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The Brooklyn Nets overhauled their roster just before the 2023 NBA Trade Deadline, sending a pair of superstars away and stocking the cupboard for the future. Brooklyn does retain a deep and talented roster, however, and newly-acquired wing Mikal Bridges looks the part of a potential breakout in his new home. Before the Nets resumed their schedule following the All-Star break, the organization released an all-access video, chronicling the arrival of Bridges, and he was asked about his “favorite athlete growing up.”

Bridges’ response was both amusing and awkward in that he revealed his choice was Kevin Durant, who he was traded for just days prior.

It is not shocking that Durant would be Bridges’ favorite player, as he is one of the best players in the history of the league and old enough to be established as a superstar during Bridges’ youth. Still, this is an intriguing turn of events, and it is endearing to see Bridges breaking down in laughter when realizing the irony.

Bridges scored 45 points in the final game before the break, alerting Nets fans of what’s to come. He probably won’t be the next Durant, but Bridges is arguably Brooklyn’s centerpiece at this juncture, and he is easy to root for.

Yaeji has offered fans another preview of her upcoming album, With A Hammer, by dropping her new song and video for “Done (Let’s Get It).”

The themes of the song find Yaeji “taking on the mission of smashing these inter-generational cycles as a path toward healing herself and the world,” according to a press release.

Filmed in Seoul, South Korea, it finds Yaeji and her grandfather dressed in adorable bunny dog costumes. Together, the two perform tasks including organizing books and counting vegetables. Through it all, still, they find time to unwind with dinner and playing with a dog.

She also directed and edited the music video, which comes complete with heart overlays and other doodles to add to the sweet energy.

Last month, Yaeji officially announced With A Hammer, by dropping the lead single, “For Granted.” Fans will have the opportunity to hear it quite soon too, as shortly before the album’s April release, she will embark on a tour that kicks off in Vancouver and ends in may at NYC’s Brooklyn Steel. Along the way, Yaeji is also making a stop at Coachella.

Check out the music video for “Done (Let’s Get It)” above.

With A Hammer is out 4/7 via XL Recordings. Pre-order it here.

Creed III marks the ninth movie set in the Rocky universe (only four short of what Weird Al promised us) and the first to not feature the character of Rocky Balboa. The first Creed took its plot cues from the first Rocky movie. The second Creed movie inexplicably, and kind of awesomely, decided Rocky IV needed a direct sequel. And now, directed by Michael B. Jordan, here comes Creed III which takes some elements of both Rocky III and Rocky V.

When we catch up with Adonis Creed (Jordan) in Creed III, he has fought his last fight (spoiler: he has not fought his last fight) and has retired as the undisputed heavyweight champion. Adonis is now happily retired, living with his wife Bianca (Tessa Thompson) and daughter, Amara (Mila Davis-Kent). Adonis now spends his time training the current new champion, Felix Chavez (Jose Benavidez), while also working as a promoter, spinning an upcoming bout between Chavez and Viktor Drago (Florian Munteanu, back from Creed II) as a fight to end all fights, that will certainly make everyone involved a lot of money.

It’s then that a face from Adonis’s past shows up, Damian Anderson, played by Jonathan Majors, who seems hell-bent on taking over every major franchise right now. Dame, as he’s called, took the fall for a fight Adonis started when they were kids and has now returned after spending the last couple of decades in prison. Dame asks Adonis for a title shot against Felix Chavez, which Adonis finds ridiculous since Dame has never even fought professionally, let alone, out of nowhere, gets a title shot. Well, due to an unfortunate injury to Drago, Adonis’s big fight he’s promoting is in jeopardy and now needs another boxer on short notice to fill in for Drago. Anyway, yes, Dame gets his title shot. But in the spirit of Rocky III where Rocky fights Mr. T’s Clubber Lang twice, there are two big fights that happen in Creed III as Adonis himself feels the only way to right some wrongs is to come out of retirement and – it will probably come as a shock to no one, especially if you’ve seen the trailer – fight Dame himself.

It’s funny, even in terms of directing, how these movies mirror the Rocky movies. Okay, yes, Stallone directed the little-seen Paradise Alley first and didn’t let the bad reviews sway him from directing Rocky II, Rocky III, and Rocky IV. Now Michael B. Jordan makes his directorial debut with Creed III and he and cinematographer Kramer Morgenthau have shot a really great-looking movie.

Being Jordan’s first time directing, it’s probably for the best Stallone sits this one out. Read almost literally every single wiki page for every movie Stallone stars in but didn’t direct and there’s a section about how “Stallone and the director didn’t see eye to eye and Stallone wound up basically directing the movie himself.” So I can see why Jordan maybe didn’t want to deal with that. But on the flip side, there’s a scene in this movie where Adonis is at his lowest moment, has no one to turn to, and a nice pep talk from Adonis’s old pal Rocky would have been a nice moment. The scene was kind of begging for it. But I doubt Stallone would agree to just a cameo. So here we are with no Rocky Balboa.

There’s nothing that surprising that happens in Creed III, but at this point in the ninth chapter of a franchise about boxers, I’m not sure what surprise could really happen at this point. Like I said, it mirrors Rocky III with a challenger showing up who doesn’t have the access to the training and equipment that his future foes do and is just pure grit, catching everyone by surprise. And using the Rocky V angle of a retired boxer who still wants to be a part of the action and takes on a boxer that might not be all that he claims to be.

But Creed III does serve as a nice springboard to whatever future movies Jordan wants to direct. He’s done a really great job here. And it, of course, allows Jonathan Majors another chance to emote. Right now, Majors has to be the king of emoting. He is truly great at it. What’s interesting about this movie is a viewer can see both sides of the conflict between Adonis and Dame, at least to a point. As kids, Dame took the fall for something Adonis started, but also Dame escalated the situation by bringing a gun. And Adonis has to emotionally wrestle with the feelings of guilt and how much is owed in a situation like this. Will it ever be enough?

Speaking of enough, I’m curious after this if we will see more Creed. I actually hope so. These are continually fun movies and I can’t get enough. Jordan is only 36, but is playing slightly older so the math lines up that he’s Apollo Creed’s son. But then again, Stallone was 60 when Rocky Balboa came out. If we follow that model, we still have 24 years of Creed movies to look forward to. We may still get to the 13 that Weird Al promised us.

You can contact Mike Ryan directly on Twitter.

At 6’9 with a 7’4 wingspan and fluid straight-line movement skills, Toronto Raptors big man Chris Boucher is unaccustomed to bewildering dunks. His latest one, however, against the New Orleans Pelicans on Thursday night, is among the most impressive of his NBA career.

Late in the third quarter, with Toronto leading 90-77, Boucher initiated a fast break as many Raptors teammates flanked him. For the Pelicans, only Jose Alvarado was back on defense. Boucher bounded down the floor, saw open real estate and nobody to protect the rim, so he elevated for quite the dunk, taking off just a step inside the free-throw line.

“Boucherrrrr, oh, he took off in Montreal!” exclaimed Raptors play-by-play announcer Matt Devlin. “He landed in Toronto!”

That’s a very witty and enjoyable call from Devlin. The trope of deep three-pointers being from [insert nearby city or town] can be overplayed, so it’s refreshing to hear in the context of a dunk. We need more of those moving forward.

That was a rather scintillating sequence from the 30-year-old Canadian, who capped off the series by blocking Naji Marshall’s pull-up three as the third quarter expired as well. A possession earlier, he’d thrown down another dunk too.. Through 53 games, the former Oregon Duck is averaging 9.8 points and 5.8 rebounds on 58.7 percent true shooting. Kudos to him for the highlight and Devlin for capturing it aptly.

Ashley Morgan Smithline, who previously accused rock artist Marilyn Manson of psychological, sexual, and physical abuse, has reportedly recanted her these allegations, according to People. Smithline, whose lawsuit against Manson was dismissed a month ago, filed a declaration in Los Angeles Superior Court today (February 23) claiming that she was pressured by actress Evan Rachel Wood to make these allegations.

“I succumbed to pressure from Evan Rachel Wood and her associates to make accusations of rape and assault against [Manson] that were not true,” she reportedly wrote in the declaration.

A rep for Wood has since issued a statement denying these claims, saying, “Evan never pressured or manipulated Ashley. It was Ashley who first contacted Evan about the abuse she had suffered. It’s unfortunate that the harassment and threats Ashley received after filing her federal lawsuit appear to have pressured her to change her testimony.”

In her new declaration, Smithline claims to have had a “brief, consensual sexual relationship” circa 2010, and was contacted a decade later by either Ashley Walters, a former assistant of Manson’s who sued him for sexual assault and battery in 2021, and Wood’s girlfriend Illma Gore to participate in a group of woman with shared experiences with Manson.

“I remember [Wood] asked me whether I had been, among other things, whipped, chained, tied up, branded/cut, assaulted while sleeping, beaten, or raped. She said all of these things happened to Ms. Wood and others, and that when Ms. Wood was with [Manson] every moment was a moment of survival,” read Smithline’s new declaration. “When I said, no this did not happen to me and this was not my experience, I recall being told by Ms. Wood that just because I could not remember did not necessarily mean that it did not happen.”

Succession creator Jesse Armstrong has officially confirmed that the show’s upcoming fourth season will be the last, according to a new interview with The New Yorker. After days of rumors and some slight tension between castmates Jeremy Strong and Brian Cox (who play the equally tense father-son duo as Kendall and Logan Roy), fans were holding out hope for a fifth and final season.

“There are a few different aspects. One, we could have said it as soon as I sort of decided, almost when we were writing it, which I think would be weird and perverse,” Armstrong said. “We could have said it at the end of the season. I quite like that idea, creatively, because then the audience is just able to enjoy everything as it comes, without trying to figure things out, or perceiving things in a certain way once they know it’s the final season.”

“But, also, the countervailing thought is that we don’t hide the ball very much on the show,” he added. “I feel a responsibility to the viewership, and I personally wouldn’t like the feeling of, ‘Oh, that’s it, guys. That was the end.’ I wouldn’t like that in a show. I think I would like to know it is coming to an end.”

Armstrong went on to describe season four as “pretty definitively” being the end and noted that it might be “awkward” doing cast interviews. Succession is set to return on March 26, presumably leaving off at the cliffhanger where character Tom Wambsgans (Matthew Macfadyen) teamed up with Logan — betraying the Roy siblings and his wife, Shiv (Sarah Snook), in the process.

Who will wind up in control at Waystar at the end is now the question.

Ahead of his upcoming album, The Weakness, Ruston Kelly has shared a new song. On his latest, “Mending Song,” Kelly shares haunting accounts of his childhood, his dissolved marriage to Kacey Musgraves, and his musical journey.

“I tried to fight it like a needle in my skin / The hole inside me kept on growing / Everything went black / Was then I heard the words of my father / Have faith, there’s no storm that doesn’t pass,” Kelly sings softly on over a breezy ukelele, smoothly juxtaposed with the details of a harrowing journey.

Upon the release of “Mending Song,” Kelly revealed that while much of The Weakness was recorded in his Portland, Tennessee home, he wrote the confessional track while on a solo trip to Joshua Tree in California.

“I rented this little cabin out on 22 acres, just me and the coyotes, and ended up checking out a shop nearby and buying a baritone ukulele,” said Kelly in a statement. “I remember thinking, ‘This is so stupid — I’m trying to be that guy, going out to some cabin and writing my opus. Why don’t I just have some fun?’”

You can listen to “Mending Song” above.

The Weakness is out 4/7 via Rounder Records. You can pre-save it here.

Just a few days after Jimin announced that his debut solo album, Face, will drop next month, he also revealed the tracklist and production credits. And BTS fans will be pleased to hear that RM is listed as assisting on three of the songs: “Face-Off,” “Like Crazy,” and the “Like Crazy (English Version),” according to a tweet from the label.

They also note that the album will feature production from “Pdogg, GHSTLOOP, EVAN, Supreme Boi, BLVSH, and Chris James.”

The top part of the tracklist poster appears to give more insight into Jimin’s intentions on the songs.

“Circle of Resonance,” it says. “Reflection of vulnerable minds and unexposed wounds. Face, the reflection of myself in an unfamiliar appearance / Face of facing the deepest part of inner-self.”

However, fans seem to be most intrigued by the inclusion of “Set Me Free Pt. 2,” which appears to be a possible connection to another BTS member’s song. As a fan pointed out, Suga (under his side project Agust D) dropped a track called “Interlude: Set Me Free” on 2020’s D-2.

Continue scrolling for the complete tracklist.

1. “Face-Off”
2. “Interlude: Dive”
3. “Like Crazy”
4. “Alone”
5. “Set Me Free Pt. 2”
6. “Like Crazy (English Version)”

Face is out 3/24 via BigHit. View more information about it here.

JoJo is ready to take her talents to the Broadway stage. The singer is expected to debut as Moulin Rogue‘s Satine this spring. The “American Mood” singer shared the announcement on Instagram. “I can’t believe I’m finally able to say this… I’m making my Broadway debut in MOULIN ROUGE!!!” she wrote on Thursday (February 23).

She continued, “When I first saw this musical, I fell instantly head over heels in love. I watched from the edge of my seat, hanging onto every word of every song. This show is a full-on feast for the senses, and the opportunity to play Satine feels like the culmination of so many dreams. I cannot believe I get to join this phenomenal cast and company!!!! You guys blow me away!!!”

The singer also gave a shout-out to Ashley Loren, the production’s current Satine, and the producers and directorial staff.

“Special love & respect to @ashleyloren who currently SLAYS as Satine: theee most incredible badass singer-actress artist I’m lucky to call [a] friend and experience her sisterhood and generosity of spirit,” she wrote. “Thank you to the amazing producers and directorial staff for believing in me like you do. Performing on Broadway and living in NYC?! This is all a dream come true. I know this show means so much to so many, and I promise to put all I have into every single night as Satine.”

Billboard reports JoJo the limited engagement will last 14 weeks at Broadway’s Al Hirschfeld Theatre from Tuesday, April 11, through mid-July.

JoJo is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Hollywood isn’t a place where people typically talk about their faith. In a world run by free-thinking creatives and people with secular, progressive values, those who hew to more traditional, conservative Christian beliefs tend to be less visible.

But Mark Wahlberg has no problem being vocal about his Catholic faith, which must be refreshing to the approximately 61 million Catholics in America.

Wahlberg spoke about the balance he has to strike between his private and professional life on the Today show on February 22, also known as Ash Wednesday to Christians. The “Boogie Nights” actor wore an ash cross on his forehead to commemorate the holy day.

“It’s a balance,” the 51-year-old actor said. “I don’t want to jam it down anybody’s throat, but I do not deny my faith. That’s an even bigger sin. You know, it’s not popular in my industry, but I cannot deny my faith. It’s important for me to share that with people. But, I have friends from all walks of life and all different types of faiths and religions, so it’s important to respect and honor them as well.”

u201cMark Wahlberg is joining us to talk about the Catholic prayer app u2018Hallow,u2019 discusses fasting, opens up about why itu2019s important for him to not deny his faith, shares why he doesnu2019t force Catholicism onto his children, and more.u201d

— TODAY (@TODAY)
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He also believes in leading through his example instead of pressuring his four children to follow his faith.

“I don’t force it on them,” he said. “But they know that Dad can’t start the day without being in prayer, can’t start the day without reading my Scripture or going to Mass. And hopefully, instead of forcing that on them, they’ll say, ‘Well, if it works for Dad, maybe it’ll work for us,’ and they’ll kind of gravitate towards it on their own.”

Wahlberg can keep his faith strong while dealing with the pressures of Hollywood thanks to his relationship with Father Flavin, a parish priest who helped him make drastic changes in his life. As a young man, Wahlberg was a high school dropout who had multiple run-ins with the law. But Flavin has helped him turn his life around.

“He’s been in my life since I was 13,” Wahlberg said of Flavin. “He married me and my wife and baptized all my children.” It’s also believed that Flavin helps Whalberg choose his movie roles that “honor his religious roots.”

The “Father Stu” star says that his faith has helped him develop the discipline to be a successful actor.

“Discipline has always been important for me in life,” he told Today. “Once I started getting into movies and transitioned from music, I realized I needed a lot of discipline in my life, and that discipline has afforded me so many other things. I’ve been rewarded for it so much, and I want to share that with people, whether that’s with fasting, working out more, detaching from other things and just spending more time with God, in prayer or in thoughtful reflection. Those things are important.”

Wahlberg’s ability to live a life in alignment with his faith is noble in an industry that can easily challenge one’s moral compass. It’s also noteworthy that has chosen to live by example instead of being preachy and is accepting of those who may believe differently.