The horror genre's renaissance is showing no signs of slowing down, to the delight of fans like me. Some of the best horror movies have returned to theaters with new sequels, including Wes Craven's Scream. Drew Barrymore was famously killed off in the 1996 original, but she recently dropped an A+ way that her character could be brought back for an upcoming horror movie. Let's break it all down.

Scream continues to be one of the best horror franchises, and we've recently gotten three new movies in theaters (and streaming with a Paramount+ subscription). The seventh movie brought back a ton of dead legacy characters, and while speaking to Laurie Metcalf about her cameo on The Drew Barrymore Show, the E.T. star icon offered a way Casey Becker could return. In her words:

Honestly, I'm in. While the Scream movies have gone in deep about Sidney Prescott's backstory and her mother Maureen's history, they haven't done a deep dive on some of Ghostface's early victims. And it would be awesome to learn more about Casey's life prior to being the slasher franchise's opening victim.

The reason for Casey's murder only becomes obvious towards the end of the original Scream movie, when the identity of Ghostface(s) is revealed. It turns out that Stu was mad that she broke up with him to date Steve, which is why they were targeted in that iconic kill sequence. And the hardcore fans like me would no doubt enjoy seeing this dynamic play out.

Obviously this is unlikely, given that decades have passed since Drew Barrymore brought Casey to life (and death) in Scream. So either the role would need to be recast, or de-aging technology would need to be utilized in order to make this story come to life. Still, it's a fun entry point that I've got to tip my hat to Barrymore for.

Drew has played Casey a few times during her talk show's run, rocking that blonde wig and white sweater to great success. And now that Scream 7 included the return of Laurie Metcalf, Scott Foley, Matthew Lillard, and David Arquette, just about anything feels possible. So why not find a way to explore more of Casey Becker's story?

Scream 7 is still in theaters now as part of the 2026 movie release list, and the rest of the franchise is streaming over on Paramount+. We'll just have to wait and see if Drew Barrymore ever get to retun to the role of Casey on the big screen.

The Drew Barrymore Show is a burst of sunshine on the 2026 TV schedule for millions of viewers every weekday thanks to the actress-turned-host’s positivity. But another thing about the Emmy-winning show that’s easy to rave about is how real Barrymore is always keeping it for her viewers. And this week, the 51-year-old talked candidly about the rollercoaster that is perimenopause.

Perimenopause is the transition phase all women go through starting around their 40s before saying goodbye to periods and the potential for pregnancy for good. Since Drew Barrymore has been hosting her talk show and going through perimenopause, she’s been honest about symptoms like hot flashes, weight gain and irregular periods. Honestly, it’s pretty refreshing to see a movie star like her talking about it out in the open. Here’s what she said on the latest episode:

In a segment called “Drew’s News,” which she hosts with Ross Mathews, Barrymore gave herself a minute to explain to everyone about how she was really feeling, even though she looked all glammed up, and amazing as usual. As she continued:

It sounds like Barrymore is ready to say adios to her time of the month, but her body had a little surprise for her. She brought up all the things she feels, and it’s honestly so relatable if you’re also a woman. Check out the clip:

Fans love the moment, saying things like “SAME GIRL SAME” and appreciating the star for talking about it on TV. A few other women took to the comment section to detail feeling very similarly recently as well.

On the topic, Barrymore also went viral back in 2023, for claiming she had her first hot flash while doing an interview with Jennifer Aniston and Adam Sandler. And, previously Barrymore has talked about feeling like she gained 27 pounds “overnight” due to perimenopause, which is reportedly common (per Woman And Home) along with struggling mentally with hormone changes.

Drew Barrymore of course got her start as a child actor in movies like E.T. and Firestarter before finding success as an adult in the ‘90s with movies like Scream, The Wedding Singer, Ever After and Never Been Kissed. She hasn’t really been acting lately since she started hosting The Drew Barrymore Show for CBS since 2020, but rumor has it she’s involved in a new Charlie’s Angels movie and it sounds like she’d do another rom-com with Adam Sandler if presented with the opportunity.

No matter what she does, it's great to see a very common, but stigmatized part of being a woman is being showcased by Drew Barrymore. What an icon.

Long before Luke Grimes joined the Yellowstone cast and went to Montana to play Kayce Dutton, he was living in LA. Back when he first moved to California, he had quite the run-in with two iconic women, too. Now, he’s sharing the story from 20 years ago about the time he tried to hit on Drew Barrymore and Cameron Diaz.

Now, as Grimes was promoting the release of his Yellowstone spinoff, Marshals, on the 2026 TV schedule, he dropped by The Drew Barrymore Show. When he walked onto the stage, the host seemed very excited to meet him. However, he quickly set the record straight, with the following conversation:

• Luke Grimes: You want to hear something crazy?
• Drew Barrymore: What?
• Luke Grimes: We've met before.
• Drew Barrymore: How, because I’ve…Where?

Well, he sure told her where. According to Grimes, they met at a club because he was dared by a friend to go up to her and Diaz, who have famously stayed friends since making Charlie’s Angels. In the Marshals star’s words:

In response to that question, Barrymore said “of course,” which prompted Grimes to continue his story. Recalling why he ended up walking up to her and Cameron Diaz while there all those years ago, the Yellowstone star said:

Barrymore, who was enamoured by this story, asked Grimes what happened after that. He explained that he did work up the courage to talk to the Charlie’s Angels stars. He also recalled the two actresses’ reactions to his pick-up line, explaining:

Barrymore quipped amid this that Diaz’s reaction felt on-brand. Meanwhile, she affirmed her own reaction too, telling Grimes, “Thank you for even trying to fake a pickup line.” So, clearly, she was charmed by this whole ordeal then and now.

All this reminded me of how much I’d love to see Barrymore and Diaz make a movie together. However, now I’m thinking a good co-star for them could be Luke Grimes. Maybe his game can be better in a movie than it was in that club two decades ago.

Now, I’d really be curious to hear what Cameron Diaz thinks of this story, especially now that Grimes isn’t an unknown actor. He’s a vital part of the Dutton family tree, a big CBS star, and you can stream his show (which airs live on CBS every Sunday at 8 p.m.) with a Paramount+ subscription.

We live in a time where it feels like movie franchises that were big in the 1990s and 2000s are the prime target for nostalgic movies, considering sequels to The Mummy, Practical Magic and The Devil Wears Prada are all on their way. That could also include Charlie’s Angels if what we’re hearing about Sony’s plans to call Bosley and bust out the angels pan out. Let's talk about it:

My Big Hope For The New Charlie’s Angels Movie

In a new report, Sony Pictures is hard at work on a new Charlie’s Angels movie, and they’ve already made their first hire. Per The Hollywood Reporter, Pete Chiarelli, who also penned The Proposal and Crazy Rich Asians, has been hired to pen the script. But, here’s the real kicker, the news also includes claims that Drew Barrymore and her production company Flower Films are involved, too. Are you thinking what I’m thinking? Reunion!

Obviously, I’d love to see Drew Barrymore, Cameron Diaz and Lucy Liu back in action for a third Charlie’s Angels movie – especially since they remain friends over 20 years following making the movies together. Seeing Barrymore’s name on the report from an often very accurate source has me thinking it could happen. But, of course there’s also a possibility Barrymore hopes to take a more backseat, behind-the-scenes role in the next Charlie’s Angels movie, too.

What The Charlie’s Angels Actors Have Said About Returning

Since I’m taking this hope full throttle, let’s look back at what the trio of Charlie’s Angels actresses have said about returning for a sequel in the past few years. In 2022, Barrymore said she would make Charlie’s Angels 3 “in a heartbeat,” per Instagram. In 2024, Liu was asked and reacted by saying “I’m never going to say no to that,” but also expressed uncertainty about if it would ever actually happen. And then last year, when Cameron Diaz was promoting Back In Action, she said “it’d be amazing” to make the sequel.

In other words, it sounds like if the right script came along and all three women approved and had time in their busy schedules, it could be made. The only main actor that we’re doubtful would come back is Bill Murray after we heard there was a shouting match on set between him and Lucy Liu.

Sony eyeing a reboot for Charlie’s Angels comes seven years after the studio tried to revitalize the franchise that started in the 1970s with Kristen Stewart, Naomi Scott and Ella Balinska. The movie directed by Elizabeth Banks flopped with a $73.3 million gross worldwide against a budget of $50 million. Banks has shared regrets about the movie being marketed “just for girls,” while Stewart said she “hated” making it.

Drew Barrymore currently spends most of her week filming The Drew Barrymore Show in New York City. Cameron Diaz is set to star in a movie with Keanu Reeves called Outcome this year, along with reprising her role as Princess Fiona in Shrek 5. Lucy Liu will star next in The Devil Wears Prada 2 coming this summer. While I don’t expect to hear more news about this until the script has been written, I’m crossing my fingers it will feature the 2000’s Charlie’s Angels somehow.

Some of Adam Sandler’s best romantic comedies have to be the ones in which he co-stars with Drew Barrymore. The duo have such a sweet dynamic, and considering it's been over a decade since their last rom-com, Blended, we think it’s about time they starred in their next one. While our hopes for their on-screen reunion is nothing but a dream right now, they did recently reunite. In the process, they shared one pact they’ve made on their shared rom-coms thus far I didn’t know about.

Adam Sandler guested on The Drew Barrymore Show to talk about his new movie, Jay Kelly, which is now streaming for those with a Netflix subscription. Barrymore brought up this fun fact about their popular movies, saying:

Some of the most magical sequences between the actors are the moments where Adam Sandler’s characters have sung to Drew Barrymore. Memorably, Sandler surprises Barrymore on a plane with “I Want To Grow Old With You” at the end of 1998’s The Wedding Singer. I know I’m moved every time I watch Sandler pluck “Forgetful Lucy” by fireside in 2004’s 50 First Dates. As Barrymore revealed, she wouldn’t let those scenes be filmed any other way but live in the moment. As Sandler added during the talk show moment:

It’s an inspired decision by Drew Barrymore, because in those scenes you really feel the joy and amazement from her characters that you might not get the same if they had rehearsed the scene over and over. It must be so much fun for the both of them to film these scenes knowing they are surprises, and they’ve obviously become classic romantic comedy moments since. (Though, there has been some debate on the internet if Barrymore or Jennifer Aniston is Sandler’s best movie love interest).

Could Drew Barrymore and Adam Sandler recapture their dynamic with another love story? Well, the pair did talk about this back in 2020, where Barrymore said they should “wait” until they “find something amazing,” noting it has to be “special” and “as iconic” as their other roles together. Given the fact that Sandler has often reunited with familiar co-stars and remains close friends with Barrymore, I certainly am holding out hope that she’ll get another live serenade, and we’ll see another great serenade sequence between them.

Meanwhile, you can see Adam Sandler team up with George Clooney in Jay Kelly, out now.

Sabrina Carpenter really pulled out all the stops for her Halloween concert at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Not only was everyone in costume on stage, but the pop star herself had three different Halloween fits ready for the occasion. However, the fun didn’t stop there. That’s because when Drew Barrymore showed up to get arrested for being hot, she paid homage to one of the best horror movies with her costume.

Sabrina Carpenter Had Three Costumes For Her Halloween Show

So, last year, the “Espresso” singer performed a concert on Halloween, and she wore three different costumes throughout the show. She did the same thing this year, and I’d say she stepped up her game, too.

To start the show off, she revealed that she was wearing a perfect sparkly Wonder Woman outfit. Take a look:

Then, when she normally wears a black one-piece, she appeared dressed as cowgirl Barbie. Looking just like Margot Robbie’s titular character when she’s in the Real World, Carpenter really rocked the pink like she was in the movie Barbie:

Finally, she ended her show in a two-piece set inspired by Fred Flintstone from The Flintstones, which was easily the most surprising and funny costume of the night:

Now, right before she performed “Juno,” she revealed her bright orange look by arresting a fan in the crowd for being hot. In the past, she’s arrested Millie Bobby Brown, and the pink handcuffs have also gone to SNL’s Domingo, Anne Hathaway, Joe Keery, Gigi Hadid and more. However, on Halloween, she bantered with Drew Barrymore, who was dressed as the Scream killer who murdered her character in the 1996 classic.

Drew Barrymore Showed Up Dressed As Ghostface

As I’m sure we’re all aware (and if you aren’t, sorry for the spoilers for a movie that came out almost 30 years ago), Drew Barrymore’s Casey Becker was the first Ghostface kill ever. Her opening scene in Scream shocked tons, and to this day, it’s considered iconic. So, for the actress to show up at Carpenter’s concert as a Ghostface killer was a legendary move:

Just the concept of this bit is brilliant. However, Drew Barrymore’s commitment to it made it even better. I love how theatrical she was with her reveal, and I am so here for the silly and flirty energy she and Sabrina Carpenter threw at each other.

Now, I need to go watch Scream with a Paramount+ subscription, and I’m also thinking about how great Sabrina Carpenter would be in a Scream movie. She has the sense of humor and the acting skills to fit into that world perfectly. However, that’s just a fantasy.

What’s real is Ghostface, I mean Drew Barrymore, showed up at her concert, and I seriously cannot get over how incredible this all was!

It was a big day for Drew Barrymore and her talk show, The Drew Barrymore Show! While her program continues to air on the 2025 TV schedule, she is celebrating big time because she just got an Emmy for hosting her program. Now, the actress has posted about taking home the gold, and she included an adorable video that I cannot get over.

About a month after the 2025 Primetime Emmy Awards happened, the Daytime Emmy Awards were given out to programs like Live with Kelly and Mark, General Hospital, The Drew Barrymore Show and more. For the E.T. actress, this was a particularly monumental ceremony because she took home the award for Outstanding Daytime Talk Series Host. This is the first time she’s ever won this award, and to celebrate, she posted a heartfelt statement on Instagram that said:

That last sentence, where she said to swipe, leads to a video of Barrymore when she was 7 years old accepting her first award ever in 1982. She accepted the award for E.T., and during her speech, seemingly through tears, she noted how much she appreciated the award and explained that this was “her first award.” It’s adorable, and you can see her acceptance speech and post-win interview in the ET video below:

Since The Drew Barrymore Show started in 2020, the host and the show have each received four Daytime Emmy nominations. This year marks her first time winning an award for hosting, and it’s her first Emmy ever.

She was up against Jenna Bush Hager and Hoda Kotb of Today with Hoda and Jenna, Kelly Clarkson from The Kelly Clarkson Show, Mark Consuelos and Kelly Ripa from Live with Kelly and Mark, and Jennifer Hudson of The Jennifer Hudson Show. So, considering the competition was stacked and this was her first time ever winning, I’d say Barrymore’s throwback video was very fitting for this occasion.

Over the last five years, Barrymore has given us some unforgettable daytime talk show moments, and it’s always fun getting to see her get personal with her guests. It’s been nice to watch her thrive in this space as she stepped away from acting and into this new realm of the entertainment industry. While I will always love and adore Drew Barrymore’s movies, I am also so here for the conversations she has on her shows and the hilarious moments she shares with her guests.

She has a knack for this daytime talk show game, and now she has an Emmy to prove it! To see the show that won Drew Barrymore her “first” Emmy, you can watch The Drew Barrymore Show daily on CBS and stream it the next day with a Paramount+ subscription.

While Chloe Fineman is best known for being a cast member of Saturday Night Live (which is currently in its star-studded 50th season), she's been (literally) sexily strutting into new projects. While promoting her new movie Summer of '69, she fully taught Drew Barrymore the right steps to up her 'sexy walking' ways, too. However, the real star of the show was Fineman's unique and spotlight-stealing structured dress.

While talking about the coming-of-age sex-filled comedy, the duo got up during Fineman’s interview to practice some of the things the SNL member had learned while preparing to play a stripper. The easiest of the moves involved a catwalk-like stroll, and that's the clip you'll find below:

First and foremost, the tutorial is big LOL material. Along with it, watching both women get into the spirit of what the SNL castmate trained for is fun, and things get even better as more jokes are exchanged.

However, seeing that structured mini in full after Fineman got up is what I stuck around for. The second I realized the full extent of the garment, I couldn’t take my eyes off of it, and I wasn’t the only one–Barrymore complimented her ‘fit in front of the crowd.

The dress is bold yet subdued between the neutral color and the abstract cut. Other stars have pulled off similar structured feats, like Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande's Oscar dresses or the after-party dresses EmRata and Kim K wore. It always astounds me when celebs can pull something like this off, with asymmetrical and gravity-defying lines, hems or other daring details.

Now, while Fineman's dress wasn't made for a full step-by-step of stripper inspired moves, she humorously pulled off the look and the lesson with style.

Before the two took to the floor to practice their sexy walks, they also chatted about the Megalopolis alum’s stripper prep work for Summer of ‘69 (which premieres on the 2025 movie schedule next month and will be available for those with a Hulu subscription). The movie that shares its name with the famous Bryan Adams song is a quirky and sex filled coming-of-age story filled with familiar funny faces (including Charlie Day, Nicole Byer and more). And while Fineman never got to Mikey Madison levels of training for Anora, the funnywoman clocked a good amount of hours for her comedic take on the career.

Speaking about it all on The Drew Barrymore Show, she shared the following about her experience:

I didn’t know too much about this coming directorial debut of Jillian Bell’s, but I’m looking forward to its May 9th release. The thought of Chloe Fineman as an exotic dancer helping a high schooler woo a crush is amusing to say the least. Also, knowing that she took the time to prep with a professional should make her role all the better.

Summer of ‘69 can’t come soon enough, if it’s half as funny as Fineman and Barrymore doing their sexy walks. Also, let’s hope the movie’s wardrobe is as cool or aesthetically pleasing as this mini.

Until next month, though, I’ll be happy to think about Fineman's fabulous dress and watch her during SNL’s big season with my Peacock subscription.

When one thinks of Drew Barrymore, one probably thinks of her breakout role in E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial or her myriad of iconic romantic comedies. Her name is definitely not synonymous with performing her own stunts in the way Tom Cruise’s name is, and yet, Barrymore is still nursing an injury from filming Fever Pitch over 20 years ago.

This particular scene in the 2005 movie, which took place at a baseball game, saw the Charlie's Angels actress actually performing the stunt on camera instead of using a stunt double. It turns out Barrymore is still paying the price for the move, telling Entertainment Weekly:

For those who might not be familiar with the underrated rom-com, Fever Pitch followed Ben (Jimmy Fallon), a Red-Sox-obsessed teacher who falls in love with executive Lindsey (Barrymore) during baseball’s off-season. They have the perfect relationship until baseball starts up again, and Ben starts putting baseball before his relationship.

This, of course, leads to problems, and Lindsey breaks up with Ben. Desperate to prove that he’s serious about her, Ben decides to sell his season tickets, but when Lindsey finds out about it, she feels terrible. Determined to stop him from making a terrible mistake, she buys tickets in the outfield and jumps down onto the field before sprinting to Ben to stop the sale from happening. It’s a butterfly-inducing moment in the movie and one of the few times we see a man on the opposite side of a grand romantic gesture

Like the true professional she is, Barrymore pushed through the pain to finish the scene, but maybe she should have used a stunt double after all. Thankfully, Barrymore doesn't regret the movie and instead has fond memories about filming the sports rom-com that allowed her to work with the Farrelly brothers — one of her favorite directors.

In addition to telling the story about the potential that her chronic back pain stems from the movie, Drew Barrymore also shared that she believes Lindsey and Ben are still going strong, attending Red Sox games, and loving life. Barrymore also opened up about what her favorite thing about filming Fever Pitch was, and it has nothing to do with the love story on screen.

Instead, the Emmy-nominated talk show host said the thing she enjoyed the most was getting to watch Fallon fall in love with Barrymore’s “favorite person,” Nancy Juoven, who has been the Never Been Kissed star’s producing partner and co-founder to their production company since 1995. The happily married couple met for the first time when Barrymore hosted Saturday Night Live and brought Juoven along. However, it wasn’t until Fever Pitch that a relationship started to bloom.

Given this trio's rich history together and Barrymore and Fallon’s masterful chemistry, I think it’s time we see them reunite on screen and make another movie together. And with Fever Pitch turning 20, now might be the perfect time to start thinking about potential sequels. I know I would definitely be watching.

Last week, Val Kilmer died at the age of 65. In addition to credits like The Doors, Top Gun, Tombstone and Heat, the actor was also well known for his sole outing as Gotham City’s Caped Crusader in Batman Forever. Drew Barrymore was one of Kilmer’s co-stars on the 1995 flick, and as someone who’s unironically a fan of Forever (ok, maybe there’s a smidge of irony), it was touching hearing the actress talking about her experience working with him.

Kilmer came up while The Drew Barrymore Show’s title host was speaking with Kevin Bacon, who was plugging his TV series The Bondsman (which premiered just a few days ago on the 2025 TV schedule) and also worked with Kilmer on a play called The Slab Boys. The two briefly Bacon’s movie Flatliners, which was directed by Joel Schumacher, who also helmed Batman Forever. That prompted Barrymore to say:

Drew Barrymore starred in Batman Forever, the “good" assistant for Tommy Lee Jones’ Two-Face, while Debi Mazar played Spice, the “bad” assistant. Barrymore and Val Kilmer shared screen time when Bruce met Sugar, who was posing as Edward Nygma’s date, a party that the man secretly known as The Riddler was hosting for the debut of his brainwave device called The Box. Thanks to some trickery on Sugar’s part, Bruce’s mind was exposed to the Box, allowing Riddler and Two-Face to later learn that he was Batman.

After Barrymore recalled her experience on Batman Forever, Kevin Bacon observed that the safe environment she was talking about was “probably not that common in those days,” to which she responded:

Drew Barrymore’s comment on Val Kilmer follows Jim Carrey’s, who played Riddler in Batman Forever and called the Batman actor a “generational talent.” Outside of the DC Comics space, Tom Cruise paid tribute to his Top Gun costar during Paramount Pictures’ presentation at CinemaCon, and Glen Powell, who met Kilmer while working on Top Gun: Maverick, called him “incredible.” As far as Batman goes, Kilmer described playing the role as “isolating,” and he left the character behind when he realized it didn’t matter who was wearing the cape and cowl.

As a result, George Clooney took over playing Bruce Wayne for Batman & Robin, which… well, there’s a reason he keeps apologizing for that performance. You can stream those Batman movies alongside many others, both live-action and animated, with a Max subscription.

The actress and royal long known as Meghan Markle seems to be entering a new era, one marked by a significant change. During an episode of her lifestyle show on the 2025 TV schedule, With Love, Meghan, the star corrected Mindy Kaling when she referred to her as “Markle.” The host clarified that her last name is “Sussex,” and she seems to be owning that now. Said assumption is based on the fact that the apparent rebrand seeped into Meghan’s appearance on The Drew Barrymore Show.

What Happened When The Duchess Of Sussex Appeared on The Drew Barrymore Show?

During the March 6 broadcast of Drew Barrymore’s eponymous talk show, the host initially introduced the Duchess simply as “Meghan.” However, later in the broadcast, Barrymore introduced her guest as Meghan Sussex at the start of a cooking segment. She later called Sussex by her name once more when starting the “Fast Five” portion of the show (which is on YouTube). These mentions of her last name provide an indication of how the Suits alum now wants people to reimagine her identity.

This name-related development is not quite as awkward as the situation that occurred on With Love, Meghan (which is streamable with a Netflix subscription). At one point in Mindy Kaling’s episode, the titular host said that she found it “so funny” that Kaling kept calling her “Markle.” The royal then clarified that she wants to share a surname with her children and finds that to be truly “meaningful” for her and her “little family” with Prince Harry.

Speaking of Mrs. Sussex’s spouse, there was a brief moment during Meghan’s recent talk show appearance in which she clarified that Harry’s last name is Sussex. That came after Drew Barrymore asked if she could refer to him as “Harry.” All in all, it would seem that the media personality is standing firmly by her decision to drop “Markle” publicly. That decision has also been subject to a lot of discussion.

Why It Could Be Difficult For Meghan Markle To Rebrand Herself

It should be mentioned up front that Meghan’s decision to go by “Sussex” isn’t incorrect, given that name was bestowed upon her by the late Queen Elizabeth II when she and Prince Harry became the Duchess and Duke. However, as Us Weekly notes, it can be hard for a female member of the British royal family to shake their maiden name. A keen example would be the case of Meghan’s sister-in-law, Catherine, Princess of Wales. While that’s her formal title, many still refer to her as Kate Middleton.

One could certainly argue that it could be challenging for the general public and members of the press to stop using the name “Meghan Markle.” With the name she’s gone by for years as a public figure, the Duchess has permeated pop culture in a major way. Just recently, there was even a Markle-related joke on the CBS show Elsbeth.

It’s honestly interesting to consider that if Meghan returns for Suits LA (which would be great for the sake of another sweet BTS Prince Harry story), she could be credited as “Meghan Sussex.” We probably shouldn’t get too ahead of ourselves on that front, though, and just keep our current focus on the fact that the royal appears serious about changing her name. And, after her appearance on The Drew Barrymore Show, I’d assume that any other talk show hosts will refer to her by Sussex if they have her on as a guest.

Considering how many child stars have walked away from Hollywood, it is always so inspiring to see an actor who started early and continues to act to this day. Of course, some of them would walk away from the spotlight or experience a bit of a career hiccup before making an impressive return, either with more acting roles or in a new medium altogether. See for yourself by taking a look at these former child actors who went on to impress us as adults.

Mayim Bialik

After hitting it big as the title character of the hit '90s sitcom Blossom, Mayim Bialik lived a normal life that included earning a neuroscience degree and starting a family. She made her major industry return by joining the Big Bang Theory cast as neuroscientist Amy Farrah Fowler, which led her to lead another sitcom called Call Me Kat and host Jeopardy! for a short time.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt

After getting his start in movies like Angels in the Outfield and A River Runs Through It and playing an alien posing as a human teen on the great ‘90s TV show, 3rd Rock from the Sun, Joseph Gordon-Levitt never really went away from Hollywood. However, he did experience a moment of relative obscurity before roles in the likes of (500) Days of Summer, a few great Christopher Nolan movies, and his many collaborations with Rian Johnson put him on the A-List.

Jurnee Smollett

Jurnee Smollett made a grand impression in her youth with a recurring stint on Full House and as the title role of the acclaimed Black horror movie, 1997's Eve’s Bayou. Her career would take an astonishing turn toward A-list success in 2020 after her Emmy-nominated turn in HBO’s Lovecraft Country, which was followed by her role as Black Canary in DC’s Birds of Prey, her great performance in Amazon Prime’s The Burial, and more.

Jason Bateman

Following his debut appearance on Little House on the Prairie, his roles on sitcoms like Valerie (later called The Hogan Family after some major casting shake-ups), and his lead part in Teen Wolf Too made Jason Bateman an '80s heartthrob. Years later, playing Michael Bluth in the Arrested Development cast made him a comedy icon before his Emmy-nominated turn as Marty Byrde in Netflix's Ozark cast further proved his remarkable versatility.

Keke Palmer

Keke Palmer – who proved she was an acting powerhouse at 9 years old with her debut role in Barbershop 2: Back in Business before scoring her first lead role in 2006's Akeelah and the Bee – never needed a comeback moment because her notoriety never really stopped. However, it is clear that the multi-talented Emmy winner was never more popular before her scene-stealing performance in Jordan Peele’s 2022 alien invasion movie, Nope.

Josh Brolin

After making his acting debut at 17 in 1985's The Goonies cast, Josh Brolin rarely had another role quite as successful until, at 39, he was cast in 2007's instant classic Western movie, No Country for Old Men, as Llewellyn Moss. The son of James Brolin went on to receive an Oscar nomination for 2008's Milk, was cast as the Marvel Cinematic Universe's first big bad, Thanos, and has given commanding performances in various other acclaimed films.

Drew Barrymore

Many forget that, years after 1982's E.T. the Extra-terrestrial made her a sensation at just 7 years old, Drew Barrymore had a few career shake-ups due to personal drama including addiction. Yet, her astonishing performance in the opening scene of 1996’s Scream brought her back to the A-List and earned her roles in blockbusters like Charlie's Angels and TV shows like Santa Clarita Diet before she found later success as a daytime talk show host.

Neil Patrick Harris

Playing the prodigious title role of Doogie Howser M.D. made Neil Patrick Harris a household name, at least for a while. His popularity would skyrocket, however, when he played Barney Stinson in the How I Met Your Mother cast, which opened up many avenues for the now multi-Emmy-winning performer, from working with David Fincher on Gone Girl to hosting award shows and taking the stage on Broadway.

Gaby Hoffman

Gaby Hoffman had an amazing run as a child actor in the late 1980s and early 1990s with roles in movies like Uncle Buck, Field of Dreams, Now and Then, and Sleepless in Seattle. After stepping away to focus on her education, she resurfaced as a sought-after talent with her Emmy-nominated starring role in the Amazon Prime original TV show, Transparent.

Ke Huy Quan

Following his iconic roles in classic '80s movies Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, as Short Round, and The Goonies, as Data, Ke Huy Quan’s role offers began to disappear. That would change decades later when he won an Academy Award for his uplifting performance in A24's acclaimed multiverse movie, 2022’s Everything Everywhere All At Once.

Anna Chlumsky

For years, Anna Chlumsky was best known for her heartbreaking performance as 11-year-old Vada in 1991's My Girl. Years later, she significantly increased her star power with her multi-Emmy-nominated role in the hit HBO series, Veep, as Amy Brookheimer.

Macaulay Culkin

One of the most essential examples of a “former child star” is Macaulay Culkin, who had Hollywood in the palm of his young hands after leading the original Home Alone cast as Kevin McCallister. He still acts from time to time, having shown up in the American Horror Story Season 10 cast or on HBO's The Righteous Gemstones, is in a power couple with Brenda Song, and finally received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2023.

Christina Ricci

Christina Ricci would continue to find notable acting roles beyond her star-making turn as Wednesday Addams in 1991's The Addams Family and 1993's Addams Family Values. However, starring in Showtime’s Yellowjackets cast did wonders for her modern notoriety before she revisited her breakout role with a fun part in Netflix’s Wednesday cast, opposite Jenna Ortega.

Christian Bale

Christian Bale owes his fame to starring in Steven Spielberg's 1987 period drama Empire of the Sun and the cult-favorite 1992 musical Newsies but his menacing turn in 2000's American Psycho earned him wide respect as an adult. However, leading Christopher Nolan's live-action Batman movies as Bruce Wayne made him one of the top actors of his generation, leading to his Oscar win for 2011’s The Fighter.

Danica McKellar

Danica McKellar embodied the ultimate girl next door when she was cast in the original Wonder Years as Winnie Cooper from 1988 to 1993. Much later in her career, she would acquire a much different fanbase when she became one of the most prolific stars on the Hallmark Channel with roles in movies like Christmas She Wrote and Swing into Romance.

Cole Sprouse

Cole Sprouse had already acted alongside his sibling, his identical twin brother Dylan, numerous times (such as in Big Daddy) before Disney Channel’s The Suite Life franchise made them teen idols. However, you could argue that Cole was never more popular after he joined the Riverdale cast as Jughead Jones.

Hilary Duff

There were few teen Disney Channel stars who became quite as iconic and as quickly as Hilary Duff after she starred in the title role of Lizzie McGuire. She would find later success in the scene-stealing supporting role of Kelsey Peters on TV Land’s Younger and as the lead protagonist of Hulu's short-lived but well-liked How I Met Your Mother spin-off, How I Met Your Father.

Josh Peck

Josh Peck first rose to fame on Nickelodeon by scoring major roles in kid-friendly comedies like The Amanda Show and Drake & Josh. He would later prove his worth as a versatile actor with more mature roles, such as on Fox's Grandfathered or in Christopher Nolan’s Best Picture Oscar winner, Oppenheimer.

Vincent Kartheiser

Vincent Kartheiser first made a name for himself by appearing in ‘90s teen movies like Alaska and Masterminds. However, he would find later and greater success after starring in AMC's Mad Men cast as Pete Campbell.

Kurt Russell

Following his feature debut in 1963’s It Happened at the World’s Fair alongside Elvis Presley, Kurt Russell continued to have success as the star of light and funny Disney movies like The Strongest Man in the World. In 1981, he reinvented himself as an action movie icon after playing Snake Plissken in John Carpenter’s Escape from New York, which led to plenty more awesome movie roles, such as R.J. MacReady in The Thing and Coach Herb Brooks in Miracle.

Kieran Culkin

Kieran Culkin was previously best known as Macaulay Culkin’s younger brother, who also showed up in the Home Alone movies and played Matty Banks in the Father of the Bride movies. However, he would become one of the more prolific Culkin siblings following his Emmy-winning turn in the Succession cast as Roman Roy and other widely acclaimed performances.

Johnny Galecki

For years, Johnny Galecki was best known for playing the third Rusty Griswold in 1989's National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation and David Healy on Roseanne. He would later reprise the latter role on The Conners years after experiencing a career resurgence by playing Leonard Hofstadter on CBS' The Big Bang Theory.

Thomas Brodie-Sangster

Thomas Brodie-Sangster made an impressive feature film debut as Liam Neeson’s onscreen stepson in the 2003 rom-com, Love Actually. The British actor would later surprise audiences with his role as Jojen Reed in the Game of Thrones cast, leading to parts in the Maze Runner movies and Netflix’s The Queen’s Gambit.

Tyler James Williams

Tyler James Williams became a bonafide sitcom star by playing a young Chris Rock on Everybody Hates Chris, which led to more interesting roles, such as Lionel in the acclaimed 2014 indie comedy, Dear White People. However, his recurring role on the Walking Dead cast and multi-Emmy-nominated turn as Gregory Eddie on the Abbott Elementary cast earned him wide respect as an adult actor.

Alisan Porter

Alisan Porter only appeared in a handful of movies, including Ron Howard's Parenthood and John Hughes' Curly Sue in the title role, before she walked away from acting when she was still very young. She would later reinvent herself as a talented musician when she competed in and won the tenth season of NBC's hit singing competition show, The Voice.

Ashley Johnson

Ashley Johnson broke into the business when she joined the Growing Pains cast as the Severs' youngest child, Chrissy. She is best known these days as a prolific voice actor who has breathed life into iconic roles such as Gretchen on Recess and Ellie in the hit post-apocalyptic video game The Last of Us, which was adapted into an HBO series that she cameoed on.

Jennette McCurdy

Jennette McCurdy became one of the most promising young talents to break through on Nickelodeon, having been cast on iCarly as the charmingly bullish Sam Puckett. However, she became better known and even better respected years later for her acclaimed, revealing 2022 memoir, I’m Glad My Mom Died, which focuses on her life as a reluctant child actor.

Natasha Lyonne

Natasha Lyonne began her career early in life – notably appearing on Pee-wee's Playhouse – and seemingly hit her peak in her late teens and early 20s with the American Pie movies and But I'm a Cheerleader before substance abuse caused her career to slow down. Years later, Emmy-nominated turns on TV shows like Orange is the New Black, Russian Doll (which she co-created), and Poker Face and a few acclaimed movie roles reignited her wonderfully versatile career.

Mara Wilson

Following her star-making roles in Mrs. Doubtfire, Miracle on 34th Street, and Matilda, Mara Wilson walked away from the spotlight soon after starring in Thomas and the Magic Railroad. She would later take up minor, infrequent parts after becoming better known for writing about her experiences as a top child actor.

Haley Joel Osment

Haley Joel Osment would never go on to play a role quite as iconic as young medium Cole Sear in, arguably, the best M. Night Shyamalan movie, The Sixth Sense (which earned him an Oscar nomination) at 11 years old. However, his work as an adult – such as recurring roles on hit series like Silicon Valley and The Boys and memorable parts in movies like Kevin Smith’s Tusk – has been nothing short of exciting.

Taylor Momsen

Taylor Momsen made a charming debut as Cindy Lou Who in 2000's How the Grinch Stole Christmas and, in her teens, made an impression on the Gossip Girl cast as Jenny Humphrey. She would later reinvent herself as the frontwoman of a successful rock group called The Pretty Reckless.

Lukas Haas

Following an acclaimed run as one of the most revered child actors of the 1980s for his roles in Witness and Lady in White, Lukas Haas went on to take progressively smaller roles as he grew up. However, much of the projects he has taken in his adulthood – including movies like Inception and Babylon and TV shows like The Righteous Gemstones and War of the Worlds – have been met with great receptions.

When Scream premiered in 1996, its now-iconic opening scene, featuring Drew Barrymore as Casey Becker, sent shockwaves through audiences. The scene immediately set the film apart from other scary movies of the time, and it helped launch it into the stratosphere of the best horror movies ever. However, according to OG Scream cast member Skeet Ulrich, the chilling sequence almost ended production before the film could truly get started.

The Scream legacy star revealed during a panel at MegaCon 2025 (via People) that after the late great director Wes Craven and his team shot Barrymore’s harrowing first scene, Miramax executives panicked and nearly pulled the plug on the entire project. Ulrich recounted:

For those unfamiliar, Scream opens with Barrymore’s character answering a mysterious phone call that quickly turns sinister. The scene, which plays out like a mini horror film within the larger story, subverts expectations by killing off what seemed to be the film’s lead actress in the first 15 minutes.

While today it's considered one of the greatest horror openings of all time, Miramax executives reportedly didn’t understand the film’s tone and structure at first—and it almost cost Scream its future.

According to the Billy actor, it took some quick thinking from Craven and two of the film’s producers to convince the studio to continue. One of the faces behind the Ghost Face killer masks continued:

The Craft actor also revealed that the production was only about two weeks into filming when the uncertainty hit. That meant the entire cast—many of whom were relatively unknown at the time—had no idea if the movie they were making would ever see the light of day.

Despite the early hesitation from the studio, Scream went on to become a genre-defining hit, reviving the slasher film and becoming one of the best horror movies of the '90s and launching one of the greatest horror franchises that is still alive nearly three decades later. The film’s blend of self-aware humor, genuine scares, and brutal kills became its trademark, inspiring six sequels, with the upcoming Scream 7.

Looking back, Ulrich admitted that he and his castmates had no clue they were making something that would resonate for generations. He added:

Now, nearly 30 years later, Scream is still extremely popular, with new installments keeping the Ghostface legacy alive.

And to think—it all could have ended before the first knife was even raised. Those suits didn’t know what they had, good thing they didn’t stop it before it made horror movie history.

Demi Moore has been receiving a lot of praise for starring in one of the best horror movies we’ve seen in years, The Substance – and was CinemaBlend’s collective favorite movie of 2024. On top of Moore being nominated for Best Actress by the Academy, she reunited with her fellow Charlie's Angels alums over 20 years after being in Full Throttle. Her conversation with Drew Barrymore, Cameron Diaz and Lucy Liu saw the iconic Hollywood actresses talking about Moore's powerful movie and her iconic FT bikini scene, of course.

The Charlie’s Angels Reunited With Demi Moore To Celebrate The Substance

Just recently, Cameron Diaz was asked about reviving Charlie’s Angels, following her return to acting for Netflix's Back In Action. It's unclear if that'll happen, but I'll certainly take Lucy Liu, Barrymore and Diaz appearing on Zoom together to celebrate Demi Moore’s The Substance performance for Vanity Fair. During their conversation, Lucy Liu said this of Moore’s Oscar-nominated work:

Imagine having all the Charlie’s Angels in your corner? Cameron Diaz was also very affected by Moore’s work in The Substance as well, saying this:

In The Substance, Moore plays a fictional Hollywood star named Elisabeth Sparkle who is fired from her aerobics TV show on her 50th birthday. While wrestling with no longer being valued in her industry, she decides to take a black market drug that allows her to create and be a "younger, more beautiful, more perfect" version of herself (played by Margaret Qualley) every two weeks. However, the drug leads to some complications in her life… to say the least.

With all of that in mind, the Mask star also applauded the way Coralie Fargeat's movie for how it “shredded” what a motion picture about the film industry could be and did it in the most “audacious, violent, crazy way that you could possibly do it.” The conversation on the Academy Awards contender was stimulating as was the recollection of the bikini scene from Full Throttle.

How Demi Moore Reflected On The Charlie’s Angels Bikini Scene With Her Co-Stars

Along with Demi Moore getting some major props from her former co-stars for The Substance, Drew Barrymore also lauded the Brat Pack member for joining Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle years ago. That casting came right after the actress had walked away from acting for a time. By that time, Moore had a ton of big movies under her belt. Barrymore talked about how Moore was a “badass” for walking away “at the height of success and taken time for herself” to raise her kids before returning to the business. Moore then said this:

Amid her promotion of The Substance, Demi Moore’s bikini scene from the action comedy has come up a few times. The Oscar nominee recalled chatter around her being in a bikini for the 2003 movie felt very “heightened” due to all the talk about how she looked. In regard to the scene, Moore has also admitted that she had no idea it would spark “such a big conversation,” but felt like it was just because she was 40.

It’s so great to see Demi Moore getting some support from her former co-stars and having some solid conversations with them about The Substance, Full Throttle and the film industry as a whole. I know I'll be rooting for her when the 97th Academy Awards air on Sunday, March 2, at 7 p.m. ET on ABC.

On the surface, everything always seems (relatively) shiny and bright in Hollywood, until it’s not. For Drew Barrymore and her ex-husband Will Kopelman, that happened when they announced their divorce in 2016. Now, the actress has opened up about how she intentionally stepped away from the spotlight between her breakup and starting her talk show, The Drew Barrymore Show, noting that she felt her perfect familial world was crumbling around her.

Barrymore has moved on to brighter days, managing her staple daytime talk show and joining the modern-day Hollywood Squares on the 2025 TV schedule. However, the E.T. star shared that it took her a while to recenter herself and her professional life after her divorce.

According to the Scream actress, she felt like everything she knew in her personal life was ending. She had monumental whiplash after things were finalized that made her question everything, but she was able to pull herself out of it because of her children, as she explained to the AARP:

Hearing The 50 First Dates alum be so open and existential about the breakup and aftermath must be a good sign of how much she's healed in the years since her divorce. As Drew Barrymore's best movies illustrate, she's been a consistent presence on screen, but I’m not surprised she hit the pause button on Hollywood for this life-changing event.

After that, the Never Been Kissed star spoke specifically about stepping away from Hollywood. She said she realized how important it was to to learn about herself and spend time with her children, rather than join another project:

Being a former child star who worked through all the turbulences of growing up in the spotlight and continues to do so is admirable. So many people could have thrown themselves into work to move through a split like this, but it’s nice to see that pause in the public spotlight.

After her break, Barrymore began her talk show, which has been an overall hit, and that’s in large part due to its host. Although, the host and her crew have faced some backlash, including her response to returning to work amid the strike along with the 90 Day Fiance video and its harsh discourse. However, even amidst these bumpy times, the Donnie Darko alum stays open the best she can in receiving feedback and working through a situation–a sign of someone who has done their homework in growing up.

It seems like the Ever After star has a lot more daytime TV instore after returning to Hollywood. She seems to have rebuilt her world, and now I’m hoping for a new Sandler-Barrymore rom-com, because it’s been about a decade since their last movie. However, regardless of what she does, I’m glad she’s back and we can see her regularly on her show.

You can watch The Drew Barrymore Show and Hollywood Squares on CBS or with a Paramount+ subscription.

Think of your favorite movie character of all time. There is a good chance that the actor who ended up playing that part is not the first actor the studio approached. See for yourself by taking a look at this list of celebrities who decided to pass on a movie role that would turn out to make cinematic history.

Will Smith (Neo In The Matrix)

It is actually pretty easy for us to picture what the Matrix movies might have been like with Will Smith as Neo. However, the Academy Award winner seems to believe that Keanu Reeves was the better choice to play the chosen one in the mind-bending, dystopian sci-fi movie classic, claiming in a video on his YouTube channel that he would have "ruined it."

Jodie Foster (Princess Leia in Star Wars)

Fresh off her Academy Award-nominated breakthrough role in 1976's Taxi Driver, a teenage Jodie Foster was offered the chance to be a part of the Star Wars movies as Princess Leia Organa. As she revealed to Jimmy Fallon on The Tonight Show, the two-time Oscar winner had a contractual obligation to an unnamed Disney movie, allowing Carrie Fisher to win the role.

Tom Hanks (Jerry Maguire In Jerry Maguire)

Tom Hanks was on top of the world with two Oscar wins (for Philadelphia and Forrest Gump) when he was offered to play a sports agent down on his luck in Jerry Maguire. He ended up passing on the eponymous role from Cameron Crowe's 1996 dramedy and later told Access Hollywood (via FandomWire), "I think you look at it now and it couldn’t have been anybody other than Tom Cruise," who would receive a nod from the Academy for his performance.

Leonardo DiCaprio (Patrick Bateman In American Psycho)

Christian Bale once told GQ that every one of his roles was first offered to Leonardo DiCaprio and one confirmed example is Patrick Bateman in 2000's American Psycho. The future Oscar winner told The Morning Call that he passed on playing the sadistic yuppie because he felt the script “didn’t mean anything in the end," but rumor has it Bale's stepmom, Gloria Steinem, convinced DiCaprio that it would be bad for his post-Titanic, romantic heartthrob reputation at the time.

Jean-Claude Van Damme (The Predator In Predator)

The titular terrifying alien enemy from 1987's Predator looked a lot different when Jean-Claude Van Damme was still in the role, according to THR's oral history. The Belgian actor star actually shot some footage in the original insect-like suit before deciding he would rather not be hidden in his own movie, leading to a redesign of the costume and the casting of 7'2" Kevin Peter Hall.

Jack Nicholson (Michael Corleone In The Godfather)

While we cannot imagine anyone other than Al Pacino as Michael Corleone, Jack Nicholson probably would have been great in the Godfather movies. However, the three-time Oscar winner refused the offer, explaining to Movieline in 2004 (via ScreenRant) that he believed "Italians should play Italians."

John Travolta (Forrest Gump In Forrest Gump)

When speaking with MTV News (via Collider), John Travolta revealed that he had no regrets about turning down the title role of the Best Picture Oscar winner Forrest Gump and it is no wonder why. Not only did Tom Hanks embody the role to Oscar-winning acclaim but Travolta found career-rejuvenating success with Pulp Fiction in 1994 instead.

Burt Reynolds (James Bond In Live And Let Die)

In 2015, Burt Reynolds told USA Today that, when approached to be Sean Connery's replacement in the James Bond films, he believed the public would not accept a 007 with an American accent. However, he would later come to believe that, "It was a stupid thing to say. I could've done it and I could've done it well."

Eddie Murphy (Winston Zeddemore In Ghostbusters)

While appearing on The Tonight Show in 2019, Eddie Murphy was asked by Jimmy Fallon if it is true that he passed on playing Winston Zeddemore in Ghostbusters. The comedian confirmed that it was true but added that it allowed him the opportunity to lead an even bigger hit from 1984: Beverly Hills Cop.

John Lithgow (Seth Brundle In The Fly)

Jeff Goldblum's iconic role from David Cronenberg's 1986 remake of The Fly was previously offered to John Lithgow, who told IndieWire that he said no, not wanting to play "something so grotesque.” Having witnessed Seth Brundle's transformation into a half-human, half-insect in the intense body horror movie, we cannot say we blame him.

Tom Selleck (Indiana Jones In Raiders Of The Lost Ark)

Having already worked with Harrison Ford three times before, George Lucas was reluctant to cast the Han Solo actor as Indiana Jones, opening up the opportunity for a rotation of actors, including Tom Selleck. As he recalled on Today, the actor was forced to pass on 1981's Raiders of the Lost Ark, due to his commitment to the CBS crime drama, Magnum P.I.

Christopher Lee (Dr. Loomis In Halloween)

While already a horror movie icon at the time for his acclaimed portrayal of Dracula and role in 1973's The Wicker Man, Christopher Lee could have added one of the all-time best horror movies, 1978's Halloween, to his resume. According to The Digital Fix, he would come to regret the decision to pass on the role of Michael Myers' psychiatrist, Dr. Sam Loomis, who was immortalized by Donald Pleasance instead.

Christina Applegate (Elle Woods In Legally Blonde)

Before Reese Witherspoon made Elle Woods an icon among fictional lawyers in Legally Blonde and among fictional politicians in the sequel, Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde, the role was offered to Christina Applegate. The former Married... with Children star later explained to Entertainment Tonight that she was afraid of repeating the ditzy blonde but jokes it was a "stupid move."

Emily Blunt (Black Widow In Iron Man 2)

Scarlett Johansson was perfect as Natasha Romanoff but Emily Blunt would have made a killing as the Avenger also called Black Widow. The English actor explained to Howard Stern that she could not originate the role for the MCU in 2010's Iron Man 2 because she was contractually obligated to appear in that year's adaptation of Gulliver's Travels.

Emma Watson (Mia In La La Land)

Playing Mia in 2016's La La Land earned Emma Stone her first Oscar win but the role of the aspiring actor had originally gone to another Emma: Emma Watson. The Harry Potter movies star said in a SiriusXM Town Hall interview (via Us Weekly) that her commitment to Beauty and the Beast and the hard work required to star in the musical led her to pull out.

Gwyneth Paltrow (Rollergirl In Boogie Nights)

Heather Graham made her mainstream breakthrough in 1998's Boogie Nights as "Rollergirl" – a role that was previously offered to Gwyneth Paltrow. The future Oscar winner told Howard Stern (via Us Weekly) that she passed because she feared the role, which required her to completely disrobe and simulate lewd acts on camera, would "kill" her conservative grandfather.

Jennifer Hudson (Precious In Precious)

Jennifer Hudson had previously said in her memoir, I Got This: How I Changed My Ways And Lost What Weighed Me Down, that she turned down the title role of Precious because she did not want to take a role that involved her weight. The Oscar winner later retracted that statement when speaking to The Huffington Post, explaining that Was not interested in what the role, which ultimately went to Gabourey Sibide, would have required her to do at that point in her career.

Matt Damon (Jake Sully In Avatar)

Sam Worthington became a household name when he led James Cameron's astonishingly successful sci-fi epic, Avatar, as Jake Sully – a role previously offered to Matt Damon. The Oscar winner once joked to Access Hollywood that not participating in the 2009 film cost the movie "a lot."

Ian McKellan (Albus Dumbledore In Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban)

The Lord of the Rings movies' Gandalf actor, Sir Ian McKellan, could have added another famous wizard to his resume and become the Harry Potter franchise's new Albus Dumbledore. Instead, the part went to Michael Gambon after, as he told BBC News, McKellan turned it down because he couldn’t “take over the part from an actor who I’d known didn’t approve of me,” referring to the late Richard Harris who was a vocal critic of the actor.

Drew Barrymore (Sidney Prescott In Scream)

Given Drew Barrymore's A-list status in 1996, audiences assumed that she was the lead of Wes Craven's Scream, which could have been the case, as she confirmed on Hot Ones. However, she requested to be killed off in the beginning as Casey Becker, knowing it would shock the audience, paving the way for Neve Campbell to become a Scream Queen in the role of Sidney Prescott.

Angela Bassett (Leticia Musgrove In Monster’s Ball)

Halle Berry became the first Black Best Actress Oscar winner for her performance in Monster's Ball as Leticia Musgrove – a role that was offered to Angela Bassett. According to EW, the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever star felt the part of a Black call girl was too stereotypical.

Sean Connery (Gandalf In The Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring)

Sir Ian McKellan mentions in an oral history about the Lord of the Rings series for The Independent that an earlier choice to play Gandalf the Grey was Sir Sean Connery. New Line Cinema executive Mark Ordesky notes that the former James Bond actor passed on the role of the wizard simply because he "did not get it."

Bette Midler (Annie Wilkes In Misery)

Despite having no qualms about playing an actual evil witch in 1993's Hocus Pocus, Bette Midler did have some reservations about playing Annie Wilkes in Rob Reiner's adaptation of Stephen King's Misery from 1990. The actor and singer told Variety that was interested in playing the sadistic nurse because of her violent, unfunny, and irredeemable qualities.

Warren Beatty (Bill In Kill Bill)

In 2003, Quentin Tarantino told BBC that he originally started writing the title role of Kill Bill with Warren Beatty in mind because he wanted to work with him and the Oscar winner was set to play the target of Uma Thurman's vengeful Bride for a bit. However, after realizing that David Carradine was a better fit, followed by consideration of the time commitment and martial arts training involved, the actor and filmmaker amicably agreed to part ways.

Michelle Pfeiffer (Clarice Starling In The Silence Of The Lambs)

Michelle Pfeiffer once told Today's Hoda Kotb (via People) that her reasons for passing on roles in the likes of Pretty Woman and Basic Instinct typically had to do with scheduling conflicts. However, she told The New Yorker she passed on playing Clarice Starling (which ultimately went to Jodie Foster) in 1991's The Silence of the Lambs because the “evil” in the film made her nervous.

Al Pacino (Han Solo In Star Wars)

In his memoir, Sonny Boy, Al Pacino reveals that, before Harrison Ford was cast in Star Wars, he was offered the role of Han Solo. The Oscar winner explains that he could not "make anything out of" George Lucas' script and chose not to play the pilot of the Millennium Falcon.

Bela Lugosi (The Creature In Frankenstein)

According to the book, The Immortal Count: The Life and Films of Bela Lugosi by Arthur Lennig (via SlashFilm), the star of 1931's Dracula had the opportunity to play two Universal Monsters in the same year, having also been offered to play The Creature in Frankenstein. However, the actor believed such a role was "beneath him," paving the way for Boris Karloff to rise up in the ranks of horror royalty as Dr. Victor Frankenstein’s creation.

Haley Lu Richardson (Dani Ardor In Midsommar)

Haley Lu Richardson, known for one of the best M. Night Shyamalan movies, Split, passed on the role of Dani Ardor in Ari Aster's 2019 sophomore effort, Midsommar. The A24 horror masterpiece was ultimately led by Florence Pugh, whom Richardson told Backstage she has nothing but praise for, despite not yet having the courage to watch the movie.

Julia Roberts (Annie Reed In Sleepless In Seattle)

The two most prestigious queens of the rom-com genre would have to be Julia Roberts and Meg Ryan but only one could play Annie Reed in Sleepless in Seattle. Roberts told InStyle (via ABC News) that she was offered the part but could not do it, adding that Ryan and Tom Hanks "are just such a jewel of a fit in that."

Jamie Lee Curtis (Regan MacNeil In The Exorcist)

Jamie Lee Curtis became horror royalty with her feature film debut in 1978's Halloween but her reign could have begun earlier if not for one thing: her mother, Janet Leigh. Curtis told EW that, when she was asked to audition for Regan MacNeil in 1973's The Exorcist (which would go to Linda Blair), the Psycho star spoke on the then-13-year-old's behalf and refused the offer.

Lee Marvin (Quint In Jaws)

Robert Shaw's performance as Quint in Jaws is nearly as famous as the man-eating shark itself but the English actor was actually not Steven Spielberg's first choice. The filmmaker told Vanity Fair that he previously approached Lee Marvin but the Dirty Dozen star was not interested.

Sarah Michelle Gellar (Amber In Clueless)

Elisa Donovan's character in Clueless, Amber, very nearly went to the future star of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Sarah Michelle Gellar. Adam Schroeder, the co-producer of the 1995 high school movie classic, told Vanity Fair that the actor's commitment to the soap opera All My Children at the time forced her to recede from consideration.

Some actors excel in dramas, others in action flicks; but there are also others whose best work happens to be in some of the best romantic comedies of all time. Nothing against Hugh Grant, Meg Ryan, or Colin Firth’s more dramatic or action-oriented work, but let’s be real for a second and admit that Four Weddings and a Funeral, When Harry Met Sally, and Bridget Jones’s Diary, as well as their other work in the genre, is why they’re so beloved.

That said, here are 32 actors whose best roles are rom-coms…

Hugh Grant

With movies like Four Weddings and a Funeral, Notting Hill, Love Actually, and Bridget Jones’s Diary to his name (and many, many more), it’s no wonder Hugh Grant’s name comes up rather frequently when discussing the best rom-coms ever made. Sure, his work in Paddington 2 and Remains of the Day is great, but the man knows how to anchor a romantic comedy with that signature charm and wit.

Renée Zellweger

Sure, Renée Zellweger won her two Oscars in dramas – Cold Mountain and Judy – but that doesn’t mean those were her best roles. Again, they were both great, but don’t hold a candle to her work as the titular character in Bridget Jones’s Diary or her star-making performance in Jerry Maguire. More than 20 years after first playing those iconic characters, Zellweger’s work is still received with heaps of praise.

Julia Roberts

One of the queens of the ‘90s rom-com, Julia Roberts bookended the final decade of the 20th century with legendary performances in Pretty Woman and Notting Hill. Those roles, which should be revisited annually if we’re being honest, helped pave the way for Roberts’ stellar career.

Meg Ryan

It’s impossible to put together a list of Meg Ryan’s best movies and not include the likes of When Harry Met Sally, Sleepless in Seattle, and You’ve Got Mail, to name a few. The rom-com mainstay, who shared the screen with Tom Hanks, Billy Crystal, and Kevin Kline over the years, has given us unforgettable moments and more beloved characters than just about anyone.

Cameron Diaz

My Best Friend’s Wedding, There’s Something About Mary, The Holiday, The Sweetest Thing, and countless other romantic comedies made Cameron Diaz one of the biggest stars of the past 30 years. The actress has shown off her more dramatic roles in everything from Any Given Sunday and Being John Malkovich, but her performances in those rom-coms can’t be touched.

Drew Barrymore

Long before Drew Barrymore became one of the premier names in the world of daytime talk shows, she held it down in the rom-com circuit. Fever Pitch, Never Been Kissed, 50 First Dates, and The Wedding Singer are just some of Barrymore’s best romantic comedies. And while she does have a killer scene in the opening minutes of Scream, these are her most memorable performances.

Colin Firth

As much as we love watching Colin Firth play Mr. Darcy in Pride & Prejudice, his more modern take on the character in Bridget Jones’s Diary is the stuff of legend. Firth, a tremendous dramatic actor in his own right, has been a staple of the romantic comedy over the years thanks in part to those Bridget Jones movies, Mamma Mia!, and Love Actually. However, don’t let this take away from the greatness of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy or The King’s Speech.

Billy Crystal

When Harry Met Sally is one of the first movies to come to mind whenever the topic of hilarious Billy Crystal movies comes up. Filled with some of the funniest lines (and others filled with heartbreak and emotion), Crystal’s work in the rom-com genre is absolutely fantastic, be it movies like America’s Sweethearts or Forget Paris. And The Princess Bride sort of counts, right?

Cary Grant

Few Hollywood leading men have a resume as great as Cary Grant, an actor who appeared in dozens of romantic comedies over the years. Charade, The Philadelphia Story, Holiday, and so many others have long cemented Grant’s place in the annuls of rom-com history, and those hilarious and heartfelt performances are still cherished many years after his death.

Charlie Chaplin

Charlie Chaplin was the king of the silent film and an actor who could do anything from drama to slapstick to romantic comedy better than just about every single one of his contemporaries. Chaplin’s 1931 rom-com, City Lights, helped define the genre and has been a benchmark for nearly 100 years.

Nia Long

Nia Long has so many great movies to her name, including Friday, Boyz n the Hood, Big Momma’s House, and Soul Food. This also includes some all-time great romantic comedies from the ‘90s like Love Jones, The Best Man, and Hav Plenty. Though her name doesn’t come up as much as it should, Long is still in a league of her own.

Diane Keaton

Diane Keaton won an Oscar for her titular in Woody Allen’s Annie Hall, but the talented actress has several other iconic rom-coms to her name. Something’s Gotta Give, Manhattan, The Family Stone, and Baby Boom all show off the incredible skill and nuance of this once-in-a-generation actress. And this is coming from someone who thinks The Godfather is one of the top five movies of all time.

Audrey Hepburn

Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Charade, Sabrina, Roman Holiday, and My Fair Lady are all some of the funniest movies of the 20th century, and all happen to feature the unmatched talent of Audrey Hepburn in iconic roles. The late actress had a great number of dramatic roles over the years, but her charm and charisma seen in these rom-coms made her one of the all-time greats.

Constance Wu

Constance Wu has all kinds of great film and TV roles on her resume, but for some, she’ll always be remembered for her portrayal of Rachel Chu in Crazy Rich Asians. The massively popular romantic comedy about a Chinese-American NYU professor learning her boyfriend is a member of the richest and most powerful family in Singapore still hits more than a half-decade after its release.

Richard Gere

Though Richard Gere has killed it in dramas like An Officer and a Gentleman and musicals like Chicago, those performances don’t hold a candle to, at least culturally, to his role as Edward Lewis in Pretty Woman. Gere and co-star Julia Roberts would rekindle that spark less than a decade later with another great rom-com, Runaway Bride.

Reese Witherspoon

The Importance of Being Earnest, Sweeet Home Alabama, and Legally Blonde all allowed Reese Witherspoon to show off comedic skills in romantic comedies, and those roles remain some of her best. Sure, she won an Oscar for Walk the Line, but there’s no touching Elle Woods.

Henry Golding

Henry Golding had already had some success by the time he was cast as the uber-wealthy Nick Young in Crazy Rich Asians, but his performance in the 2018 romantic comedy sent him to the next level. He’s found success in movies like The Gentlemen and The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare since then, but his rom-com performance is still his best.

Eva Mendes

Eva Mendes has long killed it in comedies, romance movies, and romantic comedies. Take Hitch for example. The 2005 rom-com starring Will Smith as a professional “date doctor” who meets his match in Mendes’ character was so much fun and allowed the actress to show off all of her skills in a fun and meaningful way.

Sandra Bullock

While You Were Sleeping, Hope Floats, The Proposal, and Two Weeks Notice are just a few of Sandra Bullock’s all-time great romantic comedies. The Academy Award-winning actress has long been one of the best to attempt the genre, and she’ll have a long-lasting legacy because of those strong, vulnerable, and incredibly relatable characters.

Michael Ealy

Over the years, Michael Ealy has put together a crazy good filmography, one that is filled with medical dramas and thrillers, action flicks and comedies, etc. But let’s not forget all the great work he’s done in the world of romantic comedies. Kissing Jessica Stein, Think Like a Man, and About Last Night have all shown what the talented actor is working with.

Adam Sandler

Though not the prototypical romantic lead, there are so many great Adam Sandler rom-coms out there. From The Wedding Singer to Punch-Drunk Love and 50 First Dates to Spanglish there’s so much variety and fun to be had with his stellar filmography.

Jennifer Garner

13 Going on 30, anyone? Jennifer Garner became one of the queens of the rom-com with the release of her 2004 comedy about a young girl who is transformed into a 30-year-old magazine editor and undergoes a massive transformation (both physically and emotionally). She’s also appeared in other great comedies of the era like Ghosts of Girlfriends Past and Love, Simon, to name a few.

Woody Allen

Woody Allen’s monologue in the opening minutes of Manhattan is honestly one of the best cinematic moments of the ‘70s and features some of Allen’s best writing. That’s saying something considering the writer-director-actor has been a part of so many great rom-coms over the years. Annie Hall, Midnight in Paris, Vicky Cristina Barcelona, and Hannah and her Sisters have made us laugh, cry, and feel everything in between over the past 50-plus years.

Anne Hathaway

Anne Hathaway’s name doesn’t come up in the rom-com discussion as much as it should, which is a shame considering the Oscar-winning actress has killed it in movies like The Princess Diaries, Ella Enchanted, Love & Other Drugs, and so many others. Yeah, she was great in Interstellar and Les Misérables, but there’s no denying her performances in these romantic comedies.

Morris Chestnut

Okay, Morris Chestnut was AMAZING in Boyz n the Hood with his portrayal of Ricky Baker, but the man has become a legend in the rom-com game over the past few decades. Two Can Play That Game, The Best Man, The Brothers, The Perfect Holiday, Breakin’ All the Rules are all classics, thanks in no small part to Chestnut’s performances.

Rachel McAdams

Rachel McAdams’ career has been full of swirling tales of romance like The Notebook, The Vow, and Disobedience, but some of her best work has been in romantic comedies. Wedding Crashers and Midnight in Paris quickly come to mind, but her best performance can be found in About Time, an incredibly emotional and hilarious story of love, loss, and second chances.

John Cusack

Look at the best John Cusack movies and you’ll see iconic rom-coms like High Fidelity, Say Anything, Serendipity, Better Off Dead, and America’s Sweethearts. The vulnerability and likeability of the Hollywood star have made those movies, and the beloved characters he plays in each of them, such gems over the years.

Kate Hudson

Kate Hudson is amazing when it comes to roles in romantic comedies, and few could come close to her batting average in the early-to-mid 2000s. How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, My Best Friend’s Girl, Something Borrowed, and A Little Bit of Heaven all come to mind in this regard.

Taye Diggs

Taye Diggs has done it all, but he’s excelled tremendously in the rom-com world. Movies like The Wood, The Best Man, Brown Sugar, and How Stella Got Her Groove Back have shown just how charming and funny the classically trained actor can be.

Ben Stiller

Though an unlikely leading man in the realm of romantic comedies, Ben Still has long excelled in the genre. Over the years, we’ve had sensational comedies like There’s Something About Mary, Along Came Polly, Keeping the Faith, and even Reality Bites that have allowed the comedian-actor-writer-director to show off what he’s working with, and it’s been great all along.

Jennifer Aniston

Jennifer Aniston will always be remembered for her portrayal of Rachel Green on Friends, but let’s not forget that she has also been a longtime staple of the romantic comedy genre. The Break-up, Wanderlust, Just Go With It, The Switch, Rumor Has It, and several others have been perfect movies for Aniston to show off her skills.

Patrick Dempsey

From Can’t Buy Me Love to Made of Honor and everything in between, Patrick Dempsey has been a tour de force in the world of romantic comedies. He’s done great work on TV and in big-screen dramas over the years, but he particularly excels in the rom-com genre.

Chip Gaines is turning 50. The longtime TV host has a birthday coming up on November 14th, and he recently spoke about the milestone while appearing with his wife Joanna Gaines on Drew Barrymore’s show. He may not be super enthusiastic about what’s coming next, but I gotta ask: Is it cool to say he’s in his Zaddy era yet?

He's not the only celebrity approaching or who just hit the big birthday milestone. Elizabeth Banks had a funny post for her birthday after hitting 50 earlier this year. Jimmy Fallon just hit 50. Barrymore herself is also turning the big 5-0 coming up, but she and the reality star have very different outlooks about what the birthday means. In the former child actor’s case, she’s kind of excited and open to what’s next, and she’s enthusiastic about turning 50. Gaines, however, is struggling a bit more, as he mentioned in a clip.

I’m honestly surprised to hear him lacking in enthusiasm about the celebrity birthday milestone. Chip’s a funny guy on TV and he’s generally in positive and playful spirits – as he notes here, he’s a perpetual “Peter Pan” personality. Plus, he seemingly has a great home life, recently hit a relationship milestone with Joanna, and has a lot of positivity going on the career front, as he did also make sure to note to Ms. Barrymore.

As someone who watched Fixer Upper from the beginning and has followed the famous couple through their subsequent career after their HGTV show ended, this whole thing is a bit hard to compute. Chip Gaines was not even 40 when the show hit HGTV. It’s hard to believe 11 years have passed since that time. While the TV personality has aged like fine wine, it’s still difficult to wrap my head around how quickly time has passed, so on the one hand I get where Mr. Gaines is coming from.

On the other hand I have two words: Zaddy era. Christopher Meloni at 63 has fully embraced those two simple words, and he is thriving. All he had to do was show up to the set of Law & Order and wear a pair of pants that really showed off his assets. Our condolences to his family, who have had to deal with all the Meloni zaddy memes, but also I really have no regrets about this happening.

And Meloni isn’t the only Zaddy out there! Just look at Stanley Tucci, as Emily Blunt has reminded us. Or Pedro Pascal, who isn't a dad, but certainly has that zad(dy) factor.

Likewise, Chip Gaines is a man who has made fitness a priority over the years, running marathons and more and staying in shape on the job. He really knows how to pull off a toolbelt on TV (and as a sidebar once actually ran a marathon in a tool belt) and a suit coat during interviews. Maybe like Meloni, fully embracing the zaddiness of his existence is what should come next?

Bring on the memes.

Carrie Fisher was one of the most recognizable stars in Hollywood during the ‘70s and ‘80s thanks to playing one of the best characters in Star Wars. Princess Leia was incredibly prolific in the sci-fi genre for showing female empowerment in leading a rebellion and being unafraid to speak her mind. Not to mention, Fisher was an excellent role model for actresses who came into the franchise, including leadDaisy Ridley. The British actress shared a big piece of advice the Emmy nominee once gave her, saying “It takes a lot of courage” to deal with Star Wars fame.

If playing Princess Leia in the Star Wars movies was life-changing for Carrie Fisher, you might imagine what that would mean for Daisy Ridley playing Rey. Unlike Mark Hamill, who was considered the main hero in the George Lucas series playing Luke, Rey was the heroine for the sequel trilogy.

The talented actress was fortunate enough to get to work with Fisher before her death in 2016, and Ridley shared in a Drew Barrymore Show clip one big piece of advice for how the veteran actress helped her adjust to Star Wars fame:

Just watching the clip now, those truly were sage words of advice from the When Harry Met Sally… actress. I know I would be “stuttery” too if I found myself surprisingly walking alongside someone famous down the street. I'm sure it can be easy for celebrities to be annoyed if these interactions are happening all the time, but Ms. Fisher's perspective showed a lot of empathy and helps me to see how Star Wars ultimately became one of the most memorable and best sci-fi movies of all time.

That's particularly true when you consider a story Ms. Fisher actually told back in the day, in which she had a gross-yet-memorable fan interaction with a Star Wars lover during which the guy admitted to thinking about her four times a day for a decade. Welp.

The late actress may have had a legendary career playing a lead in Star Wars, but it wasn’t without its own consequences of fame. Fisher also told Daisy Ridley that dating was hard for her playing the galaxy princess as she had concerns people would be in it for the street cred: “I had sex with Princess Leia.”

Despite all of the obstacles the American actress faced, Carrie Fisher used her experiences in Hollywood to be a mental health advocate through her books, memoirs, and public appearances. Not to mention, the infamous star was known for being a script doctor re-writing some of her Star Wars lines and fine-tuning scripts like The Wedding Singer, Hook, and Sister Act. She’s truly an inspiration for actresses hoping to have careers with longevity in Hollywood.

Daisy Ridley previously recalled how “overwhelming” it was for her when the Star Wars movies debuted, and her latest comments to Drew Barrymore tie in similarly. She said she’d be recognized by people in public restrooms and learning about all of these new career insights like doing press junkets. But the Young Woman and the Sea actress explained that once everything slowed down, she had a great understanding of how fame worked and that now it’ll be easier for her to manage knowing what’s coming.

While the last time that Daisy Ridley played Rey was back in 2019 for Rise of the Skywalker, it looks like fame will encounter the Ophelia actress yet again when she reprises Rey for her upcoming solo movie. Even though it had been a few years since she played the female Jedi, Ridley knew she had to return to the franchise because of the excitement of revisiting the character that put her name on the Hollywood map and continuing Rey’s journey. The upcoming Star Wars flick may have lost its screenwriter, but The Marsh King’s Daughter star offered encouragement, also revealing the new movie is in “the next stages” and “we’re all good.” You can watch Ridley’s interview in full with Drew Barrymore below:

I personally hope Daisy Ridley felt very lucky to have a Star Wars muse like Carrie Fisher around to help her tackle newfound fame. You can watch the two actresses take on the First Order in the Star Wars movies available on your Disney+ subscription.

SPOILER WARNING: The following article contains extremely mild spoilers for Smile 2. If you have not yet seen the film and don’t wish to know anything about it prior, proceed at your own risk!

Smile 2 is a movie jam packed with a lot of horrifying surprises (we’re still processing that absolutely bonkers ending), but one of the early ones in the film isn’t of the scary variety. The very first scene introducing protagonist Skye Riley has her featured on a talk show, but it’s not just any talk show: it’s The Drew Barrymore Show. It’s a particularly fun cameo from the actor-cum-host given her history in the horror genre, and I learned how it came about earlier this month during an interview with Smile 2 writer/director Parker Finn.

I asked the filmmaker about Drew Barrymore’s surprise cameo in the new horror movie earlier this month during the pre-release Los Angeles press day, and he explained that the idea came about as part of an effort to conjure what he referred to as “credibility” for the story’s lead character. When the audience meets Skye Riley at the start of the story, we are meant to recognize her as an established, world-renowned star – and that’s something you can simply sell by having her be interviewed by a well-known real-world talk show host. In Finn’s words,

Drew Barrymore has been hosting The Drew Barrymore Show since 2020, and Parker Finn told me that he wrote the early scene in Smile 2 with her in mind. He wrote to her, including the script pages, hoping that she might take the part, and he was delighted to get a yes. The writer/director continued:

Not only does the scene in question very much do its job in terms of selling Skye Riley as a superstar, the film also expands Drew Barrymore’s longstanding clout in the horror genre. Some of her earliest roles were starring in what are in retrospect two underrated Stephen King films – Firestarter and Cat’s Eye – and she later played one of the most iconic and memorable roles in the Scream franchise. Most recently, she starred opposite Timothy Olyphant as an undead cannibal in the fantastic, cancelled-too-soon Netflix series Santa Clarita Diet, and she also had an uncredited voice role in 2022’s Scream. Her career is very different now than it was just five years ago, but it’s awesome that she is continuing to make scary movies.

Riding high on a wave of great critical buzz, Smile 2 arrived in theaters this past weekend and opened at number one at the box office – though if you’ve already seen it, you may want to check it out again, as Parker Finn has promised there are details you missed during your first viewing.

Modern horror wouldn’t be what it is today without Wes Craven. He has made some of the best slasher horror movies of all time, and that helped push the boundaries of the genre. Little did I know, the director from Cleveland, Ohio, created quite a network of stars across these iconic films. For example, Freddy Krueger actor Robert Englund used to babysit Drew Barrymore, who would go on to play Scream’s doomed Casey Becker, and the story the A Nightmare on Elm Street actor told us about this is incredible.

Two of the stars of the 1984 classic, Heather Langenkamp and Robert Englund, appeared on CinemaBlend’s podcast, ReelBlend, to talk about everything Craven-related -- from how he was as a director, theories, sequels, and even other Craven hits, like Scream. During the conversation, Englund recounted witnessing a meeting between Craven and Barrymore while out to dinner.

The Urban Legend alum didn’t know it then, but he seemingly was part of the Scream franchises' beginnings as he went up to say high to the director and the actress he used to babysit:

So, do we have Englund to thank for one of the best first kills in a horror movie? It's not confirmed, but it seems like he might have played a small role in getting Barrymore cast in Scream.

Craven’s Nightmare on Elm Street franchise, which brought a lot of excitement, dread and pretty gruesome murders to our screens, has remained a staple in the genre for decades. Then Scream did the same thing, as it added a new meta and funny level to the world of horror. So, the fact that two of the franchises' stars are so connected through something like babysitting is pretty mind-blowing.

Plus, this story is made even better by the fact that this year marks the 40th anniversary of the first movie in the A Nightmare on Elm Street franchise. Over the years, there have been a lot of sequels, off-kilter Nightmare on Elm Street remakes, and even some Freddy Kruger wardrobe secrets revealed that could have changed everything, as shared by the Freddy vs Jason star himself. So it's fun to throw it back to the days when these movies were made and learn more about how Craven's iconic projects are connected.

People have continually celebrated Wes Craven’s work and shared favorite scenes, trivia, and a whole lot more about his movies over the years. Even Barrymore has shared some behind-the-scenes footage from Scream. Now that I've learned about her connection to Nightmare on Elm Street's star, we might need to thank Robert Englund for her involvement.

Even the greatest actors have ups and downs in their careers. For some, it's more dramatic than others. John Travolta was virtually forgotten about before Quentin Tarantino cast him in Pulp Fiction, for example. Then there was "The McConaissance," when Matthew McConaughey roared back to prominence. Those two are hardly alone in finding roles that brought them back. Here is our list of 32 roles that saved actors' careers. 

Pulp Fiction - John Travolta

This was a big one. In the late '70s, there wasn't a bigger star than John Travolta. On the strength of a hit TV show (Welcome Back, Kotter), and two huge hits at the box office with Saturday Night Fever and Grease, Travolta was on top of the world. Then, almost all of a sudden, poof, he was gone. In the 16 years between Grease in 1978 and 1994, he appeared in only 11 movies, and three of those were Look Who's Talking movies and most of them bombed. Then Tarantino came along and cast him as Vincent Vega in Pulp Fiction and once again, Travolta was on top of the business and he's never looked back. 

Dallas Buyers Club - Matthew McConaughey

Matthew McConaughey exploded onto the scene in the early '90s in Dazed And Confused, where he delivered some of the most iconic quotes. In the mid-90s he started playing more dramatic roles in movies like A Time To Kill, Contact, and Amistad. By the early 2000s, he established himself as a popular lead in rom-coms. Then, after a few of his movies struggled to make an impact in the late 2000s, his star faded a little. That all changed in 2013 when he starred in, and won a Best Actor Oscar, for Dallas Buyers Club and The McConaissance was born. 

Stranger Things - Winona Ryder

With movies like Beetlejuice, Heathers,  The Age of Innocence, and Little Women, Winona Ryder was a superstar in the late '80s and early '90s. But in the early '00s, after some bad press for her shoplifting conviction, Ryder's star had fallen quite a bit and she even took a short break from acting. Though she never fell off the map completely, it wasn't until she starred in Stranger Things starting in 2016, that Ryder returned to the top. 

Judy - Renée Zellweger

Between Jerry McGuire in 1996 and Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason in 2005, Renée Zellweger was one of the most popular and successful actors in Hollywood. With a slew of hits and awards,  Zellweger could do no wrong. Then, after a few less-than-successful movies, the industry showed how fickle it could be and she fell off the A-list. That all changed in 2019 with Judy, followed up with the TV series The Thing About Pam.

The Whale - Brendan Fraser

the 1990s were Brendan Fraser's decade. He had some massive hits, most notably The Mummy in 1999, but soon after, it's like everything dried up. He worked still, but barely and it left the world asking what had become of the heartthrob. He answered every one with his amazing performance in The Whale, winning the Best Actor Oscar and roaring back to the top. 

Birdman - Michael Keaton

In the 1980s, Michael Keaton delivered some of the funniest lines in some of the funniest movies. In the mid-90s and early 00s, his career slowed a bit. He was still working but wasn't the big star he'd been when he got the role in Tim Burton's Batman. That is, of course, until he starred as an actor much like himself in Birdman and brought the great actor back to the top of the A-list. 

House Of Cards - Robin Wright

When she burst onto the scene in The Princess Bride, the sky was the limit for Robin Wright. She reached new heights with her role as Jenny in Forrest Gump but found herself a tabloid regular with her marriage to Sean Penn. Ultimately, she found perhaps her greatest fame when she landed the role of Claire Underwood in Netflix's House Of Cards. 

Everything Everywhere All at Once - Ke Huy Quan

Has there ever been a feel-good story in Hollywood like Ke Huy Quan's return to fame after winning an Oscar for his role in Everything Everywhere All at Once? After decades of virtually not working in the industry, having found fame as a kid, Quan was once again the toast of the town. 

Halloween (2018) - Jamie Lee Curtis

She's been called the original slasher film "final girl" for her role in the original Halloween, and Jamie Lee Curtis rode that fame to the top of Hollywood. You might not remember, but in 2006 she actually announced her retirement from acting. Though she didn't give it up completely, she was very selective about roles, mostly playing supporting characters. That changed with 2018 Halloween when she roared back into the business head first. 

Sin City - Mickey Rourke

People forget just how huge Mickey Rourke was in the 80s. Men wanted to be him and women wanted to be with him, as they say. Then, he decided he'd put acting on the back burner and become a boxer. After a somewhat successful run, he returned to acting, and with Sin City and The Wrestler, Rouke was back on top in Hollywood

Scream - Drew Barrymore

Drew Barrymore became a huge star as a kid in the 1980s with movies like E.T. and Firestarter. In her teens, some personal problems derailed things a little, but when she starred in Scream, it brought her completely back and she's never looked back. 

Wild - Reese Witherspoon

When Reese Witherspoon won the Academy Award for her performance in 2005's Walk The Line, she was on top of the world. Just a few years later though, after a string of poorly performing romance movies Witherspoon dubbed her "love triangle period," her career hit a valley. Then came Wild which marked not only her resurgence as an actor but her transition to big-time producer as well. 

Iron Man - Robert Downey, Jr

There probably isn't a more famous comeback story than Robert Downey, Jr. After years of personal problems and addiction, his career looked like it was going to be completely wasted. Then Downey sobered up and landed the role of a lifetime as Tony Stark/Iron Man and the rest is history. 

Arrested Development - Jason Bateman

Jason Bateman has had quite a few ups and downs in his career. In the '80s, he was a teen star on the verge of big things, but then his career hit a serious lull. It really wasn't until the cult success of Arrested Development that Bateman once again commanded must-see TV. 

Ryan Reynolds - Deadpool

With big roles in 90s TV shows like Sabrina the Teenage Witch and Two Guys And A Girl, Ryan Reynolds was poised for huge success. At first, that's what he found, but it started to fizzle out with a string of forgettable movies in the late '00s and early teens, including the disaster that was The Green Lantern. Then came another superhero movie in 2015 called Deadpool and now he will be doing that until he's 90. 

Yellowjackets - Christina Ricci

By no fault of her own, Christina Ricci's career hit a string of bad luck with projects that she shined in, but for one reason or another didn't capture the attention of audiences. That changed, obviously, with Yellowjackets starting in 2021. 

The Godfather - Marlon Brando

People forget that when Francis Ford Coppola cast Marlon Brando as Vito Corleone, Brando was on the outs in Hollywood. It's well-known lore at this point that Coppola had to fight to get the legend in the movie, but we're all grateful he did. 

24 - Kiefer Sutherland

With roles in Stand By Me, The Lost Boys,  and the two Young Guns movies, the late '80s and early '90s were big for Kiefer Sutherland. The mid and late '90s saw a bit of a lull with some box office disappointments. In 2001, Sutherland took on the role of Jack Bauer in 24, which quickly became one of the most popular shows on TV and Sutherland rode it to a new level of fame. 

 Orange Is The New Black - Natasha Lyonne

Legal and personal problems almost completely derailed Natasha Lyonne's promising career in the '00s. Thankfully, she got the help she needed and cleaned up, she scored a role on the Netflix hit Orange Is The New Black and she's continued to crush in a number of roles since. 

This Is Us - Mandy Moore

Around the turn of the century, Mandy Moore was unstoppable, starring in hit movies and charting on the Top 40. It was in 2016, however, when she was cast as the matriarch in This Is Us that her fame shot to an entirely new level. 

The Town - Ben Affleck

After a big decade in the '90s, Ben Affleck's fame in the '00s was more about the tabloids than it was about his filmography. It took a few years, but eventually, he proved to everyone how great a filmmaker he was with The Town in 2010, and ever since, he's been crushing it. 

Monster-in-Law - Jane Fonda

There weren't many bigger stars in Hollywood than Jane Fonda in the '70s and '80s. Then, in 1991, she announced she was retiring from acting, coinciding with her marriage to Ted Turner. She returned, to everyone's delight, in 2005's Monster-In-Law alongside Jennifer Lopez and has scoring hits ever since. 

Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle - Neil Patrick Harris

Like his character on Doogie Howser, MD, Neil Patrick Harris was a prodigy. However after the hit show ended, he struggled to move into more adult roles. Surprisingly, it was playing a fictionalized version of himself in Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle that landed him back on audiences' radar screens, and then he landed his most famous gig on How I Met Your Mother

Bohemian Rhapsody - Mike Myers

Mike Myers was everywhere in the 1990s. From SNL to Wayne's World (one of the best movies based on an SNL character) to Shrek to Austin Powers, he was on top of the world. In 2010, after a string of box office misses, he retreated from the scene, only to emerge with a glorious role in 2018's Bohemian Rhapsody. 

John Wick - Keanu Reeves

After proving to be box office gold for a couple of decades, Keanu Reeves had a string of misses in the late '00s, but when he teamed up with director Chad Stahelski for John Wick in 2014, he helped launch a whole new franchise that continues to pump out hits. 

Unfaithful - Diane Lane

Diane Lane has always been selective about her roles, going back to her early days in Hollywood in the '80s. This has led to multiple career "revivals" but the most notable has to be her turn in the hit Unfaithful in 2002 which earned her a Best Actress nomination at the Oscars in 2003. 

Airplane! - Leslie Nielsen

For a generation of audiences, Leslie Nielson will forever be known for his roles in some of the best parody movies like Airplane! and The Naked Gun. But before Nielson was delivering hilarious lines in those movies, he was known for his dramatic acting., though his career had slowed before he reinvented himself in the first Airplane!  

Striptease - Burt Reynolds

Burt Reynolds was one of Hollywood's biggest stars in the '70s, but a few poorly received movies in the '80s knocked him off that lofty perch. While many might point to his role in Boogie Nights in 1997 as reviving his career, it was really his hilarious performance in Striptease from a year earlier that put him back on the map.

No Country For Old Men - Josh Brolin

After finding success as a young star in the 1980s in movies like The Goonies, Josh Brolin hit a career drought that lasted more than a decade and left him wondering if he'd ever regain his earlier success. He did so and more after his amazing turn in No Country For Old Men in 2007 and has been one of Hollywood's best ever since. 

Trading Places - Don Ameche

With an amazing career that had started in the 1930s, Don Ameche's bookings dried up in the 1970s. Luckily for all of his, he landed a role as one of the Duke Brothers in Trading Places and he once again was a huge star, this time with a whole new, younger, generation of fans. 

Sea of Love - Al Pacino

It is easy to forget that even the greatest sometimes find themselves in slumps. Such was the case with Al Pacino in the mid 1980s. After all the incredible success of the '70s, he learned how fickle Hollywood can be and it wasn't until 1989's Sea Of Love that Pacino regained his rightful spot among the elite. 

Rocky Balboa - Sylvester Stallone

Sylvester Stallone is responsible for some of the biggest franchises in Hollywood history, but even the great ones stumble. Stallone had a pretty rough run of bad movies in the late '90s and early '00s, but when he returned to his roots in 2006's Rocky Balboa, he once again found his footing and not only starring in Rambo, reviving his other monster franchise, but he launched a new one with The Expendables.

Your favorite movie and TV star had to start somewhere and, sometimes, that somewhere is appearing in commercials. There have also been some cases in which an actor has already made it to the top but decided to lend their star power to a TV ad. You can find both kinds in the following collection of TV commercials featuring some huge celebrities.

Ben Affleck (Burger King)

An early blip in Ben Affleck's acting career was a commercial for the popular fast food chain, Burger King. The future live-action Batman actor and Academy Award-winning filmmaker plays a teen who accidentally invents Door Dash when his car phone intercepts a car from a girl who wants to order a whopper.

Cameron Diaz (Coca-Cola)

When Cameron Diaz was still a model primarily, one of her first experiences with acting – before making her feature debut in The Mask – was in a TV ad. The future Shrek movie star shines in an early '90s Coca-Cola commercial that feels a lot more like a perfume ad from the era in its alluring direction.

Paul Rudd (Super Nintendo)

All of Paul Rudd's versatile talents – from making us laugh in movies like The 40-Year-Old Virgin to thrilling us as Ant-Man in the Marvel movies – can be traced back to a Super Nintendo commercial he did in the early '90s. He plays a very enthusiastic video gamer who attracts a crowd when he, somehow, hooks up his console to a drive-in theater projector for the ultimate experience of playing The Legend of Zelda and other favorites.

Jennifer Lawrence (My Super Sweet 16)

Jennifer Lawrence got to be the original My Super Sweet 16 girl without appearing on the actual reality TV series that documented wealthy young women's extravagant birthday celebrations. MTV ran dramatized promos for the then-new show starring the future Academy Award winner and Hunger Games movie star as the birthday girl who encounters a few mishaps during her festivities.

Brad Pitt (Pringles)

Years before he starred in Super Bowl Heineken ad helmed by his Fight Club director, David Fincher, the then-up-and-coming Brad Pitt got a taste of commercial acting by starring in a 1988 Pringles spot. He plays one of three surfer dudes who become stranded on the side of a California road when a trio of lovely women approach them for an impromptu Pringles party.

Amy Adams (Commercial Federal Bank)

Mainstream audiences first became aware of Amy Adams' impeccable singing talent in 2007's Enchanted but customers at Commercial Federal Bank were really the first to discover her. In 1997, the multi-Oscar nominee starred as an Olvia Newton-John lookalike in a parody of 1978's Grease for the bank.

Steve Carell (Brown's Chicken)

Steve Carell's channeled his inner Michael Scott long before leading NBC's The Office cast when he was just starting out acting in commercials. In the early 1990s, he played a Brown's Chicken employee whose clumsy mistake while setting up a marquee advertising "cholesterol-free cooking" accidentally convinces customers the food will cost them nothing.

Drew Barrymore (Pillsbury)

It must have been clear to anyone who spotted Drew Barrymore in her early Pillsbury commercial that she was destined to capture our hearts in E.T. the Extra-terrestrial just a few years later. The 1979 ad stars the then-four-year-old as a little girl whose mother cheers her up on a rainy day by making chocolate chip cookies.

Leonardo DiCaprio (Bubble Yum)

Before breaking out with his supporting role in Growing Pains and really hitting big leading the Titanic cast, the up-and-coming Leonardo DiCaprio did a few commercials. One sees the future Oscar winner demonstrate his natural charisma while demonstrating the powerful flavor of Bubble Yum bubble gum.

Arnold Schwarzenegger (Alinamin V)

You may never be able to look at Arnold Schwarzenegger the same way again after witnessing the series of gobsmackingly bizarre ads the Terminator star filmed in Japan long after his big break. As the spokesperson for an energy drink called Alinamin V, the future California governor puts on a maniacally large smile and is sometimes seen riding the beverage's bottle into space or popping out of it like a genie.

Mila Kunis (Telephone Tammy)

Had Mila Kunis' Jackie Burkhart been a child of the '90s, Telephone Tammy – a doll who responds to your call with an included play phone – sounds like the kind of toy she would have grown up with. Not to mention the fact that the future That '70s Show cast member appeared in a commercial for Mattel when she was just starting out.

Morgan Freeman (Polaroid)

Future Academy Award winner and voice-over extraordinaire Morgan Freeman starred in a number of TV commercials early on in his career. One such ad was a 1970s spot for Polaroid, not as the man holding the camera that instantly prints out photos but the man telling the amateur photographer to cool it with the reshoots.

Britney Spears (Maull's)

Die-hard fans of pop superstar Britney Spears know that she started out as a child actor who worked with Ryan Gosling on The Mickey Mouse Club, among other rising stars. One of her earlier roles was a young girl who was apparently very excited to eat a home-cooked hamburger in a commercial for Maull's Barbecue Sauce, a local St. Louis brand.

Mark Hamill (Kodak)

Before playing Luke in the Star Wars movies made him familiar with technology from a galaxy far, far away, Mark Hamill represented what must have felt like a futuristic innovation at the time. He starred in a 1975 commercial for a Kodak camera that takes high-resolution photos from far away, allowing him to snap a shot of his girlfriend (and her mother) on a balcony while he stays on the ground.

Anne Hathaway (Better Homes And Gardens Real Estate)

Academy Award winner Anne Hathaway first showed her talent for performing in romantic dramas like One Day and The Idea of You in a 1996 commercial for Better Homes and Gardens. She plays a young woman who believes she and her boyfriend will still have time to spend before his family moves away until they learn the real estate agency has already sold the house.

J.K. Simmons (Farmers Insurance)

From his memorable roles in HBO's Oz and Sam Raimi's Spider-Man movies, J.K. Simmons was pretty well known by the time he was cast as Professor Nathaniel Burke of the University of Farmers for a long-running Farmers Insurance ad campaign. When he won his Oscar for Whiplash, host Neil Patrick Harris sang an impromptu parody of the company's commercial jingle.

Harrison Ford (Kirin)

Playing Han Solo in Star Wars and the title hero of the Indiana Jones movies made Harrison Ford an international star and one of the highest-grossing actors of all time. He would also increase his notoriety in Japan by starring in a series of commercials for a regional brand of lager called Kirin.

Keanu Reeves (Corn Flakes)

Before playing a master of kung fu in The Matrix, a master of gun-fu in the John Wick movies, and a master of excellency in the Bill & Ted movies, Keanu Reeves played a master of sneaking a bowl of cereal for himself. The role of a waiter who enjoys some of the breakfast food he has been hired to serve comes from an '80s-era ad for Kellogg's Corn Flakes.

Betty White (Snickers)

Snickers had a funny ad campaign starring well-known actors as metaphorical representations of the out-of-character behavior of hungry people. One of the earliest, and funniest, stars the legendary Betty White as a dude who needs a bite of the protein-loaded candy bar when his performance in a casual football game is off.

Bruce Willis (Seagram's Coolers)

When he was best known for Moonlighting and before starring in one of the all-time greatest action movies, Die Hard, Bruce Willis had another claim to fame: Seagram's Golden. He served as the adult beverage's spokesperson in a series of ads, some of which utilized his musical talents.

Jeff Goldblum (Apartments.com)

It's a little strange how a performer as widely recognized and beloved as Academy Award nominee Jeff Goldblum would be hired to star in an ongoing ad campaign as an original character and not just as himself. Nevertheless, the star of Jurassic Park and The Fly is dazzling and dazzling in the Apartments.com commercials as Brad Bellflower.

Sharon Stone (Finesse)

In the 1990s, films like Basic Instinct and her Academy Award-nominated role in director Martin Scorsese's Casino made Sharon Stone one of the most esteemed, and desirable, actors of her time. In the 1980s, her looks helped sell Finesse shampoo as one of the most desirable brands in the hair care market.

Jack Black (Pitfall)

It appears that Jack Black's charismatic, high-energy sense of humor was something he possessed from a young age. Exhibit A: his appearance in a 1982 commercial for Atari's Pitfall, as a wide-eyed child in a safari hat enthusiastically recalling his experience in the jungle-set video game, years before he played a jungle-set video game character in Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle.

Sarah Michelle Gellar (Burger King)

No one would have believed, in 1983, that an adorable six-year-old girl who became a recurring spokesperson for Burger King would grow up to become one of the fiercest horror Scream Queens in the genre's history. Yet, that would become Sarah Michelle Gellar's destiny after leading the Buffy the Vampire Slayer cast as the titular defender against evil.

Tobey Maguire (Tropicana Twister)

In 1991, when he was still a teen, Tobey Maguire did an ad for a blended juice drink from Tropicana called Tropicana Twister. The future Spider-Man actor only briefly appears as a kid who breaks the fourth wall, suggesting that broccoli be added to the next unique flavor combination.

Courteney Cox (Tampax)

Before starring in the Friends cast as Monica Gellar, Courteney Cox was best known in the 1980s for dancing with Bruce Springsteen in the "Dancing in the Dark" video. However, did you catch the future Scream movies star's appearance in a Tampax ad as a gym patron?

Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Pop-Tarts)

Joseph Gordon-Levitt is one of the most acclaimed former child stars who still act, with film and TV credits that back to the late '80s and early '90s like Angels in the Outfield and, of course, 3rd Rock from the Sun. If you go back even earlier than those classics, you can see the future Looper and Inception star in a 1991 ad for Kellogg's Pop-Tarts as a child who child urging his father to have breakfast before he leaves for work and offers him the toaster pastry.

Bryan Cranston (Preparation H)

Four-time Emmy winner and one-time Academy Award nominee Bryan Cranston has worn many faces throughout his career, from a hapless suburban dad in the Malcolm in the Middle cast to a ruthless drug lord as the lead of the Breaking Bad cast. Years before then, he wore the face of a spokesperson for Preparation H in a commercial from the early 1980s.

Willem Dafoe (Mercedes Benz)

With roles like one of the best Spider-Man movie villains, Green Goblin, and others, Willem Dafoe has proven time and time again that he plays an exceptional bad guy. Thus, he was the perfect choice to star in a Super Bowl ad for Mercedes Benz as the Devil, who almost convinces a young man to trade his soul for the car until he learns how affordable it is.

Geena Davis (WMET)

With an eclectic career that includes her Academy Award-winning role in The Accidental Tourist, the horror-comedy movie favorite Beetlejuice, and plenty more, it is clear Geena Davis can be anything. So, we imagine early '80s TV viewers who lived in the region where WMET broadcasted had no trouble accepting her as the voice of the local rock radio station when she starred in its enchanting commercial.

Jeremy Renner (Duracell)

Before he was defending the Marvel Cinematic Universe with the Avengers, Jeremy Renner made a living as a commercial actor. One of his greatest hits was a 90s-era Duracell ad in which he plays a tourist in Mexico whose stereo battery harnesses the power of a herd bulls.

John Travolta (U.S. Army)

Years before he played Santa in a Capital One ad and sent up his role in Grease for T-Mobile, John Travolta starred in an Army recruitment promo in 1973. Just four years later, his Academy Award-nominated lead role in Saturday Night Fever made him one of the biggest stars on the planet.

A great performance from a precocious young actor can steal scenes and even entire movies and TV shows. Like the kids on this list, who have so much personality at such a young age it's crazy. From TV stars like Gary Coleman on Diff'rent Strokes to supporting roles in movies that end up being the most-talked-about bits of the films, like Jonathan Lipnicki in Jerry Maguire, these kids are just oozing charm and talent. 

Shirley Temple

You can't have a list like this without the original Hollywood kid star, the great Shirley Temple. Though Temple acted in films into her late teens before retiring in 1950, she is really best remembered for her roles as a clever witty kid in movies like 1935's Curly Top and 1936's Stowaway. After Temple retired, she went on to have a successful career as a spokesperson and even a foreign diplomat. 

Macaulay Culkin

There are very few kids that could ever carry a movie, much less a franchise, like Macaulay Culkin did with the Home Alone movies. The first movie is one of the most successful movies of all time, and while the entire cast of Home Alone is amazing, the movie would not be the same with anyone else as Kevin McCallister. 

Quvenzhané Wallis

Quvenzhané Wallis' performance in Beasts of the Southern Wild is, in all senses, a revelation. Her performance is so powerful and nuanced on a level that even many adult actors can't match. It was so good, that Wallis became the youngest actress ever nominated for an Academy Award. 

Ke Huy Quan

Ke Huy Quan comeback with his amazing, award-winning performance in Everything Everywhere All At Once was the feel-good story of 2022. It came, of course, four decades after he first blew audiences away with roles like Short Round in Indiana Jones and the Temple Of Doom and Data in The Goonies, where he showed just how much personality a kid can have on screen. 

Peter Billingsley

For a generation of kids, A Christmas Story is THE definite Christmas movie. It was so popular that for a time, it would run a loop on cable TV around the holiday. Of course, while the whole cast is memorable, Peter Billingsley's role as Ralphie is the one people talk about the most. 

Soleil Moon Frye

The 1980s were awash with precocious kids leading shows and few were on a higher level than Punky Brewster. The lead character, played by Soleil Moon Frye, found herself in all kinds of spots, usually funny, though sometimes serious and Frye could handle it all. 

Emmanuel Lewis

For six seasons, Emmanuel Lewis brought joy to American homes as the orphaned Webster in the show with the same name. Like others in the decade, Lewis carried a network show with his comedic timing and cuteness. The diminutive Lewis, who was diagnosed with pituitary dwarfism, used his condition to his advantage, not to mention his great acting, to get people laughing everywhere. 

The Olsen Twins

Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen are examples of kids who left acting behind, but their joint performance as Michelle Tanner in Full House will always be beloved by fans of the show. The twins both had enough personality to fill a soundstage when they played the role, starting when they were just babies. Incredible. 

Haley Joel Osment

Haley Joel Osment's big break came as the intense kid who could see dead people in The Sixth Sense. Like a few others on this list, he's a child star who is still acting today and it's not hard to see why given the talent he displayed at just 11 years old. 

Millie Bobby Brown

By the time Millie Bobby Brown was the ripe old age of 12, when she first starred in Stranger Things on Netflix, the actress was a seasoned vet. She had already had regular roles on a couple of TV shows both in the US and her native UK and had made a number of guest appearances on shows like NCIS and Grey's Anatomy. Of course, it would as a Eleven in Stranger Things that really proved how great she is. 

Christian Bale

Christian Bale is one of the best actors of his generation, something he started to prove very early in his life when he took on the starring role of a war orphan in  Steven Spielberg's Empire of the Sun. Bale was only 13 at the time and his performance is both heartbreaking and heartwarming. It's hard to fathom the ability to do that as barely a teenager. 

Gary Coleman

There isn't a more famous catchphrase from 1980s TV than "Whatchu talkin' 'bout, Willis?" Of course, those words were part of seemingly every single episode of Diff'rent Strokes. Gary Coleman's role as Arnold, the orphaned kid taken in, with his brother, by Mr Drummond was one of the most popular characters of the decade.  

Anna Chlumsky

While Macaulay Culkin was the big "star" of My Girl when it was released, his counterpart, played by Anna Chlumsky is every bit as charming as wonderful as Caulkin. Chlumsky's talents were on full display as a kid, talents that would eventually earn her many Emmy nominations for her work as an adult in Veep.

Jonathan Lipnicki

Let's be honest, is there a cuter kid than Jonathan Lipnicki in Jerry Maguire? His charm and unintentional wit is totally off the charts in the rom-com. He even knows how much a human head weighs (8 pounds) and that bees and dogs smell fear. No too shabby. 

Tatum O'Neal

When Tatum O'Neal won the Oscar for starring alongside her father, Ryan O'Neal, in  Paper Moon in 1974 she became the youngest person to ever win the award at just age 10. That pretty much says it all. While other kids have been nominated, she was the first kid to win. She continued to show her talents and personality in movies like The Bad News Bears and Nickelodeon before personal problems derailed her promising career. 

Henry Thomas

Acor Henry Thomas has had a long career in TV and on film, but the movies we all best remember are when he was a child actor full of skill and personality in movies like E.T. and the underrated Cloak & Dagger. E.T. was one of the most successful movies of all time and is ranked as one of Steven Spielberg's best movies, thanks in large part to Thomas' performance. 

Jaleel White

It's true that Steve Urkel on Family Matters is one of the more polarizing characters in TV history, but Jaleel White's performance as the nerdy neighbor shouldn't be controversial. He was perfect in the role and people are still making references to it decades later, which tells you all you need to know. 

Hailee Steinfeld

In literature, there are few kids with more personality than Mattie Ross in Charles Portis' classic novel True Grit. It takes a young actor with an equally big personality to play her on-screen and in the Coen Brother's 2010 adaption, Hailee Steinfeld just crushes the role. 

Drew Barrymore

When you come from Hollywood royalty, like the Barrymore family, you'd better have some acting chops. Drew Barrymore proved just how great she was before she was even seven years old when she starred in her breakout role as Gertie in E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. She continued acting as a kid in movies like Firestarter and Irreconcilable Differences, before moving on to adult roles and eventually, her own talk show. 

Keshia Knight Pulliam

The Cosby Show was among the most popular shows of the 1980s and while Bill Cosby was undoubtedly the star of the show, Keshia Knight Pulliam, who played the youngest Huxtable child, Rudy, stole a TON of scenes in every season. Who could ever forget the lip-syncing scenes with the whole family, and not immediately recall her legendary moments in those scenes? 

Hayley Mills

How about not one, but two roles that prove just how much personality one child actor can show off? For Hayley Mills, The Parent Trap wasn't her first movie, but it is the one most remembered from her child-acting days. She plays both twins in the movie and does it so well, that you'd swear it would have to be two people, even though they look alike. 

Abigail Breslin

Little Miss Sunshine was the surprise hit of 2006 and that was in no small part (pun intended) to Abigail Breslin's brilliant performance as Olive, the girl at the heart of the dysfunctional family's road trip. you know someone is a star when they stand out from a cast that includes Alan Arkin, Paul Dano, Steve Carell, and Toni Collette.

Anna Paquin

These days Anna Paquin is probably best known for her work in the X-Men series, but she really burst onto the scene as an 11-year-old in The Piano, for which she became one of the youngest actors to ever win an Academy Award. More than three decades later she's still lighting up the screen. 

Alfonso Ribeiro

In the 1980s television was filled with precocious kids tearing it up on shows like Silver Spoons. Ricky Schroeder may have been the star as young Ricky, a role that launched his career, but his best friend, Alfonso, played by Alfonso Ribeiro, stole a lot of the scenes he was in. After Silver Spoons, Ribeiro danced into our hearts as Carlton on The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air. 

Natalie Portman

It is undeniable that Natalie Portman is one of the finest actors of her generation and her career all started when she was just 12 in Leon: The Professional. It's a complicated role, one that even many adult actors would struggle with, but Portman showed right away just what kind of acting chops she had in the movie. It's a challenging role for audiences, thanks to her fantastic performance. 

Alyssa Milano

Alyssa Milano's career has gone through some peaks and valleys, like many actors. One of the highest peaks came when she was just a kid, starring as Samantha in Who's The Boss?, a classic '80s sitcom. Tony Danza played her father and the chemistry between them was legendary. Maybe one day we'll get that reboot we've been waiting for. 

Jerry Mathers

In the whole history of American television, one of the most enduring characters has to be from its golden age in the 1950s, Beaver Cleaver. Played by Jerry Mathers, The Beav was an instant hit with kids and parents alike and the show ran for decades in reruns all over the country. Mathers even returned to play The Beaver during the Baby Boomer nostalgia fad of the 1980s. 

Keisha Castle-Hughes

When Keisha Castle-Hughes was nominated for an Oscar in her breakout role in The Whale Rider, she was the youngest person to ever receive that honor. Her performance is fully deserving of the praise she received and she's continued to receive well-earned praise for her roles in Game of Thrones as Obara Sand, and as Hana Gibson in FBI.

Jodie Foster

Playing a role like Jodie Foster played in Taxi Driver takes a truly special actor. Foster, who was just 14 when she played the complicated role, has gone on to have an incredible and empowering career in Hollywood, but it's hard to imagine her having a tougher assignment than that part, with such adult complications, in Taxi Driver. 

Dafne Keen

There is something so magical about kids playing roles that really wrestle with adult themes and one of the best recent examples is Dafne Keen in Logan. It's a complicated role, dealing with complicated subjects and Keen is sublime throughout the movie. 

Heather O'Rourke

Heather O'Rouke's all too tragic life was taken way too soon. The Poltergeist star died when she was just 12 years old, but in those 12 years, she left a heck of an impression on the world. Her performance in Poltergeist completely steals the legendary horror film. 

Natalie Wood

While Natalie Wood is too often remembered for all the wrong reasons, in her short life (she died when she was just 43), she packed a ton of memorable performances in that life. One of the most enduring has to be her role in Miracle on 34th Street, which came when she was just 9 years old. 

On The Drew Barrymore Show, Zoë Kravitz spoke to the talk show host about her new movie with fiancé Channing Tatum called Blink Twice. After the two exchanged a beautiful heart-to-heart interview, Lenny Kravitz just felt like he had to get in on the heartwarming action on the daytime talk show. The “Let Love Rule” singer surprised everyone by showing up on Barrymore’s show and complimented her for her "beautiful interview" with his daughter.

Zoë Kravitz’s directorial debut Blink Twice about a cocktail waitress being invited to a tech mogul's island home covers a lot of heavy topics like trauma and memory blackouts. On The Drew Barrymore Show, the talk show host shared with Kravitz what a personal connection she had to the movie due to her drinking experiences and the importance of forgiving yourself.

Through many hugs and hand-holding, you could tell Lenny Kravitz wanted to feel the same energy when he surprised everyone showing up on the daytime show! Take a look at the touching video below:

When Lenny Kravitz walks into a room, I’m sure it’s easy to feel like the coolest person being in the presence of the “Are You Gonna Go My Way” singer. As he hugged Drew Barrymore on her show, you can tell how grateful he was for her kind words to his 35-year-old daughter.

You almost feel like crying seeing Lenny Kravitz so proud of his daughter’s accomplishments with her new movie. You can tell the two have such a close bond through Zoë Kravitz crediting her parents for teaching her to “beat” her own drug and playfully roasting her dad’s netted shirt look. She even found a way to include her dad’s viral ab workout video in Blink Twice. The Grammy winner made sure to tell Drew Barrymore that the conversation between her and his daughter was “the most beautiful interview I’ve ever seen” and gushed about the High Fidelity star’s 2024 movie release:

The last line really got to me. Now, that’s a proud father if I’ve ever seen one! When a parent is a real fan of your work, it’s a genuine compliment. Drew Barrymore made sure to tell Zoë Kravitz about how she follows her wisdom for having such good men in her life. You can’t deny that truth as The Batman actress has got a cool, loving father as well as a devoted fiancé in Channing Tatum. I know it’ll be an emotional moment for everyone when Lenny Kravitz walks his daughter down the aisle.

You can tell that Drew Barrymore’s interview with Zoë Kravitz meant a lot to everyone in the room, including overjoyed father Lenny Kravitz. Just like the American actress was there for her dad’s Hollywood Walk of Fame moment, it’s sweet how he dedicated himself to seeing his daughter’s interview. Blink Twice still has limited showtimes in theaters and is available to rent on streaming platforms.

In our lifetimes, the only turn of a century we’ve witnessed is the move from the 1990s to the 2000s. It was an exciting time in the world of Hollywood, between superhero franchises like the Spider-Man and X-Men trilogies making comic books mainstream and adaptations of book series like Lord of the Rings and the Harry Potter films becoming some of the biggest blockbusters of the decade. But, many of the best movies of the 2000s wouldn’t have been possible without the star power of several actors of the time. 

In celebration of an incredible decade in movies, we chose the quintessential film of 32 actors of the 2000s. Check it out: 

Johnny Depp (Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl)

Johnny Depp was unquestionably one of the biggest stars of the 2000s after previously making a name for himself throughout the 1990s, most notably with his work with Tim Burton and in the independent film space. Looking back, the No. 1 movie of his was his debut as Captain Jack Sparrow in the first Pirates of the Caribbean movie in 2003. The actor helped create the best fumbling pirate we’ve ever seen before, going on to make four more of its kind. Fans are still talking about this movie and even writing and signing petitions for the actor to reprise the role. 

Nicole Kidman (Moulin Rouge!)

Nicole Kidman was one of the most in demand actresses of the 2000s, so much so that she did an average of three movies a year across the first half of it. Her greatest movie of the decade is actually the first of them from that time period: Baz Luhrmann’s Moulin Rouge! The jukebox musical was a commercial success, award season darling and we’ll always go back to her role as Satine. 

Robert Downey Jr. (Iron Man) 

After Robert Downey Jr. was in the public eye for addiction-related setbacks, he found a way to make a comeback throughout the 2000s with a ton of great movies like Zodiac, Good Night and Good Luck and Kiss Kiss Bang Bang. But the best of the best was his turn as Iron Man in 2008. 

Samuel L. Jackson (Unbreakable) 

Samuel L. Jackson was a major fixture of the 1990s, between saying “Hold onto your butts!” in Jurassic Park, starring in Pulp Fiction or starring with Bruce Willis in Die Hard with a Vengeance. His prominence as an actor remained strong in the 2000s with all sorts of roles, including as Mace Windu in Star Wars, but his greatest is in M. Night Shyamalan’s unique superhero film, Unbreakable. 

Scarlett Johansson (Lost In Translation)

Scarlett Johansson was a major star in the 2010s, especially as an Avenger, but she really blossomed into this throughout the 2000s, between movies like Ghost World, Match Point, The Island or The Prestige. The performance that really carried the audience’s love for her throughout the decade was in Sofia Coppola’s Lost In Translation alongside Bill Murray, where they play unlikely friends who meet in Tokyo. 

 Will Smith (The Pursuit of Happyness)

After Will Smith had a hugely successful decade in the '90s between Bad Boys, Independence Day and being The Fresh Prince, Smith notably took his career a step further in the 2000s. He took on a number of more dramatic roles like Ali and Seven Pounds during this time that deserved the actor an Oscar, but there’s no movie more special than 2006’s The Pursuit of Happyness. In the film, he helped tell the true story of a homeless salesman and his son. 

Reese Witherspoon (Legally Blonde)

“What, like it’s hard?” Of course, the defining Reese Witherspoon movie of the 2000s is Legally Blonde! The 2001 movie continues to be one of the most quotable comedies and Elle Woods is a beloved heroine in modern pop culture. As a whole, Witherspoon was serving throughout the decade by also starring in things like the Johnny Cash biopic Walk The Line or the rom-coms Sweet Home Alabama and Just Like Heaven.

Brad Pitt (Inglourious Basterds)

The 2000s was a huge decade of career expansion for Brad Pitt after his heartthrob beginnings in critically-acclaimed '90s flicks such as Interview with a Vampire, Seven, Fight Club. The cream of the crop for a very busy Pitt during this time has to be Quentin Tarantino’s Inglourious Basterds, where he played Lt. Aldo Raine in an alternate history story about World War II. 

Jim Carrey (Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind)

The stardom of Jim Carrey was deep in the fixture of 2000s movies through a ton of big movies like How The Grinch Stole Christmas, Bruce Almighty or Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events. But one of the actor’s most dramatic roles, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, stands as his best of the decade. The sci-fi romance imagines a world where one could have a procedure to forget their ex, and asks big questions about memory and love. 

Kate Hudson (Almost Famous) 

Kate Hudson has called Almost Famous “the beginning of everything” for her, and it really was career-wise for the actress. When the movie came out in 2000, it started a massive decade for her that would have her in flicks like How To Lose A Guy in 10 Days, The Skeleton Key and Nine among a ton of roles. The Cameron Crowe movie had Hudson playing Penny Lane, a groupie of a '70s band. 

Tom Hanks (Cast Away)

The 2000s marked Tom Hanks third decade as a movie star and it was another solid time for the actor, particularly for more serious roles. While there are a lot of close contenders like Road To Perdition, Catch Me If You Can and The Terminal, his greatest movie of that time was Cast Away. Hanks gives an all-time performance as a man who gets stranded on an island alone. We never knew we could cry over a volleyball before the 2000 movie. 

Meryl Streep (Mamma Mia!)

Meryl Streep turned 50 in 1999. While that historically has spelled bad news for female actors in Hollywood, Streep proved she could still be one of the biggest stars in her middle-aged years with a ton of performances in the 2000s. From Adaptation to The Hours, The Devil Wear Prada, Lions For Lambs, Doubt, Julie & Julia, Fantastic Mr. Fox and It’s Complicated, this time was an embarrassment of riches for the actress, but if we had to pick one, the iconic Mamma Mia! is the one we’re still singing all the words to. 

Denzel Washington (Training Day)

Denzel Washington’s place as one of the most impressive living actors was apparent in the 2000s through a productive decade full of critically-acclaimed performances. The ultimate Washington movie of the time we’ve chosen is 2001’s Training Day, which in turn earned him his second Oscar win. But, the actor made a ton of great hits during this time like Remember The Titans, Antwone Fisher, Man on Fire, Inside Man, American Gangster and The Great Debaters. 

Tom Cruise (Minority Report) 

After Tom Cruise starred in movies like Rain Man, Top Gun, the first Mission: Impossible and Magnolia in the '80s and '90s, he continued to be a major actor into the 2000s with a ton of fresh roles. His best of the decade is arguably one of his two collaborations with Steven Spielberg, Minority Report. The sci-fi flick has Cruise’s character on the run for a crime he has not committed in an imagined 2054. 

Julia Roberts (Erin Brockovich)

Julia Roberts made a string of romantic comedies in the ‘90s, but when the new century came along, she diversified her career with a lot more dramatic roles. Her best movie during this time was in 2000’s Erin Brockovich. The biographical movie from Steven Soderbergh about groundwater contamination also earned Roberts an Oscar for Best Actress. 

Matt Damon (The Bourne Identity) 

It felt like Matt Damon was in all the movies back in the 2000s after he and Ben Affleck wowed Hollywood with Good Will Hunting in 1997. The actor was in 20 movies across this decade, but the best of them was 2002's action thriller The Bourne Identity. He would go on to star in an entire trilogy as Jason Bourne. 

Leonardo DiCaprio (Catch Me If You Can) 

Leonardo DiCaprio became a verified movie star when he said “I’m king of the world!” in 1997’s Titanic. As he moved into his mid-twenties and thirties in the 2000s, he started working closely with Martin Scorsese in a series of movies (Gangs Of New York, The Aviator and The Departed). However, his best comes from Steven Spielberg with Catch Me If You Can. The biographical crime comedy had DiCaprio playing a con man alongside Tom Hanks. 

Kirsten Dunst (Marie Antoinette)

Kirsten Dunst got her start as a child actor in the '90s in movies such as Jumanji and Interview with a Vampire before starring in films like The Virgin Suicides and Drop Dead Gorgeous at the tail end of the '90s. Dunst officially became an adult in the 2000s and made tons of movies, from being Mary-Jane Watson in the Spider-Man movies to being in Bring It On. Her second collaboration with Sofia Coppola as the famed French archduchess is her best work of the decade. 

Adam Sandler (Punch-Drunk Love)

Even though the 2000s didn’t quite top Adam Sandler’s amazing Saturday Night Live star into movie star turn, he was in all sorts of memorable movies in the 2000s. The one that sticks out the most is his collaboration with Paul Thomas Anderson with 2002’s Punch-Drunk Love. Unlike his screwball comedies, it’s an earnest rom-com that may not have been popular, but it is unforgettable. 

Will Ferrell - Anchorman

Will Ferrell’s acting career really took off in the 2000s in a massive way. He left Saturday Night Live in 2002 after seven seasons on the sketch show and became one of the funniest Hollywood movie stars. His most hilarious leading role has to be in Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, where he played a 1970s news host. 

George Clooney (Ocean’s Eleven)

It’s not easy to choose the best George Clooney role of the 2000s given the sheer amount of solid movies he starred in at the time. From his Coen Brothers’ movie O Brother, Where Art Thou? to his Oscar-winning role in Syriana. But, it simply wouldn’t have been the 2000s without Clooney leading the pack in Ocean’s Eleven (and the trilogy it became). He’s effortlessly cool as the master plotter of a casino heist. 

Gwyneth Paltrow (The Royal Tenenbaums) 

Paltrow was in a load of films during this decade, coming off her Oscar win in Shakespeare In Love. But, among a cast including Owen Wilson, Danny Glover, Gene Hackman, Bill Murray, Anjelica Huston and Ben Stiller, Gwyneth Paltrow’s Margot stole the show and therefore finds a spot as her No.1 2000s role. 

Halle Berry (Monster's Ball) 

The 2000s was an iconic moment for Halle Berry, who became Storm in X-Men and starred in Catwoman and as a Bond girl in Die Another Day. Her best role is her Oscar-winning lead in 2001’s Monster’s Ball. The movie is about a widower who unknowingly begins a relationship with a corrections officer who assisted in the execution of her late husband. 

Christian Bale (The Dark Knight) 

Christian Bale started the 2000s as the star of American Psycho and ended it as the star of Michael Mann’s Public Enemies alongside Johnny Depp. But unquestionably, Bale’s performance in one of the most seminal movies of the 2000s, The Dark Knight, is our pick. His second outing as Bruce Wayne/Batman is elevated when Heath Ledger’s haunting Joker struts into Gotham. 

Jennifer Garner (13 Going On 30) 

During the 2000s, Jennifer Garner became famous for starring in the TV show Alias. But at the same time, she established herself as a movie star, too. What caught our hearts the most was her role in 13 Going On 30 alongside Mark Ruffalo. It’s a blast to see the actress play a teen in an adult’s body. 

Ben Stiller (Tropic Thunder) 

The 2000s had Ben Stiller becoming a movie star in his own right, between the hilarious Meet The Parents in 2000, to Zoolander and Along Came Polly. His best movie of this era was one he wrote, directed and starred in. Tropic Thunder is a hilarious satirical action comedy with a star-studded cast that we’re still laughing about over a decade later. 

Russell Crowe (A Beautiful Mind) 

After becoming a familiar face for his roles in the '90s, Russell Crowe became an all-time great actor of the 2000s by starring in Gladiator, Cinderella Man, American Gangster, Master and Commander and 3:10 To Yuma. If you’ve seen his performance in 2001’s A Beautiful Mind, you likely never forgot Crowe’s inspired performance as schizophrenic mathematician John Nash. 

Nicolas Cage (Adaptation) 

Nicolas Cage’s third decade in movies was a busy one that had him in more big-budget movies than ever between National Treasure and Ghost Rider, but Spike Jonze’s Adaptation takes the prize as he played twin brothers, one struggling with writer’s block and the other deciding to copy his brother’s ambitions.

Keira Knightley (Pride & Prejudice) 

Keira Knightley turned fifteen when the 21st century began, but it wasn’t long before she became a movie star – leading movies like Bend it Like Beckham, Pirates of the Caribbean and Love, Actually. The defining Knightley performance of her first decade as a big-screen actress was in the film adaptation of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. 

Jack Black (School of Rock) 

Jack Black had a massive decade in movies in the 2000s, but one cannot forget how perfect he was in the role of Dewey Finn in School of Rock. The 2003 movie allowed the actor to flex his musician muscles and unique charm as he played a failed rock star turned imposter substitute teacher. 

Drew Barrymore (50 First Dates)

Drew Barrymore had the chance to come into her own as a movie star in her adulthood in the 2000s following being a child actor in films like E.T. and Firestarter. She had an awesome decade that included Charlie’s Angels, He’s Just Not That Into You and Whip It, but her role with Adam Sandler as a forgetful love interest remains one of her best and most hilarious (yet heartwarming) roles. 

Hugh Jackman (The Prestige) 

Hugh Jackman started his career in theater in the '90s, but in the 2000s he quickly became a big star. Sure, he became Wolverine for the first time in the X-Men movies, played Van Helsing and starred in Kate & Leopold, but it was particularly special to see his role in Christopher Nolan’s The Prestige. He’s amazing as a magician who feuds with Christian Bale’s character over the ultimate magic trick. 

Anyone else feeling nostalgic for the decade of the 2000s, now? It was an amazing time for great movies and the movie stars we saw everywhere like the people above. 

Sometimes, all it takes is one joint appearance in a movie or television show for two popular actors to become known as an acting duo, and sometimes they prove to work so well together that they go on to star in even more projects together. We’ve come up with a list of 32 acting duos who have worked together multiple times, so you can see if you’ve watched all of the times these talented stars have been on screen with each other.

Tina Fey And Amy Poehler

Obviously, this funny duo began their most famed time together while starring on Saturday Night Live, but Tina Fey and Amy Poehler didn’t let the good times end there. The women were both in Mean Girls, starred in the movies Baby Mama and Sisters, and used their talents to great effect when co-hosting the Golden Globe Awards for several years.

Robert De Niro And Al Pacino

Two legendary actors make for a legendary acting duo, and while Robert De Niro and Al Pacino are frequently mentioned in the same breath, they’ve only been featured in four films together. Two of those movies, however, are absolutely the reason people often talk about them together as they count The Godfather Part II, Heat, Righteous Kill and The Irishman as their joint efforts.

Julia Roberts And George Clooney

Now, these two actually have made quite a few movies with one another, and largely with both in on-screen roles. Of course, it’s hard to forget that George Clooney and Julia Roberts are in all three of the Ocean’s Eleven films, but they’ve also starred in Confessions of a Dangerous Mind (which Clooney also directed), Money Monster and the 2022 rom-com Ticket to Paradise. The erstwhile Danny Ocean also produced August: Osage County, while Roberts starred.

Jane Fonda And Lily Tomlin

Frequently we see an acting duo together multiple times because they really are buddies in real life, and that’s true for Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin. After first starring together in the 1980 hit 9 to 5 (with Dolly Parton, of course) they eventually re-teamed for the Netflix series Grace and Frankie (which ran for seven seasons), as well as the dark comedy Moving On and 80 for Brady.

Emma Stone And Ryan Gosling

This duo has produced some well-known and beloved comedies and dramas over the years, as Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling first starred together in Crazy, Stupid, Love in 2011, moving on to Gangster Squad in 2013 and the Oscar-winning musical La La Land in 2016. Stone even once said she couldn’t “imagine” her life without Gosling, so these two will probably be friends forever.

Salma Hayek And Antonio Banderas

Salma Hayek and Antonio Banderas sharing the screen in Desperado caused considerable heat, along with igniting a very real friendship, so it’s no surprise that they’ve now worked together a number of times. They’ve also been in the casts of Four Rooms, Frida, Once Upon a Time in Mexico, Spy Kids 3: Game Over, Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard and both Puss in Boots animated movies. That’s a lot!

Dwayne Johnson And Kevin Hart

We’ve already born witness to a rather lengthy history of Dwayne Johnson and Kevin Hart ripping on each other during their (apparently) laugh and roast-filled friendship, and the two megastars have, indeed, brought that chemistry to the big screen multiple times. The duo counts Central Intelligence, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle and its sequel, Hobbs & Shaw and DC League of Super-Pets as the titles they’ve appeared in together.

Matt Damon And Ben Affleck

If this isn’t a classic acting duo by now, there are none. Matt Damon and Ben Affleck have been “bizarrely close” friends since childhood, and they first joined forces to great effect by penning and starring in Good Will Hunting (after having both appeared in School Ties), which won them the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay. They also worked on Dogma in the 1990s, then, after nearly 25 years, they joined forces again to write and star in The Last Duel, and since then have also worked together on Air and the upcoming RIP for Netflix.

Denzel Washington And Don Cheadle

If only these two powerhouse stars had already been in more movies together…Denzel Washington and Don Cheadle’s first pairing was as P.I. Easy Rawlins and his loyal but unpredictable friend, Mouse, in 1995’s Devil in a Blue Dress. While their work in the film garnered critical acclaim, it would be over 15 years before they teamed again for Flight.

Sanaa Lathan And Taye Diggs

We should never underestimate the power of a franchise when it comes to popular on-screen pairings. Sanaa Lathan and Taye Diggs appeared in The Wood together in 1999 and then went on to star in The Best Man, its sequel and the Peacock mini-series, The Best Man: The Final Chapters. The duo also played the lead couple in the rom-com, Brown Sugar in 2002.

Scarlett Johansson And Chris Evans

Co-starring in a franchise with the same people will take an acting duo far, but Scarlett Johansson and Chris Evans have surpassed even the typical standard where that’s concerned. Thanks to their joint time in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, they’ve appeared in a whopping seven movies together (including their mid-end credits cameo in Captain Marvel), and prior to their time as blockbuster movie-making superheroes they starred in The Perfect Score and The Nanny Diaries, bringing their current total to nine.

Anthony Mackie And Chris Evans

If you did enjoy many of those MCU movies, then you know that Chris Evans rubbed elbows with Anthony Mackie quite a bit there. But, did you also know that the two have been in XX non-Marvel movies together? Playing It Cool, What’s Your Number, and Ghosted also star/feature both actors and if you add in all their shared time in tights on screen, their total is also at nine.

Emily Blunt And Dwayne Johnson

The first time was a hit, so why not join forces again, right? Emily Blunt and Dwayne Johnson famously delivered winning chemistry in Jungle Cruise, and are coming back together for the upcoming drama The Smashing Machine. The two are also said to be willing to return for Jungle Cruise 2, whenever that can finally get off the ground.

Chris Pine And Ben Foster

The third time has been the charm so far for Chris Pine and Ben Foster. The duo famously portrayed bank-robbing brothers in Hell or High Water, joined up for The Finest Hours, and made it a three-peat in 2022 for The Contractor.

Margot Robbie And Will Smith

If it seemed that there could have been a little something extra going on between Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn and Will Smith’s Deadshot when you watched 2016’s Suicide Squad, then it might have been because you picked up on the chemistry the duo first built in Focus from the year before.

Margot Robbie And Brad Pitt

This big screen coupling made quite a showing for themselves across less than a decade, as Margot Robbie and Brad Pitt have starred in The Big Short, Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood and Babylon. 

Margot Robbie And Leonardo DiCaprio

Just imagine, had it not been for this pairing, we might not have the megastar who is Barbie actor/producer Margot Robbie right now. Her role in Wolf of Wall Street as the second wife of Leonardo DiCaprio’s corrupt fraudster propelled her career, and by the time they starred in Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood together Robbie was a major star.

Halle Berry And Hugh Jackman

We, again, have a superhero franchise to thank for bringing two great talents together, as Oscar winner Halle Berry and Hugh Jackman both have four of the X-Men movies among their credits. The duo also starred in Swordfish and Movie 43.

Awkwafina And Michelle Yeoh

This duo counts two megahits in their joint credits, with Awkwafina and Everything Everywhere All At Once Oscar winner Michelle Yeoh both having starred in Crazy Rich Asians (and we’re still waiting for that rom-com sequel) and the MCU entry Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.

Michelle Yeoh And Jackie Chan

Michelle Yeoh has been a star for several decades, and part of that reason is because of her breakout role in the 1992’s Supercop, which also starred Jackie Chan. But, they’ve made a number of other films with each other, including Supercop 2, and Hong Kong action films Twinkle, Twinkle, Lucky Stars, Project S, and both voiced characters in Kung Fu Panda 2, along with having starred in a 1984 watch commercial together.

Angela Bassett And Laurence Fishburne

While Angela Bassett and Laurence Fishburne were famously nominated for Oscars for their lead roles as Tina Turner and Ike Turner in 1993’s What’s Love Got to Do with It?, the duo was actually first together on screen for Boyz n the Hood in ‘91. They then later teamed up for Akeela and the Bee in 2006.

Julia Roberts And Richard Gere

If this isn’t a famous acting duo, then none are, despite their only making two movies with each other. Of course, Julia Roberts and Richard Gere starred in the mega-hit classic rom-com Pretty Woman and teamed up again for Runaway Bride in 1999.

Jennifer Aniston And Jason Bateman

For a while there, Jennifer Aniston and Jason Bateman, who are friends in real life, were kinda on a roll. Their first joint film was The Break-Up in 2006, and since then they’ve filmed four additional movies with one another: The Switch, Horrible Bosses and its sequel, and 2016’s Office Christmas Party.

Kate Hudson And Matthew McConaughey

Who can forget the glorious chemistry created by Kate Hudson and Matthew McConaughey in How to Lose A Guy in 10 Days? No one, that’s who! This is why they made a second rom-com, Fool’s Gold, just five years later.

Kirsten Dunst And Jesse Plemons

It’s not unusual for an acting duo to become friends in real life, but Kirsten Dunst and Jesse Plemons took that a few steps further after working on the TV series Fargo together. Not only have they since starred in the film The Power of the Dog (which netted each their first Oscar nomination) and the A24 drama Civil War, but they married in 2022 and have two sons.

Meg Ryan And Tom Hanks

We could hardly leave Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks off of this list, as the famed actors have co-starred in two of the biggest romantic comedies of all time. Everyone knows them for making Sleepless in Seattle and You’ve Got Mail hits, but before all of that, they led one of the weirder rom-coms made with Joe Versus the Volcano, and reunited for the 2016 drama Ithaca, which Ryan directed.

Drew Barrymore And Adam Sandler

People often mention Drew Barrymore and Adam Sandler as an acting duo they want to see more of and with good reason. The two have made magic in the classics The Wedding Singer, 50 First Dates and Blended.

Adam Sandler And Chris Rock

This pairing goes back decades, to the time when Adam Sandler and Chris Rock starred on Saturday Night Live together in the ‘90s. Since then, the real-life buddies have appeared in seven movies together, with The Longest Yard, Grown Ups and its sequel, The Week Of and Top Five counted among that number.

George Clooney And Brad Pitt

Of course, George Clooney and Brad Pitt helped to make the Ocean’s Eleven franchise a hit, but the friends additionally teamed up for the live TV movie 8, Confessions of a Dangerous Mind (which Clooney directed), Burn After Reading and the 2024 films If and Wolfs.

Keegan-Michael Key And Jordan Peele

The duo of Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele, who first became recognizable during their time on MadTV, eventually went on to their own acclaimed sketch comedy series, Key and Peele. But, while making names for themselves on other series and in a number of movies, they continue to work with one another on projects like Keanu, Toy Story 4 and Wendell & Wild.

Awkwafina And Simu Liu

It was the MCU that first brought Awkwafina and Simu Liu together in the hit film Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, and while we’re still waiting to see when that franchise will bring them back together, 2024 saw them team up again for the action comedy, Jackpot!.

Jane Fonda And Robert Redford

Dedicated film fans probably know that legends Jane Fonda and Robert Redford starred together in Barefoot in the Park and The Electric Horseman, but their joint movie appearances do go beyond that. They also starred in The Chase in ‘66 and reunited for Our Souls at Night in 2017, and both had their film debuts in 1960’s Tall Story.

As you can see, film history is packed with acting duos who’ve worked together more than once, and that will probably always be the case.

The world of musician biopics is gearing up for what could be a pure doozy of a movie, as it was recently confirmed that Britney Spears’ bestselling 2023 memoir The Woman in Me will be adapted by Crazy Rich Asians director Jon M. Chu. Fans no doubt can’t wait to see the multi-hyphenate talent’s complicated and controversial life get dramatized and stylized for the big screen, and Spears’ former assistant has specific thoughts about who should star as both the “Toxic” artist and her famed ex Justin Timberlake.

Felicia Culotta is a name that’s no doubt familiar to longtime Britney Spears diehards, as she served as the Grammy winner’s personal assistant during her first decade of mega-fame (including the release of her first studio album). So she obviously has a keen perspective on what Hollywood standouts might be a good fit for Spears’ salad days on MTV and beyond. Here’s who Culotta believes would do the best job, according to TMZ:

It’s not hard to see how Emma Roberts could step in and do a bang-up job playing Britney Spears. She’s capable of playing vulnerable innocence, has the right kind of coquettish energy to pull off the Brit-ster’s sexy vibes, and can also flip a switch into becoming someone’s worst nightmare right quick. Truly, her appearances just on American Horror Story and Scream Queens run that particular gamut, while also showcasing her prickly sense of humor. Plus, Roberts comes from the world of kid-friendly TV, much like the Mickey Mouse Club vet.

Not that Spears is known for being a nightmare in public, as she doesn’t go out in public much at all anymore, but she certainly knows how to dish out I’m That Bitch energy on social media. (At least whenever she hasn’t sporadically deleted her Instagram.)

When it comes to Justin Timberlake, whose relationship with Spears was thrust back into the pop culture spotlight after the latter confessed to having an abortion when they were still dating, Felicia Culotta also has a marquee actor in mind:

With his last two big-screen roles coming in Dune 2 and Wonka, Chalamet has proven himself to be a worthy performer in whatever genre he's faced with. That said, Justin Timberlake has at times been one of the most charasmatic pop stars on the planet, with a voice that many would die to have. So it would be interesting to see if the Bones and All actor could properly portray that energy.

I'd also just love to see Chalamet in a mocked-up version of SNL's "Dick in a Box," but I guess that wouldn't be an automatic entry in a biopic about Britney Spears.

Felicia Culotta worked closely with Britney Spears from 1998-2007, and then again from 2009-2016, and appeared in recent documentaries and docuseries such as Framing Britney Spears and Britney vs. Spears. And yes, she also has an idea for who could play her in the biopic, throwing out this A-lister's name as a top choice:

A movie starring Emma Roberts, Timothée Chalamet and Drew Barrymore would no doubt turn some heads, especially if the project is a Britney Spears biopic. But it's hard to say if any of those choices could legitimately make the cut, as Spears herself reportedly has final say on casting decisions. Considering Michelle Williams did such a great job narrating the audiobook, it’ll be interesting to see if her voice plays into the film in some way.

Will The Woman In Me become one of the best music movies or best musician biopics of all time? It’s certainly possible, although the movie has to actually get made first, and it remains to be seen if that will actually happen. In the meantime, our 2024 movie schedule has more than enough worthy entertainment to keep everyone sated until more updates come.

Just days after The Drew Barrymore Show removed videos featuring their interview with 90 Day Fiancé's Angela Deem, a single segment from the episode has found its way back to YouTube. Fans of both shows were quick to respond to the video, although they weren't exactly quick to kindness.

The episode was previously available to stream with a Paramount+ subscription, but has since been wiped alongside other episodes. While the full interview is still missing, the talk show's YouTube Channel has reuploaded video of the fan Q&A segment, and the closing bit with Drew and Angela hugging it out.

YouTube comments started to pour in shortly after the video was added, and many like @bettydamnboop3030 were quick to say they weren't happy to see The Drew Barrymore Show host giving the reality star such a big spotlight.

For the uninitiated, Angela Deem has quite a polarizing reputation among 90 Day Fiancé fans. She's gained notoriety over the years for her rough treatment of her Nigerian husband, Michael Ilesanmi, who fled her house earlier this year and told authorities he feared for his life. 

In addition, Angela has been filmed in hotel brawls and even flashed her genitals to the camera during an appearance on one 90 Day Fiancé spinoffs. Such a reputation led to some viewers like @ljkethat wondering if The Drew Barrymore Show is hurting that badly for celebs to appear.

When the videos were first pulled from The Drew Barrymore Show's social media platforms, it was speculated that negative reaction from fans factored into the removal. Nothing of that sort was ever confirmed. However, commenters like @michellejade3272 was none too pleased to Deem representing the 90 Day Fiancé franchise: 

With all the negative attention, it only seemed inevitable that commenters would ultimately direct their sights to Drew Barrymore, who'd previously sparked a bit of controversy with her insistence on continuing her talk show during the writers strikes, which was referenced by some. Others like @ceciliaperez8033 went a bit more widespread with their bold proclamations, such as:

It is worth noting that while Drew Barrymore likely had some part in allowing Angela Deem on 90 Day Fiancé, she was oblivious to who she was and the franchise in general. The segment was part of co-host Ross Matthews trying to get her to watch reality television, and he was a fan of the show and Angela. Based on YouTube replies from @zenrockgardens, it seems like there is a section of people who would rather not see more of these interviews: 

The video only has about 6,700 views as of writing, so it is worth noting that these comments possibly represent only a minority of The Drew Barrymore Show fans. Still, it does make one wonder what the reasons were for the videos originally being removed. Meanwhile, it's looking like Michael and Angela are on their way to being the latest 90 Day married couple to split, though we haven't heard any word of a divorce as of yet. 

Angela may not appear on The Drew Barrymore Show again anytime soon, but her journey on 90 Day Fiancé: Happily Ever After? continues on TLC on Sundays at 8:00 p.m. ET. Michael still hasn't made it to the United States on the series yet, but we know his arrival is on the way. 

It's been a rough 2024 for Angela Deem after it seemed the 90 Day Fiancé star was on an emotional rise with her husband Michael Ilesanmi finally arriving in the U.S. over the holidays. But Michael fled the house soon after, reportedly told authorities he "fears for his life," and has since been posting on social media about happily living elsewhere. Angela found a new platform to talk about her life outside of TLC when she appeared on The Drew Barrymore Show for its June 17 episode, but anyone looking for the interview on social media will find that CBS has removed the videos.

Currently, anyone who missed Deem's Drew Barrymore Show appearance can only watch it with a Paramount+ subscription, YouTube TV subscription, or possibly with another content provider. Which makes us wonder why it was removed from other spots. In truth, the interview isn't too shocking for those familiar with her 90 Day Fiancé history, which has seen Angela flashing her breasts mid-interview and spewing out a slew of curse words that would make a sailor blush.

For whatever reason, though, it seems that CBS has decided to scrub the video from YouTube, and there are no segments from Angela's appearance on the CBS series' official Instagram or Facebook pages. That said, Angela's post thanking Barrymore and co-host Ross Matthews for inviting her on is still up on her Instagram page, as seen below.

As of writing, we don't have an official reason for why the clips were removed, but there is a wide enough variety of possibilities. Perhaps the simplest explanation would be that it's a mistake made by someone on the social media team, and we'll see the clips returned eventually.

I could also see a possibility that the show was hit with backlash from viewers for hosting Angela Deem and praising her wild antics, such as when she flew to Nigeria to damage Michael's car. Hilariously enough, Drew Barrymore also confessed to having damaged the car of an ex, and felt like she had things in common with the reality star. It's worth noting that Barrymore says she's never seen 90 Day Fiancé, and this segment was intended to educate her on the show. So it's possibly she wasn't aware of the reality star's controversial nature.

I could even see a possibility in which TLC requested the content be removed, given Angela Deem's recent comments about her relationship with the franchise. In a recent live stream, Angela heavily implied that she would no longer be involved in 90 Day Fiancé following the current season of Happily Ever After?. If that's the case, I could see why the franchise wouldn't want her out in the world talking about the show on broadcast TV.

As for where things currently stand with Michael, Angela said during the interview that they're "still together." That said, I think the correct wording should be that they're still "married," but based on what we're seeing, they're not living together. Angela might've filed for divorce if it endangered Michael's status as a U.S. citizen, but as we learned in the latest episode of 90 Day Fiancé: Happily Ever After? divorce does not impact his status in the country. I guess we'll see what the rest of the year brings for them and continue to watch the drama unfold in what could be Angela's final season.

90 Day Fiancé: Happily Ever After? airs on TLC on Sundays at 8:00 p.m. ET. Those that haven't watched yet need to catch up with the latest episodes on Max because the drama happening with all couples so far is can't miss television.

Do you like scary movies? If so, Billie Eilish’s upcoming studio album, Hit Me Hard And Soft, might be for you! Ahead of the highly-anticipated followup to the singer’s viral Barbie song, Eilish’s brother and close collaborator on the record, Finneas O’Connell spoke to the album’s sound and in doing so, he compared it to Drew Barrymore's role in one of the best horror movies of all time, Scream. 

While Billie Eilish has previously led her album releases with bops of singles like megahit “bad guy” or “Therefore I Am,” this time around the Oscar-winner is dropping the whole thing on May 17. Ahead of it, here’s what Finneas had to say to Rolling Stone about Hit Me Hard And Soft: 

It sounds like fans are in for a jump scare with the new album! When casting was underway for Scream, Drew Barrymore apparently requested that she play the character in the opening scene because her “biggest pet peeve” in the genre was always knowing who was going to live and who was going to die. Back in 1996, when Barrymore was the biggest star among the cast, the opening scene served as an unsettling way for a movie to begin, because it left audiences unnerved about who would be the next victim. 

So, how does this apply to Billie Eilish’s new album? As Finneas shares, sonically the first track on the project is perhaps what fans might expect from the artist until the second track comes in and “kills the main character” so to speak. When you listen to Hit Me Hard And Soft, expect the unexpected! 

Billie Eilish revealed the tracklist of her new album last month, which will consist of ten new songs. It sounds like “Skinny” might fall into the “soft” category, whereas “Lunch” will go hard, as the magazine described it as a “sexy” and “bass-heavy banger.” Here’s the full tracklist: 

During the first weekend of Coachella last month, Billie Eilish had a couple of surprises in store for fans, between joining Lana Del Rey on stage for a couple of songs and hosting a party where she debuted a few of the tracks from the new album. Clips of “Lunch” have already gone viral following the event, especially considering the song explicitly speaks to Eilish’s queer sexuality. As the song lyrics go: “I could eat that girl for lunch / And she dances on my tongue.”

Finneas’ comments on Hit Me Hard And Soft is a great comparison for the album, and has us even more excited to expect the unexpected, and give it a first listen on May 17! 

The Drew Barrymore Show delivered one of its most prestigious episodes recently, as the titular host welcomed Vice President Kamala Harris for an interview rather unlike what audiences might expect from a televised sit-down with any VP. But while some viewers may have enjoyed it, former The View co-host Meghan McCain had largely negative things to say about it, and she took aim with the kind of vitriol that she usually saves for commentary about her former ABC gig and her co-hosts there.

Meghan McCain had plenty of talk show experience herself by the time she weighed in on Drew Barrymore's recent interview with Kamala Harris, although she rarely has anything good to say about her time on The View from 2017-2021. She now shares her opinions on her Meghan McCain Has Entered The Chat podcast, and she had a lot to say about the Vice President's chat with the 50 First Dates star-turned-talk show host.

After stating that she's a fan of Barrymore's movies, McCain went on to share that she wasn't a fan of how the host expressed herself to Harris, Barrymore's body language, or the "Momala" phrase. The VP shared that "Momala" is what her stepkids call her, and Barrymore used it herself when saying that she needs to be "Momala of the world." McCain said on her podcast:

Meghan McCain advised listeners to watch the Drew Barrymore Show interview for themselves (and the clip is available online), opining that the Vice President looked uncomfortable and suggesting that the audience was being directed to applaud off-camera, citing her own TV experience for why.

The View alum shared her thoughts on why Kamala Harris has been doing interviews, and noted that the VP is first in line for the Presidency if "God forbid, something happens to President Biden." McCain also reminded listeners that Harris is "a highly-educated woman" as a former prosecutor and former senator, which led to this statement:

At the time of writing, the interview clip has been accumulated 64k views on YouTube. Vice President Harris posted a clip from the interview on Instagram with the caption stating that the "true measure of strength is based on who you lift up, not who you beat down." The Instagram account for The Drew Barrymore Show also posted some behind-the-scenes footage from Harris' time on set, including a hug between the host and the U.S. Vice President:

All in all, it's not surprising that Meghan McCain uses her podcast platform to share her opinions in pretty strong terms. She hasn't minced words about her time on The View, as well as topics ranging from Bradley Cooper's Maestro to Gwyneth Paltrow opened up about her famous exes. If you want to check out Meghan McCain Has Entered The Chat for yourself, you can find it via Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

As for The Drew Barrymore Show, you can check your local listings for when to tune in. Barrymore was in hot water in late 2023 when news broke that her show would return to production before the resolution of the WGA writers strike and SAG-AFTRA actors strike, but she ultimately backtracked and returned to the airwaves later.

Adam Sandler fans got some great news recently, when it was reported that one of the best movies of the 1990s was reportedly getting a sequel. The Sandman has supposedly penned a first draft of the script for Happy Gilmore 2, and it turns out that Drew Barrymore is just as excited about that as anyone. In fact, she so badly wanted the report to be true that she texted her friend during a taping of The Drew Barrymore Show for confirmation, and was able to report “breaking news” from Sandler himself.

Drew Barrymore and the former Saturday Night Live comedian go way back, as she has co-starred in a trio of Adam Sandler’s best rom-coms, and when she heard reports that he was possibly reprising his role as the hockey player-turned-golfer, she gushed, “I want it. I need it.” While filming her talk show, Barrymore told her audience that she reached out to Sandler after rewatching another classic, Billy Madison with her daughter, saying: 

As she watched her phone for a response, she recalled how Christopher McDonald — who played one of the meanest villains from ‘90s movies, Shooter McGavin — said that Adam Sandler had actually shown him a first draft of the Happy Gilmore 2 script. Then she got the text she was waiting for, reading the message silently before relaying to the audience: 

It was pretty clear that Adam Sandler’s response said more than Drew Barrymore was able to divulge, because she got a little tight-lipped and careful with her words there, but it does seem like she accomplished what she set out to do in confirming straight from the source that a sequel to one of the best golf movies ever is in the works.

First rumblings of the potential Happy Gilmore 2 came just weeks before the cast suffered a big loss. Joe Flaherty — who played the fan who riled up the titular golfer in the 1996 comedy by repeatedly calling him a “jackass” — died April 1 at age 82. Upon hearing the news, Adam Sandler and more paid tribute to the comedic veteran. Flaherty’s passing came just two months after Carl Weathers’ death, with the football and acting legend having played the golfer’s coach Chubbs in Happy Gilmore.

There’s no way to know what plans Adam Sandler had for their characters in the sequel, if any, but either way I can’t imagine it was easy to lose two members of that family in such a short timespan.

I’m also struck by Drew Barrymore’s continued relationship with Adam Sandler. I love that she still takes time to watch his classics like Billy Madison, and in January she became so emotional rewatching The Wedding Singer that she posted a video of herself bawling and expressing love for the Sandman and the movie they made.

As we wait for more updates on the sequel, you can always go back and revisit the 1996 classic, as Happy Gilmore is available to stream with a Netflix subscription, a Peacock subscription or on Starz via an Apple TV+ subscription. 

Adam Sandler has proven to have quite a bit of range in his acting. For decades he’s made his mark in different areas of the entertainment biz, from his early days in standup comedy and Saturday Night Live to dramatic endeavors like Uncut Gems and Hustle (which is one of the best sports movies on Netflix right now), and even family friendly projects like You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah and Leo. But another genre that the Sandman can claim mastery in is romantic comedy, and we’ve compiled a list of Sandler's standouts among the best rom-coms of all time. 

Adam Sandler’s name pops up quite a few times in the world of romantic comedies, so regardless of if you think Drew Barrymore or Jennifer Aniston is the better love interest for him, there’s simply no denying that he has the charisma to capture audiences’ hearts. Below are Sandler’s 9 best romantic comedies, ranked from worst to best. 

9. Blended (2014) 

When you think of the most iconic rom-com partners, Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks come to mind, as well as Julia Roberts and Richard Gere. Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore undoubtedly belong in that conversation as well. Blended is the third (and most recent) of their romantic comedies — unless they decide to make another movie together — which sees single parents Jim and Lauren decide not to see each other again after an unsuccessful blind date. However, those plans go out the window when they end up staying with their respective children at the same African safari resort. 

Stream Blended on Hulu.

Rent or buy Blended on Amazon Prime Video.

8. Just Go With It (2011) 

It’s Adam Sandler’s charm, as well as his chemistry with Jennifer Aniston, that make Just Go With It enjoyable despite a morally deficient premise. Sandler plays Danny, a plastic surgeon who pretends to be in an unhappy marriage in order to attract the sympathies of women. However, when he meets Palmer (Brooklyn Decker), he wants to end the ruse, and he enlists the help of his assistant Katherine (Aniston), convincing her to pretend to be the wife who is divorcing him. Somehow things don’t go quite according to plan.

Stream Just Go With It on Starz.

Rent or buy Just Go With It on Amazon Prime Video.

7. Mr. Deeds (2002) 

Not quite your traditional romantic comedy, Mr. Deeds still fits the bill with its romance being a central story amidst the absurdity. Adam Sandler’s Longfellow Deeds goes from a beloved owner of a pizzeria to an instant multi-billionaire after the death of a distant uncle. As he sets about using his new fortune to help improve the lives of others, he falls for Babe Bennet (Winona Ryder), an opportunistic reporter posing as school nurse Pam Dawson. While not loved by critics, Sandler still sells this early-aughts flick, which includes the obligatory grand gesture to seal its romance.

Rent or buy Mr. Deeds on Amazon Prime Video.

6. Spanglish (2004) 

There were several signs earlier in Adam Sandler’s career that he was capable of more than manchild, sophomoric humor, and Spanglish was one of those. The story centers around Flor (Paz Vega), a single mother who moves from Mexico to Los Angeles in search of a better life. Despite a language barrier, she begins housekeeping for the Claskys, ultimately forming a bond with John (Sandler). Despite bombing at the box office, Spanglish received praise for Sandler and Vega’s performances.

Rent or buy Spanglish on Amazon Prime Video.

5. Big Daddy (1999) 

While certainly capable of more dramatic roles, Adam Sandler may have shined the brightest in his decidedly unserious roles of the ‘90s, as proven by Big Daddy, which was 1999’s seventh highest-grossing movie domestically (and 12th worldwide, per Box Office Mojo). The Sandman plays Sonny, a thirtysomething slacker who decides that caring for his out-of-town roommate’s 5-year-old son Julian (Cole and Dylan Sprouse) is the best way to win back his ex-girlfriend. The joke’s on Sonny, as he actually does grow up, bonding with Julian, and becoming emotionally mature enough to engage in a new and healthy relationship with Layla (Joey Lauren Adams).

Stream Big Daddy on Starz.

Rent or buy Big Daddy on Amazon Prime Video.

4. Billy Madison (1995) 

While it contains many of Adam Sandler’s funniest movie quotes, Billy Madison is not considered a rom-com by everyone’s standards. However, the relationship plot here is more in the forefront than some of his other comedies and therefore deserves a place on this list. Sandler stars as the titular character, who must repeat kindergarten through 12th grade in order to prove he’s smart enough to inherit his father’s chain of hotels. Billy ends up falling for third-grade teacher Veronica Vaughn (Bridgette Wilson), who rebuffs him at first but then becomes integral to keeping him on the right track when others try to derail him.

Stream Billy Madison on Starz.

Rent or buy Billy Madison on Amazon Prime Video.

3. 50 First Dates (2004) 

In 50 First Dates — the second joint venture of Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore — Sandler plays commitment-phobic Henry, who decides to change his womanizing ways after spending a perfect day with Barrymore’s Lucy. However, he soon learns that due to a terrible car accident, Lucy loses her memory each night when she goes to sleep, effectively living the same day over and over. Henry shows incredible tenderness, patience and determination in the lengths he goes to make their relationship work day after day, making this one of Sandler’s best. Not to mention, 50 First Dates’ ending is one we’re still contemplating all these years later.

Stream 50 First Dates on Starz.

Rent or buy 50 First Dates on Amazon Prime Video.

2. Punch-Drunk Love (2002) 

Punch-Drunk Love is possibly our earliest indication that the comedian would be great in a dramatic role, as Adam Sandler plays Barry, a troubled and socially awkward man who falls for one of his seven sisters’ co-workers, Lena (Emily Watson). In true Paul Thomas Anderson fashion, the comedy is dark in its exploration of loneliness and the unfolding of an unconventional love story, but the humor is there nonetheless with a charming and critically acclaimed performance from Sandler. Decades later, many consider Punch-Drunk Love to be one of the actor’s best movies.

Rent or buy Punch-Drunk Love on Amazon Prime Video.

1. The Wedding Singer (1998) 

Adam Sandler’s first movie with Drew Barrymore — The Wedding Singer — is widely considered the best of their three, and one of the best movies of the ‘90s overall. Set unmistakably and hilariously in the 1980s, the heartbroken wedding singer Robbie Hart (Sandler) strikes up a friendship with a waitress, Julia (Barrymore), who is planning her own wedding. Their attraction becomes undeniable, culminating in the grandest of grand gestures on an airplane with the help of passengers, the flight crew and Billy Idol (naturally).

Rent or buy The Wedding Singer on Amazon Prime Video.

Adam Sandler’s career has taken him in a lot of different directions, genre-wise, and lucky for us, Hollywood learned early on how well his authenticity and humor lended themselves to leading roles in romantic comedies.

Fans have watched Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s insane workout routines online. He went from posting his intense workouts weekly to sporadically, much to the dismay of his followers. Johnson couldn’t resist showing off his gym moves when a fan asked him to do squats with Drew Barrymore on his back. And of course, he put his money where his mouth was.

All those workout videos culminated in a special moment between The Rock and the Emmy-winning actress. The Jungle Cruise star appeared on The Drew Barrymore Show to promote his new skincare line Papatui. The talk show host welcomed the wrestler-turned-actor by dressing up as his iconic fanny-packed younger self. Given his massive physique, fans never tire of him causally bench-pressing another celebrity. A fan asked if he could lift Barrymore, and he obliged by putting the Hollywood actress over his shoulders in a clip from the show’s Instagram account. Watch how many squats The Rock can do with Drew Barrymore on his back in the rousing clip below.

That was just another leg day for The Rock. He did those squats effortlessly while Barrymore couldn’t hold back her excitement. The real star of the clip was his gentlemanly nature as Johnson asked the talk show host for consent and explained his potential moves, which isn’t surprising after he showed support for former co-star Rebecca Ferguson. That’s a girl dad for you! Even the dog got in on the act. Everyone got their daily exercise quota filled by watching the fun TV moment.

This light-heated talk show moment departed from the Fast & Furious star’s recent heel turn leading up to WrestleMania 40. His reemergence stirred up the WWE bee’s nest as Seth Rollins had some words for him after The Rock called out him and made fun of Cody Rhodes’ goofy ass dog. He’s learning into his heel persona by calling wrestling fans “cactus-loving crackheads.” However, fans aren’t the only ones with mixed feelings about “The Rock 10.0” as certain WWE stars are allegedly mad at him for not following the organization’s clean image rules. Those alleged tensions won’t curtail The Rock from popping up again as more dates were added to his WWE schedule.

Outside the wrestling ring, the WWE star’s film career is still in full swing. The Rock will reunite with Jungle Cruise co-star Emily Blunt for A24’s The Smashing Machine, which prompted a sweet comment for Blunt. The announcement only roused those Jungle Cruise 2 calls from fans. Of course, Johnson gave an optimistic update on the Disney sequel. The upcoming A24 movie is just a drop in the bucket as he will appear in the Moana sequel and its live-action adaptation and the Fast X sequel. 2024 will be busy as the Moana star has several appearances on our movie schedule, including the Christmas action-comedy Red One with Chris Evans. The action flick will arrive in theaters on November 15.

The top actors in Hollywood make a lot of money, but anyone will tell you that the real money is in production. That means that many of the biggest stars in the world have formed their own companies to produce both their own films and other projects that interest them. 

Often, these company names and logos appear at the beginning of the movies, along with larger, more recognizable studios like Paramount and Disney. Here is a list of many of the actors with their own production companies, along with the name of the company to look out for. 

Jordan Peele - Monkeypaw Productions

Jordan Peele has become one of the most exciting and interesting directors and producers in recent years. His Monkeypaw Productions has produced or co-produced his own movies, like Get Out, Us, and Nope, as well as other films like Spike Lee's BlacKkKlansman, and Adamma Ebo's Honk For Jesus, Save Your Soul.

Tom Hanks - Playtone

Tom Hanks' Playtone has been wildly successful on the big and small screens. With movies starring Hanks like Cast Away, Charlie Wilson's Way, The Polar Express, and Greyhound, as well as films not starring him, like Mamma Mia and its sequel, the company keeps winning. It has also hit it big on TV with shows like Band of Brothers, The Pacific, and John Adams on HBO, and the CNN series about each decade of the last 60 years. 

Elizabeth Banks - Brownstone Productions

Elizabeth Banks has been on a hot streak with her company Brownstone Productions. It's most notable for the Pitch Perfect franchise, but the company has also co-produced movies like 2019's Charlie's Angels, and that surprise 2023 hit about a bear that gets into something it should not have in the woods, with scary (and hilarious) results. 

Reese Witherspoon - Pacific Standard

When Reese Witherspoon started Pacific Standard in 2012, she did so with the express purpose of highlighting and producing projects with strong female leads, crews, and topics. So far, it's been a huge success with films like Gone Girl and Wild, as well as TV shows like The Morning Show, and Big Little Lies. 

Adam Sandler - Happy Madison Productions

Adam Sandler movies are not for everyone, but wow, do they make him a lot of money through his company, Happy Madison. Though the two films it's named after Happy Gilmore and Billy Madison were not his productions, almost everything he's been in since 2000 is, and it continues to make a ton of money for the actor. The company has even dabbled in TV, most notably with The Goldbergs.

Drew Barrymore - Flower Films

Drew Barrymore's company, Flower Films, has produced or co-produced a ton of movies since she founded it in 1999. With movies like Donnie Darko, 50 First Dates, Fever Pitch, and the Charlie's Angels franchise, it is safe to assume Barrymore has made a pretty penny. Of course, it also produces her daytime talk show, The Drew Barrymore Show. 

Queen Latifah - Flavor Unit Entertainment

Queen Latifah's Flavor Unit Entertainment started out producing movies with moderate budgets that she starred in, like The Cookout and Beauty Shop, but these days, it's been successful on TV with her show, The Equalizer.

George Clooney - Smokehouse Pictures

Smokehouse Pictures is the second company founded by George Clooney after he shut down Section Eight Productions in 2006. Most movies he's starred in or directed since 2008 have been produced under the Smokehouse banner, including Leatherheads, Monuments Men, and The Boys In The Boat, plus other projects like Ocean's 8 and Argo.

Sandra Bullock - Fortus Films

Sandra Bullock may not be acting as much these days, but her production company, Fortus Films, is still humming along. Through the company, Bullock has produced movies like Miss Congeniality and its sequel, Two Weeks Notice, and The Lost City.

Courteney Cox - Coquette Productions

Friends star Courteney Cox and her ex-husband David Arquette started Coquette Productions together in 2004. The business relationship continued after the couple split six years later, though they haven't actually produced much in recent years. 

Brad Pitt - Plan B Entertainment

Plan B Entertainment was started by Brad Pitt, Jennifer Aniston, and producer Brad Grey in 2001. In 2004, Pitt and Grey bought Aniston out in the midst of her split from Pitt. Since then, the company has gone on to major success, with three of its movies, The Departed, 12 Years a Slave and Moonlight all winning Best Picture Oscars, with seven others receiving nominations for the award. 

Sterling K. Brown - Indian Meadows Productions

This Is Us star Sterling K. Brown named his production Indian Meadows Productions after the name of the neighborhood he grew up in outside St. Louis. Though it's just getting started, there are some interesting things on the way as Brown's star continues to shine brightly. 

Margot Robbie - LuckyChap Productions

Margot Robbie may have gotten snubbed at the 2024 Oscars for Barbie, but you can be sure she wasn't snubbed out of money as one of the producers of the hit movie. Robbie's company, LuckyChap Productions, has also produced movies Robbie starred in like I, Tonya and Birds of Prey as well as other projects she didn't star in like Saltburn and Promising Young Woman.

Leonardo DiCaprio - Appian Way Productions

Leonardo DiCaprio's Appian Way Productions produced two Oscar-winners with The Aviator (which won five) and The Revenant (which won three, including Best Actor for DiCaprio). Through the company, DiCaprio not only produced feature films, but documentaries, as well. 

Nicole Kidman - Blossom Films

While Nicole Kidman's Blossom Films has dabbled in movies, most notably the 2011 rom-com Monte Carlo with Selena Gomez, it has found its biggest successes on the small screen. With shows like Big Little Lies, The Undoing, Nine Perfect Strangers, and 2024's Expats. 

Michael Douglas

Further Films, founded by Michael Douglas, doesn't have the portfolio that others may have on this list, as they seem to have found a niche in thrillers and suspense films like Swimfan, Don't Say a Word, 2017's Flatliners, and the streaming show Ratched.

Natalie Portman - Handsomecharlie Films

Natalie Portman named her company, Handsomecharlie Films, after her beloved dog, and she's put together a nice run of movies. She's produced many of her own projects, like No Strings Attached and Jane Got a Gun, as well as a surprise that she didn't star in, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. 

Eddie Murphy - Eddie Murphy Productions

Eddie Murphy started betting on himself early in his career through Eddie Murphy Productions and it has paid off, big time. Starting with Raw in 1987, the company has produced some huge movies for the legendary comedian, including Coming To America, Harlem Nights, Boomarang, The Nutty Professor, and Norbit. 

Barbra Streisand - Barwood Films

Barbra Streisand has produced many of her own projects through her company, Barwood Films. 1976's A Star Is Born, The Prince Of Tides, and Yentl are a few of the examples of her biggest successes. Barwood has also dabbled in TV movies, like the groundbreaking What Makes a Family in 2001, about a lesbian couple having a child together. 

Alec Baldwin - El Dorado Pictures

Alec Baldwin's El Dorado Pictures has been in the news a lot in recent years due to its connection to Rust and the tragic events that occurred on set. Baldwin has produced quite a few of his own projects through the company over the years and even got into the TV game show space with the revival of Match Game, which he also hosted. 

Tina Fey - Little Stranger

Tina Fey has one of the sharpest wits in Hollywood, so it's no surprise she would use those same brains to produce. From critically acclaimed movies like 2024's Mean Girls to wildly successful TV shows including 30 Rock and The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Fey, and her company Little Stranger, continue to crush it. 

Laurence Fishburne - Cinema Gypsy Productions

The biggest success Laurence Fishburne and his company Cinema Gypsy Productions has seen thus far is the sitcom black-ish, but he's also produced some great movies of his own that have flown under the radar, but are worth checking out, in Five Fingers and Akeelah and the Bee.

Jodie Foster - Egg Pictures

It's no surprise that an actor and director like Jodie Foster, who has been in show business for basically all of her life, would be a producer as well. Through her Egg Pictures production company, she produced many of her own projects, starting with Nell in 1994 and Home for the Holidays in 1995. She closed the company in 2002 when she decided that producing wasn't for her. 

Clint Eastwood - Malpaso Films

Without question, one of the most successful companies on this list is Malpaso Films, founded by Clint Eastwood. It has served as the production company for almost all of the films Eastwood has directed and its history stretches back to the mid-1960s. Many of his classic films, including Unforgiven, The Bridges of Madison County, The Outlaw Josey Wales, Dirty Harry, Escape from Alcatraz, Million Dollar Baby, Sully, and many more have all been produced or co-produced by Malpaso. 

Halle Berry - 606 Films

Halle Berry's 606 Films has an interesting origin story. Though it was formed as part of her deal to star in Extant, the name has an important meaning. She named it after CA Senate Bill 606, a law intended to protect celebrities' children from the paparazzi.

It was an important issue for Berry, and when the company was formed, her partner, Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas, said, "606 Films is named for the anti-paparazzi bill, Senate Bill 606, which Halle fought so hard for and won, when no one believed it could be achieved. It truly informs the spirit of our company — making dreams possible, one bill at a time."

Mel Gibson - Icon Productions

Mel Gibson is not the most universally loved man in Hollywood, to be sure, but he's often bet on himself with his Icon Films, and more times than not, it's worked. Since 1989, he's financed many of his own projects completely through Icon, making movies like Hacksaw Ridge, The Passion of the Christ, and We Were Soldiers, plus co-producing maybe his most iconic movie, Braveheart. 

Salma Hayek - Ventanarosa Productions

Ventanarosa Productions, founded by Salma Hayek in 1999 has most often focused on Latin-centric projects, including Hayek's own Frida and the hit TV show, Ugly Betty. Ventanarosa also works throughout Latin America, producing Spanish-language films and TV. 

Will Smith - Overbrook Entertainment

Will Smith grew up in the West Philly neighborhood of Overbrook, which he took for the name of his production company as well, Overbrook Entertainment. Through it, Smith has produced many of his own projects, starting with Ali in 2001. King Richard, for which he infamously won the Oscar for Best Actor in 2022, was also produced by Overbrook. On the small screen, the Netflix hit Cobra Kai is an Overbrook production, as well. 

Amy Poehler - Paper Kite Productions

Amy Poehler's Paper Kite Production has dabbled in movies, but most of its success has been on TV and streaming. With shows like Russian Doll, and Broad City, you can see that Poehler likes sticking with what she knows, comedy. You might be surprised, though, that the company has also found success with reality TV and even feature length documentaries.

Danny DeVito - Jersey Films

Danny DeVito is obviously proud of his New Jersey roots, naming his production company Jersey Films. He also has to be proud of the output from the company with films like Pulp Fiction and Get Shorty. He's found a lot of success on TV too, with Reno 911! Another of Jersey's films, Erin Brockovich, was nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards in 2001.

Charlize Theron - Denver And Delilah Productions

Denver and Delilah Productions' first film was Monster, starring the company's founder, Charlize Theron. That seems to have inspired a bit of a theme, as the company has produced other serial killer-related projects, like Netflix's show Mindhunters, and the HBO docuseries Last Call: When a Serial Killer Stalked Queer New York. There are also a few non-serial killer films, like Bombshell, Atomic Blonde, and Murder Mystery.

Will Ferrell - Gary Sanchez Productions

Before Adam McKay and Will Ferrell had their falling out in 2019 and dissolved Gary Sanchez Productions, the company had been wildly successful, releasing some of the funniest movies and shows over the last couple of decades. Step Brothers, Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues, Daddy's Home, Eastbound & Down, and Drunk History are just a few examples. Add to that a little HBO show called Succession, which has won just a few Emmys, and wow, what a success story. 

As this list shows, success as an actor often leads to success in production as well, so actors will continue to open up their own shops, and will continue to crush it, for sure. 

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

Robert Downey, Jr.

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

Jane Fonda

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

Rob Lowe

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

John Travolta

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

Natasha Lyonne

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

Brendan Fraser

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

Winona Ryder

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

Dave Chappelle

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

Betty White

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

Ke Huy Quan

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

Michael Keaton

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

Katharine Hepburn

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

Mickey Rourke

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

Sidney Poitier

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

Jason Bateman

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

Keanu Reeves

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

Drew Barrymore

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

Neil Patrick Harris

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

Matthew McConaughey

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

Nicolas Cage

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

Mandy Moore

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

Christian Slater

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

Luke Perry

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

Christina Ricci

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

Michelle Yeoh

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

Neve Campbell

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

Channing Tatum

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

Jennifer Lawrence

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

Patrick Dempsey

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

Marlon Brando

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

David Carradine

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

Kiefer Sutherland

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

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

The Wedding Singer is widely considered one of the best Adam Sandler movies. However, it's not just film fans who think so — even Sandler's most famous co-star, Drew Barrymore, gets teary-eyed when the beloved romantic comedy turns up on television. Now, after seeing her emotional reaction, I can't help but grab for the tissues too. 

Drew Barrymore, Sandler's frequent collaborator in films like 50 First Dates, Blended and, yes, The Wedding Singer, stumbled upon the latter movie on TV when she was getting ready for a yoga class. And in true Drew Barrymore fashion, the actress sweetly dissolved into a puddle of tears while watching her co-star's heartbroken crooner Robbie Hart fall for her bright-eyed waitress, Julia Sullivan, all these years later. 

The Drew Barrymore Show host revealed this reaction on Instagram on Wednesday, January 10, where she posted a video of her wistful reactions to the nearly 26-year-old movie:

In the beginning of the cute clip, the former child star shares her love for Sandler, but she also pokes fun at their middle-aged selves. (The duo was 22 and 31, respectively, when they made the fan-favorite Drew Barrymore romantic comedy.)

Drew is referencing the Newsroom Café, a now-closed Los Angeles coffeeshop where the famous friends reportedly first met before working together on The Wedding Singer. The post has gotten a lot of attention online, and Sandler eventually responded in the comments, offering:

Sandler previously recounted their first meeting while appearing on Barrymore's daytime talk show, per People: 

Legend has it that it was actually Drew's idea for her and Adam to collaborate together on The Wedding Singer in the first place. 

Ever so relatable, the actress revealed that she, too, is impervious to the rom-com's considerable charms, saying in the Instagram video that, instead of going to her morning yoga class, as she had planned, she got sucked into rewatching the movie. 

And we really can't blame her: The Wedding Singer features Sandler at his sweetest and most earnestly romantic, boosted by the emotional heft and inherent warmth that Barrymore brings to the film. Out of all of the actors' onscreen pairs, Robbie and Julia are the one that you can't help but root for.

Her 17.3 million Instagram followers could see the Hollywood star joyfully watching one of the movie's most memorable scenes: that grand finale where Sandler's Robbie Heart performs his song "Grow Old With You" over the loudspeaker of an airplane, with the help of Billy Idol, dedicated to one special passenger, Julia. 

On her talk show, Barrymore divulged that her surprised reaction as Julia in the film was a sincere one, as that was the first time she had heard the song. It was a tactic she would repurpose in another of her films with Sandler, 50 First Dates, for his "Forgetful Lucy" number. 

Drew dedicated the caption of her Instagram post to her rom-com co-star: 

And given that the performer pals have made one rom-com together every decade for the past 30 years, we're overdue for another sweet-and-swoony Barrymore and Sandler partnership. Get on it, guys!

When it comes to Hollywood, plenty of actresses, singers, and more have taken the world by storm. It could be from their legendary acting, brilliant singing, or even how they walk the runway, but one way or another, they become Hollywood it girls, the ones that everyone looks up to and wants to be. Today, we'll review more than 30 Hollywood It girls, their time in the spotlight, and where they are now. 

Audrey Hepburn

We need to mention Audrey Hepburn if we're talking about Hollywood it girls. The actress became a major it girl in 1960s for her roles in iconic films like Breakfast at Tiffany's, Roman Holiday, My Fair Lady, and several other classic films. She won an Academy Award for acting in Roman Holiday alongside Gregory Peck and is considered one of the most iconic faces in Hollywood history. The actress passed away in January 1993 at 63. 

Angelina Jolie 

Angelina Jolie really started building a name for herself in the '90s, then gained fame for her role in Girl, Interrupted earlier in the 2000s, and only continued to grow in popularity. Her starring roles in movies such as Mr. and Mrs. Smith, Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, Wanted, Salt, and more in the early to mid-2000s garnered her the coveted Hollywood it girl status. She also won an Academy Award for Girl, Interrupted. There are so many great Angelina Jolie movies to watch. 

Rita Moreno

Rita Moreno danced onto the scene as a Hollywood it girl 1962 with her starring role in the classic movie musical West Side Story, where she won an Academy Award for playing Anita. She continued to star in various films after in the 1960s and '70s. In recent years, she played Valentina in the new Steven Spielberg reboot of West Side Story and appeared in other films like 80 for Brady, Fast X, and more. 

Elizabeth Taylor 

Elizabeth Taylor became a Hollywood it girl around the time Cleopatra released in the 1960s. She would also star in films such as Father of Bride, A Place in the Sun, Ivanhoe, and many more. She also won the Academy Award for Butterfield 8, and starred in several films with her on-again-off-again husband, Richard Burton. Taylor passed away in 2011 at the age of 79. 

Drew Barrymore

Though she's been acting since childhood, Drew Barrymore was the Hollywood it girl in the 1990s, especially from her part in The Wedding Singer. Her small role in the Scream franchise was another big moment during the decade. Aside from that, she appeared in films like Charlie's Angels, Boys on the Side, Batman Forever, and more. In recent years, she became a host of her own syndicated talk show called The Drew Barrymore Show. 

Julie Andrews

Julie Andrews' best movies exemplify how she became a Hollywood it girl. Andrews is primarily known for two of her roles in the 1960s that shot her up to It girl stardom – The Sound of Music and Mary Poppins (for which she won an Academy Award), two highly iconic musical films where she showed off her acting talent and brilliant pipes. She continues to act to this day and often leads her iconic voices to several franchises. 

Dolly Parton 

When I think of Hollywood it girls, I often think of Dolly Parton. This country star has become a staple in the world of music and shot up to Hollywood it girl status in the 1980s, with a combination of her iconic music and her roles in films like 9 to 5 and The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas. She was even inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. 

Diana Ross 

Diana Ross is an incredible singer who became a Hollywood it girl as the lead vocalist from the Motown girl group, The Supremes, back in the 1960s. But from there, she had a solo career that expanded decades. To this day, Ross continues to perform and make music. She also won several awards for her role in Lady Sings the Blues. 

Aretha Franklin

Aretha Franklin was another iconic voice from the late 1960s and became an even bigger star in the latter half of the decade, becoming one of the biggest Hollywood it girls out there. Some of her songs that you might recognize include "Respect," "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman," "I Say A Little Prayer" and more. She passed away in 2018 at the age of 76.  

Brooke Shields

Back in the early 1980s, all anyone could talk about was Brooke Shields. The actress became big at a young age for her modeling, and then began to star in films such as The Blue Lagoon, Endless Love, and more, which truly cemented her status. She played Van in Holiday Harmony in 2022. 

Judy Garland 

You can't get more Hollywood it girl than Judy Garland, someone who starred in one of the most iconic movies ever, The Wizard of Oz, and became a well-known Hollywood it girl from the 1930s onward. Garland primarily became known for her role as Dorothy, but she did star in several other movies (such as Easter Parade, Summer Stock, A Star Is Born) and more before she died in 1969 when she was 47. 

Molly Ringwald

Molly Ringwald was the Hollywood it girl in the mid-1980s, appearing in several major coming-of-age teen films that I'm sure most of us know today. Some of these that really cemented her status as a Hollywood it girl were The Breakfast Club, Pretty in Pink, Sixteen Candles, and more. Ringwald still acts, both on TV and in movies. For a few years she played Archie's mother in the hit CW show Riverdale. 

Cher

Cher is a singer who became known for her deep voice and style, and also her acting. Cher has been around since the 1960s, and has been a Hollywood it girl for several decades. The late '80s was where we got several songs synonymous with Cher today that really cemented her place in the music industry, like "I Found Someone" and "If I Could Turn Back Time." Today, Cher still works on music. 

Barbra Streisand

Barbara Streisand is a singer who also became a prominent voice of the late 1960s. Specifically, her role in Funny Girl made her stand out even more, a part that she won an Academy Award for, and from there she only grew in stardom and it-girl status.  Streisand still works on music and has achieved EGOT status over her time in Hollywood. 

Goldie Hawn 

Goldie Hawn gained fame for her role in the sketch comedy series Rowan & Martin's Laugh-On but blew up even more after her time in the 1960s film Cactus Flower, which really cemented her status as a Hollywood it girl. She appeared in several other movies, such as Shampoo, The Sugarland Express, Private Benjamin, and more. She's been the partner of Kurt Russell for many years and even appeared alongside him in Overboard, and more recently, The Christmas Chronicles 2. 

Tina Turner

Tina Turner is a legend in the world of music, becoming super famous in the early 1970s, especially with her release of "What's Love Got To Do With It." The singer is known as the "Queen of Rock and Roll" and has released such well-known tunes as "Better Be Good To Me," "The Best" and many more. Tina Turner unfortunately passed in 2023 at the age of 83. 

Julia Roberts

Julia Roberts’ best movies are mainly from the 1980s and 1990s, making her the Hollywood it girl of the time. Pretty Woman was one of Roberts' best movies that cemented her status as an it-girl, but she appeared in several films throughout the 1990s, like My Best Friend's Wedding, Notting Hill, Runaway Bride, and more, and even won an Academy Award for Erin Brockovich in 2000. She appeared in Ticket to Paradise in 2022. 

Liza Minnelli

The daughter of Judy Garland, Liza Minnelli, is known for her work as an actor, singer, and dancer, and for also achieving EGOT status. Minnelli's status as it girl really started to appear in her part in Cabaret in 1972, but she also starred in other movies like Arthur and Tell Me That You Love Me, Junie Moon, as well as many others. The actress most recently had a cameo appearance in Halston in 2021. 

Carly Simon 

The iconic Carly Simon has worked in music for many years and became a major it girl in the early 1970s. She released songs such as "Haven't Got Time For Pain," "You're So Vain," "Mockingbird," and more. She was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2022. 

Donna Summer (1975) 

Donna Summer, a disco legend, released music such as "Love to Love You Baby" and "I Feel Love," among many other iconic music from that time in the mid-1970s. Both songs were huge hits among the rest of her discography. She passed away in 2012 at the age of 63. 

Lisa Bonet

Lisa Bonet primarily gained fame from her role on The Cosby Show in the 1980s, which she reprised in the college-set spinoff A Different World. Aside from that, she also starred in movies like Angel Heart, which further cemented her status as a leading lady. She held a recurring role in Ray Donavan in 2016. 

Diane Keaton

Diane Keaton is known for numerous roles, going back to 1970s, and was a great Hollywood it girl, specifically beginning from her time in The Godfather movies. She also appeared in films such as Play It Again, Sam, Sleep, Love and Death, and Annie Hall, which won her an Academy Award. Keaton was in Book Club: The Next Chapter in 2023. 

Olivia Newton-John

You couldn't go anywhere in the 1970s without hearing about Olivia Newton-John. Not only was the actress known for her role in Grease in 1978, but she also had an excellent singing career, releasing hits like "I Honestly Love You" and "Physical," which only further showed just how much of an it girl she was. Newton-John passed away in 2022. 

Pam Grier

Pam Grier has appeared in several memorable action films. Coffy in 1973 was really what brought her to stardom, but she continued to shine in films like Foxy Brown, The Big Doll House, Women in Cages, The Big Bird Cage, The Arena, Sheba Baby, and many more. Years later, she also starred in Jackie Brown, one of Quentin Tarantino's films. She appeared in Pet Sematary: Bloodlines in 2023. 

Meryl Streep 

While I will always consider Streep an it girl all the time, she became well-known at the end of the 1970s and '80s for her starring roles in movies like Kramer vs. Kramer (which won her an Academy Award), The Deer Hunter, and Sophie's Choice. In 2023, held a recurring role on the great Hulu TV series Only Murders in the Building. 

Farrah Fawcett

Farrah Fawcett was an actress known not only for her beautiful and luxurious hair, but for her acting in the series Charlie's Angels from 1976 to 1981. She also appeared in Harry O and The Six Million Dollar Man. She unfortunately passed away in 2009 at the age of 62. 

Jennifer Beals

Jennifer Beals rose to fame from her role in Flashdance in 1983 and continued appearing in other significant movies, including Vampire's Kiss, Devil in Blue Dress, Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Cycle, and more. Today, she still acts and appeared in the 2022 film Luckiest Girl Alive and was a part of the guest cast of the Disney+ Star Wars series, The Book of Boba Fett. 

Winona Ryder

While many people remember her well for her role in Beetlejuice, she began to appear in several films in the late 1980s and 1990s. Her biggest one in my opinion was Edward Scissorhands in 1990, which really showed off her acting prowess and made her an it girl, but she also appeared in films such as Heathers, Bram Stoker's Dracula, The Age of Innocence, and Little Women, among others. She has a starring role in the hit Netflix binge-able series Stranger Things.

Janet Jackson

While Michael Jackson was a Hollywood it guy, his sister Janet was undoubtedly a Hollywood it girl. Janet Jackson is a legendary voice in the music genre and released hits during the 1980s like "Nasty" and "Rhythm Nation," among others. In 2019, she was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Naomi Campbell 

Naomi Campbell was a massive influence in the modern-day fashion industry, becoming the first-ever Black woman to headline the covers of both Vogue France and Time in the late 1980s. Aside from modeling, Campbell also worked in acting and music. She more recently appeared in Black is King in 2020 and was a part of the docu-series The Super Models. 

Whitney Houston

Whitney Houston rose to fame in the late 1980s for her songs like "I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)" and "Greatest Love of All," but later starred in The Bodyguard in 1992, which included several hit songs on its soundtrack, including her iconic version of "I Will Always Love You." She also starred in several other films like The Preacher's Wife and Waiting to Exhale, further showing her Hollywood it girl status. Houston passed away in 2012. 

Reese Witherspoon

Reese Witherspoon gained a lot of fame for her roles in movies in the late 1990s, such as Cruel Intentions and Election, but became huge with her role as Elle Woods in Legally Blonde in 2001, which is genuinely one of Reese Witherspoon's best movies, and has since appeared in several other films. She even won an Academy Award for her co-starring role in Walk the Line. She has a co-starring role in the Apple TV+ series, The Morning Show, alongside Jennifer Anniston. 

There are so many amazing Hollywood it girls out there that we could talk about, but these are just some that have taken the world by storm. Who knows who is going to end up becoming the next Hollywood star that tops this list? 

Some of the greatest moments in the nearly 50-year history of Saturday Night Live involve cast members struggling (and ultimately failing) to contain their laughter, and they are not the only ones. Some of the greatest SNL hosts the show has ever had are not impervious to breaking character either. As you can see from the list below, infectious examples of major celebrities who caught a case of the giggles while on the air at Studio 8H are not in short supply.  

Adele (Africa Tourism)

Adele was a great SNL host despite a lack of acting experience, but even her famously strong lungs couldn’t hold back laughter in her Season 46 episode. It’s hard to decipher if it's Kate McKinnon’s accent or just the way she says “tribesman” that causes the singer to break in the faux African tourist ad, but once she does, never quite stops.

Ben Affleck (Iranian Film)

Out of many examples of Ben Affleck breaking on SNL, we chose the Season 38 sketch framed as an HBO First Look at an Iranian-produced dramatization of the making of his Best Picture Oscar winner, Argo, called Bengo F*ck Yourself. He first snickers about two minutes in at Fred Armisen as Mahmoud Ahmadinejad portraying Affleck and a moment later when explaining he took the part of a sound man “to be in a movie worse than Gigli.”

Christina Applegate (Matt Foley: Van Down By The River)

Everyone in the ‘90s-era SNL classic — the first appearance of the late Chris Farley as motivational speaker Matt Foley — could barely keep their composure, especially after the late comedy icon accidentally destroys a coffee table. Even before then, you can see Christina Applegate struggling to hide her laughter behind her hair.

Drew Barrymore (The Love-ahs With Barbara And Dave)

The laughter was as contagious as the unbridled passion of Will Ferrell and Rachel Dratch’s recurring characters in this Season 27 edition of “The Love-ahs” set in a hot tub after notorious breaker Jimmy Fallon caused a chain reaction. Nearly three minutes in, host Drew Barrymore (as The Love-ahs’ friend, Barbara) begins her struggle to keep from giggling that lasts the rest of the sketch.

Candice Bergen (Extremely Stupid)

In SNL’s second season, Candice Bergen accidentally called Gilda Radner’s dim-witted character, Lisa, by her own character’s name, Fern, during a faux PSA sketch. All the future Five-Timer’s Club member could do is laugh as Radner then turned her planned speech about stupid people’s rights into a brilliant roast of her co-star.

Emily Blunt (Escorts)

In this 2017 bit, first-time host Emily Blunt stars alongside Leslie Jones as a pair of sex workers explaining their quirky guidelines to their clients, which involves roleplaying as a clumsy maid character she created. Twice, the British A Quiet Place star cracks up when she dons a more cartoonish British accent to say her character’s catchphrase, “Oopsy-doopsy, I muffed it up again!”

Dave Chappelle (Uncle Ben)

It’s no secret Dave Chappelle likes to shake things up when he hosts SNL, like in this sketch commenting on the recent discontinuation of food brands Uncle Ben’s and Aunt Jemima in 2020. The comedian first cracks up when debuting his deep Dennis Haysbert impersonation and again when he breaks the fourth wall with a clearly unscripted comment that makes Pete Davidson spit out his Count Chocula fangs.

Daniel Craig (Deep Quote Game Night)

It must be hard not to break when the typically well-composed Kate McKinnon gets the giggles, which seems to be what happened to Daniel Craig about 90 seconds into the Season 45 sketch "Deep Quote Game Night." Honestly, we can’t imagine this bit about a movie quote guessing game that turns awkward would have been as memorable had the former James Bond actor kept a straight face.

Larry David (New Wife)

Larry David looks so unrecognizable in this Season 43 sketch as a boisterous business man talking up his new spouse (Cecily Strong) to his coworkers, it is amazing the SNL players involved held it together so well. The Seinfeld co-creator and Curb Your Enthusiasm star causes himself to lose it completely, however, about three and half minutes into the "New Wife" sketch by the way he tells Beck Bennett’s character to “GET OUT!”

Billie Eilish (Hotel Ad)

The faux ad for a shockingly shady hotel is just one reason we’d love to see Billie Eilish return to SNL as both host and musical guest again. What makes this Season 47 bit so memorable (save a cameo from her brother and bandmate, Finneas) is the Oscar-winning singer’s frequent bouts of the giggles throughout.

Will Ferrell (Cast List)

Even a seasoned SNL veteran like Will Ferrell had to cover his mouth to hide his laughter in this sketch that was cut for time when he returned as host in Season 45. Of course, no one can contain themselves after he, as an over-serious high school theatre instructor, gets a little too close to Aidy Bryant when forcing the students to back away. 

Jamie Foxx (Maine Justice With Jamie Foxx)

Academy Award winner Jamie Foxx handles himself quite well as the bailiff in the Season 38 edition of “Maine Justice,” until it has a minute to go. All it takes is Jason Sudeikis’ uproarious judge saying the phrase “ass fire” to force the Django Unchained star to turn his head to hide his laughter, but Sudeikis kicks it up a notch by spontaneously kissing the actor’s arm.

Ryan Gosling (Close Encounter)

One of the most famous SNL breaks as of late is also our pick for Kate McKinnon’s best sketch ever: Season 41’s original version of “Close Encounter.” She has her future fellow Barbie cast member, Ryan Gosling, helplessly in stitches — just one of the host’s many breaks that night, actually — by the hilariously dry description of her otherwise horrifying alien abduction experience.

Tiffany Haddish (Whiskers R We With Tiffany Haddish)

You know comedy gold is afoot when Studio 8H brings in live animals, like in this edition of “Whiskers R We” from Season 43 that sees host Tiffany Haddish — who once auditioned for SNL — break Kate McKinnon and herself just seconds in with an unscripted, NSFW line prompted by a cat’s escape attempt. They both break again later on when a hairless feline tries to leap from McKinnon’s arms, visibly startling the future Haunted Mansion cast member.

David Harbour (Sauce) 

This Season 45 sketch starring Kate McKinnon as a frisky, elderly Italian immigrant and host David Harbour as his wife is far less messy than other sketches involving food have been. However, the Stranger Things cast member can’t help but smirk when McKinnon brings a finger dripping in sauce to his lips and inserts it right in his mouth. His laughter continues as they being to make out.

Sean Hayes (Jeffrey’s With Sean Hayes)

Many SNL hosts have fallen prey to the infectious shared laughter of notorious breakers, Jimmy Fallon and Horatio Sanz, such as Sean Hayes in this early 2000s favorite set at elitist clothing store, Jeffrey’s. Seeing Will Ferrell ride in on a scooter about four minutes in and use an impossibly tiny cell phone really sends the Will & Grace cast member over the edge.

Kevin Hart (Barnes And Noble Firing)

It’s no wonder Tim Robinson got his own Netflix sketch series, I Think You Should Leave, with how effortlessly he cracks up Kevin Hart at the end of the Barnes and Noble-set sketch from Season 38. Robinson’s performance as the “old, useless” Carl makes it impossible for the comedian to get through his lines.

Jonah Hill (Benihana) 

The most recent time Jonah Hill played his own recurring SNL character, precocious six-year-old Adam Grossman, in Season 44 might be the best because it saw him break the most. Neither the Academy Award nominee nor Leslie Jones as his nanny can keep it together every time he taunts her by singing reggae hits. 

Janet Jackson (Corksoakers)

Jimmy Fallon and Horatio Sanz are surprisingly stone-cold for most of the 2004 sketch as Italian winery owners explaining to tourists how they “soak corks.” However, host and musical guest Janet Jackson cracks up multiple times when she accidentally begins to say the actual suggestive phrase that “cork soaking” alludes to.

Keegan-Michael Key (The Muppet Show)

For anyone who ever got sick of Statler and Waldorf’s heckling, the Season 46 favorite starring Kenan Thompson and host Keegan-Michael Key as The Muppet Show venue security is for you. What makes it a classic is when the Key & Peele star beginning to chuckle after his aggressive assault on Statler causes record-breaking SNL veteran Thompson to break.

Adam Levine (Catfish)

This parody of Catfish likes to poke fun at how often Nev Shulman (host Adam Levine) mentions his name on the MTV reality series. About half-way through the sketch, the Maroon 5 frontman and former The Voice coach appears to break at his most animated utterance of the name, but bounces back pretty quickly by making it feel like a character trait.

Lindsay Lohan (Debbie Downer: Disney World) 

When people think of Rachel Dratch as Debbie Downer, they tend to think of this 2004 favorite set at a Disney World pancake restaurant that no one could keep a straight face during the sketch. First-time host Lindsay Lohan later revealed to Vogue that she was so overwhelmed by laughter, she decided to just walk off set as soon as she got the chance.

Julianna Margulies (Family Dinner)

This revolting 2000 sketch stars host Julianna Margulies as woman learning her boyfriend’s (Chris Parnell) dysfunctional salivary glands and weak teeth force his parents to feed him like a baby bird. By the end, the former ER cast member does the deed herself for the younger son (Chris Kattan) and can’t help but laugh the unspeakable act she just committed.

James McAvoy (New Orleans Vacation)

When James McAvoy hosted in Season 44, he experimented with almost as many voices as he used to play a man with DID in Split and Glass, but the one he used in this sketch was too much for him to handle. He can’t help but crack up nearly every time he puts on a thick, inauthentic Cajun accent to talk about he and his girlfriend’s recent trip to “N’awlins.”

Jason Momoa (Judge Barry)

When Jason Momoa makes a surprise cameo in a Season 45 sketch starring host Chance the Rapper as a courtroom judge of first impressions, he surprises himself with a hilarious flub. Both the Aquaman actor and the host can’t help but laugh when he calls himself a “paraplegic,” meaning to say “paralegal.”

Brittany Murphy (The Leather Man)

Season 28’s “The Leather Man” — which eventually goes off the rails courtesy of Jimmy Fallon and Horatio Sanz — might actually be a prime example of the late Brittany Murphy’s exceptional talent. You can barely even tell when she breaks with the way she convincingly disguises her laughter as a quirk that fits perfectly in line with her character.

Pedro Pascal (Lisa From Temecula)

Just when you thought the internet could not love Pedro Pascal more, he earns its respect even more just by innocently succumbing to his own laughter during his Season 48 SNL episode. The most memorable instance came in this segment in when Ego Nwodim’s Lisa shakes the table with her aggressive steak cutting, giving the star of The Mandalorian and The Last of Us a case of the giggles that proves contagious.

Chris Pine (Star Trek Lost Episode)

Initially, it seems that the most memorable highlight of this Star Trek parody will be Chris Pine’s spot-on William Shatner impression, until he snickers at the awkward line delivery of the guy playing Sulu. Fun fact, according to the SNL wiki, that gentleman is production designer Akira Yoshimura, who has played Sulu in many other sketches poking fun at the sci-fi phenomenon.

Margot Robbie (Actress Round Table) 

It is no wonder why Margot Robbie would go on to star in two movies with Kate McKinnon from how the SNL star brings the laughter out of the Australian actor in the sketch from 2016. Robbie almost loses focus of her otherwise consistent Keira Knightley impression by how fictional Hollywood veteran Debette Goldry’s (McKinnon) shocking memories get the best of her.

Adam Sandler (Sandler Family Reunion) 

In a sketch where Adam Sandler is surrounded by people imitating characters from his best movies, it was Jimmy Fallon as his grandfather who finally caused the fellow SNL retiree to laugh. Apparently, as Fallon later recalled on The Tonight Show, his overlong bout of gibberish was a happy accident caused by misreading the cue cards.   

Seann William Scott (Short Shorts For The USA)

One of Will Ferrell’s all-time best sketches on SNL first aired in 2001 and sees him wear a half-shirt and a thong to work in the name of patriotism. Host Seann William Scott holds back the urge to laugh at the ridiculous and revealing ensemble from beginning to end.

Justin Timberlake (Celebrity Family Feud)

For his second time hosting, Jimmy Fallon impersonated Jim Parsons in a “Celebrity Family Feud” alongside musical guest Justin Timberlake as… Jimmy Fallon, with an incredibly enthusiastic imitation that the pop star can’t help but crack up at himself.  There is no clip of the Season 39 sketch on YouTube currently, but we recommend using a Peacock subscription to check out the whole episode.

There is sure to be more where these came from when SNL comes back for its 49th season on NBC.

As the SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes continue, most entertainers in Hollywood remain out of work while seeking better deals for their respective guilds. Some stars, however, have been seeking to return to work over the past few weeks, though. This has specifically been prevalent within the talk show sphere, with Drew Barrymore being one of the key figures to resume production amid the strikes. After it was reported that her eponymous talk show would return, she received pushback and addressed the matter in a since-deleted apology video. At that time, Barrymore maintained that her show would still move forward but, now, she’s confirmed in a statement that those plans have been axed. 

The 48-year-old actress and media personality confirmed on Sunday that The Drew Barrymore Show would not air as planned. The daytime TV program was set to return to the airwaves on Monday, September 18. Barrymore herself confirmed the news in a message that was shared to Instagram (which is where she also shared her viral video). She expressed her “deepest apologies” for everything that’s transpired up to this point and expressed gratitude towards her crew: 

Drew Barrymore confirmed about a week ago that her show was set to get back to work. Members of both the WGA and SAG-AFTRA guild expressed their disapproval of her choice. Many, including the co-head writer of Barrymore’s program, asserted that the decision to restart work would be damaging for the strike and potentially prolong it. Critics argued that production should remain paused as a sign of solidarity towards those seeking better deals. For the sake of clarity, the show wouldn’t have been violating SAG rules, as talk show hosts can continue to work at this time. The point of contention, however, is linked to the fact that the chat show uses WGA union writers and would've had to utilize non-members to produce new episodes.

The Charlie’s Angels alum initially spoke about owning the choice to have her series resume production. Following the wave of backlash, she emotionally opened up on the matter, saying that she wanted to “take full responsibility” for her actions and “apologize” to her writers and the guilds. In regard to her rationale for getting the show going again, she noted that “there are other people's jobs on the line.” She also likened this era to the early days of the COVID pandemic, stating that she “wanted to make a show that was there for people in sensitive times.” As mentioned, at that point, she further confirmed that the plans would continue.

As mentioned, other prominent talk show hosts are preparing to return to their positions as well. Chief among them are Bill Maher, Jennifer Hudson and the panel featured on The Talk. Maher has spoken out on his decision to jump back into Real Time, posting about it on X (formerly Twitter). While he said that the writers “have important issues that I sympathize with,” he also asserted that “it is time to bring people back to work.” When the long-running series returns, it’ll notably be without an opening monologue, desk piece or "New Rules" segment.

Now that Drew Barrymore has opted not to move forward with production, one has to wonder if other talk show hosts who plan to resume taping will follow suit. Only time will tell if that continues to be the case, as the public at large also keeps its eyes on the ongoing strikes.

UPDATE: About a day after Barrymore posted the video mentioned and quoted in this story, she deleted it from her Instagram. 

Actress and daytime talk show host Drew Barrymore has been making headlines over the past week, although not primarily for reasons concerning her alleged stalker. Despite the 2023 WGA strike continuing with no resolution yet at the time of writing, The Drew Barrymore Show was confirmed to return to television, and Barrymore has received a lot of criticism for the decision. Now, after days of commentary online about restarting the show amidst the strikes, she took to social media with a four-minute emotional response video. 

After her initial statement about the choice to start The Drew Barrymore Show up again for the first time since the spring didn't exactly put an end to criticism, the host posted what appears to be a raw and emotional video response on Instagram (the day after this article was published, the video was deleted). She started out the lengthy statement like this:

If you think that the repeated "I deeply apologize" and wanting to "take full responsibility" sounds like the beginning of Drew Barrymore revealing that she changed her mind about bringing The Drew Barrymore Show back for a fourth season before the strike ended, that's not the case. 

While she went on to clarify that she doesn't "have a PR machine behind this" and she didn't intend to "polish this with bells and whistles and publicists and corporate rhetoric" or "hide behind people," she's still moving forward with the show amid the WGA writers strike. Barrymore continued:

Barrymore's statement that she "couldn't have expected this kind of attention" comes after a summer of many shows going off the air due to the WGA strike and/or SAG-AFTRA strike. She quickly caught flak for the decision, which was followed shortly thereafter by news that Bill Maher intended to bring Real Time with Bill Maher back to HBO, and more daytime shows are reportedly in talks to come back soon as well. 

The WGA's initial response to The Drew Barrymore Show returning was to clarify that the show would return without its writers since it is a WGA-covered and struck show, meaning that any writing for Barrymore's return would be in violation of strike rules. After Barrymore doubled down on saying that the return would be "in compliance," she said in the video: 

It remains to be seen if the buzz will die down without Drew Barrymore making any changes or if controversy will surround The Drew Barrymore Show until (and/or after) the WGA strike against the AMPTP is resolved. At this point, it appears that public backlash is not enough to motivate her to take her show into break again.

The projects that reportedly may return to television with new episodes despite the ongoing strikes include The Jennifer Hudson Show, Sherri, and The Talk, with those hosted by Jennifer Hudson and Sherri Shepherd set to return without their WGA writers until the strike ends. Other talks shows including The View and Live with Kelly and Mark have already been back in production and releasing new episodes. Rumors previously swirled that The View would be cancelled, but the ABC talk show returned with a new season this month.

Whether any of the newly returning shows will face backlash like The Drew Barrymore Show or Barrymore's just caught the most heat for being first is a question that has yet to be answered. For now, TV fans far and wide can just hope that the AMPTP and WGA can come to terms sooner rather than later with suitable terms for the writers. 

As the SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes continue, there are many talk shows that have decided to return to the 2023 TV schedule. This includes popular shows, The Drew Barrymore Show and Real Time with Bill Maher. Both hosts have taken a lot of flak for their decision to go back to work. However, there are other major hosts who have also announced their returns to the small screen. 

Drew Barrymore Is Taking Flack For Going Back To Work 

Following the talk show’s summer hiatus, Drew Barrymore announced that her show would be returning this fall. When this news came out, she opened up and owned her choice to return to daytime TV, even though the strikes are still happening. The actress took to Instagram to post a statement about why she was bringing the show back, and it received a lot of criticism. 

While The Drew Barrymore Show is not a struck property for SAG-AFTRA, because it is under a different contract called the Network Television Code, it has been called out for going back to work when there are WGA members on the staff. The Writers Guild of America, East called out the show on X, posting:

Others also commented about their disapproval on the actress-turned-host's IG post, writing things like:

• Wow, drew, come on... take off the rose colored glasses those are red flags not just flags. STOP. Think it over. -thegeneralstrikeus 
• Please reconsider. Well intentions noted — however this mostly plays into AMPTP hands to undermine the Strike. #WGAstrong -dallasgoldtooth

Along the same lines, Bill Maher faced criticism for also deciding to bring his show back as the WGA remains on strike.  

Bill Maher Is Also Facing Criticism For Returning To His Show 

Like Barrymore, Bill Maher announced his show Real Time would be returning to the air. In his post on X, he explained that it will be “sans writers or writing.” He also wrote that they won’t do written work in an effort to “honor the spirit of the strike.” The host also said the decision to come back was made because his entire crew has been out of work for months now. Here is his full statement:

This decision was met with criticism from viewers and the WGA. The guild said in a statement, via Deadline, that they would be picketing the HBO show, and they found Maher’s choice “disappointing.” Part of the union’s quote about Real Time coming back read:

Along with Maher and Drew Barrymore though, many other hosts have returned to work as both writers and actors continue to walk the picket lines.  

There Are More Daytime Shows That Will Begin Filming As The Strikes Continue 

Along with The Drew Barrymore Show and Real Time with Bill Maher, three other shows are reportedly going to start production, per EW. The Jennifer Hudson Show, Sherri and The Talk will supposedly all be returning with new episodes soon, even though the strikes are still happening. 

Hudson’s show will reportedly come back without writers on September 18, and once the strike is over it will bring back its WGA writers. Sherri is also set to return on the same day. 

Other daytime talk shows have been on air all summer. The View, Tamron Hall and Live with Kelly and Mark have all been releasing new episodes throughout the strikes. 

As the strikes have gone on, various productions have been able to continue. Specifically, SAG-AFTRA has been granting interim agreements that allow productions to keep working if their studio agrees to their demands. This is why some actors, including Jessica Chastain, were able to promote their films at the Venice and Toronto Film Festivals. However, lots of productions aren’t under these agreements because they’re from studios that are part of the AMPTP. 

Meanwhile, as noted above, daytime talk shows have returned to air without their writers, who are currently on strike. Many have also agreed to not promote struck work or have guests on their show to talk about struck projects. 

As writers and actors work to negotiate a fair deal, and quite a few daytime talk shows return to their timeslots, we’ll be sure to keep you up to date with the latest news on the strikes. 

Back in May, Drew Barrymore made the surprising, if understandable, choice to drop out of hosting the MTV Movie & TV Awards in solidarity with the WGA writers strike. It was unclear at the time what future plans would be for her highly popular daytime talker The Drew Barrymore Show, which had concluded its third season around two weeks before the strike began. Now, the Scream vet is surprising fans again by revealing she will indeed bring her chat show back for its fourth season despite the lack of strike resolution, and defended her stance online as being bigger than just herself. 

Taking to Instagram to spread the word to her fans and followers, Barrymore first addressed and explained her prior MTV exit, and then shifted to talking about her own show. She began the IG post with the following:

While neither she nor CBS directly addressed the idea of going into the new season sans WGA writers among its staff, that’s been at the heart of concerns and complaints aimed in the direction of the network and the host herself. Many have shared the opinion online that the support she was so quick to show back in May had seemingly dissipated, though Barrymore herself does not subscribe to that line of thinking, drawing attention to the fact that her talk show employs many staffers who have nothing to do with the WGA.

She continued in her post, saying that this is indeed her decision, and not something she was pressured or talked into against her will, while also addressing the idea that The Drew Barrymore Show has existed almost entirely during problematic periods for society as a whole, not to mention the entertainment industry itself. Here's how she put it:

For all the big and hilarious segments where Drew Barrymore swooned over big stars like Ben Affleck, talked romantic relationships with Martha Stewart, talked celibacy with Andrew Garfield, and other celebrity-infused moments, the talk show has been just as successful and fun to watch when it’s completely free from movie and TV talk. It’s just as enjoyable to watch Barrymore talk about inspirational human interest stories, gab with her talented staff, and share household tips and tricks that make life easier. And it sounds like that’s the kind of content the show will be leaning into more when its syndicated return for Season 4 kicks off.

Here’s what CBS announced will be taking focus in the new episodes:

• The Drew Barrymore Show returns for season four with a lineup of cutting-edge guests and key influencers and welcomes the newest Drew Crew member celebrity hairstylist Chris Appleton.  Appleton joins Drew's team of lifestyle experts, including Drew’s News Co-Anchor Ross Mathews, interior designer Mikel Welch, chef Pilar Valdes and sustainable living guru Danny Seo, who will continue to provide viewers with valuable tips and takeaway. The show will also introduce its new signature segment “Take Care Everywhere” with Drew and founder of The Menopause Bootcamp Dr. Suzanne Gilberg-Lenz tackling the tough questions many are too embarrassed to ask their own doctors. “The Drew Barrymore Show” will also continue to feature viewer favorite segments including Drew-Gooders, Design by Drew and Cookbook Club.

Drew Barrymore's post earned the support of many fans in the comments, though not everyone was so pleased to hear her explanation. Whatever others may think about it, The Drew Barrymore Show Season 4 will debut on Monday, September 18, so check your local listings to see where and at what time episodes will air. 

Long before director Elizabeth Banks put her unique spin on the most recent Charlie’s Angels reboot, the world saw Drew Barrymore, Cameron Diaz, and Lucy Liu breathe new life into the ‘70s action series. Two successful movies with that team working alongside director McG still have people wondering if Charlie’s Angels 3 could happen with the cinematic OGs. While it’s not exactly a given, the helmer behind those movies does have some very specific thoughts on what it might take to get things off the ground. 

As he spoke with EW, the man whose real name is Joseph McGinty Nichol sounded enthusiastic to potentially return for another round of explosive antics. However, he did include some caveats with those sentiments, especially when it came to his opinion on Elizabeth Banks’ variant of Charlie’s Angels. Here’s what Nichol had to say: 

McG’s not wrong in his assessment of the situation, as it’s been 20 years since the release of Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle. So naturally, the schedules of the leading ladies of his incarnation are way different than they were back in those days. Contrary to popular belief, Lucy Liu and her co-stars actually got along, with claims of their feuding behavior being nothing more than gossip.

So there’s a chance that Liu, as well as Drew Barrymore and Cameron Diaz, might be interested in getting the band back together. At the same time, McG isn’t possessive of his time on the Charlie’s Angels franchise, tipping his hat to the movie that unfortunately saw Elizabeth Banks bearing the brunt of its failure. Add it all up, and it spells an uncertain future for a potential Charlie’s Angels 3, which has Joseph leaving the matter with these final words: 

As one of the best movie adaptations of a ‘70s TV show, the '00s reboot to Charlie’s Angels clearly still has a devoted fan base buzzing over its potential return. It’s not impossible, but as McG laid out above, there are a lot of moving pieces that’d need to be put together to pave the way. 

Who knows, maybe there's room for a crossover between the 2000 reboot Angels and the newer generation from Elizabeth Banks' film. While the world of entertainment sorts itself out on these matters, you can kick back with the nostalgia of that first McG-directed entry, which is currently streaming free with ads on Pluto TV.

Two days after a man who identified himself as Chad Michael Busto interrupted an event Drew Barrymore was part of at 92nd Street Y, he was arrested in Southhampton, New York as he reportedly went door to door looking for the talk show host. 

James Kiernan, the Southampton Chief of Police told Variety that Busto was arrested and “temporarily detained,” and he’s since been released. According to Southampton Town Police Lieut. Todd Spencer, via EW, they received reports that Busto had been on the actress’s property. However, when they found him he was “in the vicinity” of her home. 

Busto was reportedly steps outside of Barrymore’s home on Long Island when he was arrested, according to sources who spoke to the NY Post. The article also noted that the 50 First Dates star was not home when this all went down.

Before this happened, the man identified as Busto was at 92nd Street Y during Barrymore’s event where she was interviewing Reneé Rapp. He yelled out the talk show host’s name, and said:

Rapp and the security team were quick to act and stop this interaction from escalating. The Sex Lives of College Girls cast member put her arm around Barrymore, and the two walked backstage. Meanwhile, based on the video of the situation, two security officers escorted the man away from the stage and out of the building. 

Later, the two women returned to their seats on stage, and Barrymore told Rapp, via CNN:

The Charlie’s Angels star then told the “Snow Angel” singer that she was her “Kevin Costner,” and Rapp responded by laughing and saying “I’ll be that.” 

While Reneé Rapp made a name for herself on Mindy Kaling’s Sex Lives of College Girls, and she’s set to lead the cast of Mean Girls: The Musical as Regina, she’s also a rising musician. To celebrate her debut album Snow Angel she and Drew Barrymore took the stage at 92nd Street Y to talk about it.

As Rapp’s career takes off, Drew Barrymore has also seen new success in recent years through her talk show The Drew Barrymore Show. It was renewed for the 2023-2024 TV season, and it shifted from a one-hour block to two half-hour blocks last year. While we know the actress for rom-coms like Ever After, these days, she’s been thriving on TV as she hosts this daytime show. 

At the moment, we don’t know what will happen to Drew Barrymore’s alleged stalker. However, as the situation develops, we’ll be sure to keep you posted. In the meantime, you can consult the 2023 TV schedule to see when The Drew Barrymore Show will return. 

One of the most fun things to do is think about what could have been if iconic roles were played by actors different from the ones that made them famous. There were a lot of “what ifs” in the 1980s, and just as many in the ‘90s. So, here is our list of 20 actors that almost starred in classic ‘90s films. 

Will Smith – The Matrix

Imagine being presented with two scripts at around the same time. One is Wild Wild West and the other is The Matrix. That’s exactly what happened to Will Smith in 1996 and The Fresh Prince chose… poorly. In a YouTube video posted a few years ago, Smith explained that he did turn down Neo in The Matrix because he didn’t quite understand the pitch from the Wachowskis and made Wild Wild West instead. He admits it feels like a mistake now.

Brad Pitt – The Matrix

Another actor who turned down the Wachowskis and didn't play Neo in The Matrix was Brad Pitt. He has rarely talked about roles he regrets turning down, but at an event with Leonard Maltin at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival in 2020, he admitted to Maltin that he was the first choice to play Neo, but said no. Pitt joked about it, saying, 

At least we go Keanu Reeves in the role, so it wasn't a total loss!

Julia Roberts – Sleepless In Seattle

Sometimes it comes down to timing. That’s what happened to Julia Roberts when she turned down the role of Annie in Sleepless In Seattle. Roberts was committed to another little rom-com called Pretty Woman, so it’s hard to say that she made the wrong choice! Not only did that movie make her a superstar, but even she thinks Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks, one of the best on-screen couples ever, were the right combo for Sleepless, telling InStyle (via ABC), 

As she noted, everything really did work out for the best where movie history is concerned.

Molly Ringwald – Pretty Woman

Speaking of Pretty Woman, the movie was originally a much darker portrayal of prostitution in LA, and instead of Julia Robert’s million-watt smile charming audiences, it was ‘80s legend Molly Ringwald lined up to play Vivian. Ringwald didn’t like the plot, however, as she explained to The Guardian,

And, no one can blame Ringwald for following her gut.

Gwyneth Paltrow – Boogie Nights

Howard Stern is famous for getting a lot of information out of the celebrities he interviews. In 2015, he sat down with Gwyneth Paltrow and talked about some of the roles she’d passed on in her career. The most intriguing, by far, was Roller Girl in Boogie Nights, who was played by Heather Graham, of course. If you’re wondering if she passed because of the nudity, you’re correct. She told the shock jock, 

Paltrow wasn’t the only actor to pass on the script either, Leonardo DiCaprio decided to star in Titanic over Boogie Nights as well. 

Michelle Pfeiffer And Jodie Foster – Thelma & Louise

Geena Davis and Susan Sarandon are so good together as the titular Thelma & Louise it’s impossible to imagine any other actors in the roles, but they weren’t actually the first choices of the producers. After the script was finished, producer Ridley Scott signed Michelle Pfeiffer and Jodie Foster up to star as Thelma and Louise, respectively. As the story goes, it took quite a long time for Scott to decide on a director, a role he would eventually take himself, and in the meantime, Foster and Pfeiffer moved on to other projects, opening the door for Sarandon and Davis. 

Tom Cruise – The Shawshank Redemption

This is a bit of a complicated story. Frank Darabont wrote the script for The Shawshank Redemption based on a short novella by Stephen King. Darabont always had in his mind that he would also direct the film. When he sold the picture to Castle Rock, the production company had a different idea. Rob Reiner, one of the principals in Castle Rock, wanted to direct the movie and have Tom Cruise, instead of Tim Robbins, star as Andy Dufresne and in exchange, Darabont would be paid a huge flat fee for the script. Darabont, as he explained to Vanity Fair, stuck to his guns and eventually took a smaller salary and a bigger percentage of the profits. Smart move. 

Billy Crystal – Toy Story

“To infinity and beyond! With a mutton, lettuce, and tomato sandwich!” It’s safe to say the role of Buzz Lightyear would have been played very differently had the original star offered the role, Billy Crystal, taken it. Instead, turning down the part ended up being one of Crystal’s biggest career regrets. Tim Allen got the role he’s hopefully revisiting soon, almost 30 years after the first movie. Of the decision, Crystal told Yahoo!, 

Many would say that Crystal is correct, and on one else could have played Buzz better.

Nicolas Cage – Lord Of The Rings

One actor who doesn’t seem to regret missing out on a big franchise is Nicholas Cage. According to the Con Air star, he turned down the role of Aragorn in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, a part made legendary by Viggo Mortensen. It doesn’t bother Cage though, as he told Newsweek about it and other roles he passed on, 

Cage is famous for his fandom, so it's good to know he doesn't regret this decision at all.

Janeane Garofalo – Fight Club

Janeane Garofalo is a Gen X icon, so it only makes sense that she would have been up for a role in a great movie (with one of the all-time great Gen X characters), Fight Club. According to Garofalo, director David Finch gave her the script and told her the part was “hers.” Unfortunately, again, according to Garofalo, Edward Norton didn’t like her for the part and lobbied for Courtney Love, who Pitt didn’t like for the role, so they settled on the outstanding Helena Bonham Carter. Norton disputes the claim, but Garofalo has stuck to her story. 

Halle Berry – Speed

It took a while for Halle Berry and Keanu Reeves to work together, finally teaming up in 2019’s John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parrabellum, but it almost happened much sooner than that. As Berry was promoting that movie, she revealed that she planned to star as Annie in Speed, a role eventually filled by Sandra Bullock, of course. As Berry explained to ET,

The original script was quite different, it seems, and when she saw the final product, she felt the sting, adding "Then I see the movie and I'm like, 'Arrrrghh!'"

Michael Madson – Pulp Fiction

If the Quentin Tarantino Universe is real, then Michael Madson has a big part in it. A role he could’ve played twice. Madson played Vic Vega, a.k.a. Mr. Blonde, in Reservoir Dogs and Tarantino wanted him to reprise the part in Pulp Fiction, however, Madson turned down the opportunity, the role of Vic Vega became his brother Vincent Vega and John Travolta revitalized his career. 

Claire Danes – Titanic

It seems there are stories of almost every actress getting a shot at the role of Rose in Titanic, played in the film by Kate Winslet. While not every claim is accurate, one that certainly is, is that Claire Danes was first offered the part. The Homeland actor has no regrets about not taking the job, and had a pretty good reason why, as she explained to Dax Shephard on his podcast Armchair Expert:

Danes even spoke to Leonardo DiCaprio about it, 

The rest is history!

Drew Barrymore – Scream

You’re probably asking yourself why we included a movie that the actor actually starred in. Well, as it turns out, Drew Barrymore was originally supposed to play Sidney in Scream, whom Neve Campbell turned into a role all her own. Instead of playing the lead, Barrymore suggested they flip the script on the horror genre and cast her as a character that would die at the beginning, leaving audiences to wonder if anyone was safe. Alfred Hitchcock would have been proud. 

Samuel L. Jackson – Boogie Nights

In Season 3 of The Family Guy they make a joke about Samuel L. Jackson being in “everything” including the porn movie Brian is directing. One thing Jackson hasn’t done, is play a porn star, though he almost starred as Buck Swope, the character made famous by Don Cheadle in Boogie Nights. According to director Paul Thomas Anderson in the director’s commentary on the DVD. After getting the script from the then-unknown writer/director, Jackson passed on the project, presumably because of the content of the film, as Gwyneth Paltrow did as well. 

What Ifs…

In most movies, there are “dream” actors that producers, writers, and directors envision in a role, but ultimately are never seriously considered for various reasons. In the ‘90s, there were some seriously big names attached to what would become big roles that aren’t included on this list because it was usually just daydreaming.

Take, for example, Mel Gibson as The Dude in The Big Lebowski. That’s right, the Coen Brothers initially hoped Gibson would play the role, but the script didn’t do anything for him, so the part went to Jeff Bridges and the rest of us abide by this decision. 

How about Leonardo DiCaprio as Will Hunting in Good Will Hunting? That’s what the studio wanted, but Matt Damon says he took a page from Sylvester Stallone and stuck his guns as Stallone did with the original Rocky, and insisted he play the lead role. How’d them apples work out? 

Finally, in one of the most bizarre ideas ever, John Malkovich was approached by the studio to play Robert DeNiro’s role (Jimmy Conway) in Goodfellas. Thankfully, for everyone involved, Malkovich backed off, telling GQ,

Hollywood is filled with near-misses and who knows what kind of butterfly effect these have had on history. It’s good to know that audiences have gotten the best options, but it’s fun to think about what could have been. 

Drew Barrymore has been working since she was a little child, with one of her first movies being Steven Spielberg’s E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. To this day, the sci-fi flick is considered one of the director's and Barrymore’s best movies, and it’s also still very meaningful to her as she’s remained close to the legendary filmmaker. At the time, Speilberg kind of took the actress in, as she had a tough childhood, and he acted as a godfather of sorts. However, he also explained why he “felt very helpless,” during that time as he tried to help the young star, who was only 7 when they made the movie. 

The Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark director explained that while he was working with Barrymore on E.T. when she was 7 years old, she asked him if he could be her father. Her biological dad, John Drew Barrymore was an alcoholic and abusive. While Spielberg said he couldn’t be her dad, he did agree to be her godfather. The two remain close to this day, but at that time, the director explained how “helpless” he felt while trying to help her, telling Vulture: 

Barrymore explained that to her the E.T. director was “the only person in [her] life to this day that ever was a parental figure.” When she was a child, she would stay with Steven Spielberg on the weekends, he’d take her on fun outings to theme parks, he even got her cat according to the article. Considering the challenges she faced growing up, the director really helped her, and he took her under his wing. However, he also felt bad about her upbringing, which is why he was he felt “helpless.” 

For some context, Drew Barrymore faced a lot of adversity at a young age, as she said she was “institutionalized, blacklisted, [and had] no family” at 14. Over the years, she has been open and candid about the hardships she faced growing up. However, The Drew Barrymore Show host has also explained how much mentors like Steven Spielberg meant to her. 

Later in the story, the Saving Private Ryan director made a comment about Barrymore’s maturity, explaining she was like “7 going on 29.” It’s clear both the director and the actress really admire one another, and they created a wholesome and important bond while making one of Spielberg’s best movies. 

You can buy or rent E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial on Amazon, and you can watch Drew Barrymore’s talk show on the 2023 TV schedule as The Drew Barrymore Show airs weekdays on CBS, you can also stream it with a Paramount+ subscription. 

From her decades of (mostly) joyous and good-natured Hollywood projects to her recent years as a candid and endlessly entertaining talk show host, Drew Barrymore is known for standing out as an uplifting celebrity whose cheerful smiles remain bright and inspirational. But that smile was replaced by something with a harder edge this week in the aftermath of a candid interview, as her emotional thoughts about her relationship with mother Ildiko Jaid Barrymore were taken out of context to the point where news outlets reporting that she “cannot wait” for her mom to die so that any amount of closure could be felt. Rather than let those reports spread, the E.T. vet took to social media to clarify her stance in a most serious manner. 

In one of the most distinctly upset videos she’s ever put out there, Drew Barrymore slammed tabloids for rolling out headlines that specifically claimed she's wished for the death of her mother (who may or may not have hooked up with Rob Lowe's dad in the past). Here’s how she put it on Instagram:

The Never Been Kissed star hasn’t ever shied away from talking about how her childhood stardom in Hollywood led her down some dark avenues, due in part to her mother Jaid serving as her manager and taking her to all manner of high-profile parties through the 1980s. This in part led to the tween actress abusing alcohol and drugs, and thereafter getting help through rehab, even before the age of 13. To that end, Barrymore hasn’t ever really held back on speaking about spending decades in a strained relationship with her mother, even as her attitude about her late father John Barrymore became more forgiving over time. (He passed away in 2004.) 

In her Vulture interview, the talk show host reflected on a talk she had with Nickelodeon vet Jennette McCurdy, whose memoir I’m Glad My Mom Is Dead explored the former child star’s own complicated mother-daughter relationship. Comparatively, Barrymore shared that she was unable to mentally approach her own life in the same way while her mom is still alive, and that she couldn’t wait for the time when she’d be able to find peace in that way, which other outlets took to mean as “she can’t wait for her mom to die.” 

Drew Barrymore continued in her IG post, saying: 

To be expected, some of Barrymore's celebrity pals shared their support through comments on the Instagram post, as seen below:

• Jennifer Love Hewitt: Yes! Let them have it!
• Jennifer Garner: You’re brave and real and I adore you xxx
• Jessica Capshaw: I love you!!♥️♥️
• Padma Lakshmi: Ugh. So sorry. We all knew what you meant. Thank you for your vulnerability always ❤️
• Kathy Najimi: With you angel ❤️ believe you♥️
• Cat Deeley: Brilliant 🙌🙌🙌🙌
• Debra Messing: Warrior. ❤️

Drew Barrymore is no stranger to having her words twisted by others. Last year, when talking to Andrew Garfield about sex and celibacy, her comments about abstaining were misinterpreted to be that she hates sex, which she had to come back and clarify after the fact. Those obviously weren't quite as potentially salacious as anything involving her mother's death, however.

Catch the beloved celeb every weekday morning for The Drew Barrymore Show, with past episodes available to stream with a Paramount+ suscription.

Fans of The Morning Show are still waiting to see our favorite UBA TV personalities return to Apple TV+ for Season 3, but already Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon have gotten good news about the future of their workplace drama. The Morning Show has been renewed for a fourth season, and while Aniston’s character Alex Levy seems to constantly be on edge with her colleagues, the actress has no such problems in real life, and she took some time to celebrate her cherished friendships. 

News of The Morning Show’s Season 4 renewal comes with the news that the third season of the popular Apple TV+ series will premiere this fall, per TV Line. That’s still a long time to wait, as Season 2 concluded back in 2021. However, Jennifer Aniston has been doing her best to hold us over, taking us behind the scenes with some cute pics, and amid the latest update, she shared an Instagram montage celebrating her girlfriends, including Friends alum Courteney Cox and The Morning Show co-star and fellow executive producer Reese Witherspoon. Check it out: 

The post started with audio from Friends in which Jennifer Aniston’s Rachel says, “Yeah, I got my girls,” before a number of images of the actress’ loved ones. First came a video of her with Courteney Cox and Lisa Kudrow, and it’s always heartwarming to see how close the ladies of Friends still are. That was followed by photos of Jennifer Aniston with the likes of Reese Witherspoon, Jodie Turner-Smith, Sandra Bullock, Drew Barrymore and more. The feeling seemed to be mutual, as several of her girlfriends commented:

• Courteney Cox: Thank God for you!!♥️♥️♥️
• Reese Witherspoon: Amen, sister !! So grateful to have YOU in my life ! ❤️
• Kate Hudson: ❤️❤️❤️❤️
• Jodie Turner-Smith: 💞💞💞💞💞💞
• Kelly Rizzo: Indeed!
• Rita Wilson: ❤️❤️❤️

Jennifer Aniston is well-known for showing love for the people around her, and has continued to support her The Morning Show co-stars, as they’ve worked on other projects during the show’s hiatus.

When we last caught up with the employees of the fictional talk show, it was late 2021, and Jennifer Aniston’s Alex was battling COVID and cancel culture. Meanwhile things were heating up between Reese Witherspoon’s Bradley and Laura Peterson (Julianna Margulies), when Cory Ellison (Billy Crudup) professed his love, and the rest of the UBA crew was about to embark on the unenviable journey of figuring out how to produce their show remotely — and with seemingly no anchors, after Daniel Henderson (Desean Terry) quit.  

The Morning Show has been known to take its stories straight from the headlines, with Season 1 revolving around the #MeToo movement, and Season 2 tackling the early days of the pandemic. Nearly two years will have passed when Season 3 hits the 2023 TV schedule, so it’s probably safe to assume there will be a similar jump in time in order to capture the most relevant current affairs (and former GMA3 co-host Amy Robach seemed to have some ideas of what that could be).

Fall 2023 can’t come soon enough for The Morning Show fans, but in the meantime, if you want a refresher on how UBA has gotten to this point, the first two seasons of the workplace drama can be streamed with an Apple TV+ subscription.