In the 1980s, the Brat Pack was churning out hit after hit. One of the biggest was St. Elmo’s Fire, which in many ways is quintessential Brat Pack, with a bunch of members of that crew starring, like Rob Lowe, Demi Moore, Emilio Estevez, Ally Sheedy, and Andrew McCarthy. I haven’t actually sat down and watched the movie in decades, and when I did recently, I cringed through the whole slog. I mean, the whole thing.

It’s Hard To Pick The Cringiest Thing, But Emilio Estevez’s Plot Is Close

There is a lot to bristle at throughout the movie. The jokes are incredibly corny, and everything in the script is just so…basic. Deciding which is the most awkward subplot is tough, but the story involving Kirby (Estevez) stalking a woman he had a crush on, Dale Bieberman (Andie McDowell), is definitely in the running. It starts innocently enough, with the two running into each other for the first time in years at a hospital where Dale is a doctor. It goes off the rails completely from there.

First, Dale and Kirby go on an awkward first date that ends quickly when Dale has to run back to work. That’s after Kirby arrived at the restaurant hours before the date. It’s weird, but ok, I can buy it. Then it gets really uncomfortable when Kirby literally starts stalking her, following her to a party in the pouring rain. Still, for some reason, she decides she needs to take him back to her place to explain why a relationship wouldn’t work.

Kirby isn’t one to take no for an answer, and decides it’s all about money, and he takes a job with an entrepreneur to make some, seemingly ditching his dreams of becoming a lawyer. He throws a party at his boss's house. She doesn’t show, and Kirby tracks her own at a ski resort, presumably many hours away. It’s honestly disturbing behavior, and it’s not just because the ‘80s were a “different time." Why Dale didn’t call the cops like half a dozen times doesn’t make sense. Instead, she and Kirby kiss at the lodge and leave on good terms. Kirby should have been in jail. But, at least they don’t end up together.

The Plot Between Demi Moore And Rob Lowe

What is more in keeping with the 1980s is the scene between Rob Lowe’s character, Billy, and Demi Moore’s, Jules. After Kirby’s party, the two drunkenly make out in a car, and Billy comes very close to a straight-up sexual assault. I get that Billy is the “screw up” of the group and that drugs and booze have messed him up, but in a real-world situation, I don’t quite understand how Jules would ever speak to Billy again after the encounter. She might have even filed charges.

Yet… they stay friends. I don’t know if it’s simply unrealistic or disturbing. Or both. ‘80s movies are notorious for scenes like this that didn't end with realistic consequences (yes, people understood sexual assault in the ‘80s). The worst part is that once Jules’ life falls apart at the end, it’s Billy who saves her, and the only one she’ll listen to after she attempts the most bizarre suicide ever by freezing to death. What’s worse is that after all that, Billy ends up basically begging Wendy (Mare Winningham) for what can only be described as pity sex, and it works. It’s all pretty gross.

Even The Realistic Stuff Is Cringy

One subplot involved Billy’s relationship with Wendy. Wendy is the naive one in the clique, and she is struggling with finding her way in the world. Her old-fashioned father treats her like young women were often treated by the older generation, even in the ‘80s. He wants her to quit her job, get married, and start having kids. That is actually pretty realistic, and yeah, by modern standards, it’s super cringe, as the kids would say.

The most realistic subplot in the movie involves the love triangle between Alec (Judd Nelson), Leslie (Ally Sheedy), and Kevin (Andrew McCarthy). Even that ends in a pretty uncomfortable way when Leslie breaks up with Alec amid his numerous infidelities and hooks up with Kevin. The sex scene is pure cringe. Even that whole thing ends weirdly with Alec and Kevin accepting that Leslie loves both of them, but can’t be with either.

Oh! And that’s not even mentioning the cringy subplot that involves Jules thinking Kevin is gay and trying to set him up with her interior designer, Ron. Now that is the kind of ‘80s subplot that the world has moved on from. Oof.

It Still Ends On A High Note

The kicker is, at the end, they decide that they all still love each other. After all they have been through, the debauchery, the betrayals, and the borderline sexual assaults, they somehow stay best friends. I like happy endings, but this one is just too saccharine even for me.

The only thing that seems to have changed is that instead of hanging out at St. Elmo’s (the bar where they were regulars), they start hanging out at Houlihan’s. I honestly don’t know if it’s supposed to be a joke. Remember, Houlihan’s was kinda hip among the yuppies in the ‘80s.

The other thing that I think made this movie a hit both then and with people who still love it today is the soundtrack. It’s a banger, filled with some great ‘80s tunes, many of which have stood the test of time. It’s the soundtrack of my early life, and I have nostalgia for it, so I’ll always love it. Yet again, though, there is even a cringe factor to the music, toying with emotions the way it does.

There are plenty of Brat Pack movies from the ‘80s that get talked about both for their good and bad points, movies like Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club, and Pretty in Pink, but fewer people seem to talk about St. Elmo’s Fire, which is the most dated of them all.

Patrick Dempsey may now be starring in Fox’s Memory of a Killer on the 2026 TV schedule, but the actor will forever be known as Derek Shepherd, a.k.a. McDreamy, on Grey’s Anatomy. He spent the first 11 seasons of the medical drama saving lives and making fans swoon like Meredith Grey. It’s truly a defining role in his career, so it's hard to imagine anyone else playing him. However, it turns out Rob Lowe was up for the part and turned it down.

How to Save a Life: The Inside Story of Grey’s Anatomy by Lynette Rice digs deep into the behind-the-scenes stories of the longest-running primetime medical drama, including casting. In an excerpt from the book, per EW, executive producer Peter Horton revealed that Dempsey was not ABC’s first choice for Derek. They wanted Lowe first:

Considering Lowe chose between Grey’s and Dr. Vegas, and went with the latter, which was pulled after only five episodes had aired, it’s crazy to think how different things could have been had he gone with the ABC drama. It's also wild to think that the network didn't initially want Dempsey, considering the fan-favorite he became.

McDreamy wouldn’t be McDreamy without Dempsey. Luckily, it all worked out in the end, and Lowe has no regret over his choice, despite how things turned out, as he said:

Some things are just meant to be, and Patrick Dempsey was meant to play Derek Shepherd, and it really impacted his career and the fans. It’s possible that if that didn’t happen, Grey’s wouldn’t be where it is today. And it’s not like Lowe didn’t get other great roles after Dr. Vegas failed. He has stayed steady on television for decades, with main roles, recurring roles, and guest roles on all sorts of series, like Parks and Recreation and 9-1-1: Lone Star. Now, he is currently hosting The Floor on Fox, which was recently renewed for two seasons.

Meanwhile, even though Derek was tragically killed off towards the end of Season 11, he made a surprise appearance during Season 17, briefly recurring when Meredith had COVID and dreamt of being on the beach with her lost loved ones. Whether or not Dempsey will ever return again, especially with his new show, is unknown, but stranger things have happened. And while we're dreaming, it would be fun if Lowe appeared on Grey’s, even for an episode, just to fulfill that “What if?” and see what the hospital would have been like with him running around.

Dr. Vegas may have only run for one season, but it might have been the best decision Rob Lowe made, because if not for him and the producers pushing for Patrick Dempsey, who knows what could have happened. Fans can look back at their favorite McDreamy moments with a Hulu subscription, knowing that the role went to the perfect actor.

When Tommy Boy was released in 1995, one of the biggest names in the movie, Rob Lowe, wasn’t credited for his role. The movie, with its endless amount of hilarious quotes, was a big hit, and Lowe, though he has a substantial part in the film as the stepbrother of Tommy Callahan (Chris Farley), chose not to be included in the credits. Now, 31 years later, he wants to change that. He’s written a funny note to Paramount’s new owners, asking that the record be corrected.

Rob Lowe’s Open Letter To David Ellison

Last year, David Ellison’s company, Skydance, bought Paramount, the studio behind Tommy Boy. It’s been a busy couple of years for Ellison, who is currently in a battle to also purchase Warner Bros. It’s probably fair to say Ellison may not have the time to address Lowe’s needs, but that didn’t stop the Parks and Rec star from sending off a funny missive to the investor about his uncredited role in Tommy Boy:

As if that’s enough, Lowe channeled President Donald Trump, adding:

Here’s the full note, posted on Lowe’s X account:

Of course, this begs the question, just why wasn’t Lowe credited at the time?

There Are Conflicting Reports On Why Rob Lowe Wasn’t Credited

In 1995, Lowe was still in the midst of rehabilitating his image after infamously getting into some trouble after a sex tape emerged from his trip to the 1988 Democratic Convention. By ‘95, however, Lowe was sober and on a clear path back to superstardom. So why wasn’t he credited? Well, it’s a little bit of a mystery.

Some corners of the internet claim that there were contractual issues. Lowe was filming his role in the 1994 miniseries The Stand, based on the book by Stephen King, and that, some argue, prevented him from being credited in Tommy Boy. That doesn’t make a lot of sense, however, but the truth is harder to find. According to the movie’s director, Peter Segal, Lowe may have been embarrassed by the movie during the troubled production. Last year, Segal told Remind:

Haunted or not, Lowe is ready to proudly add his name to the credits. And he wants to make sure it’s above the title. Maybe he was embarrassed at the time, but no one is embarrassed to be part of such an iconic comedy that everyone, including the Kelce brothers, loves. So I’m on team Lowe. Put his name at the top, Mr. Ellison!

Have you watched The Floor? The Rob Lowe starrer varies by season given how aggressively or non-aggressively contestants play, but a series of new rule changes are shaking things up on the 2025 TV schedule. If you were to ask Lowe, however, I’m not sure he would have believed the show would already land on the list of best game shows just four seasons in. But he opened up on its popularity in a recent interview.

Rob Lowe says he’s constantly surprised about how popular The Floor is on Fox and for those with a Hulu subscription. He specifically cited a popular video trend Kim Kardashian did, and mentioned how you just never see what’s going to hit coming – even if you are already a popular personality yourself, as the actor is.

In addition, one notable thing about The Floor is how anyone really can find a solid category in their wheelhouse and play. Some categories come with a harder level of difficulty than others, of course, but the Fox series is exciting precisely because we average folks can play at home in a way Jeopardy makes it difficult -- unless you are a trivia brainiac, of course. I honestly can't get enough of the gameplay at home, and I'm constantly hollering at my TV while watching.

Still, when it comes to actually competing on the show, Rob Lowe and the producers want to keep the contestants on their toes, telling Deadline why continual changes are coming down the pipeline. This season, they’ve swapped things up, adding components like the “category steal” in order to give contestants who play aggressively even more of an advantage than they had prior.

There are things contestants can do to set themselves up for $250,000 success, however, like having a solid general knowledge base and flexibility with categories, being a quick study, or setting oneself up with a category other competitors may be intimidated by. However, one thing I really can’t get enough of watching The Floor is how much chance still comes into play, whether or not a contestant wants it to.

Getting called later in the game can be a longevity advantage, for example. Or getting called near someone who has already landed a lot of floor pieces can be a pro or con. It can be a pro if you are a contestant who just wants to go home with the $20,000 prize package at the end of the day and are confident in your abilities, or it can be a con if you win that much floor but still have “weeks” to make it until the end of the game. You may end up having to go up against the one category you will do very poorly at. Anything can happen.

It’s great, low stakes fun if you are a viewer. However, if you are a contestant, from exit interviews I can tell it feels a whole lot more serious. It's not all so serious, however. Rob Lowe always looks like he's having a blast, particularly when categories like The Brat Pack and more come up. (He is the guy trying to get a Brat Pack reunion together, after all.)

I didn't have him hosting a game show on my bingo card a few years ago. Regardless, it turns out The Floor is a great fit, and I can't see what changes Fox has in store next, and whether it's TV companion 99 to Beat will see the same popularity.

The 9-1-1 world has officially expanded. The newest spinoff, 9-1-1: Nashville, premiered on Thursday as part of the 2025 TV schedule, making it the third series in the franchise following 9-1-1 and 9-1-1: Lone Star. Nashville’s cast consists of some heavy hitters, including Chris O’Donnell, Jessica Capshaw, LeAnn Rimes, and Kimberly Williams-Paisley. While it may not be the easiest franchise to join considering all the ridiculous emergencies involved, Rimes revealed the piece of advice she received from her pal, Rob Lowe, and I can't stop laughing over how brutally honest it is.

Lowe starred on 9-1-1: Lone Star for all five seasons as Captain Owen Strand until the series came to an end in February following a surprising cancellation. The series still remains close to Lowe's heart, as he even expressed interest in appearing on Nashville, noting he has some connections since his brother, Chad Lowe, works on the series. He’s also been doling out advice, as Rimes told Us Weekly that a chat with Lowe turned out to be very informative:

There have been some pretty insane events on the 9-1-1 shows. Between a volcano erupting under a pool, someone’s eyes popping out on a merry-go-round at the park, and being sent up to space, 9-1-1 may seem pretty out there, and Rimes definitely thought so for good reason. That being said, Law & Order is not the only franchise to take from real life, and it made the country star that much more appreciative:

9-1-1 has been mocked for its ridiculousness, most recently with a promo for Season 9 that saw some of the characters bracing for impact for what seems to be a meteor shower, but fans have to remember that it is a Ryan Murphy show. So even though some of the twists feel realistic, others are so insane that they don't seem like they could possibly be based on anything real.

Already, 9-1-1: Nashville has proven to be intense and ridiculous, but that’s what makes it fun. It’s hard to predict how the series will do and what else will be included, as well as what real rescues will be involved. There will be much to look forward to as the season continues, and no telling what will happen.

Fans will just have to tune in to new episodes of 9-1-1: Nashville on Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET on ABC, streaming the next day with a Hulu subscription. Even though Lone Star had differences from 9-1-1, it still managed to bring the ridiculous, and I’m betting Nashville will too, even with the soap opera-ness of it.

The 9-1-1 franchise is preparing to expand with new spinoff 9-1-1: Nashville. Premiering on October 9 on the 2025 TV schedule, the series stars NCIS: LA’s Chris O’Donnell, who is the captain of the busiest firehouse in the Music City. Although the series is already getting railed on by diehard Bobby Nash fans, there is still excitement surrounding it. Whether familiar faces from within the franchise will appear on the new show remains to be seen and, now, Rob Lowe is weighing in on the possibility of reprising his own role within the show.

Lowe starred on all five seasons of 9-1-1’s first spinoff, Lone Star, as Captain Owen Strand. The series finale, which aired earlier this year, saw Owen taking a job as the New York City Fire Chief. Even though New York is a bit far from Nashville, Lowe doesn’t seem to be counting anything out. He told that to Variety while speaking about the chances of him appearing on the new series as well as how much Owen means to him:

It would be great to see Owen again or any of the Lone Star characters, for that matter. The show's cancellation was certainly surprising to me and, even though the finale was able to wrap up stories despite being filmed as a season finale, I'd love an update on the characters. Plus, Lowe has some BTS connections at Nashville, giving him all the more reason to come play for a bit. If anything, it sounds like he’s pumped for what the creative team is cooking up on the show:

Since Owen is now in New York, it might be a bit hard to explain why he’d be in Nashville at a given time. Regardless, I love that Lowe seems to be open to returning. It might just depend on where the story goes and if he’s able to fit it into his busy schedule. What I'd also hope is that other Lone Star actors could appearing on Nashville, but fans will just have to wait and see.

At the very least, if a Lone Star crossover won’t happen on Nashville soon, it’s possible 9-1-1 is already plotting to cross paths with its newest spinoff. Oliver Stark was previously spotted in Nashville as filming for both shows are going on. Fans have speculated that there could be a crossover coming but, as of now, Stark hasn’t confirmed anything, nor has it been revealed that the two shows are doing a crossover.

Regardless of any kind of cross-pollination, 9-1-1: Nashville is looking like an entertaining series, and fans may want to give it a chance. It won't be much longer now before fans can finally take in the wild emergences the show is serving up. The series premieres on Thursday, October 9 at 9 p.m. ET on ABC, and episodes are also streamable the next day with a Hulu subscription.

It’s been nearly 20 years (or five presidential elections) since Josiah Bartlet left the fictional White House of The West Wing. Yet, with the series as rewatchable as ever for those with an HBO Max subscription, there’s no shortage of calls for a revival. Executive producer John Wells said it’s something he and creator Aaron Sorkin have discussed over the years, but he admitted to being “worried” about rebooting the political drama today.

The West Wing is the kind of show that makes you feel a little better about the world, even if you just have it on in the background while folding laundry. So there’s no mystery why fans are craving more from that idealized universe. It doesn’t help that cast members like Joshua Malina constantly tease reunion talks, or that Richard Schiff pitched an idea that Sorkin apparently loved. The famed screenwriter himself has even teased ideas for new episodes. However, in today’s politically volatile climate, John Wells has reservations, telling THR:

There’s certainly a challenge in today’s world to create anything with “political” in the description without alienating a large portion of potential viewers. Would a theoretical West Wing reboot be able to avoid making political statements? Would audiences infer them anyway? John Wells points out that’s never what The American President-inspired series was about, continuing:

The West Wing evolved from its original premise when Martin Sheen’s President Bartlet ended up being such a profound presence on the series. The president was originally not intended to be a main character, with Aaron Sorkin wanting to focus on the day-to-day happenings of the White House senior staff.

Of course, fans still got that, with Bradley Whitford, Allison Janney, Richard Schiff, Rob Lowe, Dulé Hill, John Spencer and more always trying to put the good of the American people first, even when they fell short. I’d love to think something like that is still possible. I mean, political dramas do still exist on the 2025 TV schedule.

Could we not visit a world where Sam Seaborn was president (assuming he’s been found since Rob Lowe’s “Missing Person” milk cartons went out)? Or, as Richard Schiff supposedly proposed years ago, focus on government outside of the White House, perhaps at the state level, where OG characters could still pop in to consult?

It feels like there are definitely ways to revisit one of the best shows currently streaming on HBO Max, but I also think John Wells has a pretty valid concern. I expect we’ll continue to be teased with such a project for years to come. For now, though, it fans can see two of their favorite senior staffers reunite in a different fictional White House.

Allison Janney plays Vice President Grace Penn on The Diplomat, and Bradley Whitford will join the cast as her husband in Season 3 this fall. Keep your eye out for that 2025 Netflix premiere date, and in the meantime, go ahead and rewatch your favorite episodes of The West Wing on HBO Max.

Recently while hitting up the Hulu app without a plan, I stumbled upon The Floor, a game show hosted by Rob Lowe that’s apparently already produced three seasons. Spoiler alert: I’m now obsessed with it. I’ve tried to convince no less than twenty people to watch it, and I’ve spent more time than I’m willing to share thinking about what my category would be. I’m all in, but also, I need to talk about how it badly needs a rule change.

Before I get into it, let me explain the rules quickly in case you’ve never seen the game show. In short, 100 people stand on a large, evenly divided board. Everyone has their own square and a category they’ve chosen that they’re particularly knowledgeable about. One lady might have types of flowers, and another lady might have 20th Century artists. A randomizer picks one contestant, and that contestant must pick one person in an adjoining square to face off against in a heads up trivia match about their category.

The loser of the duel goes home, and the winner gets the other person’s square and carries on with either their own category if it wasn’t played yet or the other person’s category if that one wasn’t played. Afterwards, the winner can decide whether to keep playing or go back to the floor and let the randomizer choose someone else. Whoever is the last one left wins $250,000.

The Floor is a fun concept and Rob Lowe works well as the host, but unfortunately, it tends to reward really passive play. The randomizer only chooses contestants who haven’t played yet. So, a majority of people who win their battle simply go back to the floor and wind up sitting on their two squares, while everyone else eliminates each other. It essentially incentivizes hiding.

I wish I could knock the strategy, but under the current rules, not playing is the best way to set yourself up to win the money at the end. The show has tried to introduce some bonuses to get contestants to be more aggressive. Whoever has the most squares (or pieces of the floor) at the end of each episode wins $20,000, and if you win three consecutive battles, you get a time boost of five additional seconds which you can use during any heads up battle of your choice in the future. Those carrots do convince some people to keep going, but there are still way too many that remain passive.

Here’s my solution. Right now, the randomizer only chooses contestants who have not played before. That means if you win one battle, you can sit around and avoid playing again (if someone doesn’t pick you) until every single other contestant has played at least once. That means you can sit there while 50 or 60 people are eliminated without doing anything. I don’t like that. I think the randomizer should be recalibrated to potentially choose anyone who hasn't played or has played exactly once.

Let’s walk through a practical example. Let’s say you have one square and you either get picked by the randomizer or challenged by another contestant. You battle and win. Now, you have two choices, you can either go back to the floor, where you can take a break but are still at risk of being picked by the randomizer, or you can keep going and play once more, with the incentive being you not only pick up another piece of the floor but also then make yourself immune to the randomizer.

Now let’s say you win again, then you still have a compelling choice. You can go back to the floor without worrying about getting hit by the randomizer, or you can keep going and try to win the third duel to pick up the time bonus. That’s now two consecutive decisions the show has given the contestant that offer a high risk, high reward scenario.

It’s a delicate balance. I do think waiting to fight another day is a reasonable strategy. I don’t think the show should force contestants to just keep playing over and over again, but I would like to see more winners who are at least somewhat aggressive during the earlier episodes. That means the players need to be incentivized a bit more to stay and keep playing. The time bonus and the money at the end of each episode help a little bit, but I think requiring them to play a second time to be immune from the randomizer would really help and potentially convince a higher percentage of people to play a third time in order to try and get the time bonus.

The Floor has already been renewed over at FOX for another season and will return to the TV schedule on Wednesday September 24th. In preparation, you can get caught up with old episodes that are available to stream with a Hulu subscription. It's a really fun game show that could eventually become an all-time great. It just needs to keep evolving a little bit to become the best possible version.

Nearly 20 years after it aired its final episode, The West Wing remains one of the most rewatchable TV series and inspires near-constant appeals to Aaron Sorkin for new episodes. Over the years, there haas been plenty of commentary and behind-the-scenes stories from the actors who made up Jed Bartlet’s senior staff. However, I can safely say that I wasn’t at all expecting to see Rob Lowe pull out the “Missing Person” milk carton that he apparently distributed to his colleagues when he exited the series.

Rob Lowe was one of the original stars — and easily the biggest name in the main cast — of The American President-inspired series when it premiered in 1999. He starred as deputy communications director Sam Seaborn, a vital cog in the White House machine. After a few seasons, however, behind-the-scenes tension resulted in Lowe leaving The West Wing toward the end of Season 4. Just how bad did things get for the actor? Check out his TikTok:

OK, first off, I’m really curious about what’s happening in this video. Is Rob Lowe having a garage sale? Is his garage just a museum of TV and movie memorabilia from a 40-plus-year career that’s strewn about so that the actor can just happen upon these old gems like the milk carton?

Secondly, we’ve got to talk about this milk carton. This may be hands-down the most petty thing I’ve ever seen in my life, and I’m not mad at it. The audacity Rob Lowe had to not only fashion a milk carton with his headshot but then to send it out to everyone involved in the show is mind-blowing.

He said in the video:

The milk carton then went on to list his height, weight and when he was last seen (Christmas episode, 2002). How’s that for communication from your deputy communications director?

However, I’m not sure it’s completely fair for Rob Lowe to say he was written off the show. It’s not like he vanished with no explanation like Mandy, though I suppose his role was reduced in his final Season 4 episodes.

Reportedly, money was the issue behind his exit, and the actor himself admitted in his book Stories I Only Tell My Friends that tensions rose between him and his castmates when he asked for a raise that producers refused to give him.

Rob Lowe allegedly signed onto The West Wing at $70,000 an episode, with the rest of the main cast making less than half of that. When the show was a success, the other actors’ salaries were reportedly raised to equal Lowe’s, and when he could not secure a bump as well, he allegedly said there was “no longer a place” for Sam Seaborn and left the series.

Regardless of how it all went down 20 years, it’s good that we can all laugh about it now, as Rob Lowe seems pretty tickled by his actions back then.

You can continue to enjoy his days as Sam Seaborn — and all the ones that came after — by streaming The West Wing with an HBO Max subscription. Soon, fans will also be able to see Allison Janney reunite with former co-star Bradley Whitford, who is set to join The Diplomat Season 3 as Janney’s character’s husband. The first two seasons can be streamed with a Netflix subscription.

There are some absolutely iconic films that are also perfect representations of the time in which they were made. St. Elmo’s Fire is one of the best '80s movies, especially considering its legendary Brat Pack cast, but it’s also one of the most “‘80s movies” you’ll ever come across. That's something that cast member Rob Lowe definitely loves. In fact, ahead of the sequel (which is now in the works), Lowe even recently revealed the very-'80s scene from the film that he's glad he was able to shoot.

Rob Lowe played Billy Hicks in Joel Schumacher's coming-of-age film, which follows a group of friends as they adjust to life as young adults. While the themes are universal, the setting certainly is not. Speaking with People, Rob Lowe calls out one specific moment in the movie that he loves even though it's a product of its era than any other: playing the saxophone in a bar. He explained…

Anybody who's seen St. Elmo’s Fire doesn’t even need to be told anymore. as the sequence is very memorable. Rob Lowe is looking very much like the 1980s version of the coolest guy you know, playing the sax, getting in fights, and then somehow getting the girl. If you don’t know the scene (or you do and want to see it for the umpteenth time), check it out below:

There is something very 1980s about saxophone playing in movies. From St. Elmo’s Fire to the famous Sax Man in The Lost Boys, there was no shortage of movie scenes that included people playing the sax. There was even more of the instrument on the soundtracks of movies made in the '80s. I’m not saying I started to learn the saxophone in the 4th grade entirely because it looked cool in the movies I saw in the mid-80s, but I’m not, not saying that.

Despite the film's charms, some parts of St. Elmo's Fire have aged poorly. There's a moment in the film that Demi Moore finds cringeworthy, and even the movie's title has been mired in controversy over the decades. Whether the sax scene is a moment that has aged well or just something that is such an element of its era that it's perfect nostalgia, will be a matter of debate.

Which leads us to some important questions: Does Billy still play the sax, and will he play in the St. Elmo’s Fire sequel? It's hard to say, especially since the film is still in the early days of development. While the idea of seeing what these characters are up to after three decades isn’t without its value, one has to wonder if it will all work without everything about the 80s that made it the movie it became.

Regardless, the original St. Elmo's Fire remains iconic, and you can check it out for free right now on Pluto TV.

While the podcasting market continues to expand, with everyone and their mom seeming to have one, there truly are some gems on the airwaves. Regardless of your familiarity and regularity in dabbling, where does one start? As someone who dabbles in a few series and loves a good pop culture injection of any form, a celebrity-hosted show can offer a lot! These stars’ pods cover plenty of ground from BTS on favorite sets to politics to emotionally forward conversations. If you’re lost, in a rut or just looking for another stellar title to add to your audio arsenal, you’ve come to the right place. Let’s dive in!

Oprah’s Super Soul - Oprah Winfrey

We know her, we love her, and the dynamic Oprah Winfrey continues to evolve and push interviewing bounds. Super Soul is more or less an adaptation of her inspiration and often a spiritual talk show that ran through the early 2020s. Be prepared to hear some deep conversations if you aren’t already, though we all know it tends to come with the unmistakable Hollywood giant.

Literally! With Rob Lowe - Rob Lowe

The 61-year-old Hollywood vet has wide-ranging conversations with plenty of well-known professionals. Whether it's well-established or rising stars in movies and TV, music or sports, Lowe jumps right in with them. And as a member of The Brat Pack, the pull he has with landing guests is pretty impressive and diverse.

Renegades: Born In The USA - Barak Obama, Bruce Springsteen

Though it only ran for one season and has 8 episodes to its name, the former president and The Boss’ collab rocked. Their conversations consisted of the changing dynamics of the USA through the lens of music, personal happenings, fatherhood and future revitalization. They also share their backstory on how the friendship and pod came to be.

Goop - Gwyneth Paltrow

Paltrow and Goop’s virality continues to regularly break the internet (especially those body-forward scented candles). But the Hollywood A-lister and her empire went to new heights with the addition of their own podcast, which she hosts. Naturally, it dives in holistically to grander topics with today’s ‘brightest thinkers and culture changers’ to dissect the conversation at hand.

Wiser Than Me - Julia Louis-Dreyfus

As always, when Louis-Dreyfus commits to a project, she knocks a role out of the park. One of her most recent titles as host of Wiser Than Me is no different; her interviewing women who are expert veterans in their given career is a true delight. She’s had everyone from Jane Goodall to Jane Fonda, and she’s just getting going.

Good Hang - Amy Poehler

Don’t overlook the Parks & Rec star’s Good Hang, even though it may be one of the newest entries on the list. Poehler’s sunshine bright vibes radiate through the show while she chats with A-list Hollywood names. But the most signature part shines through when she has a mini cameo from a friend of the guest who praises them ahead of the main convo. (If you haven’t seen or know where the viral clip of Rachel Dratch fumbling with headphones on a Zoom, now you do.)

Conan O’Brien Needs A Friend - Conan O’Brien

In the comedian’s corner of the interview world, you can certainly expect his signature smart silliness he has brought to the masses over the decades. But why did he jump into the world? As the title implies, and per his summary, O’Brien realized after years of interviewing celebs, ‘the only people at his holiday party are the men and women who work for him,’ and wanted to change that.

Fly On The Wall - David Spade, Dana Carvey

While not an outright Saturday Night Live podcast, two huge alums, Spade and Carvey, lead this industry-leaning show. The pair has their fair share of guests and covers plenty of Studio 8H lore depending on who’s with them that week. Beyond the sketch show conversations, they often jump into current pop culture, current events and even fan-submitted fare.

Bill Gates And Rashida Jones Ask Big Questions - Bill Gates, Rashida Jones

Gates and Jones came together at the beginning of the pandemic in search of musing about some big questions. Though there are only five episodes, nothing seems off the table, from climate change to the psychology behind lying. But the unexpected co-hosts tackle these larger sociological and worldly topics with intentionality and ease.

The Big Podcast With Shaq - Shaquille O'Neal

The dynamic retired basketball player continues to surprise us with his plays (he just confirmed he was a Swiftie on the Kelces’ pod), and did just that when he kicked off his new podcast network by way of his own. Aptly named, Shaq and co-host Adam Lefkoe, of course, talk sports among themselves and alongside guests, but also hit a range of topics.

Minnie Questions - Minnie Driver

The Good Will Hunting actress’ offering sets up each interview through seven thoughtful questions. Though each question is relatively simple, it’s proven time and again that it unearths quite a conversation. Her therapy session meets fireside chat structure stands apart from other celebrity podcasts since its intention dives into a soulful exploration of life’s questions.

All There Is With Anderson Cooper - Anderson Cooper

While plenty of entries on the list cover an array of subjects from casual conversations, behind-the-scenes Hollywood magic and love and relationships, Cooper dives into loss (which he’s experienced multiple times over since childhood). What started as the beloved CNN news anchor processing the passing of his mother, Gloria Vanderbilt, and the ins and outs that go along with it, has blossomed into something much more. He’s built a safe ground for guests and listeners alike to reflect and process the big topic.

Red Table Talk - Jada Pinkett Smith, Willow Smith, Adrienne Banfield-Norris

The multi-generational, familial women-hosted show has gone viral a few times over since its inception on Facebook. Nothing, as we’ve seen, is off limits in this conversational style show and doesn’t shy away when things get nitty gritty. Though the OG got the axe in 2023, it got going again with no ties to Facebook, and its episode catalog continues to rank with some of the best Hollywood fodder out there today.

The Weekly Show With Jon Stewart - Jon Stewart

The beloved TV host has a podcast that pairs with his regularly scheduled show. The Weekly Show offers a more expansive look into our ever-developing world with notable minds in essential roles across the professional field. If you’re looking for even more Stewart material, he had a short-lived but excellent 2 season show called The Problem with Jon Stewart that dove into topics that were ‘too big for TV.’ With either, you can count on a laugh paired with some big, thought-provoking discussions.

SmartLess - Jason Bateman, Will Arnett, Sean Hayes

SmartLess is like an improv dinner party you weren’t invited to, but somehow snuck into. Each episode brings a surprise guest to the table, and with it comes comedy, curiosity, and the kind of bromantic chaos that three A-listers with zero filters can deliver. It’s part talk show, part therapy session, and all charm—who would’ve guessed the vibe would be achieved by the Michael and Gob Bluth actors with a dash of the Jack McFarland actor.

Armchair Expert - Dax Shepard

Maybe one of the most recognizable and longstanding on the list, Shepard started his series in 2018. Though the premise is relatively simple in terms of chatting with well-known faces, things can go deep quickly. The CHiPs alum has had ex-costars like Lauren Graham, incidentally spill about Parenthood peer, Mae Whitman’s baby daddy, and Oscar-nominated stars like Michelle Williams reflect about her late ex-partner, Heath Ledger. Needless to say, there’s a lot to work with here (and a 300+ episode backlog to sift through).

Office Ladies - Angela Kinsey and Jenna Fischer

Of course, there was bound to be at least one rewatch pod in the bunch, and with The Office ranking as one of the best sitcoms ever, it’s a natural pick to include. Kinsey (who played Angela Martin/Lipton/Schrute) and Fischer (who played Pam Beesly Halpert) recount excellent tidbits and memories as they rewatch the NBC classic while hosting Dunder Mifflin cast and crew members.

Life Is Short - Justin Long

First and foremost, I’ve got to give the Jeepers Creepers actor’s name for his show is A+ play on words (specifically short and long). But, behind the small chuckle the title of the pod offers is a surprisingly poignant base for Long and his brother, who co-hosts the show. The siblings jump in the deep end with their guests and discuss all there is about life, which includes everything from emojis to their perspective on life.

LeVar Burton Reads - LeVar Burton

Fiction lovers and previous PBS Kids unite! The beloved Reading Rainbow star’s pod is a modern-day take on the classic 26-year run show, but now catered toward adults. Short form stories are the main genre he dives into each week, and the whole thing feels just like a little bit of a time machine, for those who tuned in regularly to RR.

New Heights - Jason, Travis Kelce

No, I’m not talking about their mom, Donna Kelce, landing a spot on S4 of The Traitors US, but it’s worth mentioning. The NFL family show is full of BTS looks into being brothers while also playing football professionally. They also often go out of bounds of the shared ground and discuss everything from pop culture to UFOs.

The High Life - Ricki Lake

The former television host is getting back to her roots with The High Life. And while she still has plenty of Tinseltown names as guests, the focus with her offering is health and wellness. Nothing is off the table within the larger landscape; she hits everything from menopause to energy healing.

Las Culturistas - Bowen Yang, Matt Rogers

In case you’d like to know, this is my ride or die pick of the list. The college besties-turned-Hollywood-darling co-hosts have amassed a cult turned mainstream following thanks to culture catch-ups, regular bits they have A-list guests participate in (what sparked their interest in culture and their wry ‘I Don’t Think So Honey!’ critique of something) and their own award show. Clearly, I could go on about it, but if you need more proof, Tina Fey’s iconic advice to Yang speaks to why we, ‘readers, kayteighs, publicists, finalists and kyles,’ love it all.

WTF With Marc Maron - Marc Maron

The rough around the edges comedian and actor’s podcast is one of the most well-known celebrity series. As a blueprint of public figures' iterations to come, Maron got started in 2009 after his radio show got canned. In the decade-plus he’s been at it, he hosted writers, directors, comedians, actors and many more in the typical style that is commonplace today. But, heads up, he just announced his show will end this fall, so don’t miss out!

Podcrushed - Penn Badgley, Nava Kavelin, Sophie Ansari

The Gossip Girl alum’s shared show isn’t a far cry from the hit teen series fodder. They’ve just spun the clock a little further back to schoolyard drama and middle school crushes. Badgley, alongside Kavelin and Ansari, takes on listeners' stories, reads them and explores all the ins and outs of starting to grow up (and all the turmoil that tags along).

Broad Ideas - Rachel Bilson, Olivia Allen

While you may know of Bilson’s other pod, Beyond The O.C., involving ex-castmate Melinda Clarke, Broad Ideas includes her longtime bestie, Olivia Allen. The new duo essentially cover any ground two girlfriends would in any given conversation (mental health to ghosts are promised). But hosting a new guest to join in on the fun each week brings it to the next level.

The Mess Around With Hannah And Lamorne - Lamorne Morris, Hannah Simone

If you know anything about where these two co-hosts met, you can probably guess this is a New Girl rewatch series. And if you know that, you probably know they played CeCe and Winston (Bishop), respectively, and the title comes from a bit that the characters shared. Also, plenty of past cast and crew come through to reminisce about all the shenanigans that went down in 4D.

Films To Be Buried With With Brett Goldstein - Brett Goldstein

Though he’s still relatively new to the scene, the Ted Lasso star is hitting it big (and is now on Shrinking). With that success, his unique corner of the recording studio has only found more success. And while the title of Goldstein’s show is pretty straightforward and self-explanatory, it has me hooked. I think it’s safe to say he’s just getting started.

At Your Service - Dua Lipa

While I haven’t actually listened to the singer and actress’ show, it may be the hidden gem on the list. Heading into her third season, she continues to host a slew of knockout guests, and her collection of candid conversations runs the gamut of interesting fare. Everything from psychedelics to running Apple.

Getting Better With Jonathan Van Ness - Jonathan Van Ness

Ever since being introduced as the current generation’s hair & grooming lead on Queer Eye, JVN has been stealing the show as they help build up others. By natural curiosity and the drive to learn, the Getting Better podcast helps them grow and build spaces to learn even more. The weekly episodic content comes in all shapes and sizes–from finance lessons to discourse on culture, they’ve got it covered.

Why Won’t You Date Me? - Nicole Byer

The Nailed It! host is also a pro-podcaster. If you go looking for Byer’s love and relationship pod, you may find quite a slew aside from the aforementioned one (Best Friends!, 90 Day Bae and Newcomers). But this humorously titled one is the most well-known and long-standing one, where she has everyone from friends and experts to an occasional ex or two dish all about dating and love.

Lovett Or Leave It - Jon Lovett

While Jon Lovett’s beginnings aren’t traditional Hollywood standards material, the comedian was a former speech writer for Barack Obama. From there, he and fellow Obama peers (Dan Pfeiffer, Tommy Vietor and Jon Favreau–not to be confused with the A-lister) then co-hosted Pod Save America. His newest show is a hybrid of political news mixed with fun, well-known guests, and a bit of shenanigans all tied into one, always providing a laugh.

The Bald And The Beautiful - Trixie Mattel And Katya Zamolodchikova

One of RuPaul’s Drag Race’s biggest winners, Trixie and ride or die fellow queen, Katya, have taken the world by storm together. After meeting on season 7, they quickly went on their way to make creative projects together, starting with their viral cult followed series, UNHhhh, to their aptly titled pod. It’s a lot of the same banter, just funneled into discussing pop culture and Tinseltown-leaning topics.

Rob Lowe has been a unmistakable Hollywood heartthrob since his Brat Pack days from The Outsiders and Youngblood to his career comeback in The West Wing even 9-1-1: Lonestar (streaming with an active Hulu subscription). His charming charisma is only helped by his camera-ready looks, and he’s no stranger to highlighting his more physical assets through shirtless selfie posts. As to why he continues to share those visuals as he enters his 60s, he has a pretty humorous reason for doing so.

While some of us have experienced Lowe in a revealing scene for the Netflix series Unstable, he shared with People why he continues to post his thirst traps. The question came about while the A-lister shared about his continuing Atkins partnership and commitment to living with intention. But his cheeky take on sticking with the now-and-again habit is pretty funny and lighthearted, and has a trifecta of responses locked and loaded, as he said:

Makes sense over here! The funny but true response hits all the right notes for this fan. Though I’m always down for anyone, of any age, healthily and lovingly, showcasing neutral body positivity. During the conversation, the St. Elmo’s Fire alum revealed it is somewhat of a family affair (he’s previously posed with son, John Owen, and went viral for it), all in good fun and only a little competitive.

Outside of his online presence, I’m sure keeping up with a healthy lifestyle also aids in continuing his Hollywood career, with some certainty. Between long hours, physical stunts and complex and varying wardrobes, a well-taken care of body is better for business. We’ll test this theory later this year. Lowe is slated for one of the potentially creepier and likely body-forward upcoming horror movies, The Third Parent comes to our 2025 movie guide this Halloween.

Clothed or Shirtless, as long as Lowe has ‘it,’ we can expect him to flaunt it. And seemingly, when applying his funny take, it doesn’t matter to him whether he’s 21, 41, 61 or beyond, and I think we can all appreciate that.

Here’s to hoping that Moore-Lowe sparking a Brat Pack reunion is well on its way with the promise of that St. Elmo’s Fire sequel and Lowe and co. being as dreamy as ever (the OG is currently free to stream with Pluto TV)!

Tom Cruise’s running style has become almost as iconic as his movies. It seems like every movie he’s in, the actor is at some point in a full sprint with bladed hands by his side. The Mission: Impossible movies especially often include significant sequences of Cruise just running. This may seem boring, but it never is, as his pure athleticism on display is something to be marveled at, and heightens tension within the scene. Apparently, this running technique has a link to one of his co-stars from The Outsiders.

Cruise’s Outsiders co-star Rob Lowe recently sat down with Dana Carvey and David Spade on the Superfly podcast. The actor reminisced about his early days in Hollywood and his experience working with Tom Cruise on the classic Francis Ford Coppola film. Lowe explained that sometime after working together on the movie, they truly learned how to run properly, and it was their co-star Emilio Estevez's running coach who really showed them the ropes. Lowe said:

Clearly the technique stuck with Cruise even more than his co-stars, because it’s become one of his signatures. It makes sense that he was taught by an Olympian, because the run resembles that of a professional sprinter. However, there was seemingly a time at which Cruise and some of his co-stars were provided the same running foundation, as Lowe also said:

Even though the Cruise run has certainly evolved, you can still see this foundation in his gate. I would've never guessed that Emilo Estevez's running coach would've been the one to set the tone for that.

In the past, Rob Lowe has been candid about the Oscar-nominated actor being relentlessly competitive on set and always wanting to do his own stunts. That hasn’t changed at all over the years, as Tom Cruise still does many of his own stunts. The St. Elmo’s Fire star also said Cruise once knocked him down during a sparring match on set. Lowe would certainly know Cruise’s habits well, considering the two lived together in a hotel while filming The Outsiders.

This intensity clearly hasn’t subsided. Cruise has no problem doing the most, whether it’s via an all out sprint during a running sequence or pushing the envelope with death defying stunts for the latest Mission: Impossible film. The Outsiders was just the beginning for Cruise, who was just getting his feet wet with physicality-based roles. Kudos to Emilio Estevez's trainer for eventually laying the foundation for the action star we all know today.

You can see Tom Cruise sprinting away from danger once again in his latest film, Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, which opens in theaters on May 23 as part of the 2025 movie schedule. You can also stream previous installments using a Paramount+ subscription.

Typically, when the words “rumor” and “Travis Kelce” are used in the same sentence, it has something to do with his relationship with Taylor Swift. That includes the seemingly neverending talk about their supposed breakup or plans to tie the knot. Well, that’s not the case in this scenario, as it instead involves Travis and his brother Jason Kelce's reported obsession with a certain Rob Lowe movie also starring Chris Farley.

Here’s a hint… it’s not Wayne’s World.

So, where did all this talk about the Kelce Brothers and Rob Lowe come from? I recently spoke with Bo Derek forTommy Boy's 30th anniversary and, when I asked her about the enduring legacy of the iconic ‘90s comedy, she shared a little rumor she heard about the Super Bowl-winning brothers and the movie from Rob Lowe himself:

Truth be told, I didn’t know that. Afterward, I went back and conducted a little digging into the whole “Kelce Brothers Love Tommy Boy” situation to see if I could find anything. Well, I came across a March 2023 clip from the Kelces' New Heights podcast, where they break down that year’s NFL coach photo and recite one of the funniest Tommy Boy quotes when talking about former Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy. Wait until the end of the following clip to see what I mean:

But that isn’t all. Stumbling across a Wall Street Journal Magazine profile on Travis Kelce from November 2023, I learned that the three-time Super Bowl champ’s ringtone at one point was Chris Farley saying “For the love of GOD!” Does this mean that T-Swift is a fan of Tommy Boy and hilarious Farley quotes? God, I hope so!

With Travis Kelce set to have some kind of role next to Adam Sandler in the long-awaited Happy Gilmore 2 (which debuts amid the 2025 movie schedule), maybe we’ll see the Kansas City Chiefs tight end show up in more comedies in the coming years. I’m not saying I want to see the brothers remake Tommy Boy, but he and Jason would be perfect in a buddy comedy in this vein. I mean, both have great comedic timing, Travis has hosted Saturday Night Live, and with their NFL backgrounds, they could handle the demands of physical comedy.

If you have been planning on revisiting Tommy Boy for its 30th anniversary, now is the perfect time as it’s streaming with an AMC+ subscription. And if you’re feeling extra nostalgic, you can pick up the newly released 4K Blu-ray steelbook.

Sex scenes have always been woven into Hollywood films to help reflect the lives of a film’s characters–for better or worse. Throughout the industry’s history, intimate-oriented scenes have grown and developed as a sort of mirror to parts of society. With this personal element of storytelling fluctuating constantly, many have weighed in, including Rob Lowe. Lowe shares his feelings about current media and how performers are seen as courageous, while previously, it was expected, and it’s an understandable perspective.

As Lowe and Moore try to forge a Brat Pack reunion ahead while he continues to celebrate old friends' movie achievements, he’s been busy with 9-1-1 Lone Star (Season 5 just finished up on our 2025 TV schedule) and hosting Literally! With Rob Lowe. His episode with Kristin Davis can be found via the podcast’s YouTube page, and while they reminisce about past joint projects, Davis’ new podcast, among other topics, their conversation on sex scenes in Hollywood stood out.

The Tommy Boy actor, along with his guest, weighed in on how the expectations of having more intimate scenes in Hollywood have changed vastly. He highlighted how starkly different the landscape and mentality are, noting people call stars ‘so brave,’ today when they participate in a sex scene, if there even is one. The Parks and Rec alum then stated how, in the past, performers could reference a certain part of the script to figure out whether or not they should prepare for a bedroom scene, he shared:

There’s no doubt about how much Hollywood shifts every handful of decades, especially revolving around expectations of more personally revealing elements. Between general trends, the current interest of audiences and the regularity of intimacy coordinators on sets, there’s certainly no regular “page 73,” anymore. It is interesting to pull back and realize what Lowe is bringing to this conversation and how societal norms and expectations have affected this part of movie making.

The pair make an interesting point, and it seems like there could be a more balanced middle ground moving forward. One that remains safe and fair to all, of course. The St. Elmo’s Fire actor then expanded on that idea by touching on a more universal thought regarding it all, stating that opportunity and disruption are what helps make change. He shared:

This sentiment of The Outsiders actor, is after all, what brought us to the current state of television and movies. It seems like there’s always room to grow and learn. And if Lowe's lessons in comedy from Mike Myers and Dana Carvey a la Wayne’s World is any small shred of an indicator of growth that’s possible in Hollywood, I’m interested to see how the state of sex scenes change from here.

With Rob Lowe’s thoughts on the more intimate inner working parts of media out there, hopefully his points shed light on the fuller conversation.

If you’d like to watch Rob Lowe in 9-1-1 Lone Star you can stream it with a Hulu subscription. Let’s just be glad that the Fox show didn’t use Lowe's nixed 9-1-1 finale pitch.

Robert Downey Jr. is an example of an actor who found Oscar success later in life. His first Academy Award win came last year with his slow-burning performance in 2023's Oppenheimer. After Demi Moore gave her career-defining performance in 2024 with The Substance, her pal Rob Lowe shared how it’s been for him to see his two friends' careers soar.

There may not be a Brat Pack anymore, but it doesn’t mean stars of the ‘80s have lost their touch. Last year was Robert Downey Jr.’s turn to achieve Oscar love. Now that Demi Moore is among this year’s Oscar nominees for the body horror-comedy The Substance, her pal Rob Lowe spoke to People about what it’s been like to see her and Downey Jr.’s careers skyrocket before his eyes:

That must be such an amazing feeling to see your friends go through a career-high. After Robert Downey Jr. faced a lot of trouble with the law and his bout with alcoholism, he made an excellent career comeback with Iron Man and became one of the highest-paid actors in the MCU. As for Demi Moore, her career grew into prominence during the ‘80s and ‘90s, but she went a bit off the radar towards the 2000s and did more indie films.

Then came Moore's starring role in The Substance, which challenged society’s expectations on aging women. The actress said the award-winning movie came at a perfect time in her career, when she was reading scripts that didn’t move her until the Coralie Fargeat flick. Even though she admitted knowing there was a possibility The Substance could either be a success or a “fucking disaster,” the American actress decided to “roll the dice” and take a risk. It was clearly a risk worth taking, as Moore has won a Golden Globe and a Critic’s Choice Award, which could hopefully mean a stepping stone for an Oscar win.

Rob Lowe and Demi Moore have been friends for a long time. They proved to have great chemistry with each other in ‘80s classics like About Last Night… and St. Elmo’s Fire. They were also both featured in the documentary Brats (found on your Hulu subscription), where the success of the Andrew McCarthy project had the two pals keeping in contact to make a St. Elmo’s Fire sequel which would be amazing! Moore even posted on Instagram about her reunion with Lowe where they both saw a special screening of The Substance. The Outsiders actor apparently even gave an intro during the event. That’s the cutest thing for Lowe to support his friend by seeing and presenting her Oscar-nominated movie.

With Rob Lowe having seen his two friends, Robert Downey Jr. and Demi Moore, achieve Oscar recognition, it proves that it’s never too late to achieve career milestones. Maybe eventually, we’ll see The Floor host on the same pedestal one day. The 2025 movie release of The Substance is available on Mubi and for rent on digital streaming platforms. You can also watch Downey Jr.’s Oscar-winning performance in Oppenheimer with your Amazon Prime subscription.

Warning! Spoilers ahead for the series finale of 9-1-1: Lone Star, “Homecoming.”

One of the many shows ending in 2025, 9-1-1: Lone Star came to a close when its series finale premiered on Monday, February 3 -- and it was intense. From the jump, the promos gave off “end of days vibes” with an asteroid hurtling towards Austin, and the episode saw the 126 all getting injured in the field due to a nuclear reactor. By the end, though, everyone was safe and received their happy endings. However, Rob Lowe recently shared that he pitched a tragic idea that I'm glad didn’t happen.

What Was Rob Lowe’s Idea For 9-1-1: Lone Star’s Series Finale?

During the final installment, it seemed Owen had died after getting struck with shrapnel while trying to shut down the nuclear reactor. It was ultimately revealed, however that he had, in fact, survived and later took the fire chief job in New York City. The finale certainly came full circle for Owen, given he initially left New York to be in Austin and run a firehouse to him and ended up leaving Austin to be in NY to run the whole department. Interestingly, Rob Lowe told TVLine that he wanted a much darker but sentimental ending for his character:

While it didn’t actually happen, it did at one point seem like the show was going to go out that way. Considering 9-1-1: Lone Star was a procedural, it was surprising that main characters were never actually killed off at any point. Sure, some important side characters, such as Tim the paramedic and Tommy’s husband, met their demises. But both Owen and Tommy, who was dying from breast cancer, made it out alive and well. As for Owen's story, I'd wager it was the right way to go.

Why I’m Glad 9-1-1: Lone Star Didn’t Use The Pitch

Even though Rob Lowe’s ending would have been pretty fitting, I’m glad it wasn’t used. For one thing, Owen already dealt with 9/11 and the lung cancer diagnosis that resulted from it. Aside from the character's already-rough past, there's his son T.K. to consider. He already lost one parent, and he was close to a relapse. Who knows what could have happened to the young man had he lost his dad. Plus, even Lowe surmised that it would be better if Owen were to figure out what was next in his life after rebuilding the 126, and I couldn't agree more:

It’s intriguing to think about the fact that Owen is just in New York, running the fire department -- rather than being six feet under. He’s essentially doing for the entire NYFD what he did for the 126, and I can’t think of a more fitting ending for him. Also, let's be real, after everything he went through, he surely deserved a happy ending along with everyone else.

Regardless, it's still sad that Lone Star has now ended but, at the very least, with open endings, there is always the possibility the characters could pop up on the franchise's flagship show or the potential upcoming 9-1-1 spinoff. For now, though, you can stream all five seasons of LS with a Hulu subscription.

The Goonies is one of those movies that seems to be universally beloved. There have been hopes dreams and rumors of potential Goonies sequels for decades specifically because so many love it. A big part of the movie’s success has to be chalked up to The Goonies' perfect casting, including a young Josh Brolin as Mikey’s older brother Brand.

The Goonies was Josh Brolin’s first film role, but he tells Rob Lowe on the Literally! With Rob Lowe podcast he received pushback immediately in Hollywood, as many assumed that he, being the son of actor James Brolin, wasn’t a “serious” actor and he just thought he’d find success because of his family.

As a result, Brolin studied acting by mostly reading books incessantly in order to prove his dedication. This lead to a conversation on the set of The Goonies where Brolin tried to show the film’s producer, Steven Spielberg, just how smart he was at a very young age. When asked by Lowe how old he was, Brolin explained…

Brolin says he read the works of Stanislavski, Artaud, and others. He wanted to show he was more than just an actor with famous parents. He was trying to put everything he’d read to use in talking to Spielberg about the metaphorical elements of a story about a bunch of children searching for hidden pirate treasure. For his part, it sounds like Spielberg did really listen, but the producer had a much simpler perspective on the movie. Brolin continued…

It’s understandable that Josh Brolin could have been upset by this. Spielberg was essentially shutting down a lot of work the young kid had done and making it look irrelevant. At the same time, when Steven Spielberg tells you something about making movies, it’s probably worth listening to him. Kevin Costner regrets not taking Spielberg's advice on Waterworld. Brolin, it seems, did listen.

Today nobody can question Josh Brolin’s bonafides as an actor. He’s starred in massive tentpole blockbusters and movies that have been nominated for Academy Awards, even if he thinks his recent Dune: Part Two is missing a key nomination. and been nominated for an Oscar himself. He may have been “really dumb” at 16, but he’s learned a lot since then.

The Outsiders may not be the highest-ranked Francis Ford Coppola movie, but its cast featured actors who would become some of Hollywood's most notable stars by 2024. Not only that, but Rob Lowe can attest to the fact that the famed director gave his young cast some lasting memories during production of the 1983 film. The actor recently talked to Coppola about the time he and Tom Cruise had to live with real-life greasers.

Living with greasers is a story Lowe has shared in the past, but it's interesting to hear him talk with Francis Ford Coppola about it on his podcast, called Literally! With Rob Lowe. Lowe played Sodapop, a greaser and best friend of Tom Cruise's Steve Randle, who was also a greaser. In real life, they were just actors, so Coppola sent them to spend the evening with real greasers, presumably for the sake of immersion. Here's Lowe recalling the evening:

Fortunately, the actors escaped with their lives and got to spend a good deal of their time outside of that night in a hotel. What's funny is that the video shows Francis Ford Coppola burying his head in his hands during the story, perhaps thinking about how he would never do something like that now or that the actors were never truly in danger.

Imagine if something had happened on that fateful night and how it would've altered the landscape of pop culture, though! Tom Cruise launched an A-list career off of The Outsiders and we might've had someone else starring in some of his best performances over the past few decades. Let me add that Rob Lowe has also had a big career since then, despite destroying takes on the set of comedy movies early on.

And while The Outsiders may not be the most celebrated movie on either actor's resume, it is still beloved by many. As someone who will defend the book adaptation to my last breath, I still say that the key death is one that will break my heart every time that I watch it. Robert Frost wrote "Nothing gold can stay" and inspired part of the story, but the power of the messages of the movie and original book by S.E. Hinton certainly endures.

Those looking to stream The Outsiders after hearing that funny story by Rob Lowe can do so if they have a Paramount+ subscription. As someone who has watched it fairly recently, I think it is still very entertaining, especially because it showcases a bunch of notable Hollywood actors early on.

Joan Vassos recently wrapped up her journey as The Golden Bachelorette on the 2024 TV schedule, as she got engaged to Chock Chapple on the season finale. I’m not sure if the topic of celebrity crushes would have come up during their no-bed Fantasy Suite date, but I’m kind of hoping it did after realizing how much she loves Rob Lowe. After joking in an interview that she’d trade in Chapple for Lowe “in one second,” The West Wing star had a pretty hilarious response.

Rob Lowe apparently caught wind of Joan Vassos’ appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, where she admitted that her love for the Brat Pack member started long before she fell for the 60-year-old insurance executive from Kansas. This viral TikTok shows both her admission to Kimmel and Lowe’s reaction:

Look, Chock Chapple made no secret about how crazy he is for Joan Vassos, so hopefully he’s not too offended that his fiancée said she’d drop him, “like, in one second” if given a chance with the host of The Floor. From Rob Lowe’s response, it sounds like Chapple really has no need to feel threatened, since the actor seemed less interested in Vassos’ feelings and more intrigued by his own chances of starring on his own season of the reality show. Lowe said:

Whether or not The Golden Bachelor is better than a Golden Globe is a matter of personal opinion. And, while the 60-year-old 9-1-1: Lone Star actor fits the desired age range of the ABC reality spinoff (not to mention how many applications he would bring in), I’d imagine Sheryl Berkoff — Rob Lowe’s wife of 33 years — might not be in favor of her husband taking on such a role.

To his point, though, many Bachelor Nation fans are wondering who will be The Golden Bachelor for Season 2? Mark Anderson — the widowed father of The Bachelor Season 28 winner Kelsey — seemed to be a front-runner. However, Charles Ling became a fast fan favorite after he and Jack Lencioni went viral on The Golden Bachelorette premiere, as Ling worked to get closure on his own wife’s death.

Mark Anderson may not be an option anymore, and we can also count out Jonathan Rone and possibly Jordan Heller and Jack Lencioni as well. Anderson appeared to hard-launch a relationship with One Tree Hill actress Barbara Alyn Woods, dressing as Prince Charming for Halloween to her Cinderella. Rone confirmed at the “Men Tell All” that he was dating someone, and Heller recently went on a date with The Golden Bachelor Season 1 runner-up Leslie Fhima.

Jack Lencioni, meanwhile, said on a podcast that he was trying to schedule a date with Gerry Turner’s wedding officiant Susan Noles, and the two were seated together at Joan Vassos’ live finale. Speaking of the “After the Final Rose” audience members, Sandra Mason and Gary Levingston fueled relationship rumors, especially after she posted a pic with him to Instagram and then another a couple of days later from Vassos and Chock Chapple’s engagement party, which took place later that night after the finale:

What a wonderful-looking couple, and who knows who else Joan Vassos is out there playing matchmaker for? As long as Rob Lowe doesn’t end up on the other end of her arrow, I’m sure Chock Chapple will be happy.

Just when you thought the last time you’d ever see The Brat Pack again was in the 1990 rom-com Betsy’s Wedding, many former teen actors that made up ‘80s yuppie culture reunited in Andrew McCarthy’s Brats documentary. The 2024 movie release did a great job showing how being part of the coolest group of the ‘80s impacted their careers and their lives. After the success that Brats had, Rob Lowe and Demi Moore are actively trying to get another Brat Pack reunion underfoot and I want this to happen so much!

St. Elmo’s Fire gave audiences a different type of coming-of-age story. Instead of seeing a typical teen ‘80s film about high school life, we’re introduced to a group of recent college grads adjusting to post-university life. It’s been almost 40 years since the coming-of-age movie, and yet the Hulu documentary Brats reminded us how much we want The Brat Pack together again.

Well, Deadline gave us some good news that two Brat Pack members, Rob Lowe and Demi Moore, are actively trying to make this happen with a possible St. Elmo’s Fire sequel. The Parks and Recreation actor spoke on Kelly Ripa’s Let’s Talk Off Camera podcast about recent updates of the upcoming movie and I’m so psyched for it:

That’s really exciting to know that everyone is on board for the new movie. It wouldn’t be a faithful sequel without all of the amazingly talented cast like Emilio Estevez, Judd Nelson, Ally Sheedy, Andrew McCarthy, Mare Winningham, and more. Now that St. Elmo’s Fire showed us what the group of friends have been up to since graduating college, it would be great to see how they all adjusted to careers, marriage, parenthood, and the like while in their ‘60s. Hopefully this time around, Demi Moore doesn’t have to go through scenes like the St. Elmo’s Fire cringeworthy moment when her character, Jules, tries to freeze herself in an empty apartment. The second time around, I’d like to believe she’d like the windows closed, please.

Children of the ‘80s are sure to get together to see a St. Elmo’s Fire sequel so they can relive the glory days of seeing The Brat Pack on the big screen again. Rob Lowe spoke about what we could look forward to seeing in the potential sequel:

It looks like a possible St. Elmo’s Fire sequel seeks to explore the realistic life experiences that can happen when you reach your ‘60s. Audiences that grew up during the ‘80s will resonate with those powerful themes and younger generations today can know what to expect when reaching the golden years.

I’d like to believe that it was through the success of Brats that a St. Elmo’s Fire sequel is being talked about right now. It holds a critics’ score of 84% on Rotten Tomatoes and 60% from audiences which means it was loved by critics those with a Hulu subscription. The documentary can easily open viewers’ eyes to things they didn’t know about The Brat Pack like how some actors weren’t fond of the coined term and didn’t keep in touch with each other much after filming their movies. But with Brats being appreciated for its dose of nostalgia and its cultural impact, seeing everyone reunite again would show audiences The Brat Pack doesn’t die.

Even though a St. Elmo’s Fire sequel is still in the talking stages thanks in part to Rob Lowe and Demi Moore, it still makes me very excited about the idea of seeing actors who dominated ‘80s movies come together again. As Lowe mentioned Brats “only added to the excitement around” St. Elmo’s Fire and its sequel, it proves the streaming documentary was a nostalgic reminder to celebrate cherished movies no matter how long ago they came out and that it’s never too late to reunite for one last movie. You can see how members of The Brat Pack are doing now in Brats.

Somewhere along the way, Rob Lowe went from being a talented actor who appeared opposite really funny people, to actually being a funny person himself. The current host of The Floor has seen so many shifts in his career, from starting in The Outsiders and being a member of The Brat Pack to carrying himself as a legitimate dramatic actor, and a comedian with fantastic timing and chops. So much of that timing is on display in Lowe’s ongoing streaming series Unstable, available to anyone with a Netflix subscription. And when speaking with CinemaBlend about his work on the show, Lowe traced some of its success back to Wayne’s World.

On Unstable, Rob Lowe plays the genius founder of a high-tech bio research facility, who bonds with his son (played by Rob’s actual son, John Owen Lowe) after the man comes to work at the lab. But a standout in Unstable Season 2 is the increased role of Saturday Night Live veteran Fred Armisen, who plays a therapist working closely with Rob Lowe’s character, Ellis. The situations that Unstable places Armisen into are borderline preposterous – including a celebrated Rob Lowe nude scene – leading me to ask Rob and John Owen how they maintain their composure while filming those comedic scenes. It has to be a struggle.

But Rob Lowe explained to CinemaBlend:

Rob Lowe subsequently threw his son John Owen under the bus, saying that there is a LOT of unusable footage from Unstable because of times that the younger Lowe broke character. Rob Lowe has said over and over what a joy it is to have his son working on this Netflix series with him. But John Owen Lowe apparently ruins a lot of takes.

However, while working on Unstable Season 2, John Owen Lowe did share with us one thing he’s very proud of, telling CinemaBlend:

In addition to his training on Wayne’s World, Rob Lowe worked incredibly hard at not ruining takes on the enormously entertaining NBC sitcom Parks and Recreation. Probably because he was a hellacious diva.

Unstable is available now on Netflix, which has two seasons of the situation comedy. Go watch Rob Lowe not ruin any takes.

Well, after a lot of speculation, it's been confirmed that 9-1-1: Lone Star will be added to the ever-growing list of shows canceled or ending, as it’s now set to conclude with Season 5. However, while it's a bummer that the upcoming season, which is set to air on the 2024 TV schedule, will also be its final, it's not surprising news.

After a lot of rumors regarding Season 5 being its final one, Deadline confirmed that the show will not return to Fox for a sixth season. As it stands, the last episodes will begin airing on Fox on September 23, and the series finale will drop in early 2025.  

Rumors regarding the show ending started in June. After the writers' and actors' strikes delayed the fifth season, and pushed it back a year, reports started swirling that bad news could be headed down the pipeline for Lone Star. 

Overall, the writing has been on the wall for a while. For example, Sierra McClain announced her departure from the 9-1-1 spinoff after alleged unsuccessful negotiations. It was also reported earlier this summer that other members of the cast were in contract negotiations that didn’t end well. Therefore, it was reported that the ensemble expected the upcoming 12-episode season to be their last. 

On top of that, there were social media messages from the cast that seemed to allude to the impending end.

Deadline noted that Lone Star is not a cheap show to make either, and it is above Fox’s desired $3 to $4 million per episode budget for dramas. The network also pays a licensing fee for the series, however, the report explained that “the Disney-owned 20th TV has been running a ‘deficit,’ covering the gap between the size of the licensing fee and what it costs to make the series.” Apparently, that played into the choice to delay Season 5 last year, and it could have impacted the decision to end the series after the upcoming episodes.

Also, while it’s fair to ask questions about if Lone Star will jump to ABC like 9-1-1 did, it was clarified that that will not be happening. 

Along with the announcement, Fox's president Michael Thorn released a statement about Lone Star ending and what can be expected from Season 5:

Overall, while it’s a bummer that this drama is coming to a close, at least they get to truly end it. They know what’s coming, and as Rob Lowe has said, this season will be “like mini-movies every week.” So, I think it’s safe to say that Lone Star will go out with a bang.

Plus, while the series is ending, the franchise is still going strong, as its flagship show, 9-1-1 is still airing and will premiere on September 26 on ABC. 

In the end, yes this news is sad. However, at least it’s not a surprise, and we can fully take in Lone Star’s final season when it premieres on Fox at 8 p.m. ET on Monday, September 23. 

For a lucky few, Hollywood is a family business, though that honor comes with its own set of qualms when famous parents face nepotism accusations over casting their children in roles. Rob Lowe and his son, John Owen, are no strangers to this conversation, having worked together on a handful of projects over the years. While the quintessential Brat Pack member has no issue working with his talented offspring, he would draw the line at casting him in a biopic of his life, and Owen has some thoughts about his dad’s casting choice.

Back in June, the father-son duo was interviewed by Entertainment Tonight when the 29-year-old asked his father who he'd cast to play the elder Lowe if the powers that be in Hollywood decided to give a biopic about his life a 2025 release date. Lowe didn’t need to think about the question and immediately threw out Zac Efron’s name before praising him for his work in A24’s The Iron Claw.

While another child star might have been upset to hear their father cast someone else in a role that they could have kept in the family, Owen took the hypothetical casting in stride and agreed with his father. The topic came up in conversation again recently when the Unstable co-stars were interviewed by watchmojo. This time around, the interviewer chose to direct the question at the actor/writer and asked why Lowe wouldn’t consider his own sole for the biopic role.

There are many reasons why Lowe and Owen want to distance themselves from a hypothetical biopic about the 9-1-1: Lone Star lead's life. For one, it would definitely bring up the dreaded nepotism argument again. There’s also the simple fact that actors in biopics often get a tremendous wave of hate for their depictions of beloved subjects. Perhaps, in fictitiously casting Efron, Lowe was saving his son from that same sort of backlash.

Like the pro he is, Owen took the interview question in stride and even added his own humorous take on the casting by saying his dad would be the one who would benefit from the Efron casting and not the other way around.

While Efron definitely has the acting chops to handle another biopic, it’s unlikely his phone will be ringing anytime soon for this particular gig, since there isn’t a Lowe film in the works, as far as we know. As unfortunate as that is, fans can still get their fix by tuning into 9-1-1: Lone Star when it returns to the 2024 TV Schedule in September for its fifth and potentially final season.

Fans can also check out Lowe and Owen as the fictional father-son duo in the streaming comedy Unstable. The first season is available to stream on the service with a Netflix subscription, and the second season is on the way.

While 9-1-1 has thrived on ABC after being canceled by Fox, spinoff 9-1-1: Lone Star stayed on latter network after earning a Season 5 renewal. However, after the Rob Lowe-led drama's latest season was delayed due to the strikes, rumors began to suggest that Lone Star could very well be ending. An official announcement has yet to be made on that front. Now, ahead of Season 5's premiere on the 2024 TV schedule, Lowe is reflecting on the show’s legacy.

Despite being a 9-1-1 spinoff, Lone Star has become very self-contained and has cultivated a devoted fanbase since its launch in 2020. Once it was revealed that the series would not be returning midseason 2024, along with almost every other scripted series after the strikes, the optics weren't looking good for the procedural's future. The fact that Season 5 would only have 12 episodes also didn't seem to bode well for what may come. Amid the uncertainty that continues to surround the series, Rob Lowe spoke to Variety about the potential end of the journey and what his favorite aspect of the experience has been:

Regardless of the series' fate, it sounds like the Unstable actor is grateful to have had the show in his life. Lone Star has had some incredible first responder-centric, and those definitely could not have been possible without the hardworking cast and crew. The lead actor also makes a great point in that the installments were similar to "mini-movies," given the high quality they possess. As a fan, I'm excited to see how Season 5 turns out and ultimately ups the ante when it comes to cinematic storytelling.

It’s honestly hard to tell if 9-1-1: Lone Star will return for Season 6, but I'd wager that Fox likely won’t make a decision until the latest episodes have premiered. The series is set to finally premiere in September, but without one main cast member. Sierra McClain exited the drama after four seasons playing dispatcher Grace Ryder. It's honestly weird to think that McClain won't be present this time around, and the fact that this could be the drama series' last hurrah makes her absence even sadder.

As for what to look forward to in Lone Star’s potentially last season, cast members Ronen Rubinstein and Rafael Silva previously teased T.K. and Carlos’ married era after the two suffered family deaths. Also, Deadline reported that Jackson Pace has been upped to series regular as Judd’s son Wyatt, which will make for more interesting stories that are akin to "mini-movies." While there's still more that has to be added to the show's lore, it's fair to say that it's already carved out a nice space for itself within the history of TV procedurals. I'm disappointed that there may only be 12 episodes left but, like Rob Lowe, I'm pleased with what the series has managed to accomplish during its run.

It might still be a while until Fox makes a decision on 9-1-1: Lone Star Season 6, and I remain hopeful that there will be good news. In the meantime, though, fans can watch the Season 5 premiere on Monday, September 23 at 8 p.m. ET on Fox. Those with a Hulu subscription can also stream the first four seasons now in preparation.

The notion of a TV show going through cast changes for one reason or another isn’t all that unusual. In some cases, an actor might choose to leave a show in order to pursue other opportunities. And, at other times, a character naturally runs their course and is written out, leading to a star being ushered out of a production gracefully. However, there have been a number of instances in which an actor has dramatically exited a popular show for more salacious reasons. And we’re going to talk about a number of those situations.

Mackenzie Phillips (One Day At A Time)

Mackenzie Phillips dealt with substance and alcohol abuse during her tenure on One Day at a Time. As her problems increased and she allegedly became erratic on set, the actress was fired after the fifth season of the Norman Lear-produced sitcom. After voluntarily receiving treatment, Philips was invited back to the series at the start of Season 7. But, as mentioned in her Biography special she was fired one more time early in Season 9.

Delta Burke (Designing Women)

Designing Women cast member Delta Burke, who played breakout character Suzanne Sugarbaker, left the beloved CBS comedy after its fifth season. At the time, Burke was having issues with series creator Linda Bloodworth-Thomason. While appearing on the Glamorous Trash podcast years later, Burke said she and the EP “tried to kill each other” but “survived.” They eventually patched things up and teamed up again for a short-lived spinoff series, Women of the House.

John Amos (Good Times) 

Fans, like myself, would probably argue that Good Times – one of the greatest sitcoms of all time – changed tremendously after John Amos’ James Evans Sr. was written out following Season 3. That creative decision was the result of Amos being incredibly vocal about his frustrations with the direction of the show and even threatening the writers. As the actor explained during an interview, series EP Norman Lear called him up personally to tell him he’d been fired. 

Rob Lowe (The West Wing)

Before he dazzled on Parks and Recreation and after rising to prominence as a “Brat Pack” member, Rob Lowe starred on The West Wing. The show was originally set to center around his character, Sam Seaborn, though the focus shifted early on. Feeling underutilized as time went on, Lowe left the show after four seasons.

Roseanne Barr (Roseanne)

Roseanne Barr’s eponymous ABC sitcom was revived for a tenth season that aired in 2018, and it saw considerable success. Following its renewal, Barr was fired after posting a tweet about former government official Valerie Janet that was condemned as being racist. Her dismissal led to the cancellation of Roseanne and the conception of a spinoff sequel series The Conners.

Janet Hubert (The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air)

Two actresses portrayed Vivian “Aunt Viv” Banks on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, the first being Janet Hubert. By the NBC sitcom’s third season, she and lead actor Will Smith began to butt heads. Both were also dealing with situations in their personal lives. Ultimately, Hubert left Fresh Prince due to getting an unsatisfactory new contract offer and, years later, she and Smith made amends during the show’s 2020 reunion.

Kevin Spacey (House Of Cards)

House of Cards experienced a significant shake-up after Kevin Spacey was accused of being inappropriate towards actor Anthony Rapp while he was still a minor. Netflix eventually cut ties with Spacey and, as a result, he was replaced as the lead of the show by co-star Robin Wright.

Charlie Sheen (Two And A Half Men)

When it comes to an exit from a TV series, few get more dramatic than Charlie Sheen’s departure from Two and a Half Men. During the eighth season of the hit CBS show, he made headlines for partaking in wild parties and even entered rehab. Sheen’s fate was sealed, however, when he made disparaging remarks about series co-creator Chuck Lorre. Men would continue for four more seasons, with Ashton Kutcher taking over as co-lead.

Katherine Heigl (Grey’s Anatomy) 

There are a lot of moving parts to Katherine Heigl’s Grey’s Anatomy exit, but it was truly set in motion after the actress kept her name from Emmy consideration in 2008. Heigl did that because she didn’t think the work she’d done for that particular season was Emmy-worthy. In 2009, the Izzie Stevens actress accused series creator Shonda Rhimes and the producers of initiating long work hours for the cast and crew. And, in 2010, amid Season 6 of the drama series, Rhimes released Heigl from her contract early.

Valerie Harper (Valerie/Valerie’s Family/The Hogan Family)

Amid the second season of Valerie, lead actress Valerie Harper became engaged in a salary dispute with both NBC and production company Lorimar. It was after that season that the Emmy winner was fired, and she ultimately sued both of the aforementioned companies for breach of contract. The series aired for four more seasons – and had two more names. But, ultimately, Harper won her case and was awarded $1.4 million and future show profits.

Robert Downey Jr. (Ally McBeal)

Robert Downey Jr. had experienced a number of personal issues by the time he was cast for Season 4 of Ally McBeal, and they continued throughout his tenure. During that season, he was arrested in November 2000 for drug possession and was taken into custody again under suspicion of being under the influence in Culver City in 2001. With that, Downey was fired from McBeal.

Jeffrey Tambor (Transparent)

In 2017, amid the MeToo Movement, Jeffrey Tambor was accused of inappropriate behavior by his former assistant. Shortly after, one of Tambor’s Transparent co-stars accused him of misconduct as well. Amazon, which had renewed the Emmy-winning dramedy for a fifth and final season, officially fired Tambor in early 2018. His character, who was the lead, was ultimately killed off in the musical series finale special.

Esther Rolle (Good Times)

Esther Rolle took issue with some of the creative decisions made on Good Times, not unlike her co-star, John Amos – who was fired after Season 3 even though Rolle was more publicly vocal about her disdain. Given her discomfort, Rolle left after the fourth season when her contract expired. She did, however, return as a main cast member for the sixth and final season. 

Suzanne Somers (Three’s Company)

Some TV devotees may not be aware that Suzanne Somers exited Three’s Company after five seasons due to a salary dispute with ABC’s execs. Her attempts to renegotiate a new deal proved to be unsuccessful, and her contract was not renewed. Throughout the remainder of the show's run, Somers' Chrissy Snow would be succeeded by two other characters.

Chad Michael Murray (One Tree Hill)

Many were likely surprised when Chad Michael Murray was one of two major stars to exit One Tree Hill ahead of its seventh season. At this point, there’s been no clear reason as to why Murray, who played Lucas Scott parted ways with the show. Some contend that he was ready to leave, but Murray was even recorded saying that the network wanted to drop him to save money.

Lori Loughlin (Fuller House)

Veteran actress Lori Loughlin was starring on Netflix’s Fuller House when she was indicted as part of the 2019 college admissions scandal. In 2020, Loughlin pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud and was sentenced to two months in prison. Given her legal woes, Loughlin’s Aunt Becky was excluded from the sitcom’s final season.

Isaiah Washington (Grey’s Anatomy)

It was in October 2006 that Isaiah Washington made headlines after it was reported that during an on-set conflict with Patrick Dempsey, he insulted their fellow Grey’s Anatomy co-star, T.R. Knight, with a homophobic slur. Washington reportedly issued an apology though, by the summer of 2007, his contract with ABC was eliminated after Season 3. Washington did, however, reprise the role for a Season 10 episode.

Thomas Gibson (Criminal Minds)

Criminal Minds fired Thomas Gibson amid production on Season 12. As has been reported, Gibson, who was directing an episode at the time, had a disagreement with the episode’s writer. The scribe was on set at the time and, during an encounter with Gibson, the actor apparently kicked him. Gibson subsequently expressed regret over his actions.

Shannen Doherty (Charmed)

Few TV deaths were more tragic than that of Shannen Doherty’s Prue Halliwell during Charmed’s third season finale. In the years since she departed the show, Doherty has claimed that her on-set tension with co-star Alyssa Milano caused her to be let go. For her part, Milano said she was “sad” that Doherty blamed her for how everything panned out.

Danny Masterson (The Ranch)

While starring on Netflix’s The Ranch, Danny Masterson was investigated by police due to allegations of assault by multiple women. Masterson was soon fired from the series amid production on Season 3 and, in 2023, he was sentenced to prison.

Ruby Rose (Batwoman)

After leading Batwoman for just one season, Ruby Rose exited the Arrowverse show in 2020. The actress initially attributed her decision to the “taxing” nature of heading up a TV show as well as an allergic reaction to the latex in her costume. However, Rose later made claims of an abusive workplace against her ex-co-stars, The CW and more. Warner Bros. TV denied the allegations as did Rose’s former scene partners.

Cindy Williams (Laverne & Shirley)

Laverne & Shirley lost co-lead Cindy Williams early into the show’s eighth and final season. Williams became pregnant early into production and, as she explained to Today, she wouldn’t sign a new contract due to the producers having her work on her due date. So Penny Marshall’s Laverne DeFazio finished out those last episodes without Williams’ Shirley Feeney.

Chevy Chase (Community)

It’s been well documented that Community’s Chevy Chase had creative differences with series creator Dan Harmon over his character, Pierce Hawthorne. While working on Season 4, the veteran funnyman reportedly had an on-set tirade during which he dropped the N-word. Chase departed the show shortly after that.

Daniel Dae Kim (Hawaii Five-0)

Daniel Dae Kim’s exit from CBS’ Hawaii Five-0 reboot after seven seasons came down to a salary dispute with the network. After the news of his departure was reported, Kim himself (who was one of the procedural’s most recognizable stars) addressed the situation, confirming that he and the network couldn’t agree to terms on a new deal.

Lisa Bonet (A Different World)

Cosby Show spinoff A Different World finished its first season on NBC in early 1988 and, afterward, lead actress Lisa Bonet announced her pregnancy with then-husband Lenny Kravitz. The sitcom’s incoming showrunner, Debbie Allen, wanted to keep Bonet on the show and depict her character, Denise Huxtable, as a single mom. But, as Allen explained years later, series creator Bill Cosby preferred that Bonet be dropped from the show.

Columbus Short (Scandal)

After three seasons on ABC’s Scandal, Columbus Short was removed from the cast of the hit drama series. It was during that time that the actor was dealing with personal issues and was even arrested on a domestic violence charge. Short later explained that he was cut due to his struggles with drugs and alcohol.

Gina Carano (The Mandalorian)

MMA fighter-turned-actress Gina Carano established a polarizing social media presence during her two-season stint on The Mandalorian. Among the controversial posts she shared was a message that seemingly compared being a modern-day conservative to being a Jewish person during the Holocaust. Disney and Lucasfilm fired Carano in 2021 ahead of the highly popular Star Wars show’s third season.

Nicollette Sheridan (Desperate Housewives)

Desperate Housewives star Nicollette Sheridan was written out of the show after the show’s fifth season, with her character, Edie Britt, being killed off. Several years later, the actress filed suit against Marc Cherry, the show’s creator and ABC. Sheridan alleged that Cherry assaulted her on the set and that she was fired for reporting it. Cherry provided an account of events and, in time, the harassment claims were thrown and Sheridan was unsuccessful in getting a retrial.

T.R. Knight (Grey’s Anatomy)

In 2009, T.R. Knight – who played Dr. George O’Malley on Grey’s Anatomy – left the show after the fifth season. Knight said his reason for leaving was due to a “breakdown of communication” with series EP Shonda Rhimes, his own decision to come out as gay and more. This also all came a few years after Knight was allegedly insulted with a homophobic slur by ex-co-star Isaiah Washington. 

Hilarie Burton (One Tree Hill)

Much has been said about Hilarie Burton’s exit from One Tree Hill after the sixth season. The most common assertion has been that the Peyton Sawyer actress couldn’t agree with the network on a new deal. Interestingly, while Burton recalled filming her final scene for the show, she noted that while shooting another sequence, a producer announced on set that the show was renewed for Season 7. However, both Burton and co-star Chad Michael Muray were surprised as they apparently hadn’t been offered new deals.

Justin Roiland (Rick And Morty)

Rick and Morty actor and co-creator Justin Roiland was fired from the Adult Swim show in 2023 after it was revealed that he was facing a domestic violence charge and other offenses in court. Roiland’s case was eventually thrown out later that year. However, the animator and voice actor was later accused of assault and messaging underage girls.

John Rhys-Davies (Sliders)

The sci-fi cult classic Sliders lost cast member John Rhys-Davies when the actor opted to depart after three seasons amid other cast changes. Sometime later, Rhys-Davies explained that he left due to conflicts with the writers. The veteran actor later explained that by the time he left the show, the scripts had become “incomprehensible gibberish.”

Rob Lowe was an iconic ‘80s movie actor who made a name for himself on the big screen as a total heartthrob. After The Outsiders launched this A-lister’s career, he went on to be part of The Brat Pack films and then transitioned to have a prominent television career with shows like The West Wing, Parks and Recreation, and 9-1-1: Lone Star. He's had a career deserving of a biopic, and if he were to pick anyone to portray him in one, Zac Efron would be his prime choice. As I’m a huge fan of the two, this perfect casting has blown my mind!

Rob Lowe sat down with his son, John Owen Lowe, in an ET interview where he asked his dad who should play him in a biopic (that is, of course, if it’s “off the table” for his own son). Here was the Parks and Rec actor’s answer:   

I couldn’t have picked a better actor myself. In fact, my mind was blown by how I didn't think of this choice casting before. 

Zac Efron came onto the film scene as a total heartthrob himself. Due to one of the best childhood DCOMs, High School Musical, you can bet on it (ignore the pun) that Efron’s face was on posters hung in the bedrooms of a lot of children in the 2000s. Like Rob Lowe, the Baywatch actor has been in a lot of movies that have shown off his impressive abs and physique. As they both share bright blue eyes too, they truly do have an incredible resemblance. 

Other than Zac Efron bearing a fairly striking likeness to the ‘80s idol, we’ve also seen the former Disney actor in powerful performances that show he’s bigger than High School Musical. As Rob Lowe said, Efron received high praise for his performance in The Iron Claw as Kevin Von Erich which proves he can handle not only the physical grunt work that comes with looking the part physically, but the emotional aspects the character carries too.

Even though Rob Lowe thinks that Zac Efron would be perfect to play himself, his son and Unstable co-star John Owen Lowe seems to think otherwise. The 28-year-old actor laughed at the idea of his father pitching for The Greatest Showman actor to play him, believing Efron would refuse. 

I’d like to believe the Neighbors actor would be open to the idea of playing The West Wing actor. After all, the HSM alum was touched when he found out Matthew Perry wanted Efron to play him too. With the amount of range the 36-year-old actor has shown lately, I think he could play anything he set his mind to.

After Rob Lowe requested that Zac Efron play him in a biopic, consider my mind officially blown. Those two came into the Hollywood scene as dreamy idols and transitioned into adult roles that further defined their careers. With Lowe’s choice being the perfect casting, we need this biopic to happen. 

However, while we wait for that dream to become reality, you can look at our 2024 movie schedule to see what the actors are releasing next. 

At the turn of the 21st century, TV fans got to live in the idealized world of Jed Bartlet’s White House on The West Wing. For seven seasons on NBC, we watched the president’s sometimes-flawed but always well-meaning staff strive to prioritize the needs of the country above all else. As with any administration, or TV show rather, people came and went, but many appeared in a significant number of the series’ 155 episodes. Here are the 32 cast members we saw the most: 

Bradley Whitford - 150 episodes 

It’s funny to think Josh Lyman was in danger of losing his job in The West Wing’s series premiere back in 1999. Instead, Bradley Whitford’s Deputy Chief of Staff was there for the duration, with the actor appearing in more episodes than any of his compatriots. 

Allison Janney - 146 episodes

Has a White House Press Secretary ever been more likable than C.J. Cregg? Over the years she perfected the art of controlling a room full of media, fielding tough questions and disseminating the most important information to the country. It’s no wonder one of Allison Janney’s best characters remained a vital member of the Bartlet White House for the majority of the episodes of the show’s seven-season run. 

Richard Schiff - 142 episodes 

While sometimes awkward in his personal interactions, Richard Schiff’s Toby Ziegler was a master when it came to crafting President Bartlet’s speeches as Communication Director. Toby remained a series regular through all 155 episodes, appearing in 142 and endearing us with his no-nonsense personality, the rubber ball he threw at the wall and his penchant for speaking truth to power. 

Janel Moloney - 142 episodes  

If you ever wondered how important Donna Moss was to Josh Lyman as his senior assistant, just look at how many episodes Janel Moloney appeared in. Though many of the staff’s assistants appeared often in smaller roles, Donna was often featured more prominently for her drive to always be more — and for the flirty repartee she had with Josh that carried a “will-they-won’t-they” vibe through the series. 

Martin Sheen - 141 episodes  

President Josiah Bartlet himself is, of course, one of the most prominently featured characters on The West Wing, but it wasn’t originally intended to be that way. Creator Aaron Sorkin famously wanted the series to revolve only around the senior staff, with Martin Sheen making only a few appearances per season. That plan was quickly scrapped, and Sorkin let Bartlet be Bartlet for the majority of the episodes.  

John Spencer - 136 episodes  

When you think second-in-command at the White House, your mind might go to the vice president, but on The West Wing, it was always Bartlet’s Chief of Staff Leo McGarry. John Spencer’s character was one of the series’ most complex — a war veteran, recovering alcoholic and addict whose dedication to his job resulted in his wife leaving him. Leo would have been in more episodes, however Spencer died of a heart attack before Season 7 was complete. His death was written into the final scripts, with his character suffering the same fate. 

Dulé Hill - 131 episodes 

Long before The Wonder Years, a young Dulé Hill joined The West Wing as Charlie Young, the personal aide (aka “bodyman”) to President Bartlet. Charlie appeared in fewer episodes of the NBC drama’s final season, as Hill began his co-starring role on the detective dramedy Psych. 

NiCole Robinson - 106 episodes 

As senior assistant to the Chief of Staff, Margaret Hooper was just as dedicated to Leo as Donna was to Josh. However, there were definitely no romantic undertones to this relationship. Leo and Margaret were an often-hilarious odd couple, with Margaret being quite quirky. NiCole Robinson’s character was never the main focus, but she was a consistent presence, appearing in many episodes over all seven seasons. 

Melissa Fitzgerald - 101 episodes 

We can’t forget Carol Fitzpatrick (Melissa Fitzgerald), who served as the assistant to Press Secretary C.J. Cregg. Equally as qualified and dedicated as the other senior staffers’ assistants, Carol was often also a friend to C.J., encouraging her boss to have a personal life and talking to her about men. Carol appeared in all seven seasons, though not as prominently in Seasons 6 and 7. 

Rob Lowe - 80 episodes 

Unlike Richard Schiff, Allison Janney and John Spencer, original cast member Rob Lowe did not stick around to see the Bartlet presidency through. The actor portrayed Sam Seaborn, Deputy Communications Director, for roughly the first half of the show’s run, before he left in Season 4. Lowe’s exit from The West Wing has been attributed to a combination of disputes over his salary and the actor feeling undervalued. Despite the drama, Lowe reprised his role in a pair of guest appearances in Season 7, as well as the cast’s stage recreation of Season 3’s “Hartsfield’s Landing” in 2020. 

Joshua Malina - 71 episodes 

Replacing Sam Seaborn as Deputy White House Communications Director was Will Bailey, played by Joshua Malina. Malina joined the cast in Season 4 and remained part of the White House operations — whether that was working with Toby Ziegler or acting as Vice President Bob Russell’s Chief of Staff — through the end of the series. 

Stockard Channing - 57 episodes 

Stockard Channing's presence may have been less prominent near the end of The West Wing’s run, but there's no question the actress was a vital member of the cast as First Lady Dr. Abigail Bartlet. Always sharp as a whip and often at odds with her husband, Abbey was rarely the focus of the plot, but man could Channing steal a scene. She did just that in 57 episodes across seven seasons. 

Kim Webster - 56 episodes 

“Ginger, get the popcorn!” In Kim Webster, we got another of our beloved senior assistants, as she portrayed Toby’s communications aide Ginger in all seven seasons. The majority of her 56 episodes came in the first four seasons — aka the Sorkin years — as Webster appeared in only four episodes total across Seasons 5-7. 

Kris Murphy - 52 episodes 

C.J. Cregg wouldn’t have been able to do her job without members of the press to talk to. Kris Murphy played Washington Post journalist Katie Witt in all seven seasons, though her appearances dwindled as the show went on. Murphy was in six episodes of Season 5, four in Season 6, and just one episode of The West Wing’s last season. 

Timothy Davis-Reed - 52 episodes 

Another member of the White House press corps was Mark O’Donnell, played by Timothy Davis-Reed. He appeared more than 50 times across Seasons 2-7, most prominently in the third and fourth seasons. 

William Duffy - 47 episodes 

William Duffy portrayed congressional liaison Larry, who was one-half of the fan-favorite duo of Ed and Larry. The staffers were practically always together and often confused for one another, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern-style. With that being the case, one has to wonder why Duffy is credited with one more episode than his counterpart. 

Peter James Smith - 46 episodes 

Congressional liaison Ed was played by Peter James Smith. He and William Duffy appeared in all seven seasons of The West Wing, though each showed up only two times in the final two seasons. 

Renée Estevez - 44 episodes 

The senior staffers of The West Wing did form something of a family unit, but for Martin Sheen, it really was a family affair. His daughter Renée Estevez had a small role as Nancy, the assistant to the executive secretary. She appeared quite often outside the Oval Office, working amidst Charlie and Mrs. Landingham, though she rarely had much to say. 

Charles Noland - 43 episodes 

Charles Noland played the press corps member Steve, and fans might remember seeing him amongst the media members who witnessed Josh Lyman completely bomb a press conference by joking that President Bartlet had a "secret plan to fight inflation" in Season 1's "Celestial Navigation." Noland appeared in all seven seasons. 

Devika Parikh - 40 episodes 

Devika Parikh played Bonnie, a staffer in the Communications Office of the West Wing who worked closely with Ginger and, by proxy, Toby and Sam. Like Ginger, Bonnie mostly disappeared after Season 4, appearing just twice in Season 5 before exiting for good.  

Jimmy Smits - 35 episodes 

Matthew Santos didn’t enter The West Wing universe until Season 6, but he was arguably its most important latecomer. Portrayed in those 35 episodes by the great Jimmy Smits, Santos would go on to succeed Jed Bartlet as President of the United States. 

Lily Tomlin - 34 episodes 

Speaking of great successors, Deborah Fiderer had the unenviable task of replacing the beloved executive secretary Mrs. Landingham after she was killed in a car wreck. Lily Tomlin was up to the task, though, especially with the backstory of how she got fired for recommending Charlie as the president’s bodyman over another candidate. Tomlin appeared in the Season 3 finale, then recurred for the remaining four seasons. 

Mindy Seeger - 34 episodes 

Chris was another member of C.J.’s press corps, played by Mindy Seeger. Chris and C.J. seemed to have something of a friendly relationship, and she appeared in a handful of episodes in the first six seasons but just one in The West Wing’s final run. 

Mary McCormack - 30 episodes 

Mary McCormack joined the fray at the end of Season 5 as Deputy National Security Advisor Kate Harper. While she signed on as a series regular for the final two seasons, McCormack appeared in just over half of the episodes. 

Kathryn Joosten - 30 episodes 

Delores Landingham (Kathryn Joosten) was a favorite of The West Wing fans as the Executive Secretary to President Bartlet. A confidante and supporter of Jed Bartlet long before he took political office, she had the respect of everyone in the building and ensured that decorum was maintained in the vicinity of the Oval Office. Mrs. Landingham appeared in nearly every episode of the first two seasons before — in one of the most shocking moments in TV history — she was killed by a drunk driver at the end of Season 2. Joosten returned as a guest for one episode in Seasons 3 and 4 in flashbacks.  

Timothy Busfield - 27 episodes 

One of the bigger romantic storylines on The West Wing outside of Josh and Donna featured C.J. and her efforts to keep things professional with senior White House correspondent Danny Concannon. Timothy Busfield was prominently featured as the Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist in the first season, then came back a handful of times in Seasons 2 and 4, once in Season 5 and made four appearances in the final season. 

Ivan Allen - 26 episodes 

The White House clearly had its preferred TV news anchor, because Ivan Allen appeared as anchor Roger Salier — via TV screen — in a few episodes for all seven seasons of the political drama’s run, 26 times in total. 

Elisabeth Moss - 25 episodes 

Elisabeth Moss is well-known now for series including Mad Men and The Handmaid’s Tale, but before that, you might have forgotten she was on The West Wing as President Bartlet’s youngest daughter Zoey. She appeared at least once in every season except the third. 

Mary-Louise Parker - 23 episodes 

Amy Gardner came into Aaron Sorkin’s universe in Season 3 as a political lobbyist and college friend of Josh. She and Josh engaged in an on-off relationship, as she worked her way to positions within both the Bartlet and Santos administrations. Parker made most of her guest spots in Seasons 3 and 4, though she returned for a handful of Season 5 episodes, one in Season 6 and two in Season 7. 

Kristin Chenoweth - 23 episodes 

The West Wing is not the first show that comes to mind when Kristin Chenoweth’s name comes up, but sure enough, she portrayed Deputy Press Secretary Annabeth Schott in Seasons 6 and 7, appearing in about half of each season’s episodes. Her character joined the Santos campaign trail and had a clear attraction to Leo McGarry before his death. 

John Amos - 22 episodes 

As the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, anytime John Amos’ Percy Fitzwallace showed up on The West Wing, you knew something was going down. Unfortunately for the fans, his episodes were merely sporadic in Seasons 1, 3, 4 and 5. 

Gary Cole - 22 episodes 

Vice President Bob Russell, aka “Bingo Bob,” aka actor Gary Cole, was the second vice president of the Bartlet administration, and he appeared mostly in the fifth and sixth seasons, with one guest appearance in Season 7.

These may be the 32 characters who graced our television screens in the most episodes of The West Wing, but this list only scratches the surface of the talent featured in the political drama for seven seasons. Alan Alda notched 16 episodes as presidential candidate Arnold Vinick, and Moira Kelly appeared in 20 episodes of the 22-first season, before her character Mandy became a victim of “Chuck Cunningham Syndrome” and was never heard from again. 

May is always a big month for broadcast TV, with advertising upfronts forcing network execs to figure out fall schedules and cull their existing lineups to make room for impending projects. But admist all of 2024’s canceled and ending shows, there’s still room for good news, which Fox offered up in the form of renewals for two fan-favorite shows that were also among the final series whose fates were still unconfirmed: The Floor and The Cleaning Lady.

What’s more, both updates are slightly more complex than just a straight-up renewal order, so let’s take a closer look at what fans can expect from both shows later this year and beyond.

The Floor Renewed For Seasons 2 And 3

Rob Lowe proved that he could balance two different TV gigs at the same time when he took the stage of Fox’s latest twist on trivia game shows as the host of The Floor while also starring in 9-1-1: Lone Star as co-lead Owen Strand. Granted, he was likely able to fit the hosting gig into his schedule with the Texas-set drama’s next season having been delayed to Fall 2024 due to the entertainment industry strikes in 2023.

But it appears as if everyone involved figured out a keen way for Lowe to continue hosting the show despite getting back to the norm on Lone Star, as Fox renewed The Floor for not just one, but two new seasons. Interestingly enough, the network’s announcement notes that both seasons are part of the 2024-2025 TV season, though without detailing exactly when those seasons are set to air.

Not only that, but The Floor’s titular set will also be expanding. The first season, which Fox boasts as being the #1 unscripted freshman series of 2023-2024, featured 81 contestants competing in the show’s image-recognizing battles to try and cover the most ground. Now, audiences will see 100 hopefuls facing off to try and win the grand prize, with both of the upcoming seasons going with that uptick in players.

Finally, Fox Entertainment announced it’s entered into a first-look deal with Rob Lowe to help develop more unscripted series going forward that would be produced by FOX Alternative Entertainment. Lowe, who also serves as a producer on The Floor, previously hosted the trivia format Mental Samurai, which lasted for two seasons, and is also currently starring in the Netflix comedy Unstable, which was renewed for Season 2 in November 2023, and will return at some point in 2024.

The Cleaning Lady Renewed For Season 4 With Behind-The-Scenes Change

Fox went right down to the wire with The Cleaning Lady, which was the final scripted series of any network to get a decision. But in the end, execs decided to give Élodie Yung’s Thony De La Rosa another season of criminal fixing and doctoring, though with a big change on the creative team.

For Season 4, The Cleaning Lady is losing executive producers Miranda Kwok and Jeannine Renshaw in their former roles as co-showrunners, with Kwok transitioning into an executive consultant role on the series she developed for Fox. According to Deadline, producers are now seeking out a new showrunner(s) to take over for Season 4, which follows a year that was majorly hindered by both the strikes and by the untimely death of co-star Adan Canto, which forced the writers to reshape the story to account for his character no longer being around.

The Cleaning Lady’s fourth season will reportedly comprise 12 episodes, and that count is said to be one of the sticking points involved with the decision-making process, with Fox execs generally aiming to curb the number as much as possible for budget-saving reasons. That said, Season 4 should be the most financially lucrative season yet for the network and co-studio Warner Bros. TV, which should help keep the new episodes on par with what fans are used to, even if there aren’t quite as many to watch as other dramas.

Clearly audiences can expect for Yung’s character to survive the impending two-hour Season 3 finale, which is set to air on Tuesday, May 21, at 8:00 p.m. ET, and will be available to stream the next day with a Hulu subscription. Head to our 2024 TV premiere schedule to see what other big shows are on the way.

The Golden Globes are often seen as an indication of where the wind is blowing when it comes to Academy Award nominations and winners. If that’s the case, then things are looking good for Robert Downey Jr., who won the award for Best Supporting Actor for his work in Oppenheimer, and maybe not as good for Bradley Cooper in Maestro, who did not walk away with any awards. On the plus side, Cooper did apparently get a very nice congratulatory text from Rob Lowe.

Appearing on Jimmy Kimmel Live! Rob Lowe revealed that when Downey became a Golden Globe winner, he wanted to congratulate his friend. Downey and Lowe have known each other since high school, so of course he wanted to say something to his friend. Unfortunately, he apparently got some numbers confused, as he accidentally texted Bradley Cooper. Lowe explained…

It would be one thing if Rob Lowe had accidentally texted just anybody else, but he texted somebody who had been nominated for Golden Globes but did not win. Maestro was nominated for four awards, three of which would have resulted in Bradley Cooper accepting the statue, but the movie was entirely shut out. Even the strongly reviewed performance of Carey Mulligan went unrecognized.

Maybe getting Cooper and Downey confused isn't that surprising. They're both among the highest-grossing actors of all time. They both have an MCU pedigree. I have no idea how personally Bradley Cooper took his loss at the Golden Globes, I’m sure it wasn’t that big a deal, but getting a text congratulating him, and then realizing that somebody was going to send that to Robert Downey Jr. instead, probably did sting a bit. It sounds like Cooper took it all in stride. He even responded with a joke when Rob Lowe made the exact same mistake a second time. He continued…

Neither actor has a major project on the 2024 release schedule at this point, but they could easily find themselves competing for awards again down the road. And the current awards season is far from over, so there are plenty more chances for Bradley Cooper to give some fine acceptance speeches. If he does, maybe Rob Lowe will send a nice message of congratulations to Robert Downey Jr. 

Fame is a tricky thing, and sometimes the biggest stars in the world can lose it all. Personal problems, changing times, and other factors can lead to a once-promising career disappearing almost over night. These stars, however, reversed their trajectories and came out on top after enduring rough times, in this list of actors who made remarkable career comebacks. 

Robert Downey, Jr.

Robert Downey, Jr was one of the most promising young actors in Hollywood in the 1980s, starring in films like Less Than Zero, Chaplin, and Natural Born Killers. In the mid-90s his life went infamously went off the rails with substance abuse problems. When it looked like he'd thrown it all away, he cleaned up and his fame exploded as he became one of the highest-paid actors in the MCU.

Jane Fonda

Jane Fonda has had a few ups and downs in her career. After breaking out as a star in the '60s, she was later shunned by many for her notorious trip to North Vietnam during the war. She rebounded and starred in hits like 9 to 5 and On Golden Pond. In 1991, Fonda married Ted Turner and completely stepped back from acting. She didn't appear in anything at all until after their divorce in 2001, but roared back to prominence in the 21st Century. 

Rob Lowe

As a member of the "Brat Pack" in the 1980s, Rob Lowe was on top of the world. That all came crashing down when a videotape of Lowe in a compromising situation was leaked. His hard partying had caught up to him, and though he got sober in 1992, he would spend much of the decade playing smaller roles or in direct-to-video movies. In 1999 he landed the role of Sam Seaborn in The West Wing and was once again on top, where he's stayed ever since. 

John Travolta

In the late '70s, there was no bigger star than John Travolta. From Welcome Back, Kotter to Grease and Saturday Night Fever, Travolta was in some of the biggest pop culture touchstones of all time. Then the '80s came and his career hit a serious lull. While he was in the hit Look Who's Talking and its sequels, it was 1994's Pulp Fiction that vaulted Travolta back to the top. 

Natasha Lyonne

In the late '90s, Natasha Lyonne was one of a group of budding stars in American Pie and other movies like Slums Of Beverly Hills before health and addiction problems derailed her career. Thankfully for all of us she came out of those those stronger and has since starred in fantastic shows like Orange is the New Black and Russian Doll. 

Brendan Fraser

Brendan Fraser winning the Oscar for 2022 The Whale capped off one of the greatest comeback stories in Hollywood history. His work had all but completely dried up in the late '00s and 2010s, but his career has had the most incredible resurgence in the 2020s. 

Winona Ryder

Winona Ryder defined "movie star" for late Gen Xers in the '90s, but after her infamous arrest for shoplifting in 2001, her career nosedived and she didn't appear in a movie for about three years after. For the next decade or so, she worked steadily but didn't regain her star power from early in her career. That changed when she starred in Stranger Things, starting in 2016, and she once again became a huge star. 

Dave Chappelle

In 2003 Dave Chappelle debuted Chappelle's Show on Comedy Central and it became a massive hit. Despite the network throwing tens of millions of dollars at the comedian to keep the show going, he turned it down and walked away. Chappelle stayed away for most of the next decade before reviving his standup career, and while Chappelle continues to garner controversy, it's safe to say he's as big as ever. 

Betty White

When Betty White died in 2021 she was mourned by millions. The beloved actress had been a television star since the 1940s, but not all of those years were in the spotlight. After early success in the '50s in Life with Elizabeth and other sitcoms, White's career hit a lull for more than a decade. She returned to the big time with her role on The Mary Tyler Moore Show in the '70s, The Golden Girls in the '80s, and then later with Hot in Cleveland in the 2010s.

Ke Huy Quan

There is no more heartwarming story than that of Ke Huy Quan's resurgence. the actor, who first found fame as a child in The Goonies and Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, completely disappeared from Hollywood. For twenty years, he appeared in not one TV show or movie, before returning in 2021 with a role in Finding ʻOhana, and then winning an Oscar for his performance in 2022's Everything Everywhere All At Once. 

Michael Keaton

Michael Keaton was a controversial choice when he was cast as Batman in Tim Burton's Batman in 1989, but it shows just how famous he was at that time. After Batman Returns, Keaton's star faded and he starred in a run of films to mixed reviews. In 2014 Keaton starred in the very meta Birdman, as a former superhero star looking to regain his fame. It worked, at least for Keaton. 

Katharine Hepburn

Anyone with a career as long as Katharine Hepburn's is bound to have some slow periods. The most amazing fact of the legendary actress' career was the 34-year span between Best Actress Oscars. She won in 1934 for Morning Glory and then again in 1968 and 1969 for Guess Who's Coming to Dinner and The Lion in Winter, respectively. She would win her fourth 13 years later in 1982 for On Golden Pond. 

Mickey Rourke

In the 1980s Mickey Rourke starred in a string of hits. Eventually, though, his reputation as being difficult to work with overshadowed his performances and he was left in the Hollywood wilderness until triumphantly returning to his past glory in 2008 with The Wrestler.

Sidney Poitier

Sidney Poitier was one of the biggest stars of the '50s, '60s, and '70s. Then came the '80s, when he stepped away from acting and concentrated on directing, to mixed reviews. In 1988 he turned back to acting and had a wonderful late career resurgence with films like Shoot To Kill and Sneakers. 

Jason Bateman

In the 1980s it looked like Jason Bateman was a surefire bet to be a huge star. Then the '90s came and his career pretty much dried up. He had some guest spots on TV shows, but little else. He was all but forgotten. In 2003, Fox debut a show you may have heard of, Arrested Development, with Bateman as the star, and he's been huge ever since. 

Keanu Reeves

It's hard to remember a time when Keanu Reeves wasn't one of the biggest stars in the world, but after his success in the '90s and early '00s with The Matrix and Speed and more, he starred in a slew of commercial and critical failures. Thankfully for Reeves fans everywhere, John Wick came along and Reeves was back on top of the mountain, where he still is. 

Drew Barrymore

Drew Barrymore almost became a Hollywood child star casualty after her string of hits as a kid in the 1980s. She had a rough childhood that led to substance abuse problems as a teenager. Against the odds, she got through it all and became an even bigger star on the other end. 

Neil Patrick Harris

Neil Patrick Harris first got famous as a child prodigy playing a prodigy on Doogie Howser, MD. After the sitcom ended in 1993, he struggled to regain that popularity. That is, until he played a fictionalized version of himself in Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle in 2004. Soon after he landed the role he's best known for, Barney Stinson on How I Met Your Mother. 

Matthew McConaughey

Most of Matthew McConaughey's early career was made up of starring roles in rom-coms. In 2009 the Lincoln Lawyer star took a two-year acting hiatus to re-evaluate his career. He emerged in 2011 by taking on more serious roles and leaving his rom-com leading man reputation behind. Since the so-called "McConaissance," McConaughey's become on of the most acclaimed actors of the 21st century. 

Nicolas Cage

By 2009 Cage was one of the biggest action stars in Hollywood, and one of the highest-paid actors in the business, but it seems he couldn't curb his spending and ended up in debt to the IRS and other creditors. As a result, Cage seemingly took every job offered to him, and he put out an immense catalog of straight-to-video movies that few people have ever watched. Finally, in 2022, Cage revealed he was finally debt-free and started being more selective with his roles. this led to acclaimed roles in The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent and 2023's Dream Scenario.

Mandy Moore

Mandy Moore's career started like a comet as a singer in the late '90s which she parlayed into an acting career. That career slowed way down in the early 2010s, only to be revived in a massive way with her starring role on the NBC hit This Is Us. 

Christian Slater

With starring roles in Heathers, Pump Up The Volume, and Gleaming The Cube, Christian Slater became a Gen X icon. He scored a number of high-profile roles in big-budget movies in the '90s, before work started drying up in the early 2000s. He returned to Hollywood prominence with his award-winning role in Mr. Robot and has maintained it ever since. 

Luke Perry

Luke Perry was one of the biggest television stars of the 1990s as part of the cast of Beverly Hills, 90210. After the show ended though, his star faded some. That is, until he was cast in the CW's Riverdale and he was discovered by a whole new generation of fans. Tragically, Perry died in 2019 at age 52. 

Christina Ricci

Childhood success for Christina Ricci didn't immediately translate to success as an adult. She's always worked steadily, but her fame never quite reached the heights of her early career in The Addams Family. That changed in 2021 with Showtime's Yellowjackets. 

Michelle Yeoh

Michelle Yeoh first found international fame with her roles in the James Bond movie Tomorrow Never Dies and Crouch Tiger, Hidden Dragon. She maintained a level of success, but she exploded to new heights with her Oscar-winning turn in 2022's Everything, Everywhere, All At Once. 

Neve Campbell

Neve Campbell was huge in the '90s with her starring role in the show Party Of Five and movies like The Craft and Wild Things. In the early 2000s, she starred in the Scream franchise, but hit a lull after that. Recently, she's been back on top with roles in The Lincoln Lawyer and Twisted Metal. 

Channing Tatum

Fans might not think that Channing Tatum has never had a career lull, but he has actually had a couple. He's always had to fight the idea that he's all looks and little substance (which is far from accurate), and that has affected his career at different points. He's always rebounded with strong performances like the one in Foxcatcher, however. 

Jennifer Lawrence

Jennifer Lawrence's career hasn't really had a financial downturn, her lull was completely her choice. After a couple of poorly reviewed films and becoming the most famous victim of the iPhone hacking scandal, Lawrence stepped away from acting for two years in 2019. She triumphantly returned in the great movie Don't Look Up in 2021. 

Patrick Dempsey

Patrick Dempsey was first famous for starring in teen comedies like Loverboy and Can't Buy Me Love. He bounced around for a few years after that, working steadily but hardly a star. That changed in a big way when he landed the role of Derek "McDreamy" Shepherd in 2005 on Grey's Anatomy. 

Marlon Brando

The 1960s weren't kind to Marlon Brando. After establishing himself as a bonafide star and one of the finest actors of the 20th century in the '50s, his mercurial nature earned him a reputation as difficult to work with. A string of box office failures didn't help. Famously, he pushed hard to get the role of Vito Corleone in The Godfather, and wow, was that the right move! He won an Academy Award and reminded everyone how great an actor he was. 

David Carradine

Leave it to Quentin Tarantino to help revive a star's career like he did with John Travolta. David Carradine was huge in the 1970s as the star of Kung Fu, and while he always found work, it took until Kill Bill in 2003 that he found that same level of fame again. 

Kiefer Sutherland

After becoming one of the biggest teen idols of the '80s, Kiefer Sutherland spent most of the '90s in smaller, supporting roles. In 2001, however, he landed the role of Jack Bauer in 24 and it became the part he's most known for, becoming a television icon over the run of the show. 

Fame, as they say, is fleeting, and these actors prove there can always be a second act in Hollywood. 

Rob Lowe was one of the most prominent young actors of the ‘80s. The Ohio-raised celebrity was a member of the never-aging Brat Pack starring in St. Elmo’s Fire, The Outsiders and About Last Night, to name a few. Believe it or not, Lowe was also close to playing the character of Ren in the musical drama Footloose. Unfortunately, he said it was apparently an “awful” experience losing to Kevin Bacon.

It’s hard to believe how close we were to seeing Rob Lowe show off his dance moves playing the Chicago native shaking things up in a new town that prohibits dancing. The 9-1-1: Lone Star actor recalled to USA Today why it was so “awful” having to miss out on starring in one of the best dance movies:

It’s a shame that injuring himself while auditioning for one of the best ‘80s flicks cost Rob Lowe the part. After all, we did see the talented actor do a little shimmy-ing in Oxford Blues; a short, but wild dance number in Parks and Recreation; and dance with Snow White in the controversial opening ceremony for the 61st Academy Awards. Then again, casting directors might have interpreted that the former Brat Pack member’s dance injury during the audition showed he wasn’t the right man for the job, especially considering the amount of dancing the young actor would have to go through scene after scene. 

Interestingly enough, Rob Lowe admitted how twisted it was that not getting the part benefitted the actor who ultimately snagged it. Footloose became one of Kevin Bacon’s best films, and he went on to star in critically acclaimed films like Diner, JFK and A Few Good Men. In fact, when Lowe spoke to Bacon about losing the part of Ren to him, the Golden Globe winner responded with “You wouldn’t have gotten it, anyway.” I still would have been curious to see how the former teen idol would have fared dancing to Kenny Loggins and picking up his Sunday shoes.

The Primetime Emmy Award nominee may not have gotten to play the lead in Footloose, but he still went on toward a prolific acting career. Other than the Brat Pack films that turned him into a Hollywood star, Lowe had a successful TV career starring in The West Wing, Brothers & Sisters and currently 9-1-1: Lone Star. Lowe is also behind some works you can find on your Netflix subscription like the biopic drama he starred and executive produced as well as starring with his son in the Netflix comedy Unstable. Clearly the 59-year-old actor didn’t need Footloose to have the career he has now.

American actor and filmmaker Rob Lowe had an “awful” experience losing out the lead of Footloose to Kevin Bacon. But even without the 1984 film, the veteran actor still continued to wow audiences for over four decades without the use of dance shoes to do so. If you’re still up for seeing Bacon in Footloose, it’s available to watch with your Max subscription.

Spoilers ahead for the series premiere of The Floor on Fox. 

When Rob Lowe returns to Fox early in a new year, it's usually to reprise his role as Owen Strand on 9-1-1: Lone Star. Due to the WGA writers strike and SAG-AFTRA actors strike of 2023, however, fans of the 9-1-1 spinoff still have a while to wait before Owen arrives in the 2024 TV schedule. Lowe is back on Fox as host of new game show The Floor; now, after one episode, I have thoughts on the new series as well as what we know so far about Lone Star Season 5. 

Rob Lowe Hosts The Floor

News broke back in September 2023 that Rob Lowe would bring The Floor to Fox as part of the midseason lineup in early 2024, and I have to admit that I had my doubts. The title of the show immediately made me think of The Wall on NBC and The Cube on TBS, and I'm not a huge fan of those compared to classic shows like Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune. 

I'm glad I gave the premiere a shot, however, because The Floor reminds me more of a combination of Jeopardy and The Weakest Link than anything else. Any game show that has me yelling answers at my TV is a game show that works in my book! Rob Lowe is also a veteran host for Fox after hosting two seasons of Mental Samurai for the network. 

Although Mental Samurai only lasted for a couple of seasons, we ranked it on our list of game shows to watch if you love Jeopardy, and it had the bad luck to delay Season 2 due to the COVID shutdowns across the entertainment industry. So far, I can say that I'm enjoying his return to hosting with The Floor.

The series premiere did leave me thinking about 9-1-1: Lone Star, and not just because this is usually the time of year when the drama returns. When a stuntman stepped up to compete on The Floor, Rob Lowe joked:

The punchline of the joke was that while the stuntman contestant 100% looked like he could play a fireman in primetime television, he also looked nothing like Rob Lowe. After the contestant said he'd shave his beard, Lowe declared that they "are homies for life." While the rest of the contestants were laughing at the exchange, it set me thinking about the eventual return of Lone Star. 

What About 9-1-1: Lone Star?

Season 4 of Lone Star ended with an intense finale that delivered some deaths and left big questions for Season 5 to answer. Unfortunately, viewers will have to wait quite a long time to see the aftermath of those twists. The fifth season is still happening, but it was pushed back to premiere in the fall of 2024 rather than early midseason as usual. 9-1-1 will be back much earlier with a cruise ship crisis, with its debut season on ABC kicking off in March. 

We can hope that Fox will at least bring Lone Star back in early fall rather than late fall, but no matter what, we're presumably more than half a year away from a new episode. When promoting The Floor to USA Today, though, Rob Lowe took the time to reflect on what he loves about his scripted show. He said:

Normally, I would suggest that maybe there's a shot of a Lone Star character popping up on 9-1-1 for an appearance sooner than fall 2024, but that seems much more unlikely nowadays than previous years. The original series was cancelled by Fox and then immediately picked up for Season 7 on ABC, whereas Lone Star remains on Fox. Crossovers across different networks aren't unprecedented, as NBC's One Chicago has shared a character with CBS' FBI, but I'm not going to cross my fingers too hard that it will happen with Lone Star and 9-1-1. 

For now, Lone Star fans can always revisit the first four seasons streaming with a Hulu subscription and check out The Floor with Rob Lowe on Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET on Fox. 

Wayne's World was released over 30 years ago, but it still remains a fan-favorite amongst comedy lovers, thanks to both the goofy premise and iconic performances from Mike Myers and Dana Carvey makes it a certified classic. The movie was famously based on an SNL sketch that developed a cult following, and while opening up about working on the film and what it meant for his career as a whole, Rob Lowe revealed the movie has a big SNL connection that fans may not be aware of. 

In a recent interview with Entertainment Tonight, the Parks and Recreation alum chatted about his comedy origins, including working on Wayne’s World back in 1992. While watching a clip featuring his Chicago-based television producer, Lowe seemed to remember the experience fondly, and revealed that his character was very much inspired by SNL creator Lorne Michaels, who even lent an uncredited helping hand in regards to some of Lowe’s dialogue that ended up in the film. He said:

Michaels' influence is all over many of the films that came from SNL cast members following their stints on the NBC mainstay. He's not only a prominent figure in the lives of many comedians, but even his mannerisms have become almost famous amongst fans. The Dr. Evil character in Austin Powers is based on Dana Carvey's impression of SNL's creator, and almost every former cast member has put forth an impression of their fearless leader at some point. It’s no surprise he would have more of a direct personal stamp on Wayne’s World, especially with the film so intimately tied to the sketch show, and TV producers in general.

Lowe also revealed that being cast in Wayne’s World was a big deal for him as a comedy star. So much so, that The Outsiders star had delayed his own honeymoon to be able to work on the film. He said: 

The role opened up many unexpected doors for the actor. While he was already a well known 80s heartthrob, the film helped him expand his reach. After Wayne's World, his SNL connections remained strong with roles in Chris Farley's Tommy Boy and three Austin Powers films. The movies are comedy-gospel for many of the most ardent fans, and sending Rob Lowe up as a comedy star is a bonus. While probably inconvenient at the time, it seems like that honeymoon delay was worth it. 

Lowe has since remained within comedy for a large chunk of his career, starring in shows like Parks and Recreation, and most recently Unstable, which is currently available to stream with a Netflix subscription. The sitcom was just renewed for a second season, so there will be a lot more Rob Lowe on the small screen very soon. You can also revisit the actor’s Lorne Michaels-inspired performance in Wayne’s World, which is streaming now for Max subscribers.

Ohio is a proud state that has produced some of the most famous stars in America. Actors, comedians, musicians, and more, Ohio has it all. Here is our list of some of the most popular stars born in the great state of Ohio. 

Halle Berry

Halle Berry is pure Ohio. Not only was John Wick: Chapter 3 star born in Cleveland but she's even named after a local department store, Halle's. Berry grew up in the suburb of Oakwood, just outside the Cleveland city limits, and even attended Cuyahoga Community College while she was first starting her career toward fame. Before starring in some of Hollywood's biggest movies, Berry represented her home state in the Miss USA contest, after being named Miss Ohio USA in 1986. 

Luke Perry

Luke Perry found fame playing a high school student at the posh West Beverly High, but his beginnings were much more humble. The son of a steelworker, Perry was born in the Ohio town of Mansfield and raised in a tiny burg called Fredericktown, where he attended high school at Fredericktown High School. He moved to Los Angeles after graduating and while it took a few years, he landed his big break in Beverly Hills, 90210. Perry died tragically from a stroke in 2019.

Drew Carey

No one on this list is more proud to be from Ohio than Price Is Right host Drew Carey. It's clear that his Cleveland roots mean a lot to him, given that his show, The Drew Carey Show, was set in Cleveland, with a theme song called "Cleveland Rocks." Not only did the comedian grow up in Cleveland, he also attended Kent State in Ohio and even served in the Marine Corps reserves in the state before moving west to find fame. 

Katie Holmes

Katie Holmes was born in Toledo, Ohio in 1978 and has always remained a proud Ohioan. She attended Catholic school as a kid and began modeling in Toledo while still in high school. That led to opportunities in New York City, which led to her landing her first film role at 19 in Ang Lee's The Ice Storm (1997). Soon after, she joined the cast of Dawson's Creek and the rest is history. 

John Legend

The Voice judge John Legend was born in the central Ohio town of Springfield. Legend was a true prodigy during his upbringing. He was dabbling in music at a young age, before leaving Ohio to attend the University of Pennsylvania. 

Yvette Nicole Brown

Yvette Nicole Brown took the hard road to fame. Before she landed her starring role on Community, she found her way to success with bit parts and one-offs on TV shows. It all paid off in the end, but before she made it in Hollywood, she was born and raised in the Cleveland, OH area. After high school, she attended the University of Akron and moved to LA after she graduated. 

Clark Gable

There is no bigger star from the Golden Age of Hollywood than Clark Gable. Like many of his fellow Ohioans, he had humble beginnings. Born in 1901 in Cadiz, OH, Gable moved around the state quite a bit before his father and stepmother settled near Akron. Gable struck out on his own, first working in a tire factory in Akron, before bouncing around until he finally ended up in Hollywood in the 1920s. 

Beverly D'Angelo

When you are the granddaughter of the architect who designed the famous Ohio Stadium at The Ohio State University, you know you are pure Ohio. Such is the case for Vacation star Beverly D'Angelo. Unsurprisingly, D'Angelo was born in Columbus and raised in the suburb of Upper Arlington, before setting out on an entertainment career that took her all over North America, before she found success in Hollywood. 

Steve Harvey

Okay, so we're fudging here a little, as beloved talk show host and TV judge Steve Harvey was actually born in West Virginia, but he was raised in Cleveland. After graduating from high school, he briefly attended Kent State, before dropping out and starting his standup career in comedy clubs in and around Cleveland. 

Paul Newman

When you think of the words "movie star," there's a good chance you might picture Paul Newman. From the mid-'50s until his death in 2008, the Shaker Heights, OH native was box office gold. He graduated from Shaker Heights High in 1943 and joined the Navy during World War II. He finally headed to LA in the '50s and over the next six decades starred in some of the biggest movies of all time. 

Arsenio Hall

Born in Cleveland in 1956, actor and talk show host Arsenio Hall grew up in nearby Warrensville Heights, Ohio, and attended college at both Ohio University and Kent State. He left Ohio, first for Chicago and later LA, and his career took off with some fantastic roles from there. 

Phyllis Diller

Phyllis Diller's remarkable life began in Lima, Ohio in 1917. Her roundabout way to comedy legend status started when she was still a full-time mother and homemaker with her military husband in Alameda, CA. She was discovered after she made some appearances on Bay Area radio and TV stations and from there became a star. 

Rachael Harris

Lucifer star Rachael Harris was born in Worthington, OH, and grew up in the Columbus area before attending college at Otterbein University in nearby Westerville, OH. She moved to LA and was a member of the legendary improv group The Groundlings before she started landing TV roles in the 1990s. Today she's best known for Goosebumps (2023) and Diary of a Wimpy Kid (2010), in addition to Lucifer. 

Steven Spielberg

In The Fablemans, Ohio native Steven Spielberg tells a fictionalized version of his own life, but one major change was made. In the movie, Sammy Fabelman (Gabriel LaBelle) and his family move from New Jersey to Arizona. In real life, the Spielbergs moved to Phoenix from Cincinnati, Ohio. Though he only lived in Cincinnati for the first ten years or so of his life, there is no doubt that one of the all-time great directors has his roots in Ohio. 

Carmen Electra

Carmen Electra was born just outside of Cincinnati and grew up in the Queen City. She first started dancing and acting at Princeton High School in the Cincinnati school district and her love of doing both led directly to Hollywood where she's been doing both for decades now. 

Doris Day

Though she retired from acting in 1968, Doris Day is still remembered as a legend of old Hollywood. She also recorded almost three dozen albums over her nearly 100-year life. It all started in Cincinnati in 1922 when Day was born Doris Mary Anne Kappelhoff. Her career started as a singer on a local radio station in Cincinnati, WLW. Her music led her to Hollywood, and a star was born. 

Philip Michael Thomas

Philip Michael Thomas is most famous for starring as Rico Tubbs on the '80s hit Miami Vice. He's also famous for inventing the term "EGOT", claiming in the '80s that he would win an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar, and a Tony, though he has yet to win any of the prestigious awards. Thomas was born in Cincinnati, but raised in California, where his career began. 

Teri Garr

Though she was raised mostly in Los Angeles, Teri Garr was born near Cleveland, OH, in the suburb of Lakewood. Her parents were entertainers, so it makes sense they would eventually land in Southern California, so while Garr didn't spend much time in Ohio, the state can certainly claim her as one of their own. 

Randy "Macho Man" Savage

Oh yeah! One of the greatest wrestlers of all time came from Columbus, OH. Born Randy Poffo in 1952, the Macho Man and his wrestling brother "Leaping" Lanny Poffo lived in Zanesville, Ohio, until the family moved to the Chicagoland area when Savage was in high school. Though he tried to become a pro baseball player, Savage found fame with the WWE and was a superstar in the sport until he died in 2012. 

Anne Heche

Before her tragic death in 2022, Anne Heche put together an impressive career in Hollywood and broke a lot of barriers when she very publicly dated Ellen DeGeneres. It was a long way from her strict Christian upbringing in Ohio. Heche was born in the Akron suburb of Aurora, Ohio, and also lived near Cleveland for a time before her father moved the family to New Jersey in 1977 when Heche was eight. 

Rob Lowe

Okay, okay, so Rob Lowe was actually born in Virginia, but he moved to Dayton, OH at a very young age and was raised in the Buckeye State. His first gigs as a professional actor came when he was still living in Dayton and as soon as he could, he headed out to Hollywood where he became one of the famous "Brat Pack" in the 1980s. His career had a few bumps in the road, but today he's one of the most beloved stars on the silver screen. 

Sarah Jessica Parker

Sarah Jessica Parker's most famed role is of a dyed-in-the-wool Manhattanite, but the actress was born in a quaint little town near Columbus named Nelsonville, Ohio, with a population of about 5000. Her career as a child actor took her whole family to New York in the 1970s and Parker has never looked back. 

Lili Reinhart

Riverdale star Lili Reinhart was born and raised in the Cleveland area, where she lived until she was 18. After graduating high school, she moved to LA and though she struggled like most young actors, eventually she started landing parts in a few movies, before scoring a starring role on the CW's Riverdale, playing the iconic Betty Cooper. 

Jamie Farr

Jamie Farr's most famous character, Corporal Klinger on one of the highest-rated shows of all time, M*A*S*H, was from Toledo, Ohio, which would have been easy for the actor to remember, as that is where Farr is from too. For decades, Farr's name was associated with the LPGA golf tournament, The Jamie Farr Classic (with various sponsor names over the years). 

Martin Sheen

Born Ramón Antonio Gerardo Estévez in Dayton, OH, The West Wing star Martin Sheen always knew he wanted to be an actor, even growing up in Dayton. Orphaned at eleven, he lived in Dayton until he graduated high school and headed off for New York to make it big, and it's safe to say he has. 

Fred Willard

Comedy legend Fred Willard is responsible for some of the funniest lines in the Christopher Guest family of films, a sense of humor he developed as a kid in the Cleveland suburb of Shaker Heights, OH. Born in Cleveland in 1933, Willard moved to New York in the '50s, and though it took a couple of decades to find fame, he eventually did. The world lost a great one when he died in 2020. 

Allison Janney

Though she is technically from Boston, where she was born in 1959, Allison Janney was raised in Dayton. Even her legendary character from The West Wing, CJ Craig, was  from Dayton and went back home in one episode for her high school reunion. 

Katt Williams

Katt Williams, the unpredictable, and hilarious, comedian was born and raised in Cincinnati, but left town and moved to Florida after being emancipated from his parents at age 13. For years he worked the comedy clubs before launching to fame in the late '90s. 

Nancy Cartwright

She might not be the most famous face on this list, but her voice is one of the most famous in the world. Nancy Cartwright has been doing the voice of Bart Simpson (and other Simpsons characters) for more than 30 years, but long before scoring that gig, she grew up in Kettering, Ohio after being born in Dayton.

Patricia Heaton

Patricia Heaton, star of Everybody Loves Raymond and The Middle, was born in the Cleveland suburb of Bay Village, OH and she got her bachelor's degree at The Ohio State University. So while she lives in LA and in the UK these days, she's an Ohioan through and through. 

Catherine Bach

It's hard to believe that The Dukes of Hazzard was consistently one of the highest-rated shows during its run in the late '70s and early '80s. It's not hard to believe that Cleveland native Catherine Bach as Daisy Duke in her short shorts was a big reason why it was so popular. 

Rocky Carroll

NCIS star Rocky Carroll is a proud son of Cincinnati, where he attended the School for Creative and Performing Arts for high school like many other stars from the area. After attending college in St. Louis, MO, he moved to New York City to start his career and he's never looked back. 

While it may not jump out as an entertainment hotbed, when you scratch the surface, you'll soon realize just how many celebrities have been born in Ohio, and it's a lot. 

The legacy of Parks and Recreation still has fans celebrating favorite installments years later, ranging from the iconic "Treat Yo Self" episode to the "Flu Season" episode with an epic ad-lib from Chris Pratt. After a first season that is still considered to be the worst of the series, the sitcom brought in Rob Lowe and Adam Scott for Season 2, and Pawnee was never the same again. Lowe's Chris Traeger may be best remembered for his "literally" catchphrase, and the actor opened up about it.

Chris was a pretty wholesome member of the Parks & Rec ensemble, although he hit the occasional rough patch. No matter which stage of development the character was, however, he could generally be counted upon for a "literally" at some point in an episode! Rob Lowe spoke with Entertainment Tonight about his time as Chris, and addressed the mysterious origin of "literally." Lowe explained:

Apparently, the origin of Rob Lowe's catchphrase as Chris is just that he started saying it more often one day on set! The actor went on to share that Parks and Rec was a "lovefest" and that "we're all still in a group text." He plays golf with Chris Pratt – a.k.a. Andy Dwyer – weekly and recently reunited with Rashida Jones, who played Ann. 

According to Lowe, they'd all "jump at the chance to be in the same room no matter what we were doing." It remains to be seen if a Parks & Rec revival will ever happen, or even a reunion beyond the special that aired on NBC during COVID lockdown. The former West Wing and current 9-1-1: Lone Star star was not part of that special, but he hosted and later appeared as a guest of the Parks and Recollection rewatch podcast. He also hosts a podcast actually called Literally! With Rob Lowe. 

Luckily, Rob Lowe is leaning into all the "literally" buzz that continues to surround him even years after Parks and Rec wrapped back in 2015. Plus, a video of every time Chris said the word on the show has accumulated more than 100,000 views on YouTube, for good reason. Take a look: 

If you want to see every time Rob Lowe said "literally" as Chris Traeger at a slower pace than the 1-minute supercut, you can find all seven seasons streaming with a Peacock Premium subscription now. It may be some time before Lowe will be back in a primetime scripted series, as the fifth season of 9-1-1: Lone Star was delayed to next fall due to the WGA writers strike and SAG-AFTRA actors strike. The Fox series will have a place in the 2024 TV premiere schedule; just not for a while.

During his decades-long career in Hollywood, Arnold Schwarzenegger has befriended more than a few A-listers. Dwayne Johnson, Jon Bon Jovi and Sylvester Stallone are only a few of the major names he’s become chummy with. Fan-favorite actor Rob Lowe is also part of the Terminator actor’s posse, though it would seem their dynamic was somewhat changed by Schwarzeneggar’s divorce. Apparently, since he and Maria Shriver separated over a decade ago, Lowe has been closer with Shriver. He and the former California governor still seem to be cool, but that didn’t stop the action icon from poking fun at him. 

Arnold Schearzenegger has a good sense of humor and also doesn’t mind throwing playful jabs, especially towards those he’s closest with. His witty demeanor shone through when he appeared on an episode of Rob Lowe’s Literally! Podcast via a preview obtained by ET. The 76-year-old Schwarzenegger humorously chastised his old buddy when he set the record straight regarding where Lowe’s allegiances lied amid the divorce:

The West Wing alum was, unsurprisingly, a great sport and took the jovial ribbing in stride. In fact, he seemed to confirm his friend’s assertion with a funny quip of his own regarding Maria Shriver:

While I’ve admittedly never been in such a situation, I would imagine that it’s tough when two of your friends – who were once romantically involved – opt to part ways. That was probably even more challenging in this case given that infidelity factored into the split. Arnold Schwarzenegger went on to share more of his recollections about that period in his life. Based on his description, it sounds like he was essentially ghosted by his friend, with whom he apparently shared some good times with: 

Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver separated in 2011 after the former’s affair with their family’s housekeeper, Mildred Baena, came to light. Said affair produced the actor’s son, Joseph Baena, who’s since become an actor in his own right. Ultimately, Shriver and Schwarzenegger’s divorce didn’t become official until 2021. While the exact reason for the delay was not revealed, sources claimed it was due to “a lack of motivation” and a potentially “complicated” settlement agreement. In any case, Schwarzenegger has been candid about the breakup and how he and Shriver have since built a cordial relationship.

As for his relationship with Rob Lowe, it would seem the Last Action Hero star is totally cool with him, in spite of the jokes. Hopefully, the two are able to link up again regularly, kicking back and enjoying some good cigars. And of course, Lowe will also want to be sure he’s linking up with Maria Shriver, too, as to not suggest he has a favorite between her and her ex-husband.

Rob Lowe and Tom Cruise have had very different careers. Lowe was a member of the Brat Pack, participating in teen movies of the '80s, before transitioning to television with hits like The West Wing and Parks and Recreation. Cruise became one of the biggest movie stars in the world, focusing on director-driven projects before solidifying himself as a certified action star. However, back in 1983, their career paths intersected when they both starred in Francis Ford Coppola’s The Outsiders. Lowe recently posted a throwback to that moment in time, specifically showing that he and Cruise shared a hotel floor while shooting the film. 

The St. Elmo’s Fire alum posted a recent photo on Instagram that shows the hotel assignments amid filming on The Outsiders. The assignment sheet was typewritten (a fact that now indicates the time period) and featured some very notable names like Patrick Swayze and Matt Dillon. The photo also shows that Tom Cruise and Rob Lowe were just a stone throw away from each other during production. You can see the photo below:

While it’s hard to imagine so many A-listers in one hotel at the same time, in the '80s it probably didn’t seem that way. The Outsiders caught the celebs right before they hit it big and essentially launched their careers. Not many of them were very established at the time, and were all considered to be “up and comers.” That freshness is part of the reason the film feels like such a cultural touchstone. It perfectly captures the '80s style of movie-making and just so happens to include stars that became some of the most important of the decade. 

It seems Rob Lowe and Tom Cruise spent a lot of time together while making the flick. The Unstable actor previously recounted that they once stayed in strangers' homes together in order to get a better feel for their characters. Today, heartthrobs probably couldn’t travel anywhere together without massive media attention. But back then, they were just two young actors doing character research at the insistence of their director. I’m sure the close-quarters aspect of this production resulted in many great anecdotes that I'm just dying to hear more about. 

It’s been 40 years since The Outsiders came out but, based on this post from Rob Lowe, he still thinks about this time in his life fondly. The source text for the movie has long been required reading for schools across the country. And as a result, many continue to discover the magic of the classic every year. The cast's young '80s stars have moved on to bigger and better things, but they all have a shared history of life on Floor 6 in a hotel while filming one of the most iconic movies of all time. I love that Lowe shared this cool memory with his fans and that he still kept the assignment sheet after all these years. 

You can check out The Outsiders, as it's currently available to stream with a Max subscription. If you're a fan nostalgic for other films of the decade, read about the best '80s movies and how to watch them.

From 1999 to 2006, The West Wing was one of the most popular shows on TV. It won the Emmy for Outstanding Drama Series in each of its first four seasons, and it made stars of its ensemble cast. The vast majority of the cast appeared on the show for all of its seven seasons, and considering how popular it was, that’s not really a surprise. But the series did lose one of its key cast members when Rob Lowe left near the end of the fourth season.

Rob Lowe was one of the biggest names in The West Wing cast when the show began, so his decision to leave the show was considered a significant blow at the time. So why would one of the biggest stars of the biggest show on TV step away at the height of The West Wing’s popularity? 

Rob Lowe On The West Wing 

The West Wing was the creation of writer Aaron Sorkin and born from unused ideas in an early draft of his script for the romantic drama The American President. The President’s senior staff play significant roles in the film, but are never the focus. In the new series, the ensemble of characters that support the President of the United States would be the stars. Originally the President himself wasn’t even meant to be a regular character, appearing only occasionally.

The West Wing cast was made up primarily of strong character actors. Bradley Whitford, Allison Janney and Richard Schiff were the sorts of actors you’d recognize from other things you’d seen before, but you might not remember their names. But the show had two significant stars: Martin Sheen playing President Josiah Bartlet and Rob Lowe playing Deputy Communications Director Sam Seaborn.

Sam Seaborn is a key character throughout his time on The West Wing. Rob Lowe's character is literally the first member of the cast you see in the pilot. In the first season, his personal life is the one that gets the most development, as he develops an intimate friendship with one woman and a romance with the daughter of the Chief of Staff. 

Some reports claimed that early on, the plan was to make Lowe’s character the star of the show, but when the decision was made to make the President a more prominent character, the concept shifted to more of an ensemble. It seems this may have played a big role with Lowe's decision to leave.

What Reports At The Time Said About Rob Lowe’s Decision To Leave 

Early in Season 4, in the fall of 2002, it was announced that Rob Lowe would be leaving The West Wing after 16 of the show’s 22 episodes (episode 17 would actually be his last). In a statement, Lowe claimed there was “no longer a place” for his character on the show. However, an EW report from the time said that the issue at hand was ultimately money.

Rob Lowe reportedly signed onto The West Wing at $70,000 per episode. By Season 3, Lowe had received no raise, but most of the rest of the core cast, who had been making less than Lowe initially, about $30,000 per episode, had seen their salaries bumped up to be equal to what Lowe was making. 

Lowe asked for a raise of his own at that point and was asked to hold off for a year, but a year later, he reportedly couldn’t get a meeting to even discuss such a raise. Due to the large cast and the cost of their salaries (Martin Sheen was reportedly making somewhere in the neighborhood of $250,000 per episode), The West Wing was an expensive show to make, and the producers apparently felt a raise for Lowe simply wasn't possible. Based on this report, Lowe decided that with no raise coming his way, he wasn't going to stay.  

What Rob Lowe Has Said About Leaving The West Wing

Rob Lowe hasn’t said a great deal about his time on The West Wing and exactly why he chose to leave. He did confirm in his book Stories I Only Tell My Friends that producers on the show refused to give him a raise, and he implied that salary tension led to tension between Lowe and some of the other cast members.

In a recent appearance on the Podcrushed podcast, he said that he felt undervalued on the show, which was likely a reference to the salary issue. However, he also implied there was a great deal more going on behind the scenes of the show that led to his departure. Lowe said…

He compared the experience to being in an abusive relationship and felt that he needed to walk away, if only as a way to set the proper example for his children. While it does appear that Lowe felt he was worth more than he was getting paid, this certainly makes it sound like the money wasn't the only reason he left The West Wing, though we can't begin to speculate on exactly what else was going on.

How Sam Seaborn Was Written Off The West Wing 

The West Wing Season 4 included a story arc where a Democrat running for Congress in Orange County dies of a heart attack, but because the seat is seen as unwinnable, nobody steps up to take the dead man’s place. Having been inspired by the head of the campaign, Will Bailey (Josh Molina), Rob Lowe’s Sam Seaborn, a native of Orange County, agrees to become the new candidate when the dead man actually wins and a special election is required. 

Sam campaigns for Congress while Will Bailey pinch hits for Sam by helping to write the President’s Second Inaugural address. Bailey then gets hired on to take over Sam’s old job and inherits his slot as a regular cast member. Interestingly, the show implies that Sam loses the election, though he’s not seen again on the show. 

How Rob Lowe (And Sam Seaborn) Returned To The West Wing 

However, the end of Season 3 wasn’t actually the end of Rob Lowe or his character on The West Wing. Lowe returned for a pair of guest appearances in the final episodes of the series' final season, which saw Sam become the new Deputy Chief of Staff for the new President.

But even that wasn’t quite the end for Lowe and The West Wing. In 2020,  there was a special presented to benefit the When We All Vote organization, which saw the Season 3 episode “Hartsfield’s Landing” recreated on stage at the Orpheum Theater in Los Angeles. Every member of the original cast, including Rob Lowe, returned to reprise their roles. The only exception is Sterling K. Brown, whom Aaron Sorkin has suggested could lead a West Wing reboot, taking on the role of Chief of Staff Leo McGarry. Original actor John Spencer had passed away in 2005, during The West Wing’s original run.

Whatever the details, Rob Lowe clearly felt that he wasn't properly appreciated on The West Wing. The show continued on for three more seasons after his departure, so it clearly could survive without him, but it also never reached the same critical or popular heights that it had when he was there. We'll never know how the show might have been different if Sam Seaborn had never left, but his contribution to its success is undeniable.

Spoiler alert! This story contains major spoilers for 9-1-1: Lone Star’s two-hour Season 4 finale, which aired May 16. Consider yourself warned!

We were promised trauma and we were promised a Tarlos wedding, and 9-1-1: Lone Star delivered on fronts, in a Season 4 finale that ran the gamut of emotions with the deaths of two characters, along with T.K. and Carlos finally being declared husband and husband. It was a satisfying end to a wild season, but not everything was tied up neatly by the end of the two hours, and there are a few big questions I have for Season 5 when it returns to Fox this fall. Let’s get into it.

I’ll start at the end just to say that Carlos (Rafael Silva) and T.K. (Ronen Rubinstein) did make it down the aisle and exchanged beautiful vows, and if that didn’t have the tears flowing, the surprise appearance by Lisa Edelstein as T.K.’s late mom Gwyn was likely enough to do the trick. But for most of the two-hour affair, it didn’t look like that highly anticipated Tarlos wedding was going to happen, after Carlos’ dad Gabriel (Benito Martinez) was gunned down in his home. Elsewhere, Judd (Jim Parrack) continued to deal with the aftermath of his son Wyatt’s “gut-wrenching” accident, and Owen (Rob Lowe) said goodbye to another brother. So here is what I need to know: 

Who Murdered Carlos’ Father? 

Things started to take a wild turn on the Season 4 finale, when a grieving and sleep-deprived Carlos nearly killed an innocent man who he wrongly thought had killed Gabriel. So while it was a relief that the police officer stopped obsessing over his father’s death long enough to get married, the question of who actually did murder the Texas Ranger in cold blood is a huge mystery heading into next season. 

There’s no way this goes down as an unsolved crime, so will Carlos continue to investigate on his own? Or will the murderer return to wreak havoc on the rest of the Strand-Reyes clan?

Has Judd Really Quit The Fire Station For Good? 

Judd, meanwhile, was not given the prognosis he wanted for Wyatt (Jackson Pace), with doctors saying there was a 99% chance he’d never walk again. Rather than move him into a clinic to get round-the-clock care and therapy, however, Judd chose to quit the fire department and become his son's full-time caregiver (not caretaker, as Wyatt is not a ranch). Will he stand by that decision in Season 5?

By the end of the episode, it seemed like Wyatt was ready to start putting in the work that Judd wanted from him, so maybe it will work out. I’m skeptical, though, because the firefighter hasn’t ever proven to have the patience that’s likely required for Wyatt’s rehabilitation. I think Judd should go back to the 126, focus on supporting Wyatt as his father and leave the therapy to the professionals. But hey, feel free to prove me wrong, Judd.

Will Owen Be OK After Losing Another Brother? 

The second death to come from 9-1-1: Lone Star’s season finale was less shocking than Gabriel Reyes’ murder, but tragic all the same. Owen’s brother Robert (Chad Lowe) had informed the fire captain of his plan to end his life before the effects of his Huntington’s disease became unbearable for him and his family. He enacted that plan, enlisting Owen to help get rid of the evidence and to sit with him while he died. What kind of effect is that going to have on Owen going forward?

The veteran firefighter is no stranger to death, but let’s not forget he saw his other brother die when he was just a child, and now — after he connected with the brother he never knew — he watches him die too? That’s a lot for someone to process, and a big secret Owen's carrying, since no one else knew of Robert’s plan.

If the Season 4 finale was any indication, we’re in for a treat when 9-1-1: Lone Star returns to Fox in the fall. For now, though, rest easy in the knowledge that Tarlos is MARRIED, and check out our 2023 TV schedule to find other shows to watch in the meantime. 

When it comes to sobriety, many celebrities are open to talking about their journies, and their honesty can result in helping fans who might be going through similar experiences. Spider-Man: No Way Home star Tom Holland notched a big milestone recently, revealing he’d been sober for over a year, and now Rob Lowe has shared his own big news. The 9-1-1: Lone Star actor celebrated 33 years of clean living, and several of his Hollywood peers hit up the comments with messages of encouragement.

Rob Lowe said he was feeling grateful for where he’s at in his life, in an Instagram post marking 33 years of sobriety, and he had a message for others who may be struggling with addiction. He posted: 

His words seem to indicate that the past three decades haven’t been easy, but the actor said overcoming addiction can happen “if you want it, and are willing to work for it.” Every year (and even every day) is worthy of recognition for someone fighting this kind of battle, and that makes it all the more impressive that Rob Lowe has been able to maintain the sober lifestyle for so long. 

That fact didn’t get by The West Wing alum’s celebrity friends and co-stars, and many sent their congratulations. Kate Walsh gave a round of applause, while Kristin Chenoweth dropped a pair of heart emojis and Mario Lopez contributed several fire emojis. Others commented:

• Gwyneth Paltrow: We are so proud of you. We love you so much.
• Carnie Wilson: Hi gorgeous... HB... I'm sober a long time too!!!! ❤️
• Jennifer Grey: yeah baby!! #wellalwayshaveparis
• Brian Michael Smith: Proud of you man 💪🏾
• Katherine Schwarzenegger: Bravo 🙌

John Owen Lowe, who stars with his dad on Unstable (available to stream with a Netflix subscription) and is a writer on 9-1-1: Lone Star, is known for mercilessly trolling his dad on social media, and he didn’t disappoint here, adding the hilarious comment: 

Rob Lowe’s big anniversary comes soon after Tom Holland revealed he’d been sober for the past year. While the Marvel actor didn’t get into specifics about what inspired him to become a teetotaler, he did talk about his new series on Apple TV+, The Crowded Room, and how it changed the way he approached his mental health.

It’s clear from the comments on Rob Lowe’s Instagram post that his speaking out on being sober means a lot to others who are fighting their own battles with substance abuse or who have loved ones who are doing so. Our best wishes go out to the actor and all of those who are on sobriety journeys. You can see Lowe in action on 9-1-1: Lone Star, whose Season 4 finale will air at 8 p.m. ET Tuesday, May 16, on Fox, and be sure to check out our 2023 TV schedule to see what premieres are headed our way soon. 

Spoiler alert! This story contains spoilers for 9-1-1: Lone Star’s Season 4 episode “Donors,” which aired May 2. 

Rob Lowe has said that the opportunity to bring real heroes to life is what makes 9-1-1: Lone Star special, but surely not too far down on his list would be that his brother Chad Lowe has become part of the team. The younger Lowe has directed four episodes of the Fox drama, and last season he took a turn in front of the camera, as we were introduced to Owen Strand’s half-brother Robert. Chad reprised that role in “Donors,” but it wasn’t the happy family reunion everyone was hoping for; Owen’s half-brother delivered some news that could have a devastating effect on the fire chief and his son T.K.

After a dinner between the two Strand brothers, T.K. (Ronen Rubinstein) and Carlos Reyes (Rafael L. Silva), Robert revealed that he’d been diagnosed with Huntington’s disease, a neurodegenerative disease that was causing involuntary movement of his hands and some memory loss. He told Owen their father had been diagnosed with it too, and it was possible that he and T.K. also carried the gene. This dealt a serious blow to the first responders, and co-creator Tim Minear elaborated on what this means for the Strand men’s future, telling EW: 

As if Tarlos hadn’t dealt with enough big problems leading up to their wedding (and over the course of their relationship, really), now the couple is faced with the possibility that T.K. inherited this gene. It looks like we’ll get more of this story in next week’s episode, “A House Divided,” as the official episode description says, “Owen awaits news that could change his and T.K.'s lives forever.”

Tim Minear pointed out that Robert’s diagnosis is tragic for Owen on several levels, as we learned in Season 3’s “Shift-Less” that Owen had another brother who died when they were kids. The showrunner also discussed having the Lowe brothers sharing the screen again, saying: 

Yes, I definitely think what Owen needed this season were MORE complications. After, you know, he caved in his girlfriend’s husband’s chest and nearly died in a domestic terrorism plot. I wonder what this means for Chad Lowe’s future as Robert and if we can expect to see his telepathic relationship with his brother on-screen in episodes down the line.

First things first, we’ll have to tune in next week to see how this story plays out. 9-1-1: Lone Star returns at 8 p.m. ET Tuesday, May 9, on Fox. You can also check out our 2023 TV schedule to see what premieres are coming soon. 

Spoiler alert! This story contains spoilers for the April 18 episode of 9-1-1: Lone Star, “Open.”

Someone in the world of 9-1-1: Lone Star needs to hog-tie Owen Strand, or at least start a petition to ban him from dating, because nothing good ever seems to happen when he’s involved with a woman. We knew things were going to get complicated for the 126 captain, when he and billionaire heiress Kendra Harrington got hot and heavy pretty quickly earlier this season. However, we never could have predicted what was coming in “Open,” which included a big revelation about Kendra, a horrifying death and lots of trouble ahead for Owen. 

It was more hilariously uncomfortable than surprising when Kendra (Michaela McManus) revealed to Owen (Rob Lowe) that she was actually married and in an open relationship with husband Brett Collier (Clarke Thorell). Owen vowed to never grace the Harrington doorstep ever again, but that was before we learned just how accident prone Brett was. The 126 was dispatched to Kendra’s house just an hour later, when Brett’s arm was crushed while trying to rotate Kendra’s tires (not a euphemism). 

When Owen saw that there was clearly love between the spouses, he ended things with Kendra, which caused an argument between her and her husband, just as he was preparing to “get his cryo on” in his cryotherapy machine. Kendra left for a run, and we saw the machine inexplicably drop from 32 degrees down to 0, and after another 45 minutes the firefighters made yet another trip to the billionaires’ home.

That’s when things started to get really tricky. Owen pulled a frozen solid Brett out of the machine, felt that he had no pulse and immediately started CPR. Brett’s chest cracked like thin ice and CAVED IN, and, well, let’s just say Kendra’s husband was no longer an issue standing between her and Owen.

One has to wonder: Wouldn’t Owen know that doing chest compressions on a frozen body wasn’t a good idea? I’m not suggesting any ill intent on the fire captain’s part, but even I started to protest to my screen in the split second before Brett’s chest exploded (and then I screamed). 

The plot thickened at the end of the episode, when Owen got a call from Gabriel Reyes (Benito Martinez) of the non-baseball Texas Rangers to inform him that the autopsy had revealed Brett had been poisoned before he froze. This obviously puts some big question marks hanging over Kendra’s head, and Owen doesn’t exactly look super innocent either, given their “very modern and evolved” situationship. In fact, things look pretty dire for the captain in the preview for next week’s episode, “Tongues Out”: 

I thought Kendra seemed pretty innocent in “Open,” but next week’s episode might paint a different picture. Would anything truly surprise Owen at this point? This season he already lost a potential love interest, when FBI agent Rose Casey was killed in explosion, and in Season 3 he came face to face with serial killer Sadie (who spiked T.K.’s pho with Oxycontin, rather than poisoning Owen’s gin, as the preview suggests might happen).

Tune in to see how this plays out, when 9-1-1: Lone Star returns at 8 p.m. ET Thursday, April 25, on Fox, and you can catch up on previous episodes with a Hulu subscription. Be sure to also check out our 2023 TV schedule to see what other shows are coming soon. 

Spoilers for Netflix’s Unstable are present, so read at your own risk.

Rob Lowe is fully embracing his quirky side on his new show, Unstable, which is one of the latest releases on Netflix’s 2023 TV schedule. The workplace comedy sees the actor playing the role of Ellis Dragon, a science savant who’s returning to his work following the sudden death of his wife. The self-made man is many things, though eccentric would probably be the best word to describe him. It’s his weird nature that actually leads to one of the show’s wildest moments – a nude scene that has Lowe showing off much of his physique. The star has since dished on filming that scene and what it was like to put his “really funny” body at the forefront.  

The moment in question, which takes place during Unstable’s first episode, sees Ellis’ CFO, Anna, (played by Sian Clifford) enter his office to see how he’s readjusting to work. And to the no-nonsense exec’s surprise, she opens the door only to be faced with her longtime friend and colleague’s bare bottom. As Elis explains, he thinks better when his skin is well exposed to oxygen. Though it’s a very over-the-top moment, it perfectly helps establish who this man is and how far the show is willing to go to generate big laughs.

I had the pleasure of speaking with Rob Lowe during the junket for the new Netflix series and couldn’t help but ask about what it was like to film in the nude. Moments like this one are challenging to craft because you want them to have the intended comedic effect while also ensuring the performers involved are comfortable. Of course, Lowe is a pro, and he had no doubts that he and the crew could pull it off (no pun intended):

The writers, producers, directors and stars really have to do a considerable amount of collaborating to ensure that a nude scene makes sense to the story that’s being told. It really makes you think about just how much effort the directors of films like American Pie and The 40-Year-Old-Virgin had to put into their work. Of course, there’s another side to this that has to be considered, and it’s the preparation that an actor must do ahead of time. The 9-1-1: Lone Star actor also spoke to that during our conversation:

Of course, Rob Lowe did much more than simply show off his bod on Unstable. The show also afforded him the opportunity to reunite with his son, John Owen Lowe, who plays his on-screen kind and serves an EP on the comedy. Lowe found it “surreal” to work with John Owen and had nothing but praise for his acting abilities. Based on comments he’s made in the past, the younger Lowe has learned a lot from his dad. One has to wonder if Rob has filled him in on the art of perfecting the nude scene yet and, if he has, I’m sure it was a cheeky conversation. (OK, I’m done for real, now.)

Unstable is now streaming for anyone who has a Netflix subscription, and when you’re finished checking it out, take a look at CinemaBlend’s 2023 TV schedule for info on other big shows.

These days, Rob Lowe has been crushing it in the TV procedural sphere through his work on 9-1-1: Lone Star, but the fan-favorite actor is now adding a new sitcom to his resume. The project is Unstable, a workplace comedy that’s one of the most notable releases on Netflix’s 2023 TV schedule. Not only did the series allow Lowe to tap into his delightfully eccentric side, but it also gave him the opportunity to reunite with his son and former co-star, John Owen Lowe. The younger Lowe’s star has steadily been rising during these past few years, as he’s proven that he’s a natural in front of the camera. And Rob opened up about what he believes is the greatest strength John Owen possesses in that regard.

Acting is challenging, and that’s a fact many veterans of the profession would stress, especially a seasoned pro like Rob Lowe. The 59-year-old entertainer has spent years honing his craft, and it’s been on glorious display on shows like The West Wing, Brothers & Sisters and Parks and Recreation. More recently, however, he’s been able to get a first-hand look at how 28-year-old John Owen is developing his own repertoire. It’s for that reason that when I caught up with Rob to discuss Unstable, I asked what he thinks John Owen’s greatest strength as a thespian is. Ultimately, the proud papa named one key attribute – honesty: 

What the Outsiders icon means by this is that as a performer, his son is completely genuine when it comes to playing a scene. There are certain instances, particularly in over-the-top comedies like Unstable, in which an actor can easily phone in their work. Ideally, an artist wants to fully commit in order for their character – and the scene their in – to feel authentic. Those who regularly watch film and/or TV are sure to have seen some half-hearted performances, and they only make you more appreciative of those who are truly dedicated to the craft.

As alluded to earlier, this isn’t the first time Rob Lowe has gotten to act alongside his son. He and John Owen previously worked together on the short-lived Fox sitcom, The Grinder. They didn’t work together all that closely on that show, but I imagine it still gave the older Lowe a good sense of his son’s abilities. It’s safe to say that Rob definitely got more than a taste of John Owen’s approach while they were working on this latest series, though. 

On he single-camera Netflix production, John Owen Lowe plays Jackson Dragon, a struggling music tutor, who returns home to work for his successful and narcissistic father, Ellis, portrayed by Rob, at his bio research facility. With Ellis out of sorts following his wife’s sudden death, Jackson seeks to help his estranged dad move forward with his work and his life And at the same time, Ellis teaches his kid a thing or two about processing grief. Both of the Lowes are EPs on the show, with John Owen also serving as one of its writers.

It’s not all that often that a parent and child get to perform alongside each other in a production, and Rob and John Owen Lowe seem to be making the most of the opportunity. In addition to his recent comments, Rob previously said that he found reteaming with his son to be “surreal.” Quite frankly, it’s lovely to hear him gush over John Owen’s talent, and I’d assume that both have learned a lot from each other. Here’s hoping the Lowes are able to continue collaborating in the years to come – on this show and other projects.

Unstable is now streaming, so be sure you have a Netflix subscription on hand so that you can watch it. Also, don’t forget to check out CinemaBlend’s 2023 TV schedule for information on other shows that are premiering this year.

Spoiler alert! This story contains spoilers for the March 28 episode of 9-1-1: Lone Star, “Sellouts.” Make sure you’re caught up before you continue reading.

Anybody who’s watched 9-1-1: Lone Star for any amount of time knows that Owen Strand doesn’t always have the best of luck with women. This season he already lost a potential love interest, when FBI agent Rose Casey was killed in an explosion, and last season he and got into a bunch of trouble with Catherine Harper, when he first accused her of having an AARP fetish before the couple was stalked by a serial killer. With the fire captain getting involved with a new love interest in “Sellouts,” it seems all but guaranteed for things to fly off the rails, and co-creator Tim Minear confirmed as much.

Owen (Rob Lowe) met Kendra Harrington (Michaela McManus) at a cancer fundraiser, where he mistook her for a bartender. She was actually a billionaire heiress, but either way, things got flirty and they quickly ended up back at his place. Tim Minear spoke to EW about what’s to come, confirming that there’s “going to be a little bit more” to Kendra that we’ll discover in episodes to come. He said: 

There’s certainly never a dull moment on 9-1-1: Lone Star, especially if it has to do with Owen and his love life. Even before we learn more about Kendra and her family’s seedy underbelly — and the captain becomes what Tim Minear called “blue collar arm candy for this kind of socialite” — the relationship started off with a classic Strand misunderstanding. 

After their steamy hookup, Kendra snuck out early, leaving behind a card and a check for $100,000. His fellow firefighters were all too amused with the idea of the captain in an American Gigolo situation, but that got easier to believe when she sent him another $40K after their second date. Of course in the end, she clarified that the money was a donation to charity. The co-creator said they had fun with that story, and it sounds like things are going to get exciting for Owen as he navigates this new world. Minear continued: 

As always I can’t wait to see what Owen gets himself into next, and I’m interested to see if Kendra will be his date to that Tarlos wedding that hopefully is just around the corner! 9-1-1: Lone Star will return at 8 p.m. ET Tuesday, April 4, on Fox. Be sure to check out our 2023 TV schedule to see what other premieres are coming soon. 

Rob Lowe has been working in the entertainment industry for quite a long time, doing a variety of projects across television and film that have paired him with some of the most famous figures in showbiz. For his new Netflix show, he was able to reunite with son John Owen Lowe on the small screen, making Unstable a "surreal" experience for him.

Rob Lowe Explains What It’s Like Working With His Son Again

The real-life father-son duo plays a father-son duo in Unstable, with Rob Lowe’s character trying to bounce back from grief with the help of his son, who tries to save the family business while also escaping his dad’s shadow. While at the premiere for the new comedy, Lowe spoke to Entertainment Tonight about working his son, admitting it was “surreal” and a dream come true with executive producer Victor Fresco. Lowe said:

It’s always nice to see actors working alongside their family members, and Rob and John Owen are no exception. The two, as well as Rob’s other son Matthew, have had some fun interactions on social media, including when it comes to cracking Dad jokes. Those fun interactions take a new form with Unstable and father working with son. It was first announced that the two would be reuniting on-screen almost a year ago, and this is just the latest project they’ve been on together.

The Projects Rob And John Owen Have Worked On Together So Far

Rob and John Owen Lowe previously co-starred in the short-lived Fox comedy The Grinder, only they didn’t play father and son. Instead, John Owen portrayed the boyfriend of Rob’s character’s niece. Now that they are playing father and son on Unstable, we could get a peek into their actual dynamic as well as some surprises.

Off-screen, John Owen Lowe serves as a writer on 9-1-1: Lone Star, so it’s a true family affair on the Fox drama, especially when uncle Chad Lowe directs every so often (or even guest stars as his brother’s brother). Even though working with family can be either a hit or a miss, it seems to be a hit with the Lowe family.

With Rob and John Owen working together yet again, I wouldn't be surprised if the younger Lowe ends up making a guest appearance on Lone Star. Since the role of Owen Strand’s son is filled, John Owen would have to play a different kind of character. For now, at least the two are in Unstable together!

It will be intriguing to see how Rob and John Owen Lowe’s relationship in real life reflects their relationship on-screen when Unstable premieres Thursday, March 30 with a Netflix subscription as part of the Netflix 2023 TV schedule, so make sure you give it a watch.

Spoiler alert! This story contains spoilers for the March 14 episode of 9-1-1: Lone Star’s Season 4 episode, “Control Freaks.”

It turns out 9-1-1: Lone Star fans didn’t have to wait long at all to see what was in store for Marjan after she stood up for herself and quit the Austin fire station. The March 14 episode “Control Freaks” caught up with the fan-favorite firefighter, riding her motorcycle through New Mexico, searching for her purpose in life. She seemed to find her answer, after helping a woman escape her abusive partner, but taking the next step won’t be easy, as actress Natacha Karam said Marjan is about to find herself in “a fight for her life.”

“Control Freaks” saw Marjan realize that her calling was rescuing people, after she helped travel vlogger Kiley (Brooke Sorenson) obtain evidence to get her partner Grant (Cameron Cowperthwaite) arrested for domestic abuse. While we the viewer didn’t need to be told that Marjan was a born hero, that was apparently the epiphany the character needed, and Natacha Karam told EW that with that knowledge, Marjan was set to return to Texas: 

No doubt Owen Strand (Rob Lowe) and her family of firefighters would be thrilled with her return, but Natacha Karam warned that Marjan hasn’t seen the last of Grant yet. Next week’s episode will include a “terrifying standoff” that the actress said will leave her character “in a fight for her life.” And apparently the final moments will include a big twist, with Karam teasing:  

I admit I’m intrigued! Even the episode description for “Road Kill,” used the same phrase as the actress, saying, “Marjan is in for the fight of her life when she is targeted by a killer,” and the preview for the episode seemed to show where the episode’s title came from. Take a look for yourself: 

While it’s comforting to see the 126 headed out to help Marjan after not hearing from her for a couple of days, it looks like Grant has turned straight homicidal, possibly shooting an innocent bystander as he presumably tries to exact revenge on the woman who got him arrested and caused Kiley to leave him.

We’ll have to tune in to see if Marjan does make it back to the 126 unscathed. If she does, there will probably be nobody happier than Paul (Brian Michael Smith), who we know has been struggling without his bestie, as he navigates a new relationship. 9-1-1: Lone Star will return next week at 8 p.m. ET, Tuesday, March 21, on Fox. In the meantime, all episodes so far are available to stream with a Hulu subscription, and be sure to check out our 2023 TV schedule to see what other shows are coming soon! 

Spoiler alert! This story contains spoilers for the March 7 episode of 9-1-1: Lone Star, “Tommy Dearest.” Proceed with caution if you’re not caught up!

9-1-1: Lone Star fans were caught off guard when fan-favorite firefighter Marjan chose to resign rather than compromise her integrity over a frivolous lawsuit filed against her. But despite how shocked and upset her fellow first responders were (as well as the viewers), there was probably nobody affected more than her best friend Paul Strickland. Complicating matters even more was the fact that Paul realized he had a history with Asha, the HR representative overseeing Marjan’s situation, and after that potential relationship hit a roadblock in “Tommy Dearest,” actor Brian Michael Smith opened up about how Marjan’s absence played into it.

Things seemed to be going great between Paul and Asha (Amanda Payton), and he was so smitten that his colleagues were immediately able to sniff out the relationship potential. When Asha brought up their past, however — they attended grade school together in Chicago, before Paul transitioned — he put his walls back up. Brian Michael Smith explained to TV Insider that Marjan would have been the person he turned to in such a circumstance, so her absence only added to what his character was going through. He said: 

No matter how undeniable Paul’s attraction to Asha was, that didn’t change the fact that she was directly related to the reason that Marjan was no longer around for him to talk to. (He’d mentioned earlier that Marjan's cell service was spotty, as she was apparently riding Owen’s motorcycle through the desert, so even a phone call wasn’t really possible.) 

To be fair, Asha had given her official opinion that Marjan shouldn’t be forced to take further action with people who were obviously just trying to use her social media following for their own financial gain, and it was her bosses at the Austin Fire Department who didn’t want to continue the fight in court, so Paul really shouldn’t feel bad about getting involved in a relationship. 

In the end, it was Owen (Rob Lowe) who stepped in to counsel Paul, and while he’s no Marjan, Brian Michael Smith agreed that “Cap” is an important figure in Paul’s life. The actor said: 

It is nice to see Paul dating, and there’s got to be a certain amount of relief in finding a connection with someone who already knows his past. I’m excited to see where the relationship goes, even if Marjan won’t be around to help him navigate it. Speaking of Marjan, it looks like she’s going to make an appearance in next week’s episode, “Control Freaks,” according to the preview: 

It turns out we didn’t have to wait that long at all to see Marjan again. 9-1-1: Lone Star will be back at 8 p.m. ET Tuesday, March 14, on Fox, and if you need to catch up, all episodes so far are available to stream with a Hulu subscription. Be sure to check out our 2023 TV schedule to see what new and returning shows are premiering soon. 

Spoiler alert! This story discusses the 9-1-1: Lone Star Season 4 episode “This Is Not a Drill,” which aired February 28. Proceed with caution!

For all of Season 4 so far, we’ve known there was something big brewing around the Honor Dogs motorcycle club that Owen Strand found himself associated with. 9-1-1: Lone Star threw in plenty of red herrings for viewers — I’m still not sure I believe Ty O’Brien was innocent the whole time — but in the end it turned out there was just one bad apple trying to spoil the whole bunch. While Owen may have saved the city of Austin as a whole, there were still casualties, and co-creator Tim Minear explained why one character in particular “had to go.”

FBI agent Rose Casey unfortunately died in an explosion set off by Mikey (Richard Meehan), the Honor Dog who Owen (Rob Lowe) and Judd (Jim Parrack) saw get branded in the season premiere. Mikey ended up being the mastermind behind the domestic terrorism threat the FBI was investigating, and while the bar explosion took the lives of nine federal agents and even more Honor Dogs, Agent Casey was the biggest loss in viewers’ eyes. There was apparently a reason it had to be that way, and Tim Minear told EW: 

So, basically he’s saying Owen can’t have nice things? While it seemed like the fire captain was more a thorn in Casey’s side than anything, their banter was pretty amusing, and by dangling the potential for more interaction between the characters, 9-1-1: Lone Star ensured emotional stakes by the time the plot reached its conclusion. Minear continued: 

Saying goodbye to Agent Casey means saying goodbye to Amanda Schull, one of two Suits vets recurring in Season 4 and thus reuniting with Gina Torres. The other is D.B. Woodside, who will return as Tommy’s new love interest Trevor Parks in next week’s episode, “Tommy Dearest.” At least somebody can have nice things!  

Tune in next Tuesday, when 9-1-1: Lone Star returns at 8 p.m. ET on Fox, and if you need to catch up, all episodes so far are available to stream with a Hulu subscription. In the meantime, check out our 2023 TV schedule to see what new and returning shows are premiering.