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  • Get Your AI Off Our ‘Stranger Things’ & ‘KPop Demon Hunters,’ Netflix Tells ByteDance In Latest Hollywood Cease & Desist Letter

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    Netflix “will not stand by and watch ByteDance treat our valued IP as free, public domain clip art,” the streamer told the TikTok owner tonight. In a short and stern cease and desist letter over Seedance 2.0, Netflix want generated AI videos of Stranger Things, KPop Demon Hunters, Squid Game and Bridgerton shut down now.

    With their two-page correspondence and potential legal action to follow, Netflix have linked arms and attorney arsenals with Warner Bros Discovery, Paramount (their rivals to buy WBD), and the still Bob Iger-run Disney to stop the user created content that has been bastardizing their top shows, films and other moneymakers. While Amazon, Apple, Sony and Comcast-owned Universal have yet to join the party, it is clear now with the Ted Sarandos and Greg Peters-led Netflix in the C&D house, this is serious stuff.

    How serious?

    Well, Netflix litigation chief Mindy LeMoine isn’t making as personal as WBD’s Wayne M. Smith did earlier Tuesday with his predecessor and now ByteDance Global General Counsel John Rogovin. Then again, LeMoine does cut to the chase with very specific citations:

    “Current forensic evidence indicates that Seedance is being used to generate unauthorized derivative works including, but not limited to:

    ● Bridgerton: Unauthorized depictions of Season 4 content, specifically featuring characters in a masquerade ball setting. These outputs mirror specific, narratively important costumes like Sophie Baek’s “Lady in Silver” gown. ByteDance has even promoted this content using #Bridgerton tags via its own official social media channels, such as @BytePlusGlobal.

    ● Stranger Things: High-fidelity reboots of the series finale, which feature detailed reproductions of the iconic cast as well as the monsters from the series, including Demogorgons and the Mindflayer.

    ● Squid Game: Seedance has generated recreations of the “Red Light, Green Light” sets and the iconic Young-hee doll. These include unauthorized crossovers, such as inserting real-world figures like Elon Musk into the Squid Game environment.

    ● KPop Demon Hunters: Seedance has reproduced the specific visual style and character designs from our animated musical feature, including the lead character Rumi.”

    ‘KPop Demon Hunters’

    Netflix

    The C&D letter goes on to state: “Netflix has never authorized ByteDance to use our content to generate these images or videos. ByteDance’s activities are willful, and constitute direct and secondary copyright infringement. The use of copyrighted works to create a competing commercial product, especially one that regurgitates the original, is not protected by fair use.”

    Unlike Disney, Paramount and WBD, Netflix are in full FAFO-mode here and give the Chinese tech company three days to set things straight. This comes one day after ByteDance swore they are “taking steps to strengthen current safeguards as we work to prevent the unauthorised use of intellectual property and likeness by users.” 

    Netflix isn’t buying it.

    “To avoid immediate litigation, Netflix demands that ByteDance:

    1. Cease Generative Output: Immediately implement technological guardrails to prevent Seedance from generating any content that resembles Netflix’s protected characters, titles, or settings.

    2. Remove Infringing Content: Remove all unlawfully obtained Netflix-owned content from training datasets, and also scrub all existing Seedance-generated videos featuring Netflix IP from all ByteDance-controlled platforms.

    3. Identify All Infringements: Provide an accounting of all instances where Seedance has generated content based on prompts related to Netflix’s IP.

    4. Revoke Third-Party Access: Revoke access for any commercial partners or API users currently utilizing Seedance to generate unauthorized Netflix derivative works.”

    So, as Netflix awaits ByteDance’s response later this week, will it be Amazon, Apple, Sony or Universal sending the next letter? Stay tuned.

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    Dominic Patten

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  • Dearest Reader, This Cinderella Story Is Getting Sexier by the Minute

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    She would love “Cinderella,” by the Cheetah Girls.
    Photo: Liam Daniel/Netflix

    There may not be a pumpkin chariot, a fairy godmother, or any fun-loving mice, but hopefully this Cinderella story keeps the happy ending. Netflix just dropped the trailer for the second part of Bridgerton’s fourth season, and things are getting steamy in the Bridgerton household with both Sophie and Benedict in the same place. In part one, the lovers met at a masquerade ball, where she had to hide her identity from her stepmother, who treats her like a maid. Then, he got her a job at her own house and offered her the prestigious position of his mistress, which she turned down. Now, they’re still dealing with the fallout. “Being a mistress is the last thing I would ever want,” Sophie (Yerin Ha) tells her beau. “How else am I supposed to be with a woman that society has made it impossible for me to be with?” Benedict (Luke Thompson) asks.

    The trailer even teases what looks like will be Benedict’s big speech, à la Anthony’s beloved “bane of my existence and the object of all my desires” monologue in season two. “I cannot love a maid,” Benedict says. “And yet you have taken possession of me.” Then, while she’s still in her maid outfit, the two kiss. Shondaland’s version of Regency-era society can handle a lot, but it is not going to be able to handle that. “There is one sacrifice that you will have to make,” the typically sweet Mama Bridgerton says. “Your family.” That’s a tough one to stomach. Find out what big B.B. chooses when season four, part two premieres on February 26.

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    Jason P. Frank

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  • ‘Bridgerton’ Season 4 Part 2 Teaser: Things Get Steamy

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    If the dearest gentle readers thought the lake scene in Season 4 Part 1 of Bridgerton was steamy, a new teaser has arrived to challenge that notion.

    In the short clip, a warm bath awaits Benedict (Luke Thompson) and Sophie (Yerin Ha), and they slowly walk towards each other behind the tub. For those who have seen Part 1, they will remember that Benedict made a “polarizing” offer to Sophie at the very end of Episode 4.

    Part 2, which contains four more episodes, arrives Feb. 26.

    Only the star couple of Season 4 is seen in the teaser, but a sneak preview at Part 2 can also be seen at the end of Part 1, teasing the return of Viscount Anthony Bridgerton (Jonathan Bailey), his wife Kate Sharma (Simone Ashley) and their baby.

    After fate reunited Benedict with his Lady in Silver — though he has yet to make the connection — the pair remain separated by a class divide, as Sophie is a housemaid, and Benedict cannot marry a housemaid as society currently stands. The teaser is accompanied by a poster of the Season 4 stars framed by fall-like foliage at the lake, with the slogan “Change is in the air.”

    Part 2 will likely tease whose turn it is to step into the spotlight come Season 5, and showrunner Jess Brownell already told Deadline that it could be either Eloise (Claudia Jessie) or Francesca (Hannah Dodd), but she did not confirm the order.

    Bridgerton Season 4 also stars Victor Alli (Lord John Stirling), Adjoa Andoh (Lady Danbury), Julie Andrews (Lady Whistledown), Lorraine Ashbourne (Mrs. Varley), Masali Baduza (Michaela Stirling), Nicola Coughlan (Penelope Bridgerton), Daniel Francis (Lord Marcus Anderson), Ruth Gemmell (Violet Bridgerton), Florence Hunt (Hyacinth Bridgerton), Martins Imhangbe (Will Mondrich), Luke Newton (Colin Bridgerton), Golda Rosheuvel (Queen Charlotte), Will Tilston (Gregory Bridgerton), Polly Walker (Portia Featherington), Emma Naomi (Alice Mondrich), Hugh Sachs (Brimsley), Isabella Wei (Posy Li), Michelle Mao (Rosamund Li), and Katie Leung (Lady Araminta Gun).

    RELATED: More ‘Bridgerton’ Characters Could Get ‘Queen Charlotte’ Treatment As EP Tom Verica Confirms Discussions Of New Offshoots

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    Dessi Gomez

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  • Is Benedict Bridgerton Gay? How Being in a Throuple Led Him to ‘Figuring Out’ His Sexuality Before Meeting Sophie

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    Bridgerton is picking up the pace in the queer romance department, and we’ve definitely taken notice. And if you’ve watched the third season of the hit Netflix Regency-era series, you might be wondering if Benedict Bridgerton is gay.

    Though the season isn’t mainly focused on Benedict’s love life, he still shares some of the spotlight. The second-oldest Bridgerton often has escapades with women, but when a man was introduced, many fans quickly noticed how he easily got along with him.

    Showrunner Jess Brownell has confirmed that there will be a variety of love stories—including queer love stories in the coming season of Netflix’s hit show. “I think this is a show about the many ways in which people love. So it only feels right to show all the ways in which people love, including queer love. So we are exploring queer love stories across the next couple of seasons,” she told Refinery 29.”I don’t want to say exactly how that plays out. But it was important to me to foreground queer love and to tell queer stories and tell stories about queer joy as well.”

    Is Benedict Bridgerton gay?

    While Benedict Bridgerton’s sexuality isn’t stated in the books, showrunner Jess Brownell and actor Luke Thompson have confirmed that Benedict is pansexual.

    Thompson talked to Bustle about the character exploring his sexuality in season three. “Male sexuality, particularly, can feel boxy in the way that it’s explored,” the Transatlantic actor said. “Let’s be clear, it was an extremely repressive period. By our modern terms, the closest [descriptor] would be something along the lines of pansexuality—being attracted to the way that someone thinks and feels, regardless of gender. That’s a word that could be used. But what’s refreshing about it, certainly in the way that it’s being discovered at the moment, is that there is a sense of label-lessness about it.”

    The Bridgerton Siblings’ Ages Are Almost In Line With The Actors Who Play Them—Except 1

    Benedict is roped into some bedroom activities with Tilley Arnold and her friend Paul. The three share passionate kisses and sex, but everything comes to a halt when Tilley develops real feelings for Benedict. However, Benedict doesn’t know if he can commit quite yet. “If anything, [this throuple] confirmed something for him about himself,” Jess Brownell told Entertainment Weekly. “Benedict has always been a character who hasn’t felt like he quite fits in society, but he hasn’t figured out how to break the rules in a way that works for him. His connection with Tilley Arnold this season is really about him figuring out how to be of society while still being true to himself.

    “His embrace of his queerness with the throuple is a moment where he’s really figuring out how to be true to himself,” she added. “And we’ll continue that going forward.”

    Benedict’s love story is highlighted in the book An Offer From a Gentleman and in Season 4/ Like the classic fairytale of Cinderella, Benedict met Sophie Baek (Yerin Ha) at a ball. When the clock struck midnight, she ran away. Benedict did not know her name and only had a glove with which to chase after her. They reunite under bizarre circumstances and the two madly fall in love. In the book, they live happily ever after and have four children.

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    Lea Veloso

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  • What Is a Ward in Bridgerton Season 4? The Real Reason Sophie’s Dad Called Her That to Araminta

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    Bridgerton Season 4 finally introduces Benedict Bridgerton’s love interest, Sophie Baek (Yerin Ha), and her backstory is further explored in episode 2. At one point, she gets called a “ward” by Lord Penward (Arthur Lee), and to us modern folk, some of us might be wondering what that regency used term actually means.

    Related: What Happened to Sophie’s Dad in Bridgerton? His Real Cause of Death Spoiled by the Books

    The term comes up when the Lord introduces his wife, Lady Araminta Gun (Katie Leung) to his staff and she’s pretty confused to why a child is also in the mix. Lord Penward then says that Sophie is his ward. “I know you will care for her as your own,” he tells his new wife.

    What does a ward mean in Bridgerton Season 4?

    A ward is “a person, especially a child, who is legally put under the protection of a law court or a guardian,” per the Cambridge dictionary. In the books, it’s noted that Sophie was one of Lord Penward’s illegitimate children and that she was dropped by her mother on the doorsteps of Penward’s residence. Penward took her in.

    However, during the regency era, being a “ward” had a more significant meaning since adoption usually wasn’t a standard practice back then. Fathers were preferred guardians to wards during that age.

    When Lord Penward died, Araminta told Sophie that she had been left nothing in his will. According to regency expert L.A. Hilden, gaining guardianship of a ward was under the control of the Court of Chancery, and a person would need to apply to this court if no guardian had been named in the deceased father’s will. In order for Sophie to live a comfortable life, Araminta hires her as an unpaid maid and treats her pretty cruelly compared to her daughers Posy and Rosamund. She also excludes her from other opportunities, like dance lessons.

    Araminta later fires Sophie for sneaking out to go to the masquerade ball, and she later finds an opportunity at Cavender House, where she also serves as a maid and has a fortunate meeting with Benedict. After being fired yet again after being harassed by men, Benedict helps her get employment in the Bridgerton House as a maid, and the passion between the two eventually explodes.

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    Lea Veloso

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  • ‘Bridgerton’ Season 4, Part 1 Review | The Mary Sue

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    Sophie Baek will break your heart. The Benedict-centric fourth season of Bridgerton, whose first half drops on Netflix January 29, is as lush and romantic as the series’ best love stories… and maybe even then some.

    Adapted from the third book in Julia Quinn’s series, An Offer From A Gentlemen, Benedict Bridgerton (Luke Thompson) and Sophie’s (Yerin Ha) tale is known for its Cinderella-ness. The eventual lovers meet at a masked ball. They are parted at the stroke of midnight. As the proverbial Prince Charming, Benedict devotes himself to finding the fair maiden who escaped his grasp against all odds. There’s an evil stepmother, played chillingly by Katie Leung, and her two marriage minded daughters (Michelle Mao and Isabella Wei). You’ll notice right away that there’s a Downton Abbey/Upstairs Downstairs feel to the whole season that expands the world just enough to let a courtship between the classes blossom.

    The rest of the ‘ton questions their place in society as well, from a conflict between Lady Danbury (Adjoa Andoh) and Queen Charlotte (Golda Rosheuvel) to whatever the Featheringtons are up to and Francesca’s (Hannah Dodd) new marriage to Lord John (Victor Alli). Despite what you may have heard, by the way, a desire to start a family is still part of latter’s story…

    Benedict finds his person in the last place he expects.

    I’ve been curious about how the An Offer From A Gentlemen season would fit within the larger series. Sure, I had no doubts that Thompson would perfectly step up to the plate as the leading man. Nor did I doubt that the show would strike gold in casting his love interest. But how would Bridgerton manage to give the most Bohemian and pansexual brother on the show the most traditional and heteronormative plot in the books?

    Benedict seeks passion outside of society with men and women who are more interesting than his wealthy, single-minded peers in the ton. Lady Bridgerton (Ruth Gemmell) tells him that he “just needs to meet the right young lady”–a refrain that, while well-meaning in this context, is absolutely a queerphobic microaggression in our world. Eloise (Claudia Jessie) sees her brother and ally’s sudden desire to settle down as a heel-turn, and if Bridgerton didn’t get this right I would be inclined to agree.

    But also… does he want to marry? We’ll see about that. For now, he’s in love. To be fair, that has happened before on the show. Many times, in fact. The trick this time, it seems, is to match him with someone who appreciates the little things he doesn’t and remove him from his monotonous environment in other ways. At first, Benedict thinks that Sophie (or, rather, the Lady in Silver) appeals to him because she is “not like other ladies.” Thankfully, she pushes back against that as a compliment. That’s not who Sophie is. They challenge each other just enough to create some real sparks and so, so much yearning.

    This one’s for the girls who are their own worst enemy.

    Ha’s sad little face, on the edge of tears and hesitating when Sophie wants nothing more than to run into Benedict’s arms, is absolutely devastating. She puts other people’s happiness before her own, like Kate. She’s as relatable as Penelope. Granted, I don’t think that many of can’t say that any crushes we’ve talked ourselves out of pursuing have ever essentially taken out a newspaper column telling the world that they were looking for us, like Benedict does. That does make Sophie’s hesitance to come clean about who she is a little more frustrating than relatable at times. But, in my humble opinion, all the best romances should have you yelling at the characters to kiss, or confess, or do something. That’s half the fun!

    Besides, the stakes are a little higher for Sophie than the average Cinderelly. It’s not just that her father remarried an evil stepmother who “hired” her as a maid the second he passed. Sophie grew up with a lot of shame about her circumstances, inflicted upon her by her stepmother and eventually herself. That shame affects how she moves through the world and her ability to let herself, well, follow her bliss. (There’s a certain Game of Thrones character I would compare her to, but it would give too much away.)

    Meanwhile, Benedict gets a lecture about power dynamics between the noble class and the serving class that makes him consider whether or not he’s taking advantage of her and pause. He’s not, of course; but it’s nice that they acknowledged the possibility.

    They’re not there yet, by the end of Part 1, but so far I’m completely sold and so ready to see what’s next. To be continued! As Sophie herself says in the third episode, “a fire needs kindling.” Ain’t that the truth.

    (featured image: Liam Daniel/Netflix)

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    Leah Marilla Thomas

    Leah Marilla Thomas (she/her) is a contributor at The Mary Sue. She has been working in digital entertainment journalism since 2013, covering primarily television as well as film and live theatre. She’s been on the Marvel beat professionally since Daredevil was a Netflix series. (You might recognize her voice from the Newcomers: Marvel podcast). Outside of journalism, she is 50% Southerner, 50% New Englander, and 100% fangirl over everything from Lord of the Rings to stage lighting and comics about teenagers. She lives in New York City and can often be found in a park. She used to test toys for Hasbro. True story!

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    Leah Marilla Thomas

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  • Finally Confirmation on Who Will Lead Bridgerton Season 5 & How [Spoiler]’s Storyline Changes Drastically From the Book

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    With the hype of Bridgerton Season 4 in full swing, many fans of the Netflix series are dying to know which Bridgerton will fall in love for Season 5.

    The Netflix Bridgerton series was adapted by primetime TV royalty Shonda Rhimes and is based on Julia Quinn’s bestselling book series of the same name. The show is set in the competitive world of Regency London’s high society and centers on the Bridgerton family. We’ve already seen four Bridgerton love stories play out with Anthony, Daphne, Colin, and now Benedict.

    Related: The Bridgerton Cast Looks Way Different In & Out of Their Costumes—Take a Look

    Netflix confirmed that the series will continue with seasons 5 and 6, but with 8 Bridgerton siblings in total, and 4 more left to go, who’s in the running?

    Who Is Bridgerton Season 5 about?

    Bridgerton showrunner Jess Brownell teased that Season 5 and 6 would be about Eloise and Francesca. At the Season 4 premiere of the show, Brownell wore two pocket squares with the initials E and F. “I would say both characters with the initials on my pocket squares will get seasons in 5 and 6,” the director told Deadline. However, she kept mum about who the next season could possibly be about.

    “I know who is scheduled next,” she told Us Weekly. “It could always change, like [the order] has changed in the past.” The showrunner referred to when Benedict and Colin’s seasons were swapped.

    The author continued: “My hope is that all the siblings will eventually take the lead because we love them [all]. That was kind of the whole point of the books is that you’ve got these eight separate stories, but they’re all connected.”

    As to what to expect from the next season, executive Shonda Rhimes teased on Sirius XM in October 2025 that it’ll be “a really sexy season … But then again, I say that about season 4.”

    “They’re just sexy in different ways,” she said. “And I think that’s what’s great.”

    If you need a summary of the love stories of the two sisters, we’ve got you covered. In the fifth book in the series, To Sir Phillip, With Love, Eloise becomes pen pal with Sir Philip Crane and eventually falls in love with him. In the sixth book When He Was Wicked, Francesca Bridgerton ends up with not one, but two husbands: John Stirling and Michael Stirling. She marries John in Season 4 of the Netflix series. In the book, John suddenly died. Francesca found solace in his cousin Michael and the rest of the story explores their romance.

    However, with the introduction of Michaela in place of Michael, Francesca will have a queer love route. “The reveal of Michaela versus Michael, from the books, is something that I’ve been pitching from season one of the show,” Brownell told Teen Vogue. “My approach to telling a queer story on Bridgerton has been to look to the books for thematic cues.”

    She also confirmed that she got the blessing from author Julia Quinn for the change. “We talked about the fact that with almost any single book, there would be a side of the fandom that would be disheartened to see their favorite characters changed. I don’t think that there is any book that wouldn’t happen with, so for me, again, it came back to story, and it came back to character. Because Francesca’s book resonated [with me] in the way that it did, it felt like a natural adaptation.

    Whether Francesca or Eloise, we’re eager to fall deeply in love with their stories like with the rest of the Bridgerton siblings!

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    Lea Veloso

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  • ‘Heated Rivalry,’ ‘Bridgerton,’ and the Horny Comforts of a Cottage Romance

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    The cure for winter blues? Some good old-fashioned screen time, and maybe living vicariously through film and TV characters stealing away to a cottage for a romantic interlude.

    In the finale of Heated Rivalry, titled “The Cottage,” Russian hockey player Ilya Rozanov (Connor Storrie) tells Canadian fellow athlete Shane Hollander (Hudson Williams), “I’m coming to the cottage,” referring to the lakefront home where Shane invites Ilya to spend the offseason with him. On the surprise-hit show about a secret romance between rival hockey pros, Shane’s cottage offers a sanctuary away from prying eyes, allowing Ilya and Shane to test the waters on bringing their decade-long secret relationship out of the shadows. Outside, the pressures and risks of publicly revealing their relationship loom. But inside, they are untouched by such concerns, and therefore free to be together.

    Ilya isn’t the only one who accepted an invitation to the cottage. Heated Rivalry, produced by the virtually unknown Canadian streamer Crave and then licensed by HBO Max, where it premiered in late November with little promotion, has become the talk of the town. Celebrities from Pedro Pascal to Ayo Edebiri have expressed love for the series on social media. “You’re Ilya and I’m Shane,” Andy Cohen told Anderson Cooper as they celebrated New Year’s Eve together on CNN. When asked what she was watching in a recent Instagram video, Donatella Versace replied, “Is that even a question? Take me to the cottage already.”

    With no premiere date in sight for Heated Rivalry’s next installment, the fourth season of Bridgerton will offer audiences another cottage to visit when it arrives in two four-episode drops: the first on January 29, and the second on February 26. In the new season, Benedict Bridgerton (Luke Thompson) whisks Sophie (new cast member Yerin Ha) away to the Bridgerton family’s country estate, referred to as “my cottage,” after saving the maid from an assault by her new employer. Upon first seeing the palatial property, Sophie observes that “cottage feels somewhat…misleading.”

    An already injured Benedict falls ill overnight, and Sophie nurses him back to health as they share the kind of intimate moments only afforded to them inside the confines of the cottage. When they return to polite society, with Benedict getting Sophie a job working for the Bridgerton family, they remain physically close but are emotionally distanced by social class. “I do miss our time in the countryside,” a uniformed Sophie opines.

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    Savannah Walsh

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  • ‘Bridgerton’ Season 4 Trailer Adds a Dash of ‘Cinderella’ to a Forbidden Romance

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    “You simply must marry. You just haven’t met the right young lady,” Benedict Bridgerton‘s mother Violet admonishes him in the trailer for season 4 of Netflix’s “Bridgerton.”

    But he might disagree after he meets the fetching Sophie Baek, played by Yerin Ha, unleashing a captivating romance.

    Part one of season four of the popular period series arrives Jan. 29 on Netflix, while part two premieres on Feb. 26.

    In season 3, childhood pals Penelope Featherington and Colin Bridgerton finally get together when their friendship turns into love and marriage. But until his masked ball encounter with Sophie, Colin’s brother Benedict is more focused on painting and various dalliances — “he’s a rake,” as his sisters say in the trailer.

    Those who have read Julia Quinn’s third “Bridgerton” book, “An Offer From a Gentleman,” will recognize key scenes from the book, as this season is said to be one of the most faithful to the series.

    Even Violet’s Joan of Arc costume for the masquerade ball is inspired by her look in “An Offer From a Gentleman.” When Benedict first meets the masked Sophie, he finds her immediately captivating, but then he must uncover the identity of Lady in Silver, who he calls “the most intriguing person he’s ever met.” Also straight from the book is the famous Lake Scene, in which Sophie encounters Benedict while he’s taking a skinny dip.

    “With a little imagination, the impossible seems possible,” says the trailer’s narrator, just as Benedict is told by Violet, “It is all very well to dream, but life is meant to be lived.”

    Watch the trailer below:

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    Pat Saperstein

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  • Does Jonathan Bailey Consume Weed

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    Does Jonathan Bailey consume weed? Inside the Sexiest Man Alive’s candid reflections on fame, sobriety, and self-discovery.

    When People magazine crowned him as its 2025 Sexiest Man Alive, it seemed a natural step for the 36-year-old British actor whose blend of charm, talent, and authenticity has captivated global audiences. Known for his breakout role as Lord Anthony Bridgerton in Netflix’s Bridgerton and soon to appear as Fiyero in the highly anticipated Wicked film adaptation, he has evolved from stage favorite to full-fledged international star. Yet, behind the red-carpet polish, he has also been candid about self-reflection, sobriety, and finding balance amid fame. But the question is – does Jonathan Bailey consume weed?

    RELATED: How Marijuana Can Heighten Intimacy With Your Partner

    Bailey’s career trajectory has been steady and deliberate. A former child actor, he built his reputation in British theatre before landing television roles in Broadchurch and Crashing. His portrayal of the complex and brooding Anthony Bridgerton propelled him into global recognition, paving the way for roles in major studio projects and leading-man status. The Jurassic Park reboot is only one of his successes.

    In a January 2024 Instagram post, Bailey wrote being “seven months off booze and one month off cannabis is teaching me a lot about myself that I’ve either forgotten or never knew in the first place.” The thoughtful caption suggested the actor was confronting his emotions and learning to live without substances, implying past cannabis use but current abstinence at the time.

    While Bailey didn’t dwell on specifics, his honesty stood out in an industry where stars often hide their struggles. The admission offered a glimpse of vulnerability from an actor better known for precision and poise on screen. It also mirrored a broader cultural shift among entertainers choosing transparency about mental health and substance use.

    Crowned Sexiest Man Alive by People in 2025, Bailey accepted the honor with good humor, calling it “surreal and flattering.” Yet he emphasized his focus remains on storytelling rather than celebrity. “Fame is an illusion you have to navigate with care,” he told The Guardian earlier this year, noting life in the spotlight can test one’s sense of identity.

    RELATED: The Connection Between Country Music And Cannabis

    Today, Bailey seems intent on redefining success on his own terms — choosing mindfulness, personal growth, and authenticity over excess. His openness about stepping away from substances adds another layer to his image: not just a sex symbol, but a modern star willing to confront himself honestly and publicly.

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    Sarah Johns

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  • ‘Bridgerton’ Season 4 Will Officially Debut in January 2026

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    In the season three finale, the camera lingers on Thompson’s Benedict as Julie Andrews’s narrator says, “It is time now to look toward the future, whatever it may bring.” For Thompson, this comes back to the words his character says to Eloise as they chat on the swings: “Love isn’t finite.” Says the actor, “Weirdly, though, what the show seems to be exploring with Benedict is that love is finite, actually. Our bandwidth is finite, and you have to [make] space for other things and be ready for something else to happen.”

    What happens in Benedict’s Bridgerton book?

    In Julia Quinn’s third novel, An Offer From a Gentleman, Benedict’s central romance takes a Cinderella-esque spin. While attending a masquerade ball, he falls in love at first sight with a masked woman named Sophie Beckett (now Baek in the series). She is the daughter of an earl who, after her father’s death, is forced to work as a maid by an evil stepmother—at one point laboring in the Bridgerton house.

    Although Benedict ends up with Sophie on the page, Luke Thompson says his character’s sexual fluidity may continue to play a role in his story. “I think it’s an important facet of his character that certainly shouldn’t be ignored. But beyond that, I mean, we’ll see what the writers do,” he told VF.

    Added Brownell, “Many of us in the writers’ room have long felt that Benedict is queer, as I think the audience has felt as well. I think he reads that way. And I think he’s someone this season who is figuring out what it means to make his own rules, because he doesn’t quite fit in society, but he doesn’t quite know where he belongs. So seeing him embrace his queerness is thematically also about him figuring out how to flout the rules and define himself the way he wants to. And it’s something that we’ll continue to explore going forward.”

    Who are the new cast members of Bridgerton season four?

    In addition to some returning favorites, Bridgerton has cast three new actors for its upcoming season. And if Sophie is a Cinderella-esque character, we can guess who might be emulating her stepmother and stepsisters.

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    Savannah Walsh

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  • Mondo Ironico #9: Trying to Experience “Luxury” At a Bridgerton Themed Ball in Detroit, Or: Is Eating Kit Kats and Watching A Stripper on a Portable Pole Not Enough For You?

    Mondo Ironico #9: Trying to Experience “Luxury” At a Bridgerton Themed Ball in Detroit, Or: Is Eating Kit Kats and Watching A Stripper on a Portable Pole Not Enough For You?

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    In a series called Mondo Ironico, let us discuss how fucking antithetical something in pop culture is.

    Detroit might have come a long way since the days of being called the “Murder Capital” (or just “Murder City”), but a little gentrification probably hasn’t gone far enough to throw a so-called Bridgerton Ball that was anything other than, well, jank. Although the organizers of the event, er, Uncle N Me LLC, positioned the would-be “elegant affair” as a chance to “step into the enchanting world of the Regency era” and enjoy “an evening of sophistication, grace and historical charm,” none of those descriptors could be used (at least not reasonably) to classify what went on the night of Sunday, September 22nd in Detroit.

    And yes, what went on has already drawn numerous comparisons to Glasgow’s illustrious “Willy Wonka Experience”—which was more of a trauma than an experience for the children and parents who attended. Perhaps those who bought into the Detroit Bridgerton Themed Ball (note that the word “themed” is ultimately meant to read like fine print) at anywhere between one hundred fifty to one thousand dollars a head naively believed that, surely, something so atrocious and ghetto could never happen in the United States…which, despite many residents’ denial, just so happens to be the Earth’s capital of atrocities and ghettoness. Much as Detroit was once the U.S.’ murder capital, lately usurped by St. Louis and Baltimore.

    Unfortunately for the attendees’ senses, the phrase “it can’t happen here” has never truly applied to America. And, thus, a scam-y, horrific presentation of what a Bridgerton Ball theoretically is (at least when it’s Netflix’s official The Queen’s Ball: A Bridgerton Experience) ensued. The images thus far unleashed from the so-called event still don’t quite outdo the “Willy Wonka Experience,” mainly because it seemed as though that event actually tried to put more effort in to pulling a fast one over those who were lured in and betrayed. First and foremost because the “organizer” of the event, Billy Coull, at least offered up some fantastical AI images to present “Willy’s Chocolate Experience” (so no, it wasn’t even called the “Willy Wonka Experience”) to his marks.

    All the Detroit Bridgerton Themed Ball could offer was a picture of a real person holding a copy of Lady Whistledown (see below). Whoever that person was, she likely wasn’t in attendance to see a stripper standing in for what was supposed to be “Regency-era dance.” And, sure, Bridgerton might be known for mixing in contemporary elements (mainly musically), but it would be more than slightly far-fetched to imagine a stripper on the scene at one of Queen Charlotte’s balls (regardless of how sexually liberated the series is).

    The lone, dubious image on the Detroit Bridgerton Themed Ball website

    Nor would food and drink options be such a travesty on Queen Charlotte’s watch. As one attendee reported, “Food apparently ran out after an hour, and some was raw. No one was there to pick up plates, so you had to deal with strangers’ leftovers yourself.” This report included an image of a sad, empty table with an array of mangy-looking plates sporting pecked-at leftovers on them. Not exactly “high society.” Nor were the additionally pictured pair of “queen’s chairs” (or “royal”/“regal” ones, if you prefer) splayed out in front of two windows with a shitty view and “complemented” by some hastily strewn-about fake flowers and a red cloth, of sorts, with a rose pattern, which one supposes is meant to mimic a red carpet effect.

    Alas, there are more regal red carpets at certain strip clubs. And yes, the attendees of the Detroit Bridgerton Themed Ball might have had a more elegant time at one of those venues than what they were subjected to at the Harmonie Club, which has a new reason to be part of the National Register of Historic Places thanks to this ultra-busted (non-)event.

    Like the abovementioned Billy Coull, who organized the “immersive experience” through his House of Illuminati company (again, another red flag in terms of the name), Uncle N Me LLC also faced so much public vitriol that it released a public statement/apology that read: “We understand that not everyone had the experience they hoped for at our most recent event Sunday night at The Harmonie Club, and for that, we sincerely apologize. Our intention was to provide a magical evening, but we recognize that organizational challenges affected the enjoyment of some guests.” Let us pause here to note that they likely thought a stripper and some Kit Kats would be all the magic any true Detroit resident really needed, not taking into account the high expectations fortified by the city’s “bougie-fication” of late.

    The statement then continued, “We take full responsibility and accountability for these shortcomings. Please know that we are working diligently to address all concerns [a.k.a. working diligently to not get slapped with a lawsuit] to ensure that all guests have the enjoyable experience they deserve…we are committed to doing everything in our power to make this right.”

    But, as it was with “Willy’s Chocolate Experience” (a.k.a. the “Willy Wonka Experience”), the damage has already been done to those who suffered the awkward, highly disappointing plight. And they may never be able to watch a Bridgerton episode quite the same way again.

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    Genna Rivieccio

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  • ‘Bridgerton’ Walked So ‘My Lady Jane’ Could Trot

    ‘Bridgerton’ Walked So ‘My Lady Jane’ Could Trot

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    To be clear: This is not a Dr. Dillamond in Wicked or Mr. Tumnus in Narnia situation. Guildford is not half man, half beast: He can turn into a fully neighing, trotting, stable-sleeping steed. It’s blatantly absurd, but he’s not this universe’s only shape-shifter. Just 10 minutes into the show’s first episode, Jane’s lady’s maid and innermost confidant Susanna (Máiréad Tyers)—yep, the same one recovering from the clap—morphs from woman to hawk. (No, not that one.)

    “Did I mention that, in this world, some people can transform themselves into an animal?” the show’s narrator offers. We learn that both Susanna and Guildford are Ethians: humans who can take animal form and are often hunted by pure-blooded people known as Verities. If you hadn’t figured it out yet, this is meant to be a metaphor for the Protestant-Catholic conflict in Tudor England. And in case you were wondering, according to the series, Anne Boleyn was Ethian—“An animal both in and out of the sack,” Guildford’s father (Rob Brydon) quips.

    Henry VIII has largely exiled the Ethians from polite society and made it illegal for regular folks to fraternize with the group, meaning they often have to scrounge and steal in order to survive. It’s unclear how, exactly, an Ethian is detected because they can shape-shift at their own whim—a man takes to his grizzly bear form during a barside brawl; a woman shifts out of her existence as a lap dog named Petunia to alert King Edward (Jordan Peters) that he’s being poisoned. But that same courtesy doesn’t extend to Guildford, who has never had control over when he begins to—sorry—horse around.

    The series, which is primarily directed by Jamie Babbit, does quick, if a bit confusing, work explaining what Guildford’s condition means. Ethianism skips generations but is typically triggered in puberty during a moment of high emotion. For Guildford, that was on the day of his mother’s murder. Ethians can’t choose which animals they morph into, which is nasty luck for the man turned bug who gets squashed under the boot of the sinister Lord Seymour (Dominic Cooper). With no authority on his own shape-shifting abilities, Guildford is cursed to be horse by day, man by night. While the sun is out, Jane can use her husband as a means of transportation and after it sets, he gets taken for a different kind of ride. Which they do in a literal stable, by the way.

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    Savannah Walsh

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  • Did Part 2 Redeem Bridgerton Season 3?

    Did Part 2 Redeem Bridgerton Season 3?

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    The first installment of Bridgerton Season 3 left me wanting. Namely, wanting more from Colin (Luke Newton), wanting more for Penelope (Nicola Coughlan), and wanting more groveling. Thankfully, part 2 delivered on all but the groveling — but I’ll take it.

    SPOILER ALERT: The rest of this article contains spoilers for Bridgerton Season 3: Part 2

    The moment the trailer for part 2 dropped, I set my hopes for the season on those final four episodes. After a lackluster start and the tepid union between the main couple — sorry, no amount of Pitbull could make that carriage scene interesting and no amount of charm could make that proposal romantic — the season was riding on its second part for redemption. But did it wholly deliver?

    What promised to set the second half apart from part 1 was higher stakes. The season opened with an inexplicably still-lovelorn Penelope and hot-pirate Colin engaged in a Cyrano plot. Though it felt like lots was happening, none of it really moved the characters forward. Season 1 saw Simon wrestle with the weight of his father’s legacy while Daphne confronts the truths of life and marriage. Season 2 saw Anthony wrestle with the weight of his duty as Kate also wrestled with hers. While Penelope has the real challenge of trying to find a husband so she can escape her family, what does Colin want? To be a pirate? Even should-be momentous events like their first kiss did nothing to push them closer to each other.

    Penelope remained cripplingly insecure, and Colin’s remained aggravatingly inept. There was the makeover — which didn’t really work on anyone but Colin — the useless courtship lessons — which also didn’t work on anyone but Colin — and the almost-proposal from Lord Debling to the tune of Nick Jonas’s “Jealous.” Yet, the characters never experienced any major growth in these moments. Penelope was once again crying because a man didn’t want her, and Colin failed to even risk telling her his feelings until after the ball. That Debling didn’t propose was just sheer Bridgerton luck, making it easy for him to propose to Pen competition-free.

    With the marriage proposal secured, Penelope and Colin have to create a life together as a couple — with the secret of her authorly identity looming over them. Like the balloon in episode 3, this was surely going to go haywire. But, like the balloon in episode 3, I was along for the ride. Especially with the promise of a Lady Whistledown hunt spurred by Queen Charlotte herself.

    Does Colin find out Penelope is Lady Bridgerton in Season 3?

    Finally, Colin finds out that Penelope is Lady Whistledown in Season 3, part 2. But it’s not how Penelope wishes it to come about. After proclaiming all season that he despises Lady Whistledown and wants to see her pay for what she has said about his family (and a particularly cutting passage about his own transformation), Colin is thrilled at the prospect that someone will root out the writer thanks to the Queen’s challenge. But when he discovers his own soon-to-be wife is herself the scribe, he has an existential crisis.

    Gone are his sanctimonious claims of concern for his family and the dignity of the Ton — or whatever. Poor Colin Bridgerton is just embarrassed his fiancée is a better writer than he is. Plus, since we’re primed to choose Penelope’s side, having known her secret for two seasons, Colin’s ire just doesn’t hit. Especially since it comes from a place of jealousy.

    But this revelation does have one surprising consequence: how it changes Penelope. For a moment, it seems like Penelope is going to give up her column. “Women don’t have dreams,” says the iconic (for better or worse) Lady Featherington. “They have husbands.” So, while she didn’t cease her writing even when she lost her best friend and even when the queen was hunting her down, she vowed to stop for Colin — after all, wasn’t he her biggest dream?

    But after speaking to Madame Delacroix, fellow girlboss and lowkey scammer (we have to stan), she realizes that Whistledown isn’t separate from her, it’s part of her. Not even a clandestine kiss with her husband-to-be can change her mind this time. So, instead of cowering in front of Colin after the Queen crashes their wedding breakfast, she refuses to give up.

    This is the first time we see Penelope standing up for herself in real life, not just in her column. Prior to this, she oscillates between people-pleasing and lashing out in bitterness — a vicious cycle and a clear sign of low self-esteem. Now, she’s finally found herself. And she did it without Colin’s help.

    While this season has its share of girlboss and Barbie feminism, this quiet change in our female lead is the most impactful moment of the season. Because it lasts. From this moment on, Pen metamorphoses before our eyes. More than her makeover in part 1, her self-acceptance and refusal to give up her identity even for Colin transforms her from a wallflower to the powerful, capable woman she’s been all along.

    In this moment, I see a future for Pen where she is the “girl husband.” Colin might be a nepo-baby, but Pen is the one bringing home the bacon and clocking in with her column. She’s the problem solver. She’s the one with power and personality — something Colin lacks. Like Zendaya in Challengers, I picture her cradling Colin on her lap and telling him to step it up. I picture her leaving vicious — but loving — notes on his book. I picture her telling that man to stop whining and step it up. Quite simply: I picture her replicating Kate Sharma (Simone Ashley) in her relationship with Viscount and Chief Simp, Anthony Bridgerton (Jonathan Bailey). Girl husbands for the win!

    How does Bridgerton Season 3 end?

    Bridgerton Season 3, ultimately, starts and ends with a whimper. It feels like an unfulfilling heist movie, where the stakes are high, the expectations raised, but the characters get out fine without any surprises or obstacles. The show felt as though it was going through the motions: introduce a problem, have the characters fight, have them make up and make out, repeat.

    Even with the introduction of actual problems, Penelope gets through them unscathed — with everything she’s ever wanted in tow. And, in the end, she achieves it simply by telling the truth … which she could have done the whole time? I do appreciate, however, the writer’s refusal to paint Penelope as a damsel in distress. Though Colin tries to save her, he fails. And ultimately, the biggest-best love confession in this season comes from her. “Just love me,” she pleads. Although personally, I’d rather fall to ruin than beg my husband to love me — but that’s just me.

    In the end, Penelope fixes her problems and everyone else’s: she comes out as Lady Whistledown (happy Pride, I guess?), throws the fraud investigators off her mother’s scent, and prevents the ruination of the Bridgerton name. In a flash forward to a year later, she has a baby, Colin writes his book, and Lady Whistledown is allowed to continue in the light. Happy, yes. Boring? Also, yes.

    What’s more interesting is the development of the secondary characters. As Polin plods along, the other Bridgertons and members of the Ton grow more rounded as characters than the season’s protagonists. While all these extra storylines felt like distractions in the first half of the season, in the second half, they relieve the pressure off Polin’s lackluster love story and give us other characters to root for — or against.

    Cressida’s arc from villain to sympathetic heroine to villain again makes me curious about what’s next for her. Eloise’s adventures in the Scottish Highlands promise to let her finally go beyond talk and actually live her life. Benedict really was having a jolly pride, and I am excited to see his newfound bisexuality explored in upcoming seasons. But I’m most excited for the invisible Bridgerton, Francesca.

    After disappearing for most of the previous seasons, Francesca was a nonentity at the beginning of Season 3. Played by the exquisite Hannah Dodd, Francesca was constantly away visiting relatives in Bath and always playing that damn pianoforte. But over the course of the season, we watched her blossom from the Queen’s reluctant sparkler, waiting passively for an acceptable match, to standing up for herself and declaring her love for the equally awkward Lord Kilmartin.

    And while some may be confused — does Francesca’s marriage in this Season mean she won’t have one on her own? — eagle-eyed viewers will have noticed the instant romantic spark with her husband’s cousin, Michaela. The introduction of another queer relationship is surprising and highly anticipated for many viewers. Especially fans of the book who might recognize this character as “Michael” in the Julia Quinn novels.

    Bridgerton has already been renewed for Season 4. All that’s left to do is wait.

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    Langa Chinyoka

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  • Luminate Streaming Ratings: ‘Bridgerton’ Booms With Season 3 Part 2, ‘The Boys’ Lands in Second Place June 14-20

    Luminate Streaming Ratings: ‘Bridgerton’ Booms With Season 3 Part 2, ‘The Boys’ Lands in Second Place June 14-20

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    “Bridgerton” had a predictably massive week on Luminate’s weekly viewership rankings, landing as the No. 1 streaming original for June 14-20. In the first full week of availability of Season 3’s last four episodes, the season was watched for 3.1 billion minutes. The earlier seasons of “Bridgerton” continued to see solid viewership, with Season 1 landing at No. 4 with 297.8 million minutes watched and Season 2 taking No. 9 with 255.6 million minutes watched.

    “The Boys” was the second-most-watched title of the week following its Season 4 debut. The June 14-20 window marked the first full week of availability of the season’s first three episodes plus the first day of availability for Episode 4; during that time, the season was watched for a strong 744.4 million minutes. Episodes will continue to release weekly on Thursdays, so it’s likely that the Amazon superhero series will remain on the chart for weeks to come.

    Season 2 of Netflix’s “Perfect Match” rose from No. 4 in its debut week to No. 3. The dating series was not far behind “The Boys,” with 650.5 million minutes watched. The rest of the chart saw a steep drop off, with each title clocking in between 240 and 300 million minutes watched.

    “Eric” charted again at No. 5 with 291.6 million minutes watched. Behind it, Apple TV+’s “Presumed Innocent” made its chart debut, followed by another week of “The Acolyte” on Disney+ and the debut of Peacock’s “Love Island” Season 6. After “Bridgerton” Season 2, Season 3 of “Sweet Tooth” was the 10th TV title.

    On the film side, “Hit Man” was most-watched for the second week in a row with 636.2 million minutes watched. “Brats,” the Hulu documentary about the Brat Pack, debuted with 264.6 million minutes watched.

    Other debuts were “Ultraman: Rising” at No. 4 with 217 million minutes watched and “Mysteries of the Terracotta Warriors” at No. 5 with 123.4 million minutes watched, both on Netflix. The rest of the chart was populated by repeat titles: “Under Paris” at No. 2, as well as “Atlas,” “How to Rob a Bank,” “Mother of the Bride,” “Luca” and “Die Hart 2: Die Harter” lower down.

    (Disclosure: Variety and Luminate share a common owner in PMC.)

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    Selome Hailu

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  • The Way the Lady Whistledown Reveal Worked in Season 3 Is Great, Actually

    The Way the Lady Whistledown Reveal Worked in Season 3 Is Great, Actually

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    The looming secret hanging over this season of Bridgerton has been the truth about Lady Whistledown. Colin Bridgerton (Luke Newton) made it clear that he wanted to see Whistledown answer for her column but he then went and fell in love with Penelope (Nicola Coughlan) without knowing the truth.

    Every time something good happened in their relationship, it was hanging over them like a ticking time bomb and even Eloise (Claudia Jesse) tried to tell Penelope that she needed to be the one to tell Colin. The back and forth over whether he needed to know felt like we were going to have a blow-up of angsty proportions in their relationship and that’s … exactly what happened.

    Colin catches Penelope going to the printers, thinking she’s in danger, and her secret is revealed to him in the worst way possible. Instead of Penelope telling her himself, he catches her in the betrayal. Because he is a man of “honor,” he still wants to marry Penelope because they were intimate with each other. But I do think he did so because he still loved Penelope despite learning the truth about her.

    How Colin reacted to the reveal could have gone a few ways but I think the reaction we saw is the most justified of them. If he thought it was “fine,” it’d go against everything he had said about Whistledown previously. If he was furious and refused to marry her, I think it would show that he never loved Penelope.

    Instead, he had the reaction that someone who had been lied to would have if he still deeply loved the person who lied to him.

    Colin Bridgerton was right in how he reacted to the Lady Whistledown reveal

    The show could have had Colin be angry with Penelope for that moment only and then had him get over it but instead, we got to see him come to terms with the truth in his own time. Through the last two episodes of the season, Colin has moments of happiness where he forgets what he learned about his wife but then you quickly see him return to this man who is trying to navigate his own feelings. It makes his upset feel even stronger.

    So when Colin finally does come around, when he reads Penelope’s old letters to him and sees how Lady Whistledown was always a part of who she is, you understand that this wasn’t a man who just forgave someone quickly. Penelope hurt Colin and, at times, the whole Bridgerton family with her Whistledown persona. It came from a place of love but she still did hurt him and he had to work through that before he could love every part of her again.

    What we see in the end of the season is a man who understands the power that she has and he even tells her that she is brave and that he can’t believe someone that brave and talented loves him.

    I really loved how Colin came around to accepting Penelope as Lady Whistledown. He struggled with her desire to continue the column and he had to figure out his own feelings on it in his own time. But he never belittled her or acted as if her writing wasn’t important, it was more that Colin wanted to free Penelope from causing “pain” to society.

    That the season ends with Penelope writing the column under her own name (including her new last name) and Colin writing his own book just really makes me happy for this couple’s future. It just had to take Colin a minute to get there.

    The Mary Sue is supported by our audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn a small affiliate commission. Learn more about our Affiliate Policy

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    Rachel Leishman

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  • Glen Powell Is the King of the Rom-Com

    Glen Powell Is the King of the Rom-Com

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    For the girls who get it, just the name Glen Powell should cause a physical reaction. Not just for the Top Gun beach scene — or the Anyone But You shower scene — but because he’s the face of a new era: the great return of the mid-budget rom-com.

    We thought the genre was dead and buried. For a while, it was. We had to subsist on the crumbs of endless rewatches and Netflix Wattpad adaptions. And each teen romance franchise was worse than the last. We went from watching the tolerable
    To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before adaptation of Jenny Han’s famous series to barely watchable renditions of literal Wattpad books like The Kissing Booth and My Life With the Walter Boys.

    To make it worse, the change was so abrupt. Many people point to the summer of 2011 when both
    No Strings Attached (starring Ashton Kutcher and Natalie Portman) and Friends with Benefits (starring Mila Kunis and Justin Timberlake) came out within months of each other. If you’re struggling to remember the difference between them, it’s because there isn’t one. Two identical movies going head-to-head with each other? The rom-com bubble burst — curse you, Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis.

    Prior to that, there had been a reliable summer romance movie in theaters each year. It was the date night flick. Old faithful. Studios knew their female demographic and their partners would drive the box office. But then, suddenly, it vanished. Marvel summer blockbusters took over until no one was going to the movies at all. Streamers won. And they certainly were not giving in to the romance department.

    But it’s 2024 and we’re so back.

    2023 was the year of the girl, with
    Barbie making studios remember that unabashedly femme features can make a chunk of change — globally. Then, the frenzy of Shondaland’s Bridgerton series hit and breathed life into the romance genre. The final piece of the puzzle? The sleeper hit Anyone But You, a romance that became a solid cinematic hit, starring Sydney Sweeney and . . . you guessed it, Glen Powell.

    As the male lead in the most profitable Shakespeare adaptation of all time — yes,
    Anyone But You was an adaptation of Much Ado About Nothing that knocked10 Things I Hate About You out of the top spot — Powell sure has some heat on him. And he’s using his undeniable charm, leading-man looks, and charisma to good use by bringing back the rom-com.

    What’s Glen Powell in?

    Glen Powell’s filmography is surprisingly long and filled with hits. Although he’s been gaining a steady amount of attention over the past few years, he’s been putting in the work consistently for about a decade.

    Personally, I started seeing him everywhere in 2016. His blonde hair and good looks cast him as a generic frat boy in film after film after film. In 2016, he pretty much played this role in
    Everybody Wants Some!! This underrated Richard Linklater college feature where he starred alongside future co-star Zoey Deutch, but not as her love interest. But his turn as a 1980s crafty baseball player pales in comparison to the hyper-inflated, campy frat boy, Chad, that he played alongside Nick Jonas in the misunderstood Scream Queens. Fans of the cult classic will remember.

    His real 2016 breakout was in
    Hidden Figures. More importantly for his career, the Hidden Figures premiere was also where he was photographed grinning so gleefully it became a meme. And when you’re a meme, you know you’ve made it.

    2018 was also a terrific year for Powell. Fans of the romance genre and the period drama might have caught the quiet Netflix film,
    The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. But many more will remember his true Netflix breakout — Set It Up.

    Without a doubt,
    Set It Up was one of the greatest rom coms attempting to revive the dying genre in the late 2010s. Here, he met Zoey Deutch again and they starred as overworked assistants for Lucy Liu and Taye Diggs. In an attempt to get more free time to pursue their own dating lives, they engineer a Cyrano plot. They manipulate their bosses calendars, get them to date, and reap the benefits. It’s the perfect combination of wacky schemes, chemistry, and real heart. And it’s what solidified Powell as a romantic interest. But could he carry a big budget movie?

    2023 was his year to confirm that he could. After finally proving himself as a mainstream heartthrob in
    Top Gun: Maverick, he starred as the leading man in two films in 2023: Anyone But You and Hit Man. Due to delays, Hit Man is finally coming out this summer. But, in the meantime, Anyone But You has become Gen Z canon.

    In the Sydney Sweeney enemies-to-lovers hit, Powell carries the film’s acting with his blend of physical comedy and emotional vulnerability. I hate feeling sorry for blond men — but somehow he makes me root for him.

    That’s why he made Hollywood Reporter’s list of rising stars. The Young Hollywood A-List Top 10 as this generation’s “The Megawatt Smile.” It’s a nod to his charm, but also his earnestness and likability. He can do it all. And the fact that he chooses to keep doing rom-coms is a testament to the fact that he plays on his strengths.

    What makes Glen Powell truly great?

    Like the male heroes of the rom-com genre before him, Glen Powell isn’t ashamed of being a romantic lead.

    Kate Hudson — star of the iconic
    How To Lose a Guy In 10 Days — said on The View in early 2024, “it’s hard to get male movie stars to make rom-coms … that’s a big part of the equation … is to have that event. If we can get more Marvel guys like … hey, come to do a rom-com!

    The good actors think they’re too good for ‘silly’ roles like complex male characters. Meanwhile, they’re waiting for the phone to ring from Marvel so they can run around in tights for two hours … make it make sense.”

    Even actors who started on romantic television shows refuse to even acknowledge their start. Jacob Elordi wants to be known for
    Euphoria and Priscilla but talks down his breakout role in The Kissing Booth. Rege-Jean Page couldn’t wait to get out of Bridgerton — but where is he now while Kingsley Ben-Adir has the career Page thought he would have? On the other hand, Charles Melton says nothing but good things about the hellscape that was Riverdale and is closer to an Oscar than either of the other two.

    Back in the day, incredible actors like Chris Pine, Matthew McConaughey, and Heath Ledger played romantic leads with no shame. I mean, DiCaprio is famous for
    Romeo + Juliet, Gatsby, and Titanic. If he can do those roles and still be taken seriously, so can anyone else. These giants elevated the genre, paving the path for the few daring souls who venture to do romantic films these days. Like Glen Powell.

    Glen Powell was
    made to be a romantic comedy heartthrob not just because of his looks, but because he takes the genre seriously. His roles are funny, but imbued with a non-pretentious depth — a hard balance to strike.

    He’s also a good sport about the type of press required to promote a romantic film. The Cilian Murphy method of press tour promotion is to visibly hate being there — which works when you’re playing Oppenheimer. But when you want your audiences to fall in love with you, not so much.

    “So often actors look at marketing or publicity as, like, ‘Oh God, now I have to go market the movie? I just wanted to make it,’” Powell said to
    Hollywood Reporter. “And then you look at a Margot Robbie or Ryan Reynolds, these actors who embrace marketing in unexpected ways, and what ends up happening is the audience has a blast while they’re publicizing a movie and then they’re desperate to see it.”

    This is precisely the quality that convinces me that he has what it takes to “make it in this town” —
    as it were. And the greats agree. JJ Abrams told Hollywood Reporter: “I think Glen has just begun to scratch the surface of what he is capable of onscreen. Simply put, he’s a terrific actor — but it’s his humility, humanity and sense of humor and willingness to show vulnerability and laugh at himself that makes me certain he is going to do some pretty incredible work in the years ahead.”

    What Is Hit Man about?

    Powell’s latest turn in
    Hit Man shows his versatility and the potency of the genre. First of all, he co-wrote and co-produced it with Richard Linklater. So, he’s not only a pretty face, he’s just as dynamic and surprising behind the camera.

    Hit Man has all the elements of what makes Glen Powell great: It’s fast, it’s never what you expect, and it has a surprising well of heart and depth.

    Based on a true story, the movie follows a professor who puts his surprising acting skills to use by pretending to be a hitman to stop murders before they happen. The real Gary Johnson moonlighted as a fake hit man for the Houston PD. Johnson told his
    unbelievable story about his work in a 2001 piece in Texas Monthly. And while his work is the foundation of this story, a small anecdote he tells at the end is where Linklater and Powell set their sights.

    In Johnson’s story, he describes an instance where a woman came to him looking for a hit man to kill her abusive husband. Rather than turning her in, Johnson helped her find resources at a women’s shelter so she could leave the man.

    But of course, this wouldn’t be an action-packed romance without taking some liberties. In the film version, Johnson falls in love with this woman and what ensues is a thrilling saga of identity with a whole lotta heart.

    Hit Man is just the start of Powell’s writing and production career. He also has Twisters alongside Daisy Edgar Jones in the pipeline and an A24 film Huntington in production. You’ll be seeing that meme-worthy face everywhere — and you’re going to love it.

    Watch the Hit Man Trailer now.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXwa8DKIK7g


    Hit Man is available to stream on Netflix starting June 7.

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    LKC

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  • A Flop and a Featherington: Colin’s Cringe Carriage Confession and Other Reasons Bridgerton Season 3 Didn’t Hit

    A Flop and a Featherington: Colin’s Cringe Carriage Confession and Other Reasons Bridgerton Season 3 Didn’t Hit

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    Against all odds, I went into Bridgerton Season 3 with an open mind. Perhaps it was Shondaland’s masterclass in marketing: a teasing trailer, sumptuous snippets, and the reveal of their always-miraculous Bridgerton leading man glow-ups.

    Nicola Coughlan probably also had something to do with it — who doesn’t love that tiny Irish woman? After playing “the wee Lesbian” in Derry Girls, she’s the People’s Princess. Nod to mention Bridgerton’s breakout underdog. For her, I’d endure a lot. Even a friends-to-lovers plotline. In theory.

    But not the season we got, it left much to be desired. Yes, we got an soaring strings rendition of a Pitbull song and a few golden Kanthony scenes. But the main couple’s storyline was underdeveloped and underwhelming. Let’s get into it.

    What Is Bridgerton Season 3 About?

    BridgertonNetflix

    It’s no secret that Bridgerton is for the girls. And it’s not just because of the Empire waist dresses and soundtrack of pop songs (including a LOT of Taylor Swift) reworked by string quartets. The Bridgerton series, which started as a beloved collection of books, gives fresh life to all those familiar romance tropes.

    The first season was Fake-Dating, the second season was Enemies-to-Lovers, Queen Charlotte was Arranged-Marriage, and season three was Friends-to-Lovers. With these familiar tropes come familiar roadblocks, zany plot lines, and the comfort that we already know how the story will end: with our protagonists in love. The fun is in how they get there.

    The Shondaland series became a pandemic hit in a prescient move that predicted everyone’s renewed love for cheesy romance. Even now, BookTok is overrun with a reinvigorated hunger for romance novels — from spicy fairy novels to quick-witted contemporary literature. And when it comes to TV adaptations of books, Bridgerton is top tier.

    But this season I knew I’d have my doubts.

    After the masterpiece of emotional storytelling that was Queen Charlotte — not to mention one of the most chemistry-filled press tours I’ve seen in years — and the beloved couple that was Jonathan Bailey and Simone Ashley as the iconic Kanthony, Season 3 had soooo much to live up to.

    It had some advantages. We knew the characters, we knew the actors, and we’d already primed to be invested by the previous two stories. But their romantic storyline started on a bumpy road. So for me — a devout follower of the gospel of that Rihanna video where she says, “I’m not looking for a man, let’s start there” — the success of this season depends on how believable their reconciliation is, and how powerful both their growth arcs are.

    The arcs in question? Not powerful enough.

    Season 2 concluded with Colin Bridgerton (Luke Newton) pulling a close to unforgivable move: slandering his so-called friend Penelope to his friends. Tragic for Penelope (Coughlan), she overhears her crush of many years calling her undesirable … then loses her best friend just moments later. Coming into Season 3, all she has is her secret identity as Lady Whistledown, the most popular gossip writer in London’s high society.

    Friends-to-Lovers — Except With The Worst Friend You Can Imagine

    @jesaep omg colin #bridgerton #colinbridgerton #penelopefeatherington #bridgertonseason3 ♬ sonido original – jen

    Season 3’s premise is troubling enough. I personally would never forgive someone who treated me like Colin: ignored me for years. almost married my cousin, then told his friends he would never date me. But the harder they fall, the greater the potential comeback.

    There were some foundational flaws in their purported friendship, true. While Pen has always harbored feelings for Colin, he wasn’t just oblivious — but rather took her for granted. He disregarded her opinion on his doomed attempt to the altar, he used her as a sounding board for his big dreams to find a purpose but underestimated her potential to find her own, and, of course, neglected to defend her against the mockery of his friends.

    Yet, Polin stans were holding out hope for a romantic reconciliation. Instead, we got a makeover scene, a Cyrano plot, and a rushed declaration after only one episode of Colin pining for Pen. The real friends-to-lovers seem like Eloise and Cressida — who have way more simmering chemistry than Polin.

    In contrast to the leading couple, Creasida and Eloise have mutual respect for each other and treat each other as equals, calling each other out, and making each other better humans. Meanwhile, everybody has noted how Colin treats Penelope like a sister at best and a pet or pet-project at worst. With friends like that, who needs enemies?

    It’s Not Even About Him. It’s About Her … Or It Should Be

    Yes, the show is called Bridgerton, but Colin is the most boring one. With limited development to back up his character, his transformation falls flat. All of a sudden, every character is insisting how sensitive and thoughtful Colin is. Violet Bridgerton gives a heartfelt monologue about his character, which is the most we’ve ever heard of it. It’s a classic case of “show, don’t tell.” But Bridgerton hasn’t shown us anything about Colin but his desire to travel, his lack of business savvy, and his ignorance about Pen.

    Meanwhile, Pen is Lady Whistledown — she has the attention of the whole Ton! With Colin’s failings revealed to her at the end of Season 2, I was hoping Penelope would pull Colin off the pedestal and rediscover her own worth. Instead, she mopes around at the sight of him and forgives him too easy. Even when she’s angry, she fashions her makeover after his transformation. Stand up, Penelope, please!

    You Shouldn’t Have To Beg to Be Loved

    Season Two was a masterpiece because Kate and Anthony compliment each other so well. Despite their own reluctance, it was clear to everyone paying attention that they’re well suited. But where is that compatibility with Colin and Penelope? Everyone notes their differences — even Colin.

    That’s why, when they finally kiss, it’s out of pity. Penelope, afraid she’ll never be loved, begs Colin to kiss her. Instead of reassuring her and pointing out her inherent worth, Colin makes light of her request before finally giving in. It’s only now — after she’s changed her outward appearance and is desirable to others, that he opens himself up to the idea of her.

    But I can’t romanticize this. One of the most empowered women on the show (despite her lack of confidence in courting), Pen shouldn’t have to beg to be noticed — to be loved. Her other suitor, Lord Debling, sought her out in public and was genuinely interested in her. Conversely, Colin took years to notice her and when he finally did, almost didn’t pursue her until she was about to receive another proposal.

    Pen deserves better. And everyone who’s rooting for Polin deserved a juicier storyline than the one they got.

    When Is Bridgerton Season Three: Part Two Coming Out?

    Bridgerton Season 3 still has time to redeem itself. Part Two is coming to Netflix in June. It promises to explore Pen and Colin’s post-engagement — perhaps they’ll have even the barest flicker of chemistry? — a hunt for Lady Whistedown, and Eloise confronting Pen about her secret.

    Will Part Two redeem this season? We can only hope.

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    LKC

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  • What’s Wrong With King George in Queen Charlotte? His Illness Lines Up With History

    What’s Wrong With King George in Queen Charlotte? His Illness Lines Up With History

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    If you’re following Bridgerton‘s spin-off series, you might be wondering: What’s wrong with King George in Queen Charlotte and how accurate was it historically? Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story follows the rise of Queen Charlotte (India Amarteifio) among British regency and her marriage to George III (Corey Mylchreest).

    The series offers an insight with some historical accuracy and King George’s illness lines up with what history has reported. Lady Whistledown did warn us that this was not a history lesson but loosely based upon fact.

    Mylchreest and Amarteifio discussed with Rotten Tomatoes the importance of diversity and representation on screen when they were filming the series. “The reason why Bridgerton is so beautiful is because we explore all these topics,” Amarteifio said. “It’s great to have social commentary on topics that are that are prevalent right now.” Mylchreest added that “as an actor, it’s amazing to be a part of something that is going to create a world in which there’s logical, grounded, natural, realistic reasons for the casting and that, outside of the world of the show, creates such positive representation.”

    One of the first signs we see of George’s illness is when Brimsley notices something is wrong with him when he goes down to the palace kitchen and sees him being inspected by someone other than the palace’s official physician. In the series, we see more of George’s illness unfurl. So what’s wrong with King George in Queen Charlotte? Read on to find out.

    What’s wrong with King George in Queen Charlotte?

    Queen Charlotte
    Image: Netflix

    What’s wrong with King George in Queen Charlotte? The show doesn’t outrightly say what disease he had and the writers of the show deliberately don’t name his condition. It is well assured that King George did have a mental illness but the classification of what it exactly was has been debated by historians for centuries.

    Buckingham Palace actually acknowledges his bouts of madness. They wrote, “After serious bouts of illness in 1788-89 and again in 1801, George became permanently deranged in 1810. He was mentally unfit to rule in the last decade of his reign; his eldest son – the later George IV – acted as Prince Regent from 1811. Some medical historians have said that George III’s mental instability was caused by a hereditary physical disorder called porphyria.”

    What is porphyria?

    Queen Charlotte
    Image: Netflix

    According to Mayo Clinic, porphyria “refers to a group of rare disorders that result from a buildup of natural chemicals called porphyrins in the body. Porphyrins are needed to make heme, a part of hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is a protein in red blood cells. It carries oxygen to the body’s organs and tissues.”

    Signs and symptoms of porphyria include severe pain in the belly, chest, legs or back, digestive problems, such as constipation, nausea and vomiting, and mental changes, such as anxiety, hallucinations or mental confusion.”

    Today talked with Martin Warren, a professor of Biochemistry at the University of Kent in Canterbury, England, who has long studied George’s mental illness. He confirmed that there was a treatment for King George. “We could certainly detect a reasonable amount of arsenic that was clearly embedded within the hair. In other words, the king had digested arsenic,” he explained. “That was likely from the medication that he was provided.” He continued, “In essence, by looking at all that information, we saw that there’s evidence to suggest that some of the symptoms and the diagnosis suggest that there was that (George II) could have suffered with porphyria.”

    His behavior in the show

    Corey Mylchreest as Young King George
    Corey Mylchreest as Young King George. Cr. Liam Daniel/Netflix © 2023

    In the show, George suffers from incoherent babbling and hallucinations at random points. He’s also spotted by Charlotte to be writing on the walls and professing his love to Venus the Goddess of love while he’s naked. “That’s when it starts to give rise to apparent bouts of madness where people sort of move away from a level of reality,” Warren explained. “And that can give rise to things like sleeplessness People can start to talk, become incoherent, can start babbling.”

    According to a report from the BBC, George furiously wrote during his spells. “A sentence containing 400 words and eight verbs was not unusual. George III, when ill, often repeated himself, and at the same time, his vocabulary became much more complex, creative and colorful. These are features that can be seen today in the writing and speech of patients experiencing the manic phase of psychiatric illnesses such as bipolar disorder.”

    During his later years, Parliament granted his son George VI as Prince Regent since the elder George’s illness was deemed debilitating. George died in 1820 after succumbing to the illness. In an interview with Rotten Tomatoes, Mylchreest and Amarteifio talked about the legacy of King George and his portrayal of him. “It’s such a topical conversation,” Amarteifo said. “Men with mental health issues is a real important thing that we, as a society, need to tackle and we need to talk about.”

    The legacy of King George III

    Corey Mylchreest as Young King George
    Corey Mylchreest as Young King George. Cr. Liam Daniel/Netflix © 2023Corey Mylchreest as Young King George. Cr. Liam Daniel/Netflix © 2023

    Mylchreest chimed in, adding that he read The Last King of America: The Misunderstood Reign of George III, and George’s journals in preparation for the role. The actor said that he learned that “this guy was really intelligent, really cared about people [and] had his heart in the right place [and was] incredibly devoted to his wife.”

    “George — although he’s got all these demons and problems that get explored in greater depth as the series goes on — is someone that’s had his whole life to get incredibly developed at putting up not necessarily a front, but he’s had to be charming,” Mylchreest said. “He is surrounded by people that are constantly in awe of him or constantly requiring him to do this thing. We forget that being king is a job, and he’s had to be good at that job.”

    Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story is now available to stream on Netflix.

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    Lea Veloso

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  • French-style mansion for sale in Illinois screams ‘Bridgerton.’ See if you agree

    French-style mansion for sale in Illinois screams ‘Bridgerton.’ See if you agree

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    Exterior of the lavish estate

    Exterior of the lavish estate

    Screen grab from Realtor

    Binge watched Season 3 of Netflix hit period drama series “Bridgerton” at least a dozen and a half times already? Good, then you already know the power of the ”Bridgerton” look known as coquette aesthetic.

    Entryway
    Entryway Screen grab from Realtor

    And a mansion on the real estate in Lake Forest, Illinois, revels in it.

    Interior
    Interior Screen grab from Realtor

    The 15,000-square-foot estate — named the Suffield House — is listed for $5.49 million after taking a dramatic price cut from $10.1 million when it was first listed back in October 2022, Realtor.com says. The home even underwent a makeover to appeal to a certain crowd.

    Foyer
    Foyer Screen grab from Realtor

    “The buyers that are now looking at the house are all younger,” listing agent Jennifer Ames told Realtor. “We took out all of the heavy, antique, dark furniture. We put in fresh, patterned furniture and photographed it. What that did is change the narrative. Now everyone that’s looking at the house is in their 40s. The perception is that the house is [in] more move-in condition, because it feels more modern to the eye.”

    Sitting room
    Sitting room Screen grab from Realtor

    Judging from the photos, much of the appeal comes from the bright splashes of color on the walls throughout, with one dining area being a rich baby blue and another a bumble bee yellow. One bedroom even combines the two colors.

    Dining room
    Dining room Screen grab from Realtor

    “This home’s interior is loaded with priceless, perfectly preserved architectural features, including imported English paneling, antique Chinese oil paintings, exotic marbles, ornate plaster moldings and decoration, original light fixtures, nine fireplaces (each more beautiful than the next), custom millwork, and a handsome Versailles patterned hardwood floor,” the listing on Realtor says.

    Backyard
    Backyard Screen grab from Realtor

    “This home was ahead of its time with features including a 4-stop passenger elevator and a sophisticated central heat and air conditioning system.”

    Dining room
    Dining room Screen grab from Realtor

    Other features, per the listing, include:

    • Butler’s pantry

    • Breakfast room

    • Silver vault

    • Flower arrange room

    • Staff apartment

    • Gift-wrapping room

    • Gym

    • Storage

    • Rec room

    • Basement

    • Wine room

    • Swimming pool

    • Spa

    • Pool house

    Bedroom
    Bedroom Screen grab from Realtor

    The coquette aesthetic is a romantic style that the house clearly showcases, which is sure to draw the generation the buyers are hoping to attract.

    Interior
    Interior Screen grab from Realtor

    Lake Forest is about a 35-mile drive north from Chicago.

    Pool area
    Pool area Screen grab from Realtor

    TJ Macías is a Real-Time national sports reporter for McClatchy based out of the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex. Formerly, TJ covered the Dallas Mavericks and Texas Rangers beat for numerous media outlets including 24/7 Sports and Mavs Maven (Sports Illustrated). Twitter: @TayloredSiren

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    TJ Macias

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