. According to Mica, TJ was abusive both sexually and physically. The series also explains that Mica was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and was prescribed lithium to help her. This was exacerbated by TJ’s controlling behavior, even if at times he did seem to try to help. What really went on behind the closed doors of their marriage is still a bit of a mystery because they were both careful to present themselves in a very positive way, both publicly and with their friends. However, many friends and family saw through that.

Murder Or Suicide

The series presents the death of Mica as either murder or suicide. This is where it differed for me. I didn’t see it as a mystery, as many true crime documentaries on the 2026 TV schedule and podcasts are. I believe that Mica died by suicide, and that is particularly hard for me to process. Anytime someone dies this way, and I’ve had two close friends who have died this way, it leaves me baffled and shattered. Whatever the reason.

In this case, though, the reasons are especially heartbreaking because while I don’t think TJ murdered his wife, I do firmly believe that many of his actions led Mica to that lonely riverside in Lumber River State Park. Or at least, they didn’t prevent her from buying the handgun, making that long drive, and taking her own life. I’m not a psychiatrist, and I don’t know what is in TJ's heart and mind, but the series paints a very ugly picture of his behavior before and after Mica’s death.

While there was no mystery to this true crime story, the series still crushed me. As I said, I have a hard time reconciling anyone's suicide, and like many of Mica's friends and family, it's something I will probably never come to terms with, whether it's someone like Mica or someone in my life. It's hard.

If you need help, or know someone who does, please call or text “988” for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.

Few actors have had a career like Michael B. Jordan has, as he has accomplished quite a bit within the entertainment industry. Jordan started as a child actor and, after years of rising through the ranks in Hollywood, he now headlines massive movies. One of his most recent films – the critically acclaimed Sinners – even landed Jordan an Oscar. The fan-favorite star is certainly thriving as a performer, but I really think we need to take some time and admire how he’s thriving apart from his on-camera career.

Michael B. Jordan Is Proving Himself To Be A Talented Director

August is Black Business Month, so I thought this would be the perfect occasion to highlight the incredible trajectory Jordan has had, specifically his non-acting ventures. Over the past few years, what’s impressed me is the way in which he’s jumped into the director’s chair. The star made his directorial debut with 2023’s Creed III, the third installment in the Rocky spinoff franchise he’s headlined.

I was excited to see what Jordan would do with the threequel, and he definitely didn’t disappoint. Creed III received positive reviews, with much of that praise going towards the story, performances and of course, Jordan’s direction. Sure, he gives a great performance as Adonis Creed, but what really impressed me was the star’s desire to add his anime-inspired sensibilities to the boxing scenes (and shoot them with IMAX cameras). The film is a knockout, and Jordan can now take that momentum into his next directorial effort.

A legacy sequel was ambitious enough, but Jordan has since helmed and produced a remake of The Thomas Crown Affair, which is set to hit theaters amid the 2027 movie schedule. Jordan is also set to play the titular billionaire/art thief and, based on the first Thomas Crown trailer, he’s cooked up a film that oozes intrigue, charm and sensuality. I’m hopeful that the movie will be another solid notch in Jordan’s belt and allow him the chance to direct even more down the road.

Producing Has Also Become A Part Of Michael B. Jordan’s Career

Jordan has also become a producer and, in 2016, he even founded his own production company, Outlier Society, in 2016. When it comes to movies, Jordan has produced films like Just Mercy, Without Remorse, A Journal for Jordan and Creed III. The producing work isn’t limited to the silver screen either, as the multihyphenate has also served as an executive producer on TV shows, from Raising Dion and David Makes Man to Gen: Lock and the upcoming Fourth Wing adaptation.

So I think it’s safe to say that Michael B. Jordan has his fingerprints on a growing list of Hollywood productions. If that weren’t enough, he’s also moved into sports ownership and has embarked on a few key ventures. He became a part-owner of the AFC Bournemouth English soccer club in 2022, and he has also invested in the Alpine F1 team. I have to wonder, where does this man find the time to manage all of these obligations?

In all seriousness, though, it’s awe-inspiring to see what Jordan has accomplished and at a relatively young age. Honestly, I’d be impressed with seeing just about anyone reach such heights, but watching a Black man do that in a historically unpredictable industry is particularly satisfying for me. He’s come a long way since The Wire and even his breakthrough movie role in Fruitvale Station, and I look forward to seeing what he does – both on and off screen – as his profile continues to rise.

And don’t worry, Jordan will surely continue to be an actor. Check him out when The Thomas Crown Affair opens on March 5, 2027, and he’s landed another big franchise with Miami Vice ‘85, which will be released in 2028.

We’re already over halfway through the 2026 movie schedule, and I have my favorites, and then there’s Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma. I knew I had to see it because I haven’t been able to shake off writer/director Jane Schoenbrun’s I Saw The TV Glow since it came out in 2024. But, wow, did this movie out-weird this year of films in the best way! I need to talk about it.

Where Do I Even Start To Explain Camp Miasma?

On the surface level, Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma’s premise really intrigued me. I knew it was about a queer filmmaker, Kris (Hannah Einbinder), who is hired to revitalize a fictional beloved slasher franchise. She decides to pay the movie’s original final girl, Billy Presley (Gillian Anderson), a visit. The trailer had a dreamlike quality to it too that really interested me. On its face, I figured it would be an artsy horror-learning LGBTQ+ movie, but there’s a lot more going on with it.

I’ve had a difficult time explaining it to other people because it doesn’t neatly fit in one genre at all. Camp Miasma is so many things at once, and I’m honestly amazed at how well it executes its balance between being them all. It’s not a horror movie, but it’s definitely an examination of the slasher side of the genre. It’s got romance, but it feels more like a feverish sex dream than a pure love story. It’s definitely a comedy, but there’s something really guttural about the emotional journey it takes you on, too. You see my problem? It’s definitely the weirdest movie of 2026 I’ve seen, though, and when I say that, it’s definitely a compliment.

I Know This For Sure: I’m Never Going To Think About Slashers The Same Again

I’m not going to talk about spoilers, but I do want to delve a bit more into how Camp Miasma made me feel, because I honestly can’t stop thinking about it. At the movie’s core, Schoenbrun is examining the inherently freaky connection between desire and death through the lens of slasher films. And, not in a “cool, but I don’t get it” way, but a soul-bearing, honest way.

Like, why are slasher movies always trying to be sexy? And why does it make sense that they are? It’s something that I’ve never thought deeply about – it's just been a truth in the genre. As Kris tries to uncover what she wants to bring to her reboot of Camp Miasma while staying with Billy, she starts to explore how desire and fantasy have been so entangled with her longtime interest in the franchise.

Before I saw it, I didn’t get the title, but the addition of “teenage sex and death” to its name is really necessary to explain it. It gets into why both sex and death are both these visceral experiences, and actually quite similar to each other. And, there's also quite a lot to say about intimacy anxiety that I've never seen a movie tackle like this before.

Then, there’s the originality of it all. I can honestly say that Jane Schoenbrun has carved their own place in filmmaking, and has a perspective that I’ve never seen before in movies. Camp Miasma isn’t a big studio film, and you feel that, but there’s something really accessible about it too that I was thrilled by.

Like, truly, I don’t think anyone but Schoenbrun could have made this, and that’s so preciously rare to find. It’s also certainly a reminder why having transgender representation is so needed in Hollywood. And, further proof that the queer experience can and does uncover a lot of universal ideas we've yet to see on the big screen.

Anyways, I’m certainly not the only person who’s raving about Camp Miasma. The movie is receiving a lot of high praise from audiences and critics alike, who’ve called it a “bountiful meal of pleasure and excess on an arthouse silver platter” and “heartfelt, but whimsical”. You can check it out for yourself in theaters now.

While Marvel fans have largely been busy anticipating upcoming MCU movies like Avengers: Doomsday and the X-Men reboot, Kevin Feige has taken some critical flak from the fandom recently for Wonder Man's cancellation. Two weeks after receiving an Emmy nomination, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II learned Wonder Man Season 2 had been nixed despite Season 2 already being confirmed. Since then, the lead actor has been addressing why he thinks the renewal was reversed, and has given his take on why he believes it takes longer for Black audiences to find projects like Wonder Man.

Part of the fans’ criticism is that along with Wonder Man, other Black-led projects have been shelved, which has many calling out an alleged pattern Marvel has. Tonya Mosley, from NPR Fresh Air, is one of many who have asked Abdul-Mateen his opinion on this pattern and how it connects to Black audiences:

In the case of Wonder Man, Abdul-Mateen was told that the viewership numbers couldn’t make the math work to balance against production costs. Many lapsed fans saw the series as the perfect show to return to Marvel for, so the loss hits hard. I’m still hopeful we’ll see Simon (and Trevor) again in a future project, even if it’s part of an ensemble. (Meanwhile, you can still watch the award-nominated first season with a Disney+ subscription.)

However, fans are also pointing out canceled plans for Armor Wars (which was supposed to focus on Don Cheadle’s Rhodey) and the shelving of the Blade movie. Mahershala Ali has since been candid about Blade going nowhere, though he harbors no ill will toward the studio, and has moved on to other things. But it still isn't the best optics for Marvel's part. Especially after another project led by a Black star, Ironheart, had poor viewership for its first season, while the animated series Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur was canceled after two seasons.

Seeing all these projects gone so soon, Abdul-Mateen admits:

Despite the unfortunate outcome, the actor continues to feel “thankful and blessed” to be part of the series. Abdul-Mateen feels the love from fans and believes it’s because people “love that show.” He has since shared what his dreams were for a Season 2 and at the time, stated his believed solution: “So our show does deserve some study and some real, hard information about why a show like this did not continue forward.”

Additionally, Wonder Man co-creator Destin Daniel Cretton has defended Kevin Feige after the news was announced. He said that he believed, “If it were up to Kevin, we’d be doing that show,” and spoke about how much the Marvel CEO loved the series. Hopefully, this means we Simon and Trevor’s adventures will live to see another day.

Hopefully, Marvel will produce plenty of future projects led by POC talents. And if that includes bringing Abdul-Mateen back in some way, that's just fine with us.

The Fast & Furious movies have been giving audiences some of the most high-speed action sequences across the past 25 years. But you know who needs a bit more credit? Michelle Rodriguez’s Letty Ortiz. There’s not many Latina characters in the mainstream media that have been franchise mainstays like her, and that’s seemingly because the actress made it her own.

As the original Fast & Furious movie returns to theaters this weekend, Rodriguez recently reflected on her first impressions of Letty on the page. That includes the changes she made to make the character the iconic role it has been for her. In her words:

The Fast and the Furious was only Michelle Rodriguez’s second movie, and yet she wasn’t afraid to make Letty her own. The actress has noted before to EW, when she first read the script, the character “needed a lot of work”. She said it was “guys writing girls, and not knowing what to do”, resulting in her speaking out.

Per Rodriguez, originally Letty was going to try to sleep with Paul Walker’s Brian O’Conner in the initial script. But the actress didn’t think it made “any sense” for her character to make those decisions. As she explained: “When you’re with the alpha male in the pack, you stick to that.” Rodriguez said she had to “school these cats in Hollywood in how it works in the streets.”

Michelle Rodriguez is of both Puerto Rican descent and Dominican. She was raised between Texas and the Dominican Republic before settling in Jersey City. As the actress added in new comments while celebrating the movie’s 25th anniversary re-release with Universal Pictures:

It wasn’t too long ago when Vin Diesel shouted out Michelle Rodriguez for being his “ride-or-die” over the years in the Fast franchise. Letty and Dominic’s love story has been going on since the beginning and the actors seem to be reuniting all the time in real life.

The pair are set to conclude the movie series with Fast Forever, which is currently dated for March 17. 2028. Michelle Rodriguez has said that she hopes the next Fast movie has the “integrity that we started with”. Perhaps, it’ll take us back to nostalgia of the first films? 2001’s The Fast & Furious is now playing among the other latest 2026 movie releases in theaters now.

Hailee Steinfeld is thriving personally and professionally. Not only is she married to NFL star Josh Allen, but they are new parents to their baby girl, whom they named Beau. And icing on the cake, the talented actress will be lending her voice to the upcoming Disney movie Hexed, which is about the dynamic of a cautious mother and her teenage daughter who discovers she’s a witch. After hearing the Sinners actress talk about how motherhood impacted her part in the 2026 movie release, it's truly got me in my feels.

In the trailer for Hexed, we see a cautious mother frustrated with her teen daughter’s rebellious nature. Hailee Steinfeld plays that teen daughter; however, in real life, the actress is a new mom. So, during an interview with ET at D23, she got real about how her Disney movie hits way harder now that she's a new mom, and her take is incredibly heartwarming:

I’m loving Steinfeld’s candid take on how her feelings toward Hexed's mother-daughter relationship have evolved! The “Love Myself” singer can now fully immerse herself in Hexed’s story better than ever, because she can relate to both characters at the center of it. Clearly, she has a better understanding not only of what it’s like to be the teenage Billie navigating the stress of high school, but also the overly cautious mother, Alice, who is constantly worried about her daughter.

The Ender’s Game actress explained that not only do the themes of protecting your daughter resonate with her, but so does allowing your daughter to venture into a journey of self-discovery:

We see in Hexed’s first look that after Billie’s necklace comes off, she discovers she has magical powers. As Steinfeld said, parents need to protect, guide, and support their child whenever they discover magic that’s worth exploring. Kids can learn from their parents how to navigate their gifts and share a beautiful journey. I can only imagine all of the beautiful adventures the Edge of Seventeen actress will have with her daughter that’ll encourage her growth and help her discover the unique gifts that make her who she is.

With Hailee Steinfeld’s new Disney movie Hexed meaning so much to her as a new mom, it’s heartwarming to see how its themes of family, self-discovery, and protecting your child hit her deeply now. I’m sure it’ll be a beautiful moment when Steinfeld is finally able to show her daughter her new Disney movie.

If you'd like to see her new Disney movie, Hexed hits theaters on November 25.

Sometimes It’s hard to remember a time when we didn’t know Neil Patrick Harris and David Burtka were one of Hollywood’s it couples. Or when we didn’t get epic Halloween family costumes or the Gone Girl actor posting embarrassing TikToks. But hearing his story about why he felt compelled to come out during his time on HIMYM is a reminder that we have come a long way over the past few years. And it’s actors like Harris who have helped pave the way.

Harris dished to Jamie Laing on his Great Company podcast about the time in his life when he first moved to New York, where he learned to “live life with a capital L.” Specifically how this greatly contrasted to how he felt as a child actor in Los Angeles. So when Laing asked him if being in the industry and being famous (he was Doogie Howser after all) made coming out a “tough moment” for him, I just knew his answer would make me emotional. When speaking about coming out NPH shared:

In hindsight, this does feel inevitable, especially when Burtka eventually appeared on HIMYM. He played Scooter, Lily’s clingy high school boyfriend, in several episodes that were scattered throughout the series. The sitcom was known to feature each of their respective partners on the show. But despite his cast and crew aware of their relationship, Harris shares some insight into the fear he felt at the time.

The potential comments influenced him when he and Burtka would attend premieres together, with Harris walking the carpet and his now-husband would go around to the other side of photographers. The actor remembers how things quickly shifted:

I do remember there not being a HUGE reaction to the news, which he describes as being indifferent. He credits this to actors how had come out prior to him that “had a much harder time” having paved the way for him. Though perhaps Harris did the same for actors that came out after he did. However, I think people are still talking about HIMYM’s controversial ending more than anything about Harris' sexuality.

His story reminds me of Heartstopper star Kit Connor’s story about feeling pressured to come out. This occurred after fans had allegedly accused him of "queerbaiting," which ultimately made him feel forced to define his sexuality. In a similar fashion, Harris speaks about working with his team to craft a statement that “was authentic” to who he was and his paranoia about what “stigma” would come as a result. He shares:

Thankfully, there has been a notable shift. Even networks such as Hallmark are entering inclusive eras and I love to see it. I also love seeing Harris being able to embrace who he is, which shows in everything he does. Whether it’s reprising his role as Barney in the Hilary Duff-led How I Met Your Father or killing it (no pun intended) as The Toymaker in Doctor Who’s 60th Anniversary. No matter what, Harris always makes everything feel authentic and fun in a way that only he can. And I'm sure part of that is connected to the journey he had BTS of HIMYM.

Personally I can't wait to see what he's going to do next. Or what photos he and Burtka will post next.

SPOILERS are ahead for Spider-Man: Brand New Day.

I saw Spider-Man: Brand New Day a few days ago, and it’s been sticking with me like the webs that (now) come straight from the wrists of Tom Holland’s Peter Parker. It has all the things I’d want out of a Spider-Man movie, like cool team-ups and great surprises. But, there’s also a warmth to it I wasn’t necessarily expecting to feel four Spidey films in. Peter’s storyline has also led to some online chatter about how it connects to living with autism.

Now, Peter Parker is not canonically thought of as a character on the autism spectrum. But the fact that enough people are having similar reactions to Brand New Day certainly makes it worthy of discussion. Let’s get into it.

People Are Making Brand New Day Connections To Autism

Brand New Day has already soared to become the highest-grossing of 2026 movie releases with over $1 billion in box office returns in addition to being highly acclaimed. So, a lot of people have seen it and are talking about it. Check out this video about the connections one person made between Peter Parker and what it’s like to be in the autism community:

There’s quite a few things to break down here. Azia Celestino, whose own brother has autism, mentions three moments in Brand New Day that made her think Tom Holland’s Peter Parker is an autism icon. For one, Peter Parker’s sudden mutation of his powers gives him sensory overload, which is often thought of as a common symptom of autism. Peter finds himself dealing with this, but it’s within the context of his arachnid hormones going through some changes.

She also brings up the subject of “masking”, which is when someone with autism hides their natural traits to appear non-autistic. Again, Peter Parker is hiding his identity for a different reason, but it’s an interesting connection. Lastly, she brings up the scene between Aunt May and Jean Grey, where she says the following to the future X-Men character:

Aunt May may be talking about what it’s like to have special powers in the context of the movie, but how sweet is it that it could be read as a message to people with autism? I also saw this video regarding the same topic:

Autism is something that millions of people live with everyday, and there’s still a small amount of movies and TV shows that tackle how it really feels. I love knowing that the community is connecting to Spider-Man in the context of Brand New Day.

How The Autism Community Is Reacting

The comments to these videos really speak volumes, too. Check out what people are saying:

• “omg! I felt so deeply understood by this movie, especially during that overload scene I told my brother ‘this is essentially what feels like to be autistic!’ 😂🙌 like the whole movie was very coded and it also referred to the struggle of masking and unmasking in certain aspects. A VERY GREAT REPRESENTATION🔥🙌” - @angelic_depression
• “The sensory overload scenes in the new film are imo extremely accurate to how it feels for a ND person.” - @accccroowww
• “In the scene where Peter is talking to Aunt May and then Peter talking to Jean the message was something like”people who love you love you not because you’re special but because you’re you” That’s the reason why we mask because we don’t think we’re lovable unmasked. But I believe that people who love you will love you not despite your ND but because that’s what makes you you. For the first time ever I felt like I got a big comforting warm hug from a friend watching this movie like “you’re going to be okay”😢” - @shweta_nav1
• "It hit so hard when Jean was talking about how special people don’t get to have real connections or friends or family. They’re just alone. I cried because I see that with my son who loves people but they ignore him. Even some of his close family members. Just because he can’t verbalize a reciprocal conversation." - @sandisueperry
• "My son has autism and when I watched the movie all I could think was of him and was just crying for the rest of the movie ❤️." - @tutsieq

While Spider-Man may not have autism specifically in the movie, it’s clearly making an impact on the community and their support systems. The late Stan Lee talked in the past about why Spider-Man is “easy for fans to relate to” and I love that it continues perhaps in a new way with Brand New Day.

The emotional depth of the new Spider-Man flick is just one of many reasons why I really enjoyed Spider-Man: Brand New Day, and I can’t wait to see what themes fans see in the upcoming Marvel movies to come.

Spoilers for Ted Lasso Season 4, Episode 2 are ahead! Read with caution, stream the show with an Apple TV subscription, and make sure to catch new episodes as they drop on Wednesdays.

Yes, I’m thrilled Ted Lasso is back on the 2026 TV schedule, and yes, I’m delighted that Ted Lasso is back in AFC Richmond. However, we cannot overlook the fact that a man was hired over a woman to coach AFC Richmond’s women’s team. While I know Ted is a great pick for the job, it’s hard not to overthink why a woman wasn’t even really considered. Thankfully, the show addresses this conundrum head-on and in ways that I really appreciate.

I Love How Rebecca's Choice To Hire Ted Over Alice Is Addressed

Immediately after Ted returned to England to lead AFC Richmond’s women’s team, his hiring was questioned. Specifically, Coach Alice Chilton asked Rebecca about the choice. After noting that she was passed over as head coach but agreed to stay on as assistant manager, she told the owner she’d decided to leave the team altogether. And then, right before Alice left Rebecca's office, this back-and-forth happened:

• Alice: Did you ever consider me for head coach?
• Rebecca: No.
• Alice: Hm. Did you consider any woman?
• Rebecca: No.

This sent Rebecca into a spiral about feminism and her own potential internalized misogyny, as she reckoned with the challenge of supporting the women’s team as well as backing her choice to bring Ted back. And at the press conference for the women’s team, she was working overtime to prove her support for the team (despite hiring a man), as she said:

By the end of the episode, Rebecca thanked Alice for calling her out, while also making it clear that she would not be talked down to. Overall, I thought it was a direct and nuanced way to address an issue with Ted’s hiring that 100% could not be ignored. And not only did they address it, but this also served as a major learning moment for everyone.

I Loved How Ted’s Cluelessness And Willingness To Learn Was Highlighted

First of all, I love that Ted knows that a woman should be on the coaching staff. I also love that the show doesn’t make him out to know what he’s doing when it comes to leading a group of women.

He didn’t realize he couldn’t just waltz into the locker room until Alice told him. He also seemingly had no idea how undervalued and underappreciated these players were at first. However, he dove into the job with an open heart and mind, ready and willing to learn and address his own biases and blind spots.

Overall, I’m so appreciative of how Ted Lasso has handled Ted’s rehiring in a nuanced way that does address the issue with it. While he’s very fit for the job and Rebecca made a good choice, it’s also worth questioning whether a woman should have been considered for the gig as well. It’s worth exploring how his job changes as he leads a group of women instead of a men’s team, too, because he can’t work the same way he did for the first three seasons.

Now, I’m looking forward to seeing how this plot point continues to impact Season 4 of this great Apple TV show.

Sure, everybody knows who Tyler Perry is NOW, but can I bring you back to a time when he was just starting to get mainstream recognition? The year was 2005, and I was a Junior in college.

Back then, I was watching movies like Sin City (which is still one of the best comic book movies ever made), V for Vendetta, and Batman Begins. And honestly, I really didn’t have much interest in anything outside of the realm of comic book flicks.

But then, who should I be introduced to but a tall Black man wearing a dress? Yep, you know who it is. This is my introduction to the hilarious Madea movies.

First, My Late Mother Said She Wanted All Of Us To See Diary Of A Mad Black Woman

My late mother, bless her soul, never picked movies for us to watch. That said, she had a collection of DVDs as far as the eye could see. I likely acquired my love of movies from her (especially black and white movies, to which she was a massive fan).

On one particular day, my mom called my name from downstairs (“Riicccchaard!”) and when I came to the banister, she told me to get dressed because she wanted to take us all to the movies.

I definitely tilted my head to the side, because that wasn’t like Mom. So, I asked her what she wanted to see, and she said, “This new movie called Diary of a Mad Black Woman. And call your girlfriend. I want her to see it, too.”

Now, my girlfriend at the time is now my wife. She’s also Filipino (we have two lovely mixed-race children together). I definitely didn’t think she would want to see a movie titled Diary of a Mad Black Woman. In fact, I didn’t know if I wanted to see a movie titled Diary of a Mad Black Woman. How wrong I was, though, on both fronts.

My Wife Was Surprised I Had Never Even Heard Of Madea, As She Had

When I called my wife, I asked if she was free because my mom wanted to take us all to see a movie, but I didn’t tell her what it was at first. I merely asked if she was available. She said she was, and then asked, “What does your mom want to see?”

I chuckled and said, “You might not want to come when I tell you. It’s called Diary of a Mad Black Woman,” and my wife said, “Oh, yeah. I really want to see that. Madea looks really funny.” Now, the first thing I said was, “Wait, you’ve heard of it?” And the second thing I said was, “Madea, as in like, Jason and Medea? The Greek tragedy?”

To which my wife said, “What? No. Madea. You know. The Black guy who wears a dress.” My mind immediately leapt to Big Momma’s House, and when I asked if that’s what she meant, she said, “No. You know. The guy who did all those plays.”

Now, you have to remember. Smartphones were around back then, but this was back when people didn’t immediately just grab for their phones to look something up. So, I just shrugged, asked my mom what time the movie was, and then told my wife. She said she’d meet us there.

When I Saw It, I Was Blown Away By How Funny It Was, And I've Been A Big Fan Ever Since

Long story short, Diary of a Mad Black Woman was hilarious. The film was a little preachy (Something I would become familiar with when watching Perry’s work), but the story and characters themselves were so funny that I instantly became a fan.

My wife said she knew about Tyler Perry from her coworkers, as many of them were Black and had seen his plays. Consequently, later that year, my mom bought several of his plays on DVD, and I watched every one of them.

Nowadays, when I think back, Perry was like the “Ernest of the 2000s,” but he’s also so much more than Madea.

I look back fondly upon those days, because I got to hear my mom laugh. That said, I also look forward to the future, because Tyler Perry’s still around, and he’s still making great content for the fans.

Before the year even started, I was impressed to see that Anne Hathaway is the lead of five 2026 movie releases. And then, she also announced she’s pregnant with her third child in June. So, the Oscar winner is really doing it all this year, but right now I want to talk about her maternity-forward fashion.

Anne Hathaway Is Making Her Baby Bump Part Of Her Press Tour Fashion

We’ve seen a lot of press looks from Anne Hathaway this year. But I’m particularly loving how she’s showing off her baby bump while she promotes her Steven Spielberg-inspired horror movie, The End of Oak Street. Check out her most recent fashion moment for Jimmy Kimmel Live!

It’s a simple fit, but she looks fantastic. Hathaway is wearing a flowy black top that opens up at her belly, black slacks and gold accent jewelry. It’s the second time this week she has flaunted her baby bump for a press event, and I think it’s really refreshing to see her showing it off.

For one, The Devil Wears Prada star is pregnant at 43 – which, as she spoke to recently, is not typically an easy road. Her body is literally growing a new human right now, and her making that very obvious in her fashion is empowering for other women to see. It feels like anything other than small-waisted in the belly section is applauded on red carpets. So, it feels beautifully defiant for Hathaway to do this. I wish it wasn’t.

Why Did Some People Think It Was A ‘Fake’ Bump?

My point was sadly made for me when Hathaway stepped out for a previous The End Of Oak Street event in Los Angeles over the weekend. Immediately after photos and videos started coming out of her strutting on a carpet in another baby-bump bearing ensemble, people started calling her belly “fake”. It apparently got to her, because she commented on this post:

Anne Hathaway wrote “fake hair, real bump” in a social media post after comments like this were being made all over the internet. Check out some of them from a TikTok of her posing at the event:

• "Why does it look fake? 😅"
• "I’m sorry but that looks fake"
• "That’s so fake!!! 😭"
• "I don’t like that."
• "it doesnt even look real"

Can you even believe this? Why on Earth would Anne Hathaway wear a fake bump and pretend she was pregnant? However, I was happy to see numerous women coming to her defense as well in the same TikTok with comments like this:

• "That’s a baby bump with abs!!!! ❤️❤️❤️💪💪"
• "It’s looks different because she was already fit and probably continues to work out so she is all muscle and baby!!"
• "People that are saying it looks fake, I think it’s because she ultra fit, my dancer friend belly looked exactly the same."
• "I didn’t know pregnant stomachs was even a debate…. Wth is wrong with society… not all stomachs look the same tf….."
• "People judge pregnant women for gaining too much weight, then judge them when they’re all belly. Every woman carries differently. For God’s sake, stop judging a woman’s body while she’s literally creating a life."

If more people were exposed to what pregnant bellies really look like, perhaps this kind of reaction might not occur? This whole thing is also a troubling reminder of how people often think they have the right to comment on what’s “right” and “wrong” about women’s bodies. Why can’t we just embrace them for how unique each one is, rather than jumping to outlandish conclusions?

Anyways, you can see Anne Hathaway in The End of Oak Street, in theaters this weekend, and the actress in the new trailer for Verity, her final 2026 movie, coming out on October 2.

Christopher Nolan went all out when he put together the star-studded cast of The Odyssey. Stars like Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway, Tom Holland, Samantha Morton, and more gave outstanding performances playing these iconic characters from Homer's epic. However, it’s also important to recognize unsung performers like Damon’s stunt double, Devyn Dalton, who explained why she was picked to do the job for an important scene.

Matt Damon is a real trooper for still doing film stunts in his 50s. However, he can't do everything. For example, when it came to filming the Laestrygonians scene for The Odyssey, it required the 5’10" actor to look small against a group of man-eating giants. That's where 4’6" Canadian stunt performer Devyn Dalton comes in. She stood in for the actor during these moments to make the scale of the scene really pop. Recalling what it was like to get this opportunity, she told BBC News (via TikTok):

I can imagine that surge of female empowerment Dalton must have been feeling! It makes sense that someone of the stunt double’s short stature would stand in for kids and girls of similar height. But it’s clear it was never on the stuntwoman’s bingo card to double for a man like Matt Damon. If you can add that to your filmography, I would say that’s quite the compliment.

In Christopher Nolan’s 2026 movie release, Odysseus lands on an island where they fight off the violent Laestrygonians. With all of the stunts in The Odyssey being pretty real, the action-fantasy flick needed Matt Damon to look minuscule compared to his giant rivals. That's a big reason why Dalton was picked for the gig, as she explained:

Considering I’m 5’1", I completely sympathize with the insecurities short women face. But as Dalton said, being a smaller size has ways of working to your benefit. And if it can mean getting to double as Matt Damon, bonus!

Devyn Dalton also said she used to be ashamed of her muscles. But same as her height, she taught herself how to “lean into” them and appreciate them. Considering Dalton’s ripped arms are all we see of her on screen, her physicality helps contribute to the character of Odysseus and the continuity of the movie.

During an interview with the Los Angeles Times, the talented stuntwoman also talked about the importance of studying Odysseus’ emotions and motivations behind each physical movement. Then, when trying a stunt for the first time, she visualized every worst-case scenario so she was prepared for it.

After learning about why she was cast and all the work she put into the role, it makes me happy that stunts will finally be recognized at the Oscars in 2028. Stunt performers like Dalton deserve their props. It also makes me even happier that The Odyssey has been such a success, because it's shining a light on performers like her.

While it's not exactly normal for a very small woman to be the stunt double for someone like Matt Damon, it made perfect sense for this movie. Her short stature and blazing guns for arms helped pull off that epic Laestrygonians scene. Now, you can see Dalton’s muscles on the big screen by seeing The Odyssey in theaters.

Jonathan Bennett has been a leading man since Mean Girls, but his time as one on Hallmark Channel has really become something special. The actor has been at the forefront of advocating for more LGBTQ+ leading roles on the network. Bennett has been vocal about how important this has been, and recently opened up about his experience living through Hallmark’s inclusive era and what it has meant on a grander scale.

The network of romance has focused on adding more inclusive stories since the backlash they received after pulling lesbian wedding ads. At the time, the network promised more inclusivity in their films, and honestly, I was skeptical they’d see it through. But since then, we’ve received multiple LGBTQ+ romances, including Hallmark’s first gay-led rom-com, The Holiday Sitter, starring Bennett and George Krissa. And it’s roles like this that have the actor sharing with People about what a "huge deal" his time on Hallmark has been:

This is especially impactful after rival network GAF’s “traditional family” drama, which had Bennett and other Hallmark stars speaking out. And in response, we’ve been given several firsts for the network, including the first lesbian romance Friends & Family Christmas (2023). We’ve also gotten multiple roles from Bennett, which are characters he says are “so beautiful” about being part of Hallmark.

But the main role he’s singling out is last year’s The Groomsmen: Second Chances. This marked another first: the first gay wedding as the central plot in the movie. It’s the second in the Groomsmen trilogy about three best friends finding love, and has been praised by Bennett for breaking down LGBTQ+ stereotypes. He has described the movie as “breaking heteronormative stereotypes” through his character Danny, who is both a gay man and a baseball player. He dished on what he loved about the trilogy:

Bennett also starred in the hijink-filled A Keller Family Christmas Vacation last year with Legends of Tomorrow’s Brandon Routh and The Middle’s Eden Sher. Fans immediately wanted a series out of the fun family movie, and I couldn’t agree more. The network has been known to make series, so it’s not an impossible wish. This happened with Christmas on Cherry Lane (Bennet was in the first two movies), which keeps coming back with new characters and new decades.

Bennett is continuously drawn back to these movies because he believes it’s important everyone sees “a love that look[s] like theirs on the network that tells love stories.” And it’s not just him who feels that way. Speaking out about the importance of representation, fellow leading man Alec Santos has praised these movies for what they’re giving families: “These stories kind of allow them to experience other stories of queerness through television that is wholesome, that is completely acceptable.”

I hope we continue to get more of these stories and that the channel stays in it’s inclusive era. But I have no doubt that Bennett will continue to push for new stories to be told. And I can't wait.

I’m always here for a little black dress fashion moment. However, Hannah Waddingham just took it to a whole new level. Not only did she rock a beautiful LBD to celebrate the premiere of Ted Lasso’s fourth season on the 2026 TV schedule, but she also had a very empowering reason for wearing it.

So, when Hannah Waddingham attended the New York premiere of Ted Lasso, she wore a little black mini dress by Alice and Olivia that featured two stunning red and gold flowers on it. She paired it with some black stilettos and wore her hair in loose waves. All around, she looked stunning, which you can see for yourself below:

Now, we’ve seen Megan Fox rock a little black dress, Sydney Sweeney has shared her take on the LBD, and Rachel Zegler wore a perfect mini black dress. The list of celebs who have slayed this trend goes on and on. However, Waddingham’s take is 100% one of my favorites.

First of all, I was already obsessed with her style. So, it was a given that I’d adore this look. However, to dive into the details, I am so here for the intricate red and gold flowers, and I’m obsessed with the floral texture of the black garment. On top of all that, this dress perfectly highlights the actress's incredible physique.

Her speaking to that point made this fashion moment all the more meaningful too, as she told Women’s Health:

Hannah Waddingham’s confidence on screen, on the red carpet and in life is one of the major reasons I look up to her. She’s stunningly gorgeous, and she’s always owning it. That’s something I aspire to be, and I really appreciate that it’s a big reason why she chooses to dress the way she does.

I also love that she celebrated her 52nd birthday by rocking this mini dress. Her legs (or "pins" as she called them) do, in fact, look amazing, and I’m 100% sure her 70-year-old self will be thinking that too.

This kind of fashion choice also totally highlights why Waddingham’s career is empowering as well. In her most recent projects, Amazon Prime’s Ride or Die and Apple TV’s great show, Ted Lasso, she plays remarkably powerful and confident women. Obviously, she’s like this in real life too, and this LBD certainly helps emphasize that point.

Now, as she celebrates her birthday, style, amazing physique, and the premiere of Ted Lasso Season 4, you can see her reprise her Emmy-winning role as Rebecca Welton by streaming new episodes of the soccer comedy every Wednesday with an Apple TV subscription.

It's already hard being a working parent but, for a celebrities like Zoe Saldaña, I imagine it can feel impossible. Juggling raising kids and traveling from one new location after the next can be difficult. And, in Saldaña's case, the hard work really speaks for itself, since she holds a box office record that makes her the highest-grossing lead actor of all time. Despite the success, though, the A-lister recently talked about not being immune to the "challenges" that come with being a working mom and a Hollywood star.

The topic came up while Saldaña was promoting the third season of Lioness, which just recently premiered as part of the 2026 TV schedule. She with People about what she and her character, Joe McNamara, have in common and, now, I can't help but think of the parallels. She explains:

While for her the obstacles are more "diluted," this doesn’t make it easier to do a juggling act. She may be focusing on the premiere of Lioness now but, just last year, she was promoting two films. She had a voice part in Pixar’s imaginative Elio, and she did extensive press for Avatar: Fire and Ash, in which she reprised her role as Neytiri. And all that came only a year after her whirlwind of a press run for Emilia Pérez, for which she won an Oscar.

It seems Saldaña (understandably) wants to work but also have time for her three children, whom she shares with husband Marco Perego. Speaking of which, her sons don’t watch her movies. And it’s not just because they don’t want to see their mom on screen but, as she explained, “They don’t like violence.”

Going back to her challenges in being a working mom, though, the Guardians of the Galaxy star is fully aware that her circumstances differ from those of other women as well as her Lioness character:

I’m sure Joe wishes she had fewer bullets to deal with and more late-night shoots. But, while Zoe Saldaña has given the credit to Taylor Sheridan for his creating strong female characters, critics have loved her (and fellow actresses) performance. When the series premiered, critics praised it. The show, which can be watched with a Paramount+ subscription, only seems to be getting better, so Saldaña's work hasn't been done in vain.

Between stunts and knock-out emotional performances, Saldaña makes being a working mom in Hollywood look easy, even if it's anything but. It surely takes a village, but I applaud her for navigating all that.

Minor spoilers ahead for Spider-Man: Brand New Day.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day is finally in theaters, and making a ton of money at the box office. Fans who spent years watching the Marvel movies in order were thrilled about finally picking up the narrative after No Way Home's ending, which saw the entire world forget about Peter Parker. I didn't expect any gay jokes to be made throughout its 145-minute runtime, but as a queer Marvel fan I couldn't be more thrilled.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day's trailer featured Hulk and Punisher, but the movie also featured an A+ appearance by Florence Pugh's Yelena/ Black Widow. Peter meets her at her "office", which is really a city bathhouse. After undressing apart from his mask, Yelena pokes fun at his anonymity, asking if he keeps the mask on...

This quick line of dialogue absolutely took me out, and further shows why Yelena is one of the best characters we've gotten in the post-Endgame phases of the MCU. She typically brings a ton of humor to her roles, including in Hawkeye and Thunderbolts* (both of which are streaming with a Disney+ subscription).

As a hardcore Marvel fan who is also a member of the LGBTQ+ community, I also appreciated that this exchange wasn't making fun of queer folks. What's more, Spider-Man didn't seem offended by the idea of folks thinking he might be gay. I thought this was refreshing, given how often being gay has been used as an insult in media throughout the years. Yelena's comment is just a fun moment, and one that acknowledges that yes, there are LGBTQ+ people in the MCU.

Another queer-coded moment in Spider-Man: Brand New Day happened after Peter woke up hanging outside of his apartment in a web. He falls to the ground, and has to steal clothes from his building's laundry room before taking the elevator back to his place. He accidentally grabs a crop top and pants with "juicy" written on the butt, in another one of the movie's funnier moments. And it felt more significant after his conversation at the bath house with Yelena.

Of course, there have been a handful of LGBTQ+ characters introduced in the MCU. Joe Russo played a gay man during his Endgame cameo, while America Chavez has two moms in Doctor Strange 2. Additionally, Billy Maximoff was confirmed as gay during Agatha All Along.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day is in theaters now as part of the 2026 movie release list. The gay jokes happen very quickly, so be careful not to miss them with a bathroom trip!

There’s no overstating how huge the Harry Potter movie series was for fans of the wizarding world from 2001 until its 2011 conclusion. However, behind the scenes, tragedy struck in 2009 that left lasting repercussions on a lot of the cast and crew — Daniel Radcliffe’s stunt double, David Holmes, was paralyzed while rehearsing a scene for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1. I finally watched the documentary about Holmes with my HBO Max subscription, and I am both heartbroken and inspired.

David Holmes started working as a stuntman for the Harry Potter films in the first movie and grew up alongside Daniel Radcliffe and the rest. Holmes was the one we all saw getting blasted into rocks and falling off broomsticks for all those years. His career came to an end on January 28, 2009, when a stunt went wrong during rehearsal, causing him to break his neck when he was thrown backward into a wall. David Holmes: The Boy Who Lived manages to convey both the tragedy of what happened and Holmes’ refusal to let that kill his spirit.

There’s No Getting Around How Catastrophic David Holmes’ Paralysis Was And Continues To Be

David Holmes: The Boy Who Lived opens with the former stuntman talking about how important movement was to him. He said his brain didn’t fully function if he wasn’t in motion, and his mother described his childhood as extremely active. Even in the weeks before the accident, Daniel Radcliffe said Holmes and fellow Harry Potter stuntman Marc Mailley had visited him in New York, where they were running around the city, climbing light posts and jumping and flipping everywhere.

To think this man all of a sudden lost use of his body from the chest down is the ultimate cruelty. David Holmes himself described his body as a prison cell, but as he continues to lose feeling and movement capabilities, he said it’s becoming more like a coffin.

His paralysis meant he could no longer care for himself — not to mention continue doing a job that he loved and had been doing since his young teen years. It’s almost too much to think about someone having to find a whole new way to live and reason for living.

David Holmes’ life was obviously the most affected by the accident, but so many around him suffered as well. To this day Daniel Radcliffe and Marc Mailley — who begrudgingly became Radcliffe’s double afterward at Holmes’ insistence — can’t talk about it without crying. Harry Potter stunt director Greg Powell, who originally hired Holmes and was in charge the day of the accident, still blames himself. In the documentary, he said:

David Holmes and Greg Powell had a very close father/son relationship before the accident, but they don’t see each other often now, seemingly because the stunt coordinator can’t stop thinking about the life that Holmes would have now if it hadn’t happened.

The Harry Potter stunt double has had countless bumps in the road and low moments over the years, as told in The Boy Who Lived; however, David Holmes seems determined to keep the smile on his face and be an example for overcoming adversity.

David Holmes’ Story Includes Plenty Of Heartwarming Moments Too

I think what I loved most about David Holmes: The Boy Who Lived was how his friends rallied around him. Even while Daniel Radcliffe admitted it was awkward at first to visit the stuntman in the hospital, he quickly realized Holmes was still the same guy he’d always looked up to like a big brother.

Another of David Holmes’ friends, Tommy Wells, stepped in to become his buddy’s caretaker, or as Holmes said, “my arms and legs.” I mean, the love between two friends doesn’t go deeper than that. When asked if being Holmes' care assistant was a big responsibility, Wells firmly and quickly said:

Tommy Wells has been the one helping to figure out how to get David Holmes to everything from appointments to meetings to safaris in South Africa. I was so touched by their beautiful friendship.

David Holmes has also raised a lot of money for the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital and other spinal cord injury groups through an annual cricket event that’s been ongoing since 2009. Harry Potter stuntmen Marc Mailley and Tolga Kenan continue to work in the industry and have made strides in making the job safer.

One Thing David Holmes Said Has Stuck With Me Since Watching His Documentary

There was one thing the stuntman said that really struck me when I was watching the doc regarding the burden of his loved ones’ expectations after the accident. David Holmes knew immediately when it happened that he’d broken his neck, and he knew the damage was irreversible. It was important to make the others in his life aware of this too, and he said:

He makes an amazing point, and I’d imagine that was pretty helpful (though admittedly devastating) to help his family and friends know how to approach him in those early days. Daniel Radcliffe said he really learned about being there for his buddy without trying to or being able to fix anything.

“The Boy Who Lived” may be Harry Potter’s nickname in the book and movie series, but it really is the perfect way to describe David Holmes. Not only did he survive the terrible stunt tragedy, but he refused to stop living after he became paralyzed.

Seeing David Holmes’ story made me agree completely with Ryan Gosling’s reason for making The Fall Guy, because there’s no reason stuntmen shouldn’t get more recognition for their work. Holmes gave everything to the Harry Potter franchise, and he said if he regained his mobility tomorrow he’d be right back at work.

Anyone who considers themselves a fan of the wizarding world should watch this documentary (or read Holmes’ book, which comes highly recommended by Emma Watson). David Holmes: The Boy Who Lived and all of the Harry Potter movies can be streamed on HBO Max.

E.T. The Extraterrestrial is not only one of the best movies of the 1980s, but it’s also one of the greatest sci-fi films ever made. (And my favorite movie). That’s why I cannot believe I just found out the story behind its titular character. The little alien was made possible through groundbreaking animatronic technology and three actors who could actually fit inside the suit. Two of them were little people, Pat Bilon and Tamara De Treaux, and the third was a 12-year-old disabled boy who was born without legs.

The Story Behind The Disabled Actor Who Played E.T.

Matthew De Meritt has always walked on his hands to get around. While much of the time this might put him at a disadvantage, it actually proved really useful to bring E.T. to life on set. The actor, who’s now 56 years old, could not only fit in the suit, but it also became the perfect solution to film the alien practically. Here’s how he explains how he worked with the other two actors:

The two other actors had brittle bones, something common to people with dwarfism. So De Meritt was the only actor of the three to be able to do E.T.’s stunts.

As a result, he was inside the E.T. costume for a ton of his iconic scenes. The kitchen scene where E.T. raids the fridge and falls down after having beer, for example. Or the scene when E.T. gets startled by the camera flash on Halloween. As the E.T. veteran also explained in a 2025 interview with Adventures Access:

So, in the sequences when you see E.T.'s face, it’s the work of animatronics. But whenever the alien is on the go, it’s one of the actors inside.

The Impact Playing E.T. Had On Dealing With His Disability

De Meritt has also talked about how taking on the rare role actually helped him emotionally deal with his disability as a child, too. In his words:

It wasn’t his gained notoriety that changed how other people saw him after playing E.T.; it was the “confidence” that playing the role gave him. As De Meritt shared, he really got along with the other young actors who played Elliott and his older brother Michael. Getting to be part of a film by a beloved director isn’t an opportunity many get, but it made all the difference to him.

How often do you hear a story like this about someone with a disability who contributed to a major Hollywood production in a big way? What may be seen as a shortcoming by society was embraced as a skill that made De Meritt specifically needed in a role. It makes one wonder about all the stories we don’t know about other stories of real people with disabilities that go unsung. Or how the community is often shortsighted when they can fill unexpected roles that can make a film or TV show better.

According to the World Health Organization’s reporting, one in six people are dealing with a significant disability. There’s not enough visibility for the disabled in movies and TV as is. May Matthew De Meritt’s role in E.T. be a reminder that we need more stories involving people with disabilities at the forefront.

Amazon first announced Neagley in 2024, and while it’s taken a bit of time to finally make its way onto the 2026 TV schedule, the series officially premieres on September 16. While Frances Neagley has been a stand-out character in Reacher and has proven just how capable she is alongside Alan Ritchson's nomad, it’s clear there's more to explore with the character than the flagship episodes allowed for. So for both fans and Maria Sten, the Neagley spinoff is both needed and welcomed.

What makes Neagley so interesting is the fact that she’s infused with an authentic combination of vulnerability and toughness. She can beat up the worst of the worst villains, take a quiet moment to acknowledge her palpable loneliness, and then follow it all up with a laugh-worthy line that highlights her sense of humor. And Sten herself is the perfect choice to step up as the lead of her own show. Yet somehow, she’s one of the few instances of a Black woman leading an action series. The actress told Entertainment Weekly what that feels like:

With Neagley, Sten is joining the ranks of fellow Black actresses Angela Bassett with 9-1-1 and Sonequa Martin-Green with Boston Blue, and hopefully more to come in the future. The former dancer who was crowned Miss Denmark Universe in 2008 is excited about the opportunity the new series is providing, but there’s also pressure that comes with taking on new responsibility. The tremendous success of Reacher, having already been renewed for Season 5, isn’t something that can ever be predicted, but thankfully it means that we do get to learn more about Neagley and what makes her tick.

Frances Neagley, as well as Maria Sten, is a force of nature, so watching her in action is reason enough to tune in. But having the focus on her means that we’ll get to learn much more about who she is when she’s not with Jack Reacher and how her past has informed her present. We know that Neagley will follow the former military protégé as a P.I. in Chicago, laser-focused on demanding justice when a childhood friend is killed. And as she pursues the truth with her own team of misfits, we’ll get to see what it’s like for her to live with haphephobia, or the fear of touching or being touched. It sounds like the perfect balance of kick-ass action and character development. Sten further explained:

Luckily, we don’t have long to wait to see what’s in store for Jack Reacher in Season 4 of his own series and for Frances Neagley in hers, and you can watch both with an Amazon Prime subscription. With a new world of her own and new characters inhabiting it, Neagley could continue to live alongside Reacher for many seasons to come.

As an LGBTQIA+ ally, I’m always looking to better understand (and support) my brothers, sisters, and nonbinaries.

One way that I try to do this, small as it may be, is to introduce people to entertainment that features people all across the rainbow. Not too long ago, I talked about the Macaulay Culkin-led Party Monster, which features gay culture. I also covered Velvet Goldmine, which circles around bisexuality. Well, today, I want to focus on asexuality, and I bring you none other than the 1962 horror cult classic, Carnival of Souls.

Now, while asexuality is never directly mentioned in Carnival of Souls, I think there’s a case to be made that it’s actually (accidentally or not) in the film, and here’s why.

Mary Shows No Desire Whatsoever To Sexual Advances, And Even Seems Annoyed By Them

I don’t blame you if you’ve never heard of Carnival of Souls. Even though I love it, it’s often not considered one of the greatest horror movies of all time, unless you’re talking about indie horror movies, to which it’s highly regarded. The plot concerns a woman named Mary (Candace Hilligoss) who seems to be the sole survivor of a car accident after her two female friends and she go flying off a bridge during a drag race.

Mary wanders out of the water, all ghoulish-like, after a search party looks for the three of them. She moves on from her traumatic experience the best she can by heading to Salt Lake City and taking on a job as a church organist. She rents out a room near the church, and ends up having a creepy male neighbor named John (Sidney Berger) who immediately hits on her. She’s immediately put off by him.

Now, you might think that this doesn’t directly spell “asexuality.” However, it’s how she’s put off by John that paints this possible picture. She’s frequently haunted by strange visions, and goes on dates with John just so she won’t be alone.

But, once on these dates, it’s not just that she doesn’t have any attraction to him. It seems like she wouldn’t have any attraction to anyone, both male and female. She’s mostly aloof with pretty much everybody in the movie, and seems to want to be left alone, but also wants to fit in with people. In the end, she just seems…distant, and she doesn’t quite know why.

Mary Even Acknowledges At One Point That "I Don't Belong In The World...Something Separates Me From Other People."

At one point in the film, John gets sick of Mary because she can’t seem to make up her mind. She says she wants to be with him, and you can tell that she’s making an effort, but it’s entirely forced. It’s not forced for his sake, but rather, for her own. Throughout the film, she visits a doctor, who admits he’s not a psychiatrist, and tells him that she doesn’t belong in the world, and that something separates her from other people.

Now, this of course has to do with the narrative itself, as similar to The Sixth Sense, Mary really might not be of this world anymore following her accident. However, looking deeper into the narrative and how Mary is distant with everyone - especially those who wonder why she isn’t romantically involved with anybody - you could make a case that she is really speaking to how she doesn’t understand why she isn’t attracted to anyone, and that she’s always just been that way, for as far back as she can remember.

That’s important, because this movie isn’t queer-coded, as we never get a sense that Mary might just like women like Shirley MacLaine’s character in The Children’s Hour. Instead, Mary feels socially, and romantically, distant with everybody.

And, for a movie from the ‘60s, where women were typically always viewed as a romantic interest, Carnival of Souls is that rare movie that, even if it wasn’t intending to do so, still manages to create asexual subtext, which I think is pretty cool.

Throughout her career, Cara Delevingne has never been one to limit herself as an actress or a model. It could certainly be argued that the English star’s vivacious spirit is what’s helped endear her to so many. Aside from her work, Delevingne has also been open about aspects of her personal life, including her sexual identity. Now, given her status as a member of the LGBTQ+ community, the fan-favorite star is making history, thanks to her recent Playboy Magazine cover. And, in doing so, she also makes a bold fashion statement.

Playboy announced this week that the always fashionably dressed Delevingne (33) had been named as the publication’s summer cover star. The issue cover was shared on the outlet’s Instagram page, and it shows the Life in a Year star sporting plunging latex peplum corset. Delevingne also notably doesn’t wear bottoms in the image, instead opting to cover her private area with her hand, which seems to be a way of winking at the camera. Take a look at the work that went into making the stunning magazine cover and insert photos for yourself with the video below.

While the cover is impressive on its own, it’s more meaningful when considering that Delevingne is now the first out lesbian to appear on the cover of Playboy’s print publication. This comes after singer Kehlani – another member of the LGBTQ+ community – appeared on the magazine’s digital cover back in 2021. Overall, this latest cover marks yet another step forward for LGBTQ+ representation in a form of media coverage. Kudos to all involved, including Delevingne, of course.

Aside from that aspect of this cover, though, it also seems as though it marks a very personal moment in Delevingne’s career. It’s noted within the caption of the IG post that the Suicide Squad alum “has spent over a decade being looked at—model, actor, musel.” With that, “ she's the one calling the shots” now, and that’s further signified by another career milestone she’s poised to hit. This summer, Delevingne will mark the release of her debut studio album, which is set to be released this August.

Cara Delevingne really knows how to make an impression and has done so in a myriad of ways over the years. Fashion is one such way that she’s managed to draw people’s attention, as she did in 2023 when she wore a red dress from Elie Saab to the Oscars and was also paid six-figures to sport Bulgari jewels as well. And, in 2025, she wore a sparkling silver gown from Tamara Ralph Haute to the Academy Museum Gala.

While parts of Delevingne’s life have certainly been glamorous, some aspects haven’t, and she hasn’t shied away from discussing them. In 2022, she made headlines after paparazzi snapped photos of her apparently having a personal emergency in the presence of Margot Robbie, a friend of hers. Delevingne addressed the situation in 2023, explaining that she “hadn’t slept” amid that situation and merely thought “[she] was having fun.” Still, in retrospect, the starlet summed all of that up as a “reality check” that made her realize she was in a “bad place.”

The London native also lost her Studio City home to a fire in 2024 and lost many of her possessions as a result.. However, she still expressed gratitude even in the midst of feeling “heartbroken.”

Such candor from the Planet Sex star is much appreciated, and her eagerness to break down barriers for the LGBTQ+ community is as well. And, based on a number of the comments under her Playboy cover, it seems like she definitely has admirers in her corner. Here’s to history and this new chapter in Cara Delevingne’s life and career.

These days we can name a ton of same-sex couples that have graced our TV screens, including the recent phenomenon of Heated Rivalry. Back in the 1990s, LGBTQ+ representation in popular movies and TV was very thin. But, one series that was embraced by gay audiences was Xena: The Warrior Princess for the relationship between Xena and Gabrielle. There’s one way Universal Television said “no” to one thing about the opening titles that might feed into the romantic ambiguity.

Xena may have never officially been a TV show with a lesbian couple, but viewers were all in on the idea. And, now we know that the creators even played into the relationship between Lucy Lawless and Renee O’Connor’s characters. Xena and Gabrielle famously shared a kiss, co-parented Xena’s daughter and in the finale they decided they’d be together for eternity. But, there’s one line the studio wouldn’t let the TV show cross – they weren’t allowed to be featured side-by-side in the opening credits. Per creator Robert Tapert, when speaking to Entertainment Weekly:

Xena: The Warrior Princess debuted on TV in the fall of 1995 and went on for six seasons until its finale aired in June 2001. During its run, producer R.J. Stewart recalled hearing about Xena nights becoming a popular event at gay bars around the country. But, Universal Television was apparently worried that showing the main characters next to each other was a bridge too far. As Tapert added:

Interestingly enough, the relationship between Xena and Gabrielle didn’t start as an intentionally queer storyline. When Xena was being developed, having Gabrielle as her sidekick was simply “the first person that came to mind”, per the creator. As the series started to become important to queer audiences, Stewart said they started to “ride the subtext whenever it [made] sense.”

While Stewart recalls that he used to say he’d leave their sexuality “up to the fans,” these days he thinks “they’re definitely gay now.” There was talk about Xena getting a TV reboot back in 2015, until it was officially cancelled in 2017. If NBC were to come back around to this idea, how cool would it be if Xena and Gabrielle were an item this time around?

This year marks the 25 year anniversary since the Xena finale, and it’s definitely great to look back at how far LGBTQ+ representation has come. Still, there’s not really an action series with two queer women leading on the 2026 TV schedule right now, and that’s a darn shame! Anyone else ready to start the Xena and Gabrielle reboot campaign?

Usually, when people refer to the best war movies of all time, they focus on war flicks that take place during their respective conflicts.

However, some war movies are actually about the aftereffects, like First Blood. Well, another such film is one of the best war movies ever to win Best Picture: 1946's The Best Years of Our Lives, directed by William Wyler and starring Fredric March, Myrna Loy, and Dana Andrews, just to name a few.

Actually, there's one other actor I'd like to highlight, and that's because he's the only person in Academy Award history to win two Oscars for the same performance, and that man is Harold Russell.

Harold Russell's Character, Homer, Lost His Hands, Just Like The Actor Himself

The story of how Harold Russell made his acting debut in The Best Years of Our Lives is an interesting one. Russell lost his hands while teaching how to detonate explosives in the Army during World War II, and he was later given mechanical hooks. Always one to help, Russell was featured in a short film from the American Army titled Diary of a Sergeant, which showcased his rehabilitation at Walter Reed Hospital.

Well, William Wyler saw Diary and wanted Russell for his movie, even though Russell had no prior acting experience. His role as Homer is one of three returning soldiers from the Second World War, but his story might be the most potent, given his struggles with his new hands, since he lost them in the war.

In fact, it was so potent a role that not only was he awarded an honorary Oscar for “bringing aid and comfort to disabled veterans through the medium of motion pictures,” but he also ended up winning the Best Supporting Actor Award, too, making him the only actor in Academy history to win 2 Oscars for the same performance. Now that’s something.

Homer Struggles With Losing His Independence Due To His Disability

To watch somebody with a disability is eye-opening, since the first gut reaction for many of us is to often look away. In our heads, we do this because we don’t want to make the disabled person uncomfortable, but in truth, we ourselves are likely uncomfortable, and we turn our heads because we don’t know what else to do.

This is Homer’s life ever since he returned home from the war. Once a former athlete in high school, he struggles with things he once found simple since he has mechanical hooks. You can tell that he’s embarrassed when he’s around other people, as some of them do look away. When he’s alone, he gets angry since he can no longer be independent like he once was.

As I said, it’s eye-opening to watch somebody who truly struggles with their disability, and there is nothing you can do but sympathize with them. It’s a hard watch, but I’m sure an infinitely harder experience to live through.

Homer Also Struggles When It Comes To Romantic Relationships

A while back, I wrote about how much I love the movie CODA, but one aspect I didn’t mention was how impactful the love story was in the background. There are actually three love stories going on. There are the parents, who are both deaf; there is our protagonist (Emilia Jones), and the boy she’s crushing on, and both of them can hear. Then you have the protagonist’s brother, Leo (Daniel Durant), who’s deaf, but is dating somebody who can hear.

I bring this up because this is probably the most difficult relationship in the film, but they make it work, even though Leo has doubts about its future given his disability. Well, in The Best Years of Our Lives, we have a similar story.

Homer was literally dating the girl next door named Wilma (Cathy O’Donnell), and he doesn’t think their relationship will last once he gets back. In fact, he’s even expecting her to leave him, but she doesn’t, and they ultimately end up getting married. That said, it’s only once he learns to accept his disability that he can truly find peace within himself, and I think that’s a wonderful message–a wonderful message, and a wonderful movie.

I’ve got to be honest. I saw Supergirl last week, and I’ve nearly forgotten that I sat in a theater for almost two hours viewing it. That’s not the kind of impression I wanted the newest DC movies to leave me with, and I’m not surprised by the movie’s big box office drop this past weekend. Especially because it’s yet another comic book flick for the girlies, and another example of big studios not giving female superheroes the same kind of fanfare as their male superhero counterparts. Let’s talk about it.

I Have A Theory About What Makes Superhero Movies Good... Supergirl Didn’t Pass

Now, I didn’t think Supergirl was as bad as some critics did. I thought Milly Alcock was awesome as Kara, and I liked getting to know her and going on the adventure she has in this movie. It’s a three out of five – right down the middle for me. What I didn’t like was the villain and a lot of the script decisions. And, I have a theory about what makes a superhero movie good: a superhero is only as good as its villain. Seriously, think about it and tell me it's not true! I think the only time where this hasn't been the case is the first Guardians of the Galaxy movie, and those guys fit more into the anti-hero archetype.

Supergirl had a very one-dimensional villain in the form of Krem of the Yellow Hills. Sure, he was in the Woman of Tomorrow comic book the movie adapts, but I’d argue the filmmakers could have had a lot more fun and creativity when bringing the pirate assassin to the big screen. I found Krem to be very boring, and in turn so was the movie itself at times. The disappointment I feel regarding Supergirl I feel is sadly a familiar feeling in the genre, especially in movies starring women.

Why Supergirl’s Weak Villain Really Bothers Me

Sadly, we’re in a time when there've been hundreds of big-budget superhero movies and only a few have been led by women. Like, what's up with that? And I don’t think a single one has had a well-written villain. Let’s do a little role call: Wonder Woman, Black Widow, Captain Marvel, Birds of Prey… are we still talking about any of the big bads in these movies? I’m certainly not.

To me, it feels like there’s an undercurrent of “Wait, let’s not give the female-led superhero movie a good villain and save them for the other superhero movies people care about” stench to it. Supergirl is just as cool as Superman is, and yet she was given the villain no one has ever heard of?

I really hope that the next time a women-led superhero movie is greenlit, one of these studios takes a chance on a truly great villain to put head-to-head with our protagonist because I need this trend to stop... like now and prove my point wrong.

Thankfully, Milly Alcock has another chance to really shine (and possibly punch Lex Luthor) in Man of Tomorrow alongside Superman; I just think Supergirl deserved a much better opponent in her own movie.

July is Disability Pride Month, and along with it serving as a reminder for more of us to check out all the great movies starring people with disabilities, there are so many ways those with these identities have contributed to Hollywood films behind the scenes. One story that I just learned has to do with the making of Sony Pictures Animation’s GOAT, a 2026 movie release from earlier this year. I just found out the movie assembled an entire team of disabled employees to loop the film. Don’t know what “looping” is? Neither did I until I came across their story.

The Cool Way Sony’s Goat Made History For People With Disabilities

GOAT is basically an underdog sports movie told creatively in a fictional world where co-ed predator animals play together in something very close to basketball called Roar-ball. And the animated movie, which is now available to stream with a Netflix subscription, featured the first-ever all-disability loop group to work on a major studio film, per Variety.

I had never heard about this before, but a loop group supplies the voices in the background of a scene that needs it. And since GOAT primarily takes place at Roar-ball games, there was a lot of looping to do. Nic Novicki, the founder of this groundbreaking loop group, said this about how the job can cater to anyone:

Novicki and The Disability Loop Group had been trying to get on a feature film for years, and GOAT was the first opportunity for them to finally do so. I love how the movie itself is about an unexpected character (a goat) who gets to play in the big leagues, and behind the scenes, a group of people with disabilities got to work all together to provide a necessary service for the film.

I Had No Idea What Looping Was Before Learning This Story

Not only did The Disability Loop Group achieve something new in Hollywood worth celebrating during Disability Pride Month, but the story itself taught me about one aspect of filmmaking I didn’t know about before. Here’s Novicki’s explanation of the loop group’s job:

While a live-action movie might have ambient sound that can be recorded on location if a basketball game was part of a movie – GOAT had to start from scratch. The loop group had to take the time to help create the world of the movie through constructing things like chants, background chatter, crowd energy and reactions. It sounds like a meticulous job, and a fun one, and I’m happy I know about it now.

The disabled are still underrepresented in movies and TV, and this story is a small but cool example of some of the unsung jobs and people in Hollywood we don’t highlight enough. Congrats to The Disability Loop Group. I hope we hear about them getting more work in future movies and/or TV shows.

Deadpool doesn't have a new movie on the 2026 movie calendar, but the Merc with the Mouth still found a pretty perfect way to show up for Pride Month. The character has always made sense in that space. In Marvel Comics, Deadpool is canonically pansexual, with writers and creators describing his attraction as unrestricted by gender. So seeing the real Dancepool bring that red-suited chaos to San Francisco Pride feels less random and more like the franchise wandering exactly where it belongs.

Nick Pauley, the dancer who performed as Dancepool in Deadpool & Wolverine, shared a video from the parade on his verified Instagram account. The clips show him in the red-and-black suit dancing, posing and generally causing delightful sidewalk confusion. You can see the post below.

The footage is exactly as joyful as it sounds. Pauley is in full Dancepool mode, working the crowd from the street as fans cheer from behind the barriers.

In a second video post, which you can see below, Pauley shared a montage of some of his best parade moves. That includes dropping into a pose on the Muni tracks while a SAG-AFTRA group marches behind him. Elsewhere, the crowd can be seen waving, filming and clearly losing it a little. Because yes, seeing Dancepool casually break out moves during Pride is the kind of crossover that makes perfect sense once it is happening in front of you.

Pauley captioned the second clip, “Absolutely soaking wet,” which also feels right. Pride parade energy plus Deadpool suit plus full-body dancing in the street is not exactly a low-sweat situation. That costume may look superhero-cool on camera, but I cannot imagine it is the most breathable thing to wear while performing in the middle of a sunny San Francisco street. The man earned every drop.

In the longer caption accompanying the first post, Pauley said he was grateful to celebrate love in his favorite city and honored to walk with his fellow SAG-AFTRA members. He wrote:

That gives the whole thing a sweet little family layer underneath the red suit and hip action. Dancepool might be turning Pride into his own portable stage, but Pauley is also returning to a city that shaped him, celebrating his union and sharing the day with his dad. That is the kind of context that makes the goofy video land with a little extra warmth.

Of course, Marvel fans know why seeing Dancepool in the wild hits so hard. Deadpool & Wolverine opened with that now-famous *NSYNC “Bye Bye Bye” sequence, and while plenty of casual viewers may have assumed Ryan Reynolds did all the dancing, Pauley was the performer bringing those moves to life behind the mask. The bit became one of the movie’s most talked-about sequences, because nothing says “welcome back to the Marvel Cinematic Universe” like Deadpool desecrating a grave and serving boy-band choreography.

Since then, Pauley has embraced the Dancepool love, and fans have happily followed. His Pride appearance feels like a natural extension of that. The real Dancepool showing up at San Francisco Pride is every bit as fabulous as advertised, and I am absolutely here for it.

Deadpool & Wolverine is streaming with a Disney+ subscription, along with the rest of the Marvel movies in order. There is no word yet on whether Dancepool could return in a future Marvel movie. However, there have been plenty of rumors about Deadpool possibly showing up in Avengers: Doomsday when it hits theaters Dec. 18, or in next year’s Avengers: Secret Wars. We will have to wait and see how that shakes out. Sorry, not sorry for the dance pun.

Three years ago, when Nimona came out, I was so excited to watch it. It was being lauded as one of the best Netflix movies of 2023 (which was a particularly strong year), with a poignant message of acceptance — especially for the LGBTQ+ community and others who have experienced discrimination. Shamefully, I never got around to it, and Nimona fell further and further down my watch list. However, thanks to Pride Month and the trusty Netflix algorithm, it recently popped up again, and after finally watching it, I can’t stop thinking about one particularly powerful message.

First, a quick plot recap to get us all caught up: Nimona is based on a graphic novel by ND Stevenson (but is very different from the source material). The plot centers around Ballister Boldheart (Riz Ahmed), a knight who is falsely accused of killing the queen and teams up with the titular shapeshifter to prove his innocence. The animated flick is filled with humor, heart, action and quotable lines like, “Arm-chopping is not a love language.” And while that’s a good message, it’s not the one that stuck out to me.

I Loved the LGBTQ+ Representation In Ballister And Ambrosius’ Relationship

These days it’s not quite as rare to see queer couples on TV and in movies, but there’s still not enough representation — particularly in family movies. In fact, back before Netflix saved Nimona from cancellation, there were reports that Blue Sky animators felt “pressure” from Disney to remove a same-sex kiss. Thankfully, there were no such issues at Netflix, because Ballister’s relationship with Ambrosius Goldenloin (Eugene Lee Yang) is so important to the movie.

Not only does it normalize queer relationships in a beautiful way, but their history together added so much depth to the central conflict, with Ambrosius being the one tasked with hunting down Ballister following the queen's murder.

As much as I love that Nimona put a gay couple front and center in the plot, it was Nimona herself who really made an impact on me.

Nimona’s Shapeshifting Was Such A Beautiful Metaphor For Living Your Truth

When Nimona first floated the idea of teaming up with fellow outcast Ballister to clear his name (in exchange for making her his sidekick), the disgraced knight didn’t realize quite what he was getting into. However, once he experienced her shapeshifting into a whale, ostrich, gorilla, rhinoceros, etc., he struggled to accept her because he couldn’t define her:

• Ballister: What are you?
• Nimona: I’m Nimona.
• Ballister: So you’re a girl and a rhino?
• Nimona: I’m a lot of things.

I really appreciated that Nimona never apologized for who she was; she never felt forced to define herself. There was no fantastical story, no lore behind her shapeshifting. Nimona was born that way, and she consistently brushed off Ballister’s attempts to put her identity in a box (with more patience than he deserved).

I think this is so important, especially for younger people who may be struggling with their identity or sexuality or any other issue, because Nimona not only gives them permission to be themselves, but she shows several examples of what they can say to people who pressure them to do otherwise. Sometimes, for instance, she used humor to deflect a narrow-minded question:

• Ballister: Can you just be you, please?
• Nimona: I don’t follow.
• Ballister: Girl, you.
• Nimona: But I’m not a girl. I’m a shark. *chomp chomp* Hey, you ever put your head in the mouth of one of these?

That leads me to the conversation that had me applauding in my living room — one that I haven’t been able to stop thinking about.

If You Take One Thing Away From Nimona, I Hope It’s This

The scene that stuck with me from Nimona is when the shapeshifter and Ballister are riding the train, and he asks her one more time to be “normal,” and instead of brushing it off or making a joke out of it, Nimona challenges him:

• Ballister: Can you please just be normal for a second?
• Nimona: Normal?
• Ballister: I just think it’d be easier if you were a girl.
• Nimona: Easier to be a girl? You’re hilarious.
• Ballister: I mean, easier if you look human.
• Nimona: Easier for who?

YES! Nimona knows that if a person or group of people or society is telling her to act or look a certain way, it is for their own comfort, not her benefit, and she doesn’t owe them that.

I think there are obvious LGBTQ+ parallels to be made here — I’ve specifically seen a lot of references to the trans experience — but I also think it’s bigger than that. Autistic people or those with ADHD may not act like others expect them to, and people with disabilities, different looks and different attitudes can be left out for not masking or conforming to societal “norms.”

I often tell my daughters to “Take up space,” and that they deserve to be in the room as much as everyone else, but I’m sure I’ve never been able to articulate it as well as Nimona does in this scene and throughout the movie. Basically it's that you don’t have to make yourself small or change who you are to make other people more comfortable.

In fact, at Ballister’s suggestion that life would be easier if she only presented as a girl, Nimona tells him it’s actually the opposite — that she actually feels worse if she doesn’t let all of her different shapes show through.

Now that I’ve finally discovered the beauty of Nimona, I’ve actually watched it multiple times, and I could go on about the other quotes I love from this movie (“They grow up believing that they can be a hero if they drive a sword into the heart of anything different. And I’m the monster?” What a gift this movie is.).

I’m sad that it took me this long to finally discover Nimona, and if you haven’t seen it (or haven’t seen it in a while), do yourself a favor and fire up that Netflix subscription. You can also check out some more upcoming LGBTQ+ movies we’re looking forward to.

June is Pride Month, and there are plenty of LGBTQ+ folks and their allies who are looking for queer stories to watch. While not exactly a queer rom-com, folks with an HBO Max subscription were recently treated to the streaming release of Harry Lighton's Pillion. I was excited to watch the steamy movie from my home, and it really made the Fifty Shades movies look as wholesome as When Harry Met Sally.

I wanted to see Pillion in theaters, but was too busy back in February when it arrived in US theaters. I was shocked by its sexual content and its portrayal of a dom/sub relationship, as well as its graphic nudity. Overall, I'm surprised this movie was even able to be made and given a wide theatrical release.

Pillion Was Way Steamier And NSFW Than I Thought

Pillion wasn't what I expected, which is very much a compliment. I was hooked on the movie the minute Alexander Skarsgård's Ray entered the film and began to train Harry Melling's Colin as his submissive. In many ways, it felt like the audience was in Colin's POV, getting more invested methodically from their meeting at a bar to them eventually engaging in a committed relationship. Just not the one you typically expect from queer love stories on film.

Indeed, Ray makes it clear to Colin that they are not in "love" the way most relationships play out. Instead, he's in complete control, telling Colin what to wear and having him serve him in and out of the bedroom. And while it's undeniable that Skarsgård's character is easy on the eyes, the actual reality of the dom/sub dynamic is intense and more than I assume most people would be able to handle. There's also a ton of nudity, including close-up shots of Ray's (prosthetic) penis, which has the potential to be a big shock.

For instance, Colin must shave his head and sleep on the floor while Ray sleeps on his comfortable bed. He also cooks all his meals and gives up complete control over his own body when the two are sexual. I couldn't help but think of how PG-13 the Fifty Shades movies were in comparison; I mean, Dakota Johnson's Anastasia would never put up with Ray's demands.

As a queer person, I'm at least partly aware of how these dom/sub relationships work. But I think it's pretty remarkable that Pillion was filmed and released, and is now streaming on a major platform like HBO Max. I have a feeling that straight folks out there might be in for a ton of surprises is they decide to give the movie a try because they love True Blood's Alexander Skarsgård and want to check out a relatively new release. As for LGBTQ+ audiences, I think this movie is a perfect Pride watch, and is more than just steamy scenes.

Pillion is streaming now on HBO Max as part of the 2026 movie release list. Just beware: the movie is definitely not suitable for work.

2009's Jennifer's Body has gone from a box office flop to a cult classic in the decade and change since it hit theaters, and is one of actress Megan Fox's most iconic roles. While the marketing misdirected audiences, the horror comedy (which is streaming with a Peacock subscription) has aged super well. And the actress recently gave some Jennifer vibes while talking about being a bi icon. Let's break it all down.

Jennifer's Body is a movie folks love to revisit, thanks to its funny dialogue, thrilling kills, and unique tone. It also helped to make Megan Fox an LGBTQ+ icon, and during an interview with InStyle Magazine, she opened up about the feedback she's gotten from queer folks over the years. In her words:

How sweet is that? Clearly Fox loves hearing from LGBTQ+ fans, and knowing that she had even a small part in people's coming out journey. Leading the Jennifer's Body cast is at least part of the reason why, especially thanks to her iconic make out session with Amanda Seyfried in the movie. Plus, lots of queer moviegoers have a particular love for the horror genre as a whole.

The fact that Megan Fox was doing this interview while holding a lighter was particularly noteworthy, given how she famously burned her tongue with one during Jennifer's Body. Later in the same clip she spoke about her favorite title she's been given from LGBTQ+ fans. In her words:

I mean, what's not to love? Fox identifies as bisexual herself, so this moniker must feel particularly significant. She's also played queer characters before, so I'd say she definitely qualifies as a bisexual icon. You can see the clip of her explaining this below:

Was anyone else waiting for her to burn her tongue in the middle of this clip? Just me? Sorry, but I just can't get Jennifer's Body out of my head. And that's what makes it such a cult classic.

Jennifer's Body is streaming now on Peacock. Megan Fox's recent credits include Five Nights at Freddy's 2 and Overcompensating, and we'll have to see what comes next for the 40 year-old actress.

Spoilers ahead for Leviticus.

The summer is usually a great time for scary movies, and both Obsession and Backrooms have crushed at the box office. We've got another horror movie in theaters now just in time for Pride Month: director Adrian Chiarella's Leviticus. The movie is a moving and chilling queer story, and its ending leaves audiences with some questions. Luckily Naim actor Joe Bird spoke to CinemaBlend about his take on the film's conclusion.

Leviticus' reviews have been rather positive, with critics praising its scares and emotional narrative. The movie follows two young gay boys in Australia, who are cursed and then attacked by a violent entity that takes the form of the person they're most attracted to. The movie's final shot shows Naim and his love interest Ryan (Stacy Clausen) choosing to stay with each other when leaving their conservative town... despite the entity still being out there. As you can see in the video above, I asked Bird what he thought of the movie's ending, and he told me:

I love this perspective. The messaging of Leviticus' ending is something that will likely ring true for plenty of LGBTQ+ folks out there. Because while there are plenty of terrifying and hateful forces in this world, many of us decide to push forward and find happiness regardless. In this way, the horror movie serves as an allegory about the coming out experience, and overcoming the dangers of homophobia.

Later in our conversation Joe Bird, who also starred in the terrifying horror movie Talk To Me, went on to share more about why the ending of Leviticus is such an important message. In the 19 year-old actor's words:

Points are made. While Naim and Ryan will likely still have to look out for the dangers of the entity when they're alone with each other, it's much better than the alternative. And since the young lovers are going through the same struggle, they'll be able to understand each other in a way any new people in their lives will not. I personally would love to see a Leviticus sequel sometime in the future.

Most of the best horror movies have something original to say, and Adrian Chiarella's new release is no exception. Its release during Pride Month have given it additional emotional weight. Luckily there's plenty of queer joy in the movie's 88-minute runtime, in addition to its scary moments.

Leviticus is in theaters now as part of the 2026 movie release list. Lots of LGBTQ+ cinephiles love horror, so I imagine that the discourse about its ending will only get louder as time goes on.

SPOILERS are ahead for Girls Like Girls, now in theaters!

When it comes to book-to-screen adaptations, we’re used to changes from the source material freaking out fans. But sometimes a different take on the same story for another medium is exactly what the story needs. For example, Hayley Kiyoko’s Girls Like Girls movie is missing one key moment from the novel's (and music video’s) ending; there’s actually a very specific reason why.

Hayley Kiyoko’s Girls Like Girls vision all started with her 2015 pop anthem of the same name. She then turned the song into a music video that went viral and had fans calling for a movie about the video's pair, Coley and Sonya. Since then, she’s been working on adapting it for the big screen, but before that, she turned it into the New York Times bestselling YA novel. Now it's finally here, as one of 2026’s movie releases, and she's “proud” of how she adapted things – even though one unexpected change came up during post-production. In our interview with Kiyoko, she said this of the ending:

Kiyoko is talking about the fight that breaks out between Coley and Trent, whom Sonya has had an on-again, off-again relationship with, in previous iterations of the story. The writer/director even filmed the fight on the set of the latest LGBTQ+ movie, but ultimately decided that she wanted to center the conclusion of the film on its coming-of-age lesbian relationship rather than another guy. As she continued:

Girls Like Girls is Hayley Kiyoko’s first time directing a feature film after spending years helming her own music videos and trying to turn the pop anthem into a movie. When it comes to book adaptations, it’s not very often that the author is also the director. How cool is it that she trusted her gut to tell the story slightly differently and make the kind of changes that felt right for the film all this time later?

Without the violent moment becoming a focal point of Sonya and Coley finally becoming girlfriends, the movie ending is more about Sonya trying to accept her queer identity and Coley being there for her. The last scene is a sweet poolside moment between them instead. Trent is still very much part of the Girls Like Girls movie, but Coley doesn’t need to fight him to get the girl this time, and that's a change the director loved.

June is Pride Month, and there are plenty of folks seeking out LGBTQ+ stories to experience as a result. While we were treated to RuPaul's new comedy Stop! That! Train!, there's an upcoming horror movie with queer themes coming out as well: Adrian Chiarella's Leviticus. The movie follows two young gay teenagers who are tormented by a supernatural entity that takes the form of the person they're most attracted to. I thought the movie was an allegory about the dangers of conversion therapy, but the filmmaker offered me another POV.

While it remains to be seen if Leviticus ends up becoming one of the best horror movies of the year, I personally loved the new Australian scary movie. As you can see in the video above, I got the chance to speak with actor Joe Bird (who starred in Talk To Me) and director Adrian Chiarella ahead of the movie's release. The filmmaker spoke more about wanting to explore homophobia via horror, telling me:

Actress Mia Wasikowska plays the mother of Joe Bird's protagonist Naim, who has a "Deliverance Healer" try and cure her son's homosexuality. While she means well, this ceremony is what summons the entity that haunts the boys throughout Leviticus' 88-minute runtime. She thinks she's helping her son, which is yet another way that homophobia can sometimes manifest itself out in the real world.

Over the past few years there's been a ton of discourse about the importance of LGBTQ+ representation in movies, and Leviticus pivots between showing young queer love and having its heroes stalked by a presence that looks like the person they're attracted to. Later in our conversation, Chiarella spoke more about this new type of horror villain, telling me:

Same-sex attraction can often inspire homophobia, whether its in microaggressions or more insidious things like conversion therapy. In that way Leviticus tells a story that's universal, while bringing a wholly originally horror movie to theaters. Both Obsession and Backrooms have been crushing at the box office this summer, but Adrian Chiarella's new movie is the perfect Pride scary movie for queer fans of the genre (of which there are many).

Leviticus hits theaters on June 19th as part of the 2026 movie release list. We'll just have to see if this becomes another instant horror classic. Personally I loved what Adrian Chiarella brought to the table, and found its story moving as a queer person myself.

On the 2026 movie schedule, it feels like a film can come from anywhere. A YouTube creepypasta can become Backrooms, A24’s highest-grossing movie, or a man with a large forearm tattoo can inspire Maggie Gyllenhaal to make The Bride!. In the case of Hayley Kiyoko’s Girls Like Girls, it’s been a long time coming for the singer ever since her music video of the same name went viral. CinemaBlend talked to the first-time feature writer/director about the “challenging” process of turning her lesbian pop anthem into a grounded coming-of-age movie, and wow, what a journey it's been!

How A Music Video Inspired The Girls Like Girls Movie

On June 24, 2015, Hayley Kiyoko released the “Girls Like Girls” music video, which went viral among the queer community for representing a lesbian love story between Coley and Sonya without sexualizing them. The video is frequently cited as a popular “lesbian awakening” touchstone that has also amassed 163 million views over the past 11 years. Check it out below:

Kiyoko took a cinematic approach to the video at the time, and fans instantly took notice. When I asked the pop star if she was thinking about making a movie on the set back then, she said this:

Thanks to tons of fans calling out their desire for the concept of Girls Like Girls to become a full-blown movie, it’s a film today. But there’s over a decade between the music video and this project being one of the latest LGBTQ+ movie releases.

Why It Took 10 Years To Become A Movie

Since Girls Like Girls became a hit song and music video, Hayley Kiyoko has been busy earning the title of “Lesbian Jesus” among her fandom as she kept making music, going on tour, and ended up helming a bunch of her own videos after her 2015 debut. But the Girls Like Girls movie never left her to-do list. As she continued in our interview:

Kiyoko finally found the right partners in Focus Features and big-time Hollywood producer Marc Platt, who has also been behind movies like Legally Blonde, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, Drive, La La Land and the Wicked movies. As she added:

Hayley Kiyoko now joins the few game-changing women directors who broke through industry norms to realize a unique vision. There aren’t enough movies with lesbian characters, and the Girls Like Girls film is a rare instance of Hollywood giving them center stage.

Why Hayley Kiyoko Never Lost Hope

A decade is a long time to stick to a vision, but that can very much be a popular story when it comes to impassioned filmmakers trying to make a different sort of movie. When I asked her what’s kept her going as a loud advocate for the LGBTQ+ community across her career, she said this:

Before Girls Like Girls became a movie, Kiyoko turned it into a YA novel, making it one of the new book-to-screen adaptations, as well. The novel became a #1 New York Times Bestseller, perhaps assisting the case for a Girls Like Girls movie. Kiyoko also recently released a lesbian period novel called Where There’s Room For Us in November. As she also told us:

A movie idea can certainly come from anywhere, but it needs the right kind of drive to get made, and Kiyoko had it! Girls Like Girls finally hits theaters this Friday, June 19.

June is pride month, with LGBTQ+ people and their allies celebrating how far the community has come, while coming together in solidarity for future battles. Some folks like to watch content that tells queer stories during this time, and there are a number of Netflix shows that have great gay representation. But I think that one of the streaming service's first shows is especially worth a watch: Lana Wachowski's Sense8.

Those with a Netflix subscription were treated to two seasons of the show before Sense8 was cancelled back in 2017. But fans campaigned for more, especially after the wild cliffhanger that Season 2 ended on. Eventually Netflix green lit a finale movie, which wrapped things up in an epic and moving way. And I think that it's the perfect show to watch for newbies during Pride Month, or re-watch for longtime fans like me.

Sense8 Is Queer AF, And Is An Empowering Watch For Pride Month

Sense8 is a fascinating sci-fi story, where eight strangers scattered across the planet suddenly are given a unique psychic connection to each other. They can "visit" with each other and speak, or can inhabit each other's body. Their connection gets deeper as more episodes go on, and with the group (called a Cluster) are able to experience their individual lives and their "siblings" at the same time. The show was shot across various countries, and is a visual treat.

The series originally introduces a few queer characters. First and foremost there's Jamie Clayton's Nomi, an American trans woman who is hacktivist with impressive skills on the computer. Then there's Lito (Miguel Ángel Silvestre) a closeted Spanish actor who is trying to keep his same-sex relationship a secret for the sake of his career. Both of these stories are handled with care by The Wachowskis, who are trans women themselves that came out in the 2010s.

As The Cluster harness their psychic connection get to know each other, the characters fiercely stand up for their LGBTQ+ siblings, including action sequences and gun fights. The Wachowskis put their signature sensibilities for action into the show, in addition to the sweet, character-driven stories. Eventually the lines of sexuality begin to fade away among The Cluster, including a number of "psychic orgies", where the characters have sex simultaneously across multiple countries.

The show includes moving coming out scenes, standing up to transphobia and bigotry, as well as the main cast accepting each other unconditionally. And Sense8's finale movie takes things even further with crazy action, a wedding, and (yes) one more wild psychic orgy. I give the show a re-watch every few years, and I think June might be the perfect excuse to it another go.

Sense8 is streaming in its entirety over on Netflix. While the show ended too soon, it's impact is still very much felt by those who followed The Cluster.

As an LQBTQ+ ally, I'm all about gay rights, and “trans lives matter.” I love when we get to see representation of gay characters in film, especially when they're played by people who are actually in the LGBTQ+ community, because I think all forms of diversity are wonderful.

With that said, one part of the rainbow that I don't think I've seen nearly enough of in my own personal movie viewing is bisexuality, which is why one of my favorite movies is the 1998 musical drama, Velvet Goldmine. The film also scratches another one of my itches as it's also a music movie, which is one of my favorite genres. So, if you can find it, here's why you should check out Velvet Goldmine.

Velvet Goldmine Is Essentially A Story About A Famous Rock Star...Without That Rock Star's Blessings

If you're a fan of music from the ‘70s, then you can probably tell from the title of this film who it’s, well, let's just say an homage to, since it's the title of one of David Bowie’s most memorable songs. You see, according to an article from GQ, the director, Todd Haynes, wanted to make a David Bowie biopic, but Bowie refused, and even floated the idea of suing.

So, Haynes changed all of the characters’ names and made some of them composites. For example, instead of Bowie, we get a character named Brian Slade (Jonathan Rhys Meyers), who is very Bowie-esque. Rather than Iggy Pop and Lou Reed, we get an amalgamation of both stars in Curt Wild (Ewan McGregor).

The film itself is kind of like Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters if you’ve ever seen that movie (and if you haven’t, you should) as the film is broken up into vignettes that make up an overall whole that is Brian Slade’s life. It’s a fascinating approach, and great stuff if you’re a fan of Glam Rock, and Bowie in general.

The Narrative Follows A Bisexual Protagonist, And How That Impacted His Life

Okay, so this is a pretty great movie when it comes to LGBTQ+ themes, since there are homosexual and bisexual themes throughout the film. We’re actually introduced to the story through a journalist named Arthur Stuart played by Christian Bale. Stuart is writing an article about Slade’s mysterious death, and interviewing people who knew him along the way.

However, through Slade’s androgyny and overt sexuality, we learn that Stuart himself drummed up the courage to come out when he was younger, so he has a personal connection to Slade’s work. This is important, since we learn as much about Slade’s character weaving in-between relationships, and also get a sense of Stuart’s own sexuality.

Slade, you see, starts off married to a woman named Mandy (Toni Collette), but easily falls in love with Curt Wild (Ewan McGregor). And, the great thing is, the film shows that bisexuality is a great thing, since you get the best of both worlds. Unfortunately, Slade gets a bit TOO much of what he wants, which ultimately leads to his downfall. But, I do love seeing bisexuality celebrated, because I consider them the lucky ones, as I’m just a humdrum, heterosexual male. Oh, well.

It's A Great Film, Especially For How It Deftly Portrays A Fluid Sexuality

My favorite decade is the ‘70s, both in movies and in music, so this film really resonates with me since that’s the period that it’s mostly focused on. I especially love Glam Rock, and I think it would have been really cool if Bowie was actually in this film (hell, he’s been in other movies).

However, my favorite thing about the film is just how well it explores sexual fluidity, just like Glam Rock itself. Velvet Goldmine is a film that is as much about the music as it is about the culture, which is really cool, since it’s celebratory in more ways than one.

So, if you can find it, check out Velvet Goldmine. While finding it on physical media may be tricky, you can rent or buy it on digital on Amazon. Come for the music, stay for the androgyny.

I feel like everyone has to have a show that was canceled after one season that they just can’t let go of, and every year, it’s hard to fathom the list of series that were either axed or ended. I have a list of them that includes My Lady Jane, which Amazon canceled, and Netflix’s Dead Boy Detectives, and it’s that second show that we’re going to focus on today. That’s because, during Pride Month, the streamer has been advertising this supernatural mystery, and now I need them to bring it back.

Netflix Is Hyping Up Dead Boy Detectives In Its Pride Section

Seeing as it’s June, it’s time to celebrate Pride on the 2026 TV schedule. Of course, various new releases are doing that; however, Netflix’s “Celebrating Pride” section highlights a slew of content that has come out over the years.

This selection, which you can view with a Netflix subscription, specifically features Dead Boy Detectives – a lovely fantastical mystery that follows two ghost detectives and features a prominent storyline about one of them coming out in Season 1. And the series that came out in 2024 is featured in the “Shows the Critics Love” section alongside the show adaptation of Interview with the Vampire, the beloved YA romance Heartstopper and the raunchy yet lovely comedy Sex Education.

Truly, Dead Boy Detectives fits nicely among this list – which also includes Grace and Frankie, Young Royals and Orange Is the New Black, among others – because it’s a wonderful and well-made series, like the aforementioned shows. However, the difference is that while all those other projects got more than one season, this one, which has a 92% on Rotten Tomatoes, by the way, got canceled immediately.

Dead Boy Detectives Is A Wonderful LGBTQ+ Show That Should Live On

For those who might not know, Dead Boy Detectives centers around Edwin and Charles, two boys who died when they were very young and decided to become detectives in their afterlives. Edwin, specifically, is a closeted gay man, and in Season 1 of the show, there’s a big storyline centered around that and him coming out to his friend, Charles (whom he is also in love with).

In those first few episodes, the show explores identity, internalized homophobia and self-acceptance in a beautiful and gentle way, all while maintaining a fun and entertaining storyline.

However, because of its cancellation, we never got to see how these characters continued to grow. We never get to know if Edwin and Charles get together or if they stay supportive platonic friends. We never get to see more of the other lovely queer characters in this series. And we won’t get to go on another mystery with these wonderful boys.

So, yes, it’s a shame that Dead Boy Detectives was canceled after Season 1. It had so much potential to expand and grow, specifically with its LGBTQ+ storylines, and I’m really bummed it never got the chance to. However, as Netflix has noted, you can still very much watch Season 1 to celebrate Pride Month.

In the last few years there has been a ton of conversation about the power of representation in Hollywood. That include Asian representation, and there have been some major steps forward thanks to a number of acclaimed projects like Crazy Rich Asians, Everything Everywhere all at Once, and Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (the latter of which is streaming with a Disney+ subscription). But Simu Liu recently called out the "hate campaign" that can often come when an Asian actor ends up finding fame. Let's break it all down.

Liu has been open about how Shang-Chi was a big deal for representation, and his career has been thriving ever since. But the 37-year-old actor recently took to Threads to speak about a trend involving actors of color getting hate after their big break. In his words:

After referencing lies and that came his way after booking the title role of Shang-Chi, Simu Liu got honest about a pattern he's feels he sees over and over again with actors of color in Hollywood. He's not the only actor to speak out about how the internet can indeed be "insane," and it sounds like he's seeing the source of his trauma repeated for other actors.

While he didn't name names in his Threads post, many fans think that Liu is referencing the recent controversy surrounding Heated Rivalry star Hudson Williams. The show was wildly popular for those with a HBO Max subscription, and catapulted Williams and Connor Storrie into megafame.

Recently though, he's been the subject of backlash thanks to a photo from his teen years that resurfaced showing him with a swastika drawn by someone on his head. This was apparently during an event in High School where other students drew on him. Sources maintain he "deeply regrets" the event, as well as the photos finding their way online.

Of course, we've seen the Internet come at a number of Asian actors. For instance, Star Wars actress Kelly Marie Tran faced intense racist backlash after debuting in The Last Jedi, resulting in her leaving social media and going into therapy simply for being cast. That's not counting other actors of color who have faced similar hate online after achieving career success.

Simu Liu will (finally given that sequel talk) reprise his role as Shang-Chi in Avengers: Doomsday, which hits theaters on December 18th as part of the 2026 movie release list. As for Hudson Williams, we'll have to see if his career is negatively affected by this new controversy.

Romantic comedies are my comfort food, even if my own beliefs on romance and love are a bit jaded. The warmth of a silly rom-com can improve my whole day. Additionally, some of the best romantic comedies of all-time are some of my favorite movies. Therefore, I was extremely excited to watch You, Me, & Tuscany.

Halle Bailey’s charm blew me away in The Little Mermaid, and Regé-Jean Page was very sexy and charismatic on Bridgerton. I knew they would bring rom-com gold in You, Me, & Tuscany. Additionally, I always want to support Black-led romantic comedies, because we need more of them.

It was a fun and delightful romantic comedy, but it was surprisingly empowering as well.

Warning: You, Me, and Tuscany spoilers are ahead. Proceed with caution.

You, Me & Tuscany Is Also Anna's Love Story With Italy

Anna (Halle Bailey) hops on a plane to Italy because she saw an opportunity. She didn’t do it to chase a man. While there, Anna discovers it is the place that has been calling her heart. Sometimes our homes are not where we’re born but where we’re reborn. It’s the places where we most feel like we belong.

Anna feels this way in Tuscany. The decision to travel there proves to be one of her best and smartest decisions because her life begins to change. She gains confidence, starts to cook again, finds a great support system, and falls in love.

You, Me, & Tuscany feels like a women's empowerment movie, but not in the traditional way. It also made me wonder how many other romantic comedies skew in this direction. We see women change in rom-coms, but sometimes it’s just to impress a man. Anna’s change came from within and had nothing to do with Michael (Regé-Jean Page). Her falling for him is almost a side effect of coming into her own in this new place.

Romantic love is a result of her learning to love herself again, and create a life she loves.

I Appreciate That Her Being Behind In Life Was Because Of Tragedy, Not Just Lack Of Motivation

In some ways, You, Me, & Tuscany is a movie about mourning. It’s not as profound as some of the other movies on that topic, but you feel it in the movie’s DNA. Anna’s life is in arrested development because she made the sacrifice to put her life on hold to take care of her mother. This then led to her giving up her dreams.

She became a visitor in other people’s lives, without growing or expanding her own. Anna is also still grieving her mother because she is not fully living the life her mother wanted for her.

Some movies show characters like Anna in a judgmental way. They don’t explore the circumstances or mental tolls that led to them not fulfilling their full potential. I never viewed Anna as a loser character or someone who can’t get their life together.

She was always a grieving daughter who still misses her mother. Anna is treated with care, concern, and compassion by You, Me, & Tuscany screenwriter, Ryan Engle. It’s because of her mother’s death that the film feels more enriched and kind. It’s never a romantic comedy that cracks jokes at Anna’s expense. It lets her find her way without judgment.

You, Me, & Tuscany’s gentle approach to Anna may also have been because it is directed by a woman, Kat Coiro. I hope more of the upcoming movies directed by women are just as kind to their female leads.

The Film Is Very Much A Found Family Movie As Well As A Rom-Com

The found family trope is also quickly becoming one of my favorites. We need more movies celebrating unconventional families. You, Me, & Tuscany is a lot like one of my favorite movies, While You Were Sleeping. That movie involves Sandra Bullock’s Lucy bonding with the family of her fake fiancé. Adding a family dynamic element to a rom-com often endears it to me.

Lucy falls in love with this family, and Anna does the same. These people embrace her, encourage her, and make her feel welcome. After losing her mother, having such a welcoming family likely really helps Anna get more comfortable with her grief. She will always miss her mother, but now she may have a family to give her some of the love and support she lost.

Anna's Story Isn't Completely Filtered Through A Black Lens, But I Think The Little Nods To Black Culture Make It Better

Color-blind casting is fine. However, I prefer when TV shows and movies make sure to adjust the film to the character’s ethnicity and race. Anna complains about her roots getting messed up because of the rain. Regè-Jean Page had to suffer for the rain scene, but Halle Bailey’s edges didn’t need that fate.

You, Me, & Tuscany is an important movie because it has two Black leads. It’s rare to see a mainstream romantic comedy with one Black lead; we see two even less. Films like this open the door for more films starring Black people. Representation matters. It helps open the door for future generations to feel seen and embraced by society and pop culture.

You, Me, & Tuscany didn’t have major box office success, however, if the movie does well when it becomes available on a major streaming service, it could still be considered a success. This could help encourage more studios to support Black-led romantic comedies. I hope it does really well when it’s on your favorite streaming services. We need more Black joy movies.

You, Me & Tuscany's Happy Ending Is Anna And Michael Getting Together, But Also Her Career Dreams Coming True

Anna and Michael are together by the end of You, Me, & Tuscany. However, the focus is more on her helping with the family’s restaurant, surrounded by her new family. She gets her happy ending, but it’s not just about Michael and her dating. A huge part of it is the fact that her original dream has come true. She is a successful, talented chef in Tuscany.

She created a life that would make her mother proud. The guy is a part of the dream, but not the dream. It leaves the film on an empowering note that many women and girls can take inspiration from. It’s bellissimo.

Rent or buy You, Me, and Tuscany on Amazon.

My two favorite shows of all time are Breaking Bad and The Wire, and I sometimes wonder which series is better.

On one end, you have Breaking Bad's breakneck pacing and its fascinating characters, and on the other end, you have The Wire's stellar world-building and its nuanced, almost literary host of characters. While I might give Breaking Bad the slight edge, what's giving me pause is one character in particular from The Wire, and that's Omar Little, played by the late, great Michael K. Williams.

Omar, you see, is still one of the best gay characters ever written for television. Sure, the actor himself wasn't gay, but Williams’ commitment to playing a gay character should be remembered forever. Here’s why.

One Of The Best Things About The Wire Is That The Toughest, Most Feared Character Was A Gay Man

“Oman comin’!” Thus is the introduction that Omar would get whenever he’d be walking down the street, whistling, and everyone would run. This is the kind of introduction that you’d see bad guys in the best Western movies get. Plus, with his shotgun, duster, and bulletproof vest, you’d think Omar Little was the most villainous character in the entire series.

However, he wasn’t. In fact, even though he’d shoot people dead, he was the GOOD guy. At least, from a street-level, vigilante perspective. Omar, you see, would rob the drug dealers, and then sell the drugs to other, rival dealers. He also wouldn’t go after civilians, and only administered pain to those who brought pain to the neighborhood or to himself. More importantly, though, to this article, he was also openly gay.

Throughout the series, he had a number of boyfriends. Some, like Brandon (played by Michael Kevin Darnall), were ride or die, even enduring torture without giving up Omar’s whereabouts. Others, like Dante (Ernest Waddell), took much less of a beating, and sang like a canary. Even so, Omar was unmistakably gay and unmistakably feared, and I just love that The Wire, available with an HBO Max subscription, could showcase such a compelling gay character.

I Also Love How Omar Didn’t Into Fit Any Stereotypes…Even Though Other Characters Tried To Make Him Fit Into Them

In the first season, Omar, his lover, Brandon, and another member of Omar’s stick-up crew robbed Avon Barksdale’s safe house, which put a bounty on Omar’s head. However, once Barksdale learned that Omar was gay, he doubled the bounty since he hated knowing that a gay man ripped him off. In every way, Barksdale had issues with Omar because he was gay, and he had no idea how difficult it would be to have him killed, since he initially perceived that gay men were weak.

However, Omar was anything but weak. Cunning, charismatic, and even conniving at times (He could lie on the stand with no compunction), Omar was such a marvelous character because he didn’t fit into any stereotypes, and many of his enemies underestimated him due to stereotypes.

So, even though Michael K Williams played a number of great characters in his lifetime, I think there’s a reason why he will always be remembered for this one iconic role.

In The End, There Still Hasn’t Quite Been A Character Like Omar On Television

I love how we now have a lot more gay characters (actually portrayed by queer actors, no less), but I still don’t think we’ve quite had a character like Omar Little since his debut in 2002.

In a lot of ways, Omar can’t be replicated. The Wire was a show about a lot of things, but its main focus was the city of Baltimore itself. Yet, even with its massive cast and its many themes, Omar is probably the most recognizable character in the entire series, with his homosexuality being at the forefront.

In that way, Omar was a one-of-a-kind presence, and still, to this day, one of the greatest gay characters in television history.

I am a simple woman: I watch any movie starring Rosamund Pike. Ladies First stars Sacha Baron Cohen and Pike. Therefore, it was a must-watch for me, and I overall enjoyed it. Like many of the film’s critics, I think it could have done a few things better, but Ladies First’s heart is in the right place.

It’s a movie that uses multiverses to tell the story of a man coming to understand his privilege. I wish it were more similar to some of the best movies about multiverses, because then its messages may have been a little stronger. Nonetheless, unfortunately, Ladies First covers some topics of gender equality that remain relevant.

Warning: Ladies First spoilers are ahead. Proceed with caution.

Ladies First Acts As a Reminder That Gender Equality Is Still An Issue Today

Damien (Sacha Baron Cohen) is a misogynist who cannot see women beyond sex objects. He then gives one of the most self-involved, out-of-touch-with-reality speeches ever put to film. He believes life is now harder for him as a heterosexual, white male. He believes society now caters to the marginalized to become more politically correct. The thing that makes Damien’s speech hard to watch is that so many men actually believe this nonsense.

They think the world now makes things harder for them, despite proof that white men still dominate many fields, and sometimes it’s the main criterion to obtain a powerful position. You almost believe that movies such as Ladies First shouldn’t exist anymore. Surely people have evolved past that reductive way of thinking? Many men cannot think of women just in terms of what they can do for them, right?

You can find many podcasts, influencers, books, or articles written by men with these ideas that women are inferior and so deserve fewer opportunities. Thankfully, it’s not as normalized as it was in the past. Additionally, many men disagree with this behavior and thought process. It’s not a common thing, but still too popular for people who cannot understand beyond their own worldview. They relate to Damien and men like him in Ladies First.

It Made Me Think Of Similar Movies & Wonder If They Still Work In Modern Times

Ladies First isn’t a new concept. In fact, it’s a remake of a French film called I Am Not an Easy Man. What Women Want, 9 to 5, Hidden Figures, and many other great movies that may be ideal for something such as Women’s History Month often deal with the idea of tyrannical men who undervalue and dismiss their female employees or just exhibit sexist behavior. Damien fits right along with many of these men.

It takes something drastic for them to understand their problematic behavior. I have seen What Women Want, 9 to 5, and Hidden Figures. I know Hidden Figures still holds up as an excellent movie celebrating inspiring Black figures. It also highlights gender equality in a very fascinating way. I rewatched 9 to 5 a few years ago, and I believe it still works and is still very funny. It’s one of the best movies of the 80s for a reason. Now What Women Want is a movie I saw so long ago, and now I have no clue if it holds up.

It feels the most similar to Ladies First, so very curious if it offers insightful commentary on gender equality, or totally misses the mark. Ladies First made me want to review films similar to it to see if they aged well and how relevant or irrelevant they are to today’s landscape.

I Actually Enjoyed Ladies First's Romance, But Feel Conflicted About It.

I don’t believe I have ever watched Sacha Baron Cohen in a romantic comedy. Therefore, I wasn’t expecting him to have some of the romantic lead charm. He does. Rosamund Pike and he have instant chemistry as Alex and Damien. You almost want them to get together, despite how repulsive Damien is at times.

However, this is nowhere near one of the best rom-coms of all time for many reasons. The main being that Damien never earns her love or trust. It also appears that he only sees her as a real person (in the alternative universe) when they become intimate. He realizes that he likes her, so he doesn’t want to take away an opportunity.

It makes his final decision feel a bit disingenuous, almost as if he’s doing it to eventually win her over romantically. Additionally, there are so many moral dilemmas when an employee sleeps with their boss. Damien doesn’t tell the lawyers that they slept together, and it’s treated as a noble deed. However, Alex should be reprimanded for sleeping with an employee, just as a male boss should be, especially if coercion is involved. It isn’t in this case, but it’s a gray area when corporate romances happen.

I enjoyed Alex and Damien’s romance because of their chemistry, but the nature of it felt a bit off-putting because of the power dynamic and boundary issues.

The Movie Effectively Showcases The Awfulness Of Certain Male Archetypes

Damien has 0 likeable traits at the start of Ladies First. He doesn’t really become that likable by the end of it either. He just becomes more tolerable. Damien is portrayed and written as an extreme example of this type of behavior, but it still exists. Too many men act and think like Damien. They are just as unlikable as him.

Men like him lack self-awareness, so they could see the character’s behavior and not realize the connection to their own behavior. However, it’s nice to see men like this mocked and reprimanded in movies, instead of celebrated in some spaces. We need more criticism of this type of man.

Damien's Character Growth Was A Little Unbelievable, But I Think That Doesn't Matter

Damien spends most of Ladies First trying to steal Alex’s job. He still has the mentality that he deserves it, but never truly demonstrates why. He just engages in a petty competition. The film itself points out that Damien still doesn’t understand that this is not his birthright as a man.

He only truly starts to grow and change when he and Alex have sex. He then makes the decision not to tell about this intimacy. If he did, he would have gotten what he wanted. Once Damien arrives back in his world, he immediately finds Alex and gives her what she wants. This leads to Alex and the company’s success.

I am never fully convinced Damien learned his lesson, but I think we need to see Alex have success. Ladies First isn’t a movie that’s going to change lives, but you never know what may inspire someone. Women and girls seeing Alex’s success may inspire or encourage them to stand up to their bosses, go after their dreams, or take on a challenge at work. It could also inspire men to be better bosses, more open, or stand up and be beside and behind women. Even silly movies can become powerful to the right audience.