Zendaya and Tom Holland’s relationship started 2025 on a high note, given the couple got engaged over the holidays, and the Dune actress stepped out on the Golden Globes red carpet in January with a big fat engagement ring on one particular finger on her left hand. Since the couple like to keep the matters of their personal lives private, we don’t expect to hear much from them about the upcoming wedding. However, one of Zendaya’s Euphoria co-stars has shared which role in the wedding she’d like to have.

Storm Reid memorably played the sister of Zendaya’s Rue in Season 1 and Season 2 of Euphoria. When the 21-year-old was asked about the wedding to come, here’s what she said:

I'd also love to see her as the flower girl, especially since Reid plays Zendaya's little sister on TV. She's also been open about their real-life relationship, and I could totally see the Missing actress being involved in her co-star's wedding.

Reid shared these comments with People on Thursday, May 8, while attending the NAMI Mental Health Gala in Beverly Hills, California. The actress also shared that she “recently” spoke with Zendaya, but she’s obviously off shooting the new Christopher Nolan movie, The Odyssey, with her fiancé, Tom Holland.

How sweet is it that the Euphoria sisters are still close? Storm Reid also said this about what Zendaya has been like since Holland put a ring on it:

Zendaya also started filming the third season of Euphoria this year, but sadly, we know that Storm Reid was not invited back to play Gia this time around. Reid previously called not being in the show “bittersweet”, but wished the production good luck.

Cast members that are definitely returning include Sydney Sweeney, Hunter Schafer, Jacob Elordi, Alexa Demie, Maude Apatow, Eric Dane and Colman Domingo. Sharon Stone has also joined the cast for the first time alongside Rosalía, Marshawn Lynch and Kadeem Hardison.

Given Zendaya and Tom Holland’s schedules since getting engaged, chances are they have had little time to plan a wedding, but Storm Reid has a sweet thought about how she’d like to be involved. According to Tom Holland’s father, the Spider-Man actor had “everything planned out” when it came to popping the question, including making sure to get her family’s blessing. While the couple had already talked about the idea of marriage, Zendaya apparently had “no idea” Holland had planned to propose when he did.

Meanwhile, questions are already coming up about the actress's dress. However, her stylist said that while it will be beautiful, the public will likely never see it.

No matter what, though, we’re so excited for the sweet couple to tie the knot, especially after seeing them fall in love from the outside ever since they were cast together in Spider-Man: Homecoming. Whenever it does happen, it’s so exciting to imagine their famous friends like Storm Reid playing a role in their union.

After Euphoria experienced Season 3 delays last March, it’s a relief for fans of one of the best A24 shows that filming is up and running. If the third season is likely the final season, it’ll be great to see standout characters like Rue, Jules, Nate, and more one last time. Unfortunately, Euphoria’s Season 3 will be without a lot of stars like Storm Reid, who’s finally commented about her exit.

Storm Reid was an exceptional talent on Euphoria as Rue’s little sister, Gia. But as Reid confirmed in November, Gia will not be returning for the show’s upcoming season. However, the 21-year-old actress said that she’s “forever indebted” to the series and proud she got to be part of it. Reid commented about her character's exit to Variety at Time’s Women of the Year dinner, and it’s giving me all of these heartwarming feels:

It’s a real shame that we won’t see Gia again for the next season. She helped bring a lot of emotions to the show. Her character perfectly showed how addiction can take a heavy toll on a family and how hard it is to watch your older sibling go through with it. Nothing has been confirmed as to the reason why showrunners didn’t write Gia in for Season 3. It could be because of talks of a “five-year” time jump, and they might want to focus more on the main characters’ journeys into adulthood.

Even though Storm Reid and Zendaya will no longer be working together, you better believe that’s not going to stop their friendship. The Missing actress told Variety that the Grammy winner is her “sister for life” and is confident the two will work on another project together.

The Wrinkle in Time actress won’t be the only one not returning for Euphoria’s third season. Barbie Ferreira, who played Kat Hernandez, isn’t coming back either. Her reasons for leaving include not liking the direction that showrunners were going for in her character. Sadly, Angus Cloud won’t be seen in Season 3 either due to the actor’s tragic death in 2023. The show will certainly feel very different without these talented actors, making me all the more curious about how the HBO series will write them out.

While Storm Reid’s time on Euphoria is over, that doesn’t mean her time giving dazzling performances will stop anytime soon. She’s currently set to attend some choreography classes to prepare for her new Paramount dance movie Get Lite. The Don’t Let Go actress will also be graduating from USC later this year where she majored in dramatic arts with a minor in African American studies. Her growing list of accomplishments proves she’s just getting started, and fans can look forward to seeing more of her down the road.

Euphoria's third season may feel different without gifted actors like Storm Reid and many others. However, fans can still expect to see memorable performances from Zendaya, Hunter Schafer, Jacob Elordi, and more as we brace ourselves for more drama and all kinds of emotions. Until Season 3 releases in 2026, you can watch the first two seasons of Euphoria with your Max subscription.

It’s been two years since fans tuned in for new episodes of Euphoria, but the wait for Season 3 is almost over. Or at least, the wait for filming is almost over. After the HBO hit had delayed production numerous times, it was announced over the summer that Euphoria Season 3 was set to kick off production in January 2025. However, while most of the cast will be returning, Storm Reid has revealed she will not be reprising her role.

Reid starred in Euphoria as Gia Bennett, the younger sister of Zendaya’s Rue. Just like some of her fellow castmates, she’s been keeping busy during the hiatus, starring in projects like The Last of Us. But a return to Euphoria is not in the cards. While at the Governors Awards, the actress told Rotten Tomatoes that Gia is not coming back, but she also shared her excitement for the long-awaited season:

It’s disappointing that Reid won’t be returning, especially since her scenes with Zendaya were so heartwarming and powerful. However, I'm also just excited that she's still excited about what's to come.

The reason for Reid not reprising her role is unknown, as she did not dive into specifics. However, the impending time jump may have something to do with it. It was previously revealed that Euphoria Season 3 will jump ahead. As of now, not too much is known about it, and Zendaya’s recent update proved she didn’t know much about it either. So, there are truly a lot of question marks surrounding what's to come at the moment.

While we don't know much about the story that's to come, we do know who will and won't be there. Along with Reid, the Euphoria cast won't feature Barbie Ferreira as Kat Hernandez after Season 2 gave her less screen time. Also, following Angus Cloud's death, people are waiting to see how the show will go without Fezco.

No other cast changes have been announced, with Zendaya, Sydney Sweeney, Jacob Elordi, Hunter Schafer, Alexa Demie, and Maude Apatow among the expected actors to return. It wouldn’t be surprising if more casting changes were announced in the coming weeks as production prepares to start. However, hopefully, no one else leaves.

Whether Reid will still have a chance to return in the future is unclear. It does sound like she has no hatred toward Euphoria, so her exit likely had something to do with the story or the actress's schedule. It might be too early to think about future seasons, especially since it’s taking so long for Season 3, but one can always hope that Gia will come back.

A premiere date for Season 3 of Euphoria has not been revealed, but with filming starting in January, fans can probably expect it late on the 2025 TV schedule or in early 2026. Once filming does start, though, things will hopefully be moving fast and more details will be released, but people will have to remain patient, at least for now.

It’s been an exciting summer at the theater, with moviegoers having plenty of good options to escape from the sweltering heat. The end of the run of blockbusters can only mean one thing — the spooky season is upon us, and The Nun 2 is set to kick things off with a bang when it hits theaters September 8. The ninth installment in the chronologically confusing Conjuring universe has screened, and those who were able to get an early look at Taissa Farmiga’s new horror flick are taking to social media with their reactions. It looks like audiences can prepare themselves for some pretty good scares this time around.

The Conjuring series is considered one of the best horror movie franchises, and The Nun 2 will try to add to that reputation. Taissa Farmiga is back as Sister Irene, and while we don’t know if that means there will be a connection made between her and sister Vera Farmiga of the 2013 movie based on the real-life events of Ed and Lorraine Warren, what we do about The Nun 2 is that it’s a direct sequel to 2018’s The Nun. If these reactions are any indication, it sounds like a fitting kickoff to fall.

CinemaBlend’s own Eric Eisenberg notes that The Nun 2 continues the franchise’s trend of providing sequels that are better than their originals. In his words: 

Shannon McGrew of NIghtmarish praises director Michael Chaves and Akela Cooper, who created the story and co-wrote the screenplay, saying there’s a scene that will make fans “scream with joy/horror.” September 8 better hurry up and get here, because she can’t talk about anything else but this movie, she says in a tweet: 

BJ Colangelo of SlashFilm agrees with the others who saw an early screening that the sequel is better than the first movie, though there are some minor plot issues. Colangelo calls Bonnie Aarons a “treasure” and says the addition of Storm Reid (Euphoria, Missing) is a good one. The writer tweets: 

While The Nun was too bogged down with lore, the upcoming sequel is way more fun, according to Tessa Smith of Mama’s Geeky. Smith joins several others in imploring audiences to be sure to catch the mid-credit scene, writing: 

In fact, The Hashtag Show writes that the mid-credit scene alone is worth the price of admission, which sets some pretty high expectations. They tweet: 

Germain Lussier of Gizmodo agrees with others that Michael Chaves and company upped the scares for this sequel, and its two stories come together for an amazing third act. More from Lussier: 

Brian Davids echoes the thoughts of his comrades in terms of how the movie stacks up to its predecessor and says that The Nun 2 adds to the greater universe of The Conjuring in a big way in its exploration of Irene and Maurice. Davids tweets: 

Many moviegoers are describing The Nun 2 as "fun" with more scares and a better story that the first movie. This newest addition to The Conjuring franchise sounds like a good way for horror fans to kick off the scary movie season when it hits theaters on Friday, September 8. Be sure to also check out our 2023 Movie Calendar to see what else is coming soon, including all of the upcoming horror movies.

Teen dramas. You know ‘em, you love ‘em – or you hate ‘em. Depends on the day, am I right? 

I’m certainly in the love/hate category, because there are plenty of this genre that are the epitome of bad, and then there are some of the best teen dramas that are full of intriguing stories, such as The Vampire Diaries, Looking for Alaska, One Tree Hill and many more. But, there’s this one thing that I can’t get off my mind – the ages of the Euphoria cast. 

The show, which has been running since 2019 and has two seasons, takes place in a high school with Gen Z students, but the Euphoria cast’s ages are not even close that of high schoolers, except for one (at least when the show started). Today, we’re going to take a look at the actual ages of the cast, and compare them to who they play on the show.  

Zendaya (Rue Bennett): Actor Age – 26, Character Age – 17

First up on this list is obviously Zendaya, who plays Rue Bennett in Euphoria. The actress has especially been making a name for herself over the last few years, with plenty of appearances in movies such as Spider-Man: No Way Home, and Dune, and is also set to be in Dune 2 in 2023. 

Zendaya was 22 when she started filming the series. Now, she’s 26 – and turning 27 later in 2023. The character is 17, which means that by the time Euphoria Season 3 comes out (if we’re lucky enough to get it in 2024), Zendaya is going to be a whole ten years older than her high school counterpart. 

Granted, there have been rumors that the third season of the show is going to skip forward five years, but nothing has been confirmed.

Hunter Schafer (Jules Vaughn): Actor Age – 24, Character Age – 17

Next up is Hunter Schafer, who played Jules Vaughn, a transgender teenager who was the new girl in town in Season 1. Schafer was originally a model before becoming an actress, and she started Euphoria when she was still a young adult, just barely twenty – but now, she’s 24. 

Like Rue – and many of the other characters on this list – she is 17 in both seasons, as they take place over the course of the same year. That five-year time jump is looking even more likely now. 

Jacob Elordi (Nate Jacobs): Actor Age – 26, Character Age –18

Next up is Jacob Elordi, who plays Nate Jacobs, an abusive and toxic teenage boy who is the on again/off again boyfriend of Maddy, who we’ll get into in a bit. Elordi has certainly established himself as a “teen heartthrob” with the movies he has starred in before, such as The Kissing Booth series, but he is nowhere close to being his character’s age – he’s actually 26. 

Nate is 18 in the show, but, it seems that Elordi has stepped into more mature roles, with his leading part in the upcoming Priscilla. I’m sure we’re going to be seeing him as Nate again when Season 3 rolls around, however. 

Sydney Sweeney (Cassie Howard): Actor Age – 25, Character Age – 18

Sydney Sweeney is arguably one of the most successful actresses from the cast. She plays Cassie Howard, Lexi's sister, McKay’s ex-girlfriend, and later, girlfriend of Nate's girlfriend in Season 2. 

While she did appear in Everything Sucks!, The Handmaid’s Tale and Sharp Objects, it was her time on Euphoria that truly shot her to fame, leading to the massive popularity she has now. She’s been in The White Lotus cast for Season 1, and is going to be in Madame Web. 

Sweeney, like her co-stars, is nowhere close to her character’s age in the show, as in real life she is 25 (turning 26 later this year), while Cassie is 18.

Maude Apatow (Lexi Howard): Actor Age – 25, Character Age – 17

Moving on, Maude Apatow plays Lexi Howard, Cassie’s sister and a long-time friend of Rue's who reconnects with her down the line. The daughter of famous director, Judd Apatow and Leslie Mann, she appeared in several films prior to her role in Euphoria, including Knocked Up, This is 40, and more. 

Apatow is actually 25 in real-life, turning 26 later in 2023, while her character is the same age as Rue and Jules, 17. 

Alexa Demie (Maddy Perez): Actor Age – Around 27, Character Age – 18

Moving on, we take a look at Alexa Demie, who plays Maddy Perez. While Maddy is confirmed to be 18, Demie’s age hasn't been fully revealed. An article from The New York Times in August 2019 listed her as 24, so that would make her 27 this year, but in an interview with InStyle in November 2019, she’s referred to as “almost 25” during a question that is asked of her. 

Granted, that could mean that her birthday was later on in the year, but since we're not entirely sure when it is, we can only guesstimate that she's about 27 now. Whatever the case, it means that Demie is certainly older than her Euphoria counterpart. 

Barbie Ferreira (Kat Hernandez): Actor Age – 26, Character Age – 17

While Barbie Ferreira isn’t going to be in Euphoria Season 3, her character, Kat Hernandez, is most certainly going to live on in the history of the story. Ferreira, who also began her time in Hollywood as a model before moving over into acting, has appeared in a variety of projects, including the Max original movie, Unpregnant and the Nope cast. 

Before all that, Ferreira was on Season 1 of the HBO hit, and her character was 17. However, she is actually 26 in real life, and going to be turning 27 later in 2023. 

Angus Cloud (Fez): Actor Age – 25, Character Age – 19

Fez is one of the most chill characters on Euphoria despite him being a drug dealer – which speaks volumes for the types of characters we interact with in this show. Either way, Fez is played by Angus Cloud, who is actually 25 in real life, while Fez is only 19. 

Storm Reid (Gia Bennett): Actor Age – 20, Character Age – 14

Last but not least is Storm Reid. The young actress has been in Hollywood for some time, appearing in projects such as When They See Us, The Invisible Man, Don’t Let Go and more, and in 2023, she had a guest role as Riley on The Last of Us. 

She plays Gia Bennett, Rue’s little sister. When the show originally filmed before its 2019 premiere, Reid was much closer to her character in age, who is only 14, as she was sixteen when the show came out. 

However, Reid is now twenty – and slowly inching her way up the line with the rest of her co-stars of not being an actual teen on a teen drama. 

While this isn’t necessarily new for anyone out there – we all know that teen dramas often use adult actors – it’s still interesting to see the comparison of ages. Now it sort of makes me want to watch teen shows that have actual teenagers in them, just to see the comparison between acting skills and style. Maybe I’ll go put on Heartstopper again.  

Spoilers below for anyone who hasn’t yet watched The Last of Us’ latest episode, so be warned!

HBO’s The Last of Us stepped away from adapting the core video game story to bring in the extremely important side character Riley, who was introduced and explored in the Left Behind DLC and tie-in comic book series. And while making viewers more comfortable with seeing Ellie in a more happy and emotionally vulnerable headspace, the horror drama also brought in one of the game’s most visually diverse locations: an abandoned but powered mall. The production team pulled off a masterful job in showcasing the brightly lit minutiae of consumer life circa 2003, from its fully functioning arcade to the looted Foot Locker. And one of the set designers explained why this approach, particularly the use of Victoria’s Secret, was so symbolic for Ellie’s story.

The episode, fittingly titled Left Behind, fully confirmed that Bella Ramsey’s Ellie is gay, and that she presumably would have thought it heavenly to devote the rest of her days to smooching and cuddling up with Riley. (Guest star Storm Reid doesn’t have time for naysayers who aren’t into the show’s LGBTQ+ storylines, either.) One of the episode’s biggest hints of the kiss to come — as if it wasn’t already fairly obvious anyway — came when the two teens shared some confused, if intrigued, reactions to a seemingly non-looted Victoria’s Secret store. Production designer John Paino told Variety that he and the rest of the team brought the mall setting to life with the knowledge that it would be as much of a bane to Ellie as it was a boon. In his words:

For a developing gay female who had no understanding of a life before the Cordyceps outbreak made capitalism and shopping centers a moot point, stumbling across this vast array of unnecessary goods and products must have been bonkers. As a fan of video games and what they represent, Ellie was aware that arcades existed, thus her excitement about seeing and playing Mortal Kombat II for the first time. But she probably didn’t come across much written material about Victoria’s Secret and its mall-based prominence. 

As such, seeing a whole store devoted to frilly bras and panties would be both confusing and potentially arousing, albeit in the most innocent form, considering Ellie’s lack of experience. I’m sure plenty of teens and tweens have expressed awkwardness to the extremes when having to visit that particular store with a parent or older sibling, so I’d imagine Ellie would react in a similar fashion upon visiting the store during its heyday.

It would have been wild for The Last of Us to showcase a few former Victoria’s Secret models during its mall sequence, from new mom (for the third time) Behati Prinsloo to the somewhat still newly single Gisele Bündchen. But that might have been a little too much.

All things considered, it was already kind of surprising to see actual stores and brand names being utilized within the mall sequence, even knowing how much money and effort HBO put into the show. Paino said they brought the new location to life within an abandoned mall that still featured some details about their past existences. The team built up around 25 storefronts for Riley and Ellie to explore and walk past, and the designer said it was awesome to use official logos and play around with how to lay everything out. In particular, he called out the American Girl store as being “fun to make.”

Unfortunately, tragedy returned in full form in, fittingly enough, the Halloween store that otherwise served as another slice of Eden for Ellie and Riley. The would-be couple were attacked by a rando Runner, and both suffered bites, though we know only one of the characters was in danger of changing. Storm Reid told CinemaBlend that the episode would be a heartbreaker, and she wasn’t lying in the slightest. 

While waiting for the final two episodes of the season, which are available to stream with an HBO Max subscription, check out the randomly freaky editing error that was made in Episode 105, and remember that even decades-old lingerie can still be sexy to someone out there.

Spoilers below for anyone who hasn’t yet watched the latest episode of The Last of Us, so be warned!

HBO’s The Last of Us continues to absolutely crush it, giving viewers equally exciting and heartbreaking ways to cap off each weekend, and Episode 7 did not stray from expectations while delivering Ellie’s highly emotional final night (presumably) with her late BFF Riley. The nearly full-length flashback delivers much of what fans learned about the two teens in the Left Behind DLC and the American Dreams comic tie-in, pulling directly from the source material. (Even if Mortal Kombat II wasn’t canonical to the Naughty Dog game.) The installment also featured the first on-screen kiss for Bella Ramsey’s Ellie and Storm Reid’s Riley, and the two co-stars addressed the section of the fanbase that’s been vocally negative about the horror drama’s LGBTQ+ storylines. 

The episode, fittingly titled “Left Behind,” hinged largely on Riley’s attempt to give Ellie the greatest night of her life by way of a mall visit, which included a carousel ride, arcade games, and some photo booth silliness straight out of the video game. And before all the tragedy and woefulness entered into things, The Last of Us delivered one of its sweetest moments yet, with Ellie impulsively kissing her bestie after the latter promised to stick around rather than leaving for Atlanta with the Fireflies. Of course, that led to another heartbreaking stunner, which Reid promised would be the case.

Speaking with EW, Storm Reid was asked about the negative and homophobic reactions that the episode would likely spark, and the Euphoria star championed The Last of Us’ narrative while echoing Bella Ramsey’s thoughts following the debut of Bill and Frank’s episode. In her words: 

Indeed, with all the series available on linear TV and streaming at the moment, it takes more of an effort than ever for audiences to stick with shows that they aren’t fully invested in. That kind of viewer dropoff is wholly behind why a lot of Netflix shows get canceled, as well as those on other platforms. When it comes to those who are wholly engaged with everything that co-creators Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann are delivering except for the story beats tied to characters’ sexualities, I can’t imagine Storm Reid is dying to hear from them.

The fact that Ellie and Riley’s kiss is taken directly from the video game’s universe should make it less of a target for complaints, as opposed to Bill and Frank’s expanded TV arc, but the game series has sadly faced similar criticisms and gripes for much of its existence. And Reid doesn’t understand why anyone would be so invested in the private lives of people they have no connection with, fictional or otherwise. As she put it:

Throughout “Left Behind,” Ramsey did a fantastic job of bringing Ellie’s playfulness out as things went along, and even though she and Riley had less than an hour to convince audiences of their friendship and potential for romance, it worked from top to bottom. To the point where it was beyond heartbreaking to think of Ellie keeping that memory as her driving force to keep the near-death Joel alive. 

Even though viewers didn’t get to see how the pair spent their final time together before Riley turned, and before Ellie realized she was immune, it was enough to get her to sew his knife wound shut without any medical training or pain meds. I’m kinda surprised Joel didn’t instinctively shove her the hell away again as soon as she started.

Beyond social media swipes at the show’s LGBTQ+ characters, The Last of Us has also been a target of sexism by way of co-star Melanie Lynskey and her character Kathleen. The actress faced various levels of unjust judgment from viewers regarding her looks and her physical figure and, like Storm Reid, wasn’t hesitant about clapping back at the negativity. 

With two episodes left, The Last of Us will no doubt have even more shocking moments to cap off its first season. Be sure to stream on Sunday nights with an HBO Max subscription.

Mild spoilers below for anyone who isn’t caught up on HBO’s The Last of Us, so be warned!

With its fourth live-action outing, HBO’s The Last of Us took viewers into the video game’s harrowing Hunters arc, by way of a new location and a new antagonist in Melanie Lynskey’s vengeful Kathleen, while also delivering our first glimpse of young survivor Sam. It looks like Episode 5 will revolve around his shared introduction with brother Henry, with the TV series shaking up their source material origins. Which likely means viewers will be waiting another week before the flashback-based arrival of Storm Reid’s Riley, another important teen who plays squarely into Ellie’s backstory. But it sounds like it’ll be worth the wait, as seen in the video above.

CinemaBlend spoke with Storm Reid ahead of her Last of Us guest star appearance to promote the largely acclaimed thriller sequel Missing, and shared how pumped she is to bring Riley into the world of live-action. When asked for her thoughts, the Euphoria star shared a foreboding tease that sounds right in line with what one would expect from Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann’s adaptation. In her words:

Obviously, when discussing a show that has shied away from confirming its episode titles until after the initial airings, Storm Reid didn’t dig too deeply into any details, lest she potentially face some Clicker-esque wrath from the horror drama’s powers that be. But it definitely sounds like the TV show took the time to give Riley and Ellie’s shared past the right amount of attention, or else the Missing star’s notion about it being a heartbreaking episode might seem a bit hyperbolic.

As franchise fans are aware, Riley’s story was explored not in the standalone game release, but in the first DLC released, Left Behind, and in the tie-in comic book miniseries The Last of Us: American Dreams. She and Ellie first bonded within their boarding school, and a key trip to an abandoned mall offers up some of the game’s biggest moments of pure joy and fun. But considering Riley isn’t still kicking it with Ellie when viewers meet her, it’s at least a vague indication that something went awry. Something heartbreaking? Very likely.

Episode 104, “Please Hold to My Hand,” may have offered up a key game-changing detail when it comes to Riley’s arrival. (Game-changing in the most literal sense here.) After the onset of the ambush that unfairly wrecked Bill's truck — not that he would notice at this point — Ellie saved Joel from a crushed windpipe by shooting one of the Hunters, though she wasn't so eager to finish the deed. Later, though, she revealed that it wouldn't have been her first kill, but opted not to follow up with an explanation, only implying that it was a rough situation. So it would stand to reason that Mazin and Druckmann chose to shift that character-defining moment over to Riley's story to give it more weight. I dare not hope for the most heartbreaking spin that could happen, though. 

To counter such thoughts, could the TV show go against all odds by giving Storm Reid’s Riley a story that allows her to return for the now-confirmed Season 2? Or, as it went with the sob-worthy flashback for Nico Parker’s Sarah, will audiences be experiencing the entirety of the aforementioned heartbreak in only a single episode’s timeframe? The second one is far more likely, of course, but one can dream. 

Check out the trailer for the next episode of The Last of Us, featuring more from Melanie Lynskey’s new threat.  

You can watch The Last of Us when new new episodes hit HBO on Sunday nights at 9:00 p.m. ET, when they also become available to stream with an HBO Max subscription. While waiting to see when Riley will arrive in full, head to our upcoming video game adaptations guide and our 2023 TV premiere schedule to see what else will be worth obsessing over as the year goes on. 

Debates can be held for weeks on end about the impact that social media has on our culture. Is it valuable? A distraction? Do we waste too much time on it? Or are we not using it to the best of its abilities? Weirdly enough, all of that can be true. But for the purpose of the new movie Missing, a sequel to the John Cho hit Searching (which we gave a positive review), technology saves lives… literally. Even though Cho didn’t return for the sequel, the producers and screenwriters figured out new ways to tell stories in the Searching genre, this time shifting gears to a new character played by The Last of Us co-star Storm Reid.     

Missing begins when Grace Allen (Nia Long) leaves for vacation with her new boyfriend (Ken Leung), leaving her teenage daughter June (Storm Reid) at home. June does what you’d expect – hangs with friends, orders too much food, and parties. But on the day that June’s supposed to pick Grace up at the airport, the mom never shows, sending June on a manhunt using all forms of technology that are at her disposal. 

Sitting down with Storm Reid on behalf of Missing, we asked her to compare her own tech skills to those of June, and wondered if the movie changed her opinion on the amount of technology in her own life. She opened up about social media, telling CinemaBlend:

In case you don’t recall Searching, its spiritual sequel Missing uses a similar format of telling its story through laptop screens, televisions, security monitors, relevant social media apps, and many other creative outlets that keep the action flowing, and keeps you paying attention to the sheer amount of footage that is moving across the screen. It’s represented really well in the Missing trailer, which I’ll include below:

And so far, it’s working. We gave Missing a solid review, and we aren’t alone. The early buzz on Missing was very solid, and that gives the movie a chance to tap into the same audience that powered M3GAN to a box office win and guaranteed that movie a sequel. And the thing about the Searching series is that it’s rooted in a style, so you can keep switching from John Cho to Storm Reid to the next actor, so long as the look of the picture stays fresh. We are excited to see how Missing does at the box office, and will continue to track all of the Upcoming 2023 Movies dropping in theaters as the months continue.

When the mystery thriller Searching came out in 2018, it was a hit with audiences for its unique visual presentation — using computer screens and smartphones — and mysterious plot. Five years later, Missing is set to hit theaters, as a standalone sequel that stars The Last of Us cast member Storm Reid (also known for shouting F-bombs at Idris Elba in The Suicide Squad). Reid plays June Allen, who turns to technology in search of her mother Grace (Nia Long) after she goes missing while on vacation in Columbia. The reviews are in, so let’s see what critics are saying ahead of Missing’s release to theaters January 20.

John Cho made history in Searching as the first Asian-American to headline a thriller — a title he wasn’t overly excited about — starring as a father searching for his 16-year-old daughter. Missing flips that premise, with the parent being the party of unknown whereabouts in the sequel. Let’s see what the critics think, starting with CinemaBlend’s review of Missing. Eric Eisenberg says if you can suspend your belief enough to accept certain aspects of screenlife cinema, you’ll be rewarded with an anthology sequel even better than the original. He rates it 3.5 stars out of 5, saying: 

Lovia Gyarkye of THR calls the film “chilling,” noting that it doesn’t just focus on the existence of different technological advances, but also speculates on their effects on society, namely the ease with which we voluntarily submit to surveillance. The critic says: 

Jeremy Mathai of SlashFilm rates Missing a 7 out of 10, saying the sequel leans hard on the aspects of what worked for Searching, but a smart script and engaging plot add up to a bold and audacious thriller that this critic says will leave you breathless. According to the review:  

Robert Abele of The Wrap says the movie proves that the digital world is still fertile ground for exciting storytelling, as Missing replaces the Facebook and YouTube searches from Searching and adds tools like Google streetviews, mobile tracking and Taskrabbit outsourcing. Even if it does get somewhat preposterous in its twists, it’s still thrilling, the critic argues: 

Todd Gilchrist of Variety also warns against audiences becoming overly concerned with how we’re viewing information at any given time. The critic points out that there’s no real reason this world needs to be set exclusively in screens, and the directors even cut to exterior angles when it suits their needs. According to this review:  

If you’re intrigued by the concept and what the critics have to say about Missing, you’ll be able to catch this movie on the big screen starting Friday, January 20. And if you want to start planning your next night out to the theater, take a look at our 2023 Movie Release Schedule to see what’s coming soon. 

Like its predecessor, Aneesh Chaganty's Searching, Nick Johnson and Will Merrick's Missing is a movie that should see every ticket purchase come with a grain of salt. If your incredulity forbids you to accept a person keeping their webcam open at all times on their desktop or fantastic citizen sleuthing from a teenager that runs circles around the FBI, you’re going to have a tough time enjoying the cinematic experience. After all, the film basically hinges on one’s acceptance of those ideas in both its aesthetic choices and plotting.

The other side of that coin, of course, is that an open mind will take you far. Accepting the style and conceit, the reward is an anthology sequel that is superior to Searching. The screenlife approach remains novel and clever, and it’s well-utilized for a story that effectively takes wild twists and turns that change your perspective on the core mystery and force you to reevaluate predictions for where it’s all going. It gets a bit silly, but never too much to undermine the tension, and it stays grounded thanks to a solid lead turn by Storm Reid.

Introducing a brand new ensemble of characters while being set in the same universe as Searching (as confirmed via fun Easter eggs), Missing begins as 18-year-old June Allen (Reid) prepares for a week of unsupervised fun. Her mother, Grace (Nia Long) and her boyfriend, Kevin (Ken Leung), are jetting off for a fun and romantic vacation in Colombia, and June makes plans with her friend, Veena (Megan Suri), to throw an epic party.

This works out well, as fun is had, and a Taskrabbit is hired to clean up the mess that is left in the house… but everything takes a turn when June goes to the airport to give Grace and Kevin a ride home. She’s on time and even has a funny sign, but the couple doesn’t show up at baggage claim. June ends up calling her mother’s lawyer, Heather (Amy Landecker), and fills out an international missing person’s report, but she takes matters into her own hands when she learns that the hotel where Grace and Kevin were staying overwrites security footage every 48 hours.

An investigation that starts with June hiring a man in Colombia named Javier (Joaquim de Almeida) to acquire said footage eventually sees the teenager fall down a rabbit hole searching for her mom. Looking into Kevin’s past and relationship with Grace starts to inspire scary questions, but the protagonist is unflinching in her pursuit of the truth about what happened and makes some startling progress finding answers with just her ingenuity and internet connection.

Missing is certainly fantastical, but its smart screenplay is grounded enough to make it work.

The film’s greatest asset is its pacing and structure. In collaboration with Aneesh Chaganty and Sev Ohanian (who wrote Searching together and have story and producers credits on the sequel), Nick Johnson and Will Merrick have crafted a smart screenplay that is particularly adept when it comes to false leads and red herrings. If you’re trying to solve the mystery before the protagonist and your eyes and ears are tuned into all of the clues being dispensed – both big and small – you’re going to find yourself wonderfully surprised as major revelations steer huge pivots in in the plot… and then you’re going to be delighted as your new expectations eventually end up being decimated as well.

There are shortcuts around reality that are taken – the standout being that Javier, working for $8 per hour, turns out to be the most helpful human being that the gig economy has ever produced – but it is based in enough reality to not be totally ridiculous. For the true crime enthusiasts of modern pop culture who listen to podcasts and watch documentaries imagining that they can personally solve mysteries that have baffled law enforcement, Missing is an itch-scratching fantasy, and a lot of fun in that capacity. With internet search histories, location tracking, public cameras, and more, June makes intelligent use of the tools of the internet age to try and find her mom, and it’s compelling.

While not doing a great deal of innovating, Missing is a solid addition to screenlife film.

As the latest addition to the growing screenlife genre, the movie can be said to only further demonstrate impressive viability in the approach. There are definitely shortcuts taken, the biggest being June’s always-active Facetime app that allows us to look at her while she is clue hunting, but what’s far more valuable and impressive is how the film visually presents the mystery while maintaining a realism in the way that people use computers and phones. Like the best examples of the genre, it not only takes full advantage of the familiar (with apps, websites, etc.), but effectively provides us insight into the mind of the characters with simples things like frenetic searching and messages that are typed but deleted/not sent. It’s speaks a special modern language, and speaks it well.

Missing can’t be said to particularly advance screenlife cinema, but it is further proof of the impressive viability for storytelling in the medium – and the story that unfolds is engaging, exciting, and well-told. It’s a fun and twisty mystery, and the film makes a strong argument for there to be more chapters made in this budding anthology series.

Since the announcement back in 2019 regarding Halle Bailey's casting as Ariel in the Disney live-action remake of The Little Mermaid, the Last Holiday actress has had to deal with a fair share of negativity being sent her way. Luckily, the Chloe x Halle pop star/actress knows the best way to deal with negativity is by not engaging with the naysayers. Instead, she's seemingly decided to press forward and share her excitement about being cast as one of the most beloved animated characters in one of the most anticipated upcoming Disney movies.  

Bailey took to her Instagram to share the stunning official The Little Mermaid movie poster. Accompanying the poster was a short message to fans in which the Ariel actress expressed the "immense honor" she feels in being cast as the lead and that it was the mermaid role of "her dreams."

It didn't take long for Halle Bailey's friends, family, and fellow stars to start showing up to express their support. Chloe Bailey (best known by her stage name of Chlöe) is Halle's sister and the other half of Chloe x Halle. Chloe was the first to turn out in support when she wrote:

Actress and producer Storm Reid, who DC fans might remember hilariously shouting F-Bombs at Idris Elba in The Suicide Squad, also voiced her support. As the Euphoria actress shared:

We are going to have to agree with Reid on this one! The poster is beautifully painted and depicts Bailey's Ariel sitting on a rock (under the sea, of course), looking up longingly to the land above. The poster does a great job throwing back a nod to the original animated Disney classic while embracing the new, live-action direction. We are blown away, indeed. 

American Rap artist DDG thinks the new Ariel is going to be legendary in the part:

Leave (Get Out) and Too Little Too Late singer (and actress) JoJo expressed her sentiments that tears of joy will be shed by this new interpretation of The Little Mermaid:

This is, of course, just a sampling of the stars who came out to cheer Bailey on in her Disney role. In a similar vein, there were hundreds of comments showing support for the actress. Considering how toxic the darker sides of fandoms can be, it's nice to see an outpouring of love for the Mermaid star. 

The Little Mermaid is rounded out by an all-star cast that includes Melissa McCarthy as Ursula, Javier Bardem as King Triton, Jonah Hater-King as Prince Eric, Daveed Diggs as Sebastian, Jacob Tremblay as Flounder and Awkwafina as Scuttle, along with many others. Mary Poppins Returns Rob Marshall is directing a script by Jane Goldman and David Magee.

The Disney film hits theaters on May 26th, 2023, but until then, you can enjoy the original animated Disney classic streaming now with a Disney+ subscription. For all of your film-going plans in the coming months, you can look at our 2022 Movie Release Schedule.

Back in March 2020, I was stunned at seeing the news that HBO was developing a series based on The Last of Us, one of my all-time favorite video games. At first, I was happy but couldn't believe it. Now here we are, and Season 1 has come to an end and received amazing reviews and is already on track for The Last of Us Season 2. 

With Season 1 all done, the cast has truly impressed and shown off in more ways than one. After the legendary first season, and in anticipation of Season 2, let’s break down the cast of The Last of Us, including those who appeared in Season 1, and whether or not we expect to see them in Season 2, as well as the new cast additions to the series. 

Also – minor spoiler warning for those who aren’t caught up with The Last of Us Season 1!

Pedro Pascal (Joel, Season 1-)

First up is Pedro Pascal, who plays Joel in The Last of Us, the rough and tough survivor of the apocalypse who is assigned to get Ellie across the country to a facility because of her immunity to the virus that's decimated the population. Since Pedro Pascal is the star of the show, he is very much going to be in Season 2.

Pascal is known for plenty of big shows and movies, but some of his biggest have been the Disney+ original show, The Mandalorian, and in 2022 , co-starring in the hilarious comedy, The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, alongside Nicolas Cage. He was also a part of the Game of Thrones cast for a bit during Season 4, where he played Prince Oberyn Martell. 

Bella Ramsey (Ellie, Season 1-)

You can’t have Joel without Ellie in The Last of Us, and playing the spunky fourteen-year-old is Bella Ramsey, who really made the role her own in Season 1 of the series. Ramsey will be back for Season 2 of the series, as even the creators of the series have put to rest the idea of her getting re-casted since Season 2 is most likely going to feature a time-jump that was used in the games.

The young actress has already appeared on HBO before as Lyanna Mormont in Game of Thrones, as well as in His Dark Materials, and is continuing to show just how brilliant she is as an actress going forward in her young life. 

Gabriel Luna (Tommy, Season 1-)

Playing Joel’s brother and a former soldier, Tommy, in The Last of Us is Gabriel Luna. Tommy wasn’t featured that much in the first season of the show, but he most certainly played a major part in Joel’s story. And since Joel and Ellie were heading back to Tommy’s base in Jackson at the end of Season 1, it would make sense to expect Luna to return for Season 2. 

The actor has been in many TV shows before, with one of his biggest roles being in Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., where he played Ghost Rider/Robbie Reyes. Luna was also in the films Matador, and Terminator: Dark Fate.  

Rutina Wesley (Maria, Season 1-)

Playing Maria in The Last of Us Season 1 is Rutina Wesley, the wife of Tommy and one of the leaders of the Jackson Safe Zone, where Ellie and Joel are heading to in the finale of Season 1.  Since Maria was pregnant when Joel and Ellie left Jackson the first time, it wouldn’t be that surprising to see her there with a child alongside Tommy when Joel and Ellie return. So I’d say it’s a safe bet to expect her to return in Season 2. 

Wesley has been in a variety of television shows before, including the main cast of True Blood, The Cleveland Show, Arrow, Queen Sugar and Hannibal. Wesley also appeared in movies such as How She Move, 13 Sings, Last Weekend, The Perfect Guy and Outsiders.  

Kaitlyn Dever (Abby, Season 2-)

Variety confirmed in January 2024 that Kaitlyn Dever was cast as Abby, another playable character in The Last of Us: Part 2. Many fans have wondered for years about who would play the iconic character. Dever has a lot of people watching her when it comes to the role of Abby, but I have hope she’ll rock it. 

The actress has appeared in shows such as Last Man, Dopesick, Unbelievable and more, as well as appeared in films like Detroit, Dear Evan Hansen, Booksmart and many more. 

Isabela Merced (Dina, Season 2-)

According to Variety, in early January 2024, it was announced that Isabela Merced was cast as Dina, the love interest of Ellie’s in The Last of Us: Part 2. This is another great LGBTQ+ relationship that the show will get into as Season 2 goes on.

Merced in 2024 was a part of the Madame Web cast, but she's also appeared in films such as Dora and the Lost City of Gold, Sicario: Day of the Soldado, Sweet Girl, Instant Family and more. She’s also set to star in the upcoming John Greene adaptation, Turtles All The Way Down. 

Young Mazino (Jesse, Season 2-)

It was also announced in early January, according to Variety, that Young Mazino was cast as Jesse, another main character of The Last of Us: Part 2. Jesse is a friend of Ellie’s and ex-boyfriend of Dina’s in the game. 

Mazino gained fame in 2023 for his role in the Netflix series, Beef, but he has also appeared in shows such as Blue Bloods, New Amsterdam and more. 

Catherine O’Hara (Season 2-)

In February 2024, it was confirmed by Variety that Cathrine O’Hara was cast in The Last of Us Season 2 by Variety. We still don’t know what her role will be, but we can theorize on who until it's officially announced. 

O’Hara has been in the industry for years, appearing in the original Home Alone films, Beetlejuice, For Your Consideration, After Hours and many more. Most modern-day lovers of the actress probably recognize her from her time as one of the stars of the Schitt’s Creek cast. Truly an icon – and a great addition to this list. 

Danny Ramirez (Manny, Season 2-)

In March 2024, Variety reported several other stars that had joined The Last of Us Season 2. The first was Danny Ramirez, who will play Manny, a friend of Abby’s, in the second season.

Ramirez has appeared in shows like On My Block and The Gifted, and even held a main role in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier cast. He also appeared in the Top Gun: Maverick cast in 2022. 

Ariela Barer (Mel, Season 2-)

Ariela Barer was also reported by Variety, and she’ll play Mel in Season 2 of The Last of Us. Mel is another friend of Abby’s in the game, and is said to be a doctor in the upcoming installment. 

Barer is primarily known for her role as Gert on Runaways, but she has appeared in various other television shows including Rebel, One Day at a Time, Atypical, Saved by the Bell and many more. 

Tati Gabrielle (Nora, Season 2-)

Tati Gabrielle was the third actress Variety reported on, and she will play Nora in Season 2 of The Last of Us. Nora is a military medic in the show, and has her own issues from her past that she is dealing with. 

Gabrielle has appeared in various TV shows, most notably You Season 4, where she played Marienne, and in The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina cast. She also held a role in the great CW show, The 100, and appeared in Kaleidoscope. 

Spencer Lord (Owen, Season 2-)

Last but not least from that Variety article, we know that Spencer Lord will play Owen, a warrior who has a “gentle soul.” Lord has appeared in shows such as Family Law, The Good Doctor, Heartland and more. 

Nico Parker (Sarah, Season 1)

Sarah is Joel’s young daughter in The Last of Us, and she was played by Nico Parker, however, Sarah is not expected in Season 2. The young actress has appeared in movies like Dumbo and Reminiscence, and also had the part of Ellie in the TV series, The Third Day. 

Nick Offerman (Bill, Season 1)

One half of a survival duo living in a small, isolated town is Bill, a hardened survivor who really knows how to stay alive in this world by setting traps. Nick Offerman plays Bill in The Last of Us, and really made Bill’s story that much better alongside his partner, Frank. Bill is not expected to be in Season 2. 

Offerman is primarily known for his role as Ron Swanson in the Parks and Recreation cast, but he’s done plenty of other great work, including having a major role in the Pam & Tommy cast, working on the sci-fi series, Devs, and more. 

Merle Dandridge (Marlene, Season 1)

Next up, we have Merle Dandridge, who plays Marlene, the Firefly resistance leader in The Last of Us. Merle Dandridge actually did the voice and motion-capture work for Marlene in the original The Last of Us video game, so it’s sick to see her return to the role in the TV adaptation. However, Dandridge is not expected to be in Season 2.

But, besides her video game work, Dandridge has appeared in many TV shows like Station 19, the fantastic HBO Max original, The Flight Attendant, Sons of Anarchy, and more.  

Anna Torv (Tess, Season 1)

Tess is another survivor and a smuggler alongside Joel in The Last of Us, and she's played by Anna Torv in the TV series. Tess is not expected to be in Season 2.

Torv is primarily known for her role as Olivia Dunham on the popular sci-fi series, Fringe, and also had a main role as Wendy Carr on the amazing Netflix series you should definitely binge, Mindhunter. She also had a main role as Harriet Dunkley in Secret City. 

Murray Bartlett (Frank, Season 1)

Frank is the other half of the survival duo in The Last of Us with Bill who lives in that isolated town, and he is played by Murray Bartlett. Frank is not expected to be in Season 2.

Bartlett is among the cast of The White Lotus Season 1, and in the revival on Netflix of Tales of the City. Bartlett also played Vinnie Green in the Apple TV+ series, Physical. 

Storm Reid (Riley, Season 1)

Next up on the list for The Last of Us cast is Storm Reid, a young actress who is really making her name in Hollywood recently. In Season 1, Reid played Riley, Ellie’s best friend from before she was bit. Riley is not expected to be in Season 2. We could see her in another possible flashback but I doubt that will happen. 

Reid is mainly known for her part in the Euphoria cast as Rue’s younger sister, Gia, but she’s done plenty of other work, too. Some of her biggest roles so far have been in Don’t Let Go, The Invisible Man, and she had a major part in When They See Us on Netflix, as well as a smaller role in The Suicide Squad. She was also the star of the movie, A Wrinkle in Time.  

Melanie Lynskey (Kathleen, Season 1)

Melanie Lynskey plays Kathleen in Season 1 of The Last of Us, the brutal leader of a revolutionary movement in Kansas City and someone who was on the hunt for Henry and Sam. Her character, Kathleen, is not expected to be in Season 2.

Lynskey is known for many roles prior to this show, including her big part in the hit sitcom, Two and a Half Men, as Rose, as well as her starring role in the Showtime series, Yellowjackets, but it was even cooler to see her in this show as well. Lynksey also had roles in movies such as Sweet Home Alabama, But I’m A Cheerleader, The Perks of Being A Wallflower, Don’t Look Up, The Intervention and more. 

Jeffrey Pierce (Perry, Season 1)

Next up, we have Perry, Kathleen’s right-hand man, in The Last of Us, who is played by Jeffrey Pierce. Originally, Pierce actually portrayed Tommy in the original game, but in Season 1 of The Last of Us, he had the recurring role of Perry for a couple of episodes. Perry is not expected to be in Season 2 of The Last of Us. 

Pierce has done plenty in Hollywood besides his voice-acting skills, appearing in many shows such as Drop Dead Diva, Castle, Castle Rock, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, and more. 

Lamar Johnson (Henry, Season 1)

Moving on, we have Lamar Johnson, who plays Henry in Season 1 of The Last of Us, a survivor that Joel and Ellie meet out on the road when he and his brother, Sam, are hiding from a revolutionary movement in Kansas City. Henry is not expected to be in Season 2.

Johnson has appeared in a few films that you might recognize him from, such as Dark Phoenix, All the Bright Places, and Brother. He also had a main role in The Next Step as West, and appeared in the great Showtime series, Your Honor. Henry is not expected to be in Season 2.

Keivonn Woodard (Sam, Season 1)

Next up, we have the little brother of Henry, named Sam, in The Last Of Us. The character is not expected to appear in Season 2.

Keivonn Woodard is relatively new to Hollywood, and has only had one appearance prior to his role in The Last of Us, in the film Seeds of Hope: The Andrew Foster Story. But, hopefully, after The Last Of Us, we’ll get to see even more of him. 

Ashley Johnson (Anna)

For those who have never played the original game, Ashley Johnson is actually the voice and motion-capture of Ellie in both games, and has become a huge fan-favorite – so I was quite happy she appeared in  The Last of Us TV show as Anna, otherwise known as Ellie’s mother in the games.However, the character is not expect to appear in Season 2.

Johnson has appeared in several movies as well, including The Help, What Women Want and Much Ado About Nothing, but has also appeared in many television shows such as Growing Pains, Critical Role, Blindspot and more. She’s also a voice actress and has done work for shows like Teen Titans and Recess. 

Scott Shepherd (David, Season 1)

Next up, we have Scott Shepherd, who played David  in The Last of Us. David was quite a memorable face in both the movies and television show, and Scott Shepherd killed it in the role. David is not expected to be in Season 2.

Scott Shepherd has appeared in movies such as And So It Goes, the X-Men film, Dark Phoenix, First Cow, El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie, Radium Girls, and more. He’s also had roles in television shows such as The Young Pope, True Detective, Wormwood and Bluff City Law, among others. 

Troy Baker (James, Season 1)

Troy Baker is another familiar face for fans of the franchise. He was the voice and motion-capture behind Joel in the video game. While Pedro Pascal plays Joel in the series, Baker appears in The Last of Us TV show in the role of James, one of David’s men out in the woods. He is not expected to appear in Season 2.

Baker is known a lot for his voice roles and being able to portray so many different characters, from Samuel Drake in the Uncharted franchise, to Delsin Rowe in Infamous Sons, all the way to Higgs Monaghan in Death Stranding and voicing even superheroes like Batman and Hawkeye. He’s even done voice-dubs for popular anime like Bleach and Fullmetal Alchemist. You’ll most likely recognize his brilliant voice-acting before anything else since that’s what he’s predominantly known for. 

Season 2 is on the way, and with these new cast members, I’m even more excited. I don’t want to have to wait for too long or I just might lose my mind and become a clicker. 

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Minor spoilers ahead for The Suicide Squad.

Visionary filmmaker James Gunn recently made his DCEU debut with The Suicide Squad, with the R-rated blockbuster arriving in theaters and straight to homes via HBO Max. Gunn assembled a killer cast to bring his story to life, including A Wrinkle in Time and Euphoria actress Storm Reid. And she recently explained what it was like shouting F-bombs at Idris Elba in the DC project.

Storm Reid had a small but pivotal role in The Suicide Squad, playing the daughter of Idris Elba’s Bloodsport. Her scene with Idris Elba gives his character emotional stakes, and eventually the two characters scream “Fuck you” at each other a comical amount of times. Reid was recently asked how she got involved with James Gunn’s DC debut, specifically if her audition involved her dropping F-bombs. She said,

She’s got a point. Because while Storm Reid has auditioned for a number of projects during her already successful career, she would have probably remembered using expletives for her gig in The Suicide Squad.

Storm Reid’s comments to Variety help to peel back the curtain on who she is as a person and performer. She references her elders by the monicor Mr, and seemingly doesn’t relish F-bombs like her Suicide Squad character Tyla. Regardless, she crushed her big scene opposite Idris Elba.

The Suicide Squad is available for a limited time on HBO Max. You can use this link to sign up for the streaming service.

Later in her same interview, Storm Reid went on to explain what it was like on the set of The Suicide Squad. She had only one scene to nail down the family dynamic between Tyla and Bloodsport, and had the pressure of playing opposite an acclaimed actor in Idris Elba. Reid went on,

I don’t know about you, but I’m suddenly interested in seeing the raw footage of The Suicide Squad. It sounds like James Gunn really allowed his cast to explore and play during filming, including the scene shared between Storm Reid and Idris Elba. Hopefully we get to see them back on screen sometime in the future.

It’s unclear how much the events of The Suicide Squad will impact the overall DCEU, as James Gunn put an emphasis on making it a capsulated story. But with Gunn interested in more DC projects, hopefully Bloodsport will be brought back, complete with Storm Reid’s character.

The Suicide Squad is in theaters now. Be sure to check out the 2021 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience.

Certainly, HBO's Euphoria gained a lot of attention when it premiered last year. The celebrated and controversial HBO teen drama series is the latest project from Sam Levinson (Assassination Nation), based loosely on Israeli mini-series of the same name, and in its depiction of teenagers indulging in sex, drugs, friendships, and love, while also discovering their own identities in today's ever-changing tech-friendly era, has earned its fair of acclaim and notice for its raw, unflinching depiction of youth culture. 

Euphoria has been a major stepping stone for Zendaya, who won an Emmy for her outstanding lead performance, and it has boosted the profile of several key stars, including (but not limited to) Sydney Sweeney, Hunter Schafer, Barbie Ferreira, Alexa Demie, and Jacob Elordi.

While the wait for Season 2 has been extended due to the coronavirus pandemic, this delay might give more audiences a chance to catch up on what's considered both a sensational and sensationalized first season. If you find yourself wondering where you recognize this young ensemble, however, we're here to help. This is where you've seen the Euphoria cast before.

Zendaya (Rue Bennett)

Playing the part of Rue Bennett, a recovering addict who's trying to find her place in an uncertain world, Zendaya gave an Emmy-winning performance in the first season of Euphoria. As an actress, model, and back-up dancer, Zendaya has been forging a career in Hollywood from an early age, notably with her starring roles in Disney Channel's Shake It Up and K.C. Undercover. She gained even more prominence and fame, however, with her standout role as MJ in Spider-Man: Homecoming and Spider-Man: Far From Home, as well as her strong supporting role in The Greatest Showman.

In addition to these screen credits, Zendaya also lent her voice to Super Buddies, Duck Duck Goose, and Smallfoot (as Meechee, as you might very well be aware). Next, the actress will star in Dune, Malcolm & Marie, and the newest Spider-Man movie. She was also a contestant on Dancing with the Stars.

Sydney Sweeney (Cassie Howard)

In the role of Cassie Howard, Lexi's older sister with a sexual past that continues to haunt her, Sydney Sweeney found her star-making role in Euphoria. Prior to her noteworthy performance in this HBO series, Sweeney starred in Netflix's short-lived Everything Sucks! She also had a recurring role in The Handmaid's Tale, and she was seen in HBO's high-profile mini-series, Sharp Objects. The same year that Sweeney made a splash in Euphoria, she played a brief part in Quentin Tarantino's Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood. Her other film roles include Under the Silver Lake, The Martial Arts Kid, and Along Came the Devil. She can be seen in episodes of The Middle, Kickin' It, Criminal Minds, Heroes, and Pretty Little Liars.

Earlier this year, Sweeney starred in Hulu's Big Time Adolescence, Clementine, and, most recently, Amazon Prime's Nocturne — the latter two as the lead.

Maude Apatow (Lexi Howard)

As Lexi Howard, Rue's childhood best friend, as well as Cassie's younger sister, Maude Apatow received her biggest role to date — TV or otherwise — in Euphoria. The eldest daughter of filmmaker Judd Apatow and actress Leslie Mann, Apatow made her first acting appearances in her father's films, Knocked Up, Funny People, and This is 40. Additionally, the actress appeared in a few episodes of HBO's Girls, which her dad produced. Her other screen credits include Pitch Perfect 2, Other People, The House of Tomorrow, Assassination Nation, and several episodes of Netflix's Hollywood.

Most recently, Maude Apatow appeared in Judd Apatow's latest film, The King of Staten Island, earlier this year. She also co-wrote and co-directed 2017's short film, Don't Mind Alice.

Alexa Demie (Maddy Perez)

Playing the part of Maddy Perez, the on-again, off-again girlfriend of Nate, Alexa Demie gives a standout performance in Euphoria. Prior to her time in this controversial HBO drama series, Demi was notably seen in the delightful Brisby Bear and Jonah Hill's Mid90s. She guest-starred in episodes of Ray Donovan, Love, and The OA. Additionally, the up-and-coming actress starred in a pair of short films, Miles and To the Moon, back in 2015 and 2017, respectively. During her time on Euphoria, Demie could be seen in A24's Waves. Most recently, Demie starred in Gia Coppola's Mainstream, alongside Andrew Garfield, which recently premiered at the Venice Film Festival back in September.

Next, Alexa Demie stars in the short film, Nineteen on Fire. In 2018, she also co-directed JMSN's music video for "Talk is Cheap."

Algee Smith (Christopher McKay)

As Christopher McKay, Cassie's football player boyfriend who's having trouble adjusting to the differences and difficulties of college, Algee Smith plays a notable role in Euphoria. Smith's professional acting career began in earnest in 2012; he appeared in shows like How to Rock, Army Wives, Let It Shine, Complications, Here We Go Again, and movies like Earth to Echo and Saints & Sinners. But Smith found his first brushes with fame in 2017 when he portrayed musician Ralph Tresvant in BET's mini-series, The New Edition Story. Additionally, that same year, Smith earned acclaim and notice for his performance in Kathryn Bigelow's Detroit.

In 2018, Algee Smith appeared in The Hate U Give and reprised the role of Ralph Tresvant in The Bobby Brown Story. Next, he'll be seen in Judas and the Black Messiah and Mother/Android. He's also rumored to star in the drama film, Young Wild Free.

Hunter Schafer (Jules Vaughn)

In the role of Jules Vaughn, a transgender girl who soon befriends Rue when she comes into town, Hunter Schafer gave an outstanding performance in the first season of Euphoria. This popular show serves as her acting debut, though she was also a fashion model for Dior, Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger, Coach, Vera Wang, Marc Jacobs, Rick Owens, Helmet Lang, and several other brands. Schafer is also an outspoken LGBTQ+ rights activist and spokesperson.

Angus Cloud (Fezco)

As Feczo, a drug dealer in town with a close connection to Ruse, Angus Cloud is a key personality in Euphoria. His performance in Euphoria isn't merely the young actor's breakout role; it's also his first professional screen credit. Outside of this HBO series, viewers might only be familiar with Cloud through the new film, North Hollywood, which premiered in Los Angeles earlier this year. Indeed, as GQ noted, Cloud was essentially picked up off the street, and it'll be interesting to see where he goes as an actor following this show's continued success.

Barbie Ferreira (Kat Hernandez)

In the role of Kat Hernadez, a teenage girl who's exploring her sexuality, Barbie Ferreira played a noteworthy role in Euphoria Season 1. Prior to her role in this series, Ferreira was known primarily as a Brazilan-American model, appearing in promotional materials for Adidas, Forever 21, Target, H&M, Aerie, Asos, and more. It was Aerie's promotional materials, in particular, as well as a video interview from this campaign, that helped Ferreira find her fame. That said, Euphoria is quite easily her most well-known work to date, particularly as she only had episodes of HBO's Divorce and few short films on her resume prior to this main cast role. Earlier this year, Ferreira played one of the leads in HBO Max's road trip buddy comedy, Unpregnant.

Additionally, outside of acting, Barbie Ferreira starred in Vice's How to Behave. And she directed the music video for Dounia's "So Cool."

Eric Dane (Cal Jacobs)

Playing the part of Cal Jacobs, the father of Nate who keeps his own secrets from his family, Eric Dane provides the rare prominent older adult role in this teen-based drama. Outside of this latest high-profile part for the TV actor, Dane is best known for playing Dr. Mark Sloan, i.e. McSteamy, in nearly 140 episodes of Grey's Anatomy. He's also well-known for his recurring role in Charmed. Following his time on Grey's Anatomy, Dane found a leading part in TNT's post-apocalyptic action-drama series, The Last Ship, which ran for five seasons. He had notable appearances in films like Marley & Me, Valentine's Day, X-Men: The Last Stand, Feast, Open Water 2: Adrift, and Burlesque.

In addition to these performances, Eric Dane appeared in episodes of Saved by the Bell, The Wonder Years, Married... with Children, Roseanne, Silk Stalkings, and Private Practice, where he played McSteamy.

Storm Reid (Gia Bennett)

In the role of Gia Bennett, Rue's younger sister, Storm Reid plays a prominent supporting character in HBO's Euphoria. Prior to this key supporting part in this acclaimed HBO drama series, Reid was seen in the lead role in Disney's 2018 adaptation of A Wrinkle in Time. She starred in Don't Let Go, Netflix's mini-series When They See Us, and The Invisible Man earlier this year, and her performances in each of these productions received ample praise. Reid's other notable film credits include 12 Years a Slave, Sleight, A Happening of Monumental Proportions, and Lea to the Rescue. She also provides the voice of Nia in Hulu's new animated series, The Bravest Knight.

Additionally, Storm Reid appeared in episodes of Chicago P.D., NCIS: Los Angeles, Nicky, Ricky, Dicky & Dawn, and Adam DeVine's House Party. Next, she'll star in The Suicide Squad.

Jacob Elordi (Nate Jacobs)

As Nate Jacobs, a jock whose anger issues often mask his sexual insecurities, Jacob Elordi is a notable personality in Euphoria. Outside of this role, Elordi is most certainly known for playing Noah Flynn in Netflix's popular teen romance movies, The Kissing Booth and this year's The Kissing Booth 2. Additionally, the actor has an uncredited part in Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, and he can be seen in Swinging Safari and The Mortuary Collection. Elordi starred in 2015's short film Carpe Liam, 2016's short film, Max & Iosefa (which he also co-wrote), and 2019's short film, Bad Dreams. On television, outside of Euphoria, he stars in The Bends.

Most recently, Jacob Elordi starred in 2 Hearts, which recently hit theaters. He was in The Very Excellent Mr. Dundee, which will be released in the U.S. in December. Next, Elordi stars in The Kissing Booth 3 and Deep Water.

Nika King (Leslie Bennett)

In the role of Leslie Bennett, the mother of Rue and Gia, Nika King is another prominent older adult persona in this teenager-based high school drama. A professional stand-up comedian in addition to being an actress, King appeared in episodes of CSI: Miami, Hanna Montana, All of Us, iCarly, Castle, NCIS, Glory Daze, Modern Family, Partners, 2 Broke Girls, NCIS: Los Angeles, Greenleaf, Best Friends Whatever, Stevie TV, and, most notably, the web series, Funny Married Stuff, which she also wrote for.

Her film credits include 50 First Dates, American Weapon, Noise Matters, B-Girl, Universal Remote, and Living the Dream. Suffice to say, her main cast role in Euphoria is easily her most high-profile performance.

Austin Abrams (Ethan Lewis)

As Ethan Lewis, Kat's love interest, Austin Abrahams plays a recurring role in HBO's Euphoria. The former child actor has appeared in a variety of films and shows throughout his early career, though he's best known for playing Ron Anderson in the fifth and sixth seasons of AMC's The Walking Dead. In addition to this role, Abrams played the male lead in Amazon Prime's Chemical Hearts earlier this year. He starred in Paper Towns, Brad's Status, Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, All Summers End, Tragedy Girls, Puzzle, Dude, We Don't Belong Here, and The Kings of Summer.

Additionally, Austin Abrams has a recurring role in NBC's This is Us. He was also seen in episodes of The Inbetweeners, Silicon Valley, Shameless, SMILF, and The Americans. Next, he'll play one half of the titular duo in Netflix's Dash & Lily, which arrives on November 10th.

Do you love HBO's Euphoria? Who is your favorite cast member? Let us know in the comment section below!

While it wasn’t the critical hit DC and Warner Bros were hoping for months after Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice polarized critics and moviegoers, 2016’s Suicide Squad was definitely a commercial hit, so naturally they’d want to keep that corner of the DCEU going. Following numerous behind-the-scenes change-ups, James Gunn is writing and directing Suicide Squad 2, a.k.a. The Suicide Squad, which is set to begin filming this fall.

Contrary to initial claims, The Suicide Squad will not be a total reboot for the officially-designated Task Force X in this continuity. Instead, it’s balancing on the line between follow-up and relaunch, and will feature a sprinkling of familiar faces among plenty of new ones. So let’s go over the lineup of characters that’s been assembled for The Suicide Squad so far.

Margot Robbie - Harley Quinn

After more than two decades of appearances in animated TV shows, comic books and video games, Harley Quinn finally made her live action theatrical debut in Suicide Squad, played by Margot Robbie. Her performance as the psychiatrist corrupted by The Joker was one of the few Suicide Squad elements received positively almost across the board, and The Suicide Squad will mark Robbie’s third turn as the character, following Birds of Prey. While Harley and The Joker were two peas in a pod again at the end of Suicide Squad, she won’t be obsessing over the Clown Prince of Crime again in The Suicide Squad since they’ve broken up pre-Birds of Prey.

Jai Courtney - Captain Boomerang

Although Digger Harkness, a.k.a. Captain Boomerang, was introduced as an adversary for The Flash, he’s arguably just as well known now for being a Suicide Squad member, albeit a cowardly and disruptive one. Jai Courtney will wield the throwing weapons and stuffed pink unicorn again in The Suicide Squad (and is quite psyched about it), although given Digger’s attitude, I’m surprised Amanda Waller is still utilizing his talents rather than keeping him permanently locked up.

Viola Davis - Amanda Waller

Task Force X is the brainchild of Amanda Waller, so it makes sense for Viola Davis to reprise the role. Suicide Squad members come and go, but with a few exceptions, Amanda is the one overseeing their missions and not tolerating their shenanigans. We saw in Suicide Squad how she’s ruthless, uncompromising and will take any action she deems necessary to protecting the United States of America. Count on her being just as unflinching in The Suicide Squad.

Joel Kinnaman - Rick Flag

Although it initially seemed like Joel Kinnaman wouldn’t be back for The Suicide Squad, it turns out he will indeed reprise Rick Flag. While Amanda Waller directs the Suicide Squad’s missions, it’s Rick Flag’s job to ensure that they behave themselves out in the field, meaning he’s also capable of detonating the micro bombs implanted inside them. With The Suicide Squad, however, we will not see Rick’s relationship with June Moone explored further, as Cara Delevingne is not reprising the role. Have they broken up or is Rick just keeping June far away from this part of his life?

Idris Elba

Idris Elba was the first new cast member to be announced for The Suicide Squad, and it was initially announced that he’d be playing Floyd Lawton, a.k.a. Deadshot, taking over the role from Will Smith. However, it was later decided to keep the Deadshot open in case Smith wanted to play him again, so Elba will instead play a different character. There’s no official indication yet who that is, although Bronze Tiger is a good bet since The Suicide Squad is inspired by John Ostrander’s run on the Suicide Squad comic book and Tiger was one of the main members during that time.

David Dastmalchian - Polka-Dot Man

David Dastmalchian is no stranger to comic book projects, having already appeared in The Dark Knight, the Ant-Man movies, Gotham and The Flash. Now he’s making his DCEU debut as Polka-Dot Man in The Suicide Squad. As you can infer from the name, Polka-Dot Man, a minor Batman villain since 1962, uses high-tech dots as his gimmick, with their uses ranging from offensive weaponry to transportation. Given his obscurity and that he doesn’t have a history with the Suicide Squad in the comics, don’t be surprised if Polka-Dot Man is the Squad member killed off early into the movie.

Daniela Melchior - Ratcatcher

Having already appeared in several Portuguese TV shows, Daniela Melchior is making her Hollywood debut in The Suicide Squad as a female version of Ratcatcher. Like Polka-Dot Man, the original Ratcatcher has fought Batman on many occasions, and along with controlling an army of rats, he also utilizes cyanide gas in his crimes. There’s no information yet on what Melchior’s version of Ratcatcher will be like, but given that this character is also pretty obscure, perhaps that increases her chances of being on the chopping block.

Storm Reid

Storm Reid has been acting since she was three years old, but a lot of folks learned about her for the first time in last year's A Wrinkle in Time. While she’s performed in some notable movies and TV shows since then, including HBO’s Euphoria, The Suicide Squad is arguably her most profile project following the adaptation of Madeleine L'Engle’s novel. She’ll play the daughter of Idris Elba’s character, so once we learn who Elba’s playing, perhaps that’ll give some context on how Reid’s character specifically fits into the story.

John Cena

John Cena has primarily made a splash in the comedy realm with his acting thus far, but now he’s finally building up action cred as well with Bumblebee and the upcoming Fast & Furious 9. The Suicide Squad will keep that going, although he hasn’t officially signed on yet. The WWE superstar is being eyed to play Peacemaker, who is a peak physical specimen and relies on brutal force and non-lethal weaponry to carry out his peace cause. It’s a great role for someone as jacked and intense as Cena.

Benicio Del Toro

Like John Cena, Benicio del Toro, who already has some comic book cred by playing The Collector in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, isn’t officially attached to The Suicide Squad just yet, but if a deal is finalized, he won’t be lacking for screen time. Word on the proverbial street is that del Toro will play the main villain, who is simply being identified for now as The General. While it’s unclear if the character will actually go by that name in The Suicide Squad, it’s not unreasonable to assume that this is just a placeholder meant to hide his true identity, so as to not tip of hardcore DC Comics fans just yet.

Flula Borg

Flula Borg is a man who wears a lot of hats in the entertainment sphere, from standup comedian to YouTuber to DJ to your garden variety actor. In that last category, Borg’s resume includes TV shows like The Good Place and Curb Your Enthusiasm, and movies like Pitch Perfect 2 and Ralph Breaks the Internet. Now Borg is hopping into the realm of comic book movies, as he’s reportedly been cast in The Suicide Squad as the love interest to one of the main characters. But who? Does Harley Quinn have a new squeeze after the events of Birds of Prey? Is this who Polka-Dot Man was seeing before he was thrown into Belle Reve? And does Borg’s character have a key part in the movie or will this just be a minor appearance?

Nathan Fillion

For years, Firefly, Castle and The Rookie star Nathan Fillion was the popular fan pick to play Hal Jordan in a live action Green Lantern movie. Alas, while he’s gone on to voice the first human member of the Green Lantern Corps in various animated movies, he was passed over in favor of Ryan Reynolds in 2011’s Green Lantern, and while there is a Green Lantern Corps reboot in development, Fillion won’t be the one to bring the new version of Hal to life… well, not unless The Suicide Squad plans on introducing him. The actor has been tapped for a mystery role in the movie, making this his latest collaboration with James Gunn, having previously worked with the writer/director on Slither, Super and Guardians of the Galaxy.

Taika Waititi

Take Waititi’s already left a huge mark on the Marvel Cinematic Universe, as his unique sense of humor did wonders with revitalizing a certain God of Thunder’s corner of the franchise in Thor: Ragnarok. Waititi will be back to write and direct Thor: Love and Thunder, evidently he’s also hopping over to the DCEU, as he’s hopped on board The Suicide Squad. This will be his second time playing a DC character, the first being Thomas Kalmaku in Green Lantern. Given that in addition to the fourth Thor movie, Waititi is also working beforehand on Next Goal Wins and will be doing press for Jojo Rabbit, I imagine his role in The Suicide Squad won’t be huge, but fingers crossed his character is nonetheless memorable.

Peter Capaldi

Originally known best in the U.K. for playing the foul-mouthed Malcolm Tucker in The Thick of It, Peter Capaldi was catapulted to worldwide fame from his time as the Twelfth Doctor on Doctor Who. His tenure as the long-lived, space and time-traveling Time Lord lasted from 2014 to 2017, and now that he’s reportedly joined The Suicide Squad, he has the opportunity to contribute to another major franchise. As with a lot of folks on this list, we’re still in the dark about who Capaldi will be playing, but I suspect his character will have more in common with Tucker than The Doctor.

The Suicide Squad charges into theaters on August 5, 2021, so keep checking back with CinemaBlend for more updates. If you’re curious about what other DC movies are in development, look through our comprehensive guide.