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Drew Barrymore is the master of delivering raw, intimate and thought-provoking interviews in a refreshingly sincere way. But across the board, folks are feeling like her discussion with actress and model Brooke Shields hits a little different.

Both former child stars got their own personal glimpse into the darkness of Hollywood at an early age—Barrymore being introduced to drugs at only 9 years old, and Shields’ entire career being ignited by a role in which she was an object of sexual desire when she was 12.

Now, at age 48 and 57 and in their full autonomy, the two women reflected on those experiences on “The Drew Barrymore Show,” in what people are hailing as an “intense,” yet ultimately “powerful” and “healing conversation.”

One particular gem occurred when Barrymore asked Shields how being sexually exploited during childhood affected her feeling toward the #MeToo movement.

“This is gonna seem like a very weird turn,” Barrymore said in her signature move of sitting close to Shields on the couch. “But how did you feel about the Me Too movement, in the sense of, I didn’t feel like I had a dog in that race.”

She continued: “I didn’t feel like I could speak to it, because I experienced things that were so inappropriate at such a young age…We were children. How did that movement affect you? Did you feel like you could speak to it?”

u201cRemarkable how Drew is facilitating so many open conversations that only ever happen behind closed doors, if at all https://t.co/ObSl1kVlgPu201d

— Caroline Darya Framke (@Caroline Darya Framke)
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Similarly, Shields felt like she didn’t know where she “fell on the spectrum of it,” adding that “being made to feel culpable” made it additionally hard to interpret her experience.

“You know, you victim-shame yourself,” she shared.

Shields also added that this behavior towards children was so commonplace in the industry that it even felt “appropriate,” causing her to deny much of what she was going through at the time.

This, of course, is not a feeling exclusive to only celebrities. As someone wrote in response to the clip, “When things happen to us as children it’s easy to bury it, brush it off, put it in the back of your head. Sometimes questioning if it happened because as adults it’s hard to remember and often too painful.”

Thank you. When things happen to us as children it’s easy to burry it, brush it off, put it in the back of your head. Sometimes questioning if it happened because as adults it’s hard to remember and often too painful. There is also shame. You are both strong and inspiring women.

— Damon Gonzalez (@TheyCallMeDaymz) April 11, 2023

For both women, it wouldn’t become clear that something wrong had happened to them until they became mothers themselves, a kind of hindsight that many parents can probably relate to.

This prompted Barrymore to ask, “What do we say to young girls who are out there on Instagram, on social media, doing the same things we did?”

Shields’s answer is both astute and wise.

“They’re not gonna listen,” she says. “But, you know, they’re gonna have to process it on their own. Because they think they’re in control…So you’re gonna have to try to balance it. But, you just keep talking. Keep talking to them.”

It’s worth noting, as many viewers pointed out, that having those difficult conversations is much more achievable when in a safe and sensitive environment. This is why people are praising Barrymore for creating this sort of intimacy that other talk shows sometimes fall short of.

“Remarkable how Drew is facilitating so many open conversations that only ever happen behind closed doors, if at all,” one person wrote.

Kudos to these two women for having the courage to speak openly. Indeed, it’s not always easy, but transparency often helps others not feel alone, and it helps to keep history from repeating itself.

“Pretty Baby: Brooke Shields,” a documentary which documents the actress’s journey from a sexualized young girl to a woman who embraces her identity and voice, is now available to watch on Hulu.

Proposal videos are usually incredibly heartwarming, but this one is its own flavor of sweetness, as it offers a refreshingly uplifting glimpse of what a healthy relationship between divorcés can look like.

Leah Bourdo, a single mom in Michigan, recently went viral on TikTok after filming her ex-husband, Steve, proposing to his girlfriend (spoiler: now fiancée), Shonda.

The video shows Steve getting down on one knee for Shonda, who is visibly thrilled, as Leah and Steve’s two daughters welcome their new stepmom with a card and flowers.

Leah’s on-screen text reads:

“This weekend I got to be there when my ex-husband proposed to his girlfriend. She is the kind of woman I have prayed would come into his life. She is incredible with our daughters, and they love her so much. Not only is she good to our girls, she respects the co-parenting relationship we have for our children. On top of that, she has become my friend, my family even. I love her with all my heart. And to my ex: Thank you for letting me be a part of this moment and sharing her with me.”

“Welcome to the home team, Shonda,” her video concluded. “We love you.”

@blinkerthanks I got to video my ex husband propose to his girlfriend…so special❤️ #coparenting #coparentinggoals #coparentingchamps #exhusbandsnewwife #bonusmom @the_shonda.rae @stevebourdo ♬ A thousand years – Zeus

Viewers were taken aback by how these two divorcés were able to create their own happy, healthy blended family.

“Proof it doesn’t have to be all drama and spiteful, the kids are happy and that’s more important than anything and anyone,” one person wrote.

“This has made me sob my heart out,” wrote another. “How unselfish of you. You have taught me a HUGE lesson.”

Of course, getting to this stage of their post-divorce relationship took some work. Steve and Leah shared with Today.com that their marriage was a “living hell,” with issues of verbal abuse, addiction and simply marrying quite young being major contributing factors.

Initially, their separation was equally difficult. During the first four years of their divorce, they blocked each other’s phone numbers and only communicated through email or in-laws. Ultimately, “the only way we could make it work is to prioritize our children and put aside our feelings for one another,” Leah recalled. “We were able to forgive each other.”

“Any time you hate somebody, you’re only hurting yourself,” added Steve.

Their commitment has certainly paid off. Steve and Leah might no longer be married, but their friendship is thriving. Viewers on TikTok have gushed over Leah’s previous TikToks showing Steve randomly checking in, fixing a flat tire and generally being a positive support system. The love shared in their little blended family is evident.

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@blinkerthanks Replying to @konfusion1 @stevebourdo is my hero🙏🏻🤣🤣. He came with his gf and fixed my flat🙌🏻. Then I got to hang out with my kids and @the_shonda.rae for a while. Lucky girl🥰 #coparentinggoals #coparentsoftheyear #babydaddy ♬ Hero – Mariah Carey

Perhaps Leah and Steve’s dynamic isn’t possible for every ex-couple, but it speaks volumes for what can happen when resentment is replaced by loving and respectful communication. This is what makes a healthy family, and they are living proof of it.

“The Carol Burnett Show” ran from 1967 to 1978 and has been touted as one of the best television series of all time. The cast and guest stars of the show included comedic greats such as Tim Conway, Betty White, Steve Martin, Vicki Lawrence, Dick Van Dyke, Lyle Waggoner, Harvey Korman and others who went on to have long, successful comedy careers.

One firm rule Carol Burnett had on her show was that the actors stay in character. She felt it was especially important not to break character during the “Family” scenes, in which the characters Ed and Eunice Higgins (a married couple) and Mama (Eunice’s mother) would play host to various colorful characters in their home.

“I never wanted to stop and do a retake, because I like our show to be ‘live,’” she wrote in her memoir, as reported by Showbiz Cheat Sheet. “So when the ‘Family’ sketches came along, I was adamant that we never break up in those scenes, because Eunice, Ed, and Mama were, in an odd way, sacred to me. They were real people in real situations, some of which were as sad and pitiful as they were funny, and I didn’t want any of us to break the fourth wall and be out of character.”

It was a noble goal, and one that went right out the window—with Burnett leading the way—in a “Family” sketch during the show’s final season that ended with the entire cast rolling with laughter.

In the scene, Eunice, Mama, Dan (an old friend of Ed’s) and Mickey (Ed’s employee at the hardware store) are playing “Password” and the word they’re trying to get their partners to guess is “ridiculous.” Eunice (played by Carol Burnett) gives Mickey (played by Tim Conway) the clue word “laughable,” and after pondering for a bit, he says “elephant.”

Eunice scolds him for his bizarre answer, then Conway launches into a wild ad-libbed story about a circus elephant that goes on and on and on.

Burnett is the first one to lose it. The cast barely keeps it together through the sketch.

But that was just one take. Between takes, the director gave the actors a note: The elephant story would be different in the next filming—and good luck.

The next elephant story was even wilder than the first, and Burnett and Dick Van Dyke couldn’t stop themselves from laughing. Conway himself breaks a couple of times, and even Vicki Lawrence (playing Mama), who famously never broke character, had to hide her face for a moment.

Then, just when they finally got themselves composed and Burnett was able to deliver her line, “Go on, Mama,” Lawrence delivered the most perfectly timed a-bomb and the whole cast exploded:

So delightful. And for an added bonus, watch Vicki Lawrence tell the story about how that scene came about:

See the full interview at http://emmytvlegends.org/interviews/people/vicki-l…

This article originally appeared on 9.14.22

In the pantheon of refreshing spring beers, it’s tough to beat the appeal of a classic kölsch. This traditional pale-hued, light, subtly malty, crisp beer comes from Cologne, Germany. Although brewed since the 1600s, it wasn’t until the late 1990s that kölsch gained a protected geographic status (like cognac, champagne, and bourbon), meaning it can only be brewed within thirty-one miles of Cologne.

But just because authentic kölsch beers can only be made in the direct vicinity of Cologne, that hasn’t stopped brewers in the U.S. from crafting their own locally-brewed “kölsch-style” beers. Since most of the American versions are brewed to emulate the classic German flavors, you’ll get a refreshing, easy-to-drink, and perfectly crisp light beer for a warm spring day.

To help you get the most out of a kölsch-drenched spring, we decided to help you out. We picked eight great kölsch-style beers and ranked them based on overall flavor and seasonal appropriateness. Keep reading to see where your favorite kölsch-style beer landed.

8) Genesee Ruby Red Kölsch

ABV: 4.5%

Average Price: $14 for a twelve-pack

The Beer:

Available from March through July, the brewers at Genesee weren’t content with simply creating a classic kölsch-style beer. Instead, they opted to craft this traditional golden ale with the addition of subtle ruby red grapefruit. This creates a crisp, refreshing, and lightly tart spring/summer beer.

Tasting Notes:

The nose is loaded with yeasty bread, lightly floral, earthy hops, and a healthy dose of grapefruit. There’s more of the same on the palate with a malty backbone, lightly bitter, floral hops, and a ton of grapefruit. In fact, if you don’t like fruity beers, it’s a bit much.

Bottom Line:

While more balanced than many fruit-based beers, Ruby Red Kölsch is a little heavy on the citrus flavor for some Kölsch-style fans.

7) Altstadt Kölsch

ABV: 4.8%

Average Price: $10 for a six-pack

The Beer:

Fredericksburg, Texas-based brewery Altstadt might be located in the Lone Star State, but it’s as authentically German — well, as an American brewery can be anyway. Its 4.8% ABV Kölsch is a prime example of that authenticity. Using noble hops, German malts, and top-fermenting yeast, it’s simple, clean, crisp, and fresh.

Tasting Notes:

The nose is fairly muted with some floral hops and cracker malts and not much else. But that’s to be expected from a no-frill easy-drinking beer. The palate continues this trend. There are sweet malts, cereal grains, and floral, noble hops. It’s crisp and refreshing.

Bottom Line:

This is the definition of a simple no-frills beer. It’s crushable and crisp, but not all that complex.

6) Huss Scottsdale Blonde

ABV: 4.75%

Average Price: $10 for a six-pack

The Beer:

Scottsdale Blonde is Huss Brewing’s flagship beer. It makes sense. Who wouldn’t want to drink a German-style Kölsch in a desert climate? Known for its crisp thirst-quenching nature, it gets its classic flavor from the liberal use of German-sourced hops.

Tasting Notes:

A classic nose of floral, earthy noble hops, yeasty bread, and light citrus greet your nostrils before your first sip. Drinking it reveals notes of lemongrass, cereal grains, sweet malts, and floral, bright hops. The finish is crisp, dry, and highly refreshing.

Bottom Line:

This is another Kölsch that serves the purpose it was created for. It’s balanced, crisp, and drinks easy.

5) Saint Arnold Fancy Lawnmower

ABV: 4.9%

Average Price: $10 for a six-pack

The Beer:

We love a good crisp beer after an afternoon of mowing the lawn. That’s why we love Saint Arnold Fancy Lawnmower so much. This award-winning beer is brewed with kölsch yeast and Hallertauer hops sourced from Bavaria. It’s known for its balanced flavor profile of citrus, hops, and malts.

Tasting Notes:

Freshly baked bread, citrus zest, floral hops, and light spices make this a very intriguing nose. The palate is exactly the same as the nose and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Yeasty bread, cereal grains, lemon, grass, and floral, lightly spicy, hops make up a memorable palate.

Bottom Line:

This beer was crafted to be a crushable beer to drink while your legs are covered in grass clippings. But it’s also well-balanced and flavorful.

4) Three Weavers Seafarer

ABV: 4.8%

Average Price: $13 for a six-pack

The Beer:

We don’t know what the sea has to do with Kölsch, but we know we enjoy this American version of the German classic. This year-round, 4.8% ABV kölsch-style ale is brewed with German pilsner malts and Hallertauer hops. This creates a crisp, floral, flavorful beer that’s great for the spring.

Tasting Notes:

On the nose, you’ll find scents of yeasty bread, floral hops, honey, and light citrus zest. The palate continues this trend with flavors of wet grass, fruit esters, lemongrass, cereal grains, pilsner malts, honey, and earthy, herbal, snappy hops. The finish is crisp, dry, and leaves you wanting more.

Bottom Line:

While many kölsch-style beers are bare-bones and no-frills, Three Weaver’s version is surprisingly complex. It’s the kind of beer that needs multiple samplings before you find all the flavors.

3) Fort Point KSA

ABV: 4.6%

Average Price: $12 for a six-pack

The Beer:

While some breweries prefer to keep things as traditional as possible, San Francisco’s Fort Point Beer decided to make a kölsch-style beer that bridges the gap between the old world and the new. That’s why they brewed theirs with German malts and American hops.

Tasting Notes:

The nose is a mix of biscuit malts, sweet cereal grains, fruit esters, and earthy, floral hops. On the palate, you’ll find hints of freshly baked bread, cereal grains, dried fruits, citrus zest, and more floral, bright, lightly bitter hops. The finish is crisp, refreshing, and semisweet.

Bottom Line:

This is a kölsch-style beer for West Coast hop fans as it’s brewed with Saphir and Warrior hops along with Vienna and Munich malts.

2) Utepils Skölsch

ABV: 4.9%

Average Price: $10 for a four-pack of 16-ounce cans

The Beer:

This 4.9% ABV version of Utepils’ Copacetic Kölsch gets its base flavor from the use of barley grown in the vicinity of Cologne, Germany. It’s known for its well-balanced, easy-drinking nature with a nice mix of malt sweetness and floral, hoppy bitterness.

Tasting Notes:

A complex nose of yeasty bread, cereal grains, caramel malts, grass, lemon, and floral, lightly piney hops are prevalent on the nose. Sipping it brings forth notes of honeyed sweetness, brown bread, spicy, floral hops, dried fruits, and light citrus zest. The finish is dry, sweet, and refreshing.

Bottom Line:

This is a sessionable, thirst-quencher with substance. It’s a great mix of sweet honey, floral hops, malts, and light spice.

1) Exhibit ‘A’ Goody Two Shoes

ABV: 4.5%

Average Price: $12 for a four-pack of 16-ounce cans

The Beer:

This 4.5% ABV award-winning beer is the Framingham, Massachusetts-based brewery’s love letter to the city of Cologne.

Tasting Notes:

A traditional nose of biscuity malts, honey, lemon zest, cereal grains, and noble hops greet you. The feeling that you’re diving into a classic Kölsch continues the palate. You’ll find freshly baked bread, yeast, floral, spicy hops, citrus peels, honey, and sweet malts. It all ends in a crescendo with a crisp, lightly sweet, barely bitter hoppy finish.

Bottom Line:

If you only drink one Kölsch-style ale on this list, make it Goody Two Shoes. It’s complex, flavorful, and on par with the traditional beers of Cologne.

At CinemaCon 2022, the messiest press tour of all time got kicked off when Olivia Wilde was served child custody documents during her introduction for the trailer for Don’t Worry Darling. According to Variety, the convention isn’t keen on letting that happen again.

“We take our show very seriously. We said we were going to reevaluate and put into place more intensive plans and protocols, and we have. I’m not at liberty and won’t discuss those specific plans,” said Mitch Neuhauser, managing director of CinemaCon.

It was a shocking breach, and Wilde called it out as such when reflecting on the event, having a lot to say about her ex Jason Sudeikis and CinemaCon’s screw up. And if she felt free to speak publicly about it, it’s easy to imagine what she might have said in private. For good reason.

CinemaCon isn’t going into detail about what exactly they’ve done to fix the issue, which makes sense from a security standpoint, but the process server debacle was bizarre to begin with because he’d been credentialed as an industry insider. Presumably, there will be another layer of vetting for those attending to prove that they actually work in the industry instead of getting paid to hand people upsetting documents.

(via Variety)

Anyone who knows even the basic plotline of Succession can’t help but imagine that the show was at least partially inspired by Rupert Murdoch and the very public succession battle his kids—Lachlan, James, Elisabeth, and Prudence—have engaged in. Rupert—the billionaire media mogul whose vast empire of properties includes Fox News, The Wall Street Journal, and The Sun—sees the similarities, too. To the point that he mentioned the hit HBO series by name in his divorce settlement with Jerry Hall, the most recent of his four ex-wives.

As Vanity Fair reports, the show’s mere existence is an annoyance to Rupert, who seems to believe that members of his inner circle could be sharing stories with Succession’s writing staff. As Gabriel Sherman writes for Vanity Fair:

One source said Rupert got word to James that it would mean a lot if James attended his 90th birthday party, but James didn’t go. According to another source, Lachlan told Rupert that James was leaking stories to the writers of Succession, HBO’s acclaimed drama about a Murdoch-like media dynasty. (The person close to Lachlan denies Lachlan told Rupert this.) A person close to James said he and Kathryn believed PR operatives aligned with Rupert and Lachlan were digging up dirt on them. Lachlan, meanwhile, had to flee Los Angeles because the Murdoch legacy was so toxic. According to two sources, Lachlan’s family was ostracized in LA because of Fox News’s climate change denialism. Lachlan moved his family back to Australia in March 2021. Elisabeth had crises of her own. In 2014, she and PR guru Matthew Freud filed for divorce after 13 years of marriage.

But Rupert’s Succession obsession didn’t end there. In the summer of 2022, Hall was at the couple’s estate in Oxfordshire awaiting her husband’s arrival when she received an email from the then 91-year old… that he was divorcing her. “We have certainly had some good times, but I have much to do,” read the email. (Hall said she was blindsided.)

When the actual divorce happened two months later, Vanity Fair reports that “One of the terms of the settlement was that Hall couldn’t give story ideas to the writers on Succession.” As if that doesn’t sound like a Logan Roy move, this one will: Following their divorce, Hall was back at the home in Oxfordshire—which she was given in the divorce—and discovered that her near-every move was being filmed by surveillance cameras, with the footage being sent on to Fox News. So Hall had to get her own ex involved. “Mick Jagger sent his security consultant to disconnect them,” writes Sherman.

(Via Vanity Fair)

After a lot of anticipation, The Super Mario Bros. Movie finally hit theaters, and so far, it has been a massive success. Despite some concerns over Chris Pratt’s voice as Mario, the movie very clearly does what it intended to do. The stand out of the entire film, though, was Jack Black’s Bowser.

Black perfectly encapsulated the silly side of Bowser that is prevalent in a lot of the Mario RPG games while still having a bit of a sinister tone to him that was necessary for when he had to remind everyone he was the Koopa King. This led to a thought: With Jack Black so perfectly encapsulating a video game character in a movie, how has he done in all of his actual video game voice acting roles? I put some thought into it and here is what I consider the definitive Jack Black video game character ranking.

1. Psychonauts 2, Helmut Fullbear

Psychonauts 2 is a wonderful game. It also features Jack Black’s best character of any game, Helmut Fullbear. When the player initially comes across Helmut, he’s nothing but a brain in a jar, but through a ridiculous ’70s-inspired world, the player eventually helps him return to his old self.

Helmut is the best performance of Black’s voice acting career. He hits every emotional note perfectly, but he also manages to leave you laughing until your sides hurt — the player gets to experience a great concert scene involving him that single-handedly makes purchasing the game worth it. If you want to see Black show some incredible range as a voice actor, then Psychonauts 2 is the game to play.

2. Brutal Legend, Eddie Riggs

This is the only game where you will get to play as Black voicing the main character. Brutal Legend is an extremely weird game. It’s set in a world run by Metal (the music genre) and in many ways is an homage to rock and metal icons with actual voice roles given to Lemmy Kilmister, Rob Halford, Ozzy Osbourne, and Lita Ford. The combat frequently flips between a third-person adventure hack and slash to a real-time strategy game, and all of it features Black as Eddie Riggs.

When Black agreed to voice Riggs, it still wasn’t common for celebrities to do voice roles in video games and Black was still better known as the guy from School of Rock and Tenacious D than as a voice actor. As a result, it was a little surprising when Black went on to give a genuinely good performance. He’s funny, charismatic, and fits into the role of a roadie thrust into becoming a hero perfectly. The game itself was well received and the relationship he formed with creator Tim Schafer lasts to this day.

3. Broken Age, Harm’ny Lightbeard

Double Fine games are historically very silly, but every once in a while they’ll hit you with an emotional gut punch the way Broken Age does. It’s a story about growing up, and it will leave many of us wondering if we have made the right decisions when setting up the future for the children in it. Unfortunately, part two left many disappointed with some of its writing decisions.

What didn’t disappoint was the character voiced by Jack Black, Harm’ny Lightbeard. A total delight, laugh-out-loud funny, and also a crook trying to scam you out of your money, what’s not to love about this character? He even dropped the O from his name because “it makes him lighter,” which makes absolutely no sense. This minor character was perfect for Black to play and is one of his funniest, but it’s this low on the list primarily because it’s such a minor character.

4. Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1+2, Officer Dick

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1+2 is one of the best examples of how to do a remake and a total joy to play. The controls are crisp, the music is full of nothing but winners, and every guest character is perfect. This includes a longtime staple of the series, Officer Dick. A recurring character throughout the series, Officer Dick has always been meant to be played for laughs, but Pro Skater 1+2 took it a step further and gave us Jack Black voicing the character.

He’s funny, all his lines are well delivered, and he’s a fantastic addition to the game. Unfortunately, this is not exactly a character but more just Black delivering quippy one liners while you do tricks. He can’t be any higher on this list because that would be putting him above actual characters, but even in a small role, his performance here is great.

5. King Kong: The Official Game of the Movie, Carl Denham

Let’s keep this one brief. King Kong: The Official Game of the Movie is Black voicing a character that he already voiced in a movie. The performance itself is not awful considering this was his first foray into video games, but it is far from his best. His actual performance in the King Kong movie is underrated, in my opinion, but this one isn’t. However, if this is what inspired him to go on and do more video games down the line, then it’s great that he did it.

Meghan Smith is the owner of Melody Note Vintage store in the eternally hip town of Palm Springs, California, and her old-school Gen X advice has really connected with younger people on TikTok.

In a video posted in December 2022, she shares the advice she wishes that “somebody told me in my twenties” and it has received more than 13 million views. Smith says that she gave the same advice to her partner’s two daughters when they reached their twenties.

The video is hashtagged #GenX advice for #GenZ and late #millennials. Sorry older millennials, you’re too old to receive these pearls of wisdom.

Here is some of the timeless advice that Smith shares in the video.

Perfection is bullshit.

You will never be more good-looking than you are today.

Put your phone down and enjoy your life.

Don’t change for anybody.

Don’t worry about making mistakes.

Laugh at yourself.

If somebody shows you their true colors, believe them.

Travel.

You end up dating the people you think you deserve. Usually, you deserve better.

Don’t forget to always wear your sunscreen.

@melodynotevintage

This might only help one person and thats ok. Advice I wish somebody told me in my twenties. #genx advice for #genz and late #millennials #adviceforyour20s #lifeadvice #fyp dont be an asshat in the comments if you are older, its not helpful.

She followed up the video with a sequel with even more sage advice.

Know who’s on your side and who you can ask for help.

Don’t smoke.

Don’t spend longer than one year with the wrong person.

Find your own style.

Don’t stress over the small stuff.

Good manners don’t go out of style.

Do the work that it takes to be really good at something.

Your happiness is more important than other people’s disappointment.

@melodynotevintage

This might only help one person and thats ok. Advice I wish somebody told me in my twenties part 2 #genx advice for #genz and late #millennials #adviceforyour20s #lifeadvice #fyp

This article originally appeared on 1.18.23

The world was given a rare but beautiful gift this week when the teaser trailer for the John Wick spinoff series The Continental dropped and gave us a first look at all of the gratuitous violence and the unexplainable horrors of New York City in the 1970s. Although it’s being called a “three-episode event” instead of limited series, you understand the gist of what they’re going for.

The Continental will bring guests back to a time when assassins roamed free throughout the city, way before John Wick was given his first puppy. The series will focus on a young Winston Scott (portrayed by Ian McShane in the films) who makes his way to New York to hide out at the assassin-friendly hotel while learning about the inner workings of its hierarchy. Similar to Hotel For Dogs, but with people instead of pups. For the most part.

Colin Woodell will lead the series, joined by Peter Greene, Ben Robson, Ayomide Adegun, and Mel Gibson (yeah, really). But the most jaw-dropping moment of the show’s teaser trailer doesn’t even include a jaw at all, and that’s the debut of Katie McGrath as The Adjudicator.

First introduced in John Wick Chapter 3, The Adjudicator is a High Table agent who tries to maintain the balance in the tight-night assassin community. As the main antagonist in Chapter 3, The Adjudicator (who is non-binary) was keen on taking down John Wick, who, to be fair, didn’t play by the rules. In the film, this character was portrayed by Asia Kate Dillion, though Dillion did not reprise their role in Chapter 4, as The Adjudicator was missing from that film, though there was no clarification of whether they were dead or alive.

Seeing as The Continental will be a prequel, it seems like we will learn the origins of this High Table agent who seems to have a ton of power and surely loves to use it. While McGrath only appeared in the trailer for a split second, it’s clear that she is getting comfortable as a cold-blooded killer by wearing a chic Hannibal Lecter-inspired look. Hopefully, they don’t eat people.

The Continental will debut on Peacock this September.

Fresh off the release of her debut solo album, In Pieces, buzzing pop-R&B vocalist Chlöe popped by Uproxx Studios to deliver a virtuoso performance of her album’s Usher-sampling second single “How Does It Feel.”

While the single’s controversial guest star, Chris Brown, doesn’t make a physical appearance, Chlöe opts to leave Brown’s vocals intact, keeping a melodic counterpoint to her own dazzling display of dynamic range.

Chlöe confronted the criticism about her collaboration with Chris Brown head-on recently, telling Big Tigger of her hometown radio station V-103 Atlanta, “I always just wanna let the music speak for itself, and to be honest, no matter what I do, people always find things to say about it, so I’m used to it. I just choose to ignore it. People have every right to their opinions, freedom of speech, and it’s up to me to choose what I give my attention and energy to.”

In a separate interview on another Atlanta radio station, Chlöe likewise brushed off some of the main criticisms of her new album, saying, “The same people who say that weren’t fans of Halle and [me] when we had our Ungodly Hour album out… So, it’s a bunch of people who are just putting in their two cents now just to really say things.”

And just to hammer the point home, during the opening of her tour for the album, she displayed some of the most common critiques, while telling haters, “They can kiss my Black ass.”

That’s how she feels, since everybody else gets a say.

Check out Chlöe’s UPROXX Sessions performance of “How Does It Feel” above.

UPROXX Sessions is Uproxx’s performance show featuring the hottest up-and-coming acts you should keep an eye on. Featuring creative direction from LA promotion collective, Ham On Everything, and taking place on our “bathroom” set designed and painted by Julian Gross, UPROXX Sessions is a showcase of some of our favorite performers, who just might soon be yours, too.