The wedding bells are growing louder for Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce (and those in their inner circle) as they allegedly get ready to say “I do” this summer. There’s been, of course, a lot of curiosity around where the couple will have their big day. Now, one insider revealed where he thinks they'll hold their ceremony, and it has connections to how Beyoncé and Jay-Z’s own wedding went down back in 2008.

Scooper Rob Shuter went on Fox 5 New York to share that, based on the insight that he’s gathered, the couple is allegedly going to get married on July 3rd in a city that Taylor Swift totally has a song about. In his words:

According to Shuter, Taylor Swift’s apartment in Soho is “like the TARDIS” and much bigger than one would expect – especially since she’s apparently bought four apartments in the complex. If this does happen, it could be a very intimate and cozy day for the pair, who are famous for doing their jobs in the biggest venues one can go to for an occasion.

Across the last few months, we’ve heard a lot of alleged information about Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s wedding that seems to change on a dime. For example, the couple was previously expected to be tying the knot on June 13 before word came in that it might occur during Swift’s favorite holiday, where she’s hosted star-studded parties before. There was also a rumor that the couple would be getting married in Rhode Island, where Swift has also hosted a lot of her famous friends for the same holiday.

However, now there are claims it could happen in New York City in her home. So, it's hard to know exactly what will happen. However, if this scooper is right, it would feel like the pop star is taking a page from Beyoncé's playbook.

Beyoncé and Jay-Z got married on April 4, 2008, at Jay-Z’s Manhattan apartment in an affair where recording was prohibited and guests entered on the down low. There were also other sweet elements about the wedding that you might not expect from the rapper and pop star, like Beyoncé’s minimalist gown that was designed by her mom, and only having 40 guests in attendance. But, of course, there were celebrities on deck like her Destiny’s Child sisters, Kelly Rowland, Michelle Williams, as well as Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin, per People.

We’ve heard Taylor Swift is taking inspiration from Elizabeth Taylor for her wedding dress, and can guess some obvious names on the guest list like Ed Sheeran, Selena Gomez, the Haim sisters and Jack Antonoff. But how many guests can she fit into her apartment? We’ll of course leave it up to the happy couple to come up with the details and hope they share some photos after they enjoy their day in peace and happiness.

Saturday Night Live wrapped its run in the 2025 TV schedule with the departure of fan-favorite Bowen Yang, and with weeks still to go before the upcoming SNL hosts bring Season 51 back in the 2026 TV schedule, it's worth looking back at one of the standout sketches from last season: Maya Rudolph and Kamala Harris joining forces for a skit that has an unexpected connection to Beyoncé herself. Rudolph opened up about that SNL cold open from late 2024 with some background on how it came together with the then-presidential candidate.

The sketch originally aired on NBC on November 3, 2024, which viewers may remember as just three days before the election that would determine whether Kamala Harris or Donald Trump would be the next President of the United States. SNL pulled out all the stops for the cold open, with Andy Samberg playing Doug Emhoff, Dana Carvey playing Joe Biden, and Jim Gaffigan as Tim Walz. The biggest surprise, however, was that Harris turned up herself for a back-and-forth with Maya Rudolph, who was reprising her own impersonation of the Vice President.

Months after that sketch aired, Maya Rudolph spoke with EW about how the cold open "came together very quickly." She said:

Who else in the entertainment industry other than SNL creator Lorne Michaels could just make some calls to not only find out if Beyoncé would be available, but to secure the Vice President of the United States (who would potentially be elected as the first female POTUS just days later) for a cameo? Harris later revealed how she felt about Rudolph's impersonation of her, and was sporting a big smile in that pre-Election Day episode, which is available streaming now with a Peacock subscription. Rudolph continued:

There were a lot of moving pieces with the sketch, with Lorne Michaels evidently recruiting some of Rudolph's fellow former SNL for brief guest spots. Fortunately, Harris did make it in time for her part in the sketch, which wouldn't have been nearly as memorable with Ego Nwodim playing the VP. Excellent as Nwodim was before her exit after Season 50, there's a reason why the sketch featuring the real-life candidate racked up more than 10 million views.

For Maya Rudolph, it was a standout experience out of all her time on the comedy series:

If you missed the sketch at the time or just haven't watched it back since Maya Rudolph made the most of the world deciding she'd play Kamala Harris again, you won't have seen the crowd responding so enthusiastically that the VP's first lines were drowned out. Take a look:

That November 2024 episode was the last time that Maya Rudolph appeared on Saturday Night Live as Kamala Harris at the time of writing, although she did appear in other roles in SNL50: The Anniversary Special. You can revisit her years on the comedy show on Peacock, as she was a member of the cast from 2000 - 2007. She has also returned to host SNL three times so far.

It never ceases to amaze me when an actor is the spitting image of the real person they are selected to play. I do not think a historical portrayal necessarily lives or dies by the performer’s resemblance to the subject, but I think it is something to appreciate, especially when you consider the amount of biopics starring actors who bear absolutely no resemblance to their role. Here are a few notable examples of actors who were clearly hired for their talents above anything else.

Michael Shannon As Elvis Presley (Elvis & Nixon)

The most requested photo in the National Archives depicts Elvis Presley shaking hands with Richard Nixon in the Oval Office, and the events surrounding this historic meeting at the White House are dramatized in 2016's Elvis & Nixon. Kevin Spacey makes for a visually believable depiction of the 37th United States President, but the otherwise wonderfully talented Michael Shannon simply does not cut it as the one many call the King of Rock 'n Roll, even with a decent jumpsuit and wig.

John Wayne As Genghis Khan (The Conqueror)

Oh, boy, where do we begin with this one? The only visual evidence we have of what Genghis Khan looked like is artist renderings, but it does not take an expert to notice that John Wayne was not Asian. Still, the legendary Western movie star was cast as the Mongol chief in 1956's The Conqueror, which has since been regarded as one of the worst films ever made.

Aaron Taylor-Johnson As John Lennon (Nowhere Boy)

Director Sam Taylor-Johnson's 2009 music biopic Nowhere Boy focuses on the pre-Beatles life of John Lennon, as portrayed by Aaron Taylor-Johnson. If you ask me, the Golden Globe-winning actor might have been a better fit to play, perhaps, Paul McCartney or, better yet, George Harrison.

Tom Cruise As Barry Seal (American Made)

If more people knew about Barry Seal and what he looked like, I believe Tom Cruise's portrayal in 2017's American Made would have been criticized as one of the most egregious miscastings in Hollywood history. The otherwise talented movie star did absolutely nothing to alter his appearance and pass for the ill-fated, heavy-set CIA smuggler, save what I regard as an embarrassing Southern accent.

Julia Roberts As Erin Brockovich (Erin Brockovich)

Julia Roberts gives, arguably, the finest performance of her career as a single mother and paralegal who uncovers a small town pollution scandal in Steven Soderbergh's Erin Brockovich from 2000. However, if a resemblance to the person an actor is portraying were part of the Academy's voting criteria, she might not have won the Oscar.

Denzel Washington As Frank Lucas (American Gangster)

Ridley Scott's 2007 biopic American Gangster dramatizes the career of mobster Frank Lucas, played by Denzel Washington, and also stars Chiwetel Ejiofor as Lucas' brother, Huey. Curiously, Ejiofor actually looks a whole lot more like the real Frank than the two-time Oscar winner. However, Washington was a good friend and frequent collaborator of the director's brother, Tony Scott, so he probably had the role in the bag for that, among other reasons.

Johnny Depp As J.M. Barrie (Finding Neverland)

Oddly enough, J.M. Barrie boasted a striking resemblance to another influential author, Edgar Allan Poe, with his tall forehead and small moustache. However, Johnny Depp, who played the Peter Pan author in 2004's Finding Neverland, does not boast a resemblance to either of them, if you ask me.

Hugh Jackman As P.T. Barnum (The Greatest Showman)

Let's not even bother talking about the many historical inaccuracies from The Greatest Showman, 2017's musical retelling of the origins of the circus, and even ignore the fact that P.T. Barnum was not the kindhearted man Hugh Jackman portrayed him as. All that matters to this list is whether or not the Wolverine star looked the part, and the famously attractive Australian actor most definitely was not a match for Barnum in that regard.

Michael Fassbender As Steve Jobs (Steve Jobs)

Michael Fassbender's Oscar-nominated performance in director Danny Boyle and writer Aaron Sorkin's Steve Jobs from 2015 is widely regarded as superior to Ashton Kutcher's portrayal in Jobs from two years earlier. However, at least the former That '70s Show cast member can say he resembled the tech pioneer more closely.

Jesse Eisenberg As Mark Zuckerberg (The Social Network)

Mark Zuckerberg once made a surprise SNL cameo, during which he stood right next to host Jesse Eisenberg on the Studio 8H stage, proving that they are certainly not a visual match. The actor does not even bother to imitate the Facebook founder's distinctly low voice when portraying him in 2010's The Social Network, but his Oscar nomination proves that that is not what really matters in the end.

Tom Hanks As Fred Rogers (A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood)

Casting a universally beloved actor such as Tom Hanks to play a universally beloved children's television personality like Fred Rogers, of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood fame, is brilliant in theory. However, even giving the Oscar winner the icon's signature haircut and sweaters is not quite enough to distract from the fact that you are still unmistakably watching Hanks on screen.

Leonardo DiCaprio As Howard Hughes (The Aviator)

A major inspiration for Marvel's Tony "Iron Man" Stark was Howard Hughes, whose resemblance is actually a striking match for both Robert Downey Jr. and Dominic Cooper, who plays Howard Stark in his early years in the MCU. In fact, I think either one of them would have been a better visual fit for the eccentric millionaire in The Aviator than Leonardo DiCaprio, even if his performance in the 2005 biopic makes it one of his best collaborations with the director, Martin Scorsese.

Warren Beatty And Faye Dunaway As Clyde Barrow And Bonnie Parker (Bonnie And Clyde)

From a performance standpoint, Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway make a great onscreen duo portraying the titular notorious bank robbers in 1967's Bonnie and Clyde. However, the screen legends' casting does not earn the film any points for historical accuracy, considering Beatty does not have Clyde Barrow's jug ears, nor does Dunaway boast Bonnie Parker's sharp, thin face.

Taraji P. Henson As Katherine G. Johnson (Hidden Figures)

Taraji P. Henson gives an undeniably commanding performance in 2016's Hidden Figures as Katherine G. Johnson, a mathematician who was pivotal in helping NASA figure out space travel. Yet, when comparing the Empire star to photos of the real Johnson, it is clear the actor does not resemble her much at all.

Anthony Hopkins As Richard Nixon (Nixon)

Reportedly, Anthony Hopkins had some hesitation about taking on the lead role of Oliver Stone's 1995 biopic about Richard M. Nixon. Ultimately, I would say the Academy Award winner went on to give a great performance in Nixon, but I find myself distracted by his struggle to hide his accent and his obvious fake teeth and hairpiece that really do not help make him look any closer in resemblance to the disgraced U.S. president.

Margot Robbie As Queen Elizabeth I (Mary Queen Of Scots)

Cate Blanchett previously gave an Academy Award-nominated performance as the lead of 1998's Elizabeth, and even bore a strong resemblance to the royal based on artist renderings. I cannot say the same about Margot Robbie, even if the Australian actor's portrayal of Queen Elizabeth I in Mary Queen of Scots was still worthy of praise.

Benedict Cumberbatch As Alan Turing (The Imitation Game)

Benedict Cumberbatch has such a distinct appearance, making it difficult for him to resemble anyone else without heavy alterations. However, nothing was done to make him look any closer to World War II-era computer scientist Alan Turing in The Imitation Game.

Javier Bardem As Desi Arnaz (Being The Ricardos)

Oscar winner Nicole Kidman went above and beyond to physically become Lucille Ball for writer and director Aaron Sorkin's dramatization of what went on behind the scenes of the beloved TV sitcom, I Love Lucy. However, playing her onscreen husband is Oscar winner Javier Bardem, who does not pass for Desi Arnaz in the slightest.

Ray Liotta As Shoeless Joe Jackson (Field Of Dreams)

Technically, Ray Liotta plays the ghost of Shoeless Joe Jackson in Field of Dreams, but even a person's spectral remnant should look something like them. The infamous MLB player had a much narrower face and wider ears, not to mention that he pitched left-handed, while the actor did the opposite in the beloved sports movie.

Beyoncé As Etta James (Cadillac Records)

No one could possibly deny that Beyoncé has the pipes to match Etta James, which had to have been the reason why she was cast in 2008's Cadillac Records. However, the "At Last" singer was short and round-faced, and the former Destiny's Child member is neither.

Dominic West As Prince Charles III (The Crown)

I mean no disrespect to Prince Charles III, but is it just me, or was The Wire star Dominic West just a little too handsome to play the Royal Family member on The Crown? Then again, any one cast member's portrayal on the historical Netflix series might pale in comparison to Elizabeth Debicki's striking resemblance to Princess Diana.

Kane Hodder As Ed Gein (Ed Gein: The Butcher Of Plainfield)

The most famous actor to wear Jason Voorhees' hockey mask in the Friday the 13th films must have seemed like an inspired choice to play one of the most notorious serial killers in history in 2007's Ed Gein: The Butcher of Plainfield. However, the 6'2", broadly built Kane Hodder does not boast Gein's narrower face and small stature.

Clive Owen As Bill Clinton (Impeachment: American Crime Story)

In most cases, prosthetics can be very helpful in making an actor look more similar to the person they are portraying, such as when Charlize Theron became Megyn Kelly for Bombshell. Clive Owen adopted this method to play Bill Clinton on Impeachment: American Crime Story, but the makeup only caused the English actor to resemble the 1990s-era President even less.

Angelina Jolie As Christine Collins (Changeling)

Christine Collins is the subject of Clint Eastwood's 2008 period film, Changeling, which is based on the true story of when her missing son was replaced by an impostor. Had she been an even better-known historical figure, there might have been more criticism over casting Angelina Jolie, an actor known for her voluptuous lips, as the thin-lipped 1920s woman.

Fred Armisen As Barack Obama (Saturday Night Live)

Considering the fact that the otherwise extremely talented SNL star Fred Armisen is a white man with a subpar impersonation of the 44th. U.S. President, I'll just say that I am glad Jay Pharoah eventually took over as Barack Obama.

Tom Hulce As Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Amadeus)

Just based on artist renderings of the seminal composer, Tom Hulce was nowhere near a match to play the title role of director Milos Forman's Best Picture Oscar winner, Amadeus, from 1984. However, the actor is widely admired for his performance as Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, which earned him a well-deserved Academy Award nomination.

Robert Redford As Harry Longabaugh (Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid)

I wonder how many others like me had no idea that Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid was based on a true story, which might be how the film was able to get away with casting actors who look nothing like the Western outlaws they play. For instance, Robert Redford's mustache works just fine for the role, but Harry Longabaugh, a.k.a. "The Sundance Kid," did not have long blonde locks.

Diana Ross As Billie Holiday (Lady Sings The Blues)

Most would agree that 1972's Lady Sings the Blues is the superior biopic about the trailblazing "Strange Fruit" singer over The United States vs. Billie Holiday from 2021. However, those same people might also agree that Andra Day was a better fit to play Holiday, physically speaking, than the otherwise wonderfully talented Diana Ross in the earlier film.

Robin Williams As Patch Adams (Patch Adams)

The real Patch Adams hates Tom Shadyac's biopic based on his life, which has nothing to do with the fact that Robin Williams looks nothing like the influential doctor. However, it's still impossible to ignore, especially with how they do not even bother to give the Oscar winner Adams' signature mustache.

Mel Gibson As William Wallace (Braveheart)

In the most well-known illustrations of William Wallace, the Scottish warrior is depicted as having short hair and a beard. Why director Mel Gibson opted against this look when he portrayed Wallace in Braveheart is beyond me.

Serena Scott Thomas As Princess Diana (Diana: Her True Story)

Many actors have portrayed Princess Diana to varying degrees of success, but most consider Serena Scott Thomas from the 1993 two-part miniseries, Diana: Her True Story, to be one of the weakest matches, purely in terms of her physical resemblance.

Zoe Saldaña As Nina Simone (Nina)

The 2016 biopic, Nina, sparked controversy when Zoe Saldaña donned skin-darkening makeup and a prosthetic nose to better resemble singer Nina Simone, which the actor would later admit she regretted.

When I was watching How To Train Your Dragon at the theater, it was noticeable how good the scenes with leads Mason Thames and Nico Parker on dragonback looked. As Toothless and Stormfly flew, wind whipped through the cast’s hair and the shifting motions in the air felt organic, and well, like they were fully in live action.

So, when I got to speak with the cast ahead of July 15th's Digital drop of the 2025 movie release, I had to know how they made those scenes look so realistic. As it turns out, though, filming with the dragons is a little more unglamorous than you might assume.

How The How To Train Your Dragon Cast Really ‘Rode’ On Dragonback

A pivotal moment in How To Train Your Dragon live action comes when Hiccup outfits Toothless with a new tail and the two fly over land and gorgeous waters for the first time. Director Dean DeBlois previously told me when they had screened the movie for the first time, the flying scene was the moment they knew HTTYD was working in live action. But it took a lot of work and some practical effects to get there, with Mason Thames telling me:

Nico Parker went on to call the wind machine "The Beyoncé fan" and the two had a fun exchange about the Beyoncé effect.

"Nico: The Beyonce’ fan.
Mason: That sounds much cooler. There we go. I had a bunch of Beyonce’ fans. Nico: Mason is Beyonce.’ "

The creative team hooked the cast up with some gimbals, aka rotational devices allowing the actors to be seen pivoting, swooping and swishing through the air. Thames told CinemaBlend essentially these operated in the same way a mechanical bull might –and were equally as uncomfortable, though the two still felt it was a “cool” task to challenged with, one that took quite a while to film and led to them getting pretty close on set.

"Mason: People know. It’s really cool. We were on it for about a month. It got really uncomfortable at times. Especially when Nico was on the dragon with me. Because that saddle is NOT made for two.
Nico: No, it’s NOT made for two. There’s not that much space.
Mason: Not any space.
Nico: I was having a brilliant time."

Intriguingly, if you want to see Nico and Mason filming as Astrid and Hiccup, the extras on the new home release really go behind-the-scenes and show fans what filming those flying moments looked like. In addition, viewers will learn more about how dragons were recreated for live action, and this included things like puppets being used during filming, special touches that allowed the actors to really get more into the emotional narrative (and I’d assume have a better eye reference point) while filming.

With a live-action HTTYD sequel on the way, I’m interested to see how the process changes and stays the same during Round 2. With any luck, maybe Nico and Mason can petition for a little extra room.

You can catch all of this, as well as How To Train Your Dragon deleted scenes and so much more --literally 75 minutes worth -- as the flick is available to rent or own right now.

It's a great time to be a fan of pop music, as pop girlies old and new have been consistently releasing new content. But few have had the same impact at Beyoncé, who is arguably the best performer of her generation. She's currently bringing the Cowboy Carter tour around the world, and fans in Paris were shocked when Miley Cyrus appeared on stage to perform their duet "II Most Wanted" for the cheering crowd. Afterward the "Flowers" singer took to social media to share a touching tribute to the Destiny's Child alum.

Miley Cyrus has already had a long career as a pop star, and has gotten to work with a number of acclaimed collaborators. But none are quite as iconic as Bey, with the two singers using their country roots to bring "II Most Wanted" to life. After performing the track in Paris, Cyrus' Instagram post featured footage, photos, and a message of love for the Dreamgirls star. The caption reads:

Talk about a pinch me moment. For millennials like Miley Cyrus (and myself) Beyoncé is aspirational and music royalty. We grew up with her Destiny's Child before her solo career, which has changed the music world forever with albums like Lemonade and Renaissance. So being able to work with her on a song, and finally perform it live on tour, seems like a significant experience for the Hannah Montana alum.

Upon the release of Cowboy Carter, fans immediately responded to the vocals of "II Most Wanted", and how well the voices of Knowles and Cyrus worked together. Later in her same post, Miley went on to share:

It really sounds like getting to have this experience with Beyoncé was an absolute thrill for the singer/actress, who recently released her new album Something Beautiful. We'll just have to wait and see if Miley and Beyoncé get to work on any future tracks together. While we're still waiting for a sequel to "Lemonade" with Bey and Lady Gaga, I'd be happy to see any of these possible duets happen in the future. Bring on the crossovers!

Beyoncé continues to tour Cowboy Carter, and the album is streaming just like Miley Cyru's newest release Something Beautiful.

Kanye West’s social media tirades have garnered significant attention over the last several months. The polarizing rapper has used his platform to share brutally honest thoughts on current events as well as fellow celebrities. 47-year-old West drew backlash in a major way months ago after he made inflammatory comments about Beyoncé and Jay-Z’s kids. In time, West apologized for what he said and, more recently, he shared a post that would seem to suggest he’s still remorseful for his statements.

In an all-caps post shared to X in March, Ye (as shared by The Source) questioned why the public rarely if ever sees Jay-Z and Beyoncé’s two younger children – daughter Rumi and son Sir. The “Good Life” rapper then said that the kids are “retarted” and that “this is why artificial insemination is a blessing.” He also declared that “having retarded children is a choice.” Ye doubled down on his sentiments in several other posts, in which he shared more comments.

The Grammy winner apologized for his sentiments around this past April by way of another post. At the time, he said, “I’m sorry Jay Z. I be feeling bad about my tweet…” It would seem that the viral comments are still on Ye’s mind, as he shared a since-deleted post (via The Source) this past weekend: In it, he simply said the following:

Years ago, Kanye West and Jay (whose real name is Shawn Carter) were actually quite close. They also collaborated, with arguably their most famous piece of work being the 2011 album Watch the Throne. Said compilation would prove to be their only team-up until 2021’s Donda. Years later, West named some of Carter’s lyrics on the track “Jail” as the reason for them not collaborating since that latter album. The relationship between the two seems to have fizzled out at this point, though.

A few other notable music industry veterans have been caught in the crosshairs of Ye’s social media habits as well. In one post, the “Amazing” singer notably name-dropped Taylor Swift and mused that she wouldn’t have sex with him due to his race. (Swift reportedly sought to file a cease-and-desist order against the rapper.) The Yeezy brand founder also weighed in on Kid Cudi testifying at Sean “P. Diddy” Combs’ sex-trafficking trial, saying that he wished Cudi wouldn’t have taken the stand.

Kanye West has also drawn backlash for making inappropriate comments towards people belonging to the Jewish faith. Weeks ago, however, West claimed to be done with antisemitism and asked for forgiveness. That aside, he’s also made comments about himself, even claiming that he had an incestous relationship with a cousin when he was younger. Such comments have apparently worried West’s ex-wife, Kim Kardashian, who’s apparently taken measures to protect themselves and the four children they share.

When it comes to Ye’s comments about Jay-Z and Beyoncé’s kids, neither member of the celebrity couple has publicly addressed the situation. The songstress’ mother, Tina Knowles, did seemingly defend her family after the initial posts went viral. Also, Tina’s ex-husband, Matthew Knowles, suggested that Ye could face legal repercussions for what he posted. Though Kanye West has apparently changed his tune, it remains to be seen whether the law will become involved in this matter.

As someone who lives relatively close to MetLife Stadium, the venue where Beyoncé performed last night, I witnessed the storm that happened during her concert. And I was seriously impressed that she did her incredible and emotional three-hour Cowboy Carter concert in the rain. Clearly, the water didn’t stop her from putting on an excellent performance. It also didn't stop her from pausing the show to help a fan do a gender reveal.

However, now that all is said and done, and hopefully everyone is dry, the “Ya Ya” singer’s mother had a very motherly reaction to the whole situation.

Beyoncé Promised A Fan She’d Do Their Gender Reveal, And Then Did It In The Middle Of A Storm

While some storms can cause concert delays, for the most part, rain or shine, artists perform. As they say, the show must go on. That’s what happened last night at Beyoncé’s show in New Jersey.

It was raining most of the day on May 28, and it really started coming down at night. However, the concert went on as if the rain was no bother, and it didn’t stop the singer from spotting a special fan in the crowd and helping them with their gender reveal, as you can see below:

So, as you saw, the “Formation” singer noticed the sign earlier in her concert, and she promised to come back later to do the gender reveal. And she did, at the very end of her concert, Beyoncé returned, noting that she “didn’t want to rush” this moment because it was “important.”

Clearly, the rain didn’t bother anyone in this situation, as the “Bodyguard” singer thanked the fan for asking her to be part of this instance, and then asked to keep the paper that revealed they were having a little "cowboy."

However, afterward, her mother, Tina Knowles, posted about the moment and how wonderful it was, while also making a point that I think just about any mom would make.

How Tina Knowles Reacted To This Moment

Following this Cowboy Carter concert, Tina Knowles took to Instagram to celebrate her daughter’s performance. She specifically wanted to highlight the gender reveal, and she posted a video of it happening. In the caption, she also made sure to note the conditions this was done in, explaining:

What a mom thing to say! I know if I spent over three hours in the pouring rain, my mom would also be worried about me getting sick.

In the past, Knowles has used social media to defend her family, and lately, she’s been posting a lot about her daughter’s incredible tour. Alongside this rainy video, she also reposted a clip of the "Texas Hold 'Em" singer on her flying horseshoe, writing:

However, despite all this, Beyoncé pulled off a lovely surprise moment and a remarkable show. That shouldn’t surprise anyone who saw the Renaissance concert film in theaters or her Coachella concert with a Netflix subscription, though.

Now, I’m hoping that if Cowboy Carter gets the concert film treatment, we’ll get to see this gender reveal on the big screen along with her performance in the rain. It was such a unique interaction, and a major highlight of both Beyoncé’s power as a performer and her relationship with her fans (even though her mom is a little worried she’ll get sick because of it).

Brie Larson is a concert girlie just like me, and whenever she goes to another big tour, I’m always excited to see her experience play out on social media. (Yes, I probably have a parasocial problem, but don’t we all?) This week, the Captain Marvel actress went to Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter tour at Los Angeles’s Sofi Stadium, and I love every one of her photos and videos recording the experience.

Brie Larson Was Living Her Best Life At Beyoncé’s Concert

Beyoncé is playing five nights at the venue, and Brie Larson caught the second evening on Thursday, May 1 after previously saying her “dreams” came true when she saw Beyoncé at the same venue for her Renaissance tour, and partying it up at Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour, too. Check out what she posted to Instagram about it:

Brie Larson turned up to the Cowboy Carter show in a cute plaid matching set, a cowboy hat and a jean jacket with cow print lettering. So, she was very much on theme. It looks like she went with two close friends of hers and linked up with Renée Rapp at the show, who was also rocking a cowboy hat to the show.

Lately, Larson has been at the West End doing a show called Elektra, which has recently ended its run. We had hoped to see her name among the sprawling Avengers: Doomsday cast, but we do have another theory about how Captain Marvel might return.

But, I Especially Relate To Her Reaction To A Surprise Song Beyoncé Sang At The Show

There’s a lot happening in the photo set, but my favorite part of the whole thing was seeing Brie Larson’s reaction to seeing “If I Were A Boy” played live during the show. If you checked on the Cowboy Carter setlist from the night before, you’ll know that Beyoncé didn’t play it during her first night, so it was a big surprise to play the classic ballad from 2008.

The song came out during I Am… Sasha Fierce record roll out, when she also appeared on SNL for the hilarious “Single Ladies” sketch. “If I Were A Boy” is one of those powerful Beyoncé songs that just hit with women everywhere when it came out because it speaks to the double standards between being a man and a woman. It’s such an emotional song, and I love that someone captured Larson getting emotional over seeing the pop sensation belt it live.

Not only did the singer add “If I Were A Boy” to her second show on tour, she also added other big hits like “Irreplaceable,” “Single Ladies” and “Love On Top” as well in one medley. While Brie Larson has the memory of seeing Beyoncé perform these songs in front of her face, I’ll probably be settling for watching Beyoncé performances like last year’s Beyoncé Bowl with my Netflix subscription.

Denzel Washington's best movies are beloved, but his heart has always been with theater. After all, the Oscar winner doesn’t view himself as a “Hollywood actor” for that reason, using the skills he acquired on the stage toward his film performances. With fans complaining about his Othello show tickets being so expensive, Washington responds to those ticket stubs being compared to Beyoncé’s.

Any fan of Denzel Washington would love to see him reciting Shakespeare live on the Broadway stage. Creating a dynamic duo with Jake Gyllenhaal, the two present a modern take with them playing military men locked in a tense battle of deception and portrayal. However, one thing about these Othello tickets is that they are sky-high in price. While speaking to ET at the Entertainment Community Fund Gala, Washington made one thing clear about tickets being as high as $900:

There’s no doubt that Broadway ticket prices are expensive. Whereas movie theater tickets are around the ballpark of $9-$20, stage productions are considered classy entertainment. According to TheaterMania, the average price of a Broadway ticket is around $133. But with A-list actors like Denzel Washington and Jake Gyllenhaal starring in the 400-year-old production, the high ticket demands can easily raise the prices.

With Othello prices zooming as high as $900, ET commented to Denzel Washington that he must have felt like Beyoncé and Jay-Z. Here was the actor’s humble response to that:

The Malcolm X actor may not be a singer or a rapper, but you can’t deny how popular he is. Fans are always watching Denzel Washington in the US and his movies have grossed over $2.5 billion at the box office. Naturally, I wouldn’t be surprised for ticket sales to soar, seeing the award-winning actor show off his theater chops.

Denzel Washington ought to consider it a huge compliment for Othello to be compared to Beyoncé, as her RENAISSANCE tour had fans scared that Ticketmaster wouldn’t be able to handle the on-demand surge. Even the singer’s Cowboy Carter Tour tickets are as high as four-digit prices, depending on how close you want to be to the stage and VIP packages. Despite high Othello ticket prices, the Fences actor/director made sure to tell ET how “blessed” he was to be part of his sold-out Shakespeare show:

It must be an incredible feeling for a celebrity to know that fans want to support their work throughout the years. If actors like Daniel Radcliffe can headline sold-out Broadway shows, I’m confident a theater pro like Washington will draw Broadway theatergoers to go see his successful Shakespeare adaptation. With many dates on the Othello website showing there are a lot of dates with just a few seats left, I would say ticket demands aren't stopping anytime soon.

Fans may have pointed out the expensive ticket prices of Othello, but there’s no doubt in my mind that the star power of Denzel Washington is as equal to Beyoncé’s. The stage and screen actor knows how to win over a crowd, and I’m confident he’ll continue doing so no matter how high ticket prices go. Make sure to catch Washington’s newest stage role playing at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre until June 8th.

While P. Diddy is facing several federal charges as he awaits trial, the embattled hip hop mogul is also at the center of more than a few lawsuits. Diddy’s legal team responded to the numerous suits – which involve claims of sexual assault, sex-trafficking and more – and denied the claims on behalf of their client. Now, someone else is suing the Grammy winner, who was arrested in New York back in September 2024. Jay-Z, LeBron James and other stars were mentioned in the suit and, now, their teams are issuing statements.

What Is Diddy Being Accused Of In This Latest Lawsuit?

The plaintiff in this particular case is Manzaro Joseph, who apparently crossed paths with Diddy – whose real name is Sean Combs – at a birthday celebration for the rapper’s son, King Combs. In the suit, which was obtained by TMZ, it was alleged Joseph also was drugged and “transported against his will” to the party, which was apparently held at Miami's Star Island in April 2015. Joseph also claims that at some point during the affair, he was paraded around while wearing a thong bikini bottom and black, leather mask.

Also, Manzaro Joseph claimed that early on during the event, he was dragged into the back entrance of a mansion owned by Gloria and Emilio Estefan. Gloria supposedly asked that an ambulance be called after she saw Joseph in a “drug-induced stupor.” After Emilio allegedly waved off his wife’s concerns and moved with her to another area, Joseph supposedly was taken through a hallway, where he saw LeBron James. Per the suit, James – who was allegedly in a bath towel – saw Joseph and asked that something be done about him.

During the night, former porn star Adria English allegedly led Joseph to a spacious area in Diddy’s mansion, where he purportedly regained consciousness. It was there that he allegedly saw Jay-Z with wife Beyoncé, who asked, “Why is this half-naked white man with a cock mask standing here in front of me?” One of Diddy’s associates supposedly said that they were teaching Joseph a lesson regarding what happens to “snitches.”

Several defendants are named in the lawsuit, including Brendan Paul – an alleged drug mule of Diddy’s as well as Emilio Estefan and Adria English (who filed a sex-trafficking suit against Diddy in 2024). Manzaro Joseph is reportedly suing on the grounds of human trafficking and, in the aftermath of his filing, several reps are speaking.

How Did The Representatives Respond To The Latest Lawsuit Involving Sean Combs?

In a statement shared with TMZ, Brendan Paul’s lawyer, Brian Bieber, said the claims against his client were “are 100% false and literally impossible to have occurred.” LeBron James’ spokesperson denied the allegation against the professional basketball player as well. James was previously called out by UFC alum Brandon Goodwin for a past “Diddy Party” comment and, on the heels of this latest situation, his rep said the following:

As for Jay-Z and Beyoncé, they weren’t named defendants in this case either. However, Jay – whose real name is Shawn Carter – was named in a rape lawsuit, involving a woman he claimed to have been sexually assaulted by both men in 2000, when she was 13 years old. Carter vehemently denied the allegations and, by February 2025, the case was dismissed. As for this suit from Manzaro Joseph, Carter’s attorney, Alex Spiro, had this to say:

Additionally, a representative for Emilio and Gloria Estafan shared a statement. The person said:

Freak Off parties have been at the center of a number of suits facing Sean Combs. At these events, guests were allegedly treated to sex acts by women, who’d been weighed and coerced or hired to perform them. Combs’ Wild King Nights have also been discussed, with those events allegedly involving sex toys, drugs, copious amounts of baby oil and more.

P. Diddy’s trial is set to begin on May 5, and he’s been charged with sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution, racketeering, arson and other offenses. The rapper is currently awaiting the legal proceedings at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn. Only time will tell just how the trial plays out as well as the slew of lawsuits.

Beyoncé’s list of films is tiny but mighty. While her focus is primarily on her music, every so often, she shifts to the screen and changes things up a bit. For example, her last film was 2024’s fairly well-reviewed Mufasa: The Lion King, where she voiced Nala. However, this work is few and far between, so it must be hard to get her to say yes to a film. That proved to be true for producer Will Packer, who revealed that the pop star turned him down five times before eventually saying yes to the film Obsessed.

Before 2009’s Obsessed, Beyoncé appeared in 2002’s Austin Powers in Goldmember, 2003’s The Fighting Temptations, 2006’s The Pink Panther, 2008’s Cadillac Records, and, the Oscar-winning film, Dreamgirls, showing that she does not frequently take on movies. So, getting her to say yes to Obsessed was not an easy task, but producer Will Packer worked hard to make it happen, as he explained during Watch What Happens Live:

There are two things I really love about this story. One is Packer’s persistence. I think it’s admirable that he did not give up on getting the star he wanted for this movie. Secondly, I appreciate that Beyoncé didn’t just say no; she told him why, too. That made it so the producer knew how to improve his film, and it gave him a chance to try again with her. And in the end, it all worked out!

Now, the reviews for Obsessed were not good – it has a 19% on Rotten Tomatoes. However, according to Box Office Mojo, it made $73.8 million worldwide ($68.2 million of that was domestic) on a $20 million budget. It also won the box office on its opening weekend, beating other films that premiered that weekend, like Channing Tatum’s Fighting and the Jamie Foxx and Robert Downey Jr.-led film, The Soloist. It also made more than Zac Efron's 17 Again during those few days, which had been released one week before Obsessed.

As Packer said, the romantic psychological thriller, which also starred Idris Elba and Ali Larter, was No. 1, which is a pretty big accomplishment. So, yes, “thank you, Beyoncé.”

After that, both Packer and Beyoncé have obviously had great careers.

Beyoncé’s music career has continued to thrive over the last 16 years. Most recently, she finally won Album of the Year at the 2025 Grammys with her record Cowboy Carter. And, she’s had some major on-screen moments in the last few years, as her Renaissance Tour had a successful run in theaters in 2023 and she stunned audiences with her Christmas Day halftime performance on Netflix at the end of 2024.

Meanwhile, Packer produced popular and successful films like Girls Trip, Beast, Straight Outta Compton, Ride Along and many, many more.

Now, looking back, it’s cool to hear about what went into getting Beyoncé for this film, and it has me wanting to use my Netflix subscription to see her performance in it. Along with being a great singer, she’s also a wonderful actress, so I can see why Will Packer fought hard to get her into his movie.

Kanye West’s disturbing tweets about Jay-Z and Beyoncé’s kids have now seemingly caught the attention of Tina Knowles. Following Ye posting a message about the mental capacities of the couple’s young twins, their grandmother – who has never been one to shy away from addressing hateful comments about Beyoncé and her family online – seemingly responded subtly.

What Kanye West Said About Jay-Z, Beyoncé And Their Kids

On Tuesday night, West uploaded a post on X that called out Beyoncé and Jay-Z’s youngest kids. It used explicit and disturbing language and has since been deleted, per Page Six. After that, Ye posted a tweet saying he did “feel bad” about the post, but then proceeded to call out the couple for not supporting him.

In the post where he said he felt bad about his initial words regarding the kids, Ye claimed that the rapper did not come to his “first wedding.” He also claimed that Jay-Z put “Kendrick on the Super Bowl over me,” and he said he felt like the couple “could have helped me have more leverage with my kids.” He then ended his post noting that he felt hurt by the couple, writing “so fuck both of them cause when I needed them it was fuck me.”

Now, after that aggressive moment on X, Beyoncé’s mother, Tina Knowles has seemingly responded.

What Tina Knowles Posted After Kanye’s Tweets

Not long after Kanye West’s posts about Beyoncé and Jay-Z’s children went viral, Tina Knowles came onto Instagram to tell a “corny joke.” While no names were named, the timing of this came right after Ye’s X posts, and her caption stated that “no weapon formed against me or my family shall prosper.”

Then, in the video she told a joke about what happens when “a snowman throws a tantrum,” saying:

In the comments, @etaylorrr stated “clock that tea in a subtle way,” and @roni.scales wrote that she was “picking up what you putting down mama Tina.”

Again, no names were named, however, Knowles did speak up to clearly defend her family, and it happened right after Kanye West explicitly called out her daughter, son-in-law and grandchildren.

In the past, Knowles has addressed her social media use, noting that she’s “a protector of my kids.” Her caption made it clear that she was defending her family and calling out claims made against them.

All of this comes amid a particularly turbulent time for West, who has gone on multiple social media rants before this.

Earlier this year it was alleged that Kim Kardashian and her ex-husband are not in a good place. Then, among the many controversial tweets he wrote about Beyoncé's kids and more, he also accused the Kardashians of sex trafficking, TMZ noted. This came after an emergency hearing last week about North, which happened after Kim Kardashian “abruptly pulled the plug while North was visiting her dad” because she learned that Andrew and Tristan Tate were with him at the time. Reportedly, Kardashian does not want North or any of her kids associated with the Tates or Diddy, who West spoke to recently.

Overall, this latest social media rant from Kanye West covered many topics, and he made many disturbing and controversial claims. Seemingly, Tina Knowles addressed the posts regarding her family, and as we learn more about how others respond to Ye’s latest X rant.

Every year the Super Bowl offers an unspoken competition to brands: who will make the best Super Bowl commercial? Many brands try to accomplish this by spending most of their budget on big names, which can result in some of the best and strangest collaborations between celebrities ever. The 2025 championship matchup between the Eagles and Chiefs saw the return of Ben Affleck’s Dunkings, joined this time by Casey Affleck, Bill Belechik, and Jeremy Strong. Meanwhile Channing Tatum brought in Ryan Reynolds’ Wrexham Football Club, and rom-com fans saw the return of When Harry Met Sally met… Sydney Sweeney?

However, they all pale in comparison to the strongest team up in Super Bowl ad history: Beyonce, Britney Spears, and Pink. It’s a Pepsi ad from 2004 that featured three of the biggest female music artists of the year singing Queen’s iconic “We Will Rock You”. It almost immediately became a cult classic, and it sees a resurgence whenever the Super Bowl comes around. It’s arguably Pepsi’s most memorable Super Bowl ads of all time–only it never actually aired during the Super Bowl.

This might be one of the most widespread mandala effects in the U.S. but it’s true. Despite spending a fortune on it, Yahoo Entertainment reported the ad was yanked by Pepsi executives saying it wouldn’t perform well with U.S. audiences.

What a crazy statement to make given its premise and the lengths they went to shoot the ad. The cast and crew were all flown out to Rome to film a Gladiator style video, inspired by Ridley Scott’s 2000 Oscar winning film featuring Russell Crowe. In the video, the women find themselves dressed head to toe in gladiator gear, forced to fight per the command of Emperor Enrique Iglesias.

Instead, they band together in a display of female solidarity and sing as the crowd stomps and claps, shaking the stadium so hard Iglesias and his cooler of Pepsi fall to the floor. The Latin music artist is subsequently fed to the lions as Beyonce, Pink, and Britney Spears celebrate by cracking open a cold Pepsi.

Queen’s Brian May and Roger Taylor even arranged a new version of their hit anthem for the pop stars to sing, and appeared in the Colosseum crowd themselves. Not airing this marketing masterpiece was the biggest fumble of Super Bowl XXXVIII, and it didn’t even happen during the game.

It’s clearly a decision that has haunted Pepsi ever since, and for the NFL’s 2024 Kickoff, they decided to try and recreate the magic a decade after the original. With Ridley Scott set to release Gladiator II later that fall, Pepsi also returned to the Colosseum, this time joined by Megan Thee Stallion, who ironically performed her hit song “Queen”. Another homage to the original commercial? I think yes.

In the video, the Grammy award-winning rapper watches as NFL stars Travis Kelce, Josh Allen, Derrick Henry, and Justin Jefferson defeat a pack of Tigers. It even featured a number of pop culture references including the viral trend “thinking about the Roman Empire,” and the riff from “We Will Rock You.” Unfortunately, like its cinematic counterpart, the sequel fell a little short compared to the original, but both Gladiator II and the 2024 commercial were still appreciated by fans.

Pepsi didn’t air a commercial during the most watched event on the 2025 TV schedule, nor did they release one last year. Instead, they announced the revival of their 1975 cross-country Pepsi Challenge. Having also ceded the Super Bowl Halftime Show to Apple in 2023, this classic soda brand’s presence has been lacking after 2 decades of iconic appearances during the biggest day of the year for network TV.

So here’s my proposal Pepsi: to reclaim your Super Bowl fame and the strange history behind this “Gladiator” commercial, you need to once again assemble Britney Spears, Pink, and Beyonce for next year’s commercial, inspired by whatever the biggest movie releases on the 2025 movie schedule. It will instantly become another iconic pop culture moment, but don’t forget to actually air it this time!

Welcome to CinemaBlend's live blog celebrating music's biggest honors! (Here's how to watch the 2025 Grammy Awards for those who want to watch along.) Thank you for joining us on the hopefully tuneful and joyous ride, which will include a full rundown of the performers and awards presented during the 2025 TV telecast and livestream, amidst my own personal thoughts and opinions about everything that's happening. (Note that the newest entries will appear on top, with the oldest starting on the bottom!)

To start, these tragically minimal musings about what I witnessed bouncing between red carpet specials while awaiting the big show.

* Jaden Smith is wearing a house on his head. I want to repeat that, but even if I say it twice, it might make him disappear, and I don’t want to rid the universe of such a mystery.

* I love that several nominees and celebs handled their on-camera red carpet interviews alongside ASL interpreters, such as Cynthia Erivo and Janelle Monáe, though I’m not entirely sure why some seemed to be working with specific talent, instead of all the interviews being interpreted by a dedicated team.

* Chappell Roan’s vintage couture look, which featured a dress from Jean Paul Gaultier’s 2003 collection, is pure standout bliss.

* Can we get Miley Cyrus and Lainey Wilson together for a modern-day Hannah Montana revival? I mean, we can’t, but can someone?

And now….the opening!

PERFORMANCE #1: DAWES performed, singing Randy Newman's "I Love L.A." with the backing band made up of John Legend, Brad Paisley, Sheryl Crow, Brittany Howard, and St. Vincent.

Following host Trevor Noah's opening introduction that paid tribute to Los Angeles while addressing the horrifying and destructive wildfires that have affected the area. If you took a drink each time Taylor Swift could be seen smiling behind the stage, you'd be juuust about ready for the rest of this.

Quite the powerhouse table of Taylor Swift, Jack Antonoff, Margaret Qualley, Cynthia Erivo, and Cynthia Erivo's fingernails, and Cynthia Erivo's thumbnails.

Noah mentioning A.I. making Beatles songs made me want to tap out.

"Lady Gaga in the house!" Looking forward to that new album.

I would love to know what Chappell Roan is looking at as she doesn't look into the camera or up at the host. Magical things, presumably.

PERFORMANCE #2: Billie Eilish performed "Birds of a Feather"

PERFORMANCE #3: Sabrina Carpenter performed a lively mash-up of "Espresso" and "Please, Please, Please."

The performance was prefaced by a fun video featuring Carpenter laughingly cursing and then joking that she isn't able to curse. And then proceeded to sing Nine Inch Nails' "Closer." No, that didn't happen.

Instead, the Disney vet delivered a brilliant performance that kicked off with vaudevillian theatrics, including a spotlight gag, which then morphed into a fully choreographed number with tap dancing. Throw in some behind-the-bushes bawdiness, a feather boa, and Cinderella vibes, and this may already be the best performance of the night.

She earned a standing ovation, for Trevor Noah's sakes.

AWARD: Best Rap Album winner - Alligator Bites Never Heal by Doechii

A pair of highlights from her inspirational acceptance speech:

• "This category was introduced in 1989, and two women have won: Lauryn Hill — THREE women have won — Lauryn Hill, Cardi B, and Doechii!"
• "I know there is some Black girl out there, so many Black women out there that are watching me right now, and I want to tell you you can do it. Anything is possible. Anything is possible. Don’t allow anybody to project any stereotypes onto you that tell you that you can’t be here, that you’re too dark or that you’re not smart enough or that you’re too dramatic or too loud. You are exactly who you need to be to be right where you are. I am a testimony."

Jim Gaffigan popped up to announce that Trevor Noah was traded to the Dallas Mavericks. But he was really just there to introduce Red Hot Chili Peppers' Anthony Kiedis and Chad Smith to the stage, where they sang a bit of "Under the Bridge" a capella while talking about the wildfires.

Kiedis' suit jacket was filled with lips and teeth. I would have added a picture of it, but one of the mouths on the left sleeve told me not to, and I'm obliging.

AWARD: Best Pop Vocal Album winner - Short n' Sweet by Sabrina Carpenter

It's the first Grammy win for Carpenter, who took the stage looking shinier than a thousand tiny disco balls, saying that she was still out of breath from the knockout performance earlier.

After joking about saying Hell a few times, she was then bleeped. Hopefully we'll get more of that off-kilter energy if and when she wins more.

Anybody else get Olivia Rodrigo's "Vampire" playing over the start of that NCIS commercial? The way it kept playing so loudly over Trevor Noah makes me thing whoever was in charge of playing that song missed their cue at least twice.

PERFORMANCE #4: Chappell Roan kept lots of makeup artists busy with a rodeo clown-filled performance of "Pink Pony Club."

Roan's pre-stage video was a look back at her rapid rise to fame and her love for Los Angeles, as exemplified in "Pink Pony Club." Perhaps it's no surprise that it started off with her astride a giant pink pony in front of all the performers. That pony should be in at least two more performances tonight, and should be auctioned off for charity.

Lots of singalong moments with this one, too. Janelle Monáe and Kelsea Ballerini, to name a couple. Special shout out to that guitar player shredding it up.

AWARD: Best Country Album winner - COWBOY CARTER by Beyoncé

Bizarrely enough, on a day in which Kanye West unfollowed everyone but Taylor Swift on social media, the latter came out to announce the winner for Best Country Album, 15 years after she herself took the award home. So I guess the rapper didn't feel the need to come up and interrupt anyone on this particular stage.

After thanking the overall country music artists and community for welcoming her and her album ot the fold, she said:

Queen Bey genuinely appeared surprised to have won, too, which social media was quick to jump on.

PERFORMANCE #5: As the first of the Best New Artist nominee performances, and without an introduction to be had, Khruangbin took the stage for a dreamily mood-driven performance for "May Ninth."

Making more noise than the band itself is its fans on social media, who shared this general sentiment from Dylan Park-Pettiford:

PERFORMANCE #6: Benson Boone started off his energetic delivery of "Beautiful Things" from the audience, and looked a bit like Freddie Mercury out there. Even when he adjusted the crotch of his pants, I guess.

PERFORMANCE #7: With a win already under her belt, rapper Doechii delivered one of the most flexible performances of any night with "Catfish," which then transitioned into
"Denial Is a River" once she popped the schoolgirl uniform off.

PERFORMANCE #8: Teddy Swims hypnotized the crowd with a swaying performance of his hit "Lose Control."

PERFORMANCE #9: Plenty of cowboy hats were on display when Shaboozie took the stage, first introing with a bit of "Good News" before a lively rendition of "Tipsy."

PERFORMANCE #10: RAYE delivered as much of a showstopping performance as one could expect from a veteran icon, much less a Best New Artist nominee.

To say "Oscar-Winning Tears" was an emotional performance would be like saying the salty water leaking from one's face is wet, but wow, wow, wow all the same.

AWARD: Best New Artist winner - Chappell Roan

Taking the stage following at least one outfit change from the last time we saw her, Chappell Roan looked like a fairy tale accepting her award, and her acceptance speech was also fairy tale-like, at least in the way the original tales were dark and grisly.

Roan used the majority of her speech time to address a goal she set for herself if award success ever came: to call out the music industry. In her words:

To be expected, this entire speech earned some rousing support from those in the audience.

PERFORMANCE #11: Throwing back to the days of good vibes, ma-a-a-an, Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars delivered a winning rendition of The Mamas & The Papas "California Dreaming."

Here's hoping this particular version gets released as a single, possibly with charitable intentions.

Some random posts on X seen during the first half-ish portion of the 2025 Grammy Awards:

• If Taylor’s legs don’t win ‘Most Outstanding Performance’ this bitch is rigged . #GRAMMYs - @squarebody777
• I know Doechii was killing it bc my mom didn’t even mention the undies just the talent‍ - @egobokwu
• Chappell Roan calling out the labels, I'm so fucking happy, the industry needed that as loud as possible. All the shit my Dad is STILL mentally recovering from was because of a fucking label. Do NOT tell her to be hush hush about it. – @FandomPhases
• This is probably the best #GRAMMYs I’ve ever seen. WOW!!!! - @Paigebrazell

PERFORMANCE #12: The Weeknd delivered a moody, moving and theatrical-esque version of The Weeknd's 2024 track "Timeless."

If this Lady Gaga clip for "Abracadabra" is setting some kind of precedent for the Grammys to bring music videos back to the masses on top of everything else that's already featured during the extended telecast....I guess I'm in.

Or instead, stay with me here, we just reboot Total Request Live, but with awards given away every so often.

AWARD: Best Latin Pop Album winner - Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran by Shakira

With Jennifer Lopez presenting the award while perhaps wearing a giant bow, Shakira instantly won my heart after winning by embracing her two sons, who looked downright dashing in their get-ups.

She also ended her speech by shouting out both of them, saying:

PERFORMANCE #13: The night's advertised Quincy Jones tribute was quite a throwback. It all kicked off with Will Smith sharing the stage with Herbie Hancock on piano and speaking to some of Q's many accomplishments and musical partnerships. As the Fresh Prince himself put it:

Cynthia Erivo and Herbie Hancock's then paired for quite the lovely take on Frank Sinatra's "Fly Me to the Moon," which soon brought in a bigger orchestra.

That song gave way to Lainey Wilson and Jacob Collier performing B.B. King's "Let the Good Times Roll."

Then, the legendary Stevie Wonder and his harmonica skills joined Herbie Hancock near the piano for Toots Thielemans' oft-covered award-winner "Bluesette." Followed by Wonder sharing a memory about how much Hancock inspired him to get behind the piano, and then sharing love for Quincy Jones along with introducing a performance of "We Are the World," as written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie.

In hindsight, I feel like Wilson and Collier might have seemed like a smarter choice before this sequence actually went into practice. It might have been fine enough for a starting-off point, but between Erivo and Wonder? In a Quincy Jones tribute?

In any case, all those other thoughts went right out the window when Janelle Monáe stepped out in pure Michael Jackson mode for lots of fancy footwork and Moonwalking, high notes, and jacket-popping for "Don't Stop Till You Get Enough." Sabrina Carpenter may have met her match for the night's most oomph-driven performance.

Some afterthougths about Janelle Monáe's performance during Quincy Jones' tribute, via X:

• Janelle Monet, this is my kind of carrying on. When did the #GRAMMYs  get good again? - @BusyBoyd
• Janelle Monáe was so real for the moonwalk – @tbh_anaiya
• Chappell Roan snapping her fan and Janelle Monae, who is dancing like Michael Jackson on a table, is the moment – @meowburger
• Janelle Monae could commit 17 murders in front of me & I wouldn't tell a soul. I love her so fucking much.  – @BlackPhillip87

And then a bit of Swift-citement.

AWARD: Best Pop Duo/Group Performance winner - "Die With A Smile" by Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars

After already taking the stage together to rock out for "California Dreamin," they took home the gold for their hit collab. And with their respective thank-yous, each fan-fave musician shared appreciation for the other.

• BRUNO MARS: I’m so honored to be a part of this song with you. I’m so honored to have a small part in your giant musical legacy, and I really truly believe that God gave us this song to sing together, so thank you so much.
• LADY GAGA: Bruno, you are an incredible human being. You’re a musician for the ages. I don't know music without Bruno.

Fun and impressive fact: Bruno Mars has won 16 Grammys in a row if you count his single 2014 award for Best Pop Vocal Album (out of four total nominations) as the starting point. But even if you don't, 15 in a row is bonkers.

PERFORMANCE #14, SORT OF: Chris Martin of Coldplay performed the band's 2024 track "All My Love" along with string musicans for this year's In Memoriam segment, paying tribute to all of the major talents and past Grammy winners who were lost in the past year, from Toby Keith to Ella Jenkins to Bob Newhart to Liam Payne. Much love to everyone still mourning.

AWARD: Record of the Year winner - "Not Like Us" by Kendrick Lamar

As introduced by Miley Cyrus, Kendrick Lamar's first reaction to winning Record of the Year was dropping at least one ring.

He took a humbled approach during his speech, saying hello to Dr. Dre and Swizz Beatz and then giving thanks to the L.A. neighborhoods that were important to him coming up as a rap icon. As well as paying respects to everyone who lost something or someone in the wildfires.

PERFORMANCE #15: Shakira delivered a pair of performances with "Ojos Así" and the eccentrically named "Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53."

The second half of the performance was certainly more energetic with lots of lights and dancing, but Shakira rolled her belly so fluidly, so many times during the first song's performance that my own comparably-embarrassing stomach started to cramp with sympathy pains for itself. Winner: Shakira.

I say this with all due respect: Queen Latifah looks like she's wearing Fancy Gotham City Skyline as a jacket, and I am all about this look.

I'm also into Queen Latifah playing a Batman villain, whose name might as well also be Queen Latifah. Or like Evil Queen Latifah. There we go.

AWARD: Alicia Keys was presented the Dr. Dre Global Impact Award, and both looked like and spoke like a inspirational goddess delivering her speech.

Keys shared the following about Dr. Dre for being an inspiration who set up a generation of inspirational artists like herself:

AWARD: Song of the Year winner - "Not Like Us" by Kendrick Lamar

How amazing it must have felt for Kendrick Lamar to get this award from Diana Ross herself. The award-winning rapper said it best himself:

Calling out a group of West Coast rappers that spoke to him as a youth and an up-and-coming artist, he shared:

PERFORMANCE #16: Charli XCX kicked off her performance from outside the venue itself, exiting a vehicle with a microphone in hand for "Von Dutch," which she sang as she made her way through the parking area to a makeshift stage surrounded by lots of other somewhat scantily clad fans and dancers. At no point was there a lack of constant movement and energy happening.

The fun then shifted to the stage for "Guess," in which tons of undergarments were tossed up and all around in pure comfy madness. (It was noted that all unworn clothing used in the performance would be donated to those in need.)

Gotta love how hard Billie Eilish, who featured on the album track, was jamming out at her seat.

AWARD: Album of the Year winner - COWBOY CARTER by Beyoncé

The final award of the night went to one of music's biggest icons for her genre-swapping release. (Which, to be fair, received a lot of hate on social media as the Grammys went on, but that doesn't match the positive vibe we're going with here.) This look between Beyoncé and Jay-Z is frame-worthy.

It was quite lovely that she took daughter Blue Ivy up to the stage with her like a proud mom. In her humbled words:

While many no doubt expected Taylor Swift to win, the ever-dancing nominee was seen tapping glasses with Jay-Z in celebration, so hopefully no hard feelings. And no hangovers, either.

And that's a rap....er, a wrap. Because as Kendrick Lamar put it, life is all about wrapping music. Maybe I misinterpreted that one.

Thanks to everyone who followed along with tonight's nearly four-hour ceremony, which obviously didn't have time to showcase the rest of the 90+ awards that were officially given out to winning artists. Congratulations to each and every nominee, but more than that, congratulations to anyone and everyone out there who is able to truly feel like their authentic selves through the process of making music and art. Until next year, enjoy all the real-life boogies and hoedowns that present themselves!

When people talk about “awards season” they’re usually referring to awards for movies, like the Golden Globes, the BAFTAs, and the Oscars (which recently announced 2025 noms), but not all of the upcoming awards shows are movie-related. In fact, the Grammy Awards hit in February, as well. It’s the most prestigious award in music, which is why it blew my mind to discover just what goes into making a Grammy statue, because it’s not even close to what I would have guessed.

Considering just how many Grammy Awards are given out every year --Disneyland even won a Grammy once -- I assumed that it took some sort of major operation, an assembly line to rival the auto industry, to produce them all. Apparently not. Grammys are built by hand by four guys in the mountains of Colorado. Yes, it's true, and that's not the only surprising fact about these awards.

The Grammys Are Made By Four People

A story in the Los Angeles Times reveals a lot of details about the Grammy Awards that not only did I not know, but I never would have guessed. The biggest revelation is that every single award is made by hand by a guy named John Billings and his three craftsmen at a workshop in the town of Ridgway, Colorado. It also takes about 15 hours to produce one Grammy.

Billings apprenticed Bob Graves, who produced the first Grammys. When Graves passed away, Billings bought the business and has been doing it ever since. Bill Freimuth, the former Senior VP of Awards for the Recording Academy explained why the Grammys still makes its awards this way, saying…

There’s certainly something to be said for knowing the award you’re holding was handmade by an artist, and one can imagine that musical artists appreciate that. Of course, it does mean that not every single Grammy is absolutely identical, but Billings says that is part of the charm of it all...

One has to imagine this is especially nice for the likes of Taylor Swift and Beyonce, artists who have so many Grammys that maybe they particularly appreciate that each one is a tiny bit different, and handcrafted to boot.

The Grammy Award Increased In Size (And TV Was Involved)

The general design of the Grammy Award hasn’t changed since it was first handed out in 1959, but that doesn’t mean the award hasn’t gone through some changes. In the early 1990s, the award was made about 30% larger, and the reason had to do with television.

Apparently, the feeling was the old award was too small, so when people were watching the Grammy Awards on TV they had trouble seeing what they really looked like. Increasing its size fixed that problem. It was also made less fragile, as the tone arm on the award tended to break off, so it was made sturdier in the workshop.

Winner’s Aren’t Given “Real” Grammys On Awards Night

While the Grammys may have been increased in size for TV, it turns out that doesn’t mean what the artists are handed that night are the actual awards. The show uses “stunt Grammys” for the telecast, then the winners are sent their awards later.

This allows the engraving of the awards to be handled at the workshop. This marks a significant difference from other awards. The Oscars that are given out on the show are the real thing, and winners get their Oscars engraved at the afterparty.

Taylor Swift Accidently Destroyed One Of Her Grammys

Taylor Swift has won 14 Grammys in her career, and she has the chance to win several more this year. Hopefully, if she wins a few she’ll have better luck holding them than she did back in 2010. That year she won four awards, and ended up dropping one and smashing it into pieces. Billings now has the destroyed award, along with a note from Swift that read “Oops.” Maybe that’s why they don’t hand out the real awards on the show.

The 2025 Grammy Awards will be an exciting contest. Beyonce is competing in several country music categories but she's also going up against some massive talent in the general categories including Taylor Swift, Billie Eilish, and Chappell Roan.

So, make sure to keep your eye on the competition and the trophies they're awarded when the Grammys air on the 2025 TV schedule this Sunday at 8 p.m. ET on CBS.

When it comes to the dangers of social media use, Jay-Z knows better than anyone considering the rapper and entertainment mogul has been the subject of a number of scandals that have been heavily discussed on social media. Oftentimes, the best way to handle it is refraining from joining in or trying to combat the chaos. It seems like his mother-in-law, Tina Knowles, doesn’t always follow that course of action herself, despite Jay-Z’s frequent reminders about the harm social media can cause.

Tina Knowles recently was a guest on the Vogue podcast, The Run-Through, where she revealed that sometimes the noise and hateful comments on social media towards her family gets to her. Her daughter, Beyoncé, has been in a high-profile relationship with Jay-Z for decades, and they have often been the subject of media scrutiny and rumors. While her family has advised her to stay off of social media and ignore negative rhetoric, Knowles admitted that she often has the urge to defend and protect her family on the internet. She said (via People):

This advice was probably given due to the numerous times Knowles has come to her family’s defense in the past. She defended Beyoncé on social media when people claimed the pop star was trying to lighten her skin on the red carpet. She also recently called out people on Instagram who had anything negative to say about her daughter’s Christmas Day Halftime performance that streamed on Netflix. Clearly, Knowles is fiercely supportive, and doesn’t take lightly to people coming after the people she loves.

Even though Knowles is there to fiercely fight for her family, the media scrutiny and social media comments likely won’t let up anytime soon. Jay-Z has come under fire recently due to alleged involvement with P Diddy and illegal activities that occurred during parties at his residence. Jay-Z has denied any wrongdoing, however this hasn’t stopped social media from reacting strongly to the allegations. Also, his involvement with other controversial artists like Kanye West continue to receive criticism, and his marriage to Beyoncé and allegations of infidelity continue to plague his public image.

Nevertheless, Jay-Z and Beyoncé continue to stand by each other and the family they have built together. It seems like Bey’s mother is also loyal to her son-and-law, and probably wants to publicly defend him even more than she already has. The instinct to protect your family is understandable, but sometimes adding to the social media chatter causes more harm than good. Maybe it’s best for Tina Knowles to take Jay-Z’s advice on this one, especially considering current circumstances.

Even in the midst of controversy, Jay-Z and Beyoncé show a united front personally and professionally. You can see him in Beyoncé’s directorial feat, Homecoming, which is currently streaming now with a Netflix subscription. For more information on other projects streaming on the platform, make sure to check out our feature on the best films available on Netflix now.

Netflix is entering the live event space, which is a big move for the streamer. The platform got its feet wet in this area by live streaming events like Chris Rock’s stand-up special, Selective Outrage and The Roast of Tom Brady. However, the true test was this Christmas, where Netflix hosted two NFL game: Kansas City Chiefs vs. Pittsburgh Steelers, and Houston Texans vs. Baltimore Ravens. It was the first of a three year deal between Netflix and the NFL, and it seems like things went well, despite Beyoncé trolling the streamer before the event.

Both were extremely exciting games, but it seems like those with a Netflix subscription were most looking forward to the Texans vs. Ravens game because Texas native Beyoncé was set to perform at halftime. The singer posted a tease for her performance prior to the game to get people even more excited, featuring her playing “Texas Hold ’Em” on the banjo and posing in a big hat. As a joke, her video stopped, and the classic Netflix buffering symbol appeared as a reference to the problems that can happen when streaming. You can see the video from Beyoncé’s Instagram below:

Despite this bit of scary foreshadowing of what could potentially happen when a streamer hosts a major sporting event, things went smoothly. Both games didn’t experience any noticeable technical difficulties. This was great for the streamer and any fans who may have had doubts about the platform’s capabilities for hosting live events with a lot of internet traffic. Fans who were awaiting Beyoncé’s halftime performance also were likely satisfied, as the broadcast looked great and viewers were able to experience the incredible, country-style concert in all its glory.

This felt like a trial run for the streamer, so the broadcast going well may support Netflix’s plan to host even more live events in the future. Other streamers, like Peacock and Hulu, have already expanded into the live event space, with the latter streaming the Oscars for the first time next year. However, many of those platforms already have a Live TV component built in. Netflix doesn’t host Live TV at all, and only seems interested in event media, which makes it unique. I could see this being just the beginning for the streamer, especially considering these NFL games were the first of a three year deal with the football organization.

It seemingly won’t be long before many major sporting events are broadcasted primarily on streaming. I could see even the Super Bowl being a Netflix event sometime in the future. Even though these two games went off without a hitch, the pressure for this to continue is still on. The bigger the game, the bigger the traffic to Netflix’s platform, and sports fans understandably don’t want to miss a second of a great game. Music fans also don’t want to miss a minute of a great halftime performance, especially if it’s a big name like Beyoncé. We’ll just have to wait and see if Netflix is able to continue this great streak of smooth live broadcasts as it expands.

These games were only available for a few hours after the broadcast, but Beyoncé fans can still revisit her halftime performance in a standalone special titled Beyoncé Bowl on Netflix. For more information on other content available on the platform in the near future, make sure to consult our guide on upcoming Netflix movies and TV shows.

The full cast of the 2019 Lion King remake already felt rich having chart-topping singer Beyoncé Knowles cast as the voice of Nala. In the Disney prequel Mufasa: The Lion King, another addition to the Carter family joined the cast, with the Grammy winner’s daughter Blue Ivy cast as Simba and Nala’s daughter Kiara. As the nepo baby debate continues to surge when news surfaces of kids working with their famous parents, director Barry Jenkins confirms that “her parents were not involved.”

Blue Ivy Carter has been featured in her mother’s music videos starting from when she was only a year old in “Blue.” Now at the age of 12 years old, Carter will be making her film debut playing the voice of Kiara in the new Disney movie Mufasa. While it’s easy to assume that Blue Ivy was cast because her famous mother, who is reprising Nala, Barry Jenkins told People at the Mufasa L.A. premiere that is not the case:

We can’t deny that from the moment that cute Blue Ivy was born she was deemed “the most famous baby in the world.” However, I’d like to believe Barry Jenkins wouldn’t have cast the youngest BET Award winner if he didn’t think she’d do a good job. As the Moonlight director said, he was sold with Carter’s narration of the children’s audiobook Hair Love, which won her Best Voiceover at the Voice Arts Awards. Jenkins also made sure to mention that her addition to the Disney prequel would help a young audience see themselves in Kiara.

The young singer/actress wouldn’t be the only celebrity to get cornered into the nepo baby debate. Actresses like M3GAN’s Allison Williams, daughter of news anchor Brian Williams, talked about how unfair it was to be compared to an actress with zero connections. It's a shame that stars with famous parents have to defend the hard work and talent they put into each performance.

Cindy Crawford’s daughter, Kaia Gerber, also joined in on the debate with her honest take being that having a famous mother helped her gain a source of information and advice about the modeling industry close to home. However, acting is a different story because it’s about talent, kindness and being easy to work with. And like Lily Collins’ stance on her success, no one would question the child of a doctor for following the same path as they still need medical school training to get there. As Blue Ivy’s father, Jay-Z, previously said about his kids going into show business, he claimed he wouldn’t push the entertainment industry on his children, but would support whatever path they chose for themselves.

Not only is Blue Ivy Carter talented like her mother, but apparently has the same work ethic. Barry Jenkins continued to send praises to his Mufasa actress about what it was like working with:

It’s clear that Blue Ivy Carter learned from the best. 2023 was a very big year for Beyoncé’s young daughter who joined her mother onstage for the first time to sing “Brown Skin Girl.” Carter also was featured as a dancer for her mom’s Renaissance World Tour. The way that Blue Ivy danced during Beyoncé’s 2022 Oscars performance, she'd have to be part of her mother's act, as social media users thought they were twins! Therefore, it’s proof that the child star is just naturally gifted like her parents are.

With Barry Jenkins saying that Blue Ivy Carter's famous parents "were not involved" in her getting cast in Mufasa, it shows the American filmmaker's casting choice was based on talent compared to any family connections. Considering what an incredible voice the gifted star has, it’s evident that Carter has earned her spot as Kiara. You can see why critics are feeling the love for The Lion King origin story with the 2024 movie release of Mufasa in theaters now.

The Knowles-Carter family has historically been known to garner significant attention whenever they’re in public together. In great part, that’s due to the fact that the famous brood knows how to dress. Beyoncé and her daughter, Blue Ivy, certainly furthered that notion when they appeared at the premiere of Disney’s Mufasa: The Lion King just recently. The duo wore complimentary metallic dresses that shone brightly. At the same time, though, all eyes were the clan, as they seemingly held a united front amid the rape allegation against Jay-Z.

How Beyoncé and Blue Ivy Dressed At The Big Event

On Monday, the cast and crew of the Lion King spinoff prequel assembled in Hollywood for the aforementioned premiere. It was there that 43-year-old Beyoncé Knowles – who reprised her role as Nala in the film – wore a strapless black Balmain gown. As noted by Harper’s Bazaar, the outfit was part of a collection from Olivier Rousteing that was meant to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Disney film. Meanwhile, 12-year-old Blue Ivy Carter, who voiced Kiara in the movie, wore a shiny Christian Siriano fit. See the outfits:

It goes without saying that both stars have wowed with their ensembles before, and that’s especially true of the “Love On Top” singer. She not only knows how to make a statement, but she can also adhere to a theme. For instance, this past summer, Beyoncé donned a Team USA bodysuit amid the summer olympic games. And, just in October, she channeled Pamela Anderson with a red swimsuit for Halloween.

Had I been at the Mufasa premiere, I may have pulled out some shades if the famous mother-daughter duo came my way. Seriously, though, both looked great, as did Tina Knowles. Based on photos shared from the big event in celebration of the 2024 movie release, the entire family seemed to be all smiles. Nevertheless, its patriarch is still dealing with the aforementioned legal situation, which he has denied wrongdoing in.

What’s Going On With Jay-Z’s Rape Lawsuit Involving P. Diddy?

Months ago, Sean “P. Diddy” Combs was accused of raping a 13-year-old girl in 2000 following the MTV Video Music Awards. This past Sunday, that suit was refiled, and Jay-Z (whose real name is Shawn Carter) was named as another defendant. The Jane Doe alleges that while at a house party, she was given a drink that made her “woozy” and caused her to lie down. Later on, she alleges that Diddy and Carter entered the room and that Carter proceeded to take off her clothes, hold her down and rape her. Additionally, the woman says that Combs then proceeded to rape her as well, as he purportedly forced her to perform oral sex on him.

Shawn Carter shared a formal statement in response to the filing and dubbed the claims to be “heinous” and “idiotic.” It’s also alleged in the original suit that lawyer Tony Buzbee – who’s been defending numerous clients with claims against Diddy – reached out to Carter beforehand for a mediation of sorts. Carter has since alleged that Buzbee is attempting to blackmail him and, as of this writing, the rapper is countersuing Buzbee and his team.

In the statement Jay-Z shared, he mentioned that his “only heartbreak is for my family.” He also noted that they’d “have to sit our children down, one of whom is at the age where her friends will surely see the press and ask questions about the nature of these claims, and explain the cruelty and greed of people.” As of right now, it remains unclear as to how this situation will play out but, in the interim, it seems that Jay-Z and his family are standing alongside each other – figuratively and literally.

When it comes to Beyoncé and Blue Ivy's performances in Mufasa: The Lion King, you can hear them when the film opens in theaters on December 20.

Being a Saturday Night Live musical guest makes you popular. Performing on the show a second time makes you beloved. Performing on the great sketch comedy TV show three times or more just might make you a legend. That’s how we would describe the following 32 pop stars, rock bands, and masters of the rhyme who have brought the house down at Studio 8H as memorable SNL musical guests on multiple occasions.

Billy Joel

The "Piano Man" himself first performed at Studio 8H in Season 3 on an episode hosted by Chevy Chase, which was also the first time the short-lived SNL cast member came back to host. After a return in 1981, Billy Joel's third time on the show was eight years later in 1989, which saw him perform "We Didn't Start the Fire."

Foo Fighters

Following two appearances with Nirvana and a third as an impromptu drummer for Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Dave Grohl made his SNL debut as frontman of Foo Fighters in December 1995, a year after the release of their debut album. The rock band (which has gone through a vast rotation of members since) also performed with Mick Jagger as special guests in 2012 and some of the best SNL sketches featuring musicians have involved Grohl.

Miley Cyrus

Having become famous as a TV star (while leading Disney Channel's Hannah Montana) before her music career really took off, it makes sense that Miley Cyrus made her SNL debut as a host in 2011 before returning as both host and musical guest two years later. Some of the Grammy winner's most notable performances on the show include the SNL 40th Anniversary Special and a pre-taped rendition of "Wish You Were Here" that aired during the Covid-era "SNL At Home" days.

Justin Timberlake

A celebrity who qualifies for SNL's Five-Timers Club as both a host and musical guest is Justin Timberlake, who might be one of the best SNL hosts we have ever seen for that matter. His first time performing music on the show, however, was in 2000 with NSYNC but some of his especially memorable musical moments on the show have been his raunchy collaborations with Andy Samberg.

Coldplay

A year after releasing their hit debut album, Parachutes, in 2000, British rock band Coldplay was booked on SNL for the first of several gigs. Lead singer Chris Martin is known for appearing in a few sketches – including one of the most popular SNL clips on YouTube, in which he helps Andrew Garfield finish The Amazing Spider-Man 2's kissing scene – and performed solo for the first Covid-era "At Home" episode.

Beyoncé

If you include her two appearances as part of Destiny's Child and her special guest appearance alongside her husband, Jay-Z, Beyoncé has performed on SNL five times between 2001 and 2008. She also appeared in a sketch offering a humorous dramatization of the making of the "Single Ladies" video and has been impersonated countless times by SNL and Groundlings alum Maya Rudolph.

Randy Newman

The second-ever episode of SNL marked the show's first appearance by Randy Newman, who would perform five more times up until 1988. The singer-songwriter would expand his audience when he wrong captivating, award-nominated songs for several beloved Pixar movies, including Toy Story's "You Got a Friend in Me."

Eminem

Most of Eminem's many SNL performances have been collaborative efforts. For instance, the rapper made his 1999 debut on the show with Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg, performed "Stan" with Dido the following year, and would bring Skylar Grey along for two separate occasions – for "Survival" in 2013 and a medley of "Walk on Water," "Stan," and "Love the Way You Lie" in 2017.

Taylor Swift

Any of the several times that Taylor Swift has appeared at Studio 8H has been a notable occasion. This not only includes her many appearances as a musical guest (the second of which doubled as a hosting gig) but also her jaw-dropping SNL cameos, such as her impromptu introduction of Ice Spice in the Season 49 premiere.

Paul Simon

No one has appeared on SNL as a musical guest more times than Paul Simon, who was also one of several performers when he hosted the show's second ever episode. Many of his 15 gigs (as of 2018) were shared with musicians like George Harrison, his wife Edie Brickell, and Alicia Keys.

Rihanna

Surprisingly, it was not until 2009 when Rihanna made her SNL debut, featuring guest Young Jeezy for her performance of "Hard." She would go on to show up at Studio 8H several more time, two of which saw her appear in SNL Digital Shorts with Andy Samberg as "Shy Ronnie."

Sting

The Police had already broken up by the time Sting made his SNL debut in 1987. Before the end of the 20th Century, he would appear five more times, including one gigs doubling as host and musical guest and another as just the host, featuring performances by Veruca Salt.

Arcade Fire

Arcade Fire had the pleasure of performing alongside Mick Jagger as special guests when the Rolling Stones frontman hosted in 2012, which we will also count as their third SNL gig. The indie rock outfit has also appeared in a few sketches, such as an SNL Digital Shorts and a game show-style bit challenging host Tina Fey to guess who is a new cast member or a member of the band.

Jack White

On the same night Woody Harrelson was inducted into the Five-Timers Club, Jack White was also given a robe for preforming on SNL for the fifth time in February 2023. This would include when he made his debut in 2002, billed alongside former bandmate Meg White as The White Stripes.

Leon Redbone

Before his death in 2019, Leon Redbone appeared as a musical guest on SNL four times, first in 1976 and lastly in 1983. While the blues musician would go on to do some acting, such as voicing Leon the Snowman in the 2003 Christmas movie classic, Elf, he never appeared in any sketches during any of his visits to Studio 8H.

Linda Ronstadt

After making her Studio 8H debut in a cold open cameo in 1977, Linda Ronstadt would first perform on SNL two years later with co-musical guest Phoebe Snow. She shared her next three gigs with the cast of The Pirates of Penzance in 1980, The Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán in 1987, and Aaron Neville in 1989.

Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers

Rock and roll icons Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers performed on SNL eight times. The last time was in 2010 – for which Petty appeared in an SNL Digital Short opposite Andy Samberg and host Alec Baldwin – before the frontman's death in 2017.

Bonnie Raitt

As of 1994, Rock and Roll Hall-of-Famer Bonnie Raitt has been an SNL musical guest four times. Her debut was in 1978 but the three subsequent appearance would all occur in the early 1990s.

Aerosmith

Despite breaking out a few years before SNL premiered, Aerosmith would not appear on the show until 1990, when they also starred in a legendary "Wayne's World" segment with Tom Hanks as Barry, their roadie. The rock quartet would perform on the show three more times, the last occurring in 2001.

Neil Young

A surprising late bloomer to SNL is Neil Young, who made his debut in 1989 after being impersonated by Dana Carvey a couple of years earlier. The folk singer and part-time Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young member returned for his third time more than a decade later in 2000.

Mariah Carey

One of the most esteemed pop divas of her generation, Mariah Carey, first appeared on SNL as a musical guest in 1990. Her fourth time, in 2008, saw her joined by T-Pain for a performance of "Migrate."

Beck

After his 1993 hit single "Loser" made him a star, Beck debuted on SNL in 1997. This was the first of several appearance for the alt rock hero, the second of which saw him act in a sketch framed as a Behind the Music episode about Fat Albert & the Junkyard Gang.

Maroon 5

Pop rock band Maroon 5 made their first of several appearances in 2004, shortly after making their mainstream breakthrough. Frontman Adam Levine (also known as a judge on NBC's The Voice) has also appeared on the show solo to host in 2013 and join Kanye West in a performance of "Heard 'Em Say" in 2005.

Prince

Unless you count his performance of "Electric Chair" at SNL's 15th Anniversary Special in 1989, Prince was only a musical guest on the show three times. However, after his untimely death in 2016, the show aired a special featuring clips of all his Studio 8H sets, highlights of the recurring "Prince Show" sketches featuring Fred Armisen as the pop star, and anecdotes shared by host Jimmy Fallon.

Natalie Merchant

Natalie Merchant's first two appearances on SNL were as the lead singer of the indie rock group 10,000 Maniacs in the late '80s and early '90s. Her two subsequent gigs as a musical guest occurred in 1995 and 1998 after she had gone solo.

Justin Bieber

Following his breakthrough as a teen pop sensation, Justin Bieber made his SNL debut at 16 years old in a 2010 episode which also saw him participate in a sketch with host Tina Fey. The Canadian artist went on to double as host and musical guest for his second gig in 2013 and also made a few unexpected cameos, such as in a Church Lady revival from 2011 and in 2012 for the 100th SNL Digital Short.

Lizzo

Lizzo made her Studio 8H debut in a big way, performing as the musical guest on an episode hosted by the legendary Eddie Murphy making an epic SNL return in 2019. A couple years later, she returned as both musical guest and host and, while she could not stop laughing during some sketches, she was pretty stone-faced for a bit that demonstrated her talent for simultaneously twerking and playing the flute.

Green Day

Green Day emerged as one of the biggest bands of the '90s but would only perform on the SNL once during that decade. The punk trio would, however, return twice more during the 2000s, first following the success of their Grammy-winning album, American Idiot, in 2005 and again in 2009 to promote 21st Century Breakdown.

Billie Eilish

A non-actor who killed it at as an SNL host for the first time in 2021 is Billie Eilish, who also served as a musical guest for her second time that night. The Grammy and Oscar-winning pop sensation has gone on to participate in sketches in her subsequent appearances as well, such as when she joined Barbie cast member Kate McKinnon for a music video for the Season 49 Christmas show.

James Taylor

James Taylor had the rare opportunity to perform three songs in multiple episodes: when he made his SNL debut in 1976 and both times he appeared in the '90s. He would also play a song during host Michael Palin's monologue in 1979 and once served as a co-host and co-musical guest with Paul Simon in 1980.

Jay-Z

Jay-Z qualifies for this list by his solo appearances as an SNL musical guest alone. However, he has taken the stage at Studio 8H for a few special appearances, such as when he joined wife, Beyoncé, for "Crazy in Love" in 2003 and when he performed his rap on Justin Timberlake's "Suit & Tie" in 2013.

Kanye West

Kanye West's debut SNL performance in October 2005 was preceded by a cameo by Mike Myers, reference their awkward appearance together at a telethon benefitting victims of Hurricane Katrina. He would later be joined by Pusha T to perform "Runaway" for his fourth gig and memorably performed "I Love It" with Lil Pump dressed as water bottles for his seventh appearance in a 2018 episode that would end in controversy when the rapper went on an unexpected political tirade.

Those of us who keep up with celebrity fashion and social media are likely to remember this fall season for its several genius Hollywood Halloween costumes honoring the ‘90s and early aughts. While Justin and Hailey Bieber went for nostalgia with a family Kim Possible throwback, others went the purely iconic route. After Kylie Jenner channeled Demi Moore’s Striptease poster and Emily Ratajkowski wore JLo’s low-cut green dress, Beyoncé put her own twist on Pamela Anderson’s Baywatch look from the ‘90s — and of course she changed the spelling.

In what can only be described as a boss move, Queen Bey was fashionably late for Halloween, posting several images and a music video to Instagram on November 5 that showed off a few of Pamela Anderson’s looks from a decade past. But there are few items of clothing more associated with the actress in that era than the red swimsuit from Baywatch, and Beyoncé made it her own in the best way:

That’s right, a simple vowel swap turned the sexy soap opera into Beywatch, and she definitely has the hive’s full attention. One would be honored to have the opportunity for this lifeguard to save them from drowning. Beyoncé’s other photos pay homage to Pam Anderson’s Barb Wire character in a sultry black dress, long black mesh gloves and knee-high boots. We also need to talk about the blonde hair and the way the former Destiny's Child singer nailed Anderson's makeup, complete with lavendar eyeshadow.

A third costume playfully riffs on the former Playboy Playmate’s wardrobe at the 1999 MTV Video Music Awards, which she attended with ex-husband Tommy Lee. The “Texas Hold ‘Em” singer changed the backdrop to the “BTV 9999 No Visual Awards,” which appears to be a nod to her fans, who have been clamoring for music videos and visual media to accompany her Cowboy Carter and Renaissance albums.

Well, ask and you shall (eventually) receive, I guess, because along with the iconic “Beylloween” images, Beyoncé posted a music video for “Bodyguard” that features her Pam Anderson costumes.

It seems pretty obvious that Bey intentionally withheld her Halloween hijinks for November 5, as the “Bodyguard” video implores her fans to vote, but even without that added inspiration, any Beyoncé visuals are better late than never.

Beyoncé will always be the queen, but she had some stiff competition for best costume this year. Halle and Chloe Bailey went full Mystery Inc. as Daphne and Velma from Scooby-Doo, while Jenner sisters Kylie and Kendall were in good company with Sabrina Carpenter in their outfits from The Lizzie McGuire Movie. Janelle Monáe, meanwhile, threw it back even further, going over the top with her E.T. ensemble as only she could do.

We’ll have to see if Beyoncé’s “Bodyguard” video drop and “No Visual” shoutout is an indication that she’s got more in store for the Bey Hive. The artist told GQ in September that she had refrained from putting out music videos because “a visual can be a distraction from the quality of the voice and the music.” Either way, we’re keeping an eye on this icon.

Several celebrities are trying to distance themselves from Sean “Diddy” Combs as he sits in jail awaiting trial on charges including sex trafficking and racketeering. Kevin Hart, for one, avoided questions about the rapper, while Beyoncé And Jay-Z were forced to go on the defensive after being accused of similar behavior on Piers Morgan’s show. The Carters’ lawyer slammed the journalist for allowing the “false accusation” to be broadcast.

The interview in question aired on Piers Morgan’s Uncensored on October 3, where singer Jaguar Wright claimed powerhouse couple Jay-Z and Beyoncé had more “victims” than P. Diddy. The couple’s lawyer Alex Spiro spoke on TMZ Live, revealing that the team had issued an ultimatum to Morgan to take down the interview or face legal action. Spiro said:

Piers Morgan did remove the clip from his interview with Jaguar Brown and apologized to Jay-Z and Beyoncé on the October 8 edition of Uncensored, which Alex Spiro called a “wise choice.” The interview aired just days after 120 alleged victims filed civil suits against P. Diddy, accusing him of crimes including sexual assault — in one case of a 9-year-old — over the course of three decades.

Despite Piers Morgan acting “accordingly” by editing his show, Alex Spiro still had sharp words for the former Daily Mirror editor, questioning his integrity for airing the comment that compared his clients to Diddy at all. Spiro said:

On Uncensored on Tuesday, Piers Morgan addressed the Jaguar Wright interview. After pointing out that she has an audience with or without using his show, he said:

The Carters — who are longtime friends of Diddy — haven’t spoken out since the rapper’s September 16 arrest.

Sean Combs continues to try to get released on bond as he awaits his trial. After being denied twice in his attempts to post a $50 million bail, Combs’ legal team filed another appeal this week, explaining why he is not a flight risk. It was unknown when a ruling would come on the latest request.

You know, the last person I expected to comment on 2024’s movie releases and the 2024 TV schedule was Beyoncé, but here we are. As the pop star reflected on the release of Cowboy Carter, she also opened up about the entertainment she’s been enjoying this year. While I love that she’s also been watching House of the Dragon, what I’m truly obsessed with is the fact that Inside Out 2 is her favorite movie of the year.

During an email Q&A with Beyoncé, GQ asked her about “what is currently inspiring” her in “music and film.” Her response began with shoutouts for female musicians like Raye, Chloe x Halle and Reneé Rapp. However, in the end, she divulged that she’s a fan of “classics,” and that’s how her favorite watches of the year came up:

There’s a lot to unpack there, however, I’m hyper-fixating on the fact that Beyoncé watches House of the Dragon and loves Inside Out 2, so let’s talk more about that.

I Love That Beyoncé Is Watching House Of The Dragon

Like many of us, Beyoncé has been watching House of the Dragon, which is incredible, because if we want to talk about fierce queens, her and Rhaenyra Targaryen are toward the top of my list.

Knowing that she’s been watching now, I can’t help but wonder how she felt about the Game of Thrones connection in HOTD’s Season 2 finale, and I need to know if she was as peeved as many fans (myself included) were by the note the latest season ended on.

Is she anticipating Season 3 of House of the Dragon as much as I am? That’s never a question I’ve considered until right now. However, there’s something very fun about knowing Beyoncé is watching the same show many of us are. And that point was further amplified by her favorite movie of the year.

However, I’m Obsessed With The Fact That She Loves Inside Out 2

Doing a tonal 180 here, Beyoncé’s favorite movie of the year so far is Inside Out 2.

As you likely know, Inside Out 2 got great reviews, and it made over $1.6 billion at the box office worldwide. Many went to the theaters to see Riley and her emotions back on the big screen and were deeply moved by it. It sounds like the “Texas Hold ‘Em” singer was too.

I can picture her, Blue Ivy and her twins Rumi and Sir watching the film together, and it’s such a wholesome picture. It makes me wonder if she cried watching it. Did she feel secondhand embarrassment like I did? These are all questions that make me even more obsessed with the fact that she loved Inside Out 2.

In my mind, Beyoncé sits on top of such a high pedestal that it’s hard to imagine her doing and watching things that we all do. However, this little peek into what she’s been viewing this year reminded me that that’s not the case, and I absolutely adore the fact that she’s into projects like House of the Dragon and Inside Out 2.

If you are looking to watch the two projects we talked about here that Beyoncé called out, you can stream Seasons 1 and 2 of House of the Dragon with a Max subscription now and Inside Out 2 with a Disney+ subscription starting September 25.

Before we get into this, let’s get one thing straight, Kim Kardashian, Paris Hilton and Beyoncé don’t really resemble each other at all. However, somehow, Kim K.’s latest photoshoot for SKIMS has fans debating if she looks more like her longtime pal Paris Hilton or Beyoncé in them, and as wild as that may seem, I get it.

In a SKIMS photoshoot, Kardashian brought back the blonde hair as she wore vintage ski boots and a red skintight catsuit, rocked a white set with bikini bottoms while riding a red toy car, and posed topless with skates and tiny shorts. Her Instagram post which includes both BTS photos and ads says the reality star “takes off for the holiday season in new SKIMS collection,” and you can see it all below:

At first glance, I can honestly see why fans would mistake Kardashian for Hilton and Beyoncé.

If you look at the Cowboy Carter artist’s Instagram, she will occasionally use the grainy filter Kim K. used to make her photos and videos look vintage. Plus, the long blonde hair is a look Queen Bey has been rocking for a very long time. So, it’s understandable why folks posted comments like these:

• I’m scrolling and definitely thought this was Beyonce 😭 -alyssamontiel21
• I love Kim k but this doesn’t look like her. This looks like Beyoncé 🤷🏽‍♀️ -iam_pennylove
• Beyoncé?! -irfoxila
• Bro I thought this was Beyoncé yooooo. 💀💀💀💀💀💀💀 somebody had to say it -6limejr

On the other side of this debate, some people in the comments said The Kardashians star looks like Paris Hilton. Plus, the musician also loves a bright pop of color, and while she normally opts for pink, red is perfect for her too. Here’s what some people had to say about this comparison:

• It’s giving Paris Hilton 😂 -nqobile_d
• Thought this was Paris hilton lololol -fiszdaddy
• Is this Kim or Paris? -eeaudu

While consensus wasn’t met on who Kim Kardashian looked most like, the comments were in agreement that this photoshoot is, as TikTokers would say, “very demure, very mindful:”

• very demure, very mindful ✨ -hulu
• very snatched, very demure, very iconic. -cory.hall
• Very demure, very mindful and very very ICONIC 😍🔥❤️ -angelicatalan
• Very iconic. very slay. very demure. -morphebrushes

Maybe, Kardashian could use this moment to get Hilton and Beyoncé to do a SKIMS campaign. So far, celebrities like Usher, Sabrina Carpenter and more have donned SKIMS. It wouldn’t be Paris Hilton’s first time collaborating with the brand either, so it would be amazing to see them back together again. And while Beyoncé collaborating with this company feels more like a far-off dream than reality, it’s still fun to imagine the possibilities.

Overall, if there’s one thing this post truly proved it’s that Kim K. knows how to get people talking with a SKIMS campaign. From dropping looks similar to what Bianca Censori was wearing, which got people talking about whether she was trolling Kanye, to doing a commercial where she played an engineer managing Kim “Klones,” she seems to be down for anything. This vintage winter-themed ad proved that once again.

In the end, this random debate about whether Kim Kardashian looked like Paris Hilton or Beyoncé was a fun little social media moment, and I can’t really blame fans for getting into it, because they’re right! While she doesn’t look like either of them normally, in this shoot, I can totally see the resemblance.

If more comes out about this new collection of SKIMS or if any of these women comment on this silly debate, we’ll keep you posted. To see what Kim Kardashian has been up to outside of this, you can stream the most recent season of The Kardashians, which just wrapped up on the 2024 TV schedule, with a Hulu subscription.

Beyoncé has entered the Olympics chat, and she was ready to clap, shake, drum and introduce Team USA! Following the broadcast of the opening ceremonies for the Paris games on the 2024 TV schedule, the Cowboy Carter artist brought the yee-haw energy of her album to Team USA by introducing them. Her epic video included her wearing a gorgeous patriotic swimsuit, glittery cowboy boots, and, of course, a cowboy hat, and it left me so excited for the games.

As you can see in the video below, Beyoncé showed up in style for Team USA. As fans get ready to watch the Paris Olympics, those supporting the United States got to get hyped up as they watched the pop star introduce the stars of the team, take a look:

The “Ya Ya” singer also posted the video on her Instagram, and I think the vibe of many’s reactions to it can be encapsulated by Kris Jenner’s enthusiastic, patriotic and loving comment:

In the video, Beyoncé can be seen rocking a bedazzled USA one-piece swimsuit that’s white on top, says USA in the middle, and features white stars on a blue background and red and white strips on the bottom. She’s also wearing white glittery cowboy boots, and in part of the video, she had a big red, white and navy blue windbreaker jacket-gown on. To top it all off, she opted for a blue sparkly cowboy hat that was giving BIG Cowboy Carter energy.

Now, I’ve had her song “Ya Ya” on repeat since Cowboy Carter came out, and it was the perfect song to introduce Team USA to. It’s such an energetic track, and it was so fun to see both the singer and the athletes jam out to it.

As everyone danced to Beyoncé’s catchy tune, she introduced some of the team’s top athletes.

This included Simone Biles (who you’ll be able to watch in the games this week) and both the men's and women's gymnastics teams. Along with them, the video featured track stars, the Team USA men’s basketball team, and some of the top swimmers, including Caeleb Dressel and Katie Ledecky.

Plus, as folks get excited to watch Olympic swimming, basketball, gymnastics and so much more, they highlighted just how incredible these sports are by cutting in clips of the athletes doing what they do best.

While the opening ceremonies were an incredible spectacle, this video was the cherry on top that really got me hyped for the Olympics! Seeing Beyoncé looking so cool in her patriotic gear while performing the banger that is “Ya Ya” had me ready to dance. Then, seeing all the athletes with her left me ready to start chanting “USA!”

Now, it’s time to start doing exactly that, because the Olympics have begun, and you can watch them right now on NBC or with a Peacock subscription.

For years, Taylor Swift and Beyoncé have been compared and debated – especially as both Beyoncé and Swift release more projects on a regular and frequent basis. While the two artists are supportive of each other in real life, the arguments over who is better still happen. Now, the thrash metal guitarist for Exodus, Gary Holt, has fired shots at the Cowboy Carter artist while defending The Tortured Poets Department singer.

During the Scandalous Podcast, the Exodus guitarist was asked about the “Taylor Swift problem,” which led to him saying:

He noted that he listens to pop more than metal in the car. Then, the host pushed back asking about Swift’s songwriting abilities and called her music “glittery.” This led to the guitarist saying he wants to look at songwriting credits when he’s considering how much praise he’s giving a project. He then continued to express his opinion by firing shots at Beyoncé, saying:

For some context, if we look at the two singer’s big singles for this year – Beyoncé's “Texas Hold ‘Em” from Cowboy Carter, and Swift's “Fortnight” from The Tortured Poets Department – here’s how the songwriting credits are cited:

• Texas Hold ‘Em: Written by Beyoncé, Brian Bates, Elizabeth Lowell Boland, Megan Bülow, Nate Ferraro and Raphael Saadiq per Billboard
• Fortnight: Lyrics by “Austin Post, Jack Antonoff, Taylor Swift,” Produced by the same three, and composed by Antonoff and Swift, per NME.

Per that Billboard article, no song on Cowboy Carter was written solely by Beyoncé and there are only a few tracks with less than three songwriter credits. As for Swift’s latest project TTPD, via NME, the only lyricists and producers cited for the most part are Jack Antonoff, Aaron Dessner, and Swift (the only exceptions are Post Malone (AKA Austin Post) and Florence Welch, who are credited in these roles for the songs they’re featured on). The "All Too Well" singer also wrote a few songs on this album by herself.

Holt went on to say that it’s hard for him to tell who did what on a song these days when there are “like 20 names on it,” and he complimented Swift’s reputation.

The guitarist also said he liked that she tipped her truck drivers at the end of the North American leg of the Eras Tour, and pondered if the “Texas Hold ‘Em” singer did that. Overall, he made it obvious that he’s a much bigger fan of Swift, and he laid his thoughts on Beyoncé out clearly, ending the section by saying:

Now, let it be known that this is his opinion, and both Taylor Swift and Beyoncé have been actively supportive of each other, especially in the last year. As the Midnights artist released her Eras Tour concert film (which you can stream with a Disney+ subscription), and the “Cuff It” singer released the Renaissance concert film, they both attended the premieres for each other. Swift flew to London for Beyoncé’s event, while she attended the Eras Tour premiere in LA.

On top of them both releasing concert movies about their tours in movie theaters, they both headlined major, massive stadium shows last summer and released new albums not long after that. Talk about powerhouses!

The power of both Taylor Swift and Beyoncé is incredible, and they’re both immensely talented. However, people still have strong opinions about who they think is better. So, while they support each other and many are fans of both (myself included), the debate will likely continue as they keep working.

Summer is just around the corner, but the Kardashian sisters are already finished with this non-bikini-weather nonsense. Kourtney, Khloé and Kim Kardashian took a trip down to Turks and Caicos for some family fun in the sun, and the SKIMS boss apparently wanted to bring a little country flavor to the beach. Donning a cowboy hat and snakeskin-print bikini, Kim posted several photos from their trip, and her followers are picking up some strong Beyoncé vibes.

Beyoncé’s new country album Cowboy Carter has been the hottest topic in music since its release at the end of March, and Kim Kardashian referenced the album’s hit single “Texas Hold ‘Em” when she posted pics to Instagram from her sisterly getaway. Check it out below: 

Kim Kardashian is laying her cards down, down, down, down to show off her curves in front of the islands' beautiful hilly beaches. The mom of four is known to complete some pretty intense workouts to achieve those glutes and that waist, and if you’ve got it, flaunt it. In addition to the cowboy hat, her reptile-print swimwear (made by SKIMS, of course) added to the motif, and she accessorized with a couple of cross necklaces. I’m just wondering if she left the chaps back at the beach house? 

If the inspiration for her look wasn’t already obvious, The Kardashians star made it clear with the iconic caption, “This ain’t Texas…it’s Turks,” and fans were quick to shout out Queen Bey in the comments, writing: 

• Kim has already entered the Beyoncé era 💗 – thayna_mirelly
• Beyoncé’s influence is so real – cory.hall
• Beyoncé wannabe – immnotlisaaa
• Kowboy Kim – vizhuel
• Kim copying Beyonce!!🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 – jenna6427

Will Beyoncé help make Western wear the new corset dress? Will we start seeing sheer takes on country clothing? God, if only we were so lucky. 

Time will tell if this is the start of a new fashion trend we’ll see more of this summer — like 2023 was the year of the black bikini. But for now it seems like Kim Kardashian is at least proving that she, like many of us, has been hitting “Play” on Cowboy Carter to hear songs that include Beyoncé’s collab with Miley Cyrus and a cover of one of Dolly Parton’s most iconic hits.

This isn’t the first time Kim Kardashian has seemingly drawn inspiration from Beyoncé. Last fall the reality star went for a night swim wearing a gold bikini that was reminiscent of the famous Texas native’s outfit in Austin Powers in Goldmember.

Whether in Texas or Turks, it certainly looked like the Kardashian sisters had a real live boogie and a real live hoedown on their family vacay. Khloé also showed off the stunning views in some nude swimwear made by SKIMS. 

We don’t have to wait too much longer until The Kardashians returns to those with a Hulu subscription, so until then, do as the famous family does and turn up the Cowboy Carter, and be sure to see what else is coming soon with our 2024 TV schedule. 

The drama appears to live on between Selena Gomez and Hailey Bieber, at least in the eyes of their respective fans, who interpreted one of the proud nepo baby’s recent social media posts to be a direct shot at the Only Murders in the Building star. Gomez, meanwhile, stepped out in a gorgeous black number from Oscar De La Renta, seemingly unbothered by the latest shade that involved Justin Bieber (naturally), Beyoncé and a track off of her new album Cowboy Carter.

Fans have suspected an ongoing feud between Hailey Bieber and Selena Gomez at least since 2018, when Justin Bieber and Gomez ended their eight-year, on-off relationship for good, with the “Beauty and a Beat” singer getting engaged to then-Hailey Baldwin within months. 

Selena Gomez Steps Out For The Premiere Of Steve Martin’s Documentary 

Any thoughts of past relationship drama took a back-burner March 29, as Selena Gomez supported her OMITB co-star Steve Martin at the premiere of Steve! (Martin): A Documentary in 2 Pieces. Check out the fit below: 

The “Lose You to Love Me” singer looked fabulous in the long-sleeved Oscar De La Renta midi gown, which featured an off-the-shoulders neckline decorated with large bows. Her look featured sheer black stockings, pointed-toe Louboutin heels and makeup from her Rare Beauty line.

Despite the premiere coming a day after the latest bout of perceived shade from Hailey Bieber, it was no surprise to see Selena Gomez at the SoHo premiere of Steve Martin’s documentary, as she showed through the sweetest tribute to him and Martin Sheen just how much love she has for her co-stars on Only Murders in the Building (one of the best original shows on Hulu). So what did Bieber post, and how is Beyoncé involved? 

Hailey Bieber (Possibly) Shades Selena Gomez While Listening To ‘Jolene’ 

One of the tracks on Beyoncé’s new Cowboy Carter album is a remake of Dolly Parton’s hit “Jolene,” a song about a woman trying to steal a married man. Hailey Bieber posted a screenshot of the track to her Instagram Stories (per Page Six) with “whew 😤” written over it, leading many to believe she was calling out Selena Gomez for actions or feelings related to Justin Bieber.

No further context was given to Hailey Bieber’s intentions with the post, but Selena Gomez’s fans hit up the comment section of another Hailey Instagram pic to share their thoughts on the perceived diss. They turned the situation around, alleging it was Hailey who had gone after Justin when he was still with Gomez, writing: 

• You're the Jolene 😵‍💫 – feeble.xx
• Who’s gonna tell her she is Jolene? – almaflogro
• She’s Jolene at this point. – pilar_hilger
• You are Jolene 😂😂😂😂 – marciagrcia

The apparent resurfacing of the beef comes a year after Kylie Jenner and Hailey Bieber’s Eyebrowgate, in which the celebs were accused of shading Selena Gomez for over-laminating her eyebrows. That — in addition to another post that many thought showed Bieber suggesting Gomez had “deserved” to be body-shamed over some bikini photos — led to months of online bullying and death threats from fans that Bieber said affected her mental health.

Of course we don’t know what Hailey Bieber meant with her “Jolene” post or what (if anything) goes on behind the scenes between the Biebers and Selena Gomez — who, incidentally, has been dating music producer Benny Blanco for the better part of a year. However, it’s clear that many believe this feud just got reignited.

Two music queens – Beyoncé and Miley Cyrus – came together for a powerful duet called “II MOST WANTED” on Queen Bey’s newest album Cowboy Carter. Now, the “Flowers” singer has posted about how much this collaboration means to her, and it’s incredibly sweet.

There’s no question that Beyoncé and Miley Cyrus are two of the biggest pop stars working. Now, they’ve combined forces on Cowboy Carter, and it’s magnificent. The album -- which also features Dolly Parton and a cover of her song “Jolene,” Post Malone and Willie Nelson -- is the “Formation” singer’s first full country album, and an explosive entrance into the country genre. For Cyrus, who has dabbled in the world of country music and is the goddaughter of Dolly Parton, this collaboration was so fitting, and it meant a lot to her. She proved that by posting a photo of the album cover and writing this on Instagram:

This post came right after Beyoncé released Cowboy Carter and spent the week promoting her album by posting its tracklist and fun moments like eating spaghetti on a private jet. Much like the sweet post Blake Lively uploaded about Beyoncé following the release of her concert film Renaissance: A Film By Beyoncé, Cyrus clearly respects the “TEXAS HOLD 'EM" singer immensely and was honored to work on the project. 

Also, considering Miley Cyrus' history of working in different genres and being raised around country music -- her father is country singer Billy Ray Cyrus and her godmother, whom she’s very close with and has done collaborations before, is Dolly Parton -- makes her the perfect fit for Cowboy Carter. 

Famously, Cyrus has hopped from country to pop to rock and back through songs like “The Climb” (country) and “Flowers” (pop) as well as albums like Plastic Hearts (rock), and that’s exactly what Beyoncé is doing with her latest albums. 

Coming on the heels of the disco and house album Renaissance, its wildly successful world tour, and the box office success of Renaissance: A Film By Beyoncé, the megastar released her first country album about a year later. The album was “born” out of an experience the singer had “where [she] did not feel welcomed” as she wrote on Instagram, and many believe she’s alluding to her performance at the CMA Awards in 2016. She went on to study country music, and this album is a result of her challenging herself and “taking [her] time to bend and blend genres.” 

As we’ve discussed, Miley Cyrus is a perfect person to feature on this album, and not only was she empowered by working on “II MOST WANTED,” I think many listeners were too, I know I was. Seeing these two push the boundaries of genre and create breathtaking music is wonderful, and like Cyrus said “my admiration” that we get to witness collaborations like this runs deep. 

Beyoncé’s Renaissance tour may have ended in October, but you know “Queen Bey” always has something to keep herself and the fans occupied. Other than promoting her country-inspired album Cowboy Carter, Beyoncé’s also been promoting the inside of her fancy, schmancy private jet. Fans seem to be quick to point out that the R&B singer is casually eating spaghetti in her luxurious method of transportation, but it looks like fans are focusing on the wrong thing here.

The “Crazy in Love” singer is on cloud nine enjoying the comforts and luxuries her private jet can provide for her. Based on Beyoncé’s latest Instagram photos, we see the powerhouse singer in her cowgirl attire feeding herself spaghetti in her personal method of transportation. This is seemingly a reference to the track "Spaghettii" from her new album Cowboy Carter. Take a look at the photos below and see if there’s anything besides the spaghetti and the singer eating it that’s catching your eye.

As the strands of spaghetti make their way through the tips of Beyoncé’s fingers towards her palate, the Dreamgirls star looks like she’s chilling with no complaints. And she has a right to! In December, Beyoncé Knowles had a weekend box office hit with her concert film Renaissance and just completed her eighth album Cowboy Carter where she channeled country influences like Dolly Parton. And that'll include a mysterious track called "Spaghettii." After all of her touring and recording, the award-winning singer-actress has a right to chow down some spaghetti. Fans couldn’t help but comment on Beyoncé’s yummy spaghetti-eating photos.

• Not the queen eating spaghetti and we out here stressing about fits for tomorrow. 😮😮😮😮😮
• She said I did write a song about spaghetti and what 🍝
• invented pasta
• Girl are we eating spagetti now? I'm on a diet but anything for youuuu
• Finally a pic of Bey I can imitate 😂❤❤! 🍝

As always, now I’m in the mood for spaghetti myself. While our eyes are glued to Beyoncé eating this lovely Italian cuisine, there’s another aspect of the big picture we’re missing- she’s eating spaghetti on a bed that’s inside of her private jet. Compared to having to slink into her seat after a long day of work, she’s got a full bed surrounded by lamps.

According to The Sun, Beyoncé has more accommodations than a king-sized bed with brightly lit lamps. She’s had this private jet since 2012 which Knowles gave as a Father’s Day present to her hubby Jay-Z. This $40 million private jet includes a full kitchen and two bathrooms with enough room to fit a whole family and a team of staff. The multi-million dollar jet named “S. Carter” is also spacious for business meetings and family time with a large TV living area. With so many features and five-star facilities, why would anyone want to leave this in-air carrier?

Beyoncé's post may have her noshing on spaghetti during her downtime, but fans fail to notice she’s eating in a full-size bed on a dang jet! If only we could all be as lucky as the “Single Ladies” singer to have a little home 30,000 feet up in the air. Take a look at our new streaming releases in case Beyoncé’s Renaissance film gets released sometime this year.

Beyoncé has proven to be a dominant force on the pop and R&B charts, as well as in theaters following the box office success Renaissance: A Film By Beyoncé. She'll take on a whole new challenge in 2024 with the release of her country album Act II, and it's already off to a great start. Despite her single "Texas Hold 'Em" sounding like a kids show theme, the song is a dominant hit on the charts, and the album sounds even more promising now that Nashville legend Dolly Parton confirmed the Destiny's Child vet is covering one of country music's most beloved songs. I cannot wait to hear this.

Parton spoke to Knox News ahead of the 2024 opening of her relatively perfect family theme park, Dollywood, and she shared some thoughts about Queen Bey. The icon was asked if any collaborations were in store, or if Beyoncé would be delivering any exciting cover songs, which led to the 9 to 5 star confirming one was recorded that'll likely be found on the finished album. In her words:

Fans have heard a lot of covers of "Jolene" over the years, but I don't think there's a more uniquely perfect fit for a new version than Beyoncé. The singer took her struggles with husband Jay-Z's infidelity and essentially revived the concept album with the iconic 2016 release Lemonade. Despite some rough times and allegations from fans that the scandal involved singer Rita Ora, the couple overcame the odds and remains a power duo in 2024.

The song "Jolene" is about a woman fearing her husband will leave her for another beautiful woman, and Dolly Parton revealed to NPR in 2008 that she wrote the song partly because of a beautiful bank teller flirting with her husband, Carl Thomas Dean. That situation obviously differs from what Beyoncé went through, but she can surely speak to the song's message about other women capturing the attention of a taken man.

Dolly Parton confirmed she has a good relationship with Beyoncé, and that's not an uncommon trend. We know that Parton is also pals with Miley Cyrus, and Parton honored the star by singing "Wrecking Ball" for the former's Rockstar album. I'd love to see her do the same with Beyoncé, and I think Dolly would crush "Halo" or "Run The World." Now that I'm thinking about it, I'd probably be even more down to hear those covers than I would Beyoncé singing "Jolene," but I am still incredibly stoked about the one that actually exists!

Beyoncé's Act II album is due out on March 29th. Those waiting to hear country tunes from the star can stream "Texas Hold 'Em" right now, or they can distract themselves by checking out what's coming on the 2024 TV schedule. 

Kelly Rowland left the crew of TODAY scrambling on February 15, when the former Destiny’s Child member walked off of the morning show’s set over alleged displeasure with her dressing room. The actress has been accused of exhibiting diva behavior by ducking out of the commitment, as she was slated to co-host TODAY’s 10 a.m. hour with Hoda Kotb in place of Jenna Bush Hager, but Beyoncé's dad rejected that description of Rowland, calling her “a sweetheart.”

Mathew Knowles, the father of Beyoncé and Solange, was the manager of Destiny’s Child, so he’s known Kelly Rowland since before she was famous, and he felt compelled to defend the Freddy vs. Jason actress following the Today fallout, telling TMZ: 

Mathew Knowles admitted that he doesn’t know the full story of what happened on set of the longtime NBC morning show, but he felt confident that it was not in Kelly Rowland’s character to be a “diva.”

On February 15, Kelly Rowland appeared TODAY’s 8 a.m. hour, where she was interviewed by Savannah Guthrie for her new Netflix thriller Mea Culpa (which critics did not review favorably). The actress was then supposed to join Hoda Kotb as a guest host on TODAY with Hoda & Jenna, but that’s when the backstage drama apparently went down.

According to Page Six, Kelly Rowland and her team asked about being moved to a new dressing room because “they didn’t like the one she was in.” The upstairs green room was being used by Jennifer Lopez, who was promoting her new movie and album This Is Me… Now, and a game of “musical dressing rooms” ensued, in which multiple other rooms and hair and makeup areas were reportedly offered. An insider said:  

After Kelly Rowland’s unexpected exit, Rita Ora was available to fill in as Hoda Kotb’s co-host, but it’s a situation that some felt shouldn’t have gone as far as it did. The Real Housewives of New York alum Bethenny Frankel recalled her own experience on TODAY in a since-deleted TikTok post (via HuffPost), saying: 

Kelly Rowland herself has not spoken about the incident, but there seems to be no bad blood between her and the iconic TODAY host, as Hoda Kotb addressed the issue the following week. Kotb and Jenna Bush Hager clarified that the Destiny’s Child star is always welcome back, with Kotb saying (per People): 

We’ll have to see if Kelly Rowland takes them up on their offer. In the meantime, you can see the actress in the Tyler Perry thriller Mea Culpa, which is available to stream with a Netflix subscription, and be sure to see what premieres are ahead with our 2024 TV schedule, as well as what’s new and coming soon to Netflix. 

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and Roman Reigns dominated the first hour of SmackDown this past Friday, and not a soul complained. Johnson is proving he's still as electric as ever on the mic, and of course, wrestling fans were on the lookout for more signs pointing toward the rumor claiming he'll betray Reigns at WrestleMania 40. The Rock did indeed flash the "L" with his fingers once again, and he may have utilized the power of Beyoncé to futher hint that he's not as solid with the Bloodline as they believe. 

The Brahma Bull still had plenty to say at his latest SmackDown appearance about Cody Rhodes, and likely will continue his commitment to the heel bit in the other dates booked ahead of WrestleMania 40. With that said, quite a few have noticed the subtle clues the suggest The Rock isn't quite as tight with Roman Reigns as he'd have them believe, and his latest post on Instagram featuring Beyoncé's song "MY HOUSE" might be further evidence of that. Watch the video below, and make sure to have that sound on: 

The fact that the video specifically has the part where Beyoncé repeatedly says "Get the fuck up out my house" is really interesting to me, especially with some rumors claiming Dwayne Johnson will stick with the WWE after WrestleMania 40. Even if it's unconfirmed, whispers about him planning to stick around do help to read more into this seemingly innocent IG post while speculating that the plan is moving forward for him to betray Roman Reigns. 

If Dwayne Johnson is indeed working toward betraying Roman Reigns, it's a great idea. To start, it prevents the alleged original plan of having The Rock usurp Cody Rhodes' opportunity to "finish the story" but still gives the WWE legend his dream match of taking on his cousin Roman Reigns. Pushing the match through at WrestleMania 40 after Rhodes spent the past year battling for the opportunity was the wrong call, and one would assume under different circumstances everyone would be thrilled to see that matchup happen otherwise. 

Nothing is set in stone at this point, however, meaning there's plenty of reason to tune into upcoming WWE events ahead of WrestleMania 40. For casual fans who have been away, it feels like the company has entered another golden era of storytelling, and it's showing by the way fans are filling seats. 

Hopefully, the WWE can continue to capitalize on this momentum and continue its streak of keeping fans invested following WrestleMania 40. Right now it seems like they're batting a thousand, though they'll still have to stick the landing and deliver an ending that will live up to the massive amount of hype its built to thus far. 

Monday Night Raw airs on USA Network on Mondays at 8:00 p.m. ET, and SmackDown is on Fox on Friday nights at the same time. There are just weeks to go before WrestleMania 40 on April 6th and 7th, so tune in and catch up on all the drama before the big showdown between all of these great superstars. 

While making fans who missed her tour feel better with her hit concert film, Renaissance: A Film By Beyoncé, the long-time hit-maker was also working on new music. And Beyoncé let the world in on her latest project shortly before Valentine’s Day, when she surprised fans by releasing two singles off of her upcoming album. However, one of those singles, “Texas Hold 'Em,” has been called out by fans for sounding like the theme song to the Franklin children’s cartoon, but now we know how the composer feels about the comparison.

What Are Fans Saying About Beyoncé’s New Song, And How Does The Franklin Composer Feel?

Beyoncé rarely does anything in the public eye without eliciting rounds of applause and raucous acclaim from pretty much everyone (though her mom did have to defend her platinum hair last year), but that doesn’t mean the incredibly popular celebrity from Texas is immune to a little roasting by fans. As was the case when she wore a stunning dress with a gigantic broach to a Renaissance after party, her “Texas Hold ‘Em” single has made folks on Twitter compare the song to the theme of Franklin, a kids’ cartoon about a turtle that aired from 1997 through 2004. And, they’re saying things like:

• In an odd turn of events, Beyoncé is now being accused of stealing Franklin’s publishing.
• i KNEW i heard that fkin beat somewhere
• Franklin???? It’s crazy how the song already sounded familiar, probably why I liked it
• Whewwww I can hear it, watched noggin way too much as a child

People on TikTok have also gone crazy with their comparisons of both songs, and, according to Bruce Cockburn, who wrote and sang the Franklin theme, while he gets why fans are saying the tunes are similar, he’s not mad about it. As he told TMZ:

Well, at least we know that there will be no lawsuits forthcoming for Queen Bey, right? If you’ve listened to both songs, or simply remember the cartoon theme from your younger days, there is a similar “feel” to both, especially as each tune ramps up at the beginning. But, as Cockburn noted, that “rhythmic” pattern is far from a complete copy of his handiwork. Also, there are some comments that mention that what people are likely hearing is how the chords and pattern are alike, and that’s something that can’t hold a copyright, anyway. 

The outlet does also say that the show was produced in Canada, and the superstar’s co-writers on the song are all Canadian, so it’s not impossible that the theme was well-embedded in their heads from their early life. But, seeing as how the man who wrote that theme is cool with the new release of Mrs. Knowles-Carter, we all should be, too.

Though Beyoncé wrapped up her world tour on October 1, 2023, the two songs she recently released will be a part of her upcoming March 29 release, which will be the second act of her Renaissance album. So, we'll likely hear her perform the song live and on tour at some point.

Thanks to its motley crew cast that includes fan favorites from reality franchises like Survivor, Big Brother, Love Island and The Real Housewives (Phaedra forever!), Peacock's reality competition The Traitors has quickly become one of the most entertaining reality shows on TV. The series, which sees its celebrity cast members "murdering" each other off in a Mafia-like game for a hefty cash prize, is currently in its second season, which you can catch up on with a Peacock subscription, and now Alan Cumming has revealed his requests for Season 3, and they include Beyoncé.

Populating the series' signature Scottish castle with the right blend of personalities is an art, as The Traitors' host-producer Alan Cumming and other members of the production team revealed during a panel at the Television Critics Association winter press tour on Wednesday, February 14. Per Deadline, executive producer Stephen Lambert said of casting the series: 

The current edition of the show had several cast connections going into the premiere episode, which aired on Friday, January 12. 

There are The Challenge veterans Chris "C.T." Tamburello and Trishelle Cannatella, whose decades-long friendship hit a painful bump when C.T. opted not to "save" Trishelle from banishment during a recent episode. 

There's also The Real Housewives of Atlanta co-stars Phaedra Parks and Shereé Whitfield. The former of whom was tearful in reminiscing on camera about how far the castmates have come, despite the fact that Parks is one of the titular, duplicitous traitors in the house, alongside frenemy Parvati Shallow and the now-ousted Dan Gheesling. (BTW, there are plenty more Real Housewives stars we want to see in The Traitors mix.) 

However, not every member of The Traitors Season 2 cast has reality TV roots: this season sees former British politician John Bercow and professional boxer Deontay Wilder join in the dramatic gameplay. And when it comes to which other notable people producers would like to see in future editions of the show, Alan Cumming jokingly added: 

Given how busy Queen Bey is these days — ditto Lambert's addition of "Taylor Swift!"— that one might be hard to pull off, but Cumming's other casting suggestion certainly seems doable for next season:

Alongside the fabulous (and fabulously accented) Cumming, who identifies as bisexual, there were only a few LGBTQ+ personalities featured this season. This includes transgender RuPaul's Drag Race star Peppermint (and yes, we're also very here for even more of Ru's girls making it onto The Traitors) and the aforementioned Survivor alum Parvati Shallow, who recently went public with her relationship with comedian Mae Martin, per People. 

There's clearly room for more queer representation on the reality show and now that the American edition has officially been picked up for a third season, we'll hopefully see more of it soon. And we wouldn't say no to Beyoncé joining the Season 3 cast either!

Even if the movie box office tanked over Super Bowl weekend, you can bet similar assessments won’t be made once the ratings are in for CBS, with the Chiefs and 49ers' overtime match-up going longer than expected, and thus bringing in no doubt massive audience numbers. For those whose love of football is minimal, the biggest draw of Super Bowl LVIII is the ads, where some of the biggest companies in the world spend zillions of dollars and recruit some of the world’ most famous celebs to promote them. 

How To Watch Super Bowl 2024 Online And Stream Chiefs vs 49ers Live Today

Okay, so for some people, the biggest draw might be Taylor Swift being there in support of boyfriend Travis Kelce, which even got parodied at the Puppy Bowl. Or Usher's halftime spectacular. But we’re talking about ads here, specifically the funniest commercials that aired amidst all the trailers and promos for CBS and Paramount+ shows hitting the 2024 TV schedule. So let's celebrate some of the silliest ads of the year that have aired thus far.

YouTube TV's Sunday Ticket Migration

To kick off the night, the YouTube TV-sponsored Super Bowl LVIII aired a...YouTube TV ad for NFL Sunday Ticket. Nothing subtle about that, and there was also nothing subtle about a bunch of NFL players acting like birds. Pretty sure I could watch a whole David Attenborough nature documentary where the animals were replaced by athletes.

Aubrey Plaza Having A Blast With MTN Dew

In a way that hits the same brain waves as a Droopy cartoon, I never tire of seeing Aubrey Plaza deadpan her way through a sentiment of excitement. That was the driving factor behind this ad, of course, but the best part of obviously the Parks and Recreation reunion between Plaza and Nick Offerman, and while riding dragons in a Game of Thrones-esque spoof. I'd watch that show.

Deadpool 3: Deadpool & Wolverine's Trailer

So I usually limit this round-up of Super Bowl ads to just product ads, without pointing out all the movie and TV trailers, but given all the hype building up to our first official look at Deadpool 3, it almost required a spot here. The full Deadpool & Wolverine trailer is obviously too raunchy for Super Bowl's massive audience base, but power to Ryan Reynolds & Co. for keeping the filth central to the teaser as well.

Michael Cera's Ad Pitch For CeraVe

Michael Cera hocking CeraVe has been a weird pop culture bookmark for a short while now, and this commercial makes it that much more understandable, even if it still seems like more of an April Fool's Day campaign than a Super Bowl ad. I'm still very much into it, though.

Arnold Schwarzenegger Being A Good Neighbor For State Farm

What's more fun that Arnold Schwarzenegger embracing his action star status in another Super Bowl commercial (this time with explosions)? Seeing the actor poke fun at his own accent, particularly the way he says "neighbahhh." And then obviously 1,000 cool points for the Danny DeVito appearance, which has us hoping for that Twins sequel again.

Talkin' Like (Christopher) Walken

There are certain celebrity impressions that a lot of people can do well, and there are some that a lot of people do terribly. Christopher Walken has been subject to the latter for ages, and BMW USA embraced the concept with its impersonation-filled ad, which also brings Usher into the mix for seemingly no reason other than his Super Bowl connection, making that timing reference completely irrelevant later in the year. Still, though.

Suits And Scrubs Stars, Laura Dern And More Audition For T-Mobile

T-Mobile has been nailing it with Super Bowl commercials as of late, with one of the 2023 highlights being John Travolta getting Grease-y with Zack Braff and Donald Faison. The latter two also showed up in the latest ad, alongside a bunch of other excellent celebs such as Suits' Patrick J. Adams and Gabriel Macht, Laura Dern, Bradley and Gloria Cooper, and Jennifer Hudson.

Ben Affleck And The Dunkings

Capitalizing on the viral success of its 2023 ad with Ben Affleck and JLo, Dunkin' apparently dropped a bunch of money to get them back along with some other familiar friends such as Matt Damon and Tom Brady. I don't think the world necessarily needs the Dunkings, but I would listen to their album at least once, if only to hear Damon and Affleck riff on their movie quotes. "How do you like them...donuts? I'm so sorry." Love it.

Messi Kicking It Up A Notch For Michelob Ultra

One kind of football deserves another, right? Something like that. Michelob Ultra brought in one of soccer's biggest stars in Argentinian superstar Lionel Messi for some beachbound balling. It's a good time all in all, but it's the cameos from Dan Marino and Ted Lasso's Jason Sudeikis that put it in the goal.

Mr. T Pities The Fools Spelling Skechers Wrong

In the way that some people will swear that the Berenstain Bears was spelled differently at some point in time, the shoe brand Skechers has long been misspelled with a T in there. So what better way to address that specific issue than with the all-time great Mr. T. “I pity the fool who bends down to pick up their shoes,” is possibly more repeatable than it deserves to be. But it does deserve to be at least a little bit.

Jenna Ortega’s Doritos-Loving Abuelas

One might think that having Jenna Ortega in a Super Bowl commercial would mean she would be the biggest highlight of the ad, but that’s not the case for Doritos Dinamita chips. This action-packed commercial features a pair of older — or should I say bolder — women named Dina and Mita who will do anything to get to their snack of choice. No matter how many bruises it leaves on MCU star Danny Ramirez’s body. I kinda already hope Dina and Mita get their own movie.

Beyoncé Tries To Break The Internet

Seen in the stands with hubby Jay-Z and others, Beyoncé showed up outside of the stadium for a Verizon commercial in which she attempted to break the internet for Veep vet Tony Hale. It involved the idea of cyborg Bey, as well as a pinkified "Barbey," and I can't help but feel like both of those are going to become a reality before the next Super Bowl. What's more, she made due on her in-ad promise and dropped two new songs and some album news as the Super Bowl was airing.

Jason Momoa Sings A Ditty With Zach Braff And Donald Faison

I gotta give it up to T-Mobile for delivering not just one highlight, but two different ones, during Super Bowl LVIII, and it was a pure delight to see former co-stars Zach Braff and Donald Faison engage Jason Momoa in a tuneful ad that played up not just everyone’s pipes but also some fancy footwork. And the use of a chicken wing as a microphone. But I can’t tell if Momoa’s high note is more shocking than how long Braff’s bare shoulder is on the screen.

We have gotten a number of biopics for certain, specific Black figures over the course of many years. For example, in our article on movies to watch on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. day, there were a total of three movies that featured an actor playing Dr. King in a prominent role.   

However, there are other Black figures who don't have biopics, and they are long overdue. Now, I'm not talking about documentaries, as we already covered several great ones to watch for Black History Month. Nope, these are biopics featuring actors and actresses portraying the Black figures in question. So, who are these seven famous Black figures who deserve biopics? Well, you’re about to find out. 

Gerald “Jerry” Lawson  

Nowadays, video games (and in turn, video game movies and TV shows) are bigger than ever before. In fact, the video game industry is now bigger than any other form of entertainment, period. Music? Video games are bigger. Television? Video games are bigger. Movies? You guessed it: video games are bigger. But, this wasn’t always the case. In fact, it might not have been the case at all if not for one Gerald “Jerry” Lawson.   

Mr. Lawson created the Fairchild Channel F, which was groundbreaking for one very distinct reason – it was the first video game console that used interchangeable cartridges. Before that, you needed whole machines to play a single game, like the Magnavox Odyssey, which was primarily just a Pong machine. 

A cool biopic would be about how Lawson fell into circles with the big electronic engineers at the time, such as Steve Wozniak. Because Lawson was usually the only Black face in the room, and it would be great to see how he created something that would go on to change the video game landscape forever. Make a biopic about this man already, dammit! 

Paul Robeson  

Not too long ago, I wrote about how I don’t think enough people talk about Paul Robeson, and yeah. Not enough people talk about Paul Robeson!   

The dude was a true Renaissance Man, as he was an athlete, a singer, a stage actor, and a movie star. The guy really did it all! The Communist Party also claims him as their own, and his beliefs in Socialism are also well-documented. So, of course, this would be interesting to see if there was ever a biopic created about him.   

I always thought that Jonathan Majors (prior to his conviction after being found guilty of assault and harassment, and losing project after project) would make for an interesting Paul Robeson. But now, I’m not really sure who could fill in those mighty big shoes. Because it would surely take a towering performance, if not necessarily a towering individual.        

Maya Angelou  

Okay, so here’s what’s interesting. There kind of already is a biopic of Maya Angelou. But, that’s only if you count the television film, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, which is based off of the autobiographical book by Maya Angelou of the same name.

However, that’s not what I mean when I say I want a Maya Angelou biopic. Because the woman, who was a fry cook, a sex worker, an actor, a director, a member of the Civil Rights Movement, and a poet…just to name a few titles, deserves a biopic that goes over her full and rich life. 

And since this is my article, I can dream cast whomever I want. So, I’d love to see Jennifer Hudson in the role. It would be amazing to see a film that chronicled Angelou’s life all the way up to when she recited her poem, “On the Pulse of Morning” at the first inauguration of Bill Clinton. I mean, seriously. Why hasn’t this biopic been made already? 

Octavia E. Butler 

As a novelist myself, you’re going to find that I want a number of biopics focused around Black writers. I considered putting Toni Morrison on this list (who is also very worthy of a biopic of her own), but I’ve decided to focus on Octavia E. Butler instead. 

Why Butler? Because she was the first prominent Black female science fiction writer in America. And, I want to see a movie about her since the idea of a Black woman science fiction writer was seemingly unheard of back when she started.

I know we’re supposed to finally be getting a Parable of the Sower movie from A24, (which I’ve already dreamcasted, by the way), but I would love to see a film dedicated to her work, and her craft. Honestly, there’s a lot that I don’t know about Butler, and I’m hoping that a biopic could rectify that.    

Richard Wright 

Since I’m still on the topic of writers (Didn’t I tell you?), I’d absolutely LOVE a biopic on one of my favorite novelists, Richard Wright. The author of Native Son, Black Boy, and Uncle Tom’s Children, Wright wrote unflinching portrayals of Black Americans, and painted a picture that was often unflattering, if not necessarily incorrect.  

And, guess what? James Baldwin wasn’t a fan, at least not of Native Son. What I’d really love to see in a biopic of Wright is one where the two literary giants meet, and perhaps have some words with one another (not necessarily fisticuffs). If not that, then it would be great to just see Wright disavow America for Paris, as he loved the latter, and was immensely disappointed with the former.  

Obviously, it would be an artsy fartsy kind of biopic, but a man as intellectually gifted as Richard Wright deserves a biopic that’s equally intellectually profound.    

Oprah Winfrey 

I had to really make sure that there wasn’t already a biopic about Oprah Winfrey, because honestly, it doesn’t make any sense that there isn’t one. But, all I could find was a biographical documentary that was supposed to be coming to Apple TV+, and as I mentioned in the intro, a documentary is not what I mean.

What I want to see is a biographical movie that gets into Oprah’s difficult childhood with her grandmother, to her rising in the ranks and getting her own talk show, and to her ultimately becoming the megawatt business mogul that she is today. The only issue is, who the heck could possibly play Oprah? The actress in question would have to be extremely versatile, as Oprah has also been an actress in her own right. 

Honestly, I don’t even know how a movie of this magnitude could be made, but as the title of this article suggests, her biopic is definitely long overdue.   

Beyoncé  

Maybe, just maybe, it’s too soon for a Beyoncé biopic. After all, Whitney Houston only just recently got a biopic in I Wanna Dance With Somebody, and just last year, we got the concert movie, Renaissance: A Film By Beyonce. So, perhaps she is still just too prominent to have a biopic made about her.      

But, that doesn’t necessarily mean that she doesn’t already deserve one. From her competing in early talent shows, to her work in Destiny’s Child, to her acting career, to her marriage to Jay-Z, all the way to today, if anybody is deserving of a biopic, it’s Beyoncé. 

Even though we’ll likely eventually get a movie about her, like we’re getting for Michael Jackson, I’d really like to see one sooner rather than later. The woman damn well deserves it, after all.    

What famous Black figures would you like to see get a biopic made about them who hasn’t had one already?  

Just like Bey says, when the queens come through, part like the red sea! And it looks like new friends Kelly Rowland and Meghan Markle had plenty of room to connect during their first encounter at a very high-profile concert tour. Yes, the dynamic duo reportedly met through their mutual friend Beyoncé and had their first hangout session at the music superstar's Renaissance World Tour live gig on Monday, September 4 at the Sofi Stadium in Los Angeles. 

Rowland—who has showed publicly up in support of her former Destiny's Child bandmate and lifelong BFF throughout the Renaissance run, despite previously admitting that she was once jealous of Beyoncé's career—discussed meeting Markle for the first time with HELLO! Magazine and revealed how impressed she was by the Duchess of Sussex: 

Rowland and Markle took in the spectacular show (which was actually Bey's final California date, as well as her big birthday celebration) in one of the stadium's VIP sections, along with some famous seatmates like Scandal star Kerry Washington. Stars like Mariah Carey, Angelina Jolie, Timothée Chalamet, Viola Davis, Adele, Justin Bieber, Zendaya and Tom Holland were also spotted in the audience during the star-studded birthday gig.

It was the royal's second time seeing Beyoncé in concert during the Renaissance tour, having attended a show at the same stadium just a few nights earlier, on Friday, September 1, with her famous husband, Prince Harry. In both appearances, Markle spiritedly sported the unofficial dress code of the tour, which was all things silver and shiny. She wore a metallic silver skirt during her appearance with Rowland, the latter of whom was also done up with sparkly face jewels and gems. 

In HELLO!, Rowland said of her new friend, who married into British royalty back in 2018:

It's surprising that the Duchess and the Destiny's Child crooner haven't crossed paths before given how close Meghan Markle and Beyoncé Knowles have become over the years. The two stars first met at the 2019 London premiere of The Lion King remake starring the singer, and they have publicly supported each other ever since. 

In March 2021, after that headline-grabbing Oprah with Meghan and Harry primetime special, the music icon posted a message of support on her website: 

A few months later, in August 2021, Beyoncé posted another website tribute to Markle in honor of her 40th birthday, complete with a sweet childhood photo of the Duchess. 

Bey even made a little off-camera cameo during the Harry & Meghan Netflix docuseries that aired in December 2022. Markle can be seen receiving a text message from Knowles, a friendly "Just checking in." She paraphrased the rest of the text for her hubby as well as the audience: 

It's clearly a lovefest between the pair, and it's good to see Kelly Rowland has joined the regal friend group now too!

Everything is bigger in Texas, they say, and that certainly includes the star power of its homegrown celebrities. From the biggest stars in music to the biggest on the silver screen, the biggest celebs in the squared circle, and almost everywhere else, Texas has bred them all. 

California may be home to Hollywood, but there might not be a Hollywood without its biggest legends who hail from the Lone Star State, so here is our list of some of the biggest stars from Texas

Matthew McConaughey

Matthew McConaughey was born in Uvalde, Texas, raised mostly in Longview, TX, went to college in Austin, and got his first big break in show business in Dazed & Confused, which was, of course, filmed in Texas. McConaughey still lives in Austin. It makes sense that the proud Texan wants to see more movies made in his home state. McConaughey has also sparked rumors in the past that he might be interested in running for political office in Texas, though he's usually brushed them aside. Politician or not, the man sure loves his home state. 

Renée Zellweger

She may have won accolades for playing an English woman, but Renée Zellweger is Texas through and through. The Bridget Jones' Diary star was born outside Houston in Katy, TX, and grew up there before attending the University of Texas. It was in Austin that she discovered her love for acting and she landed her first on-screen role as an extra in Dazed & Confused. 

Owen Wilson

Dallas-born Owen Wilson has played a lot of fantastic roles over the years, but none better than his many roles in the films of Wes Anderson. Wilson and fellow Texan Anderson have been friends since their college days at the University of Texas. It's also worth noting that both of Owen Wilson's brothers, Luke and Andrew, also hail from Texas, of course. 

Jim Parsons

While some people ooze "Texas," Houston native Jim Parsons doesn't, really. You might guess he'd be from New York or Chicago, but nope, he's a Texan. Born and raised in the suburbs of Houston, he also attended the University of Houston before striking out for Hollywood and making it big. 

Carol Burnett

Comedy legend Carol Burnett grew up in California, attending high school right in Hollywood, but the Annie star was born deep in the heart of Texas, in San Antonio in 1933. Though her vast career has taken her far from Texas, the state can still call her one of its own. 

Beyoncé

If the stars are brighter and everything is bigger in Texas, then it only makes sense that one of the biggest stars would come from Houston. There is no bigger star on the planet than Beyoncé, who was born and raised in Texas along with her sister Solange and her Destiny's Child bandmate, LaTavia Roberson. 

Selena Gomez

Like many other native Texas, Selena Gomez is proud of her Mexican heritage. The Only Murders In The Building star was born in Grand Prairie, Texas, near Dallas, and although her many acting roles and career took her to California early in life, her family's roots are firmly in the Lone Star State. Gomez is named for another Texas native as well, the late Tejano superstar Selena, who was murdered in Corpus Christi in 1995. 

Woody Harrelson

Woody Harrelson first got famous playing a farm boy-turned-bartender from Indiana on Cheers, and while he moved to Ohio as a teenager, Harrelson was born in Midland, Texas. He's also tight with his occasional co-star and fellow Texan, Matthew McConaughey, and, according to McConaughey, the two could even be brothers! 

Tommy Lee Jones

Sure, he was roommates at Harvard with Al Gore, but Tommy Lee Jones is all Texan. The No Country For Old Men star was born in the small town of San Saba, Texas, and raised in Midland. He's never really strayed far either, as he has resided in Terrell Hills, TX, near San Antonio, for years. He's also a member of the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame, and the Texas Film Hall of Fame. There really isn't another actor who screams "Texas" like Jones, is there?

Steve Martin

Waco-born Steve Martin is one of the funniest people in film history. While he grew up mostly in Southern California, his roots are originally in central Texas, where he was born in Waco, on August 14th, 1945, the same day that the Japanese surrendered in World War II. 

Jamie Foxx

The multi-talented Jamie Foxx started acquiring his many skills as a kid in Terrell, TX, outside Dallas, where he was born and raised. As a kid, he played piano and excelled at sports at Terrell High School. He moved to Southern California after school and in 1991, scored a role on In Living Color, and the rest is history. 

Jennifer Garner

Jennifer Garner moved to West Virginia when she was just three, so she probably doesn't remember much of anything from her early life in Texas, but the Daredevil star was born in Houston. 

Kelly Clarkson

Kelly Clarkson exploded into show business by winning the first-ever season of American Idol and she's been a star ever since. It's a journey that started when she was born in Forth Worth, TX, and raised in the suburb of Burleson, just outside the city. While her career may have taken her to LA and New York, her heart (and sports allegiance) has stayed in Texas.

Wes Anderson

People love to debate what the best Wes Anderson movie is, but if you are wondering what is his most personal, it's probably Bottle Rocket, which was filmed almost entirely in Anderson's home state of Texas. It stars a couple of fellow Texans as well, Owen and Luke Wilson. While the Wilsons are from Dallas originally, Anderson hails from Houston. 

Megan Thee Stallion

Megan Thee Stallion is a triple threat. She proved herself on the mic, and on the dance floor, first, then she started taking over TV and movies by starring in her first film in 2023. Before all that happened, though, she grew up in and around Houston. The “H-town Hottie” even got her nickname, Stallion, in the city. 

Michelle Rodriguez

Michelle Rodriguez has been in some huge film franchises, like Fast & Furious and Avatar. She kind of grew up all over, including in the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico, but she was born and lived for a few years of her life in San Antonio, TX. 

Ethan Hawke

Ethan Hawke's parents were high school sweethearts who had Ethan shortly after they were married. Born in 1970 in Austin, TX, Hawke moved to the Northeast with his mother but spent his summers in Fort Worth with his dad. His grandfather even served in the Texas House of Representatives for 10 years. He has deep Texas roots that he is proud of. 

Hilary Duff

Lizzie McGuire star Hilary Duff is another Texas girl. Born in Houston, her family also spent time in San Antonio before moving to California when Duff was still young to pursue her acting career. Boy did that pay off quickly! 

Jennifer Love Hewitt

From a young age, Jennifer Love Hewitt was showing off her talents, singing and dancing across Texas, where she was born in 1979. Eventually, even the Lone Star State could not contain her and she moved to LA with her family, where she soon landed her first starring role on the legendary Party Of Five, after having roles on the Disney Channel and elsewhere as a kid. 

Eva Longoria

Born in Corpus Christi, TX in 1975, Eva Longoria has always been proud of her Tejano roots. In fact, her ancestry and culture are so important to her that she returned to college to earn a Master's degree in Chicano studies from Cal State-Northridge.

Forest Whitaker

Though he went to high school in Los Angeles, Forest Whitaker's life began in Longview, Texas. Every summer of his youth, he spent time with his grandparents in Longview and still has family all over Texas. 

Taylor Sheridan

It's no surprise that Taylor Sheridan is from Texas. While he was actually born in North Carolina, the Yellowstone creator is the definition of a true Texan. Not only did he grow up in Fort Worth, but he owns a working ranch in the Lone Star state called 6666 Ranch. He and his family live in Weatherford, Texas.

Farrah Fawcett

She might have had the reputation of being the all-American blonde from California, but Farrah Fawcett was born and raised in Texas. After high school in Corpus Christi, she attended the University of Texas before heading to Hollywood where she immediately started landing acting and modeling jobs. Once she scored her role on Charlie's Angels, the rest is history. 

Isaiah Washington

Controversial actor Isaiah Washington's most prominent role was in the first three seasons of Grey's Anatomy. Since then, he's worked on numerous films and TV shows, before announcing his retirement in 2023. He was born and raised in Houston. 

William Jackson Harper

Star of The Good Place William Jackson Harper is a native Texan, born in Dallas and raised in Garland, TX, where he first started acting in high school. His Texas-sized determination kept him going when he struggled early in his career, before finding a starring role on the Kristen Bell-led sitcom. 

Dakota Johnson

It might be surprising to learn that despite being the daughter of Hollywood royalty, Dakota Johnson was born in Texas. She was born to Melanie Griffith and Don Johnson in Austin while her father shot a movie in the Lone Star State. The star was then raised in Los Angeles, of course, but Austin will always be where she came into this world. Since then, she's built a great career. 

"Stone Cold" Steve Austin

Steven James Anderson loves his home state so much, that he took a name based on its capital, Austin. Better known as "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, the WWE superstar was, in fact, born in Austin, though he was raised mostly in Edna, TX. The wrestler still owns property in the state, Broken Skull Ranch, near Tilden, TX. It's not like he hides his love for the state either, as one of his many nicknames is "The Texas Rattlesnake."

Gary Busey

People sometimes forget that Gary Busey was once nominated for an Oscar for playing Texan Buddy Holly in The Buddy Holly Story, and the actor also hails from Holly's home state. Busey was born in the Houston area; Baytown, Texas, to be exact. He moved to Oklahoma in elementary school and it was in Tulsa that the enigmatic actor began his show biz career. One of his first big breaks in Hollywood was a TV show that was set in Texas called, appropriately, The Texas Wheelers.

Gina Carano

Gina Carano was controversially dismissed from The Mandalorian and whether you agree with the decision or not, it's hard to argue that the MMA star brought a little bit of that strong individualism Texas is known for to the role and her career. Something that might be inherent in her, as she was born in Dallas County Texas.

Shaquille O'Neal

Texas is a huge state, with a lot of personality, so it only makes sense that a celebrity who's physically large and has a personality to match would hail from the state. Shaquille O’Neal is an Army brat, so he moved around a lot as a kid, including being born in New Jersey. It's in Texas, however, where the world started to pay attention to O'Neal as he became a standout basketball star, eventually becoming a top college recruit and going to LSU for school. He was drafted into the NBA as the #1 overall pick in 1992, and the rest is history.  

Robin Wright

Robin Wright might be best known for playing a Washington insider on House Of Cards and a Buttercup in The Princess Bride, but before all that, she was born in Dallas in 1966. Her parents divorced when she was young and her family moved to Southern California, but for those two years, she was a Texan. 

Michael Strahan

He first made a name for himself playing football in New York, and now he's known for hosting Good Morning America in New York, but Michael Strahan is a born and bred Texan. He was born in Houston, and went to high school there, though for a little while he lived with his family in Germany where his father was stationed in the Army. 

There you have it, a list that proves everything is, indeed, bigger in Texas. The toast, the steer, the plains, and the stars. Not just the stars in the sky, but the stars in Hollywood and beyond. Few states can compete with the Lone Star state when it comes to star power. 

Fashion can truly make an impression with any character you’re trying to get across; especially with the figures we’re about to discuss. Clothing is definitely not optional, it’s a way of life for some of the snazziest dressers in all of cinematic history. So straighten your tie, smooth out your sweater, and slip on your glasses to take a look at these shining examples of sartorial supremacy.

James Bond (The James Bond Movies)

How can you not admire the costume design throughout every era of James Bond movies? No matter your chosen actor for the job, 007 has made his way into the world with a fine style that matches his cutting wit. His fashion is forever.

Holly Golightly (Breakfast At Tiffany’s)

Holly Golightly (Audrey Hepburn) became a fashion icon for the ages in 1961’s Breakfast at Tiffany’s. It’s certainly not hard to see why, as Hubert De Givenchy and Edith Head’s talents gave this movie its signature looks; chiefly among them some little black dresses that launched a thousand party outfits.

Sam “Ace” Rothstein (Casino)

How mythic is the wardrobe of Robert De Niro’s Sam “Ace” Rothstein from Casino? There are whole YouTube videos and posters designed to show them off. Not to mention even some of the oversized glasses that Martin Scorsese’s protagonist wears during the film have become the stuff of legend. Better still: Ace isn’t afraid to wear pink, and it suits him to a tee.

Lorelei Lee (Gentlemen Prefer Blondes)

Sure, as a musical showgirl, it was technically the job of Lorelei Lee (Marilyn Monroe) to always be on point with her looks. But at the same time, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes certainly snazzed her up in everyday life, thanks to some beautiful use of patterns and color. And of course, who could forget the iconic pink dress Monroe wore during “Diamonds Are A Girl’s Best Friend?”

Django (Django Unchained)

Once he entered the world of bounty hunting, Django (Jamie Foxx) took a lot of the advice Dr. King Schultz (Christoph Waltz) gave him to heart. And part of that package was the note that your wardrobe is basically your costume for the moments in your life. Everything from rough and tumble western wear to a natty blue velvet suit with ruffles resulted from that viewpoint, and we’re all the greater for it.

Miranda Priestly (The Devil Wears Prada)

If one is going to help make the decisions that puts cerulean sweaters on the backs of those who pretend to hate fashion, one needs to look like they’ve earned that right. The Devil Wears Prada’s Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep) definitely earned that right, and then some. While Streep gave up Method acting because of the character’s miserable nature, her style never looked anything less than top-flight.

Caesar Flickerman (The Hunger Games Trilogy)

Oh Stanley Tucci: the respected actor that, early in his career, was a beefcake model for Levi’s. The man’s style sense has never left him, with Caesar Flickerman from The Hunger Games trilogy being one of his more outlandish cases of style. Bursting with color that matched his energy, it’s hard to hate Panem’s prince of propaganda.

Cruella DeVil (Cruella)

Cruella reinvented the Disney villain from 101 Dalmatians into someone who dug a lot more than Dalmatian spots. Emma Stone’s titular icon of villainy actually changed her tone in this reimagining, setting her sights on revenge in the fashion world, and adopting a sort of punk rock couture aesthetic to do so. Vengeance looked amazing in her hands.

Jinx (Die Another Day)

Yes, Halle Berry’s freezing James Bond entrance in Die Another Day showed her rocking an impressive bikini. But her outfits throughout the rest of the film didn’t slouch either, especially the red leather number that kept her warm in the ice palace of Gustav Graves (Toby Stephens). Though it probably also came in handy that time she was nearly carved up by lasers too. 

Charon (The John Wick Movies)

The entire John Wick universe is dressed to the nines, exuding a style profile that puts most action movies to shame. But if I were to highlight anyone, I’m afraid it’d have to be Charon, played by the late great Lance Reddick. Then again, The Continental is one of those places where you always have to be on your fashion game; so maybe this choice was easier than I thought.

Emily Nelson (A Simple Favor)

Paul Feig’s cinematic adaptation of A Simple Favor saw Blake Lively dipping her toe into all corners of the fashion spectrum. Through looks borrowing from both traditionally masculine and feminine modes, it all looked deadly beautiful throughout her neo-noir character’s arc. 

The Protagonist (Tenet)

Inspired by Sean Connery’s James Bond fashion, Tenet costume designer Jeffrey Kurland crafted fashions for The Protagonist (John David Washington), as well as his accomplice Neil (Robert Pattinson) that evoked the classic era of 007. Kind of fitting for a movie where incremental time travel is the game, and Christopher Nolan’s discipline for panache is also very much present. 

Astrid Leong (Crazy Rich Asians)

Astrid Leong (Gemma Chan) has a heart of gold, and the fashion sense to match it. Throughout the entirety of Crazy Rich Asians, she never failed to show up in some of the most gorgeous outfits; even in moments where her heart was breaking in devastating detail. Every time she’s on screen, it’s like watching a fairy tale.

Jay Gatsby (The Great Gatsby)

When you’ve got a character that’s described as “the man in the cool beautiful shirts,” your costume design needs to measure up. Director Baz Luhrman’s adaptation of The Great Gatsby used the talents of costume designer Catherine Martin to do just that, giving Leonardo DiCaprio’s interpretation of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s tragic character the finest threads money could buy. 

Tracy Chambers (Mahogany)

Mahogany’s Tracy Chambers (Diana Ross) has aspirations to be a fashion designer herself. So it’s only fitting that she not only found her way into modeling, but also onto this list of snazzy dressers. Epitomizing the color and opulence of the disco era, her cautionary tale saw Tracy looking absolutely fabulous, even in her most dire moments. 

Nigel (The Devil Wears Prada)

If you haven’t heard it before: Stanley Tucci is a man of great fashion. One of the best examples of this is the role of Nigel in The Devil Wears Prada. While he’s a bit nicer spreading the gospel of fashion than his boss Miranda (Meryl Streep), Nigel doesn’t let up in his keen eye for style in the process.

Jackie Brown (Jackie Brown)

Whether she’s coming home from flying the friendly skies, or keeping one step ahead of her criminal compatriots, Jackie Brown (Pam Grier) always looks fantastic. Of course, her striking blue uniform for her day job is what’s always stuck out in Quentin Tarantino’s film. That being said, Ms. Grier’s civilian clothes are no slouch either, especially in that food court outfit where she’s stylishly wearing a Kangol cap.

Thomas Crown (The Thomas Crown Affair)

Billionaire by day and thief in his downtime, The Thomas Crown Affair’s titular rogue is always sharply suited for the occasion. Pierce Brosnan’s James Bond movies certainly set a similar expectation, but this 1999 remake gave the actor some room to roam; even if he wasn’t contractually allowed to be seen in traditional black tie. 

Foxy Cleopatra (Austin Powers in Goldmember)

Borrowing from the rich fashion history of blaxploitation heroines, Austin Powers in Goldmember gave Foxy Cleopatra a whole lot of looks for a whole lot of woman. Then again, when you’ve cast Beyoncé as your female lead, it’s kind of hard to make her look anything other than stunning. Still, an abundance of color and flare is seen through every costume change in this spy movie spoof.

Patrick Bateman (American Psycho)

‘80s business attire was a unique beast that had stock brokers ready to step out into the night once the closing bell had rung. Using GQ and Esquire as a bible, it’s no wonder how American Psycho’s Patrick Bateman (Christian Bale) always looked as sharpened as a kitchen knife. Though spare a thought for the man’s dry cleaners, as he does have a bit of a temper.

Niobe (The Matrix Reloaded & Revolutions)

Pretty much everyone in The Matrix is a snazzy dresser, especially when they're in The Wachowski's cyberspace playground which gives the film its title. But extra credit has to be given to Niobe (Jada Pinkett Smith), as she's not a simple black-and-white dresser. With a long red coat that sets her apart from the rest, reflecting her colorful wardrobe in the real world, The Matrix Reloaded and Revolutions were a bit brighter when she battled it out on screen.

Marvello Rubini (La Dolce Vita)

There are certain fashion touchstones of cinema history that will never, ever go out of style. And one such look is the classic suit and sunglasses worn by Marcello Mastroianni’s Marvello Rubini, in one of the greatest Italian movies of all time, La Dolce Vita. You can never go wrong with that black suit, but the eyewear that Federico Fellini's protagonist wears throughout the picture really clinches the win every time.

Elle Woods (Legally Blonde)

Pink is a hard color to work with because, in the wrong context, it could be seen as much too loud. Meanwhile, Legally Blonde icon Elle Woods (Reese Witherspoon) never met a shade of this pigment she didn’t like. Her signature hue throughout both films, this legal eagle soars high in the sky with flying colors; and it never goes out of style. 

Danny Ocean (Ocean’s Eleven)

A friend once told me, “no one looks as cool as Danny Ocean getting out of prison.” Judging by the look George Clooney’s Ocean’s Trilogy mastermind is rocking at the beginning of that first movie, it’s hard to argue. It’s even more difficult to argue that through all three films, the man isn’t bringing his A-game every single time he steps out.

Annie Hall (Annie Hall)

Blazing a trail for women’s fashion, Annie Hall’s eponymous figure took what was traditionally seen as “men’s clothing” and used it as her own statement to the world. Played brilliantly by Diane Keaton, her keen fashion sense was matched by her wicked wit, more often than not being deployed against lovelorn Alvy Singer (Woody Allen). 

Frank Abignale (Catch Me If You Can)

What is it about confidence crooks that gives them such brilliant fashion sense? Perhaps when Frank Sr. (Christopher Walken) told his young son Frank Jr. (Leonardo DiCaprio) about how those Yankees pinstripes bedazzle the competition, he was onto something. As a result, Catch Me If You Can’s “real fake” is seen kitted out in everything from pilot’s uniforms to orange sweaters, and he’s always looking dapper as a result. 

Reynolds Woodcock (Phantom Thread)

“Meticulous” is one word that sums up Phantom Thread’s Reynolds Woodcock (Daniel Day-Lewis). Paul Thomas Anderson’s dark comedy about romance, fashion, and all the illnesses in between saw the Academy Award-winning legend retire in literal style, playing a fashion designer who would never step foot out the door with even a hair out of place.

Ginger McKenna (Casino)

Martin Scorsese’s Casino shows Las Vegas through some of its most tumultuous years. And one of the indicators of how time passes is in the fashion, as Ginger McKenna (Sharon Stone) goes from good-time gal to the trusted wife of casino manager Sam “Ace” Rothstein (Robert DeNiro). Gliding through the years with an effortless eye, Ms. Stone’s costumes maintain an air of control, even when her character seems to be losing that very grasp in life.

Cher Horowitz (Clueless)

Cher Horowitz (Alicia Silverstone) is the ‘90s, period. A fashionista who made something like yellow with black plaid into a work of art, our Clueless hero is anything but when she’s putting together her outfits. Who could ever forget the first time they saw some of Cher’s most signature looks in play?

Jules Winfield (Pulp Fiction)

The look of a simple black suit cannot be understated, especially when someone like Samuel L. Jackson is the person wearing it. As imposing fixer Jules Winfield in Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction, Jackson wears this outfit for most of the movie’s running time; save for those sequences taking place after one catastrophic accident. Even in a random t-shirt and shorts, the man knows how to make an impression and keep all the Fonzies in the room cool. 

Rachel Chu (Crazy Rich Asians)

While Rachel Chu (Constance Wu) isn’t from the same sort of world as the family of her boyfriend Nick (Henry Golding), that doesn’t stop our Crazy Rich Asians lead from engaging in a makeover. As the film progresses, and through some friendly makeover advice from her best friend (Awkwafina), confidence and fashion are both boosted in equally impressive ways.

Trent (Swingers)

Most would remember the lead characters of Swingers for their big band revival threads that play a big part in their trip to Vegas. However, if you look at the styles that Trent Walker (Vince Vaughn) displays throughout the movie, he is a true example of making anything work. Even his outbursts in a late-night dining situation look sharp, as he knows how to crush a look when he’s relaxed or when he’s switched on. 

If you were looking for some style icons to look up to for a near-future wardrobe refresh, look no further than these movie mavens. With all sorts of looks at work for all types, there’s bound to be something here that could give you the upgrade you’ve been hoping to achieve. And now that you’ve read through this handy guide to such delights, don’t you think you’ve earned it?

The summer of 2023 was a great one for live music, with a number of pop icons going on stadium tours including P!nk, Taylor Swift, and Beyoncé. The latter two filmmakers also adapted their concerts for film, which made it to theaters via AMC. While Taylor Swift's Eras tour broke records first, Bey followed suit with Renaissance: A Film by Beyonce. I missed the Renaissance Tour live, and the film really made me feel better as a fan. 

The FOMO was real for me over the summer, as I had plenty of fans who saw the Renaissance tour. I watched with envy on social media as everyone rocked fierce outfits and enjoyed the show, while I used the funds I could have bought a ticket with to go on vacation. So when Beyonce announced the Renaissance film, I was overjoyed that I'd finally be able to scratch that itch.

And the movie did just that. Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé ran for 168-minutes, and featured most of the songs that she regularly performed while touring the world for her acclaimed new album. Additionally, the documentary also revealed the tons of work done to make such a spectacular show exist. And Beyonce's documentary has also done well in theaters. 

My crowd for the Renaissance film was the perfect amount of rowdy, occasionally dancing or applauding Bey's performance without disturbing anyone's viewing experience. My friends and I dressed up for the occasion, and I finally got to see the spectacular visuals, choreography, and vocals from the show. Dancing within my seat, it felt like I was finally let it on the fun.

Case in point: the moment in every show where Beyonce tells the crowd to go on mute. Countless videos went viral during the tour, where audience member who failed to keep quiet were chastised by the fans. Being able to experience it in theaters was thrilling, especially since the documentary tested us by featuring a blooper and even a shot of Cardi B that could have easily made folks react. But I'm proud to say we stayed mute until Queen B gave us the clear and continued "Energy." 

On top of being treated to the Renaissance tour from the comfort of AMC's reclining seats, the behind the scenes moments from the documentary were also quite entertaining. It was fascinating to see the hard work that went into the stadium show, and the way Beyonce's detail-oriented mind. And the sequence surrounding Blue Ivy's appearance on the tour was also quite moving. Plus there was a Destiny's Child reunion involved. And while Tina Knowles recently defended her daughter, she also had some touching moments in the doc. 

Of course, my experience watching the Renaissance film can't compare to those fans who saw the tour in the flesh. And since there's also a narrative in the documentary, some songs from the show had to be cut for time. That includes a number of ballads from the start of the show, including favorites like "1+1". But considering I otherwise could have missed out on the tour entirely, I'm counting my blessings. JLo is following in Beyonce's foosteps next, albeit in a different way. 

Renaissance: a Film by Beyonce is in theaters now. Be sure to check out the 2024 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience.

The first weekend of December is typically a down one for the box office. In the wake of Thanksgiving and the glut of new films that arrive in theaters to take advantage of the holiday, a lot of folks seem to go for a calm, do-nothing stretch that includes not going to their local movie theater. Because of this audience behavior and intense market competition, studios typically save their big new titles for deeper into the month. 

This year is a bit different, however – and it's thanks to Beyoncé. Following the blockbuster success of Sam Wrench's Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour, 2023 has now seen the release of a second major concert film with Renaissance: A Film By Beyoncé. Thanks to the titular star's massive fanbase, the new feature easily took the #1 spot in the Top 10 this week... though the numbers don't quite compare to those that Swifties were able to generate.

Check out the full Top 10 in the chart below and join me after for analysis.

Renaissance: A Film By Beyoncé Is Another Concert Movie Win, But The Numbers Pale Compared To Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour

When Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour arrived in theaters in mid-October, it was, for lack of a more appropriate word, historic. Prior to October 15, the biggest concert film of all time had been Jon M Chu's Justin Bieber: Never Say Never, which made $99 million worldwide in its full theatrical run. The Taylor Swift release made that much money in three days. It was an eye-opening development, and it instantly geared a lot of industry anticipation toward Renaissance: A Film By Beyoncé.

Now, the latest massive concert movie of 2023 is here, but the results aren't quite as Earth-shattering. The Beyhive flocked to cinemas and easily made the new wide release the number one film in North America, but it made only about 20 percent of what The Eras Tour did during its first Friday-to-Sunday. The results are more in line with the performance of the aforementioned Justin Bieber: Never Say Never, which made $29.5 million when it debuted on the big screen in February 2011. Three years before that, Bruce Hendricks' Hannah Montana & Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert made $31.1 million in the three-day wake of its domestic premiere (it went on to make $65.3 million in the United States and Canada and $70.7 million worldwide).

According to The Numbers, the Beyoncé movie has made $6.4 million overseas thus far, bringing its global box office haul to an estimated $27.4 million to date.

So what is the industry to take away from this? For starters, it continues to be a challenge to put out films in the first weekend of December, and it seems that even appealing to a massive fanbase can't quite get a new release to overcome that massive hurdle. It also doesn't appear that concert films are now set up to be the hottest new thing on the big screen. Gold was clearly struck with Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour, and there was hope that it might be the start of a special theatrical trend, but the first effort to try and recreate that success hasn't gone exactly as planned. Renaissance: A Film By Beyoncé registered as the perfect title to follow-up the success of the big October win, but things didn't quite work out as planned. 

Naturally, what will be interesting to see from this point forward is how the film may or may not develop legs. It's possible that this was simply a terrible weekend to put out anything new, and the Beyhive will be more into the experience next week. This coming Friday isn't exactly overflowing with massive new blockbusters, and that vacuum could end up being a big opportunity for the Beyoncé film. It will certainly be a focus of my box office column next week.

Godzilla Minus One Has A Solid Opening Weekend While Silent Night Fails To Find An Audience

With Renaissance: A Film By Beyoncé expected to take the top spot at the box office this weekend, arguably the biggest surprise of the last three days has been the performance by Takashi Yamazaki's Godzilla Minus One. While the American MonsterVerse featuring both Godzilla and Kong regularly produce massive big screen movies, the kaiju imports from Japan haven't historically done as well. For example, Hideaki Anno and Shinji Higuchi's Shin Godzilla only made $1.9 million during its extremely limited domestic release in 2016. 

But the new feature has ridden a wave of buzz to a great start in the United States and Canada. Godzilla Minus One has earned rave reactions from critics, and it has been the subject of extremely positive word of mouth from audiences. The movie is currently sporting a 97 percent approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and it has gotten an "A" grade from surveys by CinemaScore. That has led to an $11 million opening weekend, and it may end up continuing to do well as more people tell their friends and family about their big screen experience.

Existing on the opposite side of the spectrum is John Woo's Silent Night. Coming out in the first weekend of December, Lionsgate was clearly hoping to recreate the success of Tommy Wirkola's Violent Night from last year (featuring David Harbour as a killer Santa Claus), but things did not go as planned with the dialogue-free new release. The 2022 feature made $13.5 million in its first three days, and thanks to buzz through the holiday season, it ended up making over $50 million domestically. Joel Kinnaman's new film will not have matching success.

Silent Night was released in over 1,800 locations this past Friday, but it only made about $1,604 per theater in the last three days, equating to a $3 million opening weekend. With a 59 percent score on Rotten Tomatoes and a "C" grade from CinemaScore, it's hard to see a comeback story developing through the rest of the month. 

Coming up this Friday, Hayao Miyazaki's The Boy And The Heron will be arriving in wide release, while Yorgos Lanthimos' Poor Things starring Emma Stone, Mark Ruffalo and Willem Dafoe will be making its theatrical debut in limited theaters following its very successful run during the fall festivals. These titles are others should help shakeup the Top 10, so be sure to head back here to CinemaBlend next Sunday to check out the weekend box office results.

In the meantime, you can check out our 2023 Movie Release Calendar to learn about everything still to come out before December 31, and you can get a jump start on next year by checking our our Upcoming 2024 Movies guide.

Over the last year, we’ve seen two absolutely iconic women running the world with their best-selling global tours and massively popular concert films on the 2023 movie schedule. These two icons are obviously Beyoncé and Taylor Swift – who released Renaissance: A Film By Beyoncé and Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour. So, to emphasize just how empowering their musical feats are, Blake Lively took to Instagram to pay tribute to their achievements with a hint of her signature sense of humor, and it really got me.

We all know that Blake Lively and Taylor Swift are besties, and the former Gossip Girl star has shown her love for the pop star before. So, when the "Anti-Hero" singer attended Beyoncé’s Renaissance premiere in London, the actress came along, and she took to Instagram to post about her admiration for both musicians. Uploading a series of incredible photos of herself with the two pop stars, Lively also wrote a heartfelt message about women in entertainment. She made sure to point out how empowering it has been to see the singers work against the expectation that they’d be pitted against each other, writing:

Ever since these two mega tours began, but specifically after Beyoncé announced her theatrical concert release a few months after Swift released the Eras Tour the same way, comparisons of the two gargantuan pop stars have been overwhelming. However, rather than competing against each other, the “Cruel Summer” and “Break My Soul” singers have stood as a united front, with both women attending the premieres of both concert films. 

It’s an empowering message to send to everyone, but especially women, that we’re all stronger if we work together and not against one another, as Lively pointed out. 

While her message is so sincere and incredibly important, the A Simple Favor star also had to throw a tad of her sarcastic and absolutely hysterical sense of humor into the mix. After explaining how empowered she was by the two artists, she made sure to note that they should also not feel threatened by her own “pop stardom.” I couldn’t help but snicker about his funny way to close out the post:

If you’ve followed Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds’ relationship, you know they’re known for trolling each other while simultaneously supporting one another. Their shared signature sense of sarcastic humor is legendary, and the fact that the actress applied it to her post about Swift and Beyoncé is the best thing ever. 

Overall, I’m seriously obsessed with Blake Lively’s post about her powerhouse friends, and her “pop stardom” comment will live in my brain rent-free for the foreseeable future. 

While Blake Lively isn’t the pop star her friends are, she is a powerful and empowering woman in her own right who is working on her company Betty Buzz as well as the upcoming adaptation of It Ends With Us, which we can’t wait to learn more about. As for her pals, Taylor Swift’s list of projects is long, and she’ll continue to travel the world with her Eras Tour. Meanwhile, Beyonce just released her concert film, and you can catch Renaissance in theaters now. 

Just a couple of months after Beyoncé completed her record-setting Renaissance world tour, the pop sensation is back in shimmering silver celebrating the release of her concert film that was announced as the five-month concert run was wrapping up. The songstress previously went viral this week for platinum blonde hair and a silver gown at the Los Angeles premiere. More recently though, the icon stepped out in two looks for the London premiere. And wow, her afterparty dress is the real stunner, as it featured a gigantic broach -- but the fan comments are what I really can't stop focusing on.

When the 42-year-old star attended the London premiere for the newly released Renaissance: A Film By Beyoncé, she wore a gorgeous black sparkly blazer dress. However, when she did an outfit change for the afterparty, she stepped out in the even more stunning dress mentioned above, which gave me (and so many fellow fans pause). Check it: 

The A-lister is wearing a Balmain minidress that is full of embroidered pearls, crystals and silver sequins. But the star of the whole look is undoubtedly the gigantic broach situated at the center of the piece featuring a blue sapphire. By the way, a sapphire is Beyoncé’s September birthstone, which I’d imagine is a reference to her Renaissance hit song “Virgo’s Groove.” It’s an ornate look, but I’ll admit I got caught up in the comment section, with hilarious quips like this one: 

And I don’t think of that comment as shade, I think it’s truly a practical question. How is the Dreamgirls star enjoying a fancy dinner (as pictured in slides 3 and 4) with an art piece of a dress like that? A ton of other commenters were genuinely curious as well. One person responded with “we’re too poor to understand,” while another said “a queen knows etiquette in whatever she wears, that's what makes her queen.” Here’s another fun comment: 

It really is a gorgeous fashion moment that Beyoncé is absolutely making her own. But of course, there are some jokes to be made about the broach being such a massive part of the look. This one had me giggling: 

Now, that’d certainly be a festive way to celebrate Beyoncé’s incredible 2023 in the spotlight! Her Renaissance movie is among 2023 new movie releases that just debuted in theaters. The movie is expected to become No. 1 at this weekend’s box office (per Box Office Pro) as other fall movies like The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, Wish and Napoleon will trail behind in numbers. More immediately though, fans are impressed enough with her ensemble:

As Beyoncé has stepped out this week to promote the movie, which she directed, her Destiny’s Child sisters supported her at the Los Angeles premiere. The "Love On Top" singer's L.A. look created some viral controversy when people claimed that the singer lightened her skin for the premiere. Her momma, Tina Knowles called out those who hated on her daughter, sharing she’s “sick and tired of people attacking her.” There was plenty of love in the comments of this latest post, though, along with other funny comments like the one below:

Taylor Swift also dazzled in silver at the London premiere while supporting the Lion King star after she attended her own premiere of her Eras Tour movie in Los Angeles in October. You love to see these two supporting each other and having some serious fashion moments. I'm not sure how Queen Bey will top this latest one, but she's surprised us before. You can see her on the big screen with the Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé  movie, now playing in theaters. 

Taylor Swift and Beyoncé are showing their love and support for each other again, because the Eras Tour headliner has popped up at the premiere of the "CUFF IT" singer's Renaissance concert film in London. Not only, did Swift show her love for her fellow megastar simply by attending, but she also showed up in "Style," proving that she fully understands the assignment of the Renaissance. 

Just like how Beyoncé attended the premiere of Taylor Swift's Eras Tour concert film earlier this year, the "Lavender Haze" singer made the trip across the pond to repay the favor. She appeared at the Renaissance concert film event in a stunning silver gown that I think the "Love on Top" singer would be proud of. You can take a look at the shining shimmering gown for yourself:

Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour outfits are very colorful, and specific to each album. Meanwhile, Beyoncé’s Renaissance fashion was inspired by disco – like her album – and, while she’s leaned into Barbiecore for some of her concert fits, overall, silver is this project’s color. 

If you look at the album cover of Renaissance specifically, you can see Beyoncé rocking a silver diamond bikini, and when fans showed up to her concerts this year, they’d don silver, sparkling outfits in the spirit of the album. This became such a universal outfit choice at her shows that the disco ball cowboy hat the pop star wore sold out so fast the Etsy artist had to shut down her site. 

As you can see in the video above, Taylor Swift understood the aesthetic goals of the Renaissance with her stunning silver gown. It’s a tight silver-sequined floor-length dress that features a high slit on her leg. While the look is overall very Beyoncé, it’s also totally on-brand for Swift, as she paired the look with a red lip, black heels and a wavy hair do. 

Following the announcement that Beyoncé would be taking a page out of Swift’s book and releasing a concert film, she showed her support for the “Cruel Summer” singer by attending the Eras Tour premiere. The two posed for a cute video together that was posted on the Midnights artist’s Instagram. Through this, it was made clear that these two record-breaking mega-stars have nothing but love for each other. Now, Swift showing up at the Renaissance artist’s premiere is simply underlining and bolding this point. 

Honestly, seeing these two powerhouses supporting each other in style is so empowering, and I love that they have attended each other’s concert film events. 

If you want to see Beyoncé’s incredible concert on film (and why Taylor Swift’s look was so on-brand for its premiere) Renaissance: A Film By Beyoncé premieres on the 2023 movie schedule December 1. And, if you are looking to catch Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour, it will be available on demand starting December 13. While you catch both of these incredible performances, I’ll still be thinking about both Swift and Beyoncé’s absolutely stunning and on-brand looks from this night. 

Every once in a while, the folks at Studio 8H book an SNL host who's note an actor and ends up nailing it and many of these examples include people who make music for a living. On other occasions, the artist serving as that night’s musical guest may make an appearance in a sketch or two to show the world that they can be funny, too. The following are some of our favorite examples of famous musicians we usually love to sing along to, but had as laughing along with them in a great SNL bit.

Single Ladies Video Shoot (Beyoncé)

In this fictionalized behind-the-scenes look at the legendary “Single Ladies” video, Beyoncé is shocked and annoyed by the director (host Paul Rudd) and his decision to make her back-up dancers three grown men who turn out to be his stepsons. This Season 34 favorite is actually a twofer that ended up happening because, as MTV News recalls, the former N*SYNCer convinced Queen B to participate in the sketch by showing up at her Studio 8H dressing room in the very leotard he wears alongside Andy Samberg and Bobby Moynihan.

SNL Digital Short: Jack Sparrow (Michael Bolton)

The music video for the fourth track off The Lonely Island’s sophomore album, Turtleneck & Chain, starts off as an unusually earnest effort for the trio. That is until their guest singer, Grammy-winner Michael Bolton, starts throwing in references to the Pirates of the Caribbean movies and later, other cinematic favorites like Forrest Gump and Scarface. For its masterful handling of a truly random idea and irresistibly catchy hook, “Jack Sparrow” is easily one of The Lonely Island’s best music videos and perhaps, some of Bolton’s all-time best work.

Africa Tourism (Adele)

For reasons that are never quite clear — perhaps Kate McKinnon’s accent or the sensuous ways she says “tribesman” — host Adele could not stop laughing while performing in a fake ad for African tourism. Nonetheless, the Oscar-winning,  impeccable James Bond theme song (“Skyfall”) singer’s gigglish reaction — complete with a priceless cross-eyed gaze — is just what makes this Season 46 sketch so memorable.

The Old West (Elton John)

When Elton John hosted SNL during Season 36, he appeared as himself for most of the night, except for in one sketch that proved he can be as much a maestro with comedy as he can be with the keys. The Grammy-winner pokes fun at himself, too, by playing a flamboyantly dressed cowboy, who rides into a small western saloon on a unicorn.

Please Don't Destroy: Three Sad Virgins (Taylor Swift)

In one of Please Don’t Destroy’s most popular SNL bits, the guys are, at first, excited to collaborate with Pete Davidson until their music video becomes a roast at the trio’s expense. “Three Sad Virgins” only gets more “humiliating” when they reach the slowed-down bridge, courtesy of Taylor Swift, whom PDD never imagined would agree to star in the video in the first place.

Mick is Pointing, Pointing, Pointing at Himself (Mick Jagger)

In the early 2000s, when The Rolling Stones returned as musical guest, lead singer Mick Jagger starred in a sketch as himself opposite Jimmy Fallon as the artist’s reflection. The future Tonight Show host’s impersonation of the legendary rock star sitting across from him is so hilariously convincing that even Jagger can’t help but crack a smile.

Pippa Visits the Queen (Katy Perry)

It's surprising that Katy Perry hasn't hosted SNL more often — let alone acted in more things outside the Smurfs movies — given how well she demonstrated her comedic skills on the show in 2011. The grandest highlight is when she dons a Cockney accent to play Pippa Middleton in a sketch poking fun at the Royal Family.

Pandora Radio (Bruno Mars)

Admittedly, the concept of this sketch — in which a Pandora radio employee (played by host Bruno Mars) must sing like artists such as Justin Bieber and Michael Jackson when the website crashes — doesn’t make a whole lot of sense. But who cares? Watching the Grammy-winning hitmaker kill it with his spot-on musical impersonations is stunning.

Hotel Ad (Billie Eilish)

Both Billie Eilish — someone we’d love to see return to SNL as both host and musical guest — and her brother and bandmate, Finneas, star in this funny fake ad for a hotel that is a little too open about the alarming activity that takes place there. The Grammy and Oscar winner is very funny in the sketch but cannot stifle her laughter, which is understandable when Kate McKinnon is your scene partner.

The Barry Gibb Talk Show (Justin Timberlake)

We could not have picked a sketch featuring pop sensation-turned-master thespian Justin Timberlake — already one of the all-time greatest SNL hosts — without making sure Jimmy Fallon was also involved with it. Thus, it was easy to pick “The Barry Gibb Talk Show,” in which Fallon, as The Bee Gees’ lead vocalist, hosts a political discussion program featuring his most silent brother, Robin (Timberlake). 

Stevie Wonder Impersonator (Stevie Wonder)

After demonstrating his own wonderful impersonation of Stevie Wonder, Eddie Murphy shared the stage with the musical genius himself in a classic sketch from 1983. The future Academy Award-nominated SNL star plays an expert in impersonations, who is asked to help improve the Stevie Wonder impression of a man played by Wonder himself.

Judge Barry (Chance The Rapper)

Having only appeared on SNL four times — twice as a host and twice as a musical guest, each for different episodes — Chance the Rapper has already proven himself to be worthy of the hosting hall of fame, especially with this courtroom sketch. Before Jason Momoa rips open his shirt and steals the show, the hip-hop artist is fantastic as a judge who bases his rulings only on first impressions.

Parole Board (Blake Shelton)

When appearing as host and musical guest during SNL’s 40th season, country music superstar Blake Shelton demonstrated surprisingly impressive acting chops. He was in a sketch that initially seems to recreate a classic scene from the great Stephen King movie The Shawshank Redemption. However, a parole board member played by the former Voice coach bluntly reveals that Kenan Thompson’s prisoner has committed an unforgivable offense that leaves him with very little chance of freedom.

Blizzard Man (Ludacris)

To give his new album an extra boost, Ludacris (as himself) brings in a fabled hip-hop artist known as the Blizzard Man (Andy Samberg), who, as it turns out, cannot rap and does not even bother to rhyme his aggressively lame lyrics. The veteran of the Fast and Furious movies later appears alongside T-Pain in another edition of this sketch that is only made funnier by the fact that Samberg is totally capable of dropping some sick rhymes.

Parents Call (Halsey)

In host and musical guest Halsey’s monologue for her Season 44 episode, she described herself as an SNL fanatic, and her performance throughout the show really proves it. The Sing 2 cast member’s admiration for the show is especially evident when she dons a comically exaggerated New Jersey accent as a woman having an awkward, revealing phone call with her son (played by Mikey Day) in this sketch.

SNL Digital Short: Shy Ronnie (Rihanna)

In SNL’s 35th season, musical guest Rihanna teamed up with The Lonely Island for the first time on a Digital Short starring Andy Samberg as the title character. The comic plays a man who is too nervous to rap… as long as the “Umbrella” singer is in the room. It garnered a sequel called, “Shy Ronnie 2: Ronnie & Clyde,” featuring Rihanna and Samberg dressed as Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway’s titular roles from 1967’s Bonne and Clyde.

Bond Casino Showdown (Tim McGraw)

We knew Tim McGraw could act from his roles in movies like The Blind Side and Country Strong, but never realized just how funny he could be when he hosted in Season 34. The hilarious peak of the 1883 cast member’s episode is a James Bond movies parody in which a vacationing redneck (McGraw) participates in a poker tournament with 007 (Bill Hader) and Le Chiffre (Fred Armisen).

SNL Digital Short: I'm On A Boat (T-Pain)

When Andy Samberg finds a winning ticket a boat ride for three in his cereal box, he invites fellow Lonely Islander Akiva Shaffer but skips over Jorma Taccone to select T-Pain. The rapper, famous for his use of auto-tune, is key to making the other ridiculous “I’m on a Boat” video a celebrated anthem for taking it easy while cruising through water.

The Train Poet (Johnny Cash)

One of the first musical artists to try their hand at acting as an SNL host was Johnny Cash, who actually only starred in three sketches from his Season 7 episode (two of which he never speaks in). Yet when the legendary “Man in Black” stars as a train passenger expressing his fond memories of his commute in a rhyming monologue, he really gives it all.

Rap Roundtable (Questlove) 

In one of Questlove’s most notable cameos, The Roots drummer participates in a panel of hip-hop artists also including Queen Latifah (Pinkie Johnson) and two up-and-comers (Pete Davidson and Timothée Chalamet), who clearly don’t know anything about the genre. What really helps ease this almost terrible SNL sketch to something amazing is when the Academy Award-winning director of Summer of Soul puts an end to the young “rapper’s” mindless ramblings by striking them with his hair pick.

Wayne's World: Aerosmith (Aerosmith)

Many would agree that Wayne Campbell from “Wayne’s World” — which inspired one of the funniest SNL movies — is still one of Mike Myers’ best characters. But deciding on the recurring sketch’s peak moment is a bit trickier. Ultimately, we have to go with the time Aerosmith — with help from their roadie and Garth’s (Dana Carvey) cousin, Barry (one of Tom Hanks’ best SNL characters) — appeared on the no-budget cable access program and performed their own rendition of the theme song.

Punk Band Reunion At The Wedding (Dave Grohl)

Dave Grohl appears in a sketch or two nearly every time he and the Foo Fighters perform, but, arguably, his best SNL bit comes from when he played with Them Crooked Vultures — a supergroup he formed with Josh Homme and John Paul Jones. The former Nirvana drummer became a part of another band that night consisting of Fred Armisen, Bill Hader and host Ashton Kutcher in a sketch that sees aging punk rockers bring the house down at a wedding reception.

Spider-Man Kiss (Chris Martin) 

In one of the most popular sketches on SNL’s YouTube Channel, a dramatized inside-look at the making of 2014’s The Amazing Spider-Man 2 reveals that then-real-life-couple Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone (both playing themselves) had some trouble shooting their climactic kissing scene. The solution: bringing in Chris Martin — frontman of the night’s musical guest, Coldplay — to don a blonde wig and take Stone’s place.

Hamm & Bublé (Michael Bublé)

This SNL sketch prominently featuring the A-list host, Jon Hamm, is framed as an ad for a new eatery co-owned by the Mad Men cast member and musical guest, Michael Bublé, called Hamm and Bublé (pronounced “bubbly” by Hamm). However, as the Canadian crooner reveals in song, he thinks the restaurant’s concept — serving ham with champagne — is ridiculous and is being forced into the business against his will.

SNL Digital Short: Boombox (Julian Casablancas)

One of The Lonely Island’s most unique collaborations saw Julian Casablancas — lead singer of Manhattan-based rock band The Strokes — provide vocals for the hip-hop trio’s 2010 song, “Boombox.” The video, which premiered on SNL in Season 35, sees Andy Samberg and Casablancas attempting to rescue strangers from mundane scenarios with the power of music, only for us to discover by the ending that is was a “cautionary tale” all along.

Spelling Bee (Tenacious D)

In a sketch that was partially mprovised and conceived by SNL star Will Forte, a young spelling bee contestant’s attempt to spell the word “business” results in an astonishing failure — consisting of an innumerable amount of random letters spouted for more than a minute. Suddenly, host Jack Black appears with his Tenacious D bandmate, Kyle Gass, to perform a song revealing that the bit was inspired by an embarrassing moment from the School of Rock star’s childhood (which is not true, by the way).

Little Drummer Boy (Whitney Houston)

In one of Molly Shannon’s most iconic appearances as Mary Katherine Gallagher, the overly ambitious Catholic school student struggles to out-sing her rival choir member, who happens to be played by the night’s uber-talented musical guest, Whitney Houston. Shannon recalled to Howard Stern (via YouTube) how she was actually able to convince the initially reluctant Houston to appear in the bit by telling her she just had to act “snotty.”

Garth Brooks Backstage With Tracy (Garth Brooks)

The second time Garth Brooks hosted SNL, the musical guest was his own rock star alter ego, Chris Gaines — a bizarre concept that earned mixed reactions in the late ‘90s. The country singer showed he had sense of humor about it all by participating in a sketch taking place backstage with Tracy Morgan, who criticizes Gaines in front of Brooks, unaware that they are the same person.

Waking Up With Kimye: Apple Genius (Lady Gaga)

When Kim Kardashian and Kanye West were still married, SNL had a recurring sketch that starred Jay Pharaoh and Nasim Pedrad as the celebrity couple hosting their own morning talk show. One edition featured host Lady Gaga as an Apple Store employee who makes a cleverly self-effacing comment about the true intentions of people who “try too hard with their outfits.”

Wayne's World (Madonna)

In one of many of Wayne Campbell’s (Mike Myers) iconic interactions with famous musicians, the cable access program host recalls the time he shared a romantic encounter with none other than Madonna. Garth (Dana Carvey) gets to experience the memory first-hand in the pre-taped bit, which also features a random cameo by the late Prince.

Orchestra (Lizzo)

Lizzo is famous for three unique talents: playing the flute, twerking, and performing both acts at the same time. That simultaneous mastery is demonstrated beautifully in a sketch from her Season 47 episode in which she plays an orchestra hopeful who is unable to play the flout without twerking.

Gangnam Style (Psy)

In SNL’s Season 38 premiere, host Seth MacFarlane starred in a sketch as a Lids clerk who tries to cheer up his co-worker (played by Kenan Thompson) by summoning Psy to perform “Gangnam Style” at the push of a button. Bobby Moynihan plays the viral K-pop sensation for most of the segment until the man himself appears in a surprise cameo at the very end.

A great way for musicians to show that their talents stray behind song and dance is by acting on SNL, as seen in these sketches.

Over the weekend, Beyoncé stepped out in a silver gown and platinum blonde hair for the Los Angeles premiere of her concert film Renaissance: A Film By Beyoncé ahead of one of this weekend’s 2023 new movie releases hitting theaters. Following her latest red carpet look, people on social media were quick to criticize the singer for appearing to have lighter skin in photos, and her mother, Tina Knowles is not having it with the haters. 

Following the backlash, Tina Knowles took to Instagram to repost a reel a fan made highlighting the hate Beyoncé is currently receiving with clips of the singer over the years showcasing the pop star’s identity as a “brown skin girl.” Beyoncé’s mom shared that she felt it was important to spread the message after seeing a ton of “stupid,” “ignorant” and “racist” statements about her daughter. In her words: 

As Tina Knowles wrote, Beyoncé’s red carpet look was channeling the theme of the concert film. Her mother also seemed to debunk the rumor that she’s “bleaching her skin” while speaking on the topic, and she shared that a member of TMZ’s staff had reached out to the singer’s hairstylist to get a comment on the whole thing. As she continued: 

Knowles' post was met with an outpouring of support, and that included some rather big names commenting on the post. Octavia Spencer affirmed that Beyoncé’s mother has raised “PROUD TO BE BLACK women” and “anyone who says otherwise has their own issues to deal with.” Wicked’s Cynthia Erivo wrote “Snaps to all this!!! You have every right to stand behind your baby girl!!!” Knowles also wrote this in the post: 

Beyoncé announced the Renaissance concert movie in September just days after Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour concert movie was announced. This week Jennifer Lopez shared she’s following in both their footsteps in her own way with the release of her own upcoming album. At the Los Angeles premiere, the other two members of Destiny’s Child attended to support Beyoncé along with Tina Knowles, Vanessa Bryant, Halle and Chloe Bailey, Issa Rae and more. 

Beyoncé’s Renaissance movie was written, directed and produced by the singer herself. It chronicles the megastar as she developed and performed her highest-grossing world tour to date across 2023. The movie hits theaters on December 1. Check out what other artists we think should get their own concert movies after Beyoncé and Taylor Swift. 

True friendship means showing up to celebrate each other’s achievements. It doesn’t matter how long you’ve been apart, when something like Beyoncé’s Renaissance is about to land on the 2023 movie schedule, people are going to show up. And while they weren’t pictured together at that concert film’s big premiere, the whole lineup for Destiny’s Child was present to commemorate Queen Bey’s big night. 

Former groupmates Kelly Rowland, Michelle Williams, LaTavia Roberson and LeToya Luckett were all on hand to deliver looks and support at the recent Renaissance premiere event. However, as reported by People, there wasn’t a big reunion moment for the world to take part in. At least, not one that was seen by the general public. 

However, that just means the ladies got to take their own time to shine individually throughout the evening. And naturally, there are some stunning photos that were taken to still inspire hopes for an eventual re-teaming of this iconic pop act. In the meantime, take a look at these photos from the event, showing off Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams, respectively: 

With looks like those, and all of Destiny’s Child together in one location, there’s one subject that everyone is probably starting to mull over right now. Perhaps the reason behind the lack of an in-public reunion  was, quite simply, that the Destiny’s Child women might want to duck any sort of rumors of getting the group back together for a reunion tour.

That’s exactly what happened with N*SYNC’s big VMA reunion, and those hopes aren’t going away any time soon. And while what we know about Renaissance definitely indicates that the movie is as a celebration of Beyoncé’s career as a solo artist, through the presentation of her latest concert tour, this just makes thoughts of the girls back together again increasingly harder to dismiss.

It doesn't seem that far off to question that possibility, as Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams teamed up for Beyoncé's 2018 Coachella set. What cannot be questioned, however, is just how good LaTavia Roberson and LeToya Luckett also looked when taking the silver carpet for Bey's big concert movie. From left to right, you can see just how much each woman sparkled in an already luminous event: 

Is there a potential for a Destiny’s Child reunion? Anything’s possible through the powers of women, and I’d be surprised if there wasn’t already a mention of such a possibility. But unfortunately rumors, speculation, and vague pop culture prophecies are all we have to go on for now. So don’t hold your breath, but keep hope alive; because who knows what the future will bring.

Brace yourselves folks, as Renaissance: A film by Beyoncé is set to take the stage, only in theaters. And if you’re a Taylor Swift fan who happens to also be part of the Bey Hive, you could probably make it a double feature as Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour Concert Film is probably still playing. And know that Jennifer Lopez is following in their movie footsteps with a project of her own. Check your local listings before heading out, and don’t forget to warm up your voice, as well as your dancing shoes.

Musicians have long mixed their skilled artistry with the magic of cinema by way of concert films. While those have been produced for some time now, we seem to be going through a bit of a boom when it comes to those kinds of productions. Most recently, both Taylor Swift and Beyoncé have been dabbling in that sphere. The former recently marked the release of The Eras Tour film, while the latter has Renaissance (which we have details on) hitting theaters this week. Well, it would appear that another songstress is following in their movie footsteps, as Jennifer Lopez has her own production on the horizon. However, she’s doing it her own way. 

For some time now, JLo has been teasing her new album and, this week, she officially announced it along with a release date. This Is Me…Now – her first studio album in over a decade – is officially set to be available on February 16, 2024. But that’s not all, as the singer has also teamed up with Amazon MGM Studios and Nuyorican Productions for This Is Me…Now: The Film, which is a movie that’s “inspired by the music.” If that weren’t exciting enough, that flick is set to be released on the same day as the album. According to the press release, the feature is “a narrative driven, intimate, reflective, sexy, funny, fantastical musical and visual reimagining of [Lopez’s] publicly scrutinized love life.” A further description of the project reads as follows:

The first bit of footage from the production, which can be seen above, teases an ambitious piece of work on Jennifer Lopez’s part. And it would make sense that the star would want to pull out all the stops for this one. Not only is it her first studio compilation in a decade, but it also serves as a sister album to 2002’s This Is Me... Then. Lopez actually believes that album prophesized her relationship with Ben Affleck, so it holds a special place in her heart. All in all, releasing a film to coincide with the release of the new music seems like a smart move.

What is somewhat surprising is that the “Jenny from the Block” performer opted not to negotiate a deal for this production to play on the big screen. While not a sure thing, the movie could’ve seen some success there. Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour broke box office records during its opening weekend and is now one of the most profitable productions of the year. Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé is also in the position to do some solid numbers. Still, what may have factored into the decision for JLo’s project is that hers isn’t a straight-up concert flick but one with a direct narrative. 

Regardless of what the reasoning behind the decision was, it’s likely that plenty of the iconic singer’s fans are going to be delighted to see the film and of course, hear the album. It goes without saying that Jennifer Lopez has gone through a considerable number of changes in her professional and personal lives since she dropped This Is Me... Then. It seems her latest musical companion pieces are going to heavily draw from the various experiences she’s had over the past several years. If that description and footage are any indication, we’re in for some truly raw and emotion-evoking art.

So be sure you have a Prime Video subscription so that you can check out This Is Me…Now: The Film when it drops. You can also look forward to the release of Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé, which opens on December 1 as part of the schedule of 2023 new movie releases.

Music and the movies are two worlds that cross over often, and to great effect. Sometimes the greatest overlap between those segments of entertainment comes from performances through figures we primarily know for carrying a tune over a scene. But believe it or not, these 32 movies featuring professional musicians are noteworthy for providing talent that can do both. 

Janelle Monáe - Hidden Figures

Playing Mary Jackson, an African-American mathematician crucial to the early days of NASA’s space race, Janelle Monáe showed off her dramatic chops in the historical drama Hidden Figures. One of the earliest cinematic roles in her career, Monáe would go on to become a more prolific actor and singer, adding films like Glass Onion: a Knives Out mystery to her resume along the way. 

David Bowie - The Prestige

As he continues to build amazing ensemble casts to carry out his cinematic visions, director Christopher Nolan has a knack for choosing talent. Which leads to that time Nolan begged David Bowie to be in The Prestige, as the helmer felt that the actor/singer would be a perfect Nicola Tesla. That instinct was as well played as the film it served to bolster.

Lady Gaga - A Star Is Born

Lady Gaga is such a natural entertainer that when she was announced as a lead in Bradley Cooper’s A Star Is Born remake, it didn’t feel like that much of a surprise. With previous films and shows to her acting credit, this role could be considered her cinematic breakout, as it landed her many raves, awards and nominations during the 2018-2019 awards cycle.

Frank Sinatra - The Manchurian Candidate

By the time Frank Sinatra made The Manchurian Candidate, his career had seen him make musicals, comedies, and intense dramas alike. The 1962 neo-noir thriller became one of his best received films, as Sinatra’s Captain Bennett Marco and his quest to prevent a clandestine assassination attempt distinguished itself as a contemporary hit, as well as an all-time classic. 

Queen Latifah - Set It Off

A landmark ‘90s drama that’s still fondly remembered to this day, Set It Off told a story of four women looking to live better lives through thievery. Queen Latifah’s Cleo Sims made up a part of that team, offering a complex performance that was both tragic and empowering. 

Gene Simmons - Runaway

Kiss frontman Gene Simmons knew what it was like to surprise the world when he and his bandmates took off their makeup for a period between the ‘80s and ‘90s. That was as good a time as any for Simmons to break into acting, as the villainous Dr. Charles Luther in Michael Crichton’s Runaway. 

Whitney Houston - The Bodyguard

If The Bodyguard had been made when it was first written, we might have seen Ryan O’Neal and Diana Ross playing the leads. But, as anyone in Hollywood could tell you, delays can sometimes gum up the works. Which is how, by time the ‘90s rolled around, Kevin Costner and Whitney Houston landed the iconic leads in this romantic-drama; with Houston making her historic cinematic debut.

Tim McGraw - The Blind Side

A year after Tim McGraw starred in Four Christmases, the country singer experienced two life changing moments. Not only did McGraw’s weight loss journey start to take off, but his acting career saw him co-starring with Sandra Bullock in the sports drama The Blind Side.

Beyoncé - Dreamgirls

2006 was a banner year for Beyoncé’s film acting resume, thanks to Deena Jones, part of the central trio in the musical drama Dreamgirls. The Renaissance woman helped boost director Bill Condon’s musical to awards glory, alongside co-stars Anika Noni Rose and Academy Award winner Jennifer Hudson. 

Lenny Kravitz - The Hunger Games

Lenny Kravitz jumped into the acting game in a pretty big way, after playing himself in several film appearances. Perhaps his most iconic role yet is that of portrayal of Cinna, stylist to Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) in The Hunger Games. Inspiring everyone’s favorite tribute into subtle acts of rebellion, Kravitz’s warmth helps solidify the guidance that helped turn Katniss into a hero for the ages. 

Cher - Moonstruck

“Snap out of it!” With four words, Cher became a romantic-comedy legend, as she tried to deal with Nicolas Cage’s amorous advances in Moonstruck. Not only did that impress audiences overall, it landed her the award for Best Actress at 1988’s Academy Awards as well.

Flea - The Big Lebowski

If you thought “Nihilist #2” in The Coen Bros’ legendary comedy The Big Lebowski looked or sounded familiar, you have a good ear. Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Flea is the actor credited for that role, providing some comedic menace in Jeff Bridges’ neo-noir classic about blackmail, death, and bowling. 

Dolly Parton - 9 To 5

With a balance of commanding wisdom and unlimited sweetness, Dolly Parton is a country star that will always be an icon. However, watching 9 to 5 just might shock you, as the dark comedy shows her teaming with Lily Tomlin and Jane Fonda to teach Dabney Coleman how to treat a woman in the workplace. Let’s just say that lesson goes beyond a catchy theme song.

Dean Martin - The Sons Of Katie Elder

Rat Pack icon of cool Dean Martin is mostly known for either his comedies alongside musical pals Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis Jr., or his long running partnership with Jerry Lewis. But outside of either of those canons is Martin’s parts in westerns like The Sons of Katie Elder, which saw the crooner playing brother to genre legend John Wayne. So you can see how this was a pretty big deal back in 1965. 

Madonna - A League of Their Own

A League of Their Own's Mae Mordabito is quite possibly Madonna's most memorable part. As center fielder for the Rockland Peaches, she plays the entire cast with comedic precision with her free spirited character. 

Eminem - 8 Mile

Playing a fictionalized version of your own experiences isn’t a guaranteed success. And yet, Eminem took 8 Mile’s aspiring rapper Jimmy “B-Rabbit” Smith and made believers of fans and critics with his acting abilities. It was enough of a success that, decades after he has yet to take on another major film role, people are still curious if Marshall Mathers will ever lose himself in a movie again. 

Mandy Moore - A Walk To Remember

Pro-tip: if you’re a pop star that wants to become an actor, a Nicholas Sparks movie just might be the surest way to test those waters. Mandy Moore can attest to that fact, as her role in 2002’s A Walk To Remember was probably a good warm up for her future success as part of NBC’s drama series This Is Us. If you’re a fan of that meteoric network hit, and you haven’t watched this movie, you owe yourself a moment to correct that. 

Isaac Hayes - Escape From New York

A certain generation of Isaac Hayes fans will know him best as a soulful singer, while others would recall his velvety pipes from the romantically obscene Chef from South Park. And right in between those groups are the die hard fans of the best action movies ever who would remember Hayes as the menacing Duke in John Carpenter’s Escape from New York. 

Brandy - Rogers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella

Everyone has their favorite Cinderella, and for Disney growing up in the ‘90s, Brandy is a prime candidate for those honors. Which is totally valid, as the singer’s leading portrayal in Rogers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella is a magical glass slipper that ties the entire cast of notables together. To imagine this movie without her is, quite frankly, impossible.

Sammy Davis Jr. - The Cannonball Run

The entire Rat Pack of Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Sammy Davis Jr. were all actors, as well as singers, at the height of their powers. One of Davis’ best gigs, besides the original Ocean’s 11, came out of The Cannonball Run, which reunited him with fellow pally Martin for two films of vehicular madness. 

Janet Jackson - Poetic Justice

Writer/director John Singleton’s Poetic Justice could very easily be counted as an acting win for either Tupac Shakur or Janet Jackson. However, Ms. Jackson wins out no question, as her dynamic performance as Justice anchors both the dramatic, and the romantic halves of this picture. Not to mention, this project marking Janet’s debut as a feature film actor is still a powerful statement felt by her fans.

Andre Benjamin - Four Brothers

While Four Brothers isn’t an exact, on-brand remake of the western The Sons of Katie Elder, it’s pretty close. The similarities between the two Paramount movies are even eerier when you think about how Dean Martin’s acting career was enriched by the 1965 western, and Andre “3000” Benjamin saw the same sort of fortune come from his part in the 2005 action-drama.

Diana Ross - Lady Sings The Blues

Upon its release in 1972, Lady Sings The Blues sparked critical debate over how good of a biopic it really was. What wasn’t up for question was the excellence of Diana Ross’ performance as Billie Holiday; a feat that not only won her raves from critics, but also scored her a Best Actress nomination at 1973’s Academy Awards.

Usher - Light It Up

Not long after Usher made his movie debut in Robert Rodriguez's The Faculty, he graduated to being a lead player in the ensemble for writer/director Craig Bolotin's Light It Up. Going back to high school with Rosario Dawson and Sara Gilbert as classmates, Usher took part in a teenage rebellion with a cause more serious than any alien invasion.

Alicia Keys - Smokin’ Aces

The words “professional assassin” aren’t exactly what come to mind when talking about singer/songwriter Alicia Keys. That perception is part of how 2006’s Smokin’ Aces was such an explosive surprise upon its initial theatrical release. Keys and Taraji P. Henson’s double act as hired killers with a job to do helped keep this ensemble action dramedy spinning with chemistry to spare.

John Legend - La La Land

Is John Legend’s La La Land character a villain? It depends on who you ask, with his part in splitting up Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling’s on-screen romance acting as a defining factor. Unsurprisingly, the piano man’s charm and musical prowess added some extra star power to Damian Chazelle’s colorful musical.

Mariah Carey - Precious

People like Mariah Carey and Charlize Theron “deglamming” for performances in powerful dramas only helped amplify their performances. In Theron’s case, that led to her first Academy Award nomination in Monster. Meanwhile for Carey, director Lee Daniels’ heartbreaker provided her with a credit that wowed the critics to an impressive degree.

Alice Cooper - Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band

Decades before Across the Universe turned the Beatles songbook into a jukebox musical, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band used that premise to a campier extent. This is, after all, the movie where you can see Peter Frampton and the Bee Gees “fighting” villains like Aerosmith and Steve Martin. And a part of that collection of baddies is an equally creepy and intriguing Alice Cooper, playing the role of cult leader Father Sun. 

Björk - Dancer In The Dark

Writer/director Lars Von Trier’s Dancer in the Dark was only singer Bjòrk’s second motion picture. You’d never know it, as this beautiful but tragic mashup of drama and music saw the Icelandic singer-songwriter land a heartbreaking blow with her character Selma. Trust us, you need the right headspace, and a lot of tissues, to take on this experience.

Common - Run All Night

While Common eventually got to hunt down Keanu Reeves’ titular assassin in John Wick: Chapter 2, he practiced his killer skills with another action vet: Liam Neeson. Run All Night pitted the rapping/acting talent against Mr. Neeson, and the war waged between the two men is something truly impressive to behold. 

Britney Spears - Crossroads

Not a girl, not yet a woman, and because of Britney Spears’ intense “method acting” in Crossroads, there was one more thing she wasn’t at the time: an actor. Though she’d eventually play a couple other roles here and there, preparing to star in this teenage drama road trip was enough to make Spears question how much she really wanted to act. 

Prince - Purple Rain

The world knows the many sides of Prince through his mythic career as a guitar god and musical boundary pusher. Purple Rain made that image all the stronger, as the man is basically playing himself, with some dramatic and comedic embellishment. The result is a movie that was a white hot success, and a powerful calling card in Prince's future endeavors on both sides of this fence.

While it’s not for everyone, actor/musician crossovers are always interesting to keep an eye out for. Both commanding successes and curious one-off scenarios are equally intriguing, as one never knows where the next success story will come from. Aspiring singers and actors alike take note: these cases we’ve just discussed are good studies to keep in mind when plotting your own course to stardom!