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The most recent episode of HBO’s The Last of Us introduced fans to the show’s newest villain — Melanie Lynskey. We kid, we kid. Melanie Lynskey is an icon and a hilarious sh*t poster on Twitter, but the character she plays in Neil Druckmann and Craig Mazin’s big-budget videogame adaptation is villainous … terrifyingly so.

In episode four’s “Please Hold My Hand,” Lynskey’s Kathleen took control of the narrative after Joel and Ellie made a poorly-timed detour in Kansas City. Though the character doesn’t exist in the game, Kathleen and her group seem to be modeled after the Hunters, a vicious, take-no-prisoners band of scavengers controlling Pittsburgh post-outbreak. The location has changed but Kathleen and company are still out for blood on the show, having overthrown FEDRA in their local QZ and currently hunting traitors who may have helped the government when they were still in power.

But there’s one name in particular that keeps popping up during the episode, a man that Kathleen is willing to do almost anything to find. Who is Henry and why is he so important to the group’s de-facto leader? We still don’t know, but the episode does hint that Henry, like the doctor Kathleen holds at gunpoint when we first meet her, is a QZ resident who aided FEDRA, ratting on his neighbors in exchange for certain perks. In fact, Kathleen seems to think it was Henry who gave FEDRA the ammo they needed to find her brother, imprison him, and beat him to death in his cell.

Lynskey told EW that it’s his death that’s fueling her current quest for vengeance.

“Imagine growing up as the sibling of Jesus and being like, ‘My brother’s the greatest human being. He’s leading the world. He’s the kindest, most decent person. I don’t think I’m that great of a person. I don’t really need to be anything in particular because I have this person by my side,’” she said. “And then somebody brutally kills him and it’s so unfair. Who are you after that?”

A war criminal? That’s how the role was pitched to the actress by the showrunners and she said fans should expect her to do even more terrible things before Henry is found.

“[Mazin] said to me, ‘I hope you’re not offended, but I would love for you to play a war criminal,’” Lynskey said of her initial call with the creator before diving into her character’s villainous transformation in episode four. “She found out that she was quite heartless and so she was able to be pretty effective in a way that maybe wasn’t because she didn’t care about people. That’s a very interesting dynamic.”

(Via EW)

Austin Butler didn’t see his family “for about three years” to prepare for his role as Elvis Presley in director Baz Luhrmann’s chaotically entertaining Elvis. “I had months where I wouldn’t talk to anybody. And when I did, the only thing I was ever thinking about was Elvis. I was speaking in his voice the whole time,” he added. Butler still hasn’t gotten rid of the accent, eight months after the movie came out. Sure, he got nominated for an Oscar — but at what cost? To sound like Uncle Jesse for the rest of his life?

Meanwhile, Matthew McConaughey probably showed up to the studio shirtless to record his dialogue for Agent Elvis, a Netflix animated series in which Presley, voiced by the Magic Mike actor, “trades in his jumpsuit for a jetpack to battle the dark forces that threaten the country – all while holding down his day job as the King of Rock and Roll,” according to the official plot synopsis. The show was created by John Eddie and Priscilla Presley, Elvis’ ex-wife (their daughter, Lisa Marie Presley, sadly passed away last month).

In the trailer for Agent Elvis, Elvis lands on the moon, beats up bad guys, and yells at a monkey. It’s not as wacky as Tom Hank’s Colonel Tom Parker voice, but it’s close.

Agent Elvis premieres on Netflix in March.

Melanie Lynskey made her The Last of Us debut in Episode 4, “Please Hold My Hand,” where she took on the role of Kathleen, the seemingly cold-blooded leader of a group of human survivors in Kansas City. As for the significance of Kathleen, not even fans of the hit video game know where her story is headed because the character was created entirely for the HBO series.

According to an interview with showrunners Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann, the idea of Kathleen came from a need to give the “Hunters” in the game a more nuanced approach than simply cannon fodder for Joel and Ellie. Via ScreenRant:

You have to kill a lot of people in that video game, but for us, violence was quite serious, and we didn’t want to numb people to it. And so when enemies come, it was important for us to ask the question, “Well, why are they enemies? What do they want?” They’re not just evil people. From their point of view, this all makes sense, and it’s justifiable, and that was an interesting thing to explore.

“Everybody’s trying to survive, everybody’s trying to live life to the fullest way they can,” Druckmann said. “But often, the goals are competing with each other, and that’s where the interesting things happen and the different philosophies of how to survive or do the ends justify the means.”

While Kathleen may be an all-new addition to the series, the concept of the Hunters is not. In the game, Joel and Ellie are ambushed by the human survivors in Pittsburgh while the HBO series has switched things up by moving the action to Kansas City where the Hunters have overthrown the Federal Disaster Response Agency (FEDRA) and taken over the quarantine zone. However, the presence of Kathleen adds an interesting wrinkle to the story, so it’ll be interesting to see what transpires as whatever the heck is going on in that basement reaches a boiling point.

(Via ScreenRant)

We’re approaching the one-year anniversary of “The Slap.” Last March, Will Smith waltzed on stage during the 2022 Oscars and slapped Chris Rock after Rock made a distasteful joke about Jada Pinkett Smith. And though Rock declined to file charges, Smith is banned from attending the Oscars for the next decade.

Smith is not banned from attending the Grammys, though, and people noticed his absence on Sunday night, February 5. The 2023 Grammys featured a medley performance celebrating hip-hop’s 50th anniversary. The segment was directed and produced by Questlove, introduced by LL Cool J, and narrated by Black Thought.

DJ Jazzy Jeff was one of many legendary artists to perform, but where was Smith, aka/fka The Fresh Prince?

Questlove told Entertainment Tonight that Smith was “99.4 percent” committed to performing, “but they started shooting Bad Boys 4 this week, so he couldn’t make rehearsals.” Questlove added, “He wanted to do it.”

For those keeping score at home, Questlove apparently doesn’t hold grudges. Smith’s slap occurred as Rock was presenting the Oscar for Best Documentary. The award went to Questlove for Summer Of Soul, and Smith later apologized to Questlove for overshadowing his first Academy Award.

Smith posted a video last July apologizing not only to Questlove but to Rock, Rock’s mother, Rock’s entire family, his own family, and more.

“It really breaks my heart to have stolen and tarnished your moment,” Smith said to his “fellow nominees” in the video. “I can still see Questlove’s eyes. It happened on Questlove’s award, and you know, it’s like, ‘I’m sorry’ really isn’t sufficient.”

Watch the 50-year hip-hop anniversary tribute below.

Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul have played Walter White and Jesse Pinkman in Breaking Bad, El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie, Better Call Saul, and now, a Super Bowl commercial. No, Big Meth didn’t spend $7 million to promote the good side effects of the deadly drug. Instead, the Vince Gilligan-directed ad is for PopCorners, which comes in six signature flavors. “Seven! You make seven!” Tuco (Raymond Cruz) yells at Walt and Jesse in the commercial. “We’re gonna eat a lot of snacks together.”

You can watch it above, and again during the Super Bowl on February 12th.

“It was also very secretive, Cranston told Entertainment Weekly about filming the commercial. “NDAs were signed. We did our wardrobe calls at our own houses, so we didn’t have to be in public. Then we had one day in a studio, and it was very closed down, very private, very secret — and then out in the middle of the desert for the second day… I don’t think there were too many leaks in our enterprise there.”

As for whether Cranston thinks this is the final time he and Paul will play their Breaking Bad characters, he said, “So we’ve stopped saying, ‘This is the last time we’re ever going to do this.’ Who knows? It could be. I’m not sure, but… you know, we’ll just leave it to the fates.” Maybe we’ll see Jesse give up Los Pollos Hermanos for Raising Cane’s during next year’s Super Bowl.

(Via Entertainment Weekly)

Last night’s Grammys featured a performance from Sam Smith and Kim Petras, who got theatrical with their “devilish” rendition of “Unholy.” The performance was a knockout, but it’s par for the course that something will upset conservatives during the course of the annual event. Remember when people got mad at Lady Gaga for her 2015 performance that was supposedly filled with Illuminati references? Yeah, that happens. And Ted Cruz was all too willing to lose it over Sam Smith’s inferno-evoking set full of whips and chains and a reference to Samara from The Ring.

(To be fair, Ted Cruz allegedly likes other costumes more. So there’s that.)

“Unholy” did win the Grammy for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance, and surely, Sam Smith does not care that some conservatives are anything but happy about any allusion to the darker side. That’s exactly what’s happening on social media, and Ice Storm Weasel Ted Cruz (who maybe should be worried about other things, like his state’s failing power grid) was quick with a complaint: “This…is…evil.”

Naturally, people fired back at Ted and told him to “clutch pearls harder,” but also, this Footloose joke hit the mark.

Earlier in the evening, Ted let the world know that he was unhappy about the Pfizer ad at the end of Smith’s performance. Is that a suggestion that vaccination is “evil” as well?

People also dragged Ted for freaking out, not remembering how controversial Kid Rock used to be, and yes, ignoring his own state.

Like most Republicans, Donald Trump spent all last week attacking Joe Biden for not immediately blasting the Chinese spy balloon out of the sky. Never mind that the Pentagon repeatedly stated that blowing up the large metal object that was as long as three buses could cause significant property damage and/or death. Republicans wanted a show of strength, ding dangit, and Trump would’ve given it to them.

However, when Biden did destroy the balloon the second it made out to the ocean, Trump suddenly changed his tune and started attacking Biden for not pursuing a more diplomatic route. Namely brokering a deal over an imaginary pilot that Trump now thinks could’ve been inside the balloon. Via Truth Social:

Who sends a Billion Dollar blimp, with the most sophisticated equipment in the World, and large enough to hold ten cars or 3 large buses, into a complex pattern over the United States, without it quite possibly being manned, such as the “manned spacecraft?” China should have been called to ask. If “no,” shoot it down, if “yes,” negotiate the greatest deal EVER!

Naturally, Trump has no idea how anything works. For starters, the balloon was absolutely unmanned. As for its “complex pattern,” it literally just followed the jet stream across the country because, again, it was an unmanned object with limited navigation based on the direction of the wind. There would be no secret hostage waiting inside for President Deals.

It also should be noted that Trump’s sudden change of tone arrives after conflicting reports that three spy balloons entered U.S. airspace during his administration. While his former administration officials have denied their presence, a new report now claims the Pentagon never informed Trump until after he left office. Probably because he would’ve demanded to blow them up over Tampa.

(Via Donald Trump on Truth Social)

Keeping up with new music can be exhausting, even impossible. From the weekly album releases to standalone singles dropping on a daily basis, the amount of music is so vast it’s easy for something to slip through the cracks. Even following along with the Uproxx recommendations on a daily basis can be a lot to ask, so every Monday we’re offering up this rundown of the best new music this week.

This week saw PinkPantheress and Ice Spice link up and Yves Tumor start a new era. Yeah, it was a great week for new music. Check out the highlights below.

For more music recommendations, check out our Listen To This section, as well as our Indie Mixtape and Pop Life newsletters. Also find our Uproxx HQ Spotify playlist, which is updated weekly with the best new music, at the end of this post.

PinkPantheress and Ice Spice — “Boy’s A Liar Pt. 2”

PinkPantheress and Ice Spice are two of the most meteorically rising stars of the past few years, so it makes sense that they’d link up on something. They did last week on “Boy’s A Liar Pt. 2,” a new take on PinkPantheress’ tune that sees Ice’s laid-back style play well with the upbeat song.

GloRilla — “Internet Trolls”

Online haters are a real consideration for high-profile musicians these days, and GloRilla gave them a piece of her mind on “Internet Trolls.” She says on the track, “Sometimes, I think they be forgettin’ the internet a fairytale / Teach that n**** for the people, but in person, he a b*tch / They be gangster on the booth, but in them papers be a snitch.”

Caroline Polachek — “Blood And Butter”

Polachek unveiled the tracklist for her upcoming album Desire, I Want To Turn Into You last week, including a song featuring Grimes and Dido. Beyond that, though, Polachek is on her own, like on new single “Blood And Butter,” on which she continues testing boundaries with off-kilter percussion and even some bagpipes.

Skrillex and Nai Barghouti — “Xena”

Skrillex has been getting after it this year, with new releases seemingly every week. That includes last week, when he dropped the Nai Barghouti collaboration “Xena,” of which Uproxx’s Lexi Lane notes, “Barghouti’s sole vocals open the song before the fierce electronic beat is added as a layer — and then eventually gets an instrumental break to shine.

Unknown Mortal Orchestra — “Layla”

Unknown Mortal Orchestra is currently readying V, which will be their first album in about four-and-a-half years when it comes out next month. They announced the double-LP last week, when they also shared “Layla,” a breezy number that pulls influence from Hawaiian music.

Yves Tumor — “Echolalia”

Yves Tumor is approaching Fiona Apple territory with the title of his newly announced album, Praise A Lord Who Chews But Which Does Not Consume; (Or Simply, Hot Between Worlds). Uproxx’s Alex Gonzalez describes the new, more concisely titled single “Echolalia” as “a dreamy, psychedelic track on which he recalls an intoxicating love.”

Lil Keed — “Long Way To Go”

It’s been nearly a year since Lil Keed died at 24 years old in 2022. At the time, he was on the rise and working on a new album, and now, some posthumous material is making its way out into the world. “Long Way To Go” was shared last week, and in a statement, his mother said, “This song holds a special place in my heart and as you guys will see it will reflect on many aspects of Keed’s journey here on Earth.”

NLE Choppa — “Champions”

The mood in Memphis is sour right now following the death of Tyre Nichols, and Memphis native NLE Choppa is taking action, like when he led a recent peaceful protest. He also addressed the situation on “Champions,” on which he raps, “I hate to struggle but it make me harder / I made it far but I wanna go farther / This not for me / This for my son and my daughter / My family tree in that order.”

Dreamville, JID, and Lute — “Ma Boy”

It turns out that Dreamville will be bringing the Creed III soundtrack to life. That reveal was made last week and the label also shared the first look at the OST: JID and Lute’s “Ma Boy,” a lively number fit to serve as pre-fight hype music.

Karol G and Romeo Santos — “X Si Volvemos”

Karol G’s upcoming album Mañana Será Bonito is set to arrive soon, and last week, she held fans over with the Romeo Santos collaboration “X Si Volvemos.” Uproxx’s Alex Gonzalez notes that on the song, “the two have no regrets about parting ways, but with their unmatched sexual chemistry, they can’t resist coming back to each other.”

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

The 2023 Grammys featured several surprise winners. Many people tweeted their displeasure that Beyoncé didn’t win Album Of The Year for Renaissance over Harry Styles. But the most shocking category of the evening was Song Of The Year.

When Dr. Jill Biden, the First Lady Of The United States, opened the envelope and said, “‘Just Like That,’” the natural impulse was to wonder she had slipped into character and was about to deliver an And Just Like That… monologue as Carrie Bradshaw. But no.

Bonnie Raitt’s “Just Like That” had won Song Of The Year over fellow nominees Adele (“Easy On Me”), Beyoncé (“Break My Soul”), DJ Khaled (“God Did“), Gayle (“ABCDEFU”), Styles (“As It Was“), Kendrick Lamar (“The Heart Part 5”), Lizzo (“About Damn Time”), Steve Lacy (“Bad Habit”), and Taylor Swift (“All Too Well [10 Minute Version]”).

Nobody was more surprised to hear Bonnie Raitt’s name than Bonnie Raitt:

The reaction on Twitter was aplenty. Some people poked fun at Raitt for winning such a stacked category, while others defended the Rock And Roll Hall Of Famer’s honor:

Raitt also took home Grammys for Best Americana Performance (“Made Up Mind”) and Best American Roots Song (“Just Like That”), bringing her career total to 14.

Watch Raitt’s acceptance speech and post-victory interview below.

Some of the artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

With much of the United States experiencing extreme levels of cold, snow, ice, and general gloom in these first days of February – you may be dreaming of an island paradise. The United States Virgin Islands are just that. With crystal blue waters, soft sand beaches, and a laid-back atmosphere, it’s the perfect place to warm up and disconnect.

The islands have a lot to offer – and travelers are taking note. According to an Airlines for America study, the islands in the Caribbean saw 14% more air travel in February of 2022 compared to the same time in 2019. After two devastating Category 5 hurricanes damaging much of the islands in 2017, and with tourism making up 60% of the GDP, this is great news for USVI.

I traveled to two of the three main US Virgin Islands – St. Thomas and St. John – last March and am already planning my return trip. Here are my recommendations!

GETTING THERE

Being in USVI certainly feels like you are in another country, but, of course, for US travelers, no passport is required. This, no doubt, has been part of the reason for the post-pandemic travel surge. Also, you can’t discount that for most of the country it really isn’t too hard to get to either. I flew in from Denver via Houston and then back through Fort Lauderdale. There are lots of daily flights into St. Thomas through several different airlines. It’s even quicker from the East Coast.

It’s also great for remote workers on the East Coast thanks to no time zone change.

GETTING AROUND

My main objective for traveling to the USVI was to visit Virgin Islands National Park. I also wanted to be able to do as much exploring as I could manage, so I chose to rent a car on St. Thomas. Many people use cabs primarily on the islands, and they are fairly straightforward, usually open air, and servicing multiple people at once for a flat fee. Think of them as minibusses really.

There is a passenger and car ferry from St. Thomas to St. John that is centrally located in Red Hook and easy to utilize. I took the car ferry to St. John (for a $65 cash-only fee) and had the freedom I wanted to explore both islands. Many people also rent a car (generally a Jeep) once they reach St. John. Be careful if you want to rent and drive on more than one island as not all rental companies allow this.

WHERE TO EAT

The United States bought the islands from Denmark back in 1917; and as such, the US Virgin Islands are decidedly diverse. The culture reflects the many groups who have inhabited the islands in the past, and the food reflects this diversity. I was excited about some fresh seafood and Caribbean flavors, and I wasn’t disappointed. I can’t say that I had one bad meal throughout the entire trip.

A standout — and fancier option — was Sunset Grille at Secret Harbour. The atmosphere was incredible while watching the sunset over the water and the food was just as good. It was pricey, but I found myself uttering aloud that this was “the best meal I had ever had” multiple times. I had the daily special, which was a lobster tail stuffed with truffle mac and cheese. Yes, really. I scraped every last morsel from the lobster tail, wondering how so much flavor could possibly be ensconced inside.

Look at the menu for Sunset Grille here. Reservations are recommended.

Another special occasion dining spot is Oceana on St. Thomas. The gorgeous restaurant overlooks the water in the Frenchtown district and has ambiance to spare. I had the cheese board, bouillabaisse, and of course some champagne. Reservations recommended.

Hull Hideaway was one of my favorite finds. Aptly named, I drove down to a random beach, turned around, and unexpectedly found one of my favorite spots on the trip. Just reopened as part of the 5-star Hideaway at Hull Bay property, it had the location, food, and style that I was looking for. The fish tacos were fresh and the atmosphere was the beach bar of my dreams.

WHERE TO DRINK

Before visiting the US Virgin Islands, I only had a couple of musts on my list. Visit Virgin Islands National Park (more on that later) and visit “the Taco Boat” Limeout VI — a floating swim-up taco and cocktail bar that is a tourist attraction in its own right in Coral Harbor off St. John — was atop my list.

For Limeout VI, many people seemed to be visiting with a tour company since you have to have a boat to access it. Our tour got to Limeout VI about 20-30 minutes before they opened to be able to secure a spot on some of the limited floats that are available. At a designated time, all the boats around sent a swimmer down to grab a float until it was opening time.

After opening, Limeout VI quickly became a party-boat-slash-taco-boat? While the tacos were amazing (I recommend the shrimp and vegan options) the cocktails really shined. I had the Smokin Luca, made with mezcal, tamarind juice, and fresh lime juice. It was the perfect smoky treat.

Another favorite was the Shoreline Bar and Grille. Located right on the shore (duh) — the food was good and the drinks were just the tropical and sugary treat I envisioned. I visited on a Thursday and lucked out that it was Puerto Rican night, with a special (and delicious) Puerto Rican menu.

Other fun places to stop on St. Thomas are the Kinky Mermaid and The Beach Bar, and Joe’s Rum Hut on St. John.

WHERE TO STAY

One of the tourism drivers in the US Virgin Islands has historically been docked cruise ships. The pandemic, of course, changed that dramatically. And while cruises are once again stopping in the islands, overnight lodging has now become a much larger focus.

There are tons of Airbnb options, along with hotels and resorts across the islands. There is a place for everyone at nearly every price point. I decided to stay at the Margaritaville mostly for convenience, although I was happy with the resort. I actually booked my room through Airbnb since it’s a resort/timeshare vacation club and enjoyed the waterfront location, service, pools, and bar.

When I go back I’d love to stay at Secret Harbour. I visited the resort for dinner and loved the vibe.

I didn’t stay on St. John this trip, but next time I’d love to try Wharfside Village Hotel, The Westin St. John Resort, or splurge on one of the six sustainable villas at Calichi.

WHERE TO EXPLORE

I visited the islands specifically to visit Virgin Islands National Park, my 56th solo US major National Park. The park makes up about 60% of St. John and it is unlike any other national park I have visited thus far. From white sandy beaches to forests to some of the best snorkeling in crystal clear blue water, the park is like entering into another world. You’d never guess there is no passport required to visit this Caribbean paradise.

I recommend stopping at Trunk Bay Beach and Cinnamon Bay Beach; hiking Reef Bay Trail, Salt Pond Bay, and Ram Head Trail; and snorkeling at Honeymoon Bay and Waterlemon Cay.

You can’t visit St. John without getting out on the water. There are seemingly endless options for snorkel tours and on-the-water excursions. I booked a day-long trip with Stormy Pirates and it was fantastic. Open bar, tacos, and snorkeling with a fun crowd and an entertaining captain and crew.

As far as beaches in St. Thomas, Magens Bay is not to be missed. The sand is soft and white and the water is crystal clear and turquoise. It was crowded when I visited but still worth the trip.

Coki Beach was probably my favorite beach that I visited. It was just a short walk from my room at the resort and felt much less touristy. It was recommended by locals countless times for its incredible snorkeling and diving. I loved watching the sunset and the chicken roaming the beach with a margarita in hand. Altogether, it was trip I will remember forever and certainly a trip I find myself daydreaming about during these frigid winter days.