<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The new “Toy Story 5” trailer has the internet buzzing as the popular animated franchise will take on the growing problem of children having too much screen time.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">As the teaser trailer, which was released in November, indicated, the villain this time around is a new tablet called “Lilypad,” which steals main character Bonnie’s attention as she forgoes playing for screen scrolling. This recognizable storyline is resonating with parents and justifying the idea of yet another “Toy Story” sequel.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The voice cast includes Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, and Joan Cusack, who return to their roles of Woody, Buzz, and Jessie. Greta Lee voices Lilypad.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The official synopsis says, &#8220;The toys are back and this time, Buzz Lightyear, Woody, Jessie and the rest of the gang&#8217;s jobs are challenged when they come face-to-face with Lilypad (voice of Greta Lee), a brand-new tablet device that arrives with her own disruptive ideas about what is best for their kid, Bonnie. Will playtime ever be the same?&#8221;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In the trailer, Jessie says to Lilypad, &#8220;Me and the toys have been working all summer to try and get Bonnie to make friends, but then YOU had to ruin it.&#8221; She decides to call Woody, who tells her, &#8220;Toys are for play but tech is for everything.&#8221; </span></p>
<p><iframe loading="lazy" title="Toy Story 5 | Official Trailer | In Theaters June 19" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/c51ND9Hdbw0?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The full trailer was released on February 19. “Toy Story 5” hits theaters June 19. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I’m generally opposed to milking these franchises dry until they’re nothing but a shriveled husk, but if this movie is going to villainize iPads and scold parents who use screens to babysit their kids then I wholly support it. This may be the only &#8216;part 5&#8217; movie that has ever had a valid reason to exist,” Daily Wire podcast host Matt Walsh </span><a href="https://x.com/MattWalshBlog/status/2024561411423109343"><span style="font-weight: 400;">wrote</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> in response to the trailer.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Finally, a movie calling out the iPad baby epidemic,” another X user </span><a href="https://x.com/KingZahyd/status/2024570820375236820"><span style="font-weight: 400;">agreed</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">. “It’s about time we admit that parking a kid in front of a screen 24/7 isn’t parenting, it’s just surrendering. Woody and Buzz are basically fighting for the soul of childhood at this point.”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Facts, if Part 5 is finally calling out iPad parenting and the screen babysitter culture, I’m in. Make Hollywood preach something useful for once,” another person </span><a href="https://x.com/Joe1Awe/status/2024562945691123748"><span style="font-weight: 400;">agreed</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></p>


Woody and Buzz

Buzz And Woody Team Up Again To Battle Big Tech In New ‘Toy Story 5’ Trailer

'Toy Story 5' Targets Too Much Screen Time With New Trailer

Entertainment

Hollywood

Movies

Parenting

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Sinners” actress Wunmi Mosaku claims she can&#8217;t enjoy her Oscar nomination because of ICE enforcing the law amid the protests and recent deaths of anti-ICE agitators. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I’ve not been able to celebrate because of what’s going on right now, with the killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti by ICE agents in Minnesota and the kidnapping of a five-year-old boy,” Mosaku </span><a href="https://www.thetimes.com/culture/film/article/wunmi-mosaku-sinners-interview-fm3xsw8c6"><span style="font-weight: 400;">told</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> The Sunday Times in a recently published interview. “It’s difficult to hold both the nomination and the news because one feels beautiful and one is so dark and heavy; truly dystopian — how can I possibly go out and buy some drinks and enjoy the moment?”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“[My husband] is not as shocked as I am at the news,” the actress went on. “There’s a very strange American psyche where terrible things happen and people still can go to work the next day, whereas I’m floored for a week and think, ‘How are people going to crowded places when this has just happened?’ I want a cocoon. My reaction reminds him that this is not normal.”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Mosaku was nominated for Best Supporting Actress at the 2026 Academy Awards. The Oscars, hosted by Conan O’Brien, will be held on March 15.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Many Hollywood stars have weighed in with their thoughts on the enforcement of immigration laws, with several showing up to events wearing anti-ICE buttons and making impassioned speeches.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Puerto Rican artist Bad Bunny said during his Grammys acceptance speech: “Before I say thanks to God, I’m going to say: ICE out. We are not savage. We are not animals. We are not aliens. We are humans, and we are American.”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Every day I think I’m not going to be shocked anymore and then I’m shocked,” actress Jamie Lee Curtis </span><a href="https://variety.com/2026/politics/columns/jamie-lee-curtis-ice-abhorrence-distraction-epstein-files-1236653979/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">told</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> Variety earlier this month, adding that she believes it’s an “abhorrence.”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“It’s just inhuman. It is inhuman the way this administration is treating its citizens and its constituents and people in need,” she said. “The ICE situation is out of control. It’s simply a distraction so that we don’t pay attention to the Epstein files.”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">At Sundance Film Festival last month, “Don’t Worry Darling” actress Olivia Wilde suggested that ICE is a criminal organization.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“We can’t go another day accepting this as our new norm. It’s outrageous. People are being murdered, and I don’t want to normalize seeing that violence—on the internet or on film. It’s hideous. If we can do anything to support the movement to cast ICE out and delegitimize this criminal organization, then that’s what we should be doing,” she said at the time.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Game of Thrones” actor Peter Dinklage recited an extremely cringeworthy poem dedicated to Renee Good, the anti-ICE activist killed by an ICE agent during an altercation in Minneapolis. Singer Bruce Springsteen released a protest song last month that included the lyric, “ICE out of Minneapolis.”</span></p>


Wunmi Mosaku

‘Sinners’ Actress Claims ICE Spoiled Her Oscar Nomination

'Sinners' Actress Claims She Can't Enjoy Her Oscars Nomination Because Of ICE 

Academy Awards

Anti-ICE

Celebrities

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

<p>Actor Ted Levine apologized recently for his iconic turn as cross-dressing serial killer Jame Gumb in the 1991  horror classic &#8220;The Silence of the Lambs,&#8221; saying that it was &#8220;f*cking wrong&#8221; that the film had &#8220;vilified&#8221; the apparent gender confusion of his character.</p>
<p>Levine told The Hollywood Reporter that his intent had always been to play Gumb — nicknamed &#8220;Buffalo Bill&#8221; — as a &#8220;f*cked-up heterosexual man&#8221; despite the fact that the character dresses in women&#8217;s clothing, wears makeup, and skins his female victims in an effort to make himself a suit of female flesh.</p>
<p>&#8220;There are certain aspects of the movie that don’t hold up too well,&#8221; he said. &#8220;We all know more, and I’m a lot wiser about transgender issues. There are some lines in that script and movie that are unfortunate.&#8221;</p>
<p>Levine said that when they were making the film — based on the 1988 Thomas Harris novel by the same title — he had not been particularly concerned, but that &#8220;over time and having gotten aware and worked with trans folks, and understanding a bit more about the culture and the reality of the meaning of gender — it’s unfortunate that the film vilified that, and it’s f*cking wrong. And you can quote me on that.&#8221;</p>
<p>&#8220;I didn’t play him as being gay or trans. I think he was just a f*cked-up heterosexual man. That’s what I was doing,&#8221; Levine explained.</p>
<p>Director Jonathan Demme offered a <a href="https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/silence-of-the-lambs-lgbt-criticism_n_5609372">similar take</a> on Buffalo Bill&#8217;s motivations, arguing during a 2014 interview that the character was drowning in self-loathing and that turning himself into a woman was a means of escape from who he was rather than an effort to become something he specifically wanted to be.</p>
<p>&#8220;He didn&#8217;t wish to be another gender. He didn&#8217;t really have a sexual preference. He loathed himself — he wanted to transform himself so that there was no sense of him in the &#8216;new&#8217; him [and] becoming a woman &#8230; that was his method of doing it.&#8221;</p>
<p>&#8220;We were really loyal to the book. As we made the film, there was just no question in our minds that Buffalo Bill was a completely aberrant personality — that he wasn’t gay or trans,&#8221; producer Edward Saxon <a href="https://pagesix.com/2026/02/16/celebrity-news/silence-of-the-lambs-star-ted-levine-denounces-his-legendary-villain-role-after-transgender-criticism/?utm_term=Autofeed&amp;utm_campaign=pagesix&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_source=twitter#Echobox=1771222232">added</a>. &#8220;He was sick. To that extent, we missed it. From my point of view, we weren’t sensitive enough to the legacy of a lot of stereotypes and their ability to harm.&#8221;</p>
<p>&#8220;There’s regret, but it didn’t come from any place of malice. It actually came from a place of seeing this guy. We all had dear friends and family who were gay. We thought it would just be very clear that Buffalo Bill adapts different things from society, from a place of an incredibly sick pathology,&#8221; he continued.</p>
<p>Despite the confusion surrounding Buffalo Bill, &#8220;The Silence of the Lambs&#8221; became the <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0102926/awards/">third film</a> in Academy history to sweep all five major awards: Best Picture, Best Actor (Anthony Hopkins), Best Actress (Jodie Foster), Best Director (Demme), and Best Screenplay (adapted). The other two films to do so were &#8220;It Happened One Night&#8221; (1934) and &#8220;One Flew Over the Cuckoo&#8217;s Nest&#8221; (1975).</p>


“Child Of Grace” – Los Angeles Premiere

‘Silence Of The Lambs’ Actor Apologizes To ‘Trans Folks’ For Iconic Cross-Dressing Role

'Silence Of The Lambs' Actor Apologizes To 'Trans Folks' For Iconic Cross-Dressing Role

Politics

Transgender

Woke Culture

<p>Academy Award-winning actor Robert Duvall died on Sunday, a Facebook post from his wife confirmed on Monday. He was 95 years old.</p>
<p>Luciana Duvall, 54, an Argentine actress and director who has been married to the actor since 2005, shared the news in a post including a photo of them in days past.</p>
<p>&#8220;Yesterday we said goodbye to my beloved husband, cherished friend, and one of the greatest actors of our time. Bob passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by love and comfort,&#8221; she wrote in a statement.</p>
<p>&#8220;To the world, he was an Academy Award-winning actor, a director, a storyteller. To me, he was simply everything,&#8221; she continued. &#8220;His passion for his craft was matched only by his deep love for characters, a great meal, and holding court. For each of his many roles, Bob gave everything to his characters and to the truth of the human spirit they represented. In doing so, he leaves something lasting and unforgettable to us all. Thank you for the years of support you showed Bob and for giving us this time and privacy to celebrate the memories he leaves behind.&#8221;</p>
<p><iframe loading="lazy" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FRobertDuvallOfficial%2Fposts%2Fpfbid0WGqtC9fNEPtTpFwv5WtsQen31nUSkunt13QMTz84vuAToborwYSgsDifnhBzk8cTl&amp;show_text=true&amp;width=500" width="500" height="811" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<p>After a short attempt at the military life, Duvall made a go at acting — and eventually became friends with a few others who were also struggling to break into the business around the same time — Gene Hackman, Dustin Hoffman, and James Caan.</p>
<p>Duvall won the coveted Best Actor Oscar in 1984 for &#8220;Tender Mercies,&#8221; and was nominated in the same category for 1980&#8217;s &#8220;The Great Santini&#8221; and for &#8220;The Apostle&#8221; in 1997. He was nominated for Academy Awards for supporting roles in 2014&#8217;s &#8220;The Judge,&#8221; 1998&#8217;s &#8220;A Civil Action,&#8221; 1979&#8217;s &#8220;Apocalypse Now,&#8221; and 1972&#8217;s &#8220;The Godfather.&#8221;</p>
<p>Duvall&#8217;s acting career ran for well over half a century, from episodes of &#8220;Alfred Hitchcock Presents&#8221; in the early 1960s to &#8220;The Pale Blue Eye&#8221; in 2022, that latter of which also featured a cameo from Senator <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/yes-thats-john-fetterman-in-christian-bales-new-movie-thats-a-face-that-fits-in-the-1830s">John Fetterman</a> (D-PA). His first big-screen role was the reclusive Boo Radley in the 1962 film &#8220;To Kill a Mockingbird.&#8221;</p>
<p>Although he tried to keep his distance from politics in more recent years, Duvall was well-known in Hollywood for his conservative views. A lifelong Republican, he was awarded a National Medal of Arts by former President George W. Bush in 2005.</p>


CANADA-ENTERTAINMENT-FILM-CINEMA-FESTIVAL

Robert Duvall, Star Of ‘Apocalypse Now’ And ‘The Godfather,’ Dead At 95

U.S.

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">When James Van Der Beek died this week at the age of 48, most mainstream headlines focused on how he was the face of the teen drama “Dawson&#8217;s Creek” in the late 1990s. That’s certainly true. But in the end, what mattered most to the most iconic teen heartthrob happened long after that show aired its finale in 2003.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In 2020, Van Der Beek rejected Hollywood life and did something radical, taking his wife Kimberly and their children and trading Los Angeles for a ranch outside Austin, Texas. At the time, he said it was for the good of his family, not for the applause.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Just after moving to his 36-acre property, the actor told Today Parents: “We were living on this tiny little lot with a tiny backyard. He [then 8-year-old son Joshua] seemed to be like an animal in a cage that was too small.”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A few years later they weren’t missing the fame and glamour. They were enjoying a simpler life.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“We love it. We have a lot more space,” Van Der Beek told Fox News Digital in 2022, as The Daily Wire previously </span><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/james-van-der-beek-reflects-on-moving-to-texas-says-return-to-hollywood-would-have-to-fit-around-his-family"><span style="font-weight: 400;">reported</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">. “We all need a more immediate connection to nature. It’s been a really, really great move and the kids are really happy.”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“The parks have been amazing,” he continued. “We’ve been going to state parks and the national parks. It’s just one of the benefits of getting out of the big city was getting to a place where we could just have more space right outside our door. It’s a very, it’s a very different life.”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“We watch the sunset,” the actor explained. “We know what phase the moon is in. We can actually see stars, which is a new thing.”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Van Der Beek isn’t the only Hollywood celebrity to leave the bright lights of the city behind. But he is someone who wholeheartedly embraced his new reality and dedicated his life to fatherhood. The actor didn’t brag constantly or post for the likes. Instead, the “Varsity Blues” alum appeared to gain a new appreciation for life. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Van Der Beek was diagnosed with stage 3 colorectal cancer in 2023 and shared it with fans one year later. He was optimistic about fighting it, but still took time to reflect on his own mortality.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">On his 48th birthday in March 2025, knowing he was in the fight of his life, Van Der Beek posted a video that deserves to be remembered as his final lesson to a culture that loves to pretend people can live forever. </span></p>
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<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">&#8220;When I was younger, I used to define myself as an actor, which was never really all that fulfilling. And then I became a husband, and that was much better. And then I became a father, and that was the ultimate,” he told social media followers in a clip that has gone viral after his death.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I could define myself then as a loving, capable, strong, supportive husband, father, provider, steward of the land that we&#8217;re so lucky to live on,” he said. “And for a long time, that felt like a really good definition to the question, &#8216;Who am I?&#8217; &#8216;What am I?&#8217;”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Van Der Beek went on with some deep reflections.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">&#8220;And then this year, I had to look my own mortality in the eye. I had to come nose to nose with death. And all of those definitions that I cared so deeply about were stripped from me,” he continued. “I was away for treatment. I could no longer be a husband that was helpful to my wife. I could no longer be a father who could pick up his kids and put them to bed and be there for them. I could not be a provider because I wasn&#8217;t working. I couldn&#8217;t even be a steward of the land, because at times I was too weak to prune all the trees during the window that you&#8217;re supposed to prune them.”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The answer to his struggle came through meditation, prayers, and a spiritual journey that deepened his faith, he said.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">&#8220;And so I was faced with the question, if I am just a too skinny, weak guy alone in an apartment with cancer, what am I?&#8221; he asked. &#8220;I meditated, and the answer came through: I am worthy of God&#8217;s love. Simply because I exist. And if I&#8217;m worthy of God&#8217;s love, shouldn&#8217;t I also be worthy of my own? And the same is true for you.”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">He spoke openly on multiple occasions about how cancer transformed his relationship with faith, plus how it changed his whole life.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">&#8220;Before cancer, God was something I tried to fit into my life as much as possible,&#8221; Van Der Beek </span><a href="https://extratv.com/2026/02/12/james-van-der-beek-called-his-cancer-a-gift-in-his-final-interview/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">said</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> during a &#8220;Today&#8221; show appearance in December. &#8220;After cancer, I feel like a connection to God, whatever that is, is kind of the whole point of this exercise on this planet.&#8221;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">He also called his diagnosis a gift that would help him grow as a person. “I went into shock … One of the things I was really lucky about was as soon as I heard the news, I thought, ‘This is going to be the best thing that ever happened to me,’&#8221; he said.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The actor explained, “I had this little voice in my head that said, ‘You’re going to make changes in your life that you would never, ever make if you didn’t have this extreme of a diagnosis. And it’s going to add healthy, happy years to your life.’”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Van Der Beek used his platform to share real wisdom — not curated self-help platitudes, but insights from a man facing his own demise. He posted about embracing his family and living in gratitude for every day he was given. Until the end, he showed that a terminal diagnosis can be met with strength and stoicism.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">When his wife of 15 years announced his death on Wednesday, she wrote that he met his final days &#8220;with courage, faith, and grace.&#8221; Anyone following his journey saw exactly that as Van Der Beek consistently chose inner peace over bitterness and despair.</span></p>
<p>What others said about him following his death is also a testament to his character. Van Der Beek received loving tributes from friends and former colleagues, with his &#8220;Dawson&#8217;s Creek&#8221; costar Katie Holmes <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/katie-holmes-shares-heartfelt-tribute-to-dawsons-creek-co-star-james-van-der-beek">referring to</a> his life as &#8220;the journey of a hero.&#8221; Such accolades are to be expected from loved ones, but the most telling one came from his ex-wife, Heather McComb.</p>
<p>&#8220;James was a beautiful soul filled with so much light, love, talent, humor, depth, sensitivity, knowledge and a deep love of God that shined through him,&#8221; she <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DUqoT1Dj0cs/">posted</a> on Instagram. &#8220;He shined so bright yet was so humble and human. Always searching, always growing, always going deeper, always chasing things outside his comfort zone.&#8221;</p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">James Van Der Beek&#8217;s life after Hollywood is the antithesis of everything celebrities are known for. He had six kids despite elites telling us children are burdens. He was devoted to his wife. He ditched Hollywood for Texas. And then he talked about God and faith even when it wasn’t cool.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The world lost a good person this week, but to his six children, he leaves a legacy that lasts forever. To the rest of us, he leaves some hope that Hollywood is still hiding a few gems.</span></p>


James Van Der Beek

James Van Der Beek Was One Of The Good Ones

Death

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Actress Katie Holmes, who starred alongside James Van Der Beek on the popular teen drama “Dawson’s Creek” in the late 1990s, shared a moving tribute to her longtime friend following his death from cancer at the age of 48.</span></p>
<p>Holmes posted a handwritten letter dedicated to Van Der Beek on Instagram that began, <span style="font-weight: 400;">&#8220;James, thank you. To share a space with your imagination is sacred — breathing the same air in the land of make believe and trusting that each other&#8217;s hearts are safe in their expression.&#8221;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">&#8220;These are some of the memories, along with laughter, conversations about life, James Taylor songs — adventures of a unique youth,&#8221; she continued, before describing Van Der Beek as possessing &#8220;compassion, bravery, selflessness, and strength.&#8221;</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">&#8220;An appreciation for life with the integrity that life is art — creating a beautiful marriage, six loving children — the journey of a Hero,&#8221; Holmes went on. </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I mourn this loss with a heart holding the reality of his absence and deep gratitude for his impact on it.”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Holmes wrote in the Instagram post caption that Van Der Beek’s death was &#8220;a lot to process,&#8221; and that her tribute was written with a &#8220;heavy heart.&#8221;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">&#8220;I am so grateful to have shared in a piece of James’ journey. He is beloved. Kimberly, we love you and will be here always for you and your beautiful children,&#8221; she added in the caption, referencing Van Der Beek’s widow and kids.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Van Der Beek was diagnosed with Stage 3 colorectal cancer in 2023 and had been candid about sharing his experiences after publicly revealing his diagnosis the following year. Last September, he had to cancel an appearance at a scheduled “Dawson’s Creek” reunion event due to his ongoing illness.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The actor sent a pre-recorded video message to the event to share with fans. &#8220;I want to stand on that stage and thank every single person in the theater for being here tonight,&#8221; he </span><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/james-van-der-beek-sends-video-message-to-dawsons-creek-reunion-after-illness-knocks-him-out"><span style="font-weight: 400;">said</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> in the clip. &#8220;From the cast to the crew to everybody who&#8217;s doing anything and has been so generous, and especially every single last one of you – you are the best fans in the world.&#8221;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Van Der Beek is survived by his wife, Kimberly, and their six children. </span></p>


Katie Holmes James Van Der Beek

Katie Holmes Shares Heartfelt Tribute To ‘Dawson’s Creek’ Co-Star James Van Der Beek

Katie Holmes Shares Heartfelt Tribute To 'Dawson's Creek' Co-Star James Van Der Beek

Television

<p><span style="font-weight: 400">Actor James Van Der Beek, best known for his starring role in the 1990s teen drama “Dawson’s Creek,” has died at the age of 48.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400">His wife, Kimberly, announced the news on Instagram Wednesday. “Our beloved James David Van Der Beek passed peacefully this morning. He met his final days with courage, faith, and grace,” the mother of six shared.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400">“There is much to share regarding his wishes, love for humanity and the sacredness of time. Those days will come. For now we ask for peaceful privacy as we grieve our loving husband, father, son, brother, and friend,” the post said. </span></p>
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<p><span style="font-weight: 400">The actor was diagnosed with Stage 3 colorectal cancer in 2023 and has been candid about sharing his experiences since publicly revealing his diagnosis the following year. Last September, he had to cancel an appearance at a scheduled “Dawson’s Creek” reunion event due to his ongoing illness.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400">Van Der Beek was born in Connecticut in 1977. As a child, he had dreams of becoming a professional athlete, but changed focus after an injury. He scored his career-making role on “Dawson’s Creek” in 1998 alongside up-and-comers Katie Holmes, Michelle Williams, and Joshua Jackson.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400">The actor had several other television roles, including a fictionalized version of himself on the cult classic sitcom “Don&#8217;t Trust the B&#8212;- in Apartment 23” (2012–2013), and an FBI agent in “CSI: Cyber.” He also had recurring guest roles on “How I Met Your Mother” and “Pose.” </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400">Van Der Beek’s film credits include “Varsity Blues” (1998), “Texas Rangers” (2001), “The Rules of Attraction” (2002), “Formosa Betrayed” (2009), “Labor Day” (2013), and “Bad Hair” (2020).</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400">Last year, Van Der Beek reflected on what his cancer battle had taught him, The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/dawsons-creek-star-reflects-on-cancer-battle-i-am-worthy-of-gods-love">reported</a>. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400">“I could define myself as a loving, capable, strong, supportive husband, father, provider, steward of the land that we’re so lucky to live on,” he told Instagram followers at the time. “And for a long time, that felt like a really good definition of the question, ‘Who am I? What am I?&#8217;”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400">“And then this year, I had to look my own mortality in the eye,” Van Der Beek continued. “I had to come nose to nose with death. And all of those definitions that I cared so deeply about were stripped from me. I was away for treatment, so I could no longer be a husband who is helpful to my wife.”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400">“So often we define ourselves by our roles in life or by what we do, but what if those things change? Who are we when it’s just us, alone, with nothing external to anchor us to a particular identity? And I meditated and the answer came through,” Van Der Beek went on. “I am worthy of God’s love, simply because I exist. And if I’m worthy of God’s love, shouldn’t I also be worthy of my own? And the same is true for you.”</span></p>
<p>Van Der Beek is survived by his wife of 15 years and their six children.</p>


‘Dawson’s Creek’ Star James Van Der Beek Dies At 48

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The cause of death for legendary “Home Alone” and “Schitt’s Creek” actress Catherine O’Hara has been revealed.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health confirmed on Monday that O&#8217;Hara died after suffering from a pulmonary embolism, per </span><a href="https://www.tmz.com/2026/02/09/catherine-ohara-cause-of-death/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">TMZ</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">. It was also noted that the actress had rectal cancer, which was listed as the underlying cause of the embolism. O’Hara was 71 years old at the time of her death on January 30.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The death certificate said O’Hara was cremated and that her remains were given to her husband, the outlet noted. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The iconic star was best known for her roles in movies such as “Beetlejuice” (1988), “Home Alone” (1990), “Home Alone 2: Lost in New York” (1992), “Waiting for Guffman” (1996), and “Best in Show” (2000). O’Hara also starred in the cult classic TV comedy “Schitt’s Creek,” which earned her the Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series and a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">O’Hara’s manager confirmed the news of her death, saying at the time that she died following a “brief illness.”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">O’Hara had a long and varied Hollywood career spanning TV and movies, mostly in comedies. Her most recent project was the Apple TV+ series “The Studio” alongside Seth Rogen. Her role in the series earned her an Emmy nomination in 2025.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Canadian actress was born in Toronto in 1954 as the sixth of seven children. Like so many other comedic actors, she got her start at the Second City Theater in Toronto alongside legends such as Dan Aykroyd, Joe Flaherty, Gilda Radner, and Eugene Levy. She became a staple character before moving on to films and scripted television.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">O’Hara met her husband, production designer Bo Welch, on the set of “Beetlejuice” in 1988. The pair wed in 1992 and had two sons: Matthew in 1994 and Luke in 1997.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">O’Hara stayed close with her “Home Alone” co-star Macaulay Culkin for decades. After her passing, he posted on </span><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DUJTe8rEmO4/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Instagram</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, “Mama. I thought we had time. I wanted more. I wanted to sit in a chair next to you. I heard you. But I had so much more to say. I love you. I’ll see you later.”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Her longtime collaborator Eugene Levy also mourned the loss. “Words seem inadequate to express the loss I feel today,” he said in a </span><a href="https://ew.com/eugene-levy-catherine-o-hara-tribute-after-her-death-11896831"><span style="font-weight: 400;">statement</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> to Entertainment Weekly. “I had the honor of knowing and working with the great Catherine O’Hara for over 50 years. From our beginnings on the Second City stage, to SCTV, to the movies we did with Chris Guest, to our six glorious years on Schitt’s Creek, I cherished our working relationship, but most of all our friendship.”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">He added, “I will miss her. My heart goes out to Bo, Matthew, Luke, and the entire O’Hara family.”</span></p>


Catherine O’Hara

Catherine O’Hara’s Cause Of Death Revealed

Catherine O'Hara's Cause Of Death Revealed

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Actor Timothy Busfield has been indicted by a grand jury on Friday on four counts of criminal sexual contact of a child.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The celeb pleaded not guilty on all counts. His lawyer, Stanton &#8220;Larry&#8221; Stein, said the indictment was expected but still disappointing.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">&#8220;As the saying goes, a grand jury will indict a ham sandwich,&#8221; the attorney said in a statement. &#8220;What is deeply concerning is that the District Attorney is choosing to proceed on a case that is fundamentally unsound and cannot be proven at trial. The detention hearing exposed fatal weaknesses in the State’s evidence — gaps that no amount of charging decisions can cure.&#8221;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“This prosecution appears driven by something other than the facts or the law. Mr. Busfield will fight these charges at every stage and looks forward to testing the State’s case in open court — where evidence matters — not behind closed doors,&#8221; he added.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Busfield stands accused of sexually assaulting twin boys beginning when they were 7 years old. The actor worked with the child actors, born in 2014, on the set of “The Cleaning Lady,” which aired on Fox from 2022 to 2025. Busfield directed some episodes and was named an executive producer.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">An investigation began in November 2024 when a University of New Mexico Hospital doctor reported his suspicions of sexual abuse and grooming to authorities. Investigators initially didn’t press charges, but the case was reopened in September 2025 when one of the boys reported the alleged abuse to his doctor.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The actor faced two previous sexual assault allegations in 1994 and 2012, but was never charged. Busfield recorded a video of himself professing his innocence just before turning himself in to the police last month.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">His wife, actress Melissa Gilbert of “Little House on the Prairie” fame, released a </span><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/melissa-gilbert-speaks-out-after-husband-timothy-busfield-charged-with-sex-abuse"><span style="font-weight: 400;">statement</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> in late January thanking fans for their “love, patience, and support” as she and her husband went through this “extraordinarily difficult time.”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">&#8220;As with all criminal proceedings, Mr. Busfield is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law,&#8221; Bernalillo County District Attorney Sam Bregman said in a </span><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DUbF_SPlHHs/?hl=en"><span style="font-weight: 400;">statement</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> shared on social media. “This case will proceed through the judicial process and is expected to move forward to trial.&#8221;</span></p>


Timothy Busfield

Actor Timothy Busfield Indicted On Child Sex Abuse Charges

Crime

Indictment

New Mexico

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Hollywood is still in denial that &#8220;Melania,&#8221; a documentary about first lady Melania Trump and wife of President Donald Trump, is outperforming expectations, floating conspiracy theories that include claims the film&#8217;s positive audience reviews are fake. But the owner of Rotten Tomatoes says those glowing fan responses are 100% real.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“There has been no bot manipulation on the audience reviews for the ‘Melania’ documentary,” Versant, the parent company of the popular review aggregator, said in a </span><a href="https://variety.com/2026/film/news/melania-rotten-tomatoes-audience-score-bots-1236654401/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">statement</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> to Variety. “Reviews displayed on the Popcornmeter are VERIFIED reviews, meaning it has been verified that users have bought a ticket to the film.”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Melania” currently has one of the </span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">largest disparities between critics’ and audience scores on the site, with reviewers <a href="https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/melania" target="_blank" rel="noopener">giving the film</a> a 7% rating and moviegoers giving it a 99% rating</span>. About 75% of the audience was women aged 55 and older. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Avowed leftist late-night host Jimmy Kimmel is one of Hollywood’s most perplexed, as he mentioned during his monologue on Wednesday. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“As of tonight, Melania has a score of 5% on Rotten Tomatoes from the critics. That is very low. To put that in perspective, that is 1% lower than ‘Gigli.’ The audience score for ‘Melania’ is 99% positive, which is 1% higher than ‘The Godfather.’ And I’m sure Donald J. Corleone had nothing to do with that at all,” he said. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“We need to get to the bottom of this,” Kimmel went on. “Send in Tulsi Gabbard and the FBI! Seize the ticket machines, the popcorn buckets, the box office receipts, at every multiplex in America!”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Movie industry insiders projected an abysmal opening weekend for “Melania,” but were quickly proven wrong when it raked in around $7 million.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">At the premiere in Washington, D.C. last week, Melania told reporters that success, to her, didn’t depend on box office numbers.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I’m very proud of the film, so people may like it, may [not] like it, and that’s their choice,” the first lady told CNN.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“We achieved what we want to achieve,” Melania later added. “For myself, it’s already successful. I’m very proud of what we did.”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Melania” is directed by Brett Ratner, who is best known for the “Rush Hour” franchise. The documentary provides a glimpse into Melania&#8217;s behind-the-scenes world during the 20 days leading up to her husband&#8217;s second inauguration.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The verified reviewers on Rotten Tomatoes had plenty of positive things to say. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“An inside look at inaugural preparations, done in style,” one verified reviewer wrote. “Also getting to know our First Lady in a more personal way. The lady who is smart, elegant, stylish, beautiful &amp; someone who loves this country &amp; appreciates all that it offers.”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Wow. Thought I may like it for the fashion take on it. But it was so much more. Absolutely loved it. Regardless if you like her or not- this documentary was really, really good,” another moviegoer agreed.</span></p>


Melania

Rotten Tomatoes Confirms ‘Melania’ 99% Audience Score Is Real, Not Bots

Box Office

Documentaries

Melania Trump

<p>Film critics <a href="https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/becoming_2020_2/reviews/top-critics">raved</a> over &#8220;Becoming,&#8221; the fawning 2020 documentary about former First Lady Michelle Obama, produced by Michelle Obama.</p>
<blockquote><p><b>The Detroit News: </b><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">It&#8217;s a warm latte, delivered to you in your favorite mug.</span></em></p>
<p><b>NPR</b><span style="font-weight: 400;">: <em>Even with its flaws, Becoming is a compelling documentary, offering a carefully revealing look at a whip smart, ferociously practical woman trying to understand how her historic time in the White House changed herself, her family and the nation. </em></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Now, see if you can detect a </span><a href="https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/melania/reviews/top-critics"><span style="font-weight: 400;">slight tonal shift</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> in reviews for “Melania,” the new documentary capturing First Lady Melania Trump, who also produced the film, as she moves back into 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW.</span></p>
<blockquote><p><b>Globe and Mail: </b><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Ratner has accidentally delivered the ultimate chronicle of 21st-century excess and greed, a world of casual yet immense cruelty covered in flop sweat and gold glitter.</span></em></p>
<p><b>Variety: </b><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">A documentary that never comes to life. It’s a “portrait” of the First Lady of the United States, but it’s so orchestrated and airbrushed and stage-managed that it barely rises to the level of a shameless infomercial.</span></em></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Several reviews compared the film to Nazi propaganda. One critic gave “Melania” a “rotten” score at Rotten Tomatoes while admitting </span><a href="https://www.hollywoodintoto.com/melania-reviews-critic-didnt-watch/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">he never actually saw the film</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">. (That review was quickly removed from the critical aggregator site)</span></p>
<div id="attachment_1040041" style="width: 394px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1040041" class="size-large wp-image-1040041" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Melania-poster-384x576.jpg" alt="Amazon MGM Studios. Muse Films. New Element Media. RatPac Entertainment." width="384" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Melania-poster-384x576.jpg 384w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Melania-poster-200x300.jpg 200w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Melania-poster-768x1152.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Melania-poster.jpg 999w" sizes=" (max-width: 384px) 100vw, 384px" /><p id="caption-attachment-1040041" class="wp-caption-text">Amazon MGM Studios.</p></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Guardian’s review compared the movie to </span><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/film/2026/jan/30/melania-review-trump-film-is-a-gilded-trash-remake-of-the-zone-of-interest"><span style="font-weight: 400;">2024’s “The Zone of Interest.”</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> That well-received drama depicted a Nazi family living next door to a concentration camp.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The reviewer didn’t stop there, mocking FLOTUS’s face and voice, a no-no in critical circles. Review the film, not the physical attributes of the people on screen. When a Variety scribe suggested actress Carey Mulligan wasn’t pretty enough to play the femme fatale in 2020’s “Promising Young Woman,” the outlet </span><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/film/2021/jan/28/variety-apology-carey-mulligan-film-critics"><span style="font-weight: 400;">uttered an apology</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> directly to the actress.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">For some reason, that unwritten rule didn’t apply to “Melania.” Nor should FLOTUS expect an apology any time soon.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The chasm between movie critics and general audiences over “Melania” may be the new, startling benchmark. Rotten Tomatoes lists the film as having a 7% “Rotten” score from movie scribes and </span><a href="https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/melania"><span style="font-weight: 400;">a 99 percent “fresh”</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> rating from the public at large.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Those blistering critiques, delivered by a film body that leans overwhelmingly to the Left, were just part of the media’s war on “Melania.”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The said war began before “Melania” hit American theaters on January 30. Outlet after outlet preened over reports of </span><a href="https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/movies/articles/melania-trump-promotes-film-amid-210206431.html"><span style="font-weight: 400;">poor pre-release ticket sales</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">. So did </span><a href="https://www.aol.com/lifestyle/stephen-colbert-roasts-melania-documentary-144531012.html"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Stephen Colbert of “The Late Show” fame.</span></a></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Empty theaters, reporters cried, suggested “Melania” would underperform even modest expectations. It did the opposite, earning north of $7 million in its opening frame. Recent documentaries made far, far less.</span></p>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Mr. Nobody Against Putin” &#8211; $19K to date in U.S.</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Orwell: 2+2=5” &#8211; $355K in U.S.</span></li>
</ul>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">For context, most documentaries are lucky to earn $1 million in theaters. “Melania,” media voices argued, might not make it to the $3 million mark. And, with a gaudy $40 million price tag courtesy of Jeff Bezos’ Amazon, that’s a debacle.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Except “Melania” delivered the biggest </span><a href="https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/insight/melania-opens-with-decade-best-documentary-debut/gm-8AE15378FA?gemSnapshotKey=8AE15378FA-snapshot-4&amp;ocid=AARDHP"><span style="font-weight: 400;">documentary debut in a decade</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">. The film </span><a href="https://www.breitbart.com/entertainment/2026/02/05/nolte-exclusive-melania-gains-more-box-office-steam-with-wednesdays-1-25-million-haul/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">has kept earning since then</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">. </span></p>
<div id="attachment_1040047" style="width: 632px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1040047" class="size-large wp-image-1040047" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/The-Donald-and-Mel-622x576.jpg" alt="Amazon MGM Studios. Muse Films. New Element Media. RatPac Entertainment." width="622" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/The-Donald-and-Mel-622x576.jpg 622w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/The-Donald-and-Mel-300x278.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/The-Donald-and-Mel-768x712.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/The-Donald-and-Mel.jpg 1379w" sizes=" (max-width: 622px) 100vw, 622px" /><p id="caption-attachment-1040047" class="wp-caption-text">Amazon MGM Studios.</p></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">USA Today argued it’s </span><a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/columnist/2026/01/30/melania-movie-amazon-documentary-trump/88415378007/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">“patriotic” to slam “Melania</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">.”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">To be the subject of a documentary, one would think you’d have to accomplish something beyond being a complicit grifter in two of the most cruel, dishonest, and dangerous presidential terms in American history.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Indiewire said the film’s box office success </span><a href="https://www.indiewire.com/features/commentary/melania-box-office-documentary-filmmakers-worried-1235177403/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">is terrible news for the documentary genre</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">.  Suddenly, a rising tide doesn’t lift all boats.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">It’s a scary time for documentarians. Will they have to start working with the likes of Brett Ratner to make infomercials that please Donald Trump to pay the bills? The success of “Melania” suggests they might.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Meanwhile, a news media landscape that routinely decries review bombing – the practice of slagging a film or TV show sight unseen due to a variety of pre-release complaints, like overt wokeness – suddenly </span><a href="https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2026/01/melania-documentary-reviews-deleted-letterboxd/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">cheered on review bombing of “Melania.”</span></a></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">NPR needed something negative to share about the film. So it dug into the demographic breakdown of movie patrons and determined a large number of </span><a href="https://www.npr.org/2026/02/02/nx-s1-5693775/melania-documentary-box-office-audience"><span style="font-weight: 400;">older white women</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> lined up to see “Melania.”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">How often do media outlets report on the demographics of a given film? Hint: Not very often. NPR likely sought to portray the film’s fan base as overwhelmingly white (with a touch of supremacy?)</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A few outlets have thrown all credibility to the wind to savage “Melania.” The far-Left Daily Beast took the crown here. The site has repeatedly called the film a “</span><a href="https://www.thedailybeast.com/trump-desperately-tries-to-juice-melania-doc-after-box-office-flop/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">flop,”</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> although it’s on pace to pass 2024’s “<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/videos/am-i-racist?elementPosition=1&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Shows+and+Movies&amp;rowType=Portrait+Show+Carousel">Am I Racist?</a>” as the most successful documentary of the last decade.</span></p>
<div id="attachment_819849" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/videos/am-i-racist?elementPosition=1&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Shows+and+Movies&amp;rowType=Portrait+Show+Carousel"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-819849" class="size-large wp-image-819849" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/00_AIR_16x9_Streaming_V02-1024x576.jpg" alt="Am I Racist?" width="1024" height="576" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-819849" class="wp-caption-text">DailyWire+</p></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Melania” expands its release pattern in its second weekend, upping the theatrical count to 2,000 screens. Even if the film underperforms from here, the theatrical release has done its job.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Amazon likely viewed the film all along as a Prime Video draw, first and foremost. The documentary will draw attention and eyeballs to the streaming service, giving it a competitive title in a cutthroat streaming landscape. The film’s theatrical bow is an extended promotion for its final, digital destination.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Why all the unprofessional hate? The </span><a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/politics-news/melania-trump-brett-ratner-documentary-interview-1236489826/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">First Lady may have said it best</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> at the premiere of her own movie.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Superior storytelling drives culture and in turn moves markets.”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Legacy Media outlets fear a conservative encroachment on their turf most of all.</span></p>
<p>* * *</p>
<p><em>Christian Toto is an award-winning journalist, movie critic, and editor of <a href="https://www.hollywoodintoto.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HollywoodInToto.com</a>. He previously served as associate editor with Breitbart News’ Big Hollywood. Follow him at <a href="https://www.hollywoodintoto.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HollywoodInToto.com</a>.</em></p>
<p><em>The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.</em></p>


Amazon MGM’s “Melania” World Premiere

The Left-Wing Media Is Losing Its Mind Over ‘Melania’

The Left-Wing Media Is Losing Its Mind Over 'Melania'

Amazon

Film

Leftists

Legacy Media

Michelle Obama

Rotten Tomatoes

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Chris Harrison announced a new traditional dating show after delighting fans for years as the host of &#8220;The Bachelor.&#8221; </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">On Wednesday, Harrison posted on Instagram that casting is open for a new, as-yet-unnamed series, which advertises “dating for traditional marriage.”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Chris Harrison is back,” the announcement says, adding that “a prominent streaming service is casting single men and women (21+) who want a traditional, marriage-minded partnership built on commitment and shared values.” </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The post adds that casting agents are “looking for singles who believe in clear roles, long-term commitment, and building a life together – and who are dating with real intention.” </span></p>
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<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The comments section was flooded with both excitement and some hate from leftists.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Best in the business!” one popular reply said.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“We’ve missed you,” another person wrote.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Is this real!!? If so I am sooo ready!!” echoed a third.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I’m sorry this is giving MAGA,” one detractor pointed out. One of the people responding to her comment said, “That’s what I love about it! So refreshing to see core values returning!”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Harrison responded to The Daily Wire’s request for comment, saying of the project, “I will be coming back to TV to do what means the most to me: helping people find love. I want to do a show that is actually about finding that true love. I think that’s been lost, and I think we all want it back. Will there be drama along the way? Absolutely, but in the end it will always be about love.”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“The response to our casting announcement has been incredible,” the longtime reality show host continued. “People are talking, discussing, debating love and relationships; that’s what great reality TV is about. As for what the show is all about… I’ll turn to one of my favorite lines here: you’ll find out, after the break.”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Harrison parted ways with “The Bachelor” after 19 years of hosting the series following controversy stemming from his defense of a contestant accused of racism. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The longtime host was attacked for defending Season 25 contestant Rachael Kirkconnell after she received backlash for attending an Antebellum-themed party before being cast for the show.  </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“The picture was from 2018 at an Old South Antebellum party. That’s not a good look,” former contestant Rachel Lindsay told Harrison during an interview with “Extra” in February 2021.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Is it [not] a good look in 2018, or is it not a good look in 2021?” Harrison replied.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">He said that the audience should “have a little grace, a little understanding, a little compassion” for Kirkconnell attending a party in 2018 when social etiquette was very different. These comments led to extreme backlash and eventually to Harrison resigning as the show’s host and issuing a formal apology.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In 2023, Harrison said leaving the show ultimately had a positive impact on his life.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I still look at this as a blessing in my life. It was hard at first, obviously, it wasn’t immediate where I felt great about everything because what I went through was tumultuous. I don’t wish it on anybody,” Harrison said during a </span><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/chris-harrison-said-hes-grateful-to-have-left-the-bachelor-had-to-remove-myself-from-toxic-situation"><span style="font-weight: 400;">podcast interview</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> in 2023.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“But, with that said, I knew I had to remove myself from what became a very toxic situation, and I did, and that was a very difficult situation,” he added. “I’m proud of that decision. I’m proud that I handled it the way I did and I still look at it as a blessing because it changed my life on so many levels.”</span></p>


Chris Harrison

Former ‘Bachelor’ Host Returns To TV For ‘Traditional Marriage’ Dating Show

'Bachelor' Host Chris Harrison Will Return To TV For 'Traditional Marriage' Dating Show

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The Bachelor

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