Celebrity News – Us Weekly |
- ‘Happy Lane’! Benji Madden Calls Life With Cameron Diaz ‘Peaceful’
- Bachelor’s Gabby Downplays Blake Horstmann Romance: ‘No Drinks Were Paid For’
- Larsa Pippen Finalizes Divorce From Scottie More Than 3 Years After Filing
- Kris Jenner’s BF Corey Gamble Supports Tristan Thompson Amid Paternity News
- Chanel Iman, Sterling Shepard's Divorce Docs Detail Marital Woes Since 2020
- Jana Kramer and Rumored BF Team Up for TikTok Challenge
- Bradley Cooper Through the Years: From Guest Star to Leading Man
- Fixed Up! Chip and Joanna Gaines' Relationship Timeline
- Jon Stewart Clarifies His Comments About J.K. Rowling Being 'Anti-Semitic'
- Why Duchess Kate Is Likely Planning a ‘Lower Key’ 40th Birthday Celebration
- Jessica Chastain and More Stars Who've Spoken Out About Equal Pay
- Addison Rae Clarifies TikTok Salary as David Dobrik Reveals YouTube Decline
- Jessica Alba and Cash Warren: A Timeline of Their Relationship
- Kanye West's Dating History: Amber Rose, Kim Kardashian and More
- NBA Feud? LeBron James Seemingly Yells at Tristan Thompson During Game
- RHOC's Noella Is 'Squatting' With Son in a Mansion Amid Legal Battle
- Meghan Markle to Receive £1 After U.K. Court Victory Over Privacy Concerns
- Andy Cohen and Anderson Cooper ‘Know Each Other Too Well’ to Date
| ‘Happy Lane’! Benji Madden Calls Life With Cameron Diaz ‘Peaceful’ Posted: 05 Jan 2022 04:16 PM PST Cameron Diaz has dated celebrities including Justin Timberlake and Alex Rodriguez, but never thought she'd get married until she started dating her now-husband, Benji Madden, in May 2014. "[Marriage] was the biggest thing I’ve done in my 40s, and it opened me up in different ways," Diaz told Harper’s Bazaar in May 2016, 16 months after she and the rockstar tied the knot. "It’s pretty awesome. I didn’t think it was something I’d do, and I don’t know if I’d have done it if I hadn’t met my husband. It was a surprise.” While the duo's relationship was unexpected, they quickly became one of Hollywood’s strongest couples. "One of my favorite things about being married, is how much pride I take in my husband @benjaminmadden… ," the Other Woman actress captioned a June 2016 Instagram picture of Madden performing on stage with his band, Good Charlotte. "He makes me proud everyday [sic]." The "Anthem" singer, for his part, likes to keep his marriage private, but did gush about the California native for her 46th birthday in August 2018. Madden noted in a sweet Instagram tribute: "So many things that make me so proud of you and how special you are. Thank you for being the best friend and partner to me and taking this journey of Marriage." He continued, "The way you live your life everyday, and your compassion for the world shines thru in your eyes and you inspire me to want to be the best man I can be in this lifetime. You're the realest. I'm so grateful to be yours Always&Forever, and to call you my One&Only. True Love." In December 2019, the pair welcomed their first child, daughter Raddix. “I love being a mother,” Diaz told makeup artist Gucci Westman during an April 2020 episode of the latter’s YouTube series. “It’s the best, best, best part of my life. I’m so grateful and so happy and it’s the best thing ever, and I’m so lucky to do it with Benj and we’re having the best time. I’m thrilled. I can’t believe it.” She also gave a rare glimpse at what the rocker is like as a dad. “He’s such an amazing father,” she shared. “I’m so lucky he’s my baby’s father. He’s incredible. He puts her down and I go into the kitchen and I pour myself a nice glass of red wine. I start my cooking, I put on my show, whatever it is.” Keep scrolling for a look back at the pair’s sweetest moments:  Us Weekly broke the news in May 2014 that Diaz and Madden were dating. A source revealed at the time that the musician’s sister-in-law Nicole Richie introduced the pair, which she confirmed on Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen in July 2014. She quipped: “I'm going to take responsibility for everything!” Getty Images (2)  A month after the news of his romance with Diaz broke, the Good Charlotte member told Australian radio station Nova FM that he and his twin brother, Joel Madden, are “lucky guys” to be in committed relationships. (Joel has been married to Richie since December 2010.) Getty Images (2)  Multiple sources confirmed to Us in December 2014 that the Charlie’s Angels actress and the rocker were engaged after seven months together. A source told Us at the time, “Everyone thinks it's wild but are so happy for them. Benji always tends to fall in love easily, but this time it's for real and he landed a great girl. They obviously both make each other incredibly happy and there's nothing better than that.” Noel Vasquez/GC Images  Benji and Diaz tied the knot at the Annie star’s home in Beverly Hills in early January 2015. Celebrity guests included Benji's twin, the Great News actress, Gwyneth Paltrow, Samantha Ronson and Robin Antin. GVK/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images  Diaz loves her husband, but that doesn’t mean marriage is without its difficulties. "I learned all these things about myself that I wish I never learned about myself and I wouldn’t have known them if I didn’t get married," she told Ellen DeGeneres in May 2016. "So, it’s like this double-edged sword. But I’m just so grateful for it because I couldn’t do it without my husband and I couldn’t do it with anybody else except for him." Warner Bros.  A source told Us in January 2018 that Benji and Diaz “would love to have a baby,” but they have faced problems conceiving. The insider revealed that they tried procedures such as acupuncture and IVF, but still haven’t been able to get pregnant. “It’s been a long, hard struggle with many ups and downs,” the source explained. “Cameron would love more than anything to be a mom.” BG008/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images  In January 2020, the couple revealed on Instagram that they are proud parents of a baby girl. "We are so happy, blessed and grateful to begin this new decade by announcing the birth of our daughter, Raddix Madden. She has instantly captured our hearts and completed our family," the post shared by both Diaz and Madden read. The duo asked for privacy and while they will not be sharing photos of Raddix, they did add, "She is really really cute!! Some would even say RAD." MEGA  Us reported in January 2020 that Diaz and Madden’s baby girl’s full name is Raddix Chloe Wildflower Madden. The proud parents welcomed their “miracle” baby on December 30, 2019, at Cedar’s Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. MEGA  Diaz was spotted out and about for the first time since welcoming her little one on January 16, 2020. The retired actress was pictured in a comfy, cute outfit while leaving a friend’s home in Los Angeles. MEGA  Madden gushed over his wife and daughter via Instagram on February 21, 2020. "My Wife and Daughter fill me up with so much gratitude," he wrote. "Everyday, I feel so lucky. Just wanted to say it out loud!!! Much Love & Best Wishes." Shutterstock (2)  Diaz said she was blown away by Madden's parenting skills during an Instagram Live video on April 14, 2020. “I drink every night [as] my wind-down for the day … after we’ve done bath time with our baby and put her down to sleep. Benji puts her to bed,” she said.“Like, he’s so good. He’s such an amazing father. I’m so lucky he’s my baby’s daddy. Like, he’s so incredible.” Shutterstock (2)  Madden called the Something About Mary star the "Best Mom and Wife and Friend" in a special Mother's Day post via Instagram on May 10, 2020. "It's special day for us this year, Forever grateful to my wife for making me a Father, and taking such good care of us everyday," he wrote. Broadimage/Shutterstock  Diaz said that she's enjoying spending more time with her husband while they self-isolation amid the coronavirus pandemic. "The best part of [quarantine] and having to stay within our little bubble within this COVID situation is that her dad gets to be home,” she said during her July 28, 2020, appearance on Late Night With Seth Meyers. "He works from home, so … he actually gets to come out of a meeting and give her a kiss and play with her for a little bit, whereas if he was going to the office every day, he wouldn't have been able to do that. We're just having a lot of gratitude for that.” MEGA  The Avaline Wine founder shared how they have continued to bond with their daughter during the coronavirus quarantine. “Since we have a little one, we are really jamming out to some dope Sesame Street jams,” she joked in an interview with Rolling Stone in July 2020. “We got Baby Shark in the mix, and of course Benj has written at least a dozen songs for [Raddix]. So we are doing serious upbeat and often acapella jams over here.” Invision/AP/Shutterstock (2)  "Being a wife and a mother, it’s just the most, what’s the word I'm looking for? Rewarding," the actress said during a February 2021 interview with SiriusXM's Quarantined With Bruce. "I was like, it's not validating in any way — it's fulfilling. That's what it is. It really has been the most fulfilling part of my life so far." Kristina Bumphrey/Starpix/Shutterstock  In April 2021, Diaz reflected on how stepping back from acting allowed her personal life with Madden to flourish. "I met my husband, we started a family," she told Kevin Hart during an episode of his Hart to Heart talk show. "All of those things I didn't have time for before and didn't have the space to make the right decisions for me at the time to bring that in. ... I just realized I looked around and it was just so many parts of my life that I wasn't touching and that I wasn't managing. I couldn't really manage it because it was so big. Everything was so massive." ETIENNE LAURENT/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock; Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP/Shutterstock  For Diaz’s 49th birthday in August 2021, the guitarist gushed over his wife via Instagram. “Happy Birthday to my Wife, you are beautiful in all ways, we are so lucky to have you,” he captioned a photo of a painting with a heart emoji and prayer hands. “What you do who you are day in and day out to the ones you love always true blue — hard to put it all in a IG post but I love to have a reason to say it out loud I love you.” Shutterstock (2)  “Today 7 years married ❤️ Always dreamed of having a family like this,” the rocker wrote via Instagram in January 2022. “Happy, peaceful, consistent, loyal and unconditional equally filled with passion and depth. Calling it a Honeymoon doesn’t cover it. Real life. The only real challenge we have is making time go slower cause life goes by fast in the happy lane. Always and forever knowing we are home. @camerondiaz Happy Anniversary I love you!❤️❤️❤️.” MEGA |
| Bachelor’s Gabby Downplays Blake Horstmann Romance: ‘No Drinks Were Paid For’ Posted: 05 Jan 2022 03:57 PM PST Setting the record straight. Before Gabby Windey's appearance on season 26 of The Bachelor, her previous Bachelor Nation relationships made headlines after she was linked to two Bachelorette alums: Dean Unglert and Blake Horstmann. In Us Weekly's exclusive sneak peek of the Thursday, January 6, episode of the "Talking It Out With Bachelor Nation" podcast, Gabby, 30, claimed her previous romance with The Bachelorette season 14 runner-up, 32, wasn't as serious as he may have indicated. "Blake and I had mutual friends," Windey told cohosts Mike Johnson and Bryan Abasolo during the podcast episode that the former flames met shortly after she graduated college. "We never actually went on a date. There was no drinks paid for. No dinner paid for. [Blake's] saying we dated … He’s definitely friends of friends. You know, we had spent time together and stuff but definitely no, like, official dating, like, no really kind of formal, no exclusivity and again, it was a really long time ago." Blake, for his part, previously opened up about their past association during an October 2021 episode of his "Behind the Rose" podcast. "We like the same girls, man. I didn't know Dean until obviously, like, 2018, but Gabby was a good friend of one of my very good friends from college, they were roommates," Blake said at the time. "I met Gabby long before I was on The Bachelorette, like, I want to say maybe 2015 or 2016. We hung out for a little bit, so I know her very well. And Dean, I don't know how it came up, but one time, me and Dean were sitting there — I think we were in Buffalo, and he mentioned Gabby — and I was like, 'How do you know Gabby?' And he was like, 'Dude, she was, like, my girl in college, you know, we were in love and blah blah.'" While the ICU nurse downplayed her past association with Blake, she admitted that Dean, 30, was one of her "first loves" after they dated when they were in college more than 12 years ago. "It was just so long ago," Gabby explained of her past relationship with the former recruiter. "It's a distant past from my experience on The Bachelor and you know, Clayton [Echard] and I's story, it's very much its own thing. I'm always really grateful that it was so far in the past, so I could focus more on Clayton and kind of separate [that]." Gabby continued: "There's so many things kind of running through my mind. I’m experiencing all new things. All you know, pretty good things. When I came home, you know, we don’t have our phones for when we’re filming and then I came home to, like, all this stuff that Blake and Dean had been talking about me, it seems like all really positive things, which, you know, I’m grateful for." The Denver Broncos cheerleader further explained that she had other boyfriends since both Dean and Blake that "really taught me a lot of things" about relationships and self-improvement. "I think they’re great people, you guys I’m sure know them, and I’m grateful for all these nice things that they said about me, but it’s nice to kind of clear up my dating history," Windey added. The "Help! I Suck at Dating" podcast cohost — who's been dating Caelynn Miller-Keyes since they met on Bachelor in Paradise in 2019 — previously detailed his history Gabby during an October 2021 episode of his podcast. "She was, like, one of the main exes. She was my girlfriend from college," Dean explained at the time. "Producers called me and were like, 'Hey, we're thinking of casting this person — what do you think of her? We know that you dated 10 years ago.' And I was like, 'Oh, she's great. If she gets selected for the show, she'll either win the show or she'll be the next Bachelorette.' And I firmly believe that." Gabby first impressed the former football player, 28, on the Monday, January 3, episode of The Bachelor upon her arrival with a pillow of his face. Clayton, for his part, did not know about her past Bachelor Nation connections nor did he think it could hinder their connection. "I didn't know all that until after the fact, but that doesn't make a difference to me," the Missouri native exclusively told Us earlier this month. "People know people, right? This is where you get the whole, like, 'Oh, it's a small world.' So for her to know those guys, it doesn't mean anything to me. But [Gabby] comes out the limo and she's got the pillow and she makes that joke. And I'm like, 'Are they gonna be able to air this?' I don't even know how to respond to it, so I just laughed nervously 'cause I was like, 'I don't know what to say to this. My mom watches this, my grandma watches this!' But a sense of humor is right up there with one of the top things I look for. And for that to be the first thing that she did — [and] she did with confidence, very bold. I think as people saw it in her intro package, like, she's goofy and she's someone to keep an eye on. She's a lot of fun." |
| Larsa Pippen Finalizes Divorce From Scottie More Than 3 Years After Filing Posted: 05 Jan 2022 03:22 PM PST  Officially done. Larsa Pippen and Scottie Pippen have finalized their divorce more than three years after their split, Us Weekly exclusively confirms. After the duo’s lawyers attended a virtual hearing on Wednesday, January 5, attorney David J. Glass told Us in a statement, “I can confirm that Scottie and Larsa Pippen are now divorced, and that the divorce was finalized on December 15, 2021. All issues were resolved amicably. The parties are now focusing successfully coparenting their remaining minor children.” In August 2021, Us confirmed that a stipulated judgment was submitted in the case, meaning that both Larsa, 47, and the former Chicago Bulls star, 56, agreed to terms. At the time, a judge still needed to sign off on the judgment in order for the proceedings to become final. The Real Housewives of Miami star married the six-time NBA champ in 1997 and they later welcomed four kids: Scotty Jr. in 2000, Preston in 2002, Justin in 2005 and Sophia in 2008. After almost two decades together, the pair announced in 2016 that they decided to go their separate ways. They briefly reconciled before Larsa filed for divorce once more in November 2018 amid rumors that she had an affair with rapper Future. The reality star has since denied the allegations. “I did everything for him, literally everything,” she clapped back after a social media troll claimed in May 2020 that Larsa “didn’t put Scottie Pippen first” in their relationship. When another Instagram user accused her of not being “loyal” to the retired athlete, she replied, “Stop tripping dude. U don’t know what you’re talking about. I held him down and still do. Just bc I don’t air his dirty laundry doesn’t mean it doesn’t stink. I just don’t want to do his laundry anymore.” Several months prior, the Chicago native filled Us in on how she and her then-estranged husband managed to coparent after calling it quits. “[We] are really best friends,” Larsa exclusively revealed in December 2019. “Our kids are amazing, and I feel like we both parent the same way. We’re really traditional in the way we raise our children. That’s really important. … We are obsessed with our kids. Scottie and I are both the same in a lot of ways. Family always comes first.” Before finalizing her divorce, the former Keeping Up With the Kardashians guest star sparked a controversial romance with athlete Malik Beasley. The pair raised eyebrows in late 2020 when they were spotted holding hands at a mall while the 24-year-old Minnesota Timberwolves player was still married to Montana Yao. The model, who shares a 2-year-old son with Beasley, filed for divorce in December 2020. Us exclusively confirmed in April 2021 that Larsa and Beasley had split. Three months later, the Larsa Marie jewelry owner had no regrets. “She has vowed she would not get back with him and would never take him back if he tried getting back with her. She’s completely moved on and is enjoying being single again,” an insider explained in July 2021, adding that Larsa was “focusing on being a mom” and “living her best life.” During a December 2021 episode of RHOM, Larsa told her costar Lisa Hochstein that Scottie had dissed Beasley to her face. “When Malik got 90 days or something in jail he sent it to me,” she said, referring to the Georgia native’s February 2021 sentencing to 120 days in jail for one count of felony threats of violence, of which he served nearly 80 days. “He’s like, ‘Go ahead, keep talking to these losers.'” With reporting by Diana Cooper |
| Kris Jenner’s BF Corey Gamble Supports Tristan Thompson Amid Paternity News Posted: 05 Jan 2022 03:12 PM PST Mixed reactions. Khloé Kardashian's family rallied around her after Tristan Thompson confirmed that he fathered a son with Maralee Nichols, but they did not necessarily cut ties with her ex-boyfriend amid the scandal. News broke in December 2021 that Nichols was suing Thompson for child support amid her claim that she was pregnant with his third child. Us Weekly subsequently confirmed that she gave birth to a baby boy on December 1, 2021. One month later, the NBA star announced that he is the father of Nichols' son. "Today, paternity test results reveal that I fathered a child with Maralee Nichols. I take full responsibility for my actions," he wrote via his Instagram Story on January 3. "Now that paternity has been established I look forward to amicably raising our son. I sincerely apologize to everyone I've hurt or disappointed throughout this ordeal both publicly and privately." In a second Instagram Story post, Thompson publicly apologized to Kardashian. "Khloé, you don't deserve this. You don't deserve the heartache and humiliation I have caused you. You don't deserve the way I have treated you over the years," he continued. "My actions certainly have not lined up with the way I view you. I have the utmost respect and love for you. Regardless of what you may think. Again, I am so incredibly sorry." The reality star and the athlete dated on and off from 2016 to 2021 and weathered multiple cheating scandals during their relationship. Amid their ups and downs, they welcomed daughter True in April 2018. (Thompson also shares son Prince — born in December 2016 — with ex Jordan Craig.) While Kardashian has yet to comment on the ordeal, a source revealed in January that she is done with the basketball player for good. "Tristan wants to make everything right with Khloé," the insider exclusively told Us. "He wants to win her back, but she will never take him back romantically after learning about his cheating. This was the final straw." As for the Kardashian-Jenner family as a whole, the source noted that they are "finding a way to move forward" but "aren't taking the news lightly." The insider shared that Thompson "can't just disappear from [the family's] lives" because he is True's father. While they are "on the road to accepting what he's done," the source told Us, "It will take some time." Scroll through the gallery below to see all the reactions to Thompson's latest scandal:  The day after Thompson confirmed the paternity test results, the Skims founder posted an Instagram photo of her, Khloé and their kids at a Sing 2 event. She captioned the black-and-white shot with an infinity symbol, while the Revenge Body host responded with three infinity symbols in the comments section. Courtesy Kim Kardashian/Instagram  Khloé revealed via her Instagram Story on January 5 that the engaged couple sent her pink roses. “My cuties @travisbarker @kourtneykardash I love you,” the Good American cofounder wrote. Courtesy Khloe Kardashian/Instagram  Taking sides? Kris Jenner’s boyfriend publicly supported Thompson on January 4 when he attended the Sacramento Kings game against the Los Angeles Lakers. According to E! News, Gamble was spotted holding up the Canada native’s jersey for the paparazzi as he walked to his car after the event. Image Press Agency/NurPhoto/Shutterstock; MEGA |
| Chanel Iman, Sterling Shepard's Divorce Docs Detail Marital Woes Since 2020 Posted: 05 Jan 2022 02:32 PM PST Things were rocky for Chanel Iman and Sterling Shepard more than one year before news of their split became public. The New York Giants wide receiver and the model got engaged in 2017 after one year of dating. "When I was younger, I'd see her in the Victoria's Secret magazines that my sisters were getting, but it didn't really come to me. When she walked into the room one of my boys was like, 'You know who that is?' and I was like, 'No,'" Shepard recalled to Haute Living in 2019 about meeting his future spouse in 2016. "I approached her and asked her if she wanted a drink, and we were just talking for the rest of the party, and then we went to some club for the afterparty and kept talking. I got her number, and we went our own separate ways, but we stayed in contact. It was kind of crazy. And now that's my lady." They confirmed their engagement in December 2017 via Instagram. "The catch of my dreams," he wrote at the time. "Can't wait to spend the rest of my life with you!" The duo wasted no time in 2018, walking down the aisle in March and welcoming daughter Cali in August. "I feel like [Sterling] can be a doctor because he's really good with being around any situation," Iman told Us Weekly in June 2018 before she gave birth for the first time. "I'm a little nervous, but he seems to have a lot more confidence in me." By December 2019, they were parents of two when Iman gave birth to daughter Cassie. "It's honestly tough whenever you put a baby into the situation because you've got to still try to find time for each other and a lot of the focus goes onto the baby," the football player admitted to Us in August 2019 before their second baby girl arrived. "So that's the main thing is just me trying to carve out a little time in my schedule and her trying to carve out time in her schedule because we're both pretty busy. That's the toughest thing about it, but we find a way to get through it." In January 2022, Us exclusively reported that the spouses had quietly separated and were in the middle of a divorce in New Jersey. "They are going to try and remain civil and friendly towards each other," a source told Us at the time. Scroll through for their relationship timeline:  The twosome met at Victor Cruz’s 30th birthday party. Invision/AP/Shutterstock  Shepard popped the question in December 2017. “I’m beyond excited to spend the rest of my life with you @sterl_shep3 you are my soulmate, my best friend, my everything! Can’t wait to be your Mrs,” his then-fiancée gushed via Instagram at time. The couple then exchanged vows at the Beverly Hills Hotel in Los Angeles on March 3, 2018. Kristina Bumphrey/Starpix/Shutterstock  Iman gave birth to daughter Cali on August 10, 2018. Courtesy of Chanel Iman/Instagram  The pair welcomed their second daughter, Cassie, on December 17, 2019. Courtesy of Chanel Iman/Instagram  According to their divorce documents, the spouses were having issues as of December 2020 — or earlier. “The parties have experienced irreconcilable differences which differences have caused a break down in the marital relationship. Said irreconcilable differences have existed for at least six months prior to the filing this Complaint and there is no reasonable prospect of reconciliation,” the paperwork, which was filed in June 2021, read. Soul Brother/Shutterstock  In the June 2021 filing, Shepard asked for joint legal custody of their daughters and asked for his home to be the “Parent of Primary Residence.” He also requested “a parenting time schedule wherein [Iman] has supervised parenting time with the children.” The docs also state that the athlete requested “equitable distributing all assets and debts that were acquired during the marriage” and ordered for Iman “to pay counsel fees and costs.” Noah K Murray/AP/Shutterstock  Shepard moved to a new home in North Caldwell, NJ. In a September 2021 filing, they agreed to share joint legal custody of the kids, with the NFL star having the little ones at the beginning of the week and Iman taking over on mid-week. Depending on Shepard’s football schedule, he will pick up his daughters on Sunday evening or Monday morning. The judge also ruled that they shall not let “romantic third parties” be “an overnight guest during their parenting time.” Furthermore, the twosome agreed to ongoing mediation. According to the paperwork, Shepard will “continue to pay the expenses fourth martial home and the parties’ monthly living expenses.” Mediapunch/Shutterstock |
| Jana Kramer and Rumored BF Team Up for TikTok Challenge Posted: 05 Jan 2022 02:28 PM PST Back in the saddle? Jana Kramer sparked relationship speculation in early December — and eagle-eyed fans think they know who her mystery man may be. The One Tree Hill alum, 38, filed for divorce from Mike Caussin in April after nearly six years of marriage, finalizing the proceedings in July. The former couple briefly separated in 2016 before renewing their vows and had been candid about their ups and downs over the years, including Caussin's infidelity. Kramer, who shares daughter Jolie, 5, and son Jace, 3, with the former NFL player, 34, has been vocal about taking her time when it comes to finding love again following her third divorce. The "I Got the Boy" singer was briefly married to Michael Gambino in 2004 and to actor Johnathon Schaech for 12 days in 2010 to before she tied the knot with Caussin in May 2015. “I do feel like now I’m in a place where I kinda want to get back out there and date, slowly,” she said during an August episode of her "Whine Down" podcast. “I’m open to it, knowing that I still have a lot of healing to do. I’m open to dating and not knowing who my person is and knowing that I don’t have to be with someone, that I’m OK alone. … I need them to check all the boxes.” The Holiday Fix Up star, however, has raised a few eyebrows regarding her love life in the months after splitting from Caussin. In June, she turned heads when she said she was in the midst of an "entanglement" with Graham Bunn. She later clarified that she is "friends" with The Bachelorette alum, 43, and they've been close for seven years. The Michigan native was briefly linked to Jay Cutler after they were spotted spending time together in September. Us Weekly confirmed one month later that the whirlwind romance was over. “Obviously the whole Jay stuff, that became public because we went out and he was a very public person so obviously that came out, but I never spoke on it because I didn’t know what it was,” Kramer said during a December episode of her podcast, addressing the situation in-depth for the first time. “Just because I went on a date with someone doesn’t mean we’re exclusive and he’s my boyfriend. He was never my boyfriend.” That same month, the Christmas in Louisiana actress shared a photo of herself in a robe with a mystery man visible in the background. The snap caused a stir amongst Kramer's fans, who quickly attempted to learn more about her new suitor. After gathering clues, Us exclusively identified him as Ian Schinelli. The Support the Girls star has since been spotted spending time with the 36-year-old trainer, who is also located in Nashville, but Kramer has yet to publicly confirm that she is in fact dating him. Scroll down to see all the signs that the actress is in a relationship with Schinelli:  The Friday Night Lights alum jetted off to the Little Palm Island Resort in the Florida Keys before the holidays. “Okay 38. I see you … let’s do this. #birthday @LittlePalmIsland #StartLiving #TropicalDistancing,” she captioned a series of photos from the trip on December 2. One fan questioned if Kramer’s getaway was a solo venture, writing, “There with Ian? 👀 or you’re alone but I doubt that😂.” Schinelli, for his part, shared a video from the same destination on December 5, captioning it, “Birthday Walk. On to the next adventure.” Courtesy of Jana Kramer/Instagram  “New experiences to share. New challenges to face. New people in my life. For the first time in more than a decade (or more) I actually celebrated my birthday,” Schinelli wrote via Instagram on December 14, again tagging the tropical destination that Kramer was spotted at earlier in the month. “Detached myself from work. Detached myself from outside noise. Spent days actually unwinding and being able to relax. Being present and being able to enjoy where I am and the people I’m with and not worrying about rushing to do the next thing. (Very difficult task for me). Much needed and much appreciated.” Kramer raised eyebrows after she commented on the post, “🙌🔥❤️,” leading some fans to think that they were on the trip together. They each shared clues about paddle boarding adventures, appeared to be hanging out on the same dock and were on a boat with an identical city in the background. Courtesy of Ian/Instagram  The Country Crush actress made headlines on December 15 after she posted a photo of herself wearing a robe that she altered post-split. “When u have to sharpie a robe because u haven’t worn it since being divorced,” she captioned an Instagram Story snap at the time, wearing a gray bathrobe that was embroidered with a “C” to denote her former spouse’s last name. The letter “K” was written in black marker over the stitching. “Dear Santa, I need a robe with a K 🤣.” The cute snap got some attention, but it was the shirtless man seen in the reflection of the glass that turned heads. The then-unnamed man was spotted holding Kramer’s phone and taking the photo. Paul A Hebert/Shutterstock  Kramer addressed her robe photo and the shirtless man who took the snap during the December 16 episode of her podcast, noting that she wasn’t ready to say who he was publicly. “I feel like there’s no way that someone can be honest and that it can be good. … I think I’m so afraid of, like, I’m used to just war and not being on steady ground. My therapist said, ‘You’re used to standing in sand so you can never really get your footing.’ So, when something can be, or looks like it could be steady, it’s like, ‘Oh that freaks me out,’ like, ‘That can’t be real,'” she explained. “For seven years, I was always waiting for the other shoe to drop. Clearly, there’s another shoe to drop and I don’t want to be fooled again.” The “I Hope It Rains” singer added that things were still new with the man in her photo, and she wasn’t ready to speak about how the romance was progressing just yet. “I don’t want to be embarrassed again. I was mortified with the stuff that came out with my ex and I,” she said. “I tried to change the narrative because I believed that we could have made it work but I also, when it happened again, now I look like a frickin’ idiot, I look like a girl who should have left a long time ago. I felt stupid and I don’t want that to happen again. I’m so afraid.” Michael Simon/startraksphoto.com  The 90210 alum shared a series of photos with her kids at the Gaylord Opryland Resort in Tennessee on December 16. “Nothing better than @gaylordoprylandresort during Christmas time … a tradition for us always,” she captioned the snaps, including a group shot on the ice-skating rink. While Kramer didn’t tag her rumored beau, he shared photos via his Instagram Story from the same Christmas-themed spots with his own daughter. The similar posts led some fans to think they enjoyed the holiday festivities together. Courtesy of Jana Kramer/Instagram  Us confirmed that Kramer only follows one man named Ian on Instagram — and Schinelli follows her back. Courtesy of Jana Kramer/Instagram  After spending Christmas Eve with their mom, Jolie and Jace celebrated Christmas Day with their dad. Kramer, however, wasn’t alone on the special day — Schinelli shared a video of the duo riding his motorcycle to toast the holiday. He tagged the actress in the clip which showed Kramer holding on tight as they drove around. Courtesy of Ian/Instagram  Schinelli is a fitness trainer who works at Crossfit Trivium in Brentwood, Tennessee. He was previously married and shares one daughter with his ex-wife. Before relocating to Nashville, he lived in Chicago and San Diego, according to his Instagram account. He is a former Navy SEAL, having graduated from military training in November 2010. He is friends with Luke Rodgers, the eldest brother of Aaron Rodgers and The Bachelorette’s Jordan Rodgers, and works out with Shawn Johnson’s husband, Andrew East. With reporting by Diana Cooper Courtesy of Ian/Instagram  The rumored couple teamed up for a TikTok challenge in January 2022 from her bedroom. She captioned her footage, “Trying to do a challenge. This is almost 40.” They tackled several popular challenges, including one in which a shirtless Schinelli attempted to lift the “Voices” songstress. Kramer tagged Schinelli’s Instagram page while resharing their videos via her Story. Kramer later revealed that she hadn’t laughed like that “in a very long time.” She then asked her Instagram followers if she should do more challenges “to pass the time when the kids are gone.” Courtesy of Jana Kramer/Instagram |
| Bradley Cooper Through the Years: From Guest Star to Leading Man Posted: 05 Jan 2022 02:14 PM PST A star is born. Bradley Cooper started off as a struggling actor from humble beginnings, but he quickly transformed into one of Hollywood's hottest household names. Before racking up seven Academy Award nominations, a Tony nomination and two Grammy Award wins, the Philadelphia native worked his way up from guest-starring roles on some of the most well-known television series of the early 2000s. His big break was a small role on a 1999 episode of Sex and the City, where he drunkenly fumbled his way through a scene with Sarah Jessica Parker. Two years later, Cooper found a steadier position on ABC's cult classic Alias. He played local reporter Will Tippin, best friend to Jennifer Garner's Sydney Bristow, until the series ended in 2006. The New School grad's role became less and less significant, however, as the show went on. He was so distraught by the change that he even asked showrunner J.J. Abrams to write his character out of the series entirely. It was around this same time that Cooper started to realize he was abusing alcohol and other substances to cope with life as a struggling actor. The Silver Linings Playbook star made a promise to himself in 2004 to stay sober after a night of heavy partying landed him in the hospital. “I was so concerned what you thought of me, how I was coming across, how I would survive the day. I always felt like an outsider. I just lived in my head," Cooper told the Hollywood Reporter in 2012. "I realized I wasn’t going to live up to my potential, and that scared the hell out of me. I thought, ‘Wow, I’m actually gonna ruin my life. I’m really gonna ruin it.'” From that moment on, Cooper was primed for success. His scene-stealing role in 2009's The Hangover made him a nationwide hit. The American Hustle star pivoted to more dramatic roles soon after, becoming an awards season staple and earning his first Oscar nomination in 2013. Cooper doesn't let his busy career distract him from his daughter, Lea, whom he shares with ex Irina Shayk. "They share a balanced schedule with their daughter, which also varies based on their work obligations," a source exclusively told Us Weekly of the former couple in February 2021. "There have been no arguments about Lea's schedule. Bradley usually is busier and has back-to-back films lined up, but he makes sure he spends a lot of time with Lea." Scroll down to learn more about Cooper's rise to Hollywood stardom!  Cooper’s first big break was a small guest role on Sex and the City as Jake, a drunk guy who tried to make out with Carrie Bradshaw in a car. He joined Andy Cohen, Justin Theroux, Elizabeth Banks and more celebs who made small, surprising turns on the HBO show. Matt Baron/BEI/Shutterstock  After a few more minor projects, Cooper landed a recurring stint alongside Jennifer Garner on ABC’s Alias. He played local reporter Will Tippin until 2006, but his role was seriously downgraded after season two. In 2013, Cooper revealed to GQ that he eventually asked the show’s creator, J.J. Abrams, to write him out of the series entirely. Alex Berliner/BEI/Shutterstock  Following his devastating demotion on Alias, Cooper began to feel depressed and considered quitting the business altogether. By 2004, he vowed to stay sober. “I realized I wasn't going to live up to my potential, and that scared the hell out of me,” he later told the Hollywood Reporter. Picture Perfect/Shutterstock  Cooper and Related actress Jennifer Esposito had a whirlwind — but short-lived — love story. The actors got engaged in October 2006, just a few months after they were spotted together on every red carpet during awards season. They tied the knot in the south of France by the end of that year, then finalized their divorce in November 2007. Matt Baron/BEI/Shutterstock  Struggling actor no more! Cooper’s breakthrough finally came with one of the highest grossing R-rated films of all time, The Hangover. The Todd Phillips directed comedy was a critical and commercial success, making Cooper a household name. Legendary Pictures/Kobal/Shutterstock  Cooper later tried his hand at more dramatic roles, including 2012’s Silver Linings Playbook. The film centered around a man with bipolar disorder who befriends a young widow (Jennifer Lawrence) and earned Cooper his first Academy Award nomination. Mirage Enterprises/Kobal/Shutterstock  The Limitless star had a series of famous flings before being linked to model Suki Waterhouse in March 2013. Two years later, the pair reportedly called it quits due to their nearly 20-year age difference. Cooper, then 40, wanted to settle down while Waterhouse, 23 at the time, wanted to focus on her career before starting a family. Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP/Shutterstock  Cooper starred in his second David O. Russell project, American Hustle, in 2013 alongside Amy Adams, Jennifer Lawrence and Christian Bale. The superstar cast earned the Screen Actors’ Guild award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture, the first SAG win of Cooper’s career. Atlas Entertainment/Kobal/Shutterstock  One month after calling off his two-year relationship with Suki Waterhouse, the American Sniper star was rumored to be dating supermodel Irina Shayk. The pair took their relationship public in the spring of 2015 when they were seen locking lips while out and about in London. Broadimage/Shutterstock  In 2015, Cooper was named one of TIME Magazine’s 100 most influential people of the year. Actor Oliver Platt penned a loving tribute to his “dazzling” friend, saying, “It’s hard to make people, especially your friends, forget who you are onscreen. But Bradley’s that good. And I think we’ve seen only a hint of what’s to come.” Kristina Bumphrey/Starpix/Shutterstock  Baby makes three! Cooper and Shayk welcomed their first child together, Lea de Seine, in March 2017. The Guardians of the Galaxy star and Victoria’s Secret model maintain their privacy when it comes to their daughter, but Cooper told NPR in September 2018 that fatherhood was “a miracle and something I've always dreamt of.” Stephen Lovekin/Variety/Shutterstock  The Philadelphia native made his directorial debut with the fourth Hollywood version of A Star Is Born. Cooper starred in the dramatic movie musical alongside Lady Gaga and earned hundreds of accolades, including the Oscar for Best Original Song and two Grammy awards the next year. Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP/Shutterstock  After four years together, Cooper and Shayk pulled the plug on their relationship in June 2019. A source told Us Weekly at the time that the duo had hit a rough patch amid intense romance rumors with Cooper’s A Star Is Born costar. “Even though there was nothing romantic between Bradley and Gaga, the noise was difficult for Irina to deal with,” the insider said. Michael Buckner/Variety/Shutterstock  Romance rumors swirled after the actor and his former Alias costar Garner were spotted on a beach in Malibu in August 2020 with his daughter, Lea. However, a source later told Us that the pair are just “friends and have been forever.” Shutterstock (2)  Though Cooper and Shayk ended their relationship, they remain committed coparents to their daughter, Lea. “He’s a full-on, hands-on dad,” the model gushed to Highsnobiety, before praising their little one’s manners. “No nanny. Lea went on holiday with him for almost two weeks — I didn’t call them once. … When she finishes eating, she gets up from the table, takes her plate, says, ‘Thank you.’ Without ‘please’ or ‘thank you,’ she’s not getting anything. It’s hard, because she has so many toys.” Jim Ruymen/Shutterstock  Following their breakup, Cooper invited the Russia native to the premiere of his Nightmare Alley film. “It’s very special,” he told Entertainment Tonight about having Shayk’s support during the event. Shutterstock (2) |
| Fixed Up! Chip and Joanna Gaines' Relationship Timeline Posted: 05 Jan 2022 02:06 PM PST Home renovation royalty! Chip Gaines and Joanna Gaines have turned their original Magnolia Market into a massive, multimedia empire, but it all started with their romance. Soon after meeting by chance in 2001 at Joanna’s father’s repair shop in Waco, Texas, the duo went on their first date. It wasn’t without complications, however — the carpenter was more than an hour late to pick up his future wife. “He didn't even have a plan for our date,” the Kansas native recalled in the couple’s 2016 memoir, The Magnolia Story. “He didn't apologize for being late, either. He had so much confidence. I don't know. I can't explain it. Only Chip could be an hour and a half late and have no one mad about it.” Despite the potentially rocky start, the duo hit it off right away, getting engaged in 2002 and tying the knot the following year. After their wedding, they got down to business. Chip had started flipping homes before meeting Joanna, who quickly became his in-house decorator. Just five months after their wedding, the pair opened the first iteration of the home goods shop, Magnolia Market, in Waco. Eventually, their burgeoning renovation business caught the attention of HGTV executives, who tapped the duo to host a show called Fixer Upper. After premiering in May 2013, the series became one of the network’s most popular shows ever, spawning a spinoff titled Fixer Upper: Behind the Design. The couple ended the show in April 2018 after five seasons, partly because it was putting too much stress on their family. The duo are parents to five kids: Drake, Ella, Duke, Emmie Kay and Crew. "We realized we didn't necessarily love that side of the camera, and that part became a full-time job," Joanna told The Hollywood Reporter in June 2021. "We've got a big family. We've got a business. The show ended up where we had to constantly be feeding it." The series, however, was just the beginning. In October 2015, the twosome opened Magnolia Market at the Silos, a 20,000-square-foot grain barn in downtown Waco that houses a bakery, nursery and other stores. They’ve since opened a restaurant called Magnolia Table and a coffee shop called Magnolia Press, and in July 2021, they launched their own channel. Originally available to stream via Discovery+, the Magnolia Network hit cable in January 2022 with a Fixer Upper reboot subtitled Welcome Home and tons of other original programming. "We can't stop cable from dying, that's not our mission," Joanna told THR of her plans for the network. "But while it's still available, we hope you spend an hour or five with us and leave feeling like it was time well spent." Keep scrolling for a look back at the Gaines’ complete relationship timeline:  For their first date, the duo shared fried chicken at a restaurant located in a historic mansion in Waco. After one year of dating, Chip proposed after telling Joanna he was taking her to a private concert. Instead, he drove her to a shopping center where both of their families were waiting to watch him pop the question. Brian Ach/AP/Shutterstock  The couple tied the knot in a ceremony at Waco's Earle-Harrison House, which Joanna later described as "a historic mansion that looks an awful lot like the place we had our first date." Courtesy of Magnolia  The twosome opened their first store just five months after their wedding. "I can still hear the sound of the front door of that little shop opening, and the deep assurance that, despite how scared I was, I would never look back," Joanna wrote via Instagram in October 2021, reflecting on the original show's 18th anniversary. "Chip had pushed me to take a chance on something I believed in—so win or lose, I already knew I’d never be the same." Courtesy of Joanna Gaines/Instagram  The duo's first child, son Drake, arrived one year after their nuptials. His parents named him after a New York City hotel where they spent part of their honeymoon. Courtesy of Joanna Gaines/Instagram  Drake became a big brother when his first sister, Ella, arrived in 2006. Courtesy of Joanna Gaines/Instagram  The pair welcomed their second son, Duke, in 2008. Courtesy of Joanna Gaines/Instagram  The Gaines family expanded again with the arrival of the duo's second daughter, Emmie Kay. Courtesy of Joanna Gaines/Instagram  After the first episode of Fixer Upper premiered in 2013, HGTV brought it back for a full first season in April 2014. The show became so popular that it inspired nationwide trends in home decor, including shiplap, barn doors and other elements of farmhouse-inspired style. HGTV  The couple open their expanded Magnolia Market complex in downtown Waco. Courtesy Magnolia Network  Shortly after Fixer Upper ended its original run, the pair welcomed their fifth child, son Crew. Courtesy of Joanna Gaines/Instagram  The duo launched their Magnolia Network streaming channel with Discovery+. “Neither of them makes a business decision without consulting the other,” an insider told Us Weekly of the duo in October 2020. “They feed off each other’s creativity and are open to try something new. Their faith keeps them grounded and grateful for the success they’ve found.” Courtesy of Magnolia |
| Jon Stewart Clarifies His Comments About J.K. Rowling Being 'Anti-Semitic' Posted: 05 Jan 2022 02:00 PM PST  Shutting down drama. Jon Stewart cleared the air after his comments about the potentially anti-Semitic imagery in J.K. Rowling‘s Harry Potter series made headlines. The former Daily Show host, 59, took to Twitter on Wednesday, January 5, in an attempt to further explain his thoughts about the beloved fantasy novels and their author, 56, whose personal opinions have become a hot topic in recent years. “I have to address this. This is bonkers, guys. … I do not think J.K. Rowling is anti-Semitic. I did not accuse her of being anti-Semitic. I do not think the Harry Potter movies are anti-Semitic,” Stewart said in his social media video. “I really love the Harry Potter movies, probably too much for a gentleman of my considerable age.”
The comedian continued: “I cannot stress this enough — I am not accusing J.K. Rowling of being anti-Semitic. She need not answer to any of it. I don’t want the Harry Potter movies censored in any way. It was a lighthearted conversation. Get a f–king grip!” Stewart clarified that there are “some tropes that are so embedded in society” that they’re hard to miss in certain contexts, while joking that his resurfaced comments were made “two COVID mutations ago” and shouldn’t even be newsworthy now. “This morning, I wake up [and] it’s trending on Twitter,” the former Comedy Central personality said. “And … a reasonable person could not have looked at that conversation and not found it lighthearted.” The conversation in question occurred during a December 2021 episode of “The Problem With Jon Stewart” podcast, when Stewart asked his guest, “Have you ever seen the scenes in Gringotts Bank? … Do you know what those folks who run the bank are? … Jews!” Comparing the goblins seen throughout both the books and the eight movie adaptations to a piece of 1903 propaganda, Stewart said Rowling’s depiction of the creatures were a “caricature” for Jewish people. “J.K. Rowling was like, ‘Can we get these guys to run our bank?'” he teased. “It’s a wizarding world. We can ride dragons, you can have a pet owl … but who should run the bank? Jews. … It was one of those things where I saw it on the screen and I was expecting the crowd to be like, ‘Holy s–t, [Rowling] did not, in a wizarding world, just throw Jews in there to run the f–king underground bank.’ And everybody was just like, ‘Wizards.’ It was so weird.” Stewart isn’t the only comedian to poke fun at the apparent stereotypes found in the Harry Potter series. In October 2020, Pete Davidson took aim at the British author during a fiery “Weekend Update” segment on Saturday Night Live, shortly after she was accused of making transphobic comments on social media. “What’s wrong with her?” the 28-year-old joked at the time. “She creates a seven-book fantasy series about all types of mythical creatures living in harmony with wizards and elves and the one thing she can’t wrap her head around is Laverne Cox?” Rowling has frequently made headlines for her personal views on gender equality, which many fans believe to be excluding trans people. After she complained about an article that used the phrase “people who menstruate” instead of simply saying “women,” she defended her perspective in a lengthy 2020 essay. Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint and other Harry Potter actors, however, have denounced Rowling’s takes. “I am deeply sorry for the pain these comments have caused you. I really hope that you don’t entirely lose what was valuable in these stories to you,” Radcliffe, 32, wrote to fans via The Trevor Project in June 2020. “If these books taught you that love is the strongest force in the universe, capable of overcoming anything.” |
| Why Duchess Kate Is Likely Planning a ‘Lower Key’ 40th Birthday Celebration Posted: 05 Jan 2022 01:48 PM PST Nothing too big! Duchess Kate's 40th birthday plans will likely be altered amid the rise in COVID-19 cases in the U.K. and around the world, according to royal expert Jonathan Sacerdoti. "It’s going to be quite scaled back because of the COVID pandemic. I mean, here in the U.K., the numbers are back up again," he exclusively told Us Weekly on Tuesday, January 4. "There’s no lockdown in place, but [there's] some resistance to big gatherings. It’s something that people just maybe don’t think is the best thing to do." The journalist noted that the royal family "will be keen to set an example to others" amid the continued health crisis. "So even for a big, important birthday, like her 40th, and even being who she is, she’s choosing perhaps to do something lower key," he added. "So [as] to set a good example." The Duchess of Cambridge's decisions surrounding her milestone birthday, however, may end up being compared to those of her sister-in-law Meghan Markle, who celebrated turning the same age in August 2020. Sacerdoti told Us that the two celebrations will be very different, staying in line with the women’s opposite personalities. "We saw how Meghan conducted herself for her 40th," the British broadcaster explained. "Meghan, of course, did that video where she had her new, let’s say initiative, announced where she was trying to help people or to get back into work after many people had lost their jobs with COVID through mentoring." The Duchess of Sussex, who shares children Archie, 2, and Lili, 7 months, with husband Prince Harry, marked her birthday by launching her 40X40 program, in which she asked 40 of her friends to donate 40 minutes of mentorship to women reentering the workforce during the coronavirus pandemic. The August 2020 clip was shared on her Archewell website and featured a cameo by her 37-year-old husband, who popped in as a surprise and started juggling.  "I don’t think we’ll be seeing anything similar from Princess Catherine," Sacerdoti said. "I think that we’ll be seeing something a lot lower key is what we’ve been told." Kate's celebration will most likely resemble the way she celebrated turning 39 in January 2021, which included a day with her husband, Prince William, and their three children, Prince George, 8, Princess Charlotte, 6, and Prince Louis, 3. At the time, a source exclusively told Us that the duchess enjoyed a day at her Anmer Hall estate with immediate family amid COVID-19. Her little ones made her "the cutest birthday cards using paint, glitter and sparkles” and "gave her handmade birthday gifts and flowers, which they picked from the garden," the insider added. While Kate and William's royal duties have increased over the past few years — especially as Queen Elizabeth II considers handing off more of her responsibilities as monarch — Kate's 40th birthday may not include the traditional hoopla that the family usually receives. "She’ll even be missing out on a tradition of the bells at Westminster Abbey being rung for senior royal’s birthdays … because they’ve stopped doing that," Sacerdoti told Us. "They will only do it for the birthday of the queen and Prince Charles. And that’s apparently a cost-cutting idea. So, poor Catherine won’t even be getting those bells run out." With reporting by Christina Garibaldi |
| Jessica Chastain and More Stars Who've Spoken Out About Equal Pay Posted: 05 Jan 2022 01:05 PM PST Fighting for what's right! Many Hollywood actresses have utilized their platforms to try and close the gender pay gap and advocate to be compensated the same as their male counterparts. Michelle Williams was put at the forefront of the situation when it was revealed in January 2018 that she was paid less than $1,000 to reshoot scenes in All the Money in the World, while her costar Mark Wahlberg made $1.5 million. While the Greatest Showman actress did not immediately respond to the drama, many fellow women in Hollywood fired back on her behalf. "UNACCEPTABLE. UNACCEPTABLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TO SAY THE LEAST," Busy Philipps, Williams' longtime best friend, tweeted at the time. "SHAMEFUL IS CORRECT." Jessica Chastain, for her part, wrote in a series of tweets: "I heard for the reshoot she got $80 a day compared to his MILLIONS. Would anyone like to clarify? I really hope that with everything coming to light, she was paid fairly. She's a brilliant actress and is wonderful in the film. Please go see Michelle's performance in All The Money in The World. She's a brilliant Oscar nominated Golden Globe winning actress. She has been in the industry for 20 yrs. She deserves more than 1% of her male costar's salary." Chastain, for her part, was even a fierce advocate in ensuring that her 355 costars — including Penelope Cruz, Lupita Nyong'o and Diane Kruger — were compensated equally and fairly. "The actresses are all owners of the film,” the Sands Between Woman actress told Entertainment Tonight in January 2022. “We raised the money independently. We made it without a studio, without a studio system and we made it for a fraction of what a film like this would normally cost, so it was really exciting to bring this into the world in that way." Wahlberg subsequently donated his compensation to a women's organization in the Dawson's Creek alum's honor. "Over the last few days my reshoot fee for All the Money in the World has become an important topic of conversation," he said in a statement at the time. "I 100 percent support the fight for fair pay and I'm donating the $1.5 million to the Time's Up Legal Defense Fund in Michelle Williams' name." The Time's Up Legal Defense Fund was founded just days before news of Williams' minimal pay broke. According to the National Women's Law Center website, the fund was created to raise money to "connect women who experience workplace sexual harassment and retaliation with attorneys and, in some cases, media specialists." Scroll down to find out what Viola Davis, Emma Stone and more stars have said about equal pay:  The Good Wife alum wanted to be a part of the show’s spinoff, The Good Fight, but could not accept the offer because the network would not compensate her fairly. “CBS refused to pay my [ask],” Margulies told Deadline in May 2019. “I’m not a guest star; I started the whole thing with The Good Wife. I wanted to be paid my worth and stand up for equal pay.” She later told SiriusXM’s Jessica Shaw that she needs “to pave the way for the next one coming up,” which is why she would not settle for less than she deserves. Taylor Hill/Getty Images  The Black Widow actress told Cosmopolitan in May 2016 that she is “proud” to make as much as her male counterparts, but understands the importance of still fighting for equality in Hollywood. “I think every woman has [been underpaid],” she noted. “But unless I'm addressing it as a larger problem, for me to talk about my own personal experience with it feels a little obnoxious. It's part of a larger conversation about feminism in general." Ian West/PA Images via Getty Images  Schumer confessed in August 2017 that she did not think she deserved “equal pay to Chris [Rock] and Dave [Chappelle],” who each earned $20 million for their Netflix specials. “They are legends and 2 of the greatest comics of all time,” she wrote on Instagram at the time. “I didn’t ask for the same as my friends. I did ask for more than the initial offer.” However, the I Feel Pretty actress mused that she believes “women deserve equal pay” and “will continue to work [her] ass off and be the best performer [she] can be.” Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images  The Game of Thrones actress did not make as much money playing Sansa Stark on the HBO series as her costar Kit Harington, who played Jon Snow, but she understood the pay discrepancy. “Kit got more money than me, but he had a bigger story line,” Turner told Harper’s Bazaar in April 2019. “And for the last series [season], he had something crazy, like, 70 night shoots, and I didn’t have that many. I was like, ‘You know what … you keep that money.'” The X-Men actress added, however, that she thinks “it will take a while” for women in Hollywood to be paid equally. Karwai Tang/WireImage  Williams admitted in May 2019 that she was “paralyzed in feelings of futility” after she learned how much Wahlberg made for the Money in the World reshoots. She noted during a rally on Capitol Hill: “It’s the kind of story I would normally resist: the morality tale with a happy ending, or rather a happy beginning because that’s really why I’m here. There won’t be satisfaction for me until I can exhaust my efforts ensuring that all women experience the elevation of their self-worth and its connection to the elevation of their market worth.” Jennifer Graylock/Getty Images  The La La Land actress has spoken out about this issue many times. She told Vogue in November 2016, “We should all be treated fairly and paid fairly. I’ve been lucky enough to have equal pay to my male costars. Not ‘lucky.’ I’ve had equal pay to my male costars in the past few films. But our industry ebbs and flows in a way that’s like, ‘How much are you bringing to the box office?’ What are we at [nationally]? 75 cents to the dollar? It’s insane. There’s no excuse for it anymore.” Stone also revealed in a July 2017 interview with Out magazine that her male costars have made sacrifices on her behalf. “In my career so far, I’ve needed my male costars to take a pay cut so that I may have parity with them,” the Amazing Spider-Man alum explained. “And that’s something they do for me because they feel it’s what’s right and fair. That’s something that’s also not discussed, necessarily — that our getting equal pay is going to require people to selflessly say, ‘That’s what’s fair.’” Bertrand Rindoff Petroff/Getty Images  A true voice for change! The How to Get Away With Murder star expressed her views in a February 2016 interview with Mashable. “I believe in equal pay, first of all. I’m sorry, if a woman does the same job as a man, she should be paid the same amount of money. She just should,” insisted Davis. “That’s just the way the world should work. What are you telling your daughter when she grows up? ‘You’ve got to understand that you’re a girl. You have a vagina, so that’s not as valuable.’ What are you telling her?” Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for Women in Film  Arquette made headlines at the 2015 Oscars when she commented on women’s rights during her Best Actress in a Supporting Role acceptance speech for her performance in Boyhood. “To every woman who gave birth, to every taxpayer and citizen of this nation, we have fought for everybody else’s equal rights. It’s our time to have wage equality once and for all, and equal rights for women in the United States of America,” she contended. Duane Prokop/Getty Images for Muhammad Ali Center  The Shameless star initially demanded equal pay as her costar William H. Macy in December 2016. According to Variety, she then asked to be paid more than Macy “to make up for previous seasons where she was making significantly less than him.” Although Rossum never publicly discussed the pay dispute, it was seemingly resolved as she confirmed later that month that she would return for the Showtime series’ eighth season. Rachel Murray/Getty Images for EMILY's List  Wright asked to be paid the same as her House of Cards costar Kevin Spacey in May 2016. The Netflix actress told The Huffington Post at the time, “I wanted to be paid the same as Kevin. There are very few films or TV shows where the male, the patriarch, and the matriarch are equal. And they are in ‘House of Cards.’” Wright added that she told Netflix, “You better pay me or I’m going to go public.” Pierre Suu/Getty Images  Swank told Chelsea Handler in October 2016 that Boys Don’t Cry didn’t compensate her enough to cover her health insurance. Swank also revealed that she only made five percent of her male costars’ earnings for another film. “But the male hadn’t had any kind of critical success, but had been in a movie where he was ‘hot.’ And he got offered $10 million and I got offered $500,000,” she said. Tommaso Boddi/Getty Images for IMDb  The Fast and Furious star spoke candidly about the gender pay gap in a May 2016 interview with TMZ. “It’s like being born a slave,” she said. “You know, it’s like, ‘Oh, damn. Darn my luck. I wish I was born somewhere else or maybe some other way.’ But it is what it is.” Francois G. Durand/Getty Images |
| Addison Rae Clarifies TikTok Salary as David Dobrik Reveals YouTube Decline Posted: 05 Jan 2022 01:02 PM PST  The real deal. After finding success on the popular app TikTok, Addison Rae addressed speculation regarding how much profit users can actually bring in. During an appearance on David Dobrik‘s podcast “Views with David Dobrik & Jason Nash” on Monday, January 3, Rae, 21, explained that it is all about how many views a user can bring in on their videos. The influencer didn’t reveal how much she has made since joining the social media platform but noted that the biggest paycheck she heard of was $90,000 for a sponsored video, adding, “That's from what I know is, like, what someone's been offered." In response, Dobrik, 25, pointed out the inaccurate assumptions about how TikTok influencers get paid for each individual post. “So, like, everyone will do math and they'll be like, ‘Addison Rae gets paid $45,000 per post,’" he said during the episode. "Oh, my God, she's posted 30 times this [week], which means she's made $18 million this week alone.’" Rae, then clarified that a post needs to be “branded” in order to gain any earnings from it. Fellow guest Madison Beer also detailed how she has heard of people making around $1 million for Instagram Story posts that include a swipe-up link. Dobrik explained that YouTube, meanwhile, doesn’t have as many opportunities to make money off sponsored videos, saying, "It's, like, $500,000 for an integration on YouTube, for like a 20 to 30-second plug, I would say.” The Internet personality also said that he used to make around $275,000 per month based on ads, but that has since dropped to $2,000. Dobrik’s financial decline comes after he previously made headlines when former Vlog Squad member Dominykas Zeglaitis was accused of sexual misconduct, which Zeglaitis, 26, denied. After Dobrik came under fire for posting a vlog from that night in question, the influencer issued an apology on his YouTube page. “I have put myself in a lot of situations where I have needed to apologize for my past actions, and I have never done this correctly and never done this respectfully,” he said in the March 2021 video, noting that he created an “unfair power dynamic" through his content. Following the backlash, Dobrik was dropped by several brands. Two years after Rae hit 1 million followers in October 2019, the Louisiana native made headlines when she shared that she was banned from TikTok. “Well time to get a job,” she tweeted in October 2021, alongside a screenshot from TikTok that stated, “Your account was permanently banned due to multiple violations of our Community Guidelines.” Rae’s account on TikTok was restored less than a day later. |
| Jessica Alba and Cash Warren: A Timeline of Their Relationship Posted: 05 Jan 2022 12:55 PM PST Little did Jessica Alba and Cash Warren know that the Fantastic Four would be more than just a job for them — it would be the starting point of their fairy tale love story. While working on the sci-fi film in 2004, in which Alba starred as Susan Storm, and Warren was a production assistant, the pair began dating. Flash forward nearly four years later, and the Made in America producer and the Into the Blue actress wed in Beverly Hills in May 2008. One month after their nuptials, Alba and Warren welcomed their first child, daughter Honor. The twosome would go on to add two more children to their family. Their daughter, Haven, was born in June 2011, and their son, Hayes, made his debut on New Year's Eve in 2017. “Making time for our relationship in our daily routine — even though it’s surprisingly predictable and may not seem as spicy as our spontaneous pre-kiddo days — [it] really helps keep the romance alive,” Alba explained in a blog post for iVillage in May 2012 about how they keep their marriage strong. Though the duo oftentimes fly under the radar and keep their romance fairly private, they are known to pay tribute to each other — and their brood — in sweet social media posts on special occasions. "So thankful for this gang of amazing, powerful, intelligent, beautiful, strong, funny, kind, compassionate and caring women," Warren captioned a family photo in March 2019 to celebrate International Women's Day. "They are the backbone of this family and we'd be nothing without them Alba, for her part, penned a heartfelt message to her hubby on his 40th birthday in January 2019. "You are a kind father, a fun seeker, a competitor at all things, a thoughtful partner, a creative thinker, a fearless dreamer, compassionate to strangers, mischievous but you never get caught," the Honest Company founder wrote alongside a video collage. "You embody that childlike spirit yet you are grounded enough to be a responsible adult. Your smile is infectious, my favorite moments with you are the quiet, in between ones. Waking up next to you every day feels like home … I'm inspired by your ability to always live in light, with grace and humility.” Scroll down to take a look back at Alba and Warren's love story.  The pair got to see each other hard at work on The Fantastic Four when they first met, but years later they continue to support each other and be amazed by each other’s hard work. "Whenever I doubt myself for a second, he's the first one to come up and say, 'You can do this, I believe in you,'" Alba told Us Weekly in 2011. "I don't know what I'd do without him there. And he's so good with the kids. We're really happy." Rick Schneider/FilmMagic  Five months after Warren and Alba got engaged, the duo quietly tied the knot in a Beverly Hills courthouse ahead of the arrival of their first child. Francis Specker/Bloomberg via Getty Images  Baby makes three! "I think the baby likes being in the womb and growing and hanging out," Alba told Us in January 2008. Tiffany Rose/WireImage  The couple added another little girl to their family in August 2011. "I feel like most of my irrational, overprotective, and weary new mom behavior evolved into a more easygoing, laid-back approach with my second child," Alba wrote in a blog post the following year. "I've never been a true 'helicopter parent,' but I've definitely stayed awake for endless hours doing research on everything I could do wrong." Jeffrey Mayer/WireImage  Warren and Alba celebrated their 5th anniversary with heartfelt posts. To another #5yrs #HappyAnniversary,” Alba shared in one post. She added alongside a video montage: "#mylove+myheart+mybestfriend+myconfidant ur my everything, I love u." Warren, for his part, tweeted, “5 years ago today I married my soul mate @jessicaalba & my hair immediately turned grey. Go figure.” Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for The Huffington Post  Warren shared his adoration for his love in a birthday post on Instagram that could make anyone’s heart melt. “I still get butterflies in my stomach around you. I still wake up in the middle of the night and smile because you're next to me. I still laugh at your jokes,” the film producer captioned an Instagram picture that showed him kissing Alba on the cheek at the time. “I am still inspired by you. I'm still in awe of your beauty. The only thing that's changed since the first day I met you is our age. Happy Birthday my sweet love!!!" David Livingston/Getty Images  It’s a boy! The proud parents rang in the new year with their first son, and days later Alba announced the happy news in an Instagram post. “Hayes Alba Warren 12/31/17 Best gift to ring in the New Year!!” she wrote. “Cash and I feel so blessed. Haven and Honor are already obsessed with their new baby bro.” IPA/MEGA  After one year as a family of five, Warren opened up to Us Weekly about how he and his wife find balance when it comes to parenting three kids. “I think I’m the good cop, but it depends,” he told Us in December 2018. “I think that we both have pretty high standards and we expect a lot out of our kids and we’re both pretty disciplined in that approach to making sure that they are good kids that are gonna grow up to be good people.” He added: “She’s so loving too. I think we trade off good cop, bad cop … We call each other in for reinforcement.” Stefanie Keenan/Getty Images for Baby2Baby  Warren celebrated the pair’s 11th wedding anniversary with a sweet Instagram tribute, writing, “It wasn’t the dream wedding you deserved, in fact, it was laughably awkward. Standing under an arch of dusty plastic flowers in the courthouse chapel, we held hands and said I Do. No friends or family in attendance...just you, me and the courthouse employee who served as our witness. We walked out holding hands, giggling with excitement and a touch of nervousness. I remember opening the car door for you and as you climbed in, calling you Mrs Warren for the first time.” He continued: “11 years and 3 kids later, we’re still learning, growing, giggling and loving ... here’s to a lifetime of pushing each other to be the best versions of ourselves and catching each other when we fall.” Courtesy of Cash Warren/Instagram  The family of five posed for a sweet snap via Warren’s Instagram page. Courtesy of Cash Warren/Instagram  During a candid interview on Katherine Schwarzenegger’s "Before, During and After Baby" Instagram show, the L.A.’s Finest star admitted that finding alone time with her husband was challenging due to their busy schedules and raising their three children. “And it’s not even him, I would say it’s us,” Alba explained. “When I’m seeing him and spending time with him and we’re really enjoying each other, it’s an ‘us’ thing and it feeds me as well. It’s hard. It’s impossible. … If you’re both every day deciding to do it, it’s gonna work out, regardless of the drama, regardless of anything that happens. If you’re both like, ‘I want to figure this out,’ nothing can really break that. The second one of you is checked out then it’s a one-sided relationship. Because you’re not always gonna be on the same page, and you’re not always gonna grow at the same pace.” Courtesy of Katherine Schwarzenegger/Instagram  “#ManCrushMonday 🥰😍 Mi amor and Hayesieee boo,” the home goods entrepreneur gushed over her spouse via Instagram. Courtesy of Jessica Alba/Instagram |
| Kanye West's Dating History: Amber Rose, Kim Kardashian and More Posted: 05 Jan 2022 12:53 PM PST Blast from the past! Kanye West had more than one high-profile relationship before he married Kim Kardashian in 2014. The “Jesus Walks” rapper scored mainstream success after the release of his debut record, The College Dropout, in 2004. Two years before the album dropped, West sparked a romance with designer Alexis Phifer. The pair dated on and off from 2002 to 2008, with the “Love Lockdown” artist even getting down on one knee in August 2006. West’s life changed forever after his mother, Donda, died in November 2007 after complications from plastic surgery procedures. His romance with Phifer came to an end as he dealt with his grief and the duo called off their engagement in 2008. Two years later, the “Touch the Sky” artist began dating Amber Rose. The former couple quickly got serious but went their separate ways in 2010. Looking back at her relationship with West 10 years later, Rose claimed that she’s been “picked on” by him ever since they split. “I didn’t soak up anything from him. Me and him are two very different people,” she said during an October 2020 episode of the “No Jumper” podcast. “I’m a compassionate person. I have empathy. I’m a good person. That’s why people love me. That’s why anybody I’ve ever dated loved me. … I don’t know if he says things to make his wife more comfortable, but to slut-shame me and say you needed 30 showers, like, bro, you took me around the world. Since when do you need 30 showers?” Following her split from the Yeezy designer, Rose later moved on with Wiz Khalifa, with whom she welcomed son Sebastian in February 2013, five months before they tied the knot. The model filed for divorce in September 2014. West, for his part, wed Kim Kardashian in May 2014 after two years of dating. The couple started their relationship while the KKW Beauty founder was still legally married to ex-husband Kris Humphries, from whom she split after just 72 day of marriage. Her divorce was finalized in June 2013. “Right before I got married to Kris Humphries, [Kanye and I] were talking, and I just went a different direction,” the makeup mogul recalled during Keeping Up With the Kardashians‘ 10th anniversary special, which aired in 2017. “I think I had to go through that to figure out what I wanted. After my breakup, I was feeling really low and down and he said, ‘Just come to Paris and see my fashion show.’ … I swear from the moment I landed, I fell madly in love with him and I thought, ‘Oh, my God, why didn’t I do this sooner?’ Like, this is what real life is like — love and fun and real support.” The pair tied the knot in Italy in May 2014 and share four kids: North (born in 2013), Saint (born in 2015), Chicago (born in 2018) and Psalm (May 2019). After working through a rocky year in 2020, Kardashian and West sparked rumors that they were heading for a split. “They have both been living separate lives for many months now,” a source told Us Weekly exclusively in January 2021, noting that the California native was “done” with her marriage. “Kim and Kanye haven’t been on the same page for a while now.” Us confirmed in February 2021 that Kardashian filed for divorce from West after six years of marriage. "This really was done amicably. The filing wasn't a surprise to either of them; both knew it was coming," an insider revealed at the time. "There is no one person who is exiting the marriage. They both just grew apart from each other. They both wanted to make the marriage work — that's why they put this off for so long." Scroll down for a look back at West’s love life.  Before his big break, West was still dating his high school sweetheart. He referenced their romance on "Never Let Me Down," a track from his 2004 record, The College Dropout. "Nothing sad as that day my girl's father passed away / So I promised to Mr. Rainey I'm gonna marry your daughter," he rapped. However, their relationship didn't last. Matt Baron/BEI/Shutterstock  The "Gold Digger" artist dated the fashion designer on and off from 2002 to 2008. The pair split when West's career took off in 2004, but they reunited the following year. In August 2006, West popped the question. However, their engagement eventually came to an end after 18 months following the unexpected death of West's mother, Donda. PNP/WENN/Newscom/Mega  During his time apart from Phifer in 2004, the Chicago native sparked a brief fling with the aspiring actress. Though their flame fizzled out, the Harlem Nights actress told Essence five years later that she and West were still "amicable." Jen Lowery/Startraksphoto.com  The pair hit it off when Lopez starred in the Grammy winner's "Flashing Lights" music video in 2008, but they never made things official. Matt Baron/BEI/Shutterstock; Amanda Schwab/Starpix/Shutterstock  After calling off his engagement to Phifer, the "Stronger" rapper dated Rose from 2008 to 2010. Their breakup quickly turned messy, and a decade later, the model alleged that West "bullied" her for years after their split. At the time, West didn't respond to Rose's claims. "That's what narcissists do, right? You share two years with someone, you take them around the world, you buy the jewelry, you shout-out to the world how much you love them and how much fun you have with this person and then the person decides that this is not what they want their life to be. I opted out," she said during an October 2020 episode of the "No Jumper" podcast. "I don't want my life to be like that. I'm not that type of person." Marion Curtis/Starpix/Shutterstock  West was spotted getting cozy with the Victoria's Secret model at fashion week in Paris in 2010 shortly after she starred in his "Runaway" music video. Sipa/Shutterstock  The "Ultralight Beam" artist was also linked to Iman in 2010, but the Georgia native laughed off the relationship speculation. "Rumors are rumors. Kanye's a great artist. He's very talented," she told Us at the time. "I've always loved his music. He's an incredible performer." Gregory Pace/BEI/Shutterstock  In April 2012, West began dating the reality star, who was in the midst of her split from Humphries. Kardashian's divorce was finalized in June 2013 and West proposed four months later. The pair tied the knot in Italy in May 2014 and share four kids. After six years of marriage, the couple sparked speculation of a split after a "big fight" in December 2020. "Kanye isn’t as focused and doesn’t live in the real world," a source told Us exclusively at the time. "Their world views no longer line up." Us confirmed in February 2021 that Kardashian filed for divorce from West. She opened up about what led to their split during a June 2021 episode of Keeping Up With the Kardashians. “I just think he deserves someone who will support his every move and go follow him all over the place and move to Wyoming. I can’t do that,” she explained. “He should have a wife that supports his every move and travels with him and does everything, and I can’t. I feel like a f--king failure. It’s my third f--king marriage. Yeah, I feel like a f--king loser. But I can’t even think about that. I want to be happy.” Gregory Pace/Shutterstock  Us confirmed in June 2021 that West was dating the model — who appeared in his 2010 music video for “Power” — amid his divorce from Kardashian after he and Shayk were spotted together in France. “They’ve been quietly seeing each other for a couple months,” a source revealed, while a second insider added: “He’s always thought she was beautiful and they’re both looking forward to seeing where this goes.” By August 2021, they'd called it quits. Shutterstock (2)  The “Flashing Lights” rapper was spotted on a dinner date with Fox in Miami amid his divorce from Kardashian. A source revealed to Us in January 2022 that West and the actress were “having fun” after they connected via mutual friends. Days later, the duo attended a Broadway production of Slave Play in New York City.“It looked romantic,” a second insider told Us at the time. “They were only close to each other coming out of Carbone and they looked like they wanted to be close to each other. It was 100 percent a date. … They spent the night together. Julia was seen arriving back at the hotel this morning. She left at one point and came back with a baby carriage.” Shutterstock (2) |
| NBA Feud? LeBron James Seemingly Yells at Tristan Thompson During Game Posted: 05 Jan 2022 12:43 PM PST  Drama on and off the court. LeBron James and Tristan Thompson appeared to get heated while their NBA teams faced off against each other on Tuesday, January 4. The 37-year-old Los Angeles Lakers star sped to the basket in the final moments of the game, sending his team to a 118-112 lead over the Sacramento Kings. After the major play, James was seen making his way to the Kings’ bench and appeared to taunt the 30-year-old Canada native, who did not get to play on Tuesday. “I’m a motherf–king problem, bitch,” the two-time Olympic gold medalist shouted, according to a clip shared via social media. As James taunted his opponents, an announcer said, “He’s talking to Tristan Thompson, his former teammate.” The video later panned to show Thompson frowning from his seat on the bench. (The athletes were on the Cleveland Cavaliers together from 2014 to 2018, when James moved on to the California team.) The Space Jam 2 star’s victory celebration comes amid Thompson’s struggles in his personal life, which came to a head on Monday, January 3, as he confirmed he fathered a child with Maralee Nichols before he split from Khloé Kardashian in June 2021. (He previously confessed to having sex with the fitness model several times in court docs obtained by Us Weekly.) “Today, paternity test results reveal that I fathered a child with Maralee Nichols. I take full responsibility for my actions,” the athlete wrote via his Instagram Story on Monday. “Now that paternity has been established, I look forward to amicably raising our son.” Thompson went on to address Kardashian, 37, in a second post. “Khloé, you don’t deserve this. You don’t deserve the heartache and humiliation I have caused you. You don’t deserve the way I have treated you over the years. My actions certainly have not lined up with the way I view you. I have the utmost respect and love for you. Regardless of what you may think. Again, I am so incredibly sorry.” The Keeping Up With the Kardashians alum and the NBA star have dated on and off since 2016, welcoming their daughter, True, in April 2018. While she was still pregnant, Thompson had been caught cheating on the former Revenge Body host, but the pair initially stayed together. They went on to call it quits in February 2019 after Thompson was unfaithful once again, but got back together the following year. Us confirmed their most recent split in June 2020. Following his public plea, a source exclusively revealed that the former Boston Celtics player “wants to make everything right” with the reality star. “He wants to win her back,” the insider noted. “But she will never take him back romantically after learning about his cheating. This was the final straw.” Us broke the news in December 2021 that Nichols welcomed a baby boy after she sued Thompson for child support. Kardashian, for her part, has yet to speak out about the controversy. |
| RHOC's Noella Is 'Squatting' With Son in a Mansion Amid Legal Battle Posted: 05 Jan 2022 12:41 PM PST Adjusting to a new normal. As Real Housewives of Orange County viewers watch her legal battle unfold onscreen, Noella Bergener revealed that not much has changed since her estranged husband, James Bergener, allegedly took away her access to their finances. “Everything’s exactly the same. He cut off my credit cards [and they] have not been turned back on. I have access to one singular credit card,” Noella, 36, exclusively told Us Weekly on Tuesday, January 4, while promoting season 16 of RHOC. “It’s a number that’s through Instacart at Amazon. We’re just buying everything we can through Amazon, like stocking up on, like, a year’s worth of diapers.” The reality star, who shares 2-year-old son James with her ex, claimed that the twosome never had a conversation about the next steps amid their divorce. “He could shut it off at any moment. Then I literally would have to look at some serious options. There’s been no changes in the finances. He’s not paid rent,” she told Us. “We’re currently squatting in our 10,000 square foot mansion, which is very eerie.” The Bravolebrity admitted that the major life change hasn’t been easy to adjust to, adding, “I hate this. I’ve never gone my life without paying a bill. So to feel like I’m just constantly apologizing to our property manager — and they have been so amazing and very understanding. But I understand we have an obligation and that he’s run from them is icky.” Although Noella is hoping that a divorce settlement will allow her to be “in control” of the family finances, she noted that she is “not scared to work,” saying, “I’m ready to provide for my family and I don’t wanna ever be in this position ever again where I’m financially relying on any man. I learned a lot.” In response to his estranged wife’s comments, James issued a statement to Us on Wednesday, January 5, saying, “Specifically, as to the ‘mansion,’ this should come as no surprise to Noella, as it was only leased for the filming of the RHOC and leased through November 2021. I met all my legal obligations through the end of the lease.” Us confirmed in August 2021 that Noella filed for legal separation from James, 50, after one year of marriage. At the time, the Bravo newcomer requested primary and physical custody of their son and monthly spousal support. Noella, who dated James for five years before they got married in June 2020, publicly addressed the attorney’s alleged legal issues prior to her court filing. After several news outlets claimed that James owed the IRS and the State of California approximately $5.8 million, Noella commented on a Real Housewives Instagram fan account in July 2021, writing, "I was just as shocked and disgusted to find out a week before filming … and not from husband. My marriage has been a fight every day since. I am being very open about my journey and looking at every option to settle my husband's debts." Later that year, Noella made headlines when she claimed in a December 2021 episode of RHOC that James had abandoned their autistic son. James, for his part, recently told Us in a statement that he looked "forward to addressing all these false accusations in a courtroom." He also stated that he “has paid substantial sums in childcare, housing, therapy, health insurance, food, other expenses for his son, and amounts that supplement Noella's lifestyle.” That same month, James’ attorney told Us that he filed for divorce in Puerto Rico in July 2021 and that the proceedings were finalized in December 2021. Meanwhile, Noella stated that the duo have reached a settlement that is awaiting James’ signature. “We both have ironed out all the details, like, it’s ready to go. We just need to sign, I’m ready to sign and he’s just not doing it. So here we are,” she told Us. “I’m hoping that eventually, maybe doing things like this, we’ll get through to him that let’s just focus on coparenting. Let’s just finish this so we could just be done and put this in our rearview mirror.” With reporting by Christina Garibaldi and Diana Cooper |
| Meghan Markle to Receive £1 After U.K. Court Victory Over Privacy Concerns Posted: 05 Jan 2022 12:27 PM PST  UPDATE 1/5: After Meghan Markle's court victory, she is set to receive £1 (the equivalent of $1.36) from the U.K.'s Mail on Sunday, according to The Guardian. Original story below: Speaking out. Following her legal win against Associated Newspapers Limited, Meghan Markle is speaking out. "This is a victory not just for me, but for anyone who has ever felt scared to stand up for what's right," the Suits alum, 40, wrote via a statement on Thursday, December 2. "While this win is precedent setting, what matters most is that we are now collectively brave enough to reshape a tabloid industry that conditions people to be cruel, and profits from the lies and pain that they create." The Bench author added in her message: "From day one, I have treated this lawsuit as an important measure of right versus wrong. The defendant has treated it as a game with no rules. The longer they dragged it out, the more they could twist facts and manipulate the public (even during the appeal itself), making a straightforward case extraordinarily convoluted in order to generate more headlines and sell more newspapers — a model that rewards chaos above truth. In the nearly three years since this began, I have been patient in the face of deception, intimidation and calculated attacks." Markle noted that "the courts ruled in my favor — again — cementing that The Mail on Sunday" broke the law after the judge rendered a verdict. "The courts have held the defendant to account, and my hope is that we all begin to do the same," she added in her statement on Thursday. "Because as far removed as it may seem from your personal life, it's not. Tomorrow it could be you. These harmful practices don't happen once in a blue moon — they are a daily fail that divide us, and we all deserve better." The California native previously filed a lawsuit against the U.K.-based newspaper for publishing her private correspondence with her father, Thomas Markle, ahead of her May 2018 nuptials to Prince Harry. "It's an accumulation, and Harry refuses to sit and do nothing as the British press scrutinizes Meghan and invades her privacy," a source exclusively told Us Weekly in October 2019 of Markle's legal decision. "Meghan comes across as a strong woman, but she's been deeply affected by the negative stories about her." Before the pair's royal wedding, the Northwestern University alum wrote a five-page, handwritten note to the 77-year-old former lighting director, which was publicly shared in February 2019. "Daddy, It is with a heavy heart that I write this, not understanding why you have chosen to take this path, turning a blind eye to the pain you're causing," Meghan initially wrote in her letter, which was dated August 2018. "Your actions have broken my heart into a million pieces — not simply because you have manufactured such unnecessary and unwarranted pain, but by making the choice to not tell the truth as you are puppeteered in this. Something I will never understand." While Thomas alleged he did not intend to leak the letter "out of respect" for his daughter, he felt he needed to after false claims about himself. "I thought it would be an olive branch. Instead, it was a dagger to the heart," Thomas told the Daily Mail at the time. However, the former actress, for her part, wasn't pleased by her dad's actions. "Meghan really hoped Thomas wouldn't leak the letter," a source exclusively told Us shortly after the letter's publication. "She finds it absolutely heartbreaking that her own flesh and blood continues to profit from her." |
| Andy Cohen and Anderson Cooper ‘Know Each Other Too Well’ to Date Posted: 05 Jan 2022 12:22 PM PST Two peas in a pod! Andy Cohen and Anderson Cooper share everything from identical initials to similar professions, which makes it easy to see why the twosome are best friend goals. The Watch What Happens Live host and Cooper first met in the early ’90s when they were almost set up on a blind date. However, the pair’s dynamic never became romantic because Cohen broke the CNN news anchor’s “cardinal rule” of dating — mentioning his socialite mother, Gloria Vanderbilt. "Andy and I were first set up on a blind date, which never happened because we had a phone call and after two minutes I said, 'I'm not dating this guy,’" Cooper recalled on Watch What Happens Live in December 2016. "He broke my cardinal rule … he mentioned my mom within the first four sentences of meeting me." Although the duo never went on a date, they forged a friendship that developed into an equally strong working relationship. Cohen and Cooper have hit the road together every year since 2016 for their conversational stage tour, "AC2: An Intimate Evening with Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen.” The Radio Andy host has also joined Cooper to cohost CNN’s New Year’s Eve Live since 2017. Cohen and the Nothing Left Said author not only support each other professionally but have leaned on each other through the ups and downs of their personal lives. The Bravo exec shared a touching tribute in honor of Cooper’s mother, Gloria, when she died in June 2019. "Gloria Vanderbilt was an amazing woman who lived a life filled with incredible peaks and impossible obstacles," Cohen wrote at the time via Instagram. "Through it all she remained eternally optimistic with a wicked sense of humor. In fact, Anderson's iconic and infectious giggle comes from his mom. Sending Anderson all my love, and may she Rest In Peace." Cooper was also by Cohen’s side — while still respecting social distancing guidelines — as the Bravo host recovered from coronavirus in April 2020. Cohen shared a photo of his pal riding by his New York City apartment via Instagram. “This is about as close as I'll be getting to @andersoncooper for a while…. (on 10x zoom lens btw!)” Cohen captioned the blurry photo. The BFFs have also both achieved a major milestone —becoming parents. Cohen welcomed his son, Benjamin, via surrogate in February 2019. Cooper, for his part, announced the birth of his son, Wyatt, via surrogate in April 2020. Cohen revealed via Instagram in May 2020 that he hopes their sons will “be best friends” when they get older — just like their dads. Scroll down to see Cohen and Cooper’s sweetest BFF moments.  "Gemini Twins: ACTIVATE!" Cohen captioned a sweet video of the besties blowing out candles on a birthday cake in June 2021 via Instagram. "Happy Birthday to my friend, AC2 partner, and brilliant Daddy. Our lives are all better with you in them, Anderson. (Thanks to the Consuelos' for the cakes; and to SJ, Liza, & Bruce for the surprise party!)" The duo's birthdays are separated by just one day. "Happy Birthday @bravoandy! So proud of all you've done, the person you are, and the dad you’ve become!" Cooper wrote in an Instagram tribute that month. Courtesy of Andy Cohen/Instagram  Cohen matched Cooper’s son while celebrating the little one’s 1st birthday in April 2021. “I love twinning with you,” he captioned the Instagram photo. “XO Uncle Andy." Courtesy of Andy Cohen/Instagram  Cooper described one of their kids' playdates, telling Jimmy Kimmel in April 2021 that Benjamin put Wyatt’s teddy bear in the microwave and turned it on. “I mean, he baked the bear,” the New York native said. “It was in there for, like, 10 seconds. And literally, there was smoke coming out. Kids do the darnedest things.” Courtesy Anderson Cooper/Instagram  “Turns out, this is all the entertainment I ever needed!” Cohen captioned a March 2021 Instagram video of Cooper chasing Benjamin in circles. Courtesy Andy Cohen/Instagram  Cooper and Cohen called John Mayer on New Year’s Day. The Bravo personality captioned the January 2021 screenshot: “Lots of gratitude this morning and hope that we can reset into 2021.” Courtesy Andy Cohen/Instagram  Anderson, Cohen and the Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen host's son, Ben, spent some time together ahead of their New Year's Eve hosting gig in early December 2020. An Instagram video from their bonding moment showed the CNN correspondent mimicking a clapping stuffed monkey while his BFF's baby boy looked on in amazement. Courtesy of Andy Cohen/Instagram  The coronavirus pandemic didn't stop Anderson and Cohen from getting together outside with sons Wyatt and Ben on the playground in October 2020. Courtesy of Andy Cohen/Instagram  Although COVID-19 canceled Cohen's usual summer travel plans, the TV personality still took a stroll down memory lane in September 2020. He shared a few throwback Instagram pics of his best pal Cooper sans a shirt. "If it were a normal year, I'd be on vacation with my pal...threatening to post shirtless pics of him. Well, it's 2020 and I'm sitting on my deck so I figured I'd just post without asking and piss him off!" Cohen's caption read. Courtesy of Andy Cohen/Instagram  Cohen and Cooper looked identical in matching black suits and bowties. Gregory Pace/Shutterstock  The besties have been coheadlining their conversational stage tour — where they share anecdotes of their personal lives and careers — since 2016. Charles Sykes/Invision/AP/Shutterstock  Cohen revealed on Watch What Happens Live in 2018 that he and Cooper are "eskimo brothers," a slang term that refers to two people who have been intimate with the same person. Courtesy of Andy Cohen/Instagram  "HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! @bravoandy. So proud of all you’ve done, and for you and Baby Benjamin, it’s just the beginning," Cooper captioned a photo of himself holding Cohen's son, Benjamin. Courtesy of Anderson Cooper/Instagram  The duo stopped to snap a selfie with a forest background. Courtesy of Anderson Cooper/Instagram  Cooper and Cohen enjoyed the sunset together while they both were wearing white outfits. Courtesy of Anderson Cooper/Instagram  The friends were all smiles as they relaxed on a boat in Tahiti in July 2017. Courtesy of Anderson Cooper/Instagram  The pair snapped a photo in the ocean while vacationing in Bora Bora in July 2017. Courtesy of Andy Cohen/Instagram  Cooper gave Cohen a playful kiss as they hosted CNN's New Year's Eve special in January 2020. Courtesy of Andy Cohen/Instagram |
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