There’s all sorts of new holiday releases on the Christmas movie schedule, but I think there’s one that’s particularly special. Kate Winslet has just put out her directorial debut Goodbye June, and I love how it tackles themes about family and the complicated emotions associated with the death of a loved one. In CinemaBlend’s interview with Winslet, the first-time director shared the way she decided to shoot Goodbye June, and I think it definitely speaks to her talent as a new filmmaker and shows the care she brought to the topic.

The new movie, which is now streaming for those with a Netflix subscription, follows a British family pent up in a hospital room during the holidays with June (Helen Mirren), the matriarch of the clan who doesn't have long to live. It leads her adult children (played by Kate Winslet, Andrea Riseborough, Toni Collette and Johnny Flynn) and her grandkids to all be in close quarters over the season as they process her looming death. Discussing her approach to the story, Winslet told us,

Kate Winslet is obviously a beloved actress who has been making movies since the 1990s. She’s been vocal about some of the difficulties she’s faced over the years, like once being told she’d have to “settle for the fat girl parts” when she aspired to the profession as a kid. Winslet may have seen it all, but it sounds like she spent a lot of time making sure her actors felt comfortable and trusted. One way she did this was by hiding microphones on set so that the kids (and adults) wouldn’t be distracted by them. She continued,

I can imagine with the subject matter of Goodbye June, and the fact that most of it takes place in a hospital room, this was a really effective filmmaking technique. She also said this:

Critics have had a lot of positive things to say about Goodbye June, which is actually written by Winslet’s son Joe Anders about the experience of losing his own grandmother (Winslet’s own mom). Reviews have called it “impressively realistic” and everyone “brought their A-game” to Winslet’s debut film.

While it’s definitely one of the heavier Christmas movies I’ve seen in recent years, I found it to be really cathartic – especially as someone who lost a grandparent not too long ago and experienced some similar things the characters do. It feels so intimate (while often being funny and heartwarming too), so I’m not too surprised Winslet’s set was as intimate as it was.

You can watch Goodbye June on Netflix now.

The Christmas movie schedule is typically chock full of cozy movies with fun activities like drinking hot chocolate and doing holiday-themed crafts. Sometimes, however, we get a movie with a little more depth over the holiday season, as happened with Netflix's new schedule entry Goodbye June. The sweet film stars Helen Mirren and Kate Winslet (who also directed), but things could have gone very differently when Mirren admitted she didn't "want to play" the part.

While many actresses in their eighties might read scripts of the Goodbye June variety all the time, Helen Mirren constantly defies expectations. From joining the Fast and Furious movies to her recent role in the Thursday Murder Club, the actress has found ways to find work for herself outside of playing elderly women struggling with death. So I guess I shouldn't be surprised she wasn't initially enamored with the role, as Kate Winslet revealed to CinemaBlend:

Goodbye June is Kate Winslet’s directorial debut, and comes from a script written by her son Joe Anders (whose father is director Sam Mendes). He wrote it at the age of 19, and was inspired by saying goodbye to his grandmother, and Winslet’s own mother. (Yes, Winslet recently weighed in on the nepo baby debate. )

Helen Mirren told the actress and newcomer director she wasn’t really keen on playing a dying woman, but was eager to support, and be part of the project. It's a sweet look at the inner workings of how projects can come together when people are supportive of the other people in Hollywood they respect. Clearly, Winslet has only positive things to say about Mirren, as well.

In the new movie, Mirren plays June, and Winslet plays one of her daughters, Julia. The fictional siblings also consist of Andrea Riseborough’s Molly, Toni Collette’s Helen and Johnny Flynn’s Connor. Timothy Spall plays June’s husband and the adult kids’ father. They all come together over the holiday season when things take a turn for the worse.

During our conversation, Winslet said she felt it was important to “give her the space” to do her job. She wanted her to “try things and experiment.” In her words, there was a reason Mirren (hopefully) enjoyed the work, even if she wasn't as enthusiastic about playing a dying lady on the screen.

It sounds like Winslet was well-paired director with Mirren, and as someone who has seen Goodbye June, I can say that the 80-year-old actress gives a really grounded and heartwarming performance even though, yes, it’s kind of off-putting to see her play this sort of role.

Mirren, who has been challenging norms in movies since the 1960s, has been honest about the “awful labels” she gets since getting older. It sounds like she received a lot of great direction from Winslet in her first directing credit. As Winslet also added:

You can check out Goodbye June with a Netflix subscription starting on December 24 (so Christmas Eve).

Kate Winslet is well-known for highly acclaimed roles in projects like Titanic, The Reader and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, but now she’s hitting the 2025 movie calendar with her debut from behind the camera in Goodbye June. The Christmas drama, which was written by her son Joe Anders, is set to hit Netflix on December 24, and critics who have screened it ahead of time agree that this tearjerker leans hard on its stellar cast.

Leading that ensemble is Helen Mirren, who plays the titular matriarch, alongside Timothy Spall as June’s husband and Toni Collette, Johnny Flynn, Andrea Riseborough, and Kate Winslet as their four children, who gather around their dying mother over the holidays. Helen O’Hara of Empire gives Goodbye June 4 out of 5 stars, calling it a strong directorial debut that captures the strange mix of emotions that can accompany losing a loved one. The critic says:

Caryn James of THR says the upcoming Netflix movie is at times “a little too heart-tugging,” but the ensemble makes it worth the watch. Kate Winslet shows promise as a director, while her son is talented but could use some more originality in his next project. James continues:

Lindsey Bahr of the AP gives Goodbye June 2.5 out of 4, saying that Kate Winslet’s straight-forward direction suits the tone of the movie, and aside from a few questionable choices, the film delivers moments of grace, humor and insight. Bahr writes:

Peyton Robinson of RogerEbert also says it’s obvious Kate Winslet is an actor-turned-director in the way that she allows the actors to do the heavy lifting rather than crafting anything from behind the camera. That’s for the best with what the critic calls a “formulaic and forgettable” story with a hotshot cast that feels incongruent with its content. Robinson continues:

Guy Lodge of Variety also thinks that Helen Mirren and company aren’t quite enough to “mask the shallow sentimentality of the material.” The script lacks the ring of lived experience, Lodge says, and none of the impressive ensemble are in peak form. He writes:

It sounds like critics think Kate Winslet shows promise at the helm, and while some saw authenticity in Joe Anders’ script, it sounds like others would like to see her direct something that is not her son’s film school project. With this cast, this will be a hard one to pass up for movie lovers who don’t mind a little holiday sobfest, so fire up your Netflix subscriptions for Goodbye June, coming Wednesday, December 24.

I'm 47 years old. Let's just get that out of the way, if only to establish where I'm at in terms of my own life years. And, I say my age without embarrassment or shame, just gratitude and a sense of... well, that's-how-old-I-am factual accuracy. I grew up well aware of the reality that life offers us no guarantees, including how many years we get, so while I understand some of the reasons why people (especially women) decline to share their age, I'm ok to say mine, especially when it's right before I can share my appreciation for someone else talking about their own. In this case, that appreciation is for Law & Order: SVU star Mariska Hargitay and her recent comments about aging.

I like to hear women -- whether they're younger or older than me -- speak openly about their age and provide insight into their experience, as there’s always something to learn. So, when I listened to Mariska Hargitay's interview with Amy Poehler on a recent Good Hang episode, and they talked about age, I absolutely loved hearing Hargitay's words about being sixty.

Hargitay shared her age with pride as she talked about the turns life took for her over the years, and where she's at at this point. She starts out by talking about the decades leading up to now, saying,

And then she gets into how things are going at 60:

When I was younger, I think I imagined everything over the age of like 35 to be this sort of blurred-together portion of adulthood where I would be more or less the same version of me over the next few decades, which would hopefully someday lead into my senior years. Obviously, the older I get, the clearer the sometimes-vastly different stages of adulthood have become to me.

Understanding who I am or who I want to be at whatever age I am is surely a challenge, but it's also become sort of the point. It isn't all flowers and rainbows here in my 40s, and I don't assume it was for Hargitay either, though she speaks positively about that time of her life. I just love how she maps out her own major steps in each of the last few decades of her life, and especially the joy she expresses when talking about being in her 60s.

As I said earlier, I understand why people (especially women) are reluctant to talk about their age. I'm not an actor, but I have no doubt that it presents challenges for people in the entertainment industry, particularly as they move further into adulthood, as it can impact the work they can get – actresses like Maggie Gyllenhaal and Naomi Watts have shared their own experiences on the topic.

I'm not judging anyone who prefers to be vague about the exact number of years they've had on this earth if they think it'll hinder their professional options. But, as someone who wants to hear about different perspectives and life experiences, as I continue to try to process my own, I love that Hargitay is being open and talking about the clarity she's experiencing as she steps into what Poehler describes as the "top of Act III."

At this point, before I wrap this up, I’ll add that Hargitay isn’t the first actor to share their thoughts on their age in recent months. Helen Mirren had some delightfully candid insights on the topic when doing press for The Thursday Murder Club, particularly in response to an interviewer who described her as a “young spirit.” As she described, to People, the story of her response to this person:

I can see why the unnamed interviewer might’ve thought they were complimenting her by calling her a “young spirit,” but I can just as easily see why Mirren might be put off by the comment, as it suggests that her general nature gives off something that typically applies to younger people, when in actuality, you can be in your 70s or 80s and display those same personality traits.

The optimistic side of me does hope that the more people speak openly about their perspective at whatever age they are, maybe there won't be so many inaccurate assumptions about what it means to be a certain age. Even if that doesn't happen, I'm grateful for whatever people (celebrities or not) are willing to share, especially if it helps me navigate my own life and whatever years I’m fortunate enough to have in it.

Watch Mariska Hargitay’s interview on Good Hang with Amy Poehler below. Her comments and their discussion about age can be found around the 15 minute mark.

Since becoming a major player in Hollywood developing originals, Netflix has extended into all aspects of the modern film industry, and that obviously includes developing franchises. Between titles like Enola Holmes, The Kissing Booth, To All The Boys, Extraction, The Old Guard, and more, many sequel swings have been taken in the last decade. Is it possible that The Thursday Murder Club will be the next popular movie to go that route?

The new feature, which is now available to stream for those with a Netflix subscription, features a talented cast, has gotten a warm reception from critics, and has fertile source material – as the original novel by author Richard Osman was followed by three sequel books. All of that obviously paves a road forward, but another key aspect in the mix is that the talent behind the film is excited to do more. In a piece by Entertainment Weekly, director Chris Columbus and stars of Thursday Murder Club share excitement about potentially making more movies – with Columbus noting that he has some exciting personal history when it comes to adapting multiple stories in a literary series:

In the new Netflix movie, Pierce Brosnan, Helen Mirren, Ben Kingsley and Celia Imrie play a collection of elderly professionals who are able to pool their individual skills to try and solve a murder case. The book on which its based, which became a best-seller after it was released in late 2020, spawned annual sequels for three straight years: The Man Who Died Twice, The Bullet That Missed, and The Last Devil To Die.

For Mirren, who plays retired spy Elizabeth Best, the joy of making a follow-up wouldn't just be returning to the character or telling another exciting story, but being back together with who co-stars, who were apparently quite supportive during the making of the film:

Making a sequel to The Midnight Murder Club wouldn't be a difficult choice for Pierce Brosnan either. He's obviously had plenty of his own experience in movie franchises, so why not continue to play former union leader Ron Ritchie? The ex-007 told EW:

Celia Imire, who plays Joyce Meadowcroft in the 2025 Netflix movie, had a more superstitious take on the question, and seemingly doesn't want to jinx the opportunity to make a sequel. That being said, she couldn't come up with a reason why she would say no to adapting The Man Who Died Twice or any of the other books:

Also featuring the great talents of Ben Kingsley, David Tennant, Jonathan Pryce, Naomi Ackie, Tom Ellis and Richard E. Grant, The Thursday Murder Club is now streaming, and while its future as a franchise starter is unclear for now, it's good to know that so much of the principal talent would be excited to be involved in a sequel.

Murder mysteries are huge right now, thanks to popular TV shows and movies like Only Murders in the Building and Knives Out, and now a popular novel is being adapted for the 2025 movie calendar. The Thursday Murder Club, based on the book series by Richard Osman, is one of Netflix’s upcoming movies, and critics were able to screen the film ahead of its August 28 release. It’s a fairly straight-forward story, they say, but the response is overall positive.

The Thursday Murder Club movie features a killer cast (bad pun intended) that includes Helen Mirren, Pierce Brosnan, Ben Kingsley, Celia Imrie and more, centering around a group of elderly amateur sleuths who get caught up in a real-life murder. Maggie Lovitt of Collider says the mystery is nothing we haven't seen, but the beauty of this flick is in the ensemble, who deliver what may be one of Netflix’s best movies of the year. The critic rates it 9 out of 10, writing:

G. Allen Johnson of the San Francisco Chronicle says it’s obvious both the actors and director Chris Columbus had a blast making this. Pierce Brosnan hasn’t been this funny since Mrs. Doubtfire, says Johnson, who would be game for a dozen more movies in this series. More from the review of The Thursday Murder Club:

Caryn James of THR says mysteries like this one are described as “cozy” for a reason, and anything The Thursday Murder Club lacks in originality is compensated for by its wonderful cast. James writes:

Manuel Betancourt of Variety calls the movie a “film of simple pleasures,” and when it comes to whodunits, this is about as cozy and inoffensive as viewers can hope for. The critic says:

Stephanie Zacharek of Time says director Chris Columbus is one who screams, “Fun!” and this movie is much more about the actors having a good time than forging new ground in the murder mystery genre. Zacharek writes:

While the critics seem to agree that the plot of The Thursday Murder Club is fairly by-the-book, nobody seems upset about it, saying that Helen Mirren, Pierce Brosnan and the rest are the movie’s real treat. At the time of this writing, the film holds an 81% Rotten Tomatoes score from 32 reviews, so it seems like this might be a great option to throw on from the comfort of your own home.

The Thursday Murder Club will be available to stream with a Netflix subscription on August 28, which is (naturally) a Thursday.

Helen Mirren may be one out of many Hollywood actresses who have thrived after 50, but few names in the profession can tout the amount of roles she has to her name as of late at the age of 80. The British actress, who is set to star in The Thursday Murder Club movie next week on Netflix after recent roles in Mobland and alongside Harrison Ford in 1923, just got real about how people have treated her differently as she has aged.

Mirren has been in the business of being an actor since the ‘60s, and certainly had her share of annoying comments back then, such as being told she’d need a nose job when she was in her 20s if she ever was going to work again. Here’s what she takes offense to these days:

It’s rather interesting how one’s appearance and age can change the way people talk to you, or don’t over the years. As Mirren told People, she’s not a fan of some of the patronizing tones that people talk to her now that are specific to being in her 80s. Perhaps it's because it denotes that she’s not who she used to be, when she’s just simply gotten older. You know, the natural course of life we all go through. When Mirren referred to being called a “young spirit” in another interview, here’s what apparently happened:

Mirren is freshly in her 80s as of her birthday nearly a month ago on July 26. The actress said she doesn’t “celebrate birthdays” because “life just rolls on.” She just expects to be “very, very nicely treated” on her day with a cup of tea in bed in the morning. The Oscar winner also said this about being her age:

Mirren has often been one to say it like it is, such as when she called out James Bond for being sexist even as she’s worked with Pierce Brosnan on Mobland and this new movie, The Thursday Murder Club. She makes another solid point as she leads the adaptation of Richard Osman’s bestselling mystery series about a group of elderly people living in a retirement village who take it in their own hands to solve a murder that happened on the village's property.

You can see Helen Mirren in The Thursday Murder Club, streaming for those with a Netflix subscription starting August 28.

Some of the most enduring stars got their starts more than six decades ago, and they are still going strong today. Stars like Harrison Ford, Dame Judi Dench, Jeff Bridges, and even Jodie Foster have been acting their whole lives, and their amazing careers will live on forever. Here is our list of amazing actors who started in the 1960s and are still working today.

Robert Duvall

After cutting his teeth with some television appearances starting in 1959, Robert Duvall made one of the most memorable film debuts of all time as Boo Radley in 1962's To Kill A Mockingbird. Duvall hasn't stopped stealing scenes in the 60+ years since. He's starred in some of the greatest movies ever, like The Godfather, and won an Oscar for Tender Mercies. His most recent credit is The Pale Blue Eye from 2022.

Sally Field

Sally Field is truly America's sweetheart. Her breakout role came on the classic TV show Gidget, and she's starred in some legendary movies and TV shows ever since. With roles in movies as diverse as Smokey and the Bandit, Forrest Gump, and Fried Green Tomatoes, Field has proven she can handle any role she takes on.

Clint Eastwood

There are no bigger legends in Hollywood history than Clint Eastwood. Not much has been said here. His career started in earnest with Spaghetti Westerns, and he's been directing and starring in movies ever since.

Jane Fonda

Jane Fonda is Hollywood royalty as the daughter of Henry Fonda, so it's no surprise that she started her career at a young age. Her first credit goes all the way back to 16960's Tall Story, and she's still starring in movies today, like 2023's 80 for Brady.

Morgan Freeman

Morgan Freeman's career really didn't take off on screen until the 1980s (though he had plenty of credits in the '70s, too). He started mostly on stage in the 1960s and kept his focus there until landing a TV gig in 1971 on PBS's The Electric Company. Today, he remains one of America's most beloved stars.

Shirley MacLaine

Shirley MacLaine made her film debut way back in 1955 and by the 1960s was one of the biggest stars in Hollywood. Her star has never dimmed in the decades since, either, with memorable roles in Downton Abbey and the live-action The Little Mermaid in 2018.

Dustin Hoffman

When you burst onto the scene in a movie like The Graduate, as Dustin Hoffman did in 1967, it's pretty much a guarantee you're going to be a star. In the 60 years since that seminal movie, Hoffman has won countless awards and starred in everything from comedies like Tootsie to dramas like Rain Man, getting nominated for Oscars for both (and winning his second for the latter).

Faye Dunaway

If you look at a list of the best movies of all time, you'll notice Faye Dunaway in the credits of many of them. Starting with Bonnie and Clyde in 1967, right up until the 2020s. She took a small hiatus in the teens, but has been back working regularly since.

Kurt Russell

Kurt Russell's career started when he was just a kid, often starring in Disney projects. It's even Hollywood folklore that Walt Disney's last words were when he scrawled Russell's name on a piece of paper. Though there is no way to know when the note was written. Still, for the better part of seven decades, Kurt Russell has been a Hollywood superstar.

Helen Mirren

Dame Helen Mirren (you know they are important when they get a title like "Dame") started in film in 1966, and that was after having already started acting professionally on stage in the UK. She's never stopped, including starring in the recent hit MobLand on Paramount+

Anthony Hopkins

Sir Anthony Hopkins' first credited film role came in the Shakespeare adaptation The Lion in Winter in 1968 alongside Peter O'Toole and Katharine Hepburn. He's since become one of the most beloved actors of his generation and has won countless awards and accolades.

Jodie Foster

If you look at Jodie Foster's credits, you might think she started in the 1970s as a teenager, but she was starring in commercials as far back as 1967 when she was just three years old.

Jeff Bridges

When you have a legend for a father like Jeff Bridges with Lloyd Bridges, its not hard to understand how he got his start so young. His amazing career in the decades since can only be credited to his immense talent, charm, and charisma on and off screen. And that's not, like, my opinion, man, it's a fact.

Rita Moreno

Puerto Rican superstar Rita Moreno can do it all. She can act, she can sing, and she can dance, and she's been dancing into our hearts since she first way back in 1950! For those of you counting, that's EIGHT decades of excellence.

Judi Dench

Like Dame Helen Mirren, Dame Judy Dench started in the theater, especially doing Shakespeare plays. Her first professional stage credits date back to 1957, and right up through the 2020s, she's been a favorite of millions. One of the best actors of her generation, it's crazy she's only won one Oscar (for Shakespeare in Love).

Harrison Ford

The first thing you might think of when you think of Harrison Ford is Star Wars or Indiana Jones. It's true that it was those movies in the late '70s and early '80s that made him a superstar, but his career started humbly with roles in movies like A Time for Killing and Luv in 1967.

Sophia Loren

For more than 70 years, Sophia Loren has been a star in Europe and the United States. She started in her native Italy in 1950 before coming Stateside in 1958 when she signed on to star in movies for Paramount. Before long, she was a superstar on both sides of the pond.

Warren Beatty

Like his co-star in Bonnie and Clyde, Faye Dunaway, Warren Beatty has been a star in Hollywood for decades. He's also been discerning in the roles he's taken over the years, so he doesn't have a long list of credits like most of the people on this list. That's not because his star dimmed. He's just particular, and that is something we all strive for.

Barbra Streisand

What can we really say about Barbra Streisand? She's a legendary singer and actor, and she's equally well-known for both. There are few stars as enduring and amazing as "Babs."

Robert Redford

Though he is officially retired now, Robert Redford is still one of the biggest Hollywood stars today (and ever). His career started with early roles on shows like The Twilight Zone, and by the time he hung up his cleats, so to speak, the star of The Natural was one of the biggest stars in the history of the industry.

Blythe Danner

Like many on this list, Blythe Danner started her professional career on Broadway and Off-Broadway in the 1960s. Her first movie credit came in 1972, but by then, she was a seasoned pro. She may be best known as the mother of Gwyneth Paltrow these days, but that is selling her way short, as she's been an award-winning actress for decades.

Al Pacino

Famously, Al Pacino entered the American consciousness in 1972's The Godfather, but he'd been working for a few years at that point, mostly on stage. His film debut was in Me, Natalie, alongside Sopranos cast member Nancy Marchand. He has been widely considered one of the best actors of his generation ever since.

Ellen Burstyn

Though her breakthrough didn't come until 1971 with The Last Picture Show, Ellen Burstyn had been picking up small roles on TV shows for years at that point. She has since gone on to win an Academy Award, a Tony Award, two Primetime Emmy Awards, a BAFTA, and a Golden Globe Award. Not too shabby.

Robert De Niro

When you ask someone who the best actor of the last 60 years is, there is a decent chance Robert De Niro will be the name that comes out of their mouth. For many, many decades, De Niro has been stealing scenes and working his tail off to be the best actor he can be. He's gained weight for roles, dropped weight for others, and gotten completely cut for still others. All the while delivering his trademark charm and skills.

Cher

If you could turn back time and you were taking bets in the 1960s that Cher would still be one of the biggest stars in the world in the 2020s, you would probably get pretty good odds that she wouldn't be. She's proven everyone wrong, winning an Oscar for Moonstruck and continuing to wow audiences with her concerts.

Martin Sheen

It's hard to say just what role Martin Sheen will be best remembered for long after he's gone. Will it be Jeb Bartlett on The West Wing? Captain Benjamin L. Willard in Apocalypse Now? Carl Fox in Wall Street? Robert E. Lee in Gettysburg? What is for sure is that Sheen, who landed his first movie role in 1967, will be remembered fondly by millions of fans.

Vanessa Redgrave

English actress Vanessa Redgrave got her star in period pieces like A Man For All Seasons and Camelot in the 1960s. She parlayed that into a decades-long career that is still going, including a role in Cold Storage in 2025.

Ian McKellen

For modern generations, Ian McKellen is known for his roles as Gandalf the Grey and Magneto, but his career is so, so much more. One of the great Shakespearean actors of the last 60 years, he's been starring on stage and screen since the mid-'60s.

Candice Bergen

Candice Bergen found her biggest fame in the 1990s with Murphy Brown, but her career started way back in 1966 in the Sidney Lumet film The Group. She was a model before that, and has turned in role after beloved role on TV and in films.

Ron Howard

These days, Ron Howard is pretty much sticking just to directing, and he's an ace director to be sure. He famously started his Hollywood career as a kid in the 1950s and became a child star in the '60s as Opie Taylor on The Andy Griffith Show. He later starred in Happy Days, before getting behind the camera and becoming one of the great directors of his time.

Goldie Hawn

Goldie Hawn first became a household name in 1968 when she starred in Laugh-In. She's been a star ever since, including starring in a slew of box office hits in the '70s and '80s. There is no question she is one of the funniest actors of her generation, and now she's also the mother to some big stars, too, in Wyatt Russell and Kate Hudson. Not a bad legacy to leave.

Patrick Stewart

Like others on this list, Patrick Stewart will be best known for roles that came in the second half of his career, like Captain Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation and Professor X in The X-Men series. Of course, his career is much more than those two roles. It's a career that started in TV in the '60s on British shows like Coronation Street and Civilisation.

Dame Helen Mirren’s beauty has been captured in stunning fashion over the course of her successful career. One of the many actresses thriving flawlessly after 50, Mirren has portrayed real-life royalty and authority figures. Her latest role, in the 2025 Netflix release The Thursday Murder Club, will see her playing an amateur sleuth attempting to solve a murder with her group of retirement home friends. With all of the work Mirren has landed over 60 years, it's hard to believe there was a time she was told years ago she’d “never get work” if she didn’t get a nose job.

The now-79-year-old British actress was one of several major stars to take part in THR’s Drama Actress Roundtable. During the discussion, Helen Mirren and her fellow A-listers discussed their work and Hollywood beauty standards. This led the 1923 actress to talk about a time decades ago when she was given the request about her nose, and how she boldly reacted:

Actresses at the roundtable, like Keri Russell, were surprised when Helen Mirren shared that tidbit. To be quite honest, I can't believe it myself. It's unfortunate that someone made such a harsh claim to Mirren. However, what makes me smile is that apparently, even at that time, the Caligula actress was not keen on submitting to the industry’s pressure to conform to constricted standards of beauty.

Mirren may tend to play regal characters, but her off-screen persona of confidence, humor and candidness hasn't escaped her. In he past, she’s had no problems being honest about Hollywood preferring to cast younger actresses, or James Bond’s “sexism” for not portraying women’s importance in the Secret Service. With that, the fact that she had such an honest reaction to the notion of a nose job years ago doesn't shock me.

What's also worth mentioning is that getting a nose job in Hollywood doesn’t necessarily mean you’re guaranteed more work. For example, Dirty Dancing’s Jennifer Grey said it was hard to land acting gigs after two nose jobs due to the fact that she was no longer recognized. Grey's nose was considered distinct at the time and, in Mirren's case, she's also known for her looks as well. It's interesting to wonder whether the Hitchcock actress' career would've been derailed had she took the person's advice.

I think it's fair to say it's tough to be a woman in Tinseltown when there are people who pressure them to get plastic surgery to advance their careers. Fortunately, Helen Mirren and other actresses have stood up for themselves. Even before hearing about Mirren's experience with being told to get a nose job, I was already a fan of hers. Now, I admire her even more for not letting someone else dictate how she should look.

Be sure to see the Triple Crowns of Acting achiever in The Thursday Murder Club, which will be available for Netflix subscription holders on August 28th.

The Fast and Furious movies have had an incredible run of having huge stars drive fast cars alongside Vin Diesel’s Dominic Toretto, but one of the most legendary has to be when Helen Mirren joined the franchise in 2017 to play Magdalene Shaw. And as Diesel and Mirren have made clear over the years, the two actors have really hit it off since meeting and working together. Diesel even penned a tribute to the Oscar winner to remind us of their friendship.

The love fest between the pair of Fast & Furious stars happened thanks to Mirren’s tenacity to get into the Fast franchise. She previously said she “begged” the actor and producer to let her be in the movies so she could get the chance to drive fast cars in a big-budget popcorn movie. Expressing his appreciation for his co-star, Diesel wrote on Instagram,

On Wednesday, Diesel took to social media to share a set of photos with himself and Mirren during their time on the Fast & Furious movie and wrote some sweet words about their relationship. He continued:

How sweet is this message? Vin Diesel spoke to having Helen Mirren join the series particularly as the mom of the Shaw boys, played by Jason Statham and Luke Evans. Over the years, Dom and Queenie have shared a number of great scenes, and Diesel and Mirren have shared a number of wonderful press tour moments – even dancing in the rain together.

Diesel points out that Dom and Queenie have a synchronicity on screen, which Mirren has echoed before (via YouTube) when she said they “understand each other” and said that the characters are “made from the same material.” He also said this in the social media post:

Diesel’s words do have us thinking where the latest of Fast & Furious movies currently is in the production process, and if Mirren will be involved. While we know Fast X, Part 2 won’t be among upcoming 2025 movies, it’s reportedly going to start filming this summer. Early this year, Diesel said they would bring the production to Los Angeles this time around in support of the industry following the wildfires in January affecting the livelihoods of many in Southern California.

We don’t know much about Fast X, Part 2, but it’s supposed to wrap up the long-running movie series that first started in 2001. And it just wouldn’t be the same if Dom and Queenie don’t have more scenes together. Fingers crossed! While we wait, we can look forward to seeing Mirren in The Thursday Murder Club, arriving for those of you with a Netflix subscription on August 28.

After a two-year absence, and after the fifth and final-ish season of its predecessor Yellowstone, Taylor Sheridan’s 1923 landed on the 2025 TV schedule to wrap up its second season with a variety of deadly outcomes for multiple main characters, including Julia Schlaepfer’s Alexandra Dutton and Brandon Sklenar’s Spencer. Things were thankfully less fatal for Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren’s Jacob and Cara Dutton, propping the metaphorical door open for their potential returns. Just how much potential’s there, though?

One might think the answer is “zilch,” but that’d underestimate just how enjoyable both Ford and Mirren found filming 1923 to be. Both A-tier actors were on hand to talk about the Paramount+ series for an FYC Q&A — an event I doubt either would have attended if they weren’t all-in on the Duttons — and while Ford shared his interest level on potentially reprising Jacob for an upcoming Yellowstone show, Mirren talked baby John and the long-gestating sequel-prequel 1944, first announced in November 2023.

Harrison Ford On Possibly Returning To Yellowstone-Verse As Jacob Dutton

Despite starring in some of the most successful and celebrated movie franchises in existence in Star Wars and Indiana Jones, Harrison Ford isn't an actor that's ever been synonymous with sequels, and even his Jack Ryan movies are mutually exclusive enough. But he spoke quite highly about 1923's final episode, saying it was "fantastic" and "probaby the densest script" that he's lent his efforts to in years.

So with 1944 on the way and no direct signs of when and/or how Jacob and Cara meet their makers, it's still feasible for Ford's now-retired rancher to survive into the next series in grandpa-mode. And it doesn't sound like the actor would reject the offer to come back, either. As he put it:

One can only hope that franchise ringleader Taylor Sheridan himself has a clear idea of where he's taking the Duttons' story, and whether it'll eventually link up directly with the mothership series. And logistically speaking, I don't think he'd be that interested in having 100-year-old Jacob Dutton strutting around in 1944, but I think it would be a great move to pepper that show with flashbacks that lay out how Jacob, Cara and Spencer got on together after their extended time apart.

But Helen Mirren's Thoughts About Baby John Have Me More Curious

Interestingly enough, 1923 ends on an adorable note for Cara Dutton, whose final moments have her cradling Spender and Alex's John Dutton II. And for all the speculation that's gone into that baby's existence - here's what the cast told CinemaBlend about it - no one taking part in the FYC chat was coughing up any additional details.

But Mirren sounded pretty interested in the idea of 1923 closing out on youth and age coming together in such a way, and I have to wonder if she'd be interested in exploring Cara's motherly skills with an actual infant instead of grown kids. Here's how she described it:

Indeed, that generation will likely be heavily impacted by both Cara and Jacob Dutton, as well as Spencer (whose flash-forward death was laid out in 1923's final moments). So it would possibly feel like too empty of a house if 1944 arrives and it's just Spencer, another wife, and two kids that viewers don't know anything about. Sure would be good to have something familiar around in that case, such as Harrison Ford's face made up to look 20 years old. Or maybe that'd be frightening. I can't quite tell.

I guess it's worth pointing out here that 1923 technically hasn't been canceled or anything, so it's possible that Season 3 could happen and give fans a more direct look at Cara and Jacob raising John II. But we'll have to wait and see if Paramount+'s execs make any publicized decisions going forward.

The 2025 TV schedule is proof of concept that class-act Oscar winner Helen Mirren can easily hold her own as a bonafide TV star, thanks to captivating roles on Yellowstone’s prequel 1923 and the gangster drama MobLand (both streaming with a Paramount+ subscription). She co-stars in the latter with fellow movie-and-TV fixture Pierce Brosnan, giving viewers an idea of what they’d have looked like as James Bond and M, though Mirren’s comments about the spy character’s perceived sexism squashed those ideals.

And if anyone thinks Brosnan was going to be the one to stand up and oppose his co-star by going to bat for the Ian Fleming creation, think again. Let’s take a closer look at what was said.

Helen Mirren Calls Out James Bond's Sexism

While on the press tour for MobLand, Helen Mirren spoke with The Standard about working with Pierce Brosnan again 45 years after they both co-starred in the 1980 gangster flick The Long Good Friday. The topic of Bond arose, in particular the franchise's shift in ownership to Amazon MGM, where Amy Pascal and David Heyman are now in charge as the company's Jennifer Salke all but made her exit. And The Queen star didn't exactly try to fake her fandom. As she put it:

To be sure, the actress shared her immense respect and appreciation for Pierce Brosnan himself, and she also gave a kind shout out to Daniel Craig, saying they're both very lovely and gracious people. But such compliments don't extend towards the shared character they played. As she put it:

Notably, Helen Mirren is related to a former Bond Girl, as she's cousins with Goldfinger co-star Tania Mallet, who portrayed Tilly Masterson. It's unclear if Mallet's experiences on the film had anything to do with Mirren's current opinions, but I can imagine that the dozens of Bond films that followed Goldfinger probably also played a part.

Pierce Brosnan Reacts To The James Bond Comments

Having portrayed the smooth-talking, martini-drinking spy mastermind across four different James Bond movies in the '90s and early '00s, Pierce Brosnan wouldn't be blamed if he felt defensive about the iconic character being taken down a peg for his womanizing. However, the actor didn't seem to be rebuffed in the slightest when People asked for his take on her comments. He championed her in saying:

I mean, who can blame him? I sure as hell wouldn't want to publicly disagree with Helen Mirren, even if she was just saying she thinks Bond should have had his martinis stirred instead of shaken. I'd just want to provide a box full of stirrers.

Still, Brosnan didn't go on record saying he was fully aligned with his MobLand co-star's feelings, pointing out that the super-spy's on-screen behavior regarding women is, if nothing else, a sign of faithful for the source material. He continued, saying:

As he said, though, there's room to move around beneath that fictionalized umbrella, so perhaps the future of James Bond media will see the sharp-dressed hero become more of a softer-edged and more compassionate ladies man, as opposed to adhering squarely to his boozing and schmoozing ways.

We'll have to wait and see how that plays out, though, . Meanwhile, be sure to catch both Mirren and Brosnan on MobLand, which fans had immediate reactions to, when new episodes hit Paramount+ every Sunday.

Admittedly, the James Bond franchise is not for everyone, and even fans can see why. For as successfully as the legendary spy fiction character has navigated the modern world of fiction, the pedigree of Ian Fleming’s mythic creation does have some less fantastic elements. The 2025 movie schedule has seen the franchise looking towards the future, and while some might want to fan cast Helen Mirren as James Bond 26’s M, you probably shouldn’t hold your breath - as she’s not a fan.

Talking with The Standard about her new series MobLand, Dame Mirren addressed the recent 007 developments at Amazon-MGM Studios, and in that conversation came the following admission:

Playing the head of a drug trading mob outfit, with Brosnan as her husband, the Paramount+ subscription driver freshly premiered over the weekend. So of course, with the fifth man to have played James Bond in the mix, these feelings seemed primed to be revealed at one point or another.

Her reasons for not being turned off by the 007 legacy are facets that some may see as integral to the series DNA. With the next era of the character on the horizon, some people wonder if James Bond should be a harsher character, much as his literary origins dictate. In her further remarks of displeasure with 007, The Queen star provided that context as follows:

Decades of James Bond movies have tried to undo the seemingly default legacy of 00-womanizing, hard drinking, and casual sexism, and there have been some interesting results. But that doesn’t erase the fact that the earlier days of films like Goldfinger suggesting moments of coercion over consent have been part of the discourse for more than a minute.

To be honest, Helen Mirren has had her own Bond-adjacent fun in the world of cinema, thanks to projects like RED and the Fast and Furious movies putting her into some pretty spectacular action. So even if there was a hypothetical offer on the table, the icon who brought Magdalene Shaw to life probably wouldn’t feel like that’s a specific itch that needs to be scratched.

The overall win we should take from this story is that Dame Helen Mirren continues to be a force to be reckoned with, both on and off screen. And in the latter context, you can catch her with Pierce Brosnan, Tom Hardy, and a cast of other notables on MobLand.

That series recently launched its first episode, with additional installments dropping every Sunday, on Paramount+. Though if you’ve been following her work against former 007 Timothy Dalton on the Yellowstone spinoff 1923, you probably knew that by now.

I realize “Winter is coming” is a sentence used to describe Game of Thrones, not the Yellowstone universe. However, when it comes to the season of 1923 that’s airing on the 2025 TV schedule, I find it quite fitting. Winter is truly hitting the Duttons hard this season, and it’s presented them with some brutal challenges. It turns out, the cast had to deal with that cold too. However, as Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren noted, they had things like battery-operated underwear to keep them warm.

Throughout Season 2 of 1923, the cast has been open about filming in Montana during the winter, and it truly was not easy. In a video posted on the show’s Instagram, Harrison Ford said that with wind chill, it could feel like 21 below zero while they filmed. So yeah, I think the battery-operated underwear and various layers also described in this silly clip featuring the Jacob and Cara Dutton actors were warranted:

So, to recap how they dealt with the freezing temperatures: Ford asked Mirren how she handled the cold, to which she said:

However, the warm clothing didn’t stop there. In fact, they took it a major step further as Ford chimed in to say:

Now, as someone who grew up skiing, I know the value of heated boots and gloves. However, heated underwear was not something I was aware of. It’s honestly brilliant though. I’m not kidding, Montana winters are no joke. They’re freezing cold, and it’s hard to imagine filming a full show during it.

However, thanks to the fact that this prequel is filmed 100 years after it takes place and technology has advanced a ton since then, they could “grin and bear” the cold in a safe and tolerable way. Plus, I bet it allowed them to take in the beauty of the state during the winter, as the actors closed out their comments on the topic by saying:

• Helen Mirren: It was really, really, really cold, but beautiful.
• Harrison Ford: With the Montana cold you just got to grin and bear it.

It really does sound like you just have to grin and bear it and make sure you have lots of spare batteries and a good extension cord. While it’s kind of funny to think about Mirren and Ford sitting on the Dutton Ranch in giant coats with cords following them around or fiddling with the batteries on whatever heated clothing they’re wearing, I’m happy they had it all.

While this cast obviously isn’t facing the actual hardships their characters go through – like getting attacked by strangers, slapped by Cara, attacked by a wolf or stuck in a blizzard – it’s still not easy to film this show. They’re out in the elements and literally braving the cold to make it, so it makes me happy that they have the resources to make the series safely.

Plus, it makes for a good story later.

So, now, as we continue watching 1923 with our Paramount+ subscriptions (new episodes drop on Sundays, by the way) and theorizing about how Season 2 could end, take a moment to appreciate the cast and the cold they endured. Then, make sure to say thank you to their winter clothes and their heated underwear too, because it helped them get through production on this epic (and cold) season of television.

While they don’t exactly share the same dynamic as Yellowstone’s spinoff-heading couple Rip and Beth, or even 1883’s James and Margaret, Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren’s Jacob and Cara Dutton are just as deserving of fans’ obsessions within Taylor Sheridan’s ever-expanding western franchise. The couple’s troubles certainly didn’t stop once Season 2 debuted on the 2025 TV schedule, and I can’t imagine they’ll be ending anytime soon. But don’t count on any of it breaking this duo’s shared spirit.

In the exclusive clip below from 1923’s upcoming episode, titled “Journey the Rivers of Iron,” fans won’t need to worry about any cougars or wolves popping up to attack anyone. Instead, Ford and Mirren’s perfecto chemistry is front and center as they share a loving moment in front of their lovely abode. Grab a wool-lined coat and take a look!

To Cara's point, it is indeed harrowing to consider what that would be like for someone to experience the extremely harsh Montana winters for the first time, especially since we've already seen proof of how the snow and low temperatures affected the Dutton family in 1883. And you'd almost have to be a lifelong sufferer in such conditions, as Jacob is, to be expected to survive.

And yet through it all, not only has the love between the family heads' survived, but they're also still holding strong to their dry humor and irony-tinged wit. Such as it goes when Jacob suggests that he should have a talk with Elizabeth after Cara's efforts went in vain, and they share this loving bit of shit-talk.

• CARA: Can’t make it any worse. Hm. I stand corrected. If anyone can make it worse, it would be you.
• JACOB: That’s why we’ve lasted so long, honey. Your unwavering belief in me.

I can't imagine why anyone would want to leave these two behind. Oh, yeah, because of all the horrid weather and wild animals and myriad other threats. That tracks.

The clip obviously doesn't delve too much into other plot elements that fans can expect from the fourth episode in Season 2. But here's a synopsis that implies an episode going heavy on the Timothy Dalton.

One can only hope that we'll get to see both Jacob and Cara's smiling faces if and when Spencer Dutton finally makes it back home from his complicated travels. There's the ever-present worry that one or both parents will die before that reunion happens, and Taylor Sheridan is just the kind of TV writer who doesn't mind digging into that heartache. But not these two! Please not these two!

New episodes of 1923 are available to stream with a Paramount+ subscription every Sunday, with more than half of the drama-filled second season still to come, and stay tuned for more upcoming Yellowstone series once this chapter of the family’s origin story is complete.

Spoilers for 1923 Season 2, Episode 3 are in play! To catch up, you can stream the Yellowstone spinoff with a Paramount+ subscription and then catch new episodes every Sunday.

Winter has hit the Duttons hard. They’re all going through it, but Elizabeth has arguably been one of the characters hit hardest as she had a miscarriage at the end of Season 1 and then faced off against a cougar and was attacked by a wolf in the first two episodes of Season 2. Now, she’s ready to leave, and during a particularly intense moment between her and Cara, Helen Mirren’s character slapped her. So, when I interviewed the cast, I had to ask Michelle Randolph what it was like to be hit by her co-star.

For context, after Elizabeth was bit by the wolf, a doctor came and said she needed to take a shot every day to make sure she didn’t get rabies. She was scared this could impact her ability to have kids, and she did not want the shots at all. She fought it intensely, and in Episode 3, as a few men tried to hold her down, so Cara slapped her and said:

It’s a visceral and shocking moment, and I had to know what it was like to film it. So, I asked Michelle Randolph what it was like to be slapped by Helen Mirren. She told me it was actually her favorite scene of the season that’s currently airing on the 2025 TV schedule:

The slap mixed with the humbling words Cara said must have been incredible to witness in person, considering the force of nature that Mirren is. Plus, Randolph’s deeply emotional and courageous reaction to the action made the scene even better, as she literally stood up to Cara to prove that she could and would act like the woman she described.

The Elizabeth actress told me that while filming this scene, she got “full-body chills” because it was so incredible to be performing next to her co-star. She said:

Like all the women in the various Yellowstone shows, both Cara and Elizabeth are headstrong and fiercely independent. Overall, Mirren’s character has supported Randolph’s in a gentle yet stern way. However, in this moment, Elizabeth was freaking out so much, it felt like Cara had to shock her system to bring her back to reality. Then, the verbal reality check that came right after almost hit harder. So, I totally get why the young actress loved filming this scene so much; it packs a punch (literally), and it carries so much emotional weight.

Now, I’m very curious to see how this powerful instance impacts Elizabeth and her opinions about the ranch. Will she leave? Will she stay? How will Cara, Jack and Jacob support her? Only time will tell, and you can see how all the Duttons carry on during this harsh and violent winter when 1923 returns next Sunday.

Light spoilers for Season 2, Episode 1 of 1923 are ahead! You can stream it now with a Paramount+ subscription and then catch new episodes every Sunday.

I hate that I have this theory about 1923 and its potential ending. However, now that I’ve come up with it, I can’t stop pondering it, which means you get to know about it too. I think by the end of Season 2’s run on the 2025 TV schedule, it’s very possible that both Harrison Ford’s Jacob and Helen Mirren’s Cara could die.

Trust me, I know, that sounds crazy, outlandish and honestly hellish. However, when you think back on how 1923 started it actually makes tragic sense.

I Think Jacob And Cara Will Die Before Spencer Gets To Montana

Here’s the basic gist of my theory, I think somehow, Jacob and Cara Dutton will die before Spencer can make it home.

Spencer actor Brandon Sklenar has teased that 1923’s Season 2 finale is “profoundly beautiful,” and said he couldn’t prep for it without tissues. That tells me a whole bunch of emotional things are going to happen. I assumed his reunion with Alex could be one of them. I also assumed his reunion with Jack, Cara and Jacob would be the other.

However, then I started thinking about what happened to Spencer’s parents, and specifically his mom Margaret before Jacob and Cara got to Montana. That’s when I realized this soldier-turned-hunter might make it back to the ranch, but the couple who raised him could be gone.

Margaret Dutton Died Before Cara And Jacob Could Get To The Ranch

Winter is hitting 1923 hard this season, and I think it’s vital for us to remember that. The Season 2 premiere of the show even featured a voiceover from Elsa Dutton about how brutal and lethal the cold weather can be. She said:

However, even the strongest don’t survive the winter. Elsa, Spencer and John’s mom Margaret didn’t. She froze to death after requesting Jacob and Cara's help and before they arrived in the West, and she was incredibly strong.

Plus, there’s no denying that Cara and Jacob are getting older and they're facing their mortality every single day, all the characters are. So, yeah, I’m worried that like Faith Hill's 1883 character, there might be a challenge during this cold season that takes down Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren’s characters.

And just think about how profoundly sad it would be if Spencer returned home to find the two people who raised him dead…

It Would Be Tragic In A Profound Way If Spencer Made It Home And His Aunt And Uncle Were Gone

Now, I by no means want this to happen. I love Jacob and Cara, and I desperately need to see them reunite with Spencer.

However, I’ve been thinking a lot about the letter Mirren’s character wrote to her nephew in Season 1, where she noted that the ranch and his “legacy are in peril.”

She had to tell him that his older brother died and that Jacob was in terrible shape and could die. Spencer is quite literally one of the only people who can keep the ranch alive, and the only child of James and Margaret left. The land is his legacy, and I think he’ll get back to it.

However, I fear he might get back and Jacob and Cara could be gone. Like his mother Margaret, winter or some other evil adversary or animal could take them. And like his aunt and uncle, Spencer might be left with a barely surviving ranch that he has to rebuild.

It’d be brutally tragic, but it would also be quite full-circle and symbolic in a way. Therefore, I think it’d be an upsetting, heartwrenching, emotional and jaw-dropping way to end Season 2 of 1923.

As we enter the back half of February, the best streaming services are serving up a host of great drama series. A political thriller is coming soon to Netflix while a new entry in the Yellowstone cinematic universe arrives on Paramount+. And, if that’s not quite your cup of tea, then we have a new animated series upcoming on Disney+ or Jack Reacher beating the hell out of people on Prime Video. There's a little something for everybody. Here’s what you won’t want to miss on streaming this week.

Win Or Lose - February 19 (Disney+)

The first original animated series from Pixar was sure to be of interest to fans. However, with news of major changes to at least one character that made headlines, we can guess there may be even more interest in the show that follows a little league baseball team, with each episode presenting a different perspective of the same story.

Reacher Season 3 - February 20 (Prime Video)

Reacher might be the single best reason to have a Prime Video subscription. It offers great action and a solid lead performance from Alan Ritchson. Also, best of all, it doesn’t make you wait three years between seasons. Season 3 of Reacher premieres this week and sees our title character infiltrate illegal drug exporters led by Anthony Michael Hall.

Zero Day - February 20 (Netflix)

Zero Day is a new Netflix limited series that stars Robert DeNiro as a former U.S. President, who is tasked by the current POTUS with finding the perpetrators of Zero Day, a nationwide cyber attack that led to the deaths of thousands.

Nosferatu - February 21 (Peacock)

Nosferatu was one of the most talked about horror movies of 2024, but if you decided to wait until you could scream in terror in the privacy of your home, that day is almost here. The newest movie from horror master Robert Eggers becomes available with a Peacock subscription this week.

1923 Season 2 - February 23 (Paramount+)

Yellowstone may be over, but its cinematic universe lives on with a new season of 1923. While watching the core show requires a different streaming subscription, to see the origin story you’ll instead need a Paramount+ subscription. Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren return as the Dutton family of the early 20th century, who will be (literally) fighting off an attempt to take their land led by an industrialist played by Timothy Dalton.

The 31st Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards - February 23 (Netflix)

The Academy Awards will still be a couple of weeks aways when the Screen Actors Guild Awards air live on Netflix, but there’s a safe bet that they may act as something of a preview for Hollywood’s big night as we get an idea of what actors think of last year’s best film performances. Angela Bassett and Jesse Plemons also star in what looks to be an excellent political thriller.

Next week will see February come to an end and March begin. While we certainly don’t know everything arriving next month yet, Daredevil: Born Again will premiere very soon, which is enough reason to be sure you have a Disney+ subscription ready to go.

Considering 1923 will begin its Season 2 run on the 2025 TV schedule on February 23, I figured now was a great time to re-watch Season 1. I’m happy I am too, because I’ve been reminded of the challenges the Duttons are facing and the quest Spencer is on to get back to them. In fact, there are two quotes from Season 1 about Brandon Sklenar’s Dutton that I’ve been mulling over, because I think they could inform his actions in this next installment of the Yellowstone spinoff.

Basically, we know going into Season 2 that Spencer and Alex are separated, and they’ll both be making their way to Montana to unite with the Duttons and each other. That, mixed with Sklenar’s character fighting tooth and nail to get back to his home is cause for drama and trauma, I assume, especially since we know the hunter has some demons buried deep within him.

So, as I’ve been rewatching Season 1 with my Paramount+ subscription, I’ve been struck by two quotes from Cara and Alex about how Spencer’s past haunts him. And I can’t help but wonder if that will be a big challenge he faces in the new episodes.

“This ranch and you’re legacy are in peril. War has descended upon this place and your family. Whatever war you fight within yourself must wait. You must come home and fight this one.” -Cara

I was initially hit hard by the words above that were featured in a letter Helen Mirren’s Cara wrote to Spencer in a moment of need.

Basically, at the end of Episode 3, things were looking bleak for the Duttons. The family in Montana was attacked, leaving Jacob wounded, John dead and Jack injured. Many others were hit too, and the Duttons were left in a state of disarray. That led to Jacob and Cara realizing Spencer needed to come home.

To do that, Helen Mirren’s character wrote a letter to the youngest of James’ kids, saying he needed to put his own issues to the side and focus on his family. While that took a front seat in the back half of Season 1, I think it will truly drive Spencer in Season 2.

He got that letter months after it was written, and I think he feels guilty for being away for so long. Plus, his aunt called him out for how he’s been running away from his trauma.

Hearing this now, makes me think that in Season 2 we might get to see Spencer face his own demons head-on while also working his way home. I think what Alex told him about this topic adds to that theory too.

“There’s something you should know about me. I’m a very jealous lover. I will not share you with your demons. So we must find them and chase them all away.” -Alex

In Episode 4, one installment after Cara sends the letter, it’s revealed that Spencer hasn’t read any of the messages she’s sent him over the years. So, Alex makes him – saying the quote above to convince him.

While Cara’s letter is what’s literally driving Spencer home, I’m hopeful that Alex’s words will help him face what he’s been hiding from for so long. Especially with Alex not by his side, I think Sklenar's character will be lost and possibly forced to reckon with his demons. However, I'm hoping he remembers what she told him to do because I think it will help.

During Season 2, as the Duttons face their adversaries and winter literally speaking, I want to see Spencer, specifically, address his internal war and trauma. He is clearly still struggling with his past – specifically, his time fighting in World War I – as well as his place in his family, and I need him to face it all head-on.

No more compartmentalizing.

While he does need to focus on his family, as Cara implied, that battle within him that she mentioned is important too. As Alex said, he needs to chase those demons away. By doing that he can live a much happier life and move forward as a leader among the Duttons. Plus, not only would it be great for his growth as a character, but it’d make for fascinating TV too as he traverses his way around the globe to get back to his family. So, here’s hoping that’s exactly what Spencer does in Season 2 of 1923.

Winter is coming, literally, in 1923 and we need to be very worried about it. I’m dead serious. Yes, deadly people are trying to kill the Duttons in the season that’s about to premiere on the 2025 TV schedule, and that will continue (and likely get more violent) too. However, I think we need to consider the deadly elements the family is facing too, because, quite frankly, winter can be a lot scarier than almost any adversary they might face.

Yes, Season 2 will feature both the power and land-hungry tycoon Donald Whitfield as well as the evil Father Renaud and the other abusive priests. Those are big problems. However, winter is at least an equal villain in this show, if not even worse. The cast made that clear too in a 1923 BTS video, as Helen Mirren explained:

That comment came after Harrison Ford noted the “tremendous threat” their home is under. They’ve both spoken about filming 1923 in the cold, and it is seriously challenging. That’s in the modern day too. So, think about how awful winter would be in the 1920s.

To make this point even clearer that winter will be a major problem this season, here’s what the rest of the 1923 cast had to say about the challenges the elements present:

• “Just the elements, being able to keep up and feed themselves, and keep everything moving.” -Brandon Sklenar
• “It’s just the reality of this world and trying to survive.” -Darren Mann
• “Living in Montana in 1923, they are living on the physical edge, constantly.” -Helen Mirren
• “There’s a storm a coming and we know it. There’s nature and mankind, and if nature won’t get you, mankind will.” - Harridon Ford

If you’ve watched 1883, you know it hits harder than Yellowstone, because of the challenges nature creates. Simply crossing a river or getting stuck in extreme heat are very survivable today. However, they almost could have killed them back then (and did in some cases).

Also, speaking of 1883, let’s not forget what killed Margaret Dutton. She survived the entire wagon journey to Montana, but she ultimately froze to death, leaving her sons, Spencer and John behind.

While the human threats are scary, yes, ultimately, I find the elements and their unpredictability scarier. These characters can't manipulate the weather and they don’t have the technology needed to effectively survive winter without worry. Their animals could freeze to death and so could they. Also, having to worry about the weather and simply surviving makes it so they can’t put all their energy into fighting their adversaries.

Not to mention even in reality and the modern-day Montana winters are no joke. They filmed the final episodes of Yellowstone in the spring, because of how hard the weather can be during colder months. So, the fact that 1923 takes place during this freezing season tells me that the Duttons are in for a cold and dangerous ride, and that’s without even considering the other threats they’re facing.

Basically, what I’m saying is, we cannot, under any circumstances, underestimate the deadly nature of winter, especially when the people who are facing it don’t have the modern means we have now to survive it. So, when we all start watching Season 2 with our Paramount+ subscriptions, let’s consider the threat winter poses and brace ourselves for a cold, hard season of this upcoming Yellowstone series.

The Academy Award for Best Actress has been handed out every year since 1929 — it was initially awarded to star Janet Gaynor for her roles in 7th Heaven, Street Angel, and Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans — and in the near-century since, it's been presented 97 times to 79 actresses. Winning that coveted statuette is unsurprisingly a dream come true for many a big-screen performer, but the award does come with added attention on the actress's next projects. Will whatever they work on next be as critically acclaimed or commercially successful? Here are 32 films that Oscar-winning actresses did after taking home the Academy Award, and how they were received.

Emma Stone

The whole La La Land Oscars brouhaha at the 2018 ceremony was quite memorable, but clearly so was star Emma Stone's performance as aspiring actress Mia Dolen opposite Ryan Gosling's jazz pianist Seb Wilder. One of Stone's best movies, the role earned the star her first Best Actress win (she would strike gold yet again with her 2024 victory for Poor Things). Her next performance also stirred up awards buzz: she was nominated for a Golden Globe and a Critics Choice Award for portraying tennis legend Billie Jean King in the sports drama Battle of the Sexes.

Meryl Streep

Meryl Streep's history with the Academy Awards is long and legendary: over her decades-spanning career, she's been nominated for a record 21 Oscar nominations, winning thrice. After taking home the Supporting Actress statuette for Kramer vs. Kramer, Streep got her first big Best Actress win for one of her most iconic performances: as the titular character of the devastating 1982 drama Sophie's Choice. Her next role was just as haunting: as Karen Silkwood in the 1983 thriller Silkwood, for which she earned yet another Best Actress nod.

Michelle Yeoh

Along with kicking major butt, Michelle Yeoh made history with her starring role as Evelyn Quan Wang in the 2022 action-dramedy Everything Everywhere All at Once, for she became the first Asian performer to win the Academy Award for Best Actress. Following that notable win in 2023, the Wicked star lent her voice to the sci-fi flick Transformers: Rise of the Beasts as Airazor, a Maximal warrior who transforms into a peregrine falcon. That title earned largely mixed reviews, and it currently sports a 51% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Jessica Chastain

After losing out on the Oscar for Zero Dark Thirty, Jessica Chastain took the Best Actress trophy home for her transformative role as televangelist Tammy Faye Bakker in the 2022 bio-drama The Eyes of Tammy Faye. Her next project was far less successful with awards bodies — the action-spy thriller The 355 was both a critical and commercial bomb, reportedly losing Universal an estimated $93 million. Robbie Collin of The Daily Telegraph wrote: "Despite the strong cast, this is the film equivalent of a corn-syrup-based fizzy drink being passed off as chic in taller, slimmer cans."

Frances McDormand

Three-time Best Actress winner Frances McDormand took home her first Oscar in 1997 for her instantly iconic performance as Minnesota police chief Marge Gunderson in the classic Coen Brothers dark comedy Fargo. Later that year, the acclaimed performer joined a heavyweight lineup of actresses — including Glenn Close, Cate Blanchett and Jennifer Ehle — in the World War II drama Paradise Road. However, despite that acting clout, the film received mixed reviews, with its approval rating at a lowly 43% on Rotten Tomatoes.

Brie Larson

Child actor turned Marvel superhero Brie Larson took her career to a whole new level with her performance as kidnapping victim Joy "Ma" Newsome in the 2015 survival drama Room, for which she swept the subsequent awards season and took home the Best Actress Oscar. In 2016, the Lessons in Chemistry lead starred in another survival drama, this time the Ben Wheatley-directed action-comedy Free Fire. CinemaBlend's own Gregory Wakeman wrote of the film: "Free Fire has enough gun blasts and violence to entertain, but ultimately lacks the requisite surprises or savvy to be anything more than a frivolous diversion."

Olivia Colman

Olivia Colman's Best Actress win for her portrayal of Queen Anne in the black-comedy period piece The Favourite was a deserved yet delightfully shocking moment at the 2019 Oscars. Her next role was equally strange, but less acclaimed: she appeared alongside Kaitlyn Dever, Jim Gaffigan and Walton Goggins as snake-handling fundamentalists in the horror mystery Them That Follow. Though it was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance, it earned mixed reviews from critics.

Cate Blanchett

One of the most versatile actors in the industry — she's played Queen Elizabeth I and Bob Dylan, for crying out loud! — eight-time Oscar nominee Cate Blanchett secured her first Best Actress win in 2014 playing a neurotic former socialite in the Woody Allen-directed dramedy Blue Jasmine. And speaking of versatility, the Aussie star followed that awards win with a voice role in the animated fantasy sequel How to Train Your Dragon 2, which got its own Oscar nod for Best Animated Feature.

Sandra Bullock

Rom-com queen Sandra Bullock received her first Best Actress nomination and win in 2010 for her portrayal of Leigh Anne Tuohy in the biographical football drama The Blind Side. Her next film credit was the Stephen Daldry-directed 2011 drama Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close, which did manage to score a Best Picture nod but not without controversy. Chris Krapek of The Huffington Post called the film "not only the worst reviewed Best Picture nominee of the last 10 years, [but] easily the worst film of 2011."

Katharine Hepburn

Hollywood icon Katherine Hepburn earned four Academy Awards for Best Actress out of 12 nominations across her illustrious film career—a record for any performer. The leading lady's first Oscar win was in 1934 for the Pre-Code drama Morning Glory (the rest would come later in the star's life), which she followed up with John Cromwell's Spitfire. Some viewers found Hepburn miscast as "hillbilly" faith healer Trigger Hicks — the film has a 35% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes.

Nicole Kidman

Nicole Kidman didn't win the Best Actress Oscar for one of her most beloved performances, as cabaret star Satine in Moulin Rouge! but she instead secured the big win only a year later for playing English writer Virginia Woolf in The Hours. The Babygirl star's first post-award project was the 2003 avant-garde thriller Dogville, written and directed by Lars von Trier. Though the film prompted quite a polarizing response from critics at the time of release, it did end up on several best-of-the-decade roundups, including The Guardian and Paste.

Jennifer Lawrence

If they didn't already love her from her work in the David O. Russell dramedy Silver Linings Playbook, the world certainly fell for Jennifer Lawrence when she charmingly tripped up the stairs to accept her Best Actress statuette in 2013. That fall, she would reprise her role as Katniss Everdeen in the second Mockingjay movie, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, which is widely considered the best installment of The Hunger Games film series (it's got a solid 90% Rotten Tomatoes rating) and earned Lawrence a Critics' Choice nod.

Helen Mirren

Dame Helen Mirren is a regal onscreen presence no matter what the role, but her performance as Queen Elizabeth II in the 2006 docudrama The Queen welcomed her among the Hollywood royalty known as Oscar winners. However, despite the film title, she didn't strike gold with her next project: the Nicolas Cage-led adventure flick National Treasure: Book of Secrets, alongside Jon Voight, Harvey Keitel, Ed Harris and Diane Kruger. Per Rotten Tomatoes, critic consensus said of the 35% "Rotten" movie: "A talented cast goes to waste in the improbable National Treasure: Book of Secrets."

Jodie Foster

One of Hollywood's most acclaimed child stars — she was only 12 years old when she starred opposite Robert De Niro in the Martin Scorsese masterpiece Taxi Driver, earning her first Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress — Jodie Foster successfully segued into more adult fare with the 1988 legal drama The Accused. As an assault survivor Sarah Tobias, Foster received a Best Actress win—it wouldn't be her last, with the star winning the same award for her next film release, one of the greatest horror movies of all time, The Silence of the Lambs.

Halle Berry

Halle Berry made Oscar history when she became the first African-American woman ever to win the Academy Award for Best Actress, for her performance as a struggling widow in 2001's Monster's Ball. After becoming an Oscar winner, Berry became a Bond Girl — bikini-sporting NSA agent Jinx, to be exact — in the 2002 spy flick Die Another Day, opposite Pierce Brosnan as 007. However, the latter is widely considered to be the worst entry in James Bond's canon.

Julie Andrews

A legendary performer across both screen and stage, Julie Andrews won her Best Actress Oscar in 1964 for a truly iconic role: as the titular nanny extraordinaire in Mary Poppins. And she didn't stop there — the very next year, she would get yet another Academy Award nomination for an equally beloved character, as The Sound of Music's Maria, the sweet, singing governess to the Von Trapp family. Talk about an epic filmography!

Kathy Bates

One of the best Kathy Bates performances, as obsessive superfan Annie Wilkes in the 1990 Stephen King thriller Misery, earned the talented actress her first Academy Award nomination and win. (She would have three more Oscar nods across her decades-spanning career.) Bates' next film role was in the South African drama The Road to Mecca, based on the Athol Fugard play of the same name — the performer was praised for both her acting and her accent work.

Hilary Swank

Before there were transgender characters like Emilia Pérez (Emilia Pérez), Sin-Dee Rella (Tangerine), or Raymond Rayon (Dallas Buyers Club), there was Brandon Teena, the real-life trans man at the center of the 1999 drama Boys Don't Cry. Hilary Swank's harrowing, career-making performance as Teena earned the star her first Best Actress award, with critics like Entertainment Weekly's Owen Gleiberman calling the actress a "revelation" in the film. Reactions to her next movie, the 2000 supernatural thriller The Gift, were far more mixed. A. O. Scott of The New York Times wrote: "The picture is saved from mediocrity by [director Sam] Raimi's smooth competence, and by the unusually high quality of the acting."

Renée Zellweger

After prior Best Actress nominations for two of her best movies, Bridget Jones' Diary and Chicago — plus a Best Supporting Actress win for Cold Mountain — Renée Zellweger finally got her big Best Actress win for her portrayal of Judy Garland in Rupert Goold's Judy. After taking a multi-year break from acting, Zellweger's much-anticipated next film credit will be a return to a beloved role, in Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy.

Natalie Portman

Natalie Portman was so convincing as a troubled ballerina in the 2010 psychological thriller Black Swan that she thought the film was a docudrama while making it. So, it's no surprise, then, that her tour-de-force performance garnered the star an Academy Award for Best Actress. Ever one to keep you guessing genre-wise, Portman's next role was in the 2011 stoner fantasy-comedy Your Highness, which sadly was a box office bomb and received largely negative reviews from critics.

Cher

The "Goddess of Pop" Cher officially added the title of "Oscar winner" to her already legendary showbiz career with her 1988 Best Actress triumph for one of her best movies, the acclaimed rom-com Moonstruck. Her next movie role came two years later as Rachel Flax, the saucy single mom to young Winona Ryder and Christina Ricci in the 1990 dramedy Mermaids. The heartfelt title has been dubbed an "underappreciated 1990s coming-of-age gem" by The Guardian, which singled out Cher's performance as "nothing short of magical."

Kate Winslet

One of the greatest performers of her generation, it took Kate Winslet a whopping six Oscar nominations before she finally took home the Academy Award for Best Actress, for playing a former Nazi camp guard in 2008's The Reader. Her next onscreen role was in the 2011 black comedy Carnage, by disgraced director Roman Polanski. The film received positive reviews, with critics praising the performances of the cast, including Winslet's — she earned a Golden Globe nod for Best Actress in a Motional Picture Musical or Comedy.

Julia Roberts

After a decade that solidified her as rom-com royalty, Julia Roberts proved her dramatic bonafides by winning the Best Actress Oscar for playing the title role in the 2000 legal drama Erin Brockovich, one of her best movies. America's Sweetheart returned to her romantic comedy roots with her next film, fittingly entitled America's Sweethearts, though critics weren't too sweet on the movie. It only holds a 33% approval rating at Rotten Tomatoes, with the site's consensus reading: "Despite its famous cast, the movie lacks sympathetic characters and is only funny in spurts."

Susan Sarandon

After Oscar nominations for Atlantic City, Thelma & Louise, Lorenzo's Oil and The Client, Susan Sarandon was finally named Best Actress by the Academy for playing Sister Helen Prejean in 1995's Dead Man Walking. Her next film was the decidedly lighter kids' flick James and the Giant Peach, in which Sarandon voiced the character of Miss Spider. The film received generally positive reviews from critics, with Randy Newman's score earning an Oscar nod; however, the film was a box office failure, grossing $300,000 less than its budget.

Marion Cotillard

French movie star Marion Cotillard became the first actor to win an Academy Award for a French-language performance for her transformative turn as legendary singer Édith Piaf in the 2007 music biopic La Vie en Rose. Her next film credit was another biographical drama — this time, the Michael Mann-directed gangster film Public Enemies, alongside Johnny Depp and Christian Bale. Though many critics praised the leading performances, reviews were mixed, with the title holding a 68% Rotten Tomatoes rating.

Marlee Matlin

Marlee Matlin's acting debut in 1986's Children of a Lesser God saw the actress making Oscar history not once but twice: she became the first deaf performer to ever win an Academy Award, as well as the youngest winner in the Best Actress category. The CODA star followed up that momentous victory with the 1987 Western Walker, starring Ed Harris, Richard Masur and Peter Boyle. The historical drama was nominated for the Golden Bear at the 38th Berlin International Film Festival but received very polarized reviews and was a failure at the box office.

Gwyneth Paltrow

Fun fact: Gwyneth Paltrow wasn't initially supposed to star as Viola de Lesseps in the 1998 Bard-inspired romantic comedy Shakespeare in Love — Julia Roberts was. But Gwyn is no doubt grateful the latter ultimately left the production, as the role won her a Best Actress Oscar. Her next project was equally acclaimed: 1999's Anthony Minghella-helmed thriller The Talented Mr. Ripley scored five Academy Award nominations.

Audrey Hepburn

Screen legend Audrey Hepburn won her first Oscar in 1953 for her debut starring role, as Princess Ann in the classic black-and-white comedy Roman Holiday. The British beauty would later be nominated four more times for films like her first post-award project, the 1954 Billy Wilder-directed dramedy Sabrina, as well as The Nun's Story, Breakfast at Tiffany's and Wait Until Dark.

Sally Field

The Academy likes her, they really like her — yes, Sally Field has won not one but two Best Actress statuettes, the first being for her inspiring performance in 1979's Norma Rae and the second five years later for another one of her best films, Places in the Heart. Following her first win, Field reprised her role as Carrie, or "Frog," in 1980's Smoky and the Bandit II opposite her real-life love Burt Reynolds. Though the sequel was a box office success, prompting a third film, it received almost entirely negative reviews from critics.

Charlize Theron

One of the best Charlize Theron roles was also the star's most remarkably unrecognizable: the South African-born actress earned a Best Actress Oscar for her portrayal of real-life prostitute and serial killer Aileen Wuornos in the 2003 crime drama Monster. Her next big-screen performance was the 2004 war drama Head in the Clouds, which saw Theron acting opposite her then-romantic partner Stuart Townsend. The film was a critical and box office failure; in the San Francisco Chronicle, Walter Addiego wrote: "If not for the presence of Charlize Theron, it's hard to imagine this film would have attracted anywhere near the kind of attention it's gotten."

Reese Witherspoon

Reese Witherspoon proved she was more than just a musical sidekick with her Oscar-winning performance as June Carter Cash in the 2005 Johnny Cash biopic Walk the Line. The Legally Blonde star was next seen in the harrowing 2007 political thriller Rendition opposite Jake Gyllenhaal, Meryl Streep and Peter Sarsgaard. However, "the impressive cast cannot rescue Rendition, which explores complex issues in woefully simplified terms," reads the critics' consensus on Rotten Tomatoes, with the film at a paltry 47% approval rating.

Elizabeth Taylor

Through much of the mid-20th century, celluloid icon Elizabeth Taylor was one of MGM's most bankable stars. In fact, her final film for the studio — 1960's Butterfield 8, playing glamorous call girl Gloria Wandrous — earned the movie star her first Academy Award for Best Actress. Her next performance was just as iconic: as the titular Egyptian queen in the 1963 historical epic Cleopatra, which received nine Oscar nominations and four wins, though, alas, none for Taylor specifically.

Over the years, we’ve heard a lot about how hard it is to make the Yellowstone shows. From cowboy camp to simultaneously dealing with extreme heat and snakes on set to filming deeply heavy scenes, it’s no easy feat. However, the casts of these projects work through it, and make series that I never want to miss. In the case of 1923, they had to deal with winter while they filmed Season 1, and Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren explained just how hard it was to work in freezing temperatures while watching a scene ahead of Season 2’s premiere on the 2025 TV schedule.

While watching this frigid scene from Season 1 where Cara and Jacob dealt with Donald, Mirren described the day as “freezing, freezing,” and yes she said the word twice. It deserved it too, because Harrison Ford then explained just how cold it was when they filmed this confrontational moment, saying the following in a video for 1923’s Instagram:

Mirren confirmed that too, nodding her head in agreement and reiterating the point Ford made. In short, it was very, very, very cold that day.

A bunch of the 1923 cast was involved with it too, as it served as a big moment where Timothy Dalton’s Donald Whitfield and his goons confronted Jacob and Cara with guns and then debated what was going to happen with the land surrounding the Dutton’s home. To that point, Ford and Mirren had an entertaining back-and-forth about how the cold impacted their ability to emote, and ultimately made it so no one was overacting:

• Helen Mirren: And this was unbelievably cold this day.
• Harrison Ford: And people are still able to make faces.
• Helen Mirren: Well, maybe it was, like perfect acting, because…
• Harrison Ford: You couldn’t overact.
• Helen Mirren: I mean, all you could do was survive.

Basically, anyone who works on one of the Yellowstone shows has to deal with challenges like this too. In 1883, the actors were dealing with both the heat and cold as they filmed a story about traversing the West on wagons. Meanwhile, on Yellowstone, this last season saw them facing the Texas heat, among other things.

However, the product seems to be worth the hard work on their end. And as a viewer, I can’t even begin to explain how much I appreciate the practical sets that are on location, the real ranch work done, and the way the shows show off the beauty of the American West.

If anything, this video from the set of 1923, upped my excitement for Season 2 even more! I was already looking forward to seeing how Alex and Spencer got back to Montana without each other, and this clip reminded me of the challenges Jacob, Cara and co. are facing at home.

I adore 1923, and I’m dying to see what happens next. Now, I’m also hoping that they didn’t have to freeze their faces off to make Season 2 too. However, we’ll find out if that’s the case once we’re able to learn more about these episodes that will begin airing for those with a Paramount+ subscription on February 23.

The list of Taylor Sheridan’s shows feels like it's neverending, and the so the Rolodex of famous actors he’s also gotten into said series also feels infinite. From Kevin Costner’s role as John Dutton in the game-changing Yellowstone to Zoë Saldaña and Jeremy Renner’s turns in shows from Sheridan that aren’t about the Dutton family, the group of actors he’s gathered for these projects is staggering. 

Kevin Costner - Yellowstone 

Kevin Costner is kind of the man who started it all. At the time, he was the most famous person in the Yellowstone cast, and for five seasons he played the patriarch of the modern Dutton family, John Dutton. While he did leave Taylor Sheridan’s flagship western after the first half of Season 5, there’s no denying how much this character gave to the show and his career. 

Sam Elliott - 1883 

Some of Sam Elliott’s best movies, like Tombstone, are Westerns. And while Elliott has dabbled in television, there’s no doubt 1883 is a standout moment in his career. He joined Sheridan’s show as Shea Brennan, a Union Civil War veteran who agrees to take a group of immigrants West. He leads the group of pioneers on a journey from Texas to Montana, and Elliott gives a standout performance as the no-nonsense yet emotionally complex leader of the caravan. 

Harrison Ford - 1923 

Harrison Ford had never led a TV show until 2022 when he starred in 1923 as Jacob Dutton. While he’s known and beloved for playing Indiana Jones and Han Solo in film franchises, the Yellowstone prequel series was a fantastic turn in his career as he reunited with Helen Mirren, and led the spectacular cast of 1923. 

Zoë Saldaña - Lioness 

There are so many actors on this list who we likely never thought we’d see leading a TV series because they’re big movie stars. Well, if you’ve seen the Avatar movies or the Marvel movies in order, you’re aware that Zoë Saldaña has been busy for years between those and other projects. However, she joined the cast of Lioness in 2023 Joe, a CIA operative. 

Helen Mirren -1923 

Cara Dutton is one of the leaders of the Dutton household, and Helen Mirren plays her perfectly. She’s a confident Irish woman who knows how to run her household, and she and her husband Jacob are a perfect pair. Part of the reason why is Mirren and Harrison Ford are an excellent couple is they came back together for this project after working together on The Mosquito Coast in 1986. 

Tim McGraw - 1883 

When you think of Tim McGraw, country music is likely the first thing that comes to mind. However, he’s also a great actor, and 1883 proved that as he led the series as James Dutton, the man who moved his family from Tennessee to Montana to the ranch that is known today as The Yellowstone. McGraw played the character – alongside his wife Faith Hill who plays Margaret Dutton – for the first time in Yellowstone, and then after that, he signed on to make this miniseries about the Dutton’s big move. 

Kelly Reilly -Yellowstone 

Kelly Reilly was an established character actor before this, but Yellowstone made her a star. Her turn as Beth Dutton is magnificent, and watching her spar with Wes Bentley’s Jamie Dutton and fall in love with Cole Hauser’s Rip Wheeler are two of the reasons why she’s one of the major highlights of Taylor Sheridan’s flagship series. 

Billy Bob Thornton- 1883 

If you want to see the power of Taylor Sheridan and his casts, look no further than the fact that he got Billy Bob Thornton to make a cameo as Marshal Jim Courtright in Episode 2 of 1883. After that, he went on to sign up to lead Sheridan’s show Landman. However, the television journey within this Paramount universe began on the Yellowstone prequel.  

Jeremy Renner - Mayor Of Kingstown 

After starring in Taylor Sheridan’s film Wind River, Jeremy Renner collaborated with him again by joining the cast of his and Hugh Dillon’s show Mayor of Kingstown. The Avengers actor plays the titular Mayor, Mike McLusky, and he helps broker power between law enforcement, the prison and the power players in the town.  

Cole Hauser - Yellowstone 

Rip Wheeler was branded with the Y when he was young, and he’s given it to many ranch hands who live and work on the Yellowstone. While he’s not a Dutton by blood (though he is by law since he married Beth), he’s arguably one of the most loyal members of the family. Cole Hauser is the man behind this beloved character. While he had roles in big movies like Good Will Hunting, Dazed and Confused and 2 Fast 2 Furious, this part is arguably what made him a star.  

Faith Hill - 1883 

Faith Hill and Tim McGraw have been married since 1996, and in 1883 they played the married couple Margaret and James Dutton. Hill is best known for her music and she had a few minor acting roles earlier in her career. However, this Yellowstone prequel was her first leading role, and she killed it as the surefire, tough and loving pioneer and mother.  

Tom Hanks - 1883 

You’ll probably do a double take when you see Tom Hanks as General George Meade in Episode 2 of 1883. The iconic actor appeared in a flashback that showed Tim McGraw’s character fighting in the Civil War. While we know him for starring in massive movies like Saving Private Ryan and Sleepless in Seattle, in this Taylor Sheridan show, he played a small yet impactful part in this sweeping story.  

David Oyelowo - Lawmen: Bass Reeves 

From The Butler and Selma, David Oyelowo is a formidable actor known best for his roles in these historic dramas. In 2023, he joined Sheridan’s series Lawmen: Bass Reeves, to play the titular man who was the first Black deputy U.S. Marshall. 

Wes Bentley - Yellowstone 

Jamie Dutton is a fascinating character. He’s not a cowboy like his brothers, and he’s always butting heads with his sister Beth. His story is complex and driven by his confusion about his place in his family. Wes Bentley plays this complex and often villainous character so well, and it’s a great addition to his already impressive career that includes films like American Beauty and The Hunger Games.  

Rita Wilson - 1883 

In Episode 6 of 1883, Rita Wilson appears to play a shop owner named Carol. Both she and her husband Tom Hanks had small cameos in this Yellowstone miniseries, and it goes to show how many incredibly famous and talented actors and singers will show up for these shows, even for a small part. 

Shea Whigham - Lawmen: Bass Reeves 

Colonel George Reeves was the Confederate army leader who cheated Bass Reeves out of his freedom. He’s played by Shea Whigham, a fantastic character actor who is known for his roles in TV shows like Perry Mason, Boardwalk Empire and more. It’s also worth mentioning that Lawmen isn’t the first time he’s worked with Sheridan as he had a role in Sicario: Day of the Soldado, which the Yellowstone creator wrote. 

Luke Grimes - Yellowstone 

Much like his on-screen siblings played by Kelly Reilly and Wes Bentley, Luke Grimes had a solid career before Yellowstone. However, his turn as Kayce Dutton made him a household name. Also, on top of his successful acting career, which involves this massive modern Western, he’s a country singer, and his music has been featured in Taylor Sheridan’s show.  

Nicole Kidman - Lioness 

Nicole Kidman plays CIA senior supervisor Kaitlyn Meade in Lioness. Before this, she made an impact in the TV space through the HBO hit Big Little Lies. She also starred in the shows The Undoing and Nine Perfect Strangers before signing on to be part of Taylor Sheridan’s political thriller that airs on Paramount+. 

Sylvester Stallone - Tulsa King 

Other than a few cameos and guest spots here and there, Sylvester Stallone hasn’t really done TV in a big way. However, that changed when he signed on to play Dwight "The General" Manfredi in Taylor Sheridan’s gangster drama Tulsa King. 

Will Patton - Yellowstone 

If you haven’t watched Yellowstone, be warned, there’s a major spoiler ahead! You’ve been warned.

One of the big reveals in Yellowstone came when Jamie found out that John Dutton wasn’t his biological father, and he was adopted. In Seasons 3 and 4, Wes Bentley’s character reconnected with his birth father, Garrett Randall, and he’s played by Will Patton, who is also known for movies like Remember the Titans and Armageddon.  

Morgan Freeman - Lioness 

Of course, Morgan Freeman plays a powerful character in Lioness. The actor with the most illustrious career and seriously iconic voice, joined the Taylor Sheridan show to play Secretary of State Edwin Mullins. 

Dennis Quaid - Lawmen: Bass Reeves 

In Lawmen: Bass Reeves, Dennis Quaid plays Sherrill Lynn. He is one of the series regulars, and like the titular character, he’s a deputy U.S. Marshall. 

Josh Holloway - Yellowstone 

Typically, in a Yellowstone show, one of the Dutton's adversaries is some sort of outsider who is trying to take their land. In Season 3, that guy was named Roarke, and Lost’s Josh Holloway played him. 

Aidan Gillen - Mayor Of Kingstown 

You know and likely love to hate Aidan Gillen as Littlefinger in Game of Thrones. I guarantee you’ll also know and love to hate him as the evil Milo in Mayor of Kingstown too. 

Michael Kelly - Lioness 

Michael Kelly is well known for his roles in action-packed and political thrillers like House of Cards and Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan. So, his joining Lioness to play the CIA’s deputy director Byron Westfield feels very fitting.  

Donald Sutherland - Lawmen: Bass Reeves 

The late great Donald Sutherland’s final role was as Judge Parker in Lawmen: Bass Reeves. From M*A*S*H to The Hunger Games to Pride and Prejudice, and so much more, his career was truly legendary and he capped it off with this Taylor Sheridan show. 

Josh Lucas - Yellowstone 

When you think of John Dutton, Kevin Costner is understandably probably the first person you think of. However, he’s not the only actor who plays the Yellowstone’s patriarch. In flashbacks, he’s portrayed by Josh Lucas, an actor who is also known for his parts in films like Sweet Home Alabama and Ford v. Ferrari. 

Graham Greene - 1883 

In the finale of 1883, Graham Greene plays Spotted Eagle, a Native American leader who helps guide James Dutton toward what will become his home in Montana. Before this, Greene worked with Sheridan on the film Wind River, and he has a history with other members of the Yellowstone cast as he performed alongside Kevin Costner on Dances with Wolves. 

Jacki Weaver - Yellowstone 

Jacki Weaver – an actress known for her roles in films like Silver Linings Playbook and Animal Kingdom – joined Yellowstone in Season 4 as Caroline Warner. She’s one of the folks who works at Market Equities, and she’s trying to obtain part of the Dutton’s ranch to build an airport.

Jerome Flynn -1923 

Jerome Flynn is best known for playing Bronn – a killer and cynical mercenary – on Game of Thrones. In 1923, he plays Banner Creighton, a rancher who gets into a partnership with a businessman who is trying to take the Dutton’s ranch. 

Andrea Savage - Tulsa King 

You likely know Andrea Savage as a comedic actress because of her roles in shows like I’m Sorry, Episodes and Veep. However, she turned into the dramatic genre and showed off a different side of her range by playing Stacy Beale in Tulsa King. 

Neal McDonough - Yellowstone

You can always count on Neal McDonough to play a really good bad guy. He did it in DC’s Arrowverse as Damien Darhk. He did it in Justified as Robert Quarles. Of course, he did it in Yellowstone too, as he played one of Season 2’s antagonists, Malcolm Beck. 

Overall, the list of performers who have worked on one of Taylor Sheridan’s many shows is overwhelming and growing. From A-listers to legendary character actors, many have said yes to working on these series, and that will likely keep happening as the super producer and writer continues to create. 

One of the big reasons why I love Yellowstone and its various spinoffs so much is because of the fiery female characters in them. From Beth and Monica in the flagship show to Margaret and Elsa in 1883, there are so many incredible ladies in these shows. However, I think the most empowering woman in this franchise is one of the stars of 1923, Helen Mirren’s Cara Dutton.

The cast of 1923 is led by Mirren and Harrison Ford, and they play the married couple Cara and Jacob Dutton. The two of them moved to Montana after receiving a letter from Jacob’s sister-in-law, Margaret, about how they needed help. When they got there, she was dead, and her two sons – John and Spencer – were starving. While they technically don’t have children of their own, Cara and Jake raised John and Spencer as their own, and they’ve done the same with John’s son, Jack.

On top of that, the two of them built up and ran the Yellowstone empire, and they put their well-being on the line time and time again. Between Cara's emotional intelligence, vulnerability and overall strength, she's able to help this family succeed, and it's why I find her so inspirational.

Cara Is Vulnerable And Emotionally Intelligent, She Also Fully Recognizes The Challenges Of Being A Woman During This Time

Being the wife of a rancher is not easy, and it was especially challenging in the 1920s. Cara Dutton is fully aware of that, and she’s not afraid to address it. In the first episode of 1923, she does exactly that during a conversation with her grand nephew's bride-to-be, Elizabeth, as she tells her:

Is it hard work living on the Yellowstone ranch? Yes. But does Cara love it? 100%.

She’s candid and clear about how emotionally draining life is for this family. She emotionally writes letters to Spencer about what’s going on and how she’s handling it all. Also, she’s not afraid to let her worry show about her loved ones. However, her love for them and the work is so strong that it is infectious.

Along with that, she's so aware of the challenges and stereotypes she faces as a woman who is older and doesn’t have biological children. However, she unabashedly addresses them, and she doesn’t let them hold her back. That kind of story and female representation is rare and powerful.

And, that emotional vulnerability is truly empowering, especially because it’s juxtaposed with Cara’s tough side.

Cara Dutton Is Tough And Willing To Do Anything To Protect Her Loved Ones

Don’t you dare underestimate Cara because she isn’t afraid to show her emotions and get vulnerable. She’s just as tough, if not more so, as everyone in this show.

While countless moments in the Western prove this point, I want to shine a spotlight on one. In Episode 4, Cara attends a Livestock Association meeting to represent Jake, who was injured and bedridden at the time. While there, she absolutely commands that room of men, and she gets them to vote for the creation of a group of police who can address the battles going on between ranches.

Then, after owning that room, she leaves, and when Banner tries to call her out, she spits in his face and threatens to kill him.

Overall, it’s a commanding moment and it shows Cara’s confidence and willpower. Like any Dutton, she’s willing to do anything to protect her family, and that, mixed with her emotional intelligence and vulnerability is so empowering.

Hopefully, we’ll get to see more of Cara’s story soon, as 1923 was renewed for a second season.

However, while we wait to see more of Helen Mirren’s incredible character, you can rewatch Season 1 of her show with a Paramount+ subscription. Also, you can see some of the other incredible women in this television universe when Yellowstone returns on the 2024 TV schedule on November 10.

Whether it's in biopics or in other historical movies, playing an important person often leads to some of the most amazing performances put on film. There are far too many to count, much less list here, but we do think you'll agree that this list of 32 actors playing famous people rank among the best. 

Ben Kingsley - Gandhi

The 1982 epic Gandhi starring Ben Kingsley as the revered leader of India and icon to peaceful protestors all over the world is an amazing movie. At the heart is Kingsley's amazing, transformative performance. He looks and sounds just like Gandhi, it's almost uncanny. 

Margot Robbie - Tonya Harding

When the news first broke that Australian Margot Robbie was cast to play controversial US Olympic figure skater Tonya Harding in I, Tonya, it's safe to say that many were skeptical. It took the actor all of about 30 seconds of screen time in the movie to prove those skeptics very wrong. Robbie is fantastic as the troubled skater with a family life that you wouldn't wish on anyone. 

Paul Dano - Brian Wilson

The Brian Wilson biopic Love & Mercy seems to have been overlooked by many, but if you're a fan of The Beach Boys, you need to see it. John Cusack plays the older Wilson in the 1980s and it is fantastic. Paul Dano, who plays the Pet Sounds-era Wilson, is simply amazing. He completely disappears into the role. 

Reese Witherspoon - June Carter Cash

Reese Witherspoon and Joaquin Phoenix are both amazing in Walk the Line as June and Johnny Cash. Really both deserve to be on this list, but we've the honor to Witherspoon if only because she won Best Actress at the Oscars in 2006. 

Robert Downey, Jr - Charlie Chaplin

It took a long time for Robert Downey to win an Oscar, which he finally did for Oppenheimer. More than 30 years before that win, he earned his first nomination for 1992's Chaplin for playing the legendary actor and Hollywood trailblazer. It's a movie that doesn't get talked about much these days, but it's still great. Especially Downey's performance. 

Natalie Portman - Jackie Kennedy

Jackie Kennedy has to be a tricky person to play. She is so iconic and so well known to so many people that the scrutiny would be stressful. Luckily for all of us, Natalie Portman hit it out of the park when she played the former First Lady in Jackie. 

Meryl Streep - Margaret Thatcher

It's hardly surprising to see Meryl Streep's name on any list of great performances. She has been arguably the best actor in Hollywood for 50 years. One of her finest performances came in 2011's The Iron Lady where she played the first female prime minister of the United Kingdom, Margaret Thatcher. 

Rami Malek - Freddy Mercury

You knew we couldn't have this list without including Rami Malek's incredible performance as Freddie Mercury in the biopic about the late Queen singer, Bohemian Rhapsody. It's not all about the prosthetic teeth, as Malek nailed so many nuances and mannerisms of the icon rock star. Just as in real life, the performance at Live Aid at the end of the movie brings down the house. 

Val Kilmer - Jim Morrison

If you grew up in the '90s, The Doors was probably a seminal film for you. Val Kilmer blew audiences away as the late Jim Morrison. It was so good you'd swear you were watching the real Morrison as he rose to fame and then burned out quickly before tragically becoming a member of the "27 Club" in 1971.

Denzel Washington - Malcolm X

A powerful personality takes an actor with equal strength to pull off and in Malcolm X, Denzel Washington is more than up for the task. Playing the combative, controversial civil rights leader could not have been easy, yet Washington brings him back to life in every way. It's the reason everyone should see this biopic. 

Faye Dunaway - Joan Crawford

Faye Dunaway gives the performance of a lifetime in Mommie Dearest. It's scary and mesmerizing. Joan Crawford was one of the most beloved actors in Hollywood in the Golden Age in Hollywood, but this movie changed the public's opinion of her forever - and not for the better. 

Jennifer Lopez - Selena

Before played the murdered superstar Selena in the movie of the same name, Jennifer Lopez had had a few roles in movies, but after Selena, she was the legend we all know today. It's a groundbreaking performance. 

David Oyelowo - Dr, Martin Luther King, Jr.

Everyone in America has heard the powerful voice of Martin Luther King, Jr. hundreds of times. His speeches are part of everyone's education. That makes David Oyelowo's turn as the civil rights leader that much harder - and that much more impressive. It's just fantastic. 

Cate Blanchett - Bob Dylan

Okay, we admit, technically Cate Blanchett is playing a character named "Jude Quinn" in I'm Not There, but c'mon, let's be real, she's playing Bob Dylan. It's an uncanny performance as well. There is actual footage of Dylan from that time in his career in the excellent D.A. Pennebaker-directed Dont Look Back. Compare that to Blanchett and you'll realize just how great she was. 

Daniel Day-Lewis - Abraham Lincoln

Of all the amazing performances on this list, Daniel Day-Lewis as Abraham Lincoln in Lincoln just may be the best. It frankly could be the greatest acting performance of all time. There's an argument for it, at least. He's simply incredible and brings the tragic president to life like no one else has before or since, and likely never will. 

Cillian Murphy - J. Robert Oppenheimer

Cillian Murphy won a well-deserved Best Actor Award for playing J. Robert Oppenheimer in Oppenheimer. It's a subtle, smoldering performance, just like the personality of the real Oppenheimer. Playing the scientist in his greatest moments in life and his lowest, it's a fantastic showing by the Irish actor. 

Cynthia Erivo - Harriet Tubman

Harriet Tubman is one of the most important people in US history, but one that hasn't been explored on film nearly as much as you might expect. Luckily, when someone did decide to finally tell her full story on the big screen in 2019's Harriet, they had the good sense to cast Cynthia Erivo as the former slave-turned-freedom fighter. She's amazing. 

Forest Whitaker - Idi Amin

Forest Whitaker is pretty great in everything he's in. He cranks his talent up to another level in The Last King Of Scotland as the brutal dictator of Uganda, Idi Amin. He's so good there are even moments where viewers might feel compassion for the man, despite his worst tendencies as the leader of the country. 

Jessica Chastain - Tammy Faye Bakker

If you were around in the 1980s, you remember all the insanity around Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker. Jim Bakker crying on TV with Tammy Faye right next to him is something no one will forget. Jessica Chastain's turn as the evangelical preacher's wife is just as memorable. 

Philip Seymour Hoffman - Truman Capote

it's hard to imagine anyone will ever play Truman Capote as well as the late Philip Seymour Hoffman in Capote. The role completely takes control of the actor in the best way. It might as well been the writer himself. You completely forget there is even an actor behind the role. 

Daniel Kaluuya - Fred Hampton

Fred Hampton was a controversial and complicated leader in the Black Panther Party in the 1960s. Casting a Brit like Daniel Kaluuya in the role was a daring choice by the filmmakers of Judas and the Black Messiah, but it paid off brilliantly as Kaluuya nails the role. 

Gary Oldman - Winston Churchill

Winston Churchill has been played on the big and small screen by plenty of great actors. John Lithgow (The Crown), Brendan Gleeson (Into the Storm), and Albert Finney (The Gathering Storm) have all garnered praise for playing the legendary prime minister. Gary Oldman, who won an Oscar for playing Churchill in 2017's The Darkest Hour may just be the best. His reading of those famous speeches is just mesmerizing. 

Angela Bassett - Tina Tuner

Tina Turner was a fierce woman, who deserved a fierce performance and she got one with Angela Bassett in What's Love Got To Do With It. Bassett's performance is transcendent and certainly deserved the Oscar nomination she received. She should've won it! 

Austin Butler - Elvis Presley

Austin Butler got so caught up in his performance as Elvis Presley in Elvis that critics of the actor complained that even months later he was still talking like the King of Rock and Roll. he wasn't, but that does say something about how good he was in the Baz Luhrmann-directed bio flick. 

Jesse Eisenberg - Mark Zuckerberg

When The Social Network was first announced, many were confused as to how someone could make an interesting movie about the founding of Facebook. It turns out, that if you get a great writer like Aaron Sorkin, a great director like David Fincher, and someone like Jesse Eisenberg to play the Mark Zuckerberg, you can make it look easy. The movie is great, and Eisenberg's performance is pitch-perfect. 

Leonardo DiCaprio - Howard Hughes

Howard Hughes is one of the most mercurial and odd celebrities in US history. In The Aviator, Leonardo DiCaprio fully embodies everything about the director and businessman. He takes on his greatest triumphs and sinks to the depths of Hughes' despair in the lowest points of his mental illness with the same gusto. 

Charlize Theron - Aileen Wuornos

Serial killer Aileen Wuornos was a terrifying person. A true monster, as the name of the movie about her is called. That's not to say a viewer can't have some sympathy for the circumstances that brought her to the point of murder, but you can't excuse her. Charlize Theron does an incredible job bringing all of that to the role in Monster. 

Sean Penn - Harvey Milk

Milk is one of the great political movies of the last few decades and the biggest reason why, besides the inspiring story, is Sean Penn's performance as Harvey Milk. Like Penn has done so often in his career, he completely disappears into the character. It is Harvey Milk.  

George C. Scott - George Patton

George S. Patton was a great, and complicated leader in World War II. He was responsible for some of the greatest military gains in the war, and he couldn't keep himself out of trouble with his controversy. George C. Scott's portrayal of the general in Patton is amazing. Even though the opening scene of him making a speech in front of the flag is fictional, it sets the tone perfectly and the movie never lets up. 

Cate Blanchett - Katharine Hepburn

Leonardo DiCaprio is fantastic in The Aviator as Howard Hughes, but he's not the only great performance in the movie. Cate Blanchett as the iconic Katharine Hepburn is, well, iconic. There's just no better word for either. It's not only a spot-on impression, the portrayal nails everything that was great about Hepburn. 

Robert De Niro - Jake LaMotta

Jake LaMotta was one of the toughest prizefighters of all time. His incredible story and Robert De Niro's performance are the two things that make Raging Bull legendary. Scorsese's direction is pretty great too. 

Helen Mirren - Queen Elizabeth II

it's really hard to play a person who has been on television screens all over the world for decades. Helen Mirren takes on that difficult task in Queen Elizabeth II. The late Queen was an icon in every sense of the word and playing her could not have been easy, yet, when you have the talent of Helen Mirren, it looks easy. It surely wasn't. 

The world lost one of its great actors yesterday with the passing of Donald Sutherland. With 200 film and TV credits to his name throughout his career, Sutherland touched millions of fans and also performed with some of the biggest stars during multiple generations of Hollywood. Now those stars are paying tribute to the man they worked with, the man they called friend, or simply the man they idolized.

Back in 1993, Will Smith appeared in his first dramatic film role, and one of Smith's best performances, in Six Degrees of Separation. He had scenes opposite Sutherland in that film and Smith posted shots of the two of them together on Instagram to pay tribute to the star.

Jane Fonda, who appeared opposite Sutherland in her Oscar-winning role in Klute shared a heartfelt tribute to Sutherland. On Instagram, She celebrated the man’s skills as an actor as well as the work they shared off-screen, including the controversial work of speaking out against the Vietnam War. 

Sutherland began his acting career in the early 1960s and over the next 60 years he would put together one of the most impressive filmographies in memory. One of his contemporaries who would have a similar career is Dame Helen Mirren. She gave a statement to THR in which she credited Sutherland’s intelligence as an actor and called him not only a colleague but a friend. She said…

Edgar Wright is a writer and director with a particular love of film history, and while he may have never worked with Donald Sutherland, he celebrated the man's body of work in a few few others could. He called out not only Sutherland's great work that we all know, but a few of the actor's lesser known pieces. 

Rob Lowe is an actor of the generation that came up with Donald Sutherland's son, Keifer. In Lowe's tribute he specifically sends condolences to his friend, while making sure his followers know what may be Donald Sutherland's greatest work.

Not everybody paying tribute to Donald Sutherland, however, ever worked with the actor. Donald Sutherland’s most well-known role to the modern public is likely that of Cornelius Snow in the Hunger Games movies, a role Sutherland fought hard to get. Tom Blythe recently played the same role as part of the cast of the Hunger Games prequel, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, and while the two unfortunately never met, Blythe clearly thinks the world of his predecessor and on Instagram called it an “honor” to have shared a role with him.

Considering how long and successful Donald Sutherland’s career was, he touched many lives, which means that there are many whose lives and careers he impacted. And that’s not even mentioning the millions of us who watched his work and were inspired by it. Donald Sutherland left a lot of friends and fans behind, but he will clearly never be forgotten. 

One of the reasons many of us love following celebrities so much is because they go places and have experiences that many of us simply never will. That includes going to awards shows and getting all gussied up in some of the fanciest, most expensive clothes and accessories around. With the bulk of this year’s award season now over, let’s take a look at 32 great pairs of shoes that stars sported recently as they walked the red carpet.

Annette Bening 

Looks for any award show can vary wildly, but we do typically see ladies in high heels of some sort. Actress Annette Benning did step out in heels, but she chose some of a chunky platform sandal variety that likely added some literal stability to her chic, flowy outfit.

Ryan Gosling

Sure, men’s fashion doesn’t usually lend itself to wild shoewear choices on the red carpet, but that’s OK. Barbie cast member/Oscar nominee Ryan Gosling went with a great pair of shiny black shoes to accent his black (and slightly sparkly) tux and red socks, and they work perfectly.

Danielle Brooks

You’re going to see that black, overall, was a popular shoe color choice for 2024’s award shows, and The Color Purple Oscar nominee Danielle Brooks made a good pick to go with her very glamorous Dolce Gabbana gown. The sandals feature a shapely high heel and pearl accents that kick the look up a couple of notches.

Cynthia Erivo

Not only did Cynthia Erivo and her co-star Ariana Grande decide to represent their Wicked characters via their fashion choices for the Academy Awards, but Erivo took her green Elphaba theme to the hilt with her platform shoes with striated shades of emerald.

Billie Eilish

One cannot deny the importance of comfort when talking shoes, and award winning singer/songwriter Billie Eilish definitely deserves props for choosing a round-toe mary jane style that even allowed her to wear full-on shocks to the Oscars.

Florence Pugh

Florence Pugh has had no shortage of amazing fashion moments, and it appears that they won’t let up anytime soon. The star looked wonderful at the Oscars, and walked tall in a super chunky, mirrored platform sandal to complete her look.

Colman Domingo

As the star of the lauded civil rights drama, Rustin, Colman Domingo made numerous appearances on red carpets recently, but his decision to head to the Academy Awards in custom Louis Vuitton cowboy boots (in black with gold accents) has absolutely put him near the top of everyone’s fashionable celeb list.

Emily Blunt

Never mind the Oscar dress with the floating shoulders, most would likely say that Emily Blunt’s silver heels with a little half-bow across her toes managed to actually steal the show from her gorgeously constructed cream and silver gown.

Mahershala Ali

Again, men don’t always think to step up their shoe game for red carpets, but Mahershala Ali certainly did. His graphic black and white loafers with a slight heel absolutely helped him stand out in a sea of men with black footwear.

Ava DuVernay

Director Ava DuVernay looked lovely in her powder blue ensemble, and her silver shoes with a little bit of a platform went nicely with the buckled straps of her off-the-shoulder dress.

Carly Pearce

People came out in their finest for the CMT Awards, and country singer Carly Pearce was no different. The black and silver gem-studded stunners she wore on her feet obviously made a fabulous statement. Look at that crazy high stiletto heel!

Celine Song

Just because you’re in black flats, it doesn’t have to mean that your choice of shoe has to be boring. Wearing a flowy, lower-calf length skirt to walk the Oscar red carpet, filmmaker Celine Song was able to show off her chunky footwear and look like the very picture of effortless cool.

Wendy Thembelihle Juel

The South African/Danish model may have put on a fitted, shimmering pink dress for her time at the Academy Awards, but she also chose black as the perfect color for her shoes. Her sandals gave the gown an extra oomph with a pretty crystal (or diamond) bow across each set of toes that helped to make them the real focal point of her glamorous look.

Erika Alexander

To celebrate the Oscar nods received by American Fiction, star Erika Alexander stepped out in a truly original dress. And, her shoes were different as well, seeing as how it’s relatively rare to see ladies on the red carpet in white heels.

Alex Borstein

Black can be very basic, but not, apparently, if you’re The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel star Alex Borstein. The talent stepped out to the Critics Choice Awards in delicately laced black pumps that appear to be see-through, which also had a scalloped edge to compliment her sheer dress.

Ke Huy Quan

Ke Huy Quan is clearly enjoying his revitalized time in the spotlight, and the Oscar winner knows how to get all dressed up for the red carpet. Here, he wears a classic pair of glossy black, tie-up dress shoes, and they pair perfectly with his deep red and black tuxedo.

Simu Liu

The People’s Choice Awards saw Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings and Barbie star Simu Liu hit the carpet in a fantastic oxblood-colored suit. And, not only did his shoes match, but he switched things up from typical men’s shoes and donned suede footwear for the occasion. Love it!

Andrew Scott

It can be so, so nice to buck convention and head to a fancy event in an ensemble that evokes a high/low effect, which is exactly what All of Us Strangers and Ripley star Andrew Scott did when he attended the Golden Globe Awards in January 2024. Instead of going for a full, all-white tuxedo, he went with the jacket, wide-leg pants and a thin t-shirt, which were beautifully accompanied by full-coverage shoes in the same creamy shade with an ultra-low black heel.

Oprah Winfrey

If you paid any attention to the many events that media mogul extraordinaire Oprah Winfrey went to in order to celebrate and promote the release of the musical The Color Purple, well, you’ll know that the many shades of that very hue were her choice for all of them. This included her time at the Golden Globes, where she capped her lovely, custom Louis Vuitton dress (which appears to be a shimmery, optical illusion-like crushed velvet) with grape-colored Manolo Blahnik shoes. So sophisticated, right?

Rachel Brosnahan

Talk about working a look! The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel star (who’s soon to be our new Lois Lane in Superman: Legacy) went all red for the Golden Globes and was a total stunner. She stepped out in a custom Sergio Hudson off-the-shoulder gown, which featured a slinky line of buttons from top to toe that opened about halfway down. Brosnahan is also in satiny, custom-made Christian Louboutin sandals with a thin ankle strap that perfectly sets off her whole outfit.

Selena Gomez

Only Murders in the Building superstar Selena Gomez has been on top since her teens, so she knows how to work a red carpet! Her Globes look featured one of the more intriguing gowns of the night; a glossy, deep red stunner with black accents and a full, hi-low hem that gave everyone a perfect look at her cool shoes in a lipstick shade of red that appeared to feature some holographic effects. Selena can do no wrong!

Helen Mirren

Dame Helen Mirren (who really should be given her own Fast & Furious movie) hasn’t portrayed a queen more than once for nothing. She went to the Globes in a lavender ensemble that featured a bodice that gathered at her side and a sweeping skirt, topped with a two-tone cape (Yes, honey!) and extremely chunky, platform sandals in a shade of silver that perfectly matched her hair. Does glam get any better?

Jessica Williams

Speaking of royalty, Shrinking and Road House star Jessica Williams looked like an absolute princess as a nominee when she attended the Primetime Emmy Awards in January 2024. Williams wore a very ladylike custom-made off-the-shoulder Rodarte gown that was mostly black, with a hi-low hem that exposed fluffy layers of white tulle underneath. Her shoes are black and closed-toe but with netting near the top and three rather large crystal flowers, which only add to the regal look.

Bella Ramsey

Bella Ramsey stepped out to the Emmys in a very clean, professional style that’s far different from what we usually see when it comes to suits at awards shows. The star, who’s currently working on The Last of Us Season 2 for HBO) is wearing four different colors (the forest green suit, a deep purple button-down shirt, a red turtleneck and deep burgundy shoes), but somehow it all works together to make a clean look. Speaking of the shoes, thick black soles and the silver medallion on each help to both make a statement and ground the whole outfit.

Joan Collins

Timeless style is called “timeless” for very good reasons, and that’s because anyone at any age can look good wearing it in any year! Dynasty legend Joan Collins presented at the Emmy Awards, and put on her finest pleated Jenny Packham gown in a silvery sky blue dotted with crystals. To complete her outfit, the longtime star chose a closed-toe shoe in a similar color with a little embellishment right on the top just made to peek out from under her long, caped dress.

Jeffrey Wright

It looks as though colors like red, maroon, and oxblood were kinda popular recently, doesn’t it? American Fiction lead Jeffrey Wright showed up for February 2024’s Screen Actors Guild Awards (where he was nominated for his role and as part of the cast as a whole) in a perfectly tailored tuxedo of the latter color that looked quite sharp. Even better? His sturdy shoes in a similar shade added just enough interest with different colors on the bottom.

Keith David

Shades of aubergine pretty much always help people stand out at events, and that’s even more true when you’re dressed in it head to toe and look as happy as Keith David did at the SAG awards. Also attending for American Fiction’s cast nomination, the star was, indeed, donning the color for his lovely suit with a nice sheen, tie and shirt in slightly different but still within the color family hue and, his shoes. David went with a simple shoe, but in a suede fabric that helps then stand out just a teensy bit.

Tyler James Williams

Again, head-to-toe in one color can work wonders for netting the wearer a truly memorable look, and Abbott Elementary’s Tyler James Williams definitely got the memo. He showed up and showed out for his SAG Awards appearance in a natty baby blue suit with a matching, sheer t-shirt underneath, and complimented the ‘fit with some extremely classy white shoes.

Lauren Daigle

Contemporary Christian music singer Lauren Daigle was able to celebrate her Grammy Award nominations at the ceremony in a standout of frilly navy blue and black tulle gown punctuated with multicolored accents by Shahar Avnet. But, the true winner of this ensemble might just be her shoes: white and blue polka-dotted John Fluevog sandals with a platform and a very cool sculpted heel.

CeeLo Green

Remember, wearing colors in one family from head to toe is gold…especially if you actually decide to wear different shades of actual gold! Former The Voice coach CeeLo Green headed to the Grammys with his lady friend looking like a statuette (as did she; her hair and lips are even gold), and if there was ever a time to do such a thing it’s at a major award show. Green capped off his very comfortable-looking outfit with simply styled gold shoes, because if you’re wearing all gold how many embellishments do you really need, anyway?

Fantasia Barrino

American Idol alum Fantasia Barrino was all set to perform at the 66th Grammy Awards, but first, she had to hit the red carpet. And, it would be fair to say that her style for the night was also a hit, as she stepped out in a nude gown with black accents and paired the whole thing with black platform sandals that had alluring crisscrossing straps for days. 

Kingsley Ben-Adir

The star of Bob Marley: One Love, Kingsley Ben-Adir, also took a turn on the Grammy red carpet, and while his Gucci jacket and shirt in a nearly lime green color with black slacks are nearly casual in flair, anything but can be said about his footwear. The man gave some seriously good shoe in black loafers covered in silver studs, and these just might be the best shoes on the list!

As you can see, this awards season saw a lot of fabulous and daring shoe styles on the red carpet, and we are all the better for it!

There are a lot of reasons that a young actor may change their name. Sometimes it's as simple as just wanting a cool new name. Often it's because someone is already in the union was using the actor's real name and they have to adjust. Here's a list of some of Hollywood's biggest stars and their real names. 

Ben Kingsley (Krishna Pandit Bhanji)

The great Ben Kingsley won an Oscar for his role in the great biopic Gandhi. It makes sense he would play the Indian freedom fighter, as Kingsley himself is Indian. Born to an Indian father and an English mother, Kingsley grew up in England and while his father was a practicing Shia Muslim, Kinglsey is not and considers himself a Quaker. He changed his name for that oh-so-common reason, that he feared a foreign-sounding name would hurt his career. 

Whoopi Goldberg (Caryn Elaine Johnson)

The story is both hilarious and heartfelt. She was born Caryn Elaine Johnson in New York, but when she started acting, she was accused of being flatulent, so Whoopi "short for whoopee cushion." Her surname came from a Jewish ancestor, Goldberg, so she could celebrate the diversity in her family line. 

Judy Garland (Frances Ethel Gumm)

Judy Garland first started in show business as a singer with her sisters, going by their names, The Gumm Sisters. After they were billed as the "Glum Sisters" for a show, it was suggested they change their name. Judy Gumm took her mother's maiden name, Garland, and the rest is history. 

Martin Sheen (Ramon Gerard Estevez)

Martin Sheen's real name is Ramon Gerard Estevez, but he changed it when he broke into the business for the same reason so many others have made the decision, to be less ethnic, as early in his career they said he looked Irish. One of his sons, Charlie Sheen, chose to use the same screen name, but one of his other sons, Emilio Estevez, chose to use his given name. Sheen's daughter, Renée Estevez, an occasional cast member of The West Wing with her father, also stuck with the family name. 

Vin Diesel (Mark Sinclair)

Vin Diesel took on that name after being born Mark Sinclair when he worked as a bouncer as he tried to break into show business. "Vin" comes from his adoptive surname, Vincent, and Diesel came simply because he wanted a cool name as a bouncer. 

Miley Cyrus (Destiny Hope Cyrus)

Though she was born Destiny Hope Cyrus, Miley Cyrus decided to go by the moniker she's best known as because that was simply what her family called her growing up. Her nickname in the family was originally "Smiley" which was eventually shortened to Miley. Her first couple of professional acting gigs, in the TV show Doc and the Tim Burton movie Big Fish, she was billed by her real name, Destiny Cyrus. 

Cary Grant (Archibald Alec Leach)

Early in his Vaudeville career, the great Cary Grant used his real name, Archibald Leach. When he got to Hollywood, as is so often the case, the studio didn't think the name wasn't "box office" enough, so he changed it to Cary Grant. 

Natalie Portman (Natalie Hershlag)

Natalie Portman's real name is Natalie Hershlag, but unlike so many others, she didn't change it because the name was "too ethnic" or not generic enough. As she explained to Vanity Fair in 2024, it was because she wanted to create a separate identity for her work and personal life. 

Portia De Rossi (Amanda Lee Rogers)

Portia de Rossi's name change came, at least originally, because she simply wanted a more exotic-sounding name when she started acting in her teens. Her given name, Amanda Lee Rogers, was just bland. She later revealed it may have been in part because she was struggling with her sexual identity as well. After marrying Ellen Degeneres in 2008, she changed it again, this time combining her real and stage names, Portia Lee James DeGeneres. Professionally she is still Portia de Rossi though. 

Joaquin Phoenix (Joaquin Rafael Bottom)

The Phoenix family has a fascinating history, one that includes time in the cult Children of God. When the family left that group, they made a collective decision to change their last name to one of rebirth, and Joaquin Rafael Bottom became Joaquin Phoenix.

Jamie Foxx (Eric Marlon Bishop)

Born Eric Marlon Bishop in 1967, Jamie Foxx took his stage name early when he was a standup. He says that he noticed women often got preferential spots during open mics, so he decided he wanted a more androgynous name, choosing Jamie. For his last name, he picked it as a tribute to his favorite comedian, Redd Foxx. 

John Wayne (Marion Robert Morrison)

It was a lot more common back in the day for actors to adopt cooler-sounding stage names and that was pretty much the case for Marion Robert Morrison, who ended up John Wayne. It's easy to see why he did it, whether it was a good idea or not. It worked for him. 

Tom Cruise (Thomas Cruise Mapother IV)

Top Gun: Maverick star Tom Cruise didn't change much, but it was a meaningful change. His real name at birth was Thomas Cruise Mapother IV, obviously named after his father, hence the suffix. Cruise had a very difficult relationship with his dad, so when he began his career, he dropped the Mapother in part to distance himself from his then-estranged father. The two later reunited when his father was on his deathbed. 

Olivia Wilde (Olivia Cockburn)

Actor and director Olivia Wilde's story about why she changed her name is pretty simple. She decided she wanted to stage name, and at the time was acting in Oscar Wilde's play The Importance of Being Earnest, which she loved. So she went with Wilde as a homage to the legendary playwright. 

Meg Ryan (Margaret Mary Emily Anne Hyra)

It's pretty easy to see why Meg Ryan chose to simplify her name when she started acting. Margaret Mary Emily Anne Hyra sure is a mouthful, so cutting a 25-letter name down to a seven-letter one makes sense. Meg is short for Margaret and Ryan is the maiden name of maternal grandmother. 

Kirk Douglas (Issur Danielovitch)

In another example of early Hollywood stars fearing their given names would hold them back for sounding too ethnic, Kirk Douglas changed his name from Issur Danielovitch. He told People it was because he feared it would hold him back and it sounded "too Semitic." 

Mahershala Ali (Mahershalalhashbaz Gilmore)

Like others on this list, it's easy to see why Mahershala Ali changed his name from Mahershalalhashbaz Gilmore. Not only is Mahershalalhashbaz really hard to spell and pronounce, but the Green Book actor also converted to Islam as a teenager, taking Mahershala Ali as his Muslim name. 

Marilyn Monroe (Norma Jeane Mortenson)

One of the most famous name changes in Hollywood history is Norma Jeane Mortensen changing her name to Marilyn Monroe. There is no big story behind it, it simply was a snazzier name and Monroe was her mother's maiden name. 

Michael Keaton (Michael Douglas)

This one is easy to understand. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice star Michael Keaton's real name is Michael Douglas. Obviously with an actor already in the union (Romancing The Stone star Michael Douglas), Keaton had to come up with a new name for billing. He chose the last name out of respect for early Hollywood star Buster Keaton. 

Michael Caine (Maurice Joseph Micklewhite)

If you think Maurice Micklewhite is a bit of a mouthful, you're not alone. English legend Michael Caine thought so too. In 2016, he legally changed his name from Micklewhite to Caine, because, according to the Batman Begins actor says it caused too much confusion at airports. 

Winona Ryder (Winona Laura Horowitz)

This one is a little in dispute - though not really. Charlie Sheen once claimed he gave Winona Horowitz her new name, Ryder, after listening to The Doors song "Riders on the Storm." Ryder says she got it when her father asked if she wanted a stage name while they were listening to Mitch Ryder. 

Demi Moore (Demetria Gene Guynes)

The story of Demi Moore's stage name (changed from Demetria Guynes) is both mundane and unique. Before she started appearing in acting roles, Moore married musician Freddy Moore when she was 18. So while Moore was her married name, it was a new name, just as her career was taking off. Demi is simply short for Demetria. 

Dove Cameron (Chloe Celeste Hosterman)

Dove Cameron has never explained why she chose Cameron as her stage name, but her reason for choosing Dove is bittersweet. Dove was her father's nickname for her and after he took his own life, she decided she wanted to go by that, in tribute to him. 

Cher (Cherilyn Sarkisian)

It takes a lot of gall and a lot of talent to decide you're going to go with a one-name moniker, and Cher has oodles of both. It's not hard to see what she did, she simply shortened her first name, Cherilyn, and dropped her last. 

Olivia Colman (Sarah Caroline Colman)

Like others on this list, Olivia Colman couldn't join the actors union with her birth name, Sarah Colman, so she changed it. As she explained in 2013, Colman chose Olivia because it is one of her best friends from college's name and she loved it. 

Carmen Electra (Tara Leigh Patrick)

There aren't many people who can claim the legendary Prince gave them their name, but Carmen Electra can. Way back at the start of her career, when she was working with the Purple One, he decided Tara wasn't good enough and named her Carmen. In 2023, Tara Leigh Patrick officially changed her legal name to Carmen Electra, because who wouldn't?

Lily James (Lily Chloe Ninette Thomson)

Like others here, Lily James renamed herself in honor of her late father, James. Though Thomson was also her father's name, of course, she wanted to do more, deciding taking on the stage name "James" to do so. 

Nicolas Cage (Nicolas Kim Coppola)

Nicolas Cage's first movie role was basically just a background character in Fast Times At Ridgemont High. He is billed in the credits by his legal name, Nicolas Coppola, and yeah, it's that Coppola. While on the set of Fast Times, his co-stars would endlessly quote his famous uncle's (Francis Ford Coppola) movies. He decided then and there he needed to distance himself from his famous family (Talia Shire is his aunt, and Sophia Coppola and Jason Schwartzman are cousins).

Julianne Moore (Julie Anne Smith)

Julie Smith is a pretty common name, and when the great Julieanne Moore hit Hollywood, she soon discovered the name was already taken in the union. She tried different combinations, but they were all spoken for. In the end, she combined her first and middle names, and took her father's name, Moore, as her surname. It's like having to go through dozens of combos to find the right vanity plate, but in the end, it's hard to imagine the actor with any other name. 

Mindy Kaling (Vera Mindy Chokalingam)

It seems Hollywood is still getting people to change their names if they or people around them fear a real name is too complicated or foreign. Indian actor and writer Mindy Kaling is a recent example when she simplified her name from Vera Mindy Chokalingam to Mindy Kaling. 

David Tennant (David John McDonald)

Former Dr. Who and Jessica Jones star David Tennant has a tried and true story as well, his real name, David McDonald, was taken. He explained some years ago on James Corden's show, where he also explained that he chose "Tennant" because he saw the name from a music magazine in an article about Neil Tennant of The Pet Shop Boys. 

Chevy Chase (Cornelius Crane Chase)

Chevy Chase comes from a very blood-blue family who can trace their roots in America back to the Mayflower. Cornelius Crane Chase, the Vacation star's real name, reflects this perfectly. The reason he goes by "Chevy" is because his grandmother started calling him that when he was a kid. So, not much of a story here, but he's real name is just so posh, that we had to include it here. 

Helen Mirren (Helen Lydia Mironoff)

Like others, this one is just a technicality. Helen Mirren was born Helen Lydia Mironoff in London to an English mother and a Russian father. When Mirren was 10 years old, her father anglicized the family name to "Mirren." 

Stories about Kings, Queens, Princes, and Princesses have long been a Hollywood favorite. Sure, there are amazing fictional kings and queens like T’Challa in Black Panther and Abe Froman, the Sausage King of Chicago in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, but this list is about the real ones. Historical depictions of some of the greatest, and worst, monarchs in world history. Kings like Henry VIII and Louis XIV. Queens like Elizabeth II and Victoria. Sure, the movies they appear in are not always the most historically accurate, but that doesn’t diminish the portrayals of royalty by these fine actors. 

Patrick McGoohan As King Edward I - Braveheart

Braveheart is far from the most historically accurate movie of all time, but one character that Mel Gibson and company at least got close to correct is Edward I, or Edward Longshanks, as he was known in the movie and at the time. He was a brutal, remorseless leader, and fought with the Scots for most of his reign. Patrick McGoohan’s performance of Edward is great, one of the real highlights of the movie. 

Judi Dench As Queen Elizabeth I - Shakespeare In Love

To be sure, Shakespeare In Love isn’t as loved today as it was when it was released in 1998. Its upset win for Best Picture at the 1999 Oscars over Saving Private Ryan is still questioned and the movie is often maligned unfairly. One reason it's unfair is Judi Dench’s fantastic performance as Queen Elizabeth I. 

Emily Blunt As Queen Victoria - The Young Victoria

Most of the images we see of Queen Victoria come from later her in her long reign, after Prince Albert died and the older queen was seen wearing black and looking dour. The Young Victoria is a fresh take, showing the queen, played by Emily Blunt, as young and vibrant. It wasn’t a huge hit in the United States, but it’s a really good movie, with a great performance by Blunt. 

Kenneth Branagh As King Henry V - Henry V

Kenneth Branagh has done more for Shakespeare in the modern age than anyone in Hollywood and the prime example is his portrayal of the titular king in Henry V. His delivery of the famous St. Crispin's Day speech is worth the price of admission alone. 

Colin Firth As King George VI - The King's Speech

Colin Firth’s performance and King George VI in The King’s Speech is as close to perfect as possible and well deserving of the Oscar he was awarded for it. Firth brilliantly plays both the reluctant king’s vulnerability and his strength. It’s a fine line to walk, as both are completely necessary to understand King George VI in full. 

Kirsten Dunst As Marie Antoinette - Marie Antoinette

Marie Antoinette is one of the most infamous royals of all time. The French queen is notorious in history for her aloof attitude towards the revolting French peasants during the French Revolution. The film Marie Antoinette starring Kirsten Dunst as the titular queen, did wow audiences at first, but has since become one of Sofia Coppola’s most respected films, and with good reason. It’s a very modern movie telling an old story and Dunst’s performance enhances that perfectly. 

Elizabeth Taylor As Cleopatra - Cleopatra

Elizabeth Taylor’s performance in Cleopatra is one of the most iconic in Hollywood history. Though it deserves some criticism from more enlightened modern audiences, it doesn’t diminish the performance. Taylor is amazing and only a star like her could carry a movie on the scale and scope of Cleopatra. It’s a true Hollywood epic from the Golden Age of Hollywood and Taylor is as glamorous as any actor could be. 

Timothée Chalamet As King Henry V - The King

It’s not easy for any actor to step into one of Shakespeare’s best characters like Henry V in Henry V. This is a character that Laurence Olivier played on the silver screen for goodness sake!  Timothée Chalamet took the risk and it paid off for the actor and audiences in The King. The movie is a new take on Shakespeare’s plays,  taken from his four plays about historical English kings, so the pressure was on. Chalamet kills it in the movie, playing the role quite differently as others have, but it works for the updated version. 

Cate Blanchett As Queen Elizabeth I - Elizabeth

Elizabeth is a wonderful movie, anchored by a wonderful performance by Cate Blanchett as Queen Elizabeth I. Blanchett returned for a sequel, Elizabeth: A Golden Age which was a less-than-wonderful movie, but Blanchett was once again great. The performances in both set a new standard for the historical figure who has been portrayed often on film. 

Janet Suzman As Tsarina Alexandra - Nicholas And Alexandra

One of the most pivotal moments of the 20th Century was the overthrow and execution of Tsar Nicolas of Russia and his family by the Bolsheviks during the Russian Revolution. It’s a story that has rarely been told on film in the West, but Nicholas And Alexandra is the rare exception. It’s a good movie, with a great Oscar-nominated performance by Janet Suzman.

Chief Mangosuthu Buthelezi As King Cetshwayo - Zulu

Chief Mangosuthu Buthelezi is not a professional actor, and the great 1964 film Zulu is his only appearance. His role as King Cetshwayo is also not a large one, but he makes this list because one, he was an actual Zulu chief in South Africa, and two, he was the son of the man he plays. King Cetshwayo who led the Zulu Kingdom at the time of the war depicted in the movie, so while the part was not big, it’s important to have it on this list. 

Jonathan Rhys Meyers As King Henry VIII - The Tudors

One of the most popular depictions of royalty on screen in the last couple of decades has to be Jonathan Rhys Meyers As King Henry VIII in The Tudors. Meyers plays a young, dashing version of the king that most people know from his later portraits, looking less healthy than the king was as a young man. Henry VIII is one of the most notorious kings in English history and Meyers shows why, but also plays him as anti-hero we all kind of love. 

Helen Mirren As Queen Elizabeth II - The Queen

Helen Mirren's performance as Queen Elizabeth in the Queen is everything you would expect, as the The Dame plays the role with respect, but with with a toughness that the queen was known for behind closed doors. 

Sean Connery As King Richard - Robin Hood: Prince Of Thieves

We couldn’t make this list without one of the most famous cameos of all time. It’s one of the shorter roles on the list, but Sean Connery’s surprise appearance as King Richard at the end of Robin Hood: Prince Of Thieves shocked and delighted audiences. In real life, King Richard spent almost none of his time on the island of Great Britain, preferring to remain in Aquitaine in France, so it’s a bit of a stretch that he would be at a wedding in England, but no matter, he makes everyone smile. 

Trine Dyrholm As Queen Margrete - Margrete: Queen Of The North

Margaret I of Denmark is one of the most important monarchs in European history, to say nothing of her being a woman in power in the Middle Ages, which was very rare. Her story is well known in Scandinavia, but less known in the United States. That’s even more reason to watch the Danish movie Margrete: Queen Of The North, along with Trine Dyrholm’s performance of the queen. 

Claire Foy, Olivia Colman, and Imelda Staunton As Queen Elizabeth II - The Crown

How do you put only one of the three women who played Queen Elizabeth II on The Crown with such aplomb on this list? You can’t, so all three, Claire Foy, Olivia Colman, and Imelda Staunton all make it. Each one brought their own panache to the role of the now-legendary queen who we lost in 2022. Foy and Coleman both won Emmys for the role and Staunton was nominated in 2023. It’s three fantastic performances by three wonderful actresses. They even got to act together at the end. 

Nigel Hawthorne As King George III - The Madness Of King George

King George III is most famous in the United States for being the king we fought a revolution against. While he is considered one of the greatest kings in English history, he also had a severe undiagnosed mental illness that affected him later in life. It’s that part of his life that The Madness Of King George is about. It’s a hard role to play, but Nigel Hawthorne nails the role. 

Leonardo DiCaprio As King Louis XIV - The Man In The Iron Mask

There are surprisingly few portrayals of King Louis XIV of France in English-language cinema, despite the Sun King being one of the most consequential monarchs in European history. The most notable one is a fictionalized version of King Louis by Leonardo DiCaprio in The Man In The Iron Mask.

Vanessa Kirby, Helena Bonham Carter, and Lesley Manville As Princess Margaret - The Crown

One of the best achievements of The Crown (among many) was the show’s casting. The three actors who played Princess Margaret, Vanessa Kirby, Helena Bonham Carter, and Lesley Manville, all did an amazing job. You can’t pick one of the next because they all simply nailed the tragedy and triumph of the princess in the shadow of her older sister, Queen Elizabeth II. 

Olivia Coleman As Queen Anne - The Favourite

Olivia Coleman is great at playing royalty on screen, even when it’s a wildly fictionalized and weird version of Queen Anne like she does in The Favourite. The movie is very loosely based on history but is very much representative of director Yorgos Lanthimos’ style. So while Coleman may not be playing Queen Anne exactly as she was, it’s still a downright amazing performance. 

Natalie Dormer As Anne Boleyn - The Tudors

Natalie Dormer is perfectly cast as Anne Boleyn in The Tudors. She’s beautiful, yet vulnerable, coy, yet determined, and sweet, yet conniving. Boleyn is one of the most tragic queens in English history and it’s hard to picture anyone but Dormer playing her after she starred in this show. 

Richard Harris As King Arthur - Camelot

We could argue all day about how “real” King Arthur was. More myth than man in English folklore, there isn’t even consensus on whether he existed at all. But no matter, Richard Harris’ portrayal of the legend in Camelot is still worthy of mention on this list because it’s so darn good and so darn iconic. 

Oliver Dimsdale As King Edward VIII - Downton Abbey

In the finale of Season 4 of Downton Abbey, audiences meet Edward VIII when he is still Prince of Wales, before becoming king and before his abdication shocked the world. Though it’s not the biggest role, Oliver Dimsdale instantly gives you a sense of exactly who the future Duke of Windsor was, a conniving womanizer who really wasn't fit to be king. 

Katharine Hepburn As Eleanor Of Aquitaine - The Lion In Winter

It’s hard to understand why The Lion In Winter isn’t as remembered as other movies from the late ‘60s, because Katharine Hepburn's performance as Eleanor Of Aquitaine, the queen of England in the 12th Century, is amazing. She even took home an Oscar for it. 

Sean Bean as Odysseus - Troy

In the original theatrical version of Troy, Odysseus, the King of Ithaca, played by Sean Bean, doesn’t have all that big of a role. He’s a scene-stealer though. In the director’s cut, which makes for a much better movie, the role is expanded. Plus, it's a rare movie that Sean Bean doesn’t die in. 

Sigourney Weaver as Queen Isabella I - 1492: Conquest Of Paradise

There’s no way around this: 1492: Conquest Of Paradise is not a good movie. It’s historically inaccurate and celebrates Christopher Columbus a little too much while ignoring a lot of his atrocities. Still, Sigourney Weaver, while slightly miscast, does a phenomenal job with what she’s given to do as Queen Isabella I of Spain, Columbus’ benefactor. 

Tadanobu Asano As Genghis Khan - Mongol

If this was a list of the worst performances of royalty, John Wayne’s offensive and terrible version of Genghis Khan in The Conqueror would be at the top of the list. On the flip side, we have the Japanese actor Tadanobu Asano as the Mongolian king in Mongol. It’s not the most widely-known movie, as it’s a Russian production in Mandarin and Mongolian. It’s worth your time and effort to seek it out though, it’s fantastic. 

Judi Dench As Queen Victoria - Mrs. Brown

Is there a role out there that Dame Judi Dench doesn’t nail? That’s a rhetorical question, of course, and her performance as Queen Victoria in Mrs. Brown is certainly no exception. Though the actual history in the movie is dubious at best, putting that aside and enjoying the movie is easy with Dench as the recently widowed queen. 

Gerard Butler As Leonidas - 300

Of all the movies in this movie that stretch the true stories to their max, 300 wins in that category. Still, Gerard Butler’s portrayal of Leonidas is a fan-favorite for good reason. Sure, it’s mostly because he looks so darn good, but the movie is fun, exciting, and completely unique, so we’ll allow for a little historical nonsense. 

Richard Harris As Marcus Aurelius - Gladiator

Another movie on this list that takes a lot of liberties with its historical accuracy, Gladiator basically changes everything about Marcus Aurelius (Richard Harris) and Commodus’ (Joaquin Phoenix) real-life father/son relationship. But both Phoenix and Harris are fantastic in their roles, so again, we’ll allow it. 

Peter O'Toole As Henry II - The Lion In Winter

The Lion in Winter has a few excellent portrayals of royalty. Katherine Hepburn as Eleanor of Aquitaine, Timothy Dalton as King Philip of France, and Anthony Hopkins as a young Richard The Lionhearted. Of course, the lead in the film, Peter O’Toole as Henry II is the lead for a reason. In a career filled with amazing performances, this is one of O’Toole’s best and resulted in one of his eight Best Actor nominations. 

Chris Pine As Robert The Bruce - Outlaw King

Robert The Bruce has been portrayed in a few films, probably most famously by Angus Macfadyen in Braveheart. While that performance is great, Outlaw King, with Chris Pine in the lead role, is a more historically accurate version of the story of Robert fighting the English and rising to King of the Scots. 

Audiences have always been fascinated by the lives of monarchs worldwide, and that is not likely to change anytime soon. We’ll continue to see great portrayals of royalty in entertainment for a long time to come. 

There's always a lot of discussion around the Hollywood awards season, especially whenever it comes to snubs, and this year is no different. Some notable omissions from the 2024 Oscar nominations include Barbie's Margot Robbie and Greta Gerwig for Best Actress and Best Director, respectively. The two, however, were nominated in other categories. Still, the perceived slights have sparked conversations about the intricacies of award selections and the nature of cinematic achievements. Amidst many differing opinions, Helen Mirren, added her own grounded perspective, explaining why she isn’t upset over the Academy overlooking her fellow Barbie cast member and her director.

The celebrated British actress spoke to Entertainment Tonight at the 37th Annual American Cinematheque Awards. It was there that she reflected on the Academy's supposed cold shoulder with a disarmingly pragmatic and philosophical outlook. Her words offer a refreshing reminder of the bigger picture in the competitive world of film accolades. As the Catherine the Great performer’s puts it:

Helen Mirren makes a solid point. Most, including myself, can hardly remember what movies were nominated in 2023. However, I remember how I felt watching Viola Davis in her powerhouse performance in The Woman King, for which she did not get nominated. The Anna actress may know what she's talking about.

In January, when the Academy Award nominations were announced, many people were surprised that Greta Gerwig wasn't nominated for Best Director and Margot Robbie wasn't nominated for Best Lead Actress, despite their movie's success and their pivotal roles in that success. Robbie was still nominated for Best Picture as a producer on the film, while Gerwig received a nod for Best Adapted Screenplay alongside husband Noah Baumbach. Even though many would've liked to have seen the Barbie collaborators get those nods, Helen Mirren believes that how audiences responded to Gerwig's work is far more important and lasting. She continued:

These comments underscore a fundamental truth about the film industry: a movie's impact is measured not just in trophies and titles but in the hearts and minds of audiences worldwide. Barbie, under the helm of Greta Gerwig and the star power of Margot Robbie, achieved something remarkable—it transcended traditional moviegoing experiences. It even created a cultural moment with the box office hit Barbenheimer craze and conveyed a great message that resonated with millions. 

Margot Robbie and Greta Gerwig may not have scored those big nominations this year but, hopefully, they'll continue receiving the love and recognition from the industry and fans for their efforts. If you are eager to revisit Barbie before the awards ceremony, you only need a Max subscription. You can also check out the 96th Academy Awards on March 10 at 7 p.m. ET on ABC. Those looking forward to what this year has to offer in film can also look over the 2024 movie schedule.

Helen Mirren had a very important role in being part of the cast of Barbie. She was the box office-dominating film’s narrator, providing humor with her signature British accent. In addition to being heard though, Mirren was almost also seen drunk fighting in a scene with a fellow Oscar winner.

Greta Gerwig had no one else in mind to play Barbie’s narrator than Helen Mirren. Can you blame her? Mirren’s posh British accent was a reigning force for the comedy film. She brought humor while explaining in a serious tone the official governing rules of Barbieland and breaking the fourth wall that “Margot Robbie is the wrong person to cast” when Barbie is crying she’s not pretty anymore. 

According to Variety, we were close to actually seeing Helen Mirren on screen in Barbie who was about to drunk fight with a fellow Oscar winner in the movie. Here's which Oscar-winning actress she’s referring to:

I would have loved to have seen that! Mirren mentioned that the cut scene was supposed to be a parody of British people known for being supportive of their wins. A drunk fight between these two accomplished actresses on who’s the grandest British dame of them all would be one for the books. The two Oscar winners would know all about ruling since they’ve both played Queen Elizabeth II at different times in their lives.

Barbie has had a lot of familiar faces make cameos in the blockbuster flick, like America Ferrera’s real-life husband Ryan Piers Williams, John Cena, Dua Lipa, Ann Roth and more. But the Oscar-nominated movie could have been jam-packed with more recognizable A-listers, like Ben Affleck, who'd been lined up for a small role. The Gone Girl actor/director was actually supposed to be the one fighting off the construction workers building a wall around Barbieland instead of Michael Cera's Allan. 

We were also close to getting cameos from two actors from Little Women, Saoirse Ronan and Timothée Chalamet. It’s a shame the Lady Bird co-stars weren’t able to collaborate with Greta Gerwig again due to their busy schedules. I could picture them bringing a lot of whimsical humor playing Barbieland residents. Even Schitt’s Creek’s Dan Levy almost played a Ken, but he couldn’t embrace his Ken-ergy due to being booked with four projects the previous year. It would have been a real blast if all of these actors were able to take part in Barbie, but the fantasy-comedy film's existing cast helped make this movie all the more memorable just as well.

We may have missed out on seeing Helen Mirren drunkenly battle it out with Olivia Colman, but The Queen actress’s part voicing Barbie’s narrator was still a humorous addition to the movie. You can hear the beautiful voice of the British actress in the Warner Bros. movie on your Max subscription. Make sure to take a look at our 2024 movie releases so you don’t miss out on this year’s upcoming cinematic entertainment.

Very few people can say that they started out working their dream job and celebrities — excluding some well-known child stars, of course — are certainly no exception. Many of the biggest names on the A-list used to make a living doing something completely different than what they are now famous for, but at least some of them can say that one of their earliest jobs was especially different. Take a look at some of our favorite examples of not-so-average professions famous people took on before hitting it big.

Meghan Markle (Calligrapher)

Even before Meghan Markle married Prince Harry, she knew how the write like a princess. According to People, the former Suits cast member used to work part-time as a professional calligrapher, writing out wedding invitations for the likes of Robin Thicke and Paula Patton and even teaching the craft.

Whoopi Goldberg (Mortuary Cosmetologist)

Even before teaming up with a “spirited” Patrick Swayze in the 1990 romantic supernatural thriller, Ghost, Whoopi Goldberg knew a thing or two about the dead. The future EGOT winner recalled to David Letterman on Late Night how she used to work in a mortuary putting makeup on corpses and styling their hair.

Matthew McConaughey (Golf Course Armadillo Hunter)

Matthew McConaughey broke through in the industry with his unforgettable performance in Dazed and Confused in 1994. Earlier than that (as he revealed to GQ), the Academy Award-winning Texas native worked at Oak Forest Country Club initially to just rake the golf course sand traps, until he was asked to also help get rid of an armadillo infestation. All right, all right, all right.

Christopher Walken (Lion Tamer)

Did you ever notice how often Christopher Walken has played an animal — such in 2016’s astonishing The Jungle Book remake as King Louie or in the 1998 animated adventure, Antz? Well, as the Oscar-winner revealed to Vanity Fair, he actually has a unique connection with animals, having gained some experience with lion taming while working at a traveling circus.

Simu Liu (Birthday Party Spider-Man)

When Simu Liu led the Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings cast in the title role, technically, that was not his first time playing a Marvel Comics character. While on Jimmy Kimmel Live, the Chinese-Canadian actor shared that he used to dress up as Spider-Man and entertain children at birthday parties.

Jennifer Lopez (Law Office Tax Return Filer)

Most people know that one of Jennifer Lopez’s earliest jobs before becoming “Jenny from the Block” was dancing with the Fly Girls on In Living Color. Yet, the Bronx Times revealed that, before even then, she spent her Saturdays at the Thomas Lavin Law Office filing tax returns.

Margot Robbie (Sandwich Artist)

From the way Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn speaks so passionately about a certain breakfast item in 2020’s Birds of Prey, you might think the Australian actor knows a thing or two about making sandwiches, and you would be correct. The Academy Award nominee spoke to Sean Evans on Hot Ones about her time as a “sandwich artist” at Subway, where she actually invented a few delicious concoctions of her own.

Terry Crews (Courtroom Sketch Artist)

A lesser-known fact about Terry Crews is that he is an exceptional drawer and even showed some of the best examples from his portfolio on Jimmy Kimmel Live. During that same visit, the Brooklyn Nine-Nine cast member and America’s Got Talent host recalled how he put that talent to great use by working for a television station sketching scenes from local trials in his hometown of Flint, Michigan.

Megan Fox (Smoothie Shop Banana Mascot)

One time when Megan Fox appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, the actor fell prey to the host’s recurring “jump scare” gag, courtesy of a person dressed as up as a banana. The costume choice was in reference to the Transformers movies star’s first job at a smoothie shop, for which she would, sometimes, have to dress as the yellow fruit to promote the business.

Hugh Jackman (Clown)

While known best for playing very intimidating characters like Wolverine in the X-Men movies, Hugh Jackman is known to be a very funny and charming presence offscreen. It makes sense when you discover the Australian actor used to work as a clown, but would reveal to Howard Stern that his talents were limited to juggling and found entertaining children above three years old quite difficult.

Eva Mendes (Hot Dog On A Stick Vendor)

Fun fact: one of Eva Mendes’ earliest show business gigs was appearing in Will Smith’s 1998 “Miami” video before reuniting with him in Hitch seven years later. Before then, she made dough working at a “hot dog on a stick place,” which she revealed to Australia’s Will & Woody radio show (via Daily Mail) that she was actually fired from for giving an inappropriate Secret Santa gift to a coworker.

Sylvester Stallone (Girls Boarding School Dorm Bouncer)

Even if Sylvester Stallone had not written one of the best sports movies ever, 1976’s Rocky, he could have landed the title role of the aspiring boxer by his physicality alone. According to a profile by People, his jacked frame came in handy when he was 18 and started working at a Swiss boarding school to both teach gym and keep unwanted guests out of the girls dorms.

Wanda Sykes (NSA)

As one of the funniest people of her generation — and the star of one of Paramount+’s best stand-up comedy specials — it may come as a surprise to learn that Wanda Sykes used to work for an organization as serious as the National Security Agency. However, as she explained on The Rich Eisen Show, her job did not involve covert operations or filing classified material, but “buying stuff” for the office, mostly.

Chris Pratt (Coupon Salesperson) 

Before joining an insane amount of franchises (including the MCU’s Guardians of the Galaxy movies to the Jurassic World trilogy), Chris Pratt had humble beginnings as a supporting character on hit TV shows Everwood and Parks and Recreation. However, his true beginnings were even humbler, having revealed during an appearance on Conan that he once sold coupons door-to-door and did well enough to manage his own office of salespeople.

Taylor Swift (Praying Mantis Exterminator)

Years before taking on the world as a hit singer-songwriter, Taylor Swift grew up on a Christmas tree farm where everyone in her family was given a different task. As she told Esquire, the star of the sensational “Eras Tour” had the job “picking praying-mantis pods off of the trees” so that customers would not have an invasion of multi-legged uninvited guests.

Brad Pitt (Chicken Restaurant Mascot)

With how many intimidating roles Brad Pitt has played, from Fight Club’s Tyler Durden to Cliff Booth in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, the last thing anyone would think to call the actor is “a chicken.” Yet, you would not have been wrong if, decades ago, you spotted him when he made a living dressed as the mascot for California chicken restaurant El Pollo Loco, as he recalled on The Ellen Show in 2019.

Cindy Crawford (Corn Shucker)

One of the most famous models of all time, Cindy Crawford, first took on that profession in Chicago when she was 17, at a rate of $1,000 per day. A profile for Town & Country mentions that the modeling gig “sure beat shucking corn for $4 an hour,” which is something she did for a summer when she was younger.

Helen Mirren (Amusement Park Blagger)

Academy Award winner Helen Mirren technically got her start as an actor by participating in the National Youth Theatre before she was invited into the Royal Shakespeare Company, but first started honing her performance skills as a “blagger” for a London amusement park. While appearing on Mark Maron’s WTF Podcast, she defined “blagging” as shouting “something incomprehensible out to someone just to get their attention.”

Taraji P. Henson (Pentagon Secretary/Tina Turner Cover Singer)

Some of Taraji P. Henson’s most famous roles, such as Shug in Hustle & Flow and Cookie (a notable TV divorcée) on Empire, are linked to the music industry — a fact that is made even more interesting when you discover she used to work on a Potomac River cruise ship singing Tina Turner covers. Per Vanity Fair, at that same time, the future Academy Award nominee’s day job was at the Pentagon as a secretary.

Steve Buscemi (Firefighter)

While not exactly a “weird” job, it is intriguing to learn that Steve Buscemi used to work as a New York firefighter before landing roles like Mr. Pink in Reservoir Dogs. He would later revisit this time in his both onscreen (in The King of Staten Island) and in real life when — per The Independent — he volunteered to help his old company, Engine 55, search for survivors of the World Trade Center attacks on September 11, 2001.

Ken Jeong (Doctor)

After starring in 2009’s The Hangover cast and the Community cast made him a star, Ken Jeong led his own sitcom called Dr. Ken. The short-lived ABC comedy was actually based on the comedian’s previous career as an internal medicine specialist, during which he pursued comedy merely to “let off some steam,” as he shared to NPR.

Ashton Kutcher (Cereal Factory Sweeper)

Before hitting it big as Michael Kelso in the That ‘70s Show cast and, later, making innovations in the tech industry, Ashton Kutcher got his start in the cereal industry. To be more precise, as he recalled on Hot Ones, the actor swept the floors of loose Cheerios shavings at a General Mills factory.

Halsey (DMV Photographer)

As a chart-topping Grammy nominee and a non-actor who nailed her SNL hosting gig, Halsey is a person who boasts many skills but has only demonstrated a few to the public, as it turns out. She revealed in a tweet that, when she was still “Ashley Frangipane,” she worked “loads” of different jobs, but the one that caught our eye was taking “license photos at the DMV.”

Zayn Malik (Boxer)

While he did not actually make a living doing this, before competing on The X Factor and joining One Direction made Zayn Malik a star, he trained in boxing in his mid-to-late teens. In 2013, he told Daily Star (via Digital Spy) that he aspired to pursue the sport full-time at some point.

Jennifer Aniston (Bike Messenger)

As part of the Friends cast, Jennifer Aniston became one of the highest-paid actors of her time, but in her earlier years, did several odd jobs for her mother’s advertising firm. One of them, as she shared on The Tonight Show, was being a bike messenger “for a day” that she admits she decided to finish out by taking a cab for final delivery.

George Clooney (Insurance Salesman)

Despite technically growing up in a show business family (his father, Nick Clooney, is a former TV personality, and his aunt, Rosemary, acted), it took time for George Clooney to find fame of his own. According to The Standard, the Oscar-winning actor and filmmaker worked various low-paying jobs early on — one of which was going door-to-door, selling insurance.

Jon Hamm (Adult Film Set Dresser)

Very few A-listers would be willing to admit they worked in the adult film industry, but Jon Hamm had no problem talking to Howard Stern about it. For $100 a day, the Emmy-winning Mad Men cast member worked as a set dresser for, as he described them, “Skinemax movies.”

Amy Adams (Hooters Server)

Many people might say that they first saw Amy Adams when she appeared on The Office in its first season, but others might be able to claim she served them at Hooters. The Academy Award nominee told Entertainment Tonight that the restaurant chain gig was a “great way” to make ends meet during college before she found success as an actor.

Chris Hemsworth (Human Milk Pump Cleaner)

During a game of “True Confessions” with Kumail Nanjiani and host Jimmy Fallon on The Tonight Show, MCU star Chris Hemsworth’s potentially false personal fact stated that he used to clean and repair human milk pumps for pharmacies to rent when he was 14. It turned out to be the truth.

Danny DeVito (Morgue Hairdresser)

An artist known for his morbid sense of humor — as he has demonstrated by his crazy moments as Frank Reynolds on It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia and by helming movies like Duplex and Death to Smoochy — is Danny DeVito. Perhaps he got it from the several times he worked as a hairdresser for female corpses — a story he shared on The Always Sunny Podcast (via Unilad).

Channing Tatum (Exotic Dancer)

If you ever wondered how Channing Tatum learned to dance the way he does in 2012’s Magic Mike, according to an interview with Flicks and Bits, the drama was inspired by his own life before acting. In 2015, the actor recalled to Howard Stern how he started his brief exotic dancing career when he was 19 after dropping out of college.

Miley Cyrus (Undergarment Collector)

Miley Cyrus is one of the few examples on our list who actually did come from a show business family, but having a rock star like Billy Ray Cyrus as her dad also led to her first odd job. The former Hannah Montana star told Rolling Stone that, when she was much younger, her father used to pay her $10 for picking up women's undergarments that had been thrown on stage during his concerts.

Some of these jobs would make us thankful to eventually be an actor or singer if we were in any of these celebrity’s shoes. However, others sound like an interesting way to make a living.

When you look at the landscape of Hollywood A-List actors, it’s hard to believe how many haven’t been nominated for an Oscar. Even crazier is looking back on previous nominees like Meryl Streep and Gary Oldman’s careers and seeing where their first brush with golden glory came from. That’s what we’re gathered together to do today, as we look back on a who’s who of acting talent, and those first projects that put them on The Academy’s map! 

Meryl Streep - The Deer Hunter

Where does one begin when talking about Meryl Streep’s own personal golden dynasty? Well, if you want to start at the beginning, you’d take it all the way back to 1978. That’s when Michael Cimino’s The Deer Hunter put Ms. Streep on the Academy’s radar for the first time. At the time of publication, Streep is the most nominated person at the Academy Awards, thanks to a whopping 21 nods.

Daniel Day-Lewis - My Left Foot

The year 1990 marked an important moment for iconic actor, and three-time Academy Award winner, Daniel Day-Lewis. The now-retired thespian found himself winning on his first time out, with his nomination for the role of Irish writer and painter Christy Brown in My Left Foot. His portrayal of Brown, who created art while living with Cerebral Palsy, was only the beginning of a legacy involving method acting, which led to several more nominations and wins in the process.

Amy Adams - Junebug

Let’s put aside the fact that Amy Adams and Arrival were failed by awards boards in the 2016- 2017 season. Outside of that grudge that some still hold dear, Adams has a total of six Oscar nominations to her credit. That’s pretty amazing, with the first nod coming from her performance in 2005’s Junebug. With that noted, we can go back to grousing about how she deserves to be at seven nods, thanks to Denis Villeneuve’s brain-breaking masterpiece.

Leonardo DiCaprio - What’s Eating Gilbert Grape

While Leonardo DiCaprio could finally call himself a winner as part of 2016’s Academy Award nominees, the path to that victory for The Revenant kicked off in 1994. A hot young talent, DiCaprio’s first nomination was for his role alongside Johnny Depp in the drama What’s Eating Gilbert Grape? Turns out, when it was winning time for Leo, the answer to that question was, “A bear.”

Sandra Bullock - The Blind Side

One of America’s sweethearts, Sandra Bullock can be counted as a member of the First Timer's Club. Her first nomination was also the one that won her the trophy, as the 2010 Academy Awards yielded a golden win for her role in The Blind Side. Despite the recent controversies and lawsuit from Michael Oher that have hit that film’s story about the football player and the Tuohys, this is a hard-earned win, and the first of two nominations so far for Ms. Bullock. 

Tom Hanks - Big

We all know that Tom Hanks is Academy Award-winning royalty, as America’s Dad has six nominations and two wins under his belt. Looking back at the fact that his first competition for Oscar glory came from 1988’s Big, it’s an impressive feat for happening so early in Hanks’ career as an actor. It’s even more stunning when you take into account that it was for a comedy performance, which isn’t as prevalent at the Oscars as one would hope.

Viola Davis - Doubt

Despite the title of the film she was first nominated for, there was absolutely no Doubt when it came to Viola Davis’ status as an Oscar contender. Her first round came in 2008, through that very film mentioned; and she would eventually be nominated three more times, at the time of this publication. Her first win came in 2016 after she starred with fellow Oscar titan Denzel Washington in the film adaptation of Fences. (It's also worth mentioning that this actress is also in the elite club of EGOT winners.)

Peter O’Toole - Lawrence Of Arabia

Tied with Glenn Close for the most Oscar nominations without a win, the late great Peter O’Toole banked his first Academy Awards nod with the movie you’d most expect. Thanks to the director David Lean’s 1962 epic Lawrence of Arabia, O’Toole began a dance with Academy voters that only saw him net a 2002 Honorary Academy Award. 

Jodie Foster - Taxi Driver

In the world of Disney actors turned Academy Award contenders, Jodie Foster will always be one of the most notable in that field. At the age of 15, Foster saw her first nomination through her only Best Supporting Actress nod to date. The eventual victor for films like The Accused and The Silence of the Lambs, Jodie first competed for Oscar glory through the role of child prostitute Iris Steensma in Martin Scorsese’s Taxi Driver. 

Morgan Freeman - Street Smart

Even movies with Oscar buzz can become buried in the sands of time. Just ask Morgan Freeman, who first saw himself nominated at the Academy Awards in 1987 for Street Smart. A crime drama starring Christopher Reeve as an ambitious reporter profiling Freeman’s pimp character Leo “Fast Black” Smalls Jr., it’s a movie that most wouldn’t remember; especially when compared to the other films the prestigious actor would be nominated for.

Cate Blanchett - Elizabeth

Playing royalty almost feels like a shortcut to winning big-time gold. However, Cate Blanchett is one of those exceptions that sets the rules. While she would later win trophies for The Aviator and Blue Jasmine, Blanchett’s first bid for an Academy Award came in 1999, thanks to the titular role in director Shekhar Kapur’s Elizabeth. 

Anthony Hopkins - The Silence Of The Lambs

Horror is one of those genres that doesn’t seem to get much love on the awards circuit. However, when the results are something as chilling as director Jonathan Demme’s adaptation of The Silence of the Lambs, containing Anthony Hopkins’ equally unsettling performance as Dr. Hannibal Lecter, it’s hard not to take notice. Score another First Timer’s Club victory, as Hopkins took home the gold his first time up.

Charlize Theron - Monster

Portraying the criminal mind provides such an allure for actors and auteurs alike. A case proving that point was Charlize Theron’s portrayal of convicted killer Aileen Wuornos in Patty Jenkins’ film Monster, her first nomination out of three at the time of this writing. Theron won the Best Actress trophy on the first try in 2004, all thanks to this tale of true crime. 

Christian Bale - The Fighter

Able to disappear completely in any character he plays, Academy Award winner Christian Bale has four nominations to his name. Equally split between Best Supporting Actor and Best Actor accolades, his first roll of the dice in 2011 landed him a win in the former category; thanks to David O. Russell’s The Fighter. 

Kate Winslet - Sense And Sensibility

The works of Jane Austen are another one of those sources that seem to periodically score nominations at the Oscars. Kate Winslet’s first is part of the proof, as the first of her current total of seven Academy Award nominations (and one win) came from 1995’s Sense and Sensibility. Ms. Winslet’s heart would go on to win Best Actress…in 2009, for Stephen Daldry’s The Reader.

Denzel Washington - Cry Freedom

Let’s see if King Kong knows this piece of movie trivia. Actor Denzel Washington has had 10 Oscar nominations, with two wins coming from that pool. While most would be tempted to cite his win for Glory as the first time he was nominated, that is incorrect. Washington’s first Academy Awards ceremony happened two years earlier in 1988, for his part in the film Cry Freedom. 

Kathy Bates - Misery

Frightening characters can make for the most golden of dreams, as was proven with 1991’s Academy Awards. Kathy Bates took home her first award on her first nomination, through the role of Anne Wilkes in Rob Reiner’s Misery. A “brilliant” adaptation of Stephen King’s novel, this fan favorite is one of many that’s seen the famed horror author’s work turning in some of the most well-regarded films and performances of all time.

George Clooney - Good Night, And Good Luck/Syriana

Here’s a wild story: George Clooney’s first Oscar nominations came from not one, but two films he was involved with. 2006’s Academy Awards saw the ER veteran land and win Best Supporting Actor for his role in Syriana, while one of CinemaBlend’s 100 best movies of the 2000s, Good Night, And Good Luck., netted him a Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay nod in that same contest.

Helen Mirren - The Madness Of King George

Did you know that half of Helen Mirren’s four Oscar nominations came from playing royalty? Surely most know of Mirren’s win in 2007 as Queen Elizabeth II in The Queen. But, dear readers, another queen marked the start of Dame Helen’s Academy Awards history. Her Best Supporting Actress nod in 1995 for The Madness of King George would be her initial foray into this circuit, playing Queen Charlotte to Nigel Hawthorne’s titular monarch.

Judi Dench - Mrs. Brown

Dame Judi Dench is another regal figure that practically screams “Oscar” when you see her. Another member of the club of actors winning as royalty, Dench would win in 1999 for her as Queen Elizabeth I in Shakespeare in Love. That was only on her second try, because in 1998 Dame Judi received her first nomination, playing Queen Victoria in the film Mrs. Brown.

Dustin Hoffman - The Graduate

And here’s to you, Mr. Hoffman; Oscar came a’calling very young. At 30 years old, Dustin Hoffman saw his first Academy Award nomination through starring in 1967’s The Graduate. What may be more surprising than the actual 6-year age gap between himself and co-star Anne Bancroft is that his first Oscar win would take place 12 years later, with 1980’s Kramer vs. Kramer.

Susan Sarandon - Atlantic City

Five nominations and one win are actor Susan Sarandon’s Academy Award legacy, at the time of this writing. But her first nomination was from an Oscar-buzzed title that most folks may not remember: 1981’s Atlantic City. With nominations in “The Big Five” categories, Sarandon and the film at large walked away empty-handed that year.

Russell Crowe - The Insider

Before his name was Maximus Decimus Meridius, Russell Crowe found himself heading to the Oscars under a different moniker: Jeffrey Wigand. Nominated for the first time in 2000, Crowe’s role in Michael Mann’s whistleblower drama The Insider gave the Australian actor his first golden thrill ride. One that he’d repeat in 2001, and win for through the strength and honor of Ridley Scott’s Gladiator.

Angela Bassett - What’s Love Got To Do With It

Surprisingly, Angela Bassett only received her second nomination as part of 2023's Academy Awards, thanks to Marvel Studio’s Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Bassett’s first nomination came from playing royalty of a different type, as her lead role in the Tina Turner biopic What’s Love Got To Do With It saw her walking the Oscar red carpet in 1994.

Gary Oldman - Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

Count this as another shocker in Oscar nominations history: Gary Oldman only received his first Academy Awards nomination in 2012. You’d think the Bram Stoker’s Dracula actor would have had more than the three nods and one win he currently holds. However, his dreams of golden splendor only started after he played George Smiley in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. 

Julia Roberts - Steel Magnolias

With three nominations and one win, Julia Roberts’ odds of firing you up or making you cry with her Academy Award-nominated projects are officially even. Her first time in the race came in 1990, in the dramedy classic Steel Magnolias. For those of you who haven’t seen the film, we’ll leave it to you to find out which bucket this particular nom falls into on your own time.

Al Pacino - The Godfather

Some roles are such an indelible part of an actor’s career, they just had to land an Oscar nomination for it. Al Pacino is certainly one of those cases, as he would turn his first Best Supporting Actor nomination for The Godfather into a Best Actor nod in The Godfather Part II. Both stem from his portrayal of Michael Corleone, the favorite son who descended into darkness and power.

Anne Hathaway - Rachel Getting Married

“It came true.” Those three words marked the end of Anne Hathaway’s journey to Oscar gold, with her second nomination and first win for Best Supporting Actress in Les Miserables. But the beginning of Ms. Hathaway’s Academy Awards journey was in 2009, when she was nominated for Best Actress in Rachel Getting Married. 

Matt Damon - Good Will Hunting

Matt Damon and Ben Affleck both won their first Oscars for Best Original Screenplay, thanks to 1998’s Good Will Hunting. But much like other members of the First Timers Club in this list, Damon’s first victory was also his first time at the dance. How ‘bout dem apples indeed.

Jennifer Lawrence - Winter’s Bone

The second time was the charm for Jennifer Lawrence, as her role in Silver Linings Playbook made her a winner in 2013. That wasn’t too long after her initial foray into Oscar victory, which came in 2011 thanks to her lead role in the neo-noir gem Winter’s Bone. Who’d expect any less from the eventual "girl on fire" that would lead The Hunger Games to box office domination?

Ben Affleck - Good Will Hunting

Sailing on the same current as his writing partner and longtime buddy Matt Damon, Ben Affleck’s first Oscar nomination came from his co-authoring of Good Will Hunting. And to think, if Damon and Affleck’s hijinks involving the script hadn’t worked, we may never have seen either contributor go on to the storied careers they enjoy today.

Samuel L. Jackson - Pulp Fiction

Fans of Samuel L. Jackson are about to engage in some harsh language, as the current MCU star only has one Academy Award nomination. While it’s rightful for his Best Supporting Actor-worthy role in Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction, the man’s gone on to deliver several other powerhouse performances worth at least a nod or two. This is something that not even the tastiest beverage could wash away.

As an actor, you never know where that first win or nomination is going to come from. And when you're an A-lister as iconic as the people we've just discussed, those initial impressions are all the more interesting to look at as time goes on. Who knows where these blockbuster draws will find their next brush with golden glory, and how it will compare to these humble beginnings? 

Only a handful of comedies truly manage to penetrate the pop culture zeitgeist and become true classics. Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story is such a movie, as it remains a fan favorite nearly two decades after its theatrical release. Amid the sea of people who adore the sports flick is at least one very famous face – Helen Mirren. That’s right the dame herself is a superfan of the 2004 movie, which is officially set to get a sequel. On that note, Mirren has some strong thoughts about the notion of a follow-up. 

Should we really be surprised that someone who’s been a part of such incredible movies has great taste in cinema? Probably not, but it was still delightful nonetheless to hear the Oscar winner shout out the Vince Vaughn-led movie during an interview with The Los Angeles Times. The star proudly declared that it’s one of her favorite movies while chatting with the news outlet. When it comes to the upcoming sequel, she shared a very direct thought regarding how it might compare to its predecessor: 

Needless to say, she definitely has a soft spot for this movie, and I don’t blame her. Her assertion about the sequel also isn’t unreasonable. There’s actually even a firm chance some fans feel the same way Helen Mirren does. The production has an incredibly high bar to hit, considering the standard set by the original. In short, the cast and crew are really going to need to bring their A-game – in more ways than one – for this particular cinematic endeavor. 

Directed by Rawson Marshall Thurber, Dodgeball tells the story of a ragtag team that faces the possible closure of their beloved gym. In order to save the location, they enter a dodgeball tournament in Las Vegas that offers a $50,000 prize. Starring alongside lead actor Vince Vaughn are Ben Stiller, Christine Taylor, Justin Long, Alan Tudyk, Stephen Root and Rip Torn. The movie became a box office hit, earning over $160 million worldwide against its $20 million budget, and it also earned mostly positive reviews.

The road to a follow-up has been incredibly bumpy, to say the least. Writer Clay Tarver was tapped to pen the sequel in 2013 but, by 2018, Rawson Marshall Thurber’s assertion that he’d said everything he wanted in the first movie gave the impression that fans should stop waiting for Dodgeball 2. However, this past spring, it was reported that the movie was in development, with Vince Vaughn returning to star and produce. Jordan VanDina is also attached as screenwriter. Plot details have not been revealed, and there’s been no word regarding whether Thurber (who’s since directed Skyscraper and Red Notice) will return.

Whenever the production sees the light of day, it’s probably safe to assume that Helen Mirren will check it out at some point. Though it sounds like the producers are really going to have to go above and beyond to craft a movie that surpasses her love for the first one. Hopefully, the follow-up lives up to the hype and garners a positive response from Dame Mirren. 

You can stream Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story using a Hulu subscription and, if you’re looking to check out more recent comedies in theaters, read over the schedule of 2023 new movie releases.

The Barbenheimer week is upon us, with new movies by Christopher Nolan and Greta Gerwig packing audiences into theaters, potentially for double features that will deal with the creation of the first atom bomb, and the existential crisis facing Barbie (Margot Robbie). The best part about this weekend is that it’s not a gag. Both movies have been favorably reviewed (go read our Oppenheimer review, as well as our Barbie review), and if they are able to give the theatrical model a shot in the arm after a few lackluster performers, the industry as a whole will breathe easily. That doesn’t mean that Barbie wasn’t tinkered with on its way to the theaters, as director Greta Gerwig tells the ReelBlend podcast about an F-bomb she ultimately cut, and who it involved. 

Barbie may look like it’s for kids, but that’s likely not the case. The movie carries a PG-13 rating, and based on the trailer, has plenty of jokes that would soar over the heads of young audience members. Like that homage to Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey. And as it turns out, there was a page-one F-bomb that Greta Gerwig decided to cut. And it involved … the first woman to win the Nobel Prize?! Gerwig is a guest on ReelBlend, CinemaBlend’s official podcast, and she told us about the scene she decided to cut, saying: 

Greta Gerwig went on to confirm that Helen Mirren did indeed record the line. So somewhere out in the world, there’s audio of the Fast & Furious co-star (I’m kidding) telling Marie Curie to pipe the fuck down. And that’s wonderful. Here’s the complete Gerwig interview on this week’s ReelBlend:

Do you have tickets for Barbie yet? The movie is tracking to make north of $150 million, which would be a stellar opening for a comedy that’s resting on the power of proven IP, but isn’t a familiar franchise the way that Indiana Jones or Mission: Impossible are, with built-in audiences. Naturally, it’s being sold on the star power of Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling, Robbie’s feet, and the fact that it’s the latest movie from Gerwig, who is coming off of both Lady Bird and Little Women. 

The month of July is ending very strong, but that doesn’t mean we don’t have plenty of upcoming 2023 movies still on the radar, so enjoy this weekend as a viewer, and then keep supporting the movie industry moving forward.

The 10th installment in the ridiculously popular Fast & Furious saga is finally upon us. Fans last caught up with Vin Diesel’s Dom Toretto and the crew in 2021’s F9, and in Fast X — the first movie of a two-part finale (or possibly a trilogy, per Diesel) — the family will be confronted with their past. Jason Momoa joins the franchise as the son of Hernan Reyes from Fast Five, and he’s seeking revenge against Dom’s family for their role in his father’s death. With just a week until the blockbuster hits theaters, some have had the opportunity to attend an early screening, and they’re hitting social media with their first reactions.

In addition to Jason Momoa’s “flamboyant bad boy” Dante, others joining the Fast & Furious universe include Brie Larson, Alan Ritchson, Daniela Melchior and Rita Moreno. The Fast X cast also returns a lot of our favorites from the past two decades, including Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, Ludacris, Jordana Brewster, Cardi B, Charlize Theron, John Cena, Jason Statham, Helen Mirren and more. So let’s see what people are saying about the epic 10th film, starting with CinemaBlend’s Eric Eisenberg, who praises Momoa’s “gleeful psychopath,” tweeting: 

KIrsten Acuna of Insider is one of several people saying this feels like the franchise’s Infinity War, with Dante as Thanos. In her tweet thread, she says she ranks it about in the middle of the Fast & Furious movies and definitely has some quibbles, but overall can’t wait to see it again. Acuna’s full breakdown: 

Liam Crowley of Comicbook.com calls the film “utterly ridiculous,” but surely he means it in the very best way. Be sure to make it to the theater to see this one on the big screen, Crowley tweets: 

Jason Momoa is the subject of many of the first reactions, including that of ScreenRant’s Joseph Deckelmeier, who says the actor oozes charisma as Dante:

Even Germain Lussier of Gizmodo, who calls Fast X the “worst Fast yet,” concedes that the Aquaman star is “God-Level” in his franchise introduction. His performance alone is worth the price of admission, Lussier says: 

In addition to Jason Momoa, who film critic Simon Thompson calls “decadent,” Alan Ritchson is another standout. Despite the large cast, somehow Fast X doesn’t feel like it’s got too many cooks in the kitchen. Thompson continues: 

The impending release of Fast X has also brought about news regarding Dwayne Johnson’s future with the Fast & Furious franchise, after he was absent from F9. I’ll avoid saying anything more here, but fans who are invested in what’s going on with Luke Hobbs can click that link.

Overall, it sounds like audiences are in for another wild ride — and we’ve come to expect nothing less from these movies — and Jason Momoa sounds like a thrilling addition to an already stacked cast. If you need to relive any of the previous installments ahead of Fast X’s release to theaters on Friday, May 19, check out how to watch the first nine Fast and Furious movies. Also be sure to see what else is hitting the big screen soon with our 2023 movie release schedule. 

While I’d say it’s easy to reckon the majority of the fanbase for Taylor Sheridan’s Yellowstone universe would be absolutely gobsmacked to be working amongst the various series’ star-studded casts. That’d be particularly reckon-able when it comes to 1923’s cast of superstars, from leads Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren to recurring James Bond icon Timothy Dalton. Understandably, even some of the actors found themselves to be a bit starstruck during various points in the production. Including scenes filmed in the bedroom and between the sheets, grin grin, wink wink, nudge nudge.

For as much heartbreak and tragedy as there was readily available during the ten-episode first season of 1923 on Paramount+, the show definitely factored in more than a few moments of love and levity between the characters. And when such storytelling was such that it required Ford’s Jacob to be in bed with Mirren’s Cara, even the Oscar and Emmy winner hilariously had to self-awarely keep herself on task. 

Here’s how she put it when speaking reflecting on working with Harrison Ford during a panel Q&A for TheWrap:

Helen Mirren is living proof that it doesn’t matter if one is in skimpy PJs or the most modest, old-timey nightwear, lying in bed next to a fellow cinematic legend can still be equally mentally intimidating and intriguing. Who cares if it’s happening on a set while cameras are around? Acting is all about getting swept away in a moment despite the artifice, whatever that moment might entail.

Plus, it’s not like Taylor Sheridan scripted anything inherently filthy taking place beyond hugging and smooching within their bedroom. (Those kinds of acts, from public sex romps to totally non-sexual horse masturbation, are more of a signature on Yellowstone proper.) As such, Helen Mirren’s nervousness could remain on an adorably polite “fan yourself with a magazine” level. 

Although maybe not completely innocent, as she amusingly said the following a little before bringing up filming an in-bed scene with Ford:

Helen Mirren has been married to another famous Taylor — filmmaker Taylor Hackford — since 1997. He helmed the 1992 adaptation of Stephen King’s Dolores Claiborne, which I mainly bring up because Kathy Bates would be a fantastic addition to Sheridan’s western world, and I wanted to put that thought into the universe.

To be clear, the actress spoke quite a bit about how giving and invested a performer Harrison Ford is, and credits him with growing in those respects as an actor since they time they worked together on 1986's The Mosquito Coast. Which probably just fanned those flames of G-rated desire, amirite?

Will we see more from Helen Mirren and Harrison Ford while horizontal in the previously renewed Season 2? Will Taylor Sheridan maybe catch wind of her quotes and bemusedly write a more pointedly tawdry moment between the two? We’ll have to wait and see when the next season joins the rest of the upcoming Yellowstone projects, even if the flagship series is set to potentially end with Season 5 over alleged scheduling conflicts with Kevin Costner.

Maybe that whole situation should get in bed with Ford and Mirren for a bit.

Unfortunately, it’s well-documented that Hollywood has a tendency to be sexist and ageist as told by various women in the industry over the years. As we continue to observe Women’s History Month this year, we’re looking at the actresses across movies and television currently working today that have carved out a place for themselves despite the status quo favoring younger actresses, whilst it's the norm for the male actors to enjoy careers well into their 60s, 70s and beyond. 

It was reported a few years back by the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media that while characters over 50 make up a fifth of characters on television, only a fourth of them are played by women (via Buzzfeed). With that in mind, there’s a gender gap with opportunities being favored for older men much more than women. Thankfully, these actresses have found a way to thrive in Hollywood after turning 50.  

Michelle Yeoh 

Recently, at the 2023 Oscars, the ceremony actually celebrated numerous actresses that are thriving after 50, including Best Actress winner, Michelle Yeoh. The Everything Everywhere All At Once lead accepted the award not only as the first Asian actress to win in the category, but as a “beacon” of hope for more women her age to be seen in major roles. As she accepted the trophy, she said: "Ladies, don't let anybody tell you you are past your prime." 

Yeoh has been over 50 in Hollywood for over a decade now, and is enjoying an exciting era in her career by finding key roles in successful movies like Crazy Rich Asians and Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, or finding empowering roles in recent TV series like Star Trek: Discovery and The Witcher: Blood Origin. 

Jamie Lee Curtis

Yeoh’s Everything Everywhere co-star Jamie Lee Curtis also took home an Oscar for the movie in the Best Supporting Actress category after over 45 years working in Hollywood. Curtis was a teenager when she found her breakout role in Halloween, but decade after decade she has continued to be cast in exciting roles, especially after turning 50. In Curtis’ fifties and sixties the actress has revived her role as Laurie Strode in a new Halloween trilogy, starred in Knives Out and has a wealth of roles on the horizon, including Borderlands and Haunted Mansion. 

Angela Bassett 

Curtis’ fellow nominee in the Best Supporting Actress category in 2023 was Angela Bassett, for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, who also remains a working icon into her mid-sixties. Aside from starring as Queen Ramonda in the Marvel franchise, the actress continues to lead the network series 9-1-1 along with appearing in multiple seasons of American Horror Story and recently being part of the Mission: Impossible franchise.

Helen Mirren

One of the most iconic actresses to consistently nab interesting roles for herself following turning 50 is Helen Mirren. The British talent hit the milestone in 1995, before she’d made some of her most beloved and best movies, like 2001’s Gosford Park, 2003’s Calendar Girls or her 2006 Oscar-winning performance in The Queen. Mirren has continued to play leading roles in the past decade, such as starring in the Red films, her incredible role in the Fast and the Furious movies along with leading 1923 and Shazam! Fury of the Gods within the past year. 

Jane Fonda & Lily Tomlin

While I could certainly talk about Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin in their own right, the fact that this pair got themselves their own hit comedy series, Grace and Frankie, in their late seventies (across seven seasons, no less) deserves to be celebrated. These two have modeled, brought life to and joked about the lives of older women who are best friends, and we’re so blessed it exists. The pair hit 50 in the late ‘80s and thrived, remaining booked and busy. Among the 2023 new movie releases, they are in back-to-back movies together, too, 80 For Brady and Moving On. 

Rita Moreno

One of Rita Moreno’s first roles was in 1952’s Singin’ in the Rain. Seventy years later her career is still very much popping, between starring in Netflix’s sitcom, One Day At A Time, and voicing the role of Carmen Sandiego for the original animated series. This year, Moreno also starred in 80 For Brady and has joined the Fast and the Furious franchise as Dominic Toretto’s grandma. 

Sally Field

Speaking of 80 For Brady leads, Sally Field has continued to remain relevant and very much respected in Hollywood at the age of 76. From being nominated for an Oscar for her role in Steven Spielberg’s Lincoln to bringing new life to Aunt May in The Amazing Spider-Man movies, or starring in critically acclaimed movies like Hello, My Name Is Doris and Spoiler Alert, Field has continued to impress after a massive first half of her career. 

Emma Thompson

In the nearly 15 years that Emma Thompson has been over 50, she has accomplished a lot. She gave a powerful performance as P.L. Travers in the sweet Saving Mr. Banks' movie alongside Tom Hanks, she gave Cruella a formidable foe of her own in the titular 2021 Disney prequel, and tackled the usually taboo topic of exploring sexuality past one’s “prime” and filmed nude scenes for Good Luck To You, Leo Grande. 

Ming-Na Wen

When Ming-Na Wen turned 50 back in 2013, she was just getting her start playing Melinda May on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D, a badass and highly-skilled operative she continued to play for over 100 episodes. Since finding success with that series, which is now her most famous role outside Mulan, Wen has joined the Star Wars universe as Fennec Shand, a female bounty hunter and master assassin. 

Catherine O’Hara

Catherine O’Hara is well-known to an entirely new generation than those who grew up seeing her in movies like Best In Show, Beetlejuice or Home Alone, thanks to her beloved role in Schitt’s Creek as Moira Rose. O’Hara will go down in history as playing one of the funniest TV characters in a big role she found well after 50. 

Jane Lynch

Jane Lynch booked her most popular role of Sue Sylvester on Glee right as she was turning 50 and played the character for six seasons before finding all sorts of work in showbiz otherwise. She notably voices the role of Calhoun in the Wreck-It Ralph movies, along with having major roles in the hit shows The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and Party Down and with hosting 75 episodes of the original celebrity game show, Celebrity Game Night. 

Julia Louis-Dreyfus

The Seinfeld star not only found herself a whole other well-loved TV show to lead and produce after 50 with HBO’s Veep, which she also won nine consecutive Emmy awards for, but she’s a major player in the Marvel universe now. Julia Louis-Dreyfus has been consistently quick on her feet on the comedy front and proved to be an impressive dramatic actress as well, with roles in films like Enough Said. 

Jennifer Coolidge

Then, there’s Jennifer Coolidge’s recent comeback for The White Lotus that has the actress literally everywhere right now. Along with the 61-year-old recently winning her first Emmy for her hilarious role as Tanya McQuoid, Coolidge has had loads of projects she has stolen the show in, in the past couple of years in particular, like Promising Young Woman, The Watcher and Shotgun Wedding alongside Jennifer Lopez.

Jessica Lange 

Four decades after Jessica Lange became a star for roles like her Oscar-nominated work in Tootsie and Frances, she is still a huge name, particularly thanks to her move to TV in collaboration with Ryan Murphy on his numerous shows. Lange always provides strong performances in her ever-changing American Horror Story roles, along with portraying Joan Crawford in Feud. 

Allison Janney 

Allison Janney is another actress who got wide recognition for being in one of the best-regarded TV shows of all time, The West Wing. After starring in 155 episodes of the drama, Janney has continued to explore all sorts of interesting characters across her career, especially after 50, whether it be in the sitcom Mom, winning an Oscar for her chilling mother role in I, Tonya or her booked 2022 that put an additional three movies under her belt. Janney is even more famous now than she was when she was a younger actress. 

Julianne Moore 

A new role from Julianne Moore is never too far away these days. The 62-year-old actress has accomplished a lot over 50 and has even been in with the kids because of her key role in the Hunger Games franchise or starring alongside Stranger Things’ Finn Wolfhard in the recent indie, When You Finish Saving the World. Moore has starred in so many great movies just within the past decade that it can be hard to recall she’s also the same actress from Boogie Nights and Far From Heaven. 

Tilda Swinton 

We don’t have enough female character actors in the world, but Tilda Swinton embodies someone new so frequently that we can barely imagine what she’s like in real life. The majority of Swinton’s best roles have occurred since she turned 50, such as We Need To Talk About Kevin, or her numerous times working with Wes Anderson and Bong Joon-Ho. 

Viola Davis

Viola Davis is one of the most acclaimed actors of our time right now and it feels like she’s also just getting started. Recently, the actress did just about every stunt as a warrior and leader in The Woman King and has become the most-nominated Black actress in Academy Awards history. 

Meryl Streep 

I mean, it’s Meryl. What else do we have to say? The 73-year-old actress has always been magnificent on screen no matter her age and has proven her great talent and ability to be a chameleon on the screen again and again. Since turning 50, Streep has starred in all-time great movies like The Devil Wears Prada, Mamma Mia, and Iron Lady, and looking forward, she's about to guest star in Only Murders In the Building. 

It’s great to see so many women have broken through and found roles for themselves after 50 in the industry. It really comes down to great roles being written for women of all ages for their opportunities to exist. 

It's an interesting time to be a DC fan. The DCEU has been going through sweeping changes, thanks to new co-CEOs James Gunn and Peter Safran's attempts to create a cohesive cinematic universe. But a few movies were filmed before this change in leadership, including David F. Sandberg's Shazam! Fury of the Gods. That upcoming DC movie is nearly upon us, with the cast and crew recently assembling for the world premiere event. And Helen Mirren seemed to be having the best time in her pink cape on the Shazam! Fury of the Gods red carpet.

Dame Helen Mirren is a wildly acclaimed actress, who has recently been dipping her toe into major franchises. After getting behind the wheel in the Fast and Furious franchise, she became a full-fledged supervillain in Shazam! Fury of the Gods. Mirren rocked a gorgeous cape number at the recent premiere, looking stunning and a little mischievous in the process. Case in point: posing with the exclamation point from the movie's title on the red carpet. 

I mean, how delightful is that? It looks like Helen Mirren is thrilled about the forthcoming release of Shazam! Fury of the Gods, presumably because she gets to be a superpowered badass in the project. And while movie premiers can be cringey for some actors, that doesn't seem to be the case this time around. As for the contents of the DC sequel itself, it's been getting pretty positive responses from early screenings.

Of course, Helen Mirren isn't the only villain that'll provide a challenge for Billy Batson during Shazam! Fury of the Gods. She'll be joined by fellow Daughters of Atlas, played by Lucy Liu and West Side Story actress Rachel Zegler. You can see the three of them cutting a rug on the red carpet below:

While not all co-stars get along, it certainly looks like the Daughters of Atlas got along while filming Shazam! Fury of the Gods. If their interactions at the movie's premiere event is any indication, that trio of talent seemingly has plenty of laughs. At least, they did on the night the movie finally debuted to an audience. And the above image isn't the only delightful photo of them in action. 

There are countless photos of Helen Mirren seemingly living it up at the premiere of Shazam 2. Another hilarious image of the living legend and co-star Rachel Zegler seemingly shows them being shocked and thrilled with something that happened during the premiere. Check it out below:

Honestly, I wish I knew what it was that got such a big reaction from Helen Mirren and Rachel Zegler. Regardless, it's heartwarming to see what a great night the 77 year-old actress had debuting her DC character Hespera. Luckily for fans, the wait for Shazam! Fury of the Gods is nearly over. Although fans are definitely wondering about the fate of Zachary Levi's hero in the wake of the rent DC shakeups. 

Shazam 2 hits theaters on March 17th. In the meantime, check out the 2023 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience. 

Dame Helen Mirren is a legend. Anytime that you are able to add her to your movie, you jump at the chance. The Oscar winner (for The Queen) has dabbled in all sorts of genres over the course of her career, recently playing mother to Jason Statham and Luke Evans in the Fast and Furious franchise for several films. Which is why a line from the Shazam: Fury of the Gods trailer always struck us as a little off. There’s a moment when Billy Batson (Zachary Levi) confronts Mirren’s new villain, Hespera, and claims to have a distinct advantage over this Daughter of Atlas because he has “seen all of the Fast and the Furious movies.” 

So, doesn’t that mean that he’d realize that Hespera looks exactly like Queenie Shaw, the character Helen Mirren PLAYS in those Fast & Furious movies?

The short answer, according to Shazam: Fury of the Gods co-writer Henry Gayden, is, “Yes.” But he tells CinemaBlend during an exclusive interview that the joke was in the script before Mirren came on board the upcoming DC movie, and that he included it as a tip of the cap to co-screenwriter Chris Morgan, who came on Shazam: Fury of the Gods as a contributor and also has a long legacy of writing Fast movies. The way that Gayden describes it, the joke came about like this:

It’s a funny joke. And it’s weirdly meta. But it wasn’t until Chris Morgan chimed in that I realized just how deeply the Shazam universe connects to the Fast and Furious saga. Because he told me:

Well, that’s on me for completely forgetting that Djimon Hounsou played Mose Jakande in Furious 7, a mercenary who teams with the Shaw family in opposition to Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel). So yeah, Hespera might even recognize the wizard who gave Billy his powers. Could Shazam be part of the Fast and Furious series?? Shazam: Fury of the Gods is all about family, and we know how much Diesel loves that concept. 

The bottom line is, the joke was a harmless inside joke between two writers that all of a sudden took on new meaning after Helen Mirren agreed to play one of the Daughters of Atlas. It’s funny. All of Shazam: Fury of the Gods is funny. But you’ll be able to find out for yourself when it opens in theaters on March 17. And also, pay attention to our updated list of 2023 Movie Releases to see what else is coming out this month, and beyond.

If you have seen all the DC movies in order, you probably know that David F. Sandberg’s 2019 release Shazam!, is unique, at least in terms of recent DCEU films, with its charming family-friendly comedic tone. The first Shazamily film was critically well-received and stood out comedically against other already superhero-heavy cinema fare. Its sequel Shazam! Fury of the Gods is hitting theaters soon, with Dame Helen Mirren bringing her villain game, and the film's director shared a hilarious story about how the legendary actress reacted when she appeared on set for the first time. And warning, it’s definitely not safe for work!

Director David Sandberg recently broke down his superhero movie’s deadly serious second trailer with EW, admittedly he initially had preconceived notions concerning the English actress, perhaps involving the potential for prim and proper behavior. She quickly became a part of the team, though, trading quips and more after showing up on the first day of filming with a comical NSFW declaration. According to Sandberg:

Talk about making a first impression! While Mirren has built a career portraying respectable people and many famous members of the royal family, she’s been seeking out roles that many might assume would not interest her. For example, The Queen actress expressed interest in appearing in the Fast franchise, which the franche's creative team was all too happy to accommodate, writing her a part for The Fate of the Furious. And now, Mirren and her p-power are joining superhero cinema as the power-hungry daughter of Atlas, Hespera, in Shazam! Fury of the Gods.

The Oscar winner is not the only marquee star whose work on the Shazam! sequel will be their first time in a superhero movie. Charlie’s Angels and Kill Bill actress Lucy Liu will also be in goddess mode as Kalypso, the sister of Mirren's character. Liu spent a lot of time on set on the back of an electronic programmable arm, as Kalypso will be seen flying a dragon with a unique wood-like character design. 

According to the movie’s director, cracking the dragon’s design was one of the most challenging aspects to break on Fury of the Gods, but it was an enjoyable experience. Sandberg continued: 

Dame Helen Mirren and Lucy Liu’s combined feminine power is an exciting and welcomed addition to the Shazamily-centered superhero series. I’m excited to see how two stars' energy translates to the big screen!

Shazam! Fury of the Gods is set to strike theaters on March 17, 2023. Fans of Shazam! might be interested in the other upcoming superhero movies set to hit the big screen.

More and more it seems like this is Taylor Sheridan’s universe and we’re just living in it. Five seasons into Paramount’s hit drama Yellowstone, the actor-turned-writer is just churning out content for the network, including a trio of Dutton family saga spinoffs. In doing so Sheridan has managed to lock down a roster of A-list actors who would likely be on many showrunners' bucket lists. After nabbing Kevin Costner for the flagship series and then casting Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren for the prequel 1923, Sheridan is adding another name to that impressive list, as Nicole Kidman has signed on for his newest drama, Lioness.

Academy Award winner Nicole Kidman has joined Taylor Sheridan’s upcoming Paramount+ drama Lioness as CIA senior supervisor Kaitlyn Meade, THR reports. She will star opposite Laysla De Oliveira and Zoe Saldaña. She is also set to serve as executive producer alongside Sheridan, Saldaña and several others. 

Lioness is reportedly based on a real-life CIA program, which is tasked with bringing down a terrorist organization from within. Nicole Kidman’s character is described as having had a long career in politics. Per THR:

The Hours star is just the latest name to be added to Taylor Sheridan’s roster of impressive talent — a list that seems to be expanding as quickly as his Yellowstone universe is. Academy Award winner Kevin Costner started it off, of course, as patriarch John Dutton on Yellowstone. We’re slowly learning more about the higher branches of the Dutton family tree, however, as Sheridan introduced Academy award nominee Harrison Ford as Jacob Dutton and Oscar winner Dame Helen Mirren as his wife Cara Dutton as part of the cast of 1923.

All these names and we still haven't talked about 1883, which features real-life husband-and-wife team Tim McGraw and Faith Hill as part of its cast as James and Margaret Dutton, along with Academy Award nominee Sam Elliott and a cameo from two-time Oscar winner Tom Hanks. Maybe Taylor Sheridan is going for the Academy Award-by-proxy, because it’s kind of unbelievable the caliber of movie stars he’s been able to sign for roles on his assorted Paramount series. Let’s also not forget that the Sons of Anarchy alum has Sylvester Stallone (a two-time Best Actor Oscar nominee) leading the cast of Tulsa King in the Rocky alum’s first-ever starring role on television. 

In addition to Yellowstone, whose fifth season will resume this summer (that’s right, after a nearly six-month hiatus), Taylor Sheridan is working on the spinoffs 1923, which premiered in December and is available for streaming with a Paramount+ subscription. He's also working on 6666, which is set to star Yellowstone actors Jefferson White and Ryan Bingham as Jimmy and Walker, working at the Four Sixes Ranch in Texas. To round it out, Sheridan has 1883: The Bass Reeves Story in the works, which will serve as a second season of the limited prequel series 1883, with David Oyelowo (Selma) — another stellar casting achievement — in the titular role.

While we wait for more news on Nicole Kidman’s Lioness and Taylor Sheridan’s other projects, check out our 2023 TV schedule to see what premieres are coming soon to TV and streaming. 

Spoilers below for the series premiere of Taylor Sheridan’s latest Yellowstone-verse drama, 1923, so be warned if you haven’t yet watched.

While Yellowstone’s fifth season will soon head into its winter hiatus, fans don’t have to worry about making it into 2023 sans the Duttons, now that 1923 has arrived for everyone with Paramount+ subscriptions. The prequel spinoff, which boosted awareness by airing its premiere on Paramount Network, will lay out the next on-screen chapter of the ranch-ruling Montana family for the coming months, as led by Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren’s Jacob and Cara Dutton. 

The first episode, simply titled “1923,” checked off just about all the boxes that any potential fans would likely want to be checked off, save for maybe “Rip Wheeler showing up in a time machine.” So let’s dive right into the confirmed Yellowstone franchise’s reveals, parallel themes, and big highlights from our first trip back to Montana in the roaring ‘20s. (Or as roaring as it can get during Prohibition.)

Yellowstone Universe Reveals And Connections

Isabel May Returned As Elsa Dutton, Narrator

Though Yellowstone proper hasn’t ever utilized episodic narration, 1883 utilized Elsa Dutton’s soft and measured drawl throughout its first season. And through the magic of fictional disembodied voices, actress Isabel May did indeed return to reprise that particular role for the new series. I kind of love having Elsa, whose tragic demise directly influenced the ranch’s current whereabouts, as an emotional thread woven throughout the prequels. And I was both intrigued and spooked out by Narrator Elsa making reference to Corporeal Elsa’s non-survival when catching viewers up with how the first two generations of Duttons fared.

Interestingly enough, it’s not entirely clear who she was referring to when talking about carrying the fate of the family, since that bit of voiceover played over shots of Spencer, whose fate was left unresolved by the end of the premiere.

The Fate Of Margaret Dutton

Clearly, no characters who factored into 1883’s timeline would still be alive during the franchise current-day drama, which made a point in a recent episode to highlight the graves of James, Margaret, and Elsa. Beyond seeing the latter’s death in 1883, Yellowstone viewers witnessed Tim McGraw’s patriarch falling victim to a horse thief’s bullet during a Season 4 flashback. And since we have James Badge Dale and Brandon Sklenar as John Dutton Sr. and Spender, respectively, that really only left Margaret’s fate up in the air, as well as the curiosity over how the ranch changed hands. 

1923 cleared that up right quick with Isabel May’s narration, although it was quite the harrowing little update, which I will try not to think about too much. Here’s how she explained it:

While fans can wax on for hours glorifying the Duttons and what they stand for, those final moments in the lives of Elsa, James, and Margaret all serve as a ghastly reminder that death honors no legacies and is incapable of empathy. Could Jacob have come sooner and found Margaret before she froze to death? Possibly, but that’s a burden he’s likely come to terms with by now. 

1923's Parallels To Yellowstone

I won’t spend too long on this one, since it’s not about anything revealed, per se. But this first episode of 1923 contains several elements that tie into the mothership drama, and Season 5 in particular. A general example would be Spencer having a traumatic war experience where his gut instincts and sheer will to survive kept him alive — along with A+ bludgeoning-by-helmet skills — which ties to Kayce’s own military past. (Not to mention those of James Dutton in 1883, even if we didn’t get another Tom Hanks cameo here.)

Beyond that, the spinoff’s first episode featured a crowd gathered around a street-corner boxing ring, where two men were squaring off; and who likes brawling in public more than Beth Dutton and others within Yellowstone’s bunkhouse elite? Not that she wears gloves. We also got to see visual parallels of characters using their hands to compare and identify animal tracks in the ground, issues over animals being let onto others’ land illegally, and animal corpses serving as possible indicators of something far more horrible at play. No lions taking people up into trees on Yellowstone, though…yet.

Major Highlights From 1923's Premiere

Everything Helen Mirren’s Cara Says, Does, Thinks, Etc.

From her clutch endurance in the opening scene to her comfortoing verbal dominance over Harrison Ford's Jacob to the way she perfectly brought Jack and Elizabeth together again immediately after their argument over the wedding delay, Cara Dutton knows no mode beyond that of Beast. I really hope we get to see a younger version of the character in a future season of 1883 or elsewhere, as she was clearly a hardcore badass before crossing paths with any Duttons. 

Africa As A Change In Setting

The western franchise obviously hadn't delivered any '20s-set storylines ahead of 1923's debut, so the downtown and ranch locations shown therein are technically all new to viewers, though not so different from other settings in this world. But Spencer's storyline taking place in Africa adds something of a new visual flair to the drama (regardless of where it was all filmed). Not that I'm getting tired of the eye-widening gorgeousness of Yellowstone, since even repeated shots of those vistas couldn't get old. Also, kudos to this effects team for nailing the lions.

Robert Patrick's William McDowell

I don’t think anyone would argue against the idea that Robert Patrick is a stellar add-on to any cast, particularly when there are heavy genre vibes. And hot damn, if his Sheriff McDowell isn’t Yellowstone’s iteration of Yosemite Sam, from the mustache to the gunshots into the air to a gloriously loud and guttural holler, which was displayed in full during the town hall meeting, where he told everyone to shut the hell up. Seriously, that may have been the best crowd-quieting roar I’ve ever seen on TV. I hope he yells at everyone all season long.

The Unbridled Optimism Of Jack Dutton

Darren Mann's Jack Dutton shares some qualities with other Yellowstone characters, namely the wide-eyed naivete of Carter and Jimmy (or at least Jimmy before the Four Sixes). But few others within this universe can carry a smile so consistently from one scene to the next, at least in a way that reads as believable and not just "a means to fool someone out of their life savings or something equally monolithic." I hope those big smiles remain a staple of this show's two seasons, and that he doesn't immediately get brow-beaten in the early days of Season 1.

Spotlighting Controversial Native American Boarding Schools

Using the term highlight here is somewhat strange, but 1923 deserves credit for approaching a topic that has rarely, if ever, been tackled in a primetime TV drama: the existence of boarding schools where young Native Americans were sent to essentially be reformed under the punishing eye of the Catholic Church. That hard-to-stomach storyline is being told through the indigenous teen Teonna (Aminah Nieves), the vengeful nun Sister Mary (Jennifer Ehle), and the compassionate but merciless priest Father Renaud (Sebastian Roché). I can only hope things get better for Teonna over time, but harmful institutions like that didn’t exactly become more welcoming at any point. 

There were definitely more highlights than just those above, from Harrison Ford on horseback to the cliffhanger ending to Game of Thrones vet Jerome Flynn as the sheepherder’s head honcho Banner Creighton, but maybe we’ll get to give those elements more attention in the coming weeks. And if not, I’m content to just laud Helen Mirren’s efforts ad nauseam. 

1923 drops new episodes on Sundays on Paramount+, with nine episodes left to go in its first of two seasons. Head to our 2023 TV premiere schedule to see what new and returning shows will arrive a full century after the events of the Yellowstone prequel.

There is still much more for fans of Yellowstone and its prequel series, 1883, to learn about the family history of the Duttons. From creator Taylor Sheridan comes 1923 — a new series that takes place between the events of those hit series that viewers with a Paramount+ subscription can now stream exclusively.

This latest installment to the popular Western saga follows another branch of the Dutton clan as they struggle to come to terms with challenges of the early 20th Century. Leading the 1923 cast are Academy Award nominee Harrison Ford and Academy Award winner Helen Mirren, whom we will start with in our breakdown of who plays whom in this highly anticipated period drama.

Harrison Ford (Jacob Dutton) 

Leading the 1923 cast as Jacob Dutton — brother of Tim McGraw’s 1883 character, James Dutton — is Harrison Ford, whose previous experience with westerns includes 1979’s The Frisco Kid, 2011’s sci-fi flick Cowboys & Aliens, and the Star Wars movies (which I would say count for a few thematic similarities) as Han Solo. The actor has also a whole franchise of period pieces in the form of the Indiana Jones movies — the title character of which he is reprising in the upcoming fifth installment.

Ford’s first time working with George Lucas, however, was for 1973’s American Graffiti, and he eventually worked with Francis Ford Coppola for Apocalypse Now before playing Rick Deckard (for the first time) in 1982’s Blade Runner, and later earning his Oscar nomination for 1985’s Witness. In addition to other action/adventure thrillers like Air Force One or The Fugitive, the only actor to play Jack Ryan in two movies has also done endearing dramas like Regarding Henry, comedies like Morning Glory, and historical biopics like 42.

Helen Mirren (Cara Dutton) 

As Jacob’s wife, Cara, we have Harrison Ford’s The Mosquito Coast co-star Dame Helen Mirren, who is making her Western debut with 1923, but is certainly no stranger to period pieces — many of them Shakespeare adaptations like 1968’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream or Julie Taymor’s ambitious take on The Tempest most recently. She has also played a number of royal figures — most notably her Oscar-winning role as Queen Elizabeth II in 2006’s The Queen.

With the exception of the occasional biography (i.e. Trumbo and Woman in Gold), voice acting roles (such as in Monsters University and Zack Snyder's Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole), and hosting the satirical rockumentary series Documentary Now!, the English actor has become a bit of action star more recently. After joining the National Treasure franchise, she appeared in two movies based on DC’s RED comic and later became a part of the Fast and Furious movies in the role of Queenie.

Darren Mann (Jack Dutton)

Playing Jacob’s great nephew and loyal member of the Duttons, Jack, is Darren Mann, who first made a name for himself with guest appearances on The CW original series like The Tomorrow People, The 100, iZombie, and Supernatural. After making his feature-length debut with the 2015 horror flick, Even Lambs Have Teeth, he scored a recurring role on the bizarre drama Wayward Pines and went on to star in more movies like sports drama Hello Destroyer and queer romance Giant Little Ones.

After appearing on eight episodes of Netflix’s Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, Mann earned a starring role on Canadian drama Fortunate Son in 2020 and appeared in the MMA flick Embattled the same year. Also in 2022, he played Baz on TNT’s Animal Kingdom and appeared opposite Yellowstone cast member Cole Hauser in The Minute You Wake Up Dead.

Michelle Randolph (Elizabeth Strafford) 

As the feisty Elizabeth, who aspires to join the Dutton Family through marriage, we have Michelle Randolph. The model and social media influencer actually made her acting debut alongside her fellow 1923 cast member Darren Mann in the SyFy original horror movie, House of the Witch, in 2017.

The following year, Randolph played the lead of A Snow White Christmas — a modern, holiday-themed retelling of the eponymous fairy tale — for ION before starring in the family rivalry dramedy 5 Years Apart in 2019. She appeared in two horror movies in 2021 — The Resort and The Undertaker’s Wife — and has another in post-production called Chasing Nightmares, as well as an upcoming comedy called The Throwback.

James Badge Dale (John Dutton Sr.) 

Playing John Dutton Sr. — Jacob’s oldest nephew and trusted right-hand, as well as Jack’s father — is James Badge Dale, who is not exactly a household name, but has a career that would suggest otherwise. Years after making his debut as a child in 1990’s Lord of the Flies, he joined the 24 cast as Chase Edmunds before appearing in Martin Scorsese’s Best Picture Oscar winner, The Departed, and later leading HBO’s Emmy-winning miniseries, The Pacific, and AMC’s short-lived drama, Rubicon, in 2010.

In 2011 he appeared alongside Michael Fassbender in the NC-17-rated movie Shame, and opposite Liam Neeson in the survival thriller The Grey, shared the screen with Denzel Washington in Flight the next year, and his biggest hit from 2013 would have to be Iron Man 3. His other notable films include Robert Zemeckis’ spectacular biopic The Walk, Michael Bay’s fact-based thriller 13 Hours, and the vastly underrated horror film from 2020, The Empty Man.

Marley Shelton (Emma Dutton) 

As John Dutton Sr.’s wife, Emma, we have Marley Shelton, whose breakthrough role was in the Sandlot cast as the iconic Wendy Peffercorn before starring in the 1997 fantasy film Warriors of Virtue and the acclaimed fantasy drama Pleasantville the following year. In 1999, she starred alongside Drew Barrymore in Never Been Kissed and had a busy 2001 that included romantic horror movie Valentine, romantic-comedy Bubble Boy, and coming-of-age crime comedy, Sugar and Spice.

Years after working with Robert Rodriguez on Sin City and Grindhouse, Shelton joined the Scream movies franchise as Judy Hicks in 2011 and, in 2014, led Lifetime’s sci-fi miniseries The Lottery. She later followed up the video game adaptation movie Rampage with the Glee-like drama, Rise, in 2018 and starred on Season 2 of Discovery Channel’s true crime anthology series, Manhunt.

Brian Geraghty (Zane)

Zane — a ranch foreman with undying loyalty to the Duttons — is played by James Badge Dale’s Flight co-star Brian Geraghty, who started out making guest appearances on shows like Law & Order and The Sopranos before starring in films like Jarhead — which was only his first movie about military personnel. He later appeared in The Guardian and the Oscar-winning The Hurt Locker and, in between those, starred in fact-based dramas Bobby, We Are Marshall, and An American Crime.

After leading the Christmas horror movie ATM, he joined the cast of Boardwalk Empire in 2013 and, the following year, appeared on nine episodes of Ray Donovan and became a part of NBC’s “One Chicago” universe as a member of the Chicago P.D. cast. After playing Teddy Roosevelt on The Alienist and Ted Bundy’s lawyer in Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile, Geraghty starred on ABC’s crime thriller, Big Sky.

Aminah Nieves (Teonna) 

As government residential boarding school student Teonna, we have Aminah Nieves. Joining the 1923 cast will mark the young actor’s first starring role on a television series.

Nieves made her acting debut in 2021 with the coming-of-age LGBTQ+ romance, Blueberry, and, that same year, appeared in a dramatic short film called Dogwood. The following year, she starred in the scary, found-footage and anthology-style 2022 movie, V/H/S/99. 

Julia Schlaepfer (Alexandra) 

Playing Alexandra — a British woman who befriends a Dutton — is Julia Schlaepfer, who made her debut with a guest role on the CBS political drama, Madam Secretary, in 2017. The following year, she appeared in an episode of another CBS series — the short-lived crime drama Instinct — and also made her feature film debut with Charlie Says as a member of the Manson family.

Schlaepfer would land her first starring role on a TV series in 2019 with The Politician — a Netflix original satire from co-creator Ryan Murphy, whom she would work with again in 2022 on a Season 2 episode of American Horror Stories. Also that year, she starred in the visually inventive AppleTV+ movie The Sky is Everywhere. 

Jerome Flynn (Banner Creighton) 

Starring as hard-headed, Scottish sheep man Banner Creigthon — according to Variety — is Jerome Flynn, who is best known today from his role in the Game of Thrones cast as Bronn. Some of his most notable earlier roles include his 1988 feature-film debut in the romance A Summer Story, Steven Soderbergh’s Kafka from 1991, and British TV shows like Badger and Soldier Soldier.

Flynn would later star on BBC’s procedural period crime drama Ripper Street and appeared in one of the best Black Mirror episodes (“Shut Up and Dance”). In 2017, he leant his voice to the game-changing, Oscar nominated animated film Loving Vincent and, two years later, became a part of the John Wick movies franchise with a role in Chapter 3 — Parabellum as Berrada.

Looks like the 1923 cast has an ensemble for the ages. See for yourself by streaming the latest Yellowstone prequel on Paramount+ now.

Taylor Sheridan certainly was able to lock down some A-listers to star in his upcoming Yellowstone prequel, 1923. From the first looks of the Paramount+ drama, we’ve already seen how Harrison Ford transformed into Jacob Dutton, the brother of 1883’s James Dutton in the ever-expanding universe of Yellowstone. He may not have been in character when he attended the world premiere event in Las Vegas on December 3, but there were still plenty of cowboy hats, mustaches and denim, as Ford and co-star Dame Helen Mirren hit the red carpet.

Harrison Ford appeared alongside his castmates and series creator Taylor Sheridan at the premiere, a little over two weeks ahead of his on-screen debut as the newest member of the Dutton patriarchy. Fans are excited to see what drama is to come from his arm of the family tree when 1923 becomes available to viewers with a Paramount+ subscription on Sunday, December 18.  For now, though:

For the red carpet, Harrison kept it casual, wearing dark jeans and a blazer. He was joined by Dame Helen Mirren, who portrays his fictional wife Cara Dutton in the story about the rancher family's struggle to keep hold of their land within Depression Era Montana, during the time of Prohibition and historic drought. Mirren suited up for the premiere in an all-black suit with lace sleeves and statement pearl jewelry. 

The pair of leads were joined by 1923 creator Taylor Sheridan, who looked ready to saddle up at any moment with his own denim and blazer combo, complete with a cowboy hat, which Ford opted not to wear. 

This series will be Sheridan’s second released prequel to the flagship Yellowstone, whose fifth season has so far been full of bad decisions and possibly a big long con on the Duttons. Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren join an earlier spot in the timeline previously explored by Tim McGraw and Faith Hill in 1883 as James and Margaret Dutton, and they're only two of the many impressive cast members who will populate our screens later this month. 

James Bond actor Timothy Dalton will portray Donald Whitfield, a rich and egomaniacal character who reportedly exudes power but lacks empathy. Brandon Sklenar has also joined the cast in the role of Spencer Dutton, son of James and nephew of Ford’s Jacob. 1923 has also added Game of Thrones vet Jerome Flynn as Banner Creighton, a hard-headed Scot with a brogue and the leader of the local sheep men, and Sons of Anarchy alum Robert Patrick as William McDowell, local sheriff and friend of the Duttons. That’s just a taste of the ensemble who will seek to clarify the Dutton ancestry, and fans can check out many of those actors on the Las Vegas red carpet as well. 

Two other Yellowstone spinoffs are already in the works, with the still-in-development 6666 focusing on the Texas ranch where Jefferson White’s Jimmy spent time during Yellowstone’s fourth season, and 1883: The Bass Reeves Story, which serves as the second season of the initial prequel series. It’s unknown for now how it will connect to James Dutton’s story and the cross-country journey he helped to lead alongside Sam Elliott’s Shea Brennan and LaMonica Garrett’s Thomas, but we do know Cole Hauser will be along for the ride somehow.

The Dutton family saga will continue when 1923 premieres on Sunday, December 18, on Paramount+. Be sure to mosey on down to our 2023 TV schedule to stay up to date on all the new shows headed our way in the new year. 

The future of the Yellowstone universe is looking as bright and promising as anything else on TV, even though the majority of it will be spent in the past. Taylor Sheridan’s next chapter in the Dutton family’s history will be told through 1923, with a stellar cast led by the A-list duo of Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren as the respective patriarch and matriarch Jacob and Cara. Now, just over a month away from the prequel spinoff’s debut, Paramount+ has at last delivered our first big look at this densely populated take on a destiny being manifested. 

Paramount wisely chose to go public with 1923’s first teaser trailer in the middle of Yellowstone’s extended Season 5 premiere, where it would no doubt draw the biggest gathering of eyeballs. But that’s enough talk, as it’s time to check out Harrison Ford in full western mode, which is a vibe that works way better than I expected. 

As it goes with teasers of this variety, 1923's first look is much more of a mood-setter than a full indicator of what viewers can expect to see, or who they'll see doing it. But I think it was indeed successful at conveying a mood anchored by rampant stress, danger, bloodshed, aggression, and fleeting moments of joy. Par for the course for Sheridan’s characters, to be sure, and we already know we’ll be getting at least two eight-episode seasons of this narrative.

Just as it went with 1883’s origin story for James, Claire, Elsa, and John Sr., narration plays an impactful role in the promo, making it clear that just because the Duttons may have found their slice of heaven in Montana, that doesn’t mean they haven’t had to fight tooth and nail against all manner of threats to maintain that ownership. It’s a struggle that continues up through the present day, and the 1923 narrator’s words could be just as much referring to Beth Dutton as anyone from this timeline. 

The video, understandably, couldn’t have possibly showcased the large ensemble that Taylore Sheridan & Co. pulled together for 1923, with a cast that also includes Terminator 2 vet Robert Patrick, 24 and Hightown’s James Badge Dale, Tony winner Jennifer Elhe, Vampire Diaries’ Sebastian Roché, former James Bond Timothy Dalton and more. But since most of the others don’t get much screentime, we might as well talk more about Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren in all their full western glory.

Admittedly, I can’t help but partly think Ford looks as if he lost a bet and had to pose for old-timey photography somewhere tourist-friendly. He isn’t so naturally embraced by the look the way that Kevin Costner is, for example, but then few are, so I can’t exactly knock him for that. At 80, Ford likely won’t factor into tons of stunt-heavy sequences, but the trailer does make it clear Jacob Dutton won’t just be barking orders from a metaphorical throne as the king of this castle. And I have to think that Ford’s dryness will work splendidly within this universe, along with his surliest sneers.

I could cheekily poke fun at Harrison Ford all day — even as I cannot wait for Jacob Dutton to become another one of his most iconic roles — but no such fun can be had when approaching Helen Mirren’s Cara. Because come on, the Oscar winner is a living legend with myriad A+ performances across a career that has leaned quite heavily into portraying members of the British royal family. As such, she’s perfectly suited to take on the crown for an American dynasty like the Duttons. (The fact that she and Kelly Reilly are both Brits feels like a purposeful connection in my book.)

1923’s series premiere will be available to stream with a Paramount+ subscription when it debuts on Sunday, December 18, where it will presumably air across some of the gap between the two halves of Yellowstone Season 5. Head to our 2023 TV premiere schedule to see what else is heading to the small screen heading into the new year. 

While Yellowstone largely kept its story simple when it came to looking back at John Dutton’s family history and the late relatives who were worth looking back on. But then Taylor Sheridan brought 1883’s James and Margaret Dutton into the world, with so many unconnected dots between their trip to Montana and John’s current fight to keep control of Paradise Valley. For months now, fans have been looking forward to seeing Hollywood icons Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren join this western universe for the year-swapped prequel 1923, but it’s only now thanks to a batch of newly revealed cast members that we finally know which part of the Dutton family will be explored in the Depression Era drama. 

Those with Paramount+ subscriptions can look forward to 1923 debuting on the service in December 2022 in the midst of Yellowstone Season 5's extended run, but we thankfully don’t have to wait that long to start theorizing about how all of these new characters will tie into the ones we know and love on the flagship series. But first, let’s discuss who the show’s two biggest stars will be portraying.

• Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren will play Jacob and Cara Dutton

Rather than playing a descendent of Tim McGraw's James Dutton, Harrison Ford will be portraying his brother, who goes by the name of Jacob Dutton, while Helen Mirren will take on the role of his wife and presumably badass matriarch Cara. While James' fate didn't seem so positive after that last flashback during Yellowstone Season 4, this brotherly connection does make it entirely possible for James (and Margaret) to return, even though McGraw told CinemaBlend earlier this year that flashbacks and cameos might water down his character's impact. But if the story's good, how amazing would it be to see McGraw and Ford sharing the screen together? Especially after that Tom Hanks cameo in 1883. 

• James Badge Dale will play John Dutton Sr.

24 vet James Badge Dale will get the honor of portraying John Dutton Sr., who was played famously by Dabney Coleman in Yellowstone proper. Paramount+'s announcement confirmed that John Dutton Sr. is indeed James' kid (the oldest) and Jacob's nephew, and he'll be serving as his uncle's right hand man. 

• Darren Mann will play Jack Dutton

Animal Kingdom's Darren Mann is going from one violence-loving family drama to another, as he'll be taking on the role of Jack Dutton in 1923. Jack, a fiercely loyal member of the family, is the son of John Dutton Sr., and the nephew of Jacob. 

• Marley Shelton will play Emma Dutton

Marley Shelton of Scream fame will be playing Emma, the wife of John Dutton Sr. and Jack's mother. She's labeled as being dutiful, which seems like a no-brainer. 

And now here are the rest of the new cast members who aren't members of the Dutton family...yet. 

• Michelle Randolph will play Elizabeth Strafford

A Snow White Christmas' Michelle Randolph is higher up in the new cast announcements as the character Elizabeth Stafford, who is noted as being a "feisty and capable young woman" who is geared up to marry into the Dutton family. Place your bets on where that marriage will fit into things. 

• Brian Geraghty will play Zane

Big Sky's Brian Geraghty sounds like he'll be taking on the Rip or Lloyd role for 1923, as he'll be a fiercely loyal ranchhand for the Dutton family. 

• Aminah Nieves will play Teonna Rainwater

Another recognizable character name! Blueberry's Aminah Nieves will be playing Teonna Rainwater, who is described as being a "young woman at a goverment residential boarding school." Which is easily the most mysterious entry in the bunch, simply by not just being someone on the ranch.

• Julia Schlaepfer will play Alexandra

Sounds like someone from the Dutton family will be doing more traveling when 1923 comes around, as The Politician's Julia Schlaepfer is set to play a British woman who crosses paths with someone from the family during their time across the pond. 

Let's get our cowboy hats on that also double as our thinking caps, and contemplate what might happen with all of these characters with 1923 hits Paramount+ in December 2022. Head to our 2022 TV premiere schedule to see what other new and returning shows to see what else is hitting the small screen soon. 

Shazam! Was a solid superhero hit for DC and so there was little doubt a sequel would be on the way. The sequel is bringing some pretty solid star power with the likes of Helen Mirren. Lucy Liu, and Rachel Zegler all joining the cast. During the new Shazam! sequel’s appearance at the recent San Diego Comic-Con, Mirren was quite thrilled with the superpowered women who will take on Shazam, and said the new movie has “pussy power” and while star Zachary Levi might have trouble using that phrase, he doesn’t disagree with the sentiment.

Helen Mirren wasn’t able to attend the recent SDCC in person, but speaking the assembled crowd on screen along side Shazam: Fury of the Gods co-star Rachel Zegler, Mirren made the comment that she, Zegler, and Lucy Liu had become friends during production, and remarked about the film’s “pussy power.” Speaking with Yahoo following the panel, Zachery Levi was agreed that the daughters of Atlas bring exactly that to the new movie, saying… 

Zachary Levi says he wouldn’t necessarily use the same language that Helen Mirren did, because he would want to be respectful. I’m not sure anybody would have a problem with that. If Zachary Levi had said the movie had “pussy power” people would likely have a problem with that. Helen Mirren, on the other hand, is free to say that. Helen Mirren is free to say whatever she likes, she’s Helen Mirren and the world is lucky to have her.

While hearing Helen Mirren talk like that may have been somewhat surprising for the audience at Comic-Con, it apparently should not have been for the crew and cast of Shazam: Fury of the Gods. Apparently Mirren was like that from the minute she walked on set. Director David F. Sandberg says that Mirren even used the exact same phrase when she began filming. Sandberg explained…

While Dame Helen Mirren has played the Queen and a number of other very formal and serious roles, she clearly loves being part of the blockbuster action movie scene as well. She became part of the Fast & Furious franchise specifically after saying how much she wanted to be in those films. Now Mirren’s been able to play the big bad in a superhero movie as well.  

The Kevin Costner-led Yellowstone isn’t just a popular TV series that’s returning for a fifth season later this year; it’s also the foundation for a shared universe spearheaded by Taylor Sheridan. Yellowstone has paved the way for several spinoffs, one of which we once called 1932, starring Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren. However, today brings word that this upcoming drama series that will be accessible with a Paramount+ subscription has been retitled, and with that name change comes new expectations for what we’ll see from the prequel.

Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren’s Yellowstone spinoff is now called 1923, meaning instead of being set post-Prohibition and in the early years of The Great Depression, it will instead account for the end of World War I and the start of Prohibition. We still have no idea who Ford and Mirren will play in 1923, but Paramount+ included the below premise in its official announcement about the title change:

As a result of winding the clock back nine years, this Yellowstone series now finds itself at a time when the United States was not only dealing with alcohol being banned, but also still grappling with the aftermath of World War I, which halted five years previously. However, for those of you who were looking forward to seeing the Yellowstone universe explore the Great Depression time period, as noted in the premise, Montana was dealing with such dour conditions in the early 1920s, so it sounds like that kind of vibe will still be present. Paramount+’s announcement also mentioned that 1923 will drop on the platform sometime in December, but a specific release date hasn’t been set yet.

1923 follows on the heels of 1883, the limited series that followed the Dutton family leaving Tennessee and embarking on a journey that would ultimately take them to Montana and set up what eventually became the Yellowstone Ranch. 1883 became the most-watched series ever on Paramount+ globally, and along with its main cast including Sam Elliot, Tim McGraw, Faith Hill and LaMonica Garrett, the spinoff featured notable guest stars like Tom Hanks, Rita Wilson and Billy Bob Thornton. Although the main 1883 story was a one-and-done affair, it is getting its own spinoff in the form 1883: The Bass Reeves Story, which will star David Oyelowo as the title lawman of the Wild West.

Additionally, the present day-set spinoff 6666 is still in development for the Yellowstone universe, although unlike 1923 and 1883: The Bass Reeves Story, it will join the original Yellowstone in premiering first on the Paramount Network. Going back to 1923, naturally we’ll let you know when any specific plot details come in, including information about Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren’s characters. 1923’s premiere happens the same month that we’ll see Mirren as Hespera in Shazam! Fury of the Gods, while Ford’s time in this Paramount+ series comes roughly half a year ahead of him starring in Indiana Jones 5.

While we wait for more updates on what to expect from 1923, read through our 2022 TV schedule to learn what shows are currently on the air, and what’s left to premiere for the rest of the year.

Holy moley, Han Solo is joining the Yellowstone universe! Okay, so things aren’t quite so over the top, but it is very legitimate news that Harrison Ford himself will be joined by the Oscar-winning actress Helen Mirren for Taylor Sheridan’s upcoming streaming drama 1932. That’s still a working title, but with Ford and Mirren heading up this cast, it could be called Bippity Boopity and everybody with a Paramount+ subscription would still turn out in droves.

As a distant non-sequel follow-up to 1883, which boasted Tim McGraw and Faith Hill as the spearheaders of the Dutton’s Paradise Valley ranch at the heart of Yellowstone, the 1932 prequel will introduce fans to a wholly new generation within this drama-fueled family tree. Interestingly enough, the announcement from Paramount+ did not divulge the character names for either Harrison Ford or Helen Mirren’s characters, which plays into the idea that viewers haven’t ever heard of these ancestors yet. It’s a detail that McGraw himself talked about in the Yellowstone Season 4 DVD release, although it was unclear how legitimate that was at the time.

That said, the math kind of falls all over the place once one tries to match up Harrison Ford's specific age (79) with the year 1932, since that would mean the character he's playing would have been in his 30s or so when 1883 took place. It's feasible that Ford could be playing James Dutton, but that would mean the presumed death scene shown in Yellowstone's Season 4 flashback wasn't what we thought. Which is fine by me. But the point really is that Ford almost necessarily cannot be playing either John Dutton Sr. or Spencer Dutton, and obviously Helen Mirren won't be playing Elsa Dutton, given how the season ended.

While fans have had a notion of what to expect from 1932, based mostly on what 1883 delivered in terms of time-specific details, the new announcement also dropped some specific references with its general synopsis, as seen below:

If that synopsis mentioned it, you can bet it’ll affect the Dutton family in some way, so expect to see the ranch deal with deaths from pandemics and other widespread illnesses. Those will probably be spurred along by droughts making water as much of a protectable resource as the ranch’s land. Mix that in with the financial instability of the Great Depression, and Taylor Sheridan should be able to make 1932 a pretty specific reflection of the current state of the U.S., just set 90 years ago. Maybe the fall of Prohibition can even tie into the rise in marijuana legalization. 

Harrison Ford interestingly only just recently signed on for his first starring role on the small screen, as he’s set to star in the Apple TV+ project Shrinking, as created by Jason Segel and Ted Lasso’s Bill Lawrence and Brett Goldstein. On the flip side, Helen Mirren is no stranger to TV, thanks in part to her long-lasting ties to Prime Suspect’s Jane Tennison, as well as miniseries where she portrayed Elizabeth I and Catherine the Great. They’ll both bring the excellence no matter what, especially with Taylor Sheridan penning the scripts.

Yellowstone Season 5 just went into production this week, so fans can expect to see that later this year at some point, possibly with Jefferson White's 6666 spinoff dropping on Paramount+ before then.