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Jenna Ortega has put in the time, and she’s only 21 years old.

The actress made her on-screen debut in a cute video that her mom shared to Facebook when she was seven, followed by a series of commercials (including one for McDonald’s as “nugget girl”). Small roles in films and TV shows followed: a single episode of the blissfully forgotten Rob Schneider sitcom Rob; a brief appearance as the vice president’s daughter in Iron Man 3; young Jane in The CW’s wonderful Jane the Virgin. Ortega was doing enough — in a variety of mediums — that she caught the attention of Disney, which cast her in the lead role in the Disney Channel series Stuck in the Middle.

The family-friendly show about a creative young girl ran for three seasons, and Ortega could have easily graduated from Disney shows (she also did voice work in programs like Elena of Avalor and Big City Greens) to Disney movies. But it didn’t sound like the easiest work environment. “Kids would randomly start fighting because their parents were fighting,” Ortega shared on a 2023 episode of the Armchair Expert podcast. “So even though the kids had no problem with each other, because the parents did, they would side with one another. We had therapy sessions, like collectively, cast therapy sessions.”

After dealing with all that, no wonder she pivoted to horror.

“I love horror films. I don’t know what it is about having blood thrown on your face and running around screaming bloody murder, but it really is so therapeutic.”

Ortega knew at a young age what she wanted to do (if you didn’t watch the video from before, please do so now), and she’s drawn to others with a similar level of determination for their craft. “Everyone who works on horror sets loves horror,” she said with admiration on The Tonight Show. 2020’s horror comedy The Babysitter: Killer Queen was followed by the confusingly titled Scream, the Foo Fighters-starring Studio 666, bloody satire American Carnage, and Texas Chain Saw Massacre-meets-porn slasher X, all in 2022. She was in her scream queen era, and it was another horror project that catapulted her to the A-list.

Fan castings are wishful thinking at best and “John Krasinski as Mister Fantastic” at worst, but Jenna Ortega as Wednesday Addams is the rare exception to the rule: the actress not only looked (and danced) the part, she also perfectly embodied the character’s sardonic morbidity.

The first season of Wednesday remains Netflix’s most popular English-language series of all-time, and second biggest overall behind only Squid Game. But more importantly, it got Ortega on the radar of the show’s frequent director and producer, Tim Burton, who cast her in the upcoming Beetlejuice Beetlejuice as the daughter of Winona Ryder’s goth girl icon, Lydia Deetz.

I recently re-watched the original Beetlejuice and was struck by Ryder’s pose at such a young age. She was only 15 while filming the comedy-horror classic, and while Ortega was older while making the sequel, she has a similar command of the screen; she seems wise beyond her years. Ryder locked on to this, and she was “warm and welcoming and kind and inviting” to Ortega and provided advice as her career was taking off.

Ortega won’t reveal the specific guidance she got from Ryder, but it was probably something along the lines of: take chances. In 1990, when she was around the same age as Ortega is now and having already starred in Beetlejuice, Mermaids, and Edward Scissorhands (with performances in Martin Scorsese, Gillian Armstrong, and Francis Ford Coppola films soon to come), Ryder was informed by her agents that if she starred in Heathers, her career would be over. So what did Ryder do? She changed agents. “It’s so simple,” she said. “You do what makes you proud.”

Ortega is doing what makes her proud, whether it’s starring in horror flicks, wading into riskier material, or murdering and making out with Sabrina Carpenter. Like Ryder before her, she won’t let herself be pigeonholed as just one thing: Hollywood’s resident goth girl. There’s nothing wrong with that (there is always a need for goth girls!), but as Ortega told Who What Wear, “I want to expand my muscles as an actor, and I want to grow.”

That’s clear from her upcoming projects beyond Wednesday season 2. There’s science fiction (Klara and the Sun, director Taika Waititi’s adaptation of author Kazuo Ishiguro’s novel), dark comedy (A24’s Death of a Unicorn, about a father and his daughter, played by Paul Rudd and Ortega, who accidentally hit and kill a unicorn), and whatever Krisha and It Comes at Night filmmaker Trey Edward Shults is cooking with The Weeknd (a “loose remake” of Misery???).

Ortega will continue making horror movies “until I die,” but her willingness to seek out other genres is an exciting evolution in the career of one of Hollywood’s best young actresses.

Before season three of The Bear hit screens, rumors were already swirling that the cast and crew had simultaneously churned out a secret fourth season of the hit culinary drama. The Hollywood Reporter had said at the time, seasons three and four will “film back to back in a bid to keep the show on its annual release target as the cast and creatives continue to line their calendars with feature work.” It seems like this did not happen.

In a new interview with Esquire UK, Jeremy Allen White put those rumors to rest when he admitted that production on season four likely won’t start until the new year. He said, “I’m not sure exactly when. I know it’s not going to be until next year. I imagine sometime early next year, a similar start date to the last couple of years: February/March time,” White told the outlet. This would align with the past rollout for seasons two and three.

Season three of The Bear dropped earlier this summer and was jam-packed with cameos, weird vibes and of course, the competitive world of fine dining.

It’s unclear if any of season four was shot at the same time, though hopefully the plot gets reworked a bit. Carmy had a rough third season, but there is always a chance for him to be redeemed in the future. There are cannolis that need to be made!

(Via Esquire)

There haven’t been many updates on J. Cole’s supposed final album, The Fall-Off, since before he involved himself in the beef between Drake and Kendrick Lamar. Though he later recused himself from said beef, he has seemingly been lying low for the past few months. However, fans may have learned a new detail about the long-awaited album from an unexpected source.

West Coast producer The Alchemist, whose work has been in higher demand than ever in recent years, hinted that he might be a part of The Fall-Off during a Twitter Q&A with fans. After one fan asked directly whether he had any beats on the upcoming album, Alchemist replied with a zipper-mouth emoji rather than a flat “no,” which could be an indicator that he’s got info he’s not allowed to share (on the other hand, he’s been known to reply with some pretty trollish answers during these chats with fans, so there’s a possibility he’s just stirring the pot).

Cole might not be the only Dreamville artist that Alchemist is working with, either. When another fan asked if he would ever “consider collaborating with JID,” he replied with “stay tuned and find out.” It certainly sounds like the producer’s customer pool is expanding — he also recently produced Kendrick Lamar’s “Meet The Grahams” and Big Sean’s “Together Forever” — so work with Dreamville certainly isn’t out of the question.

Netflix is taking the formula it uses for its NFL docuseries Quarterback and Receiver and bringing it to the NBA. Earlier this year, it was announced that Netflix would follow around five of the biggest names in basketball during the 2023-24 season, and on Wednesday, the first teaser trailer for the project dropped.

Titled Starting 5, the project will highlight LeBron James, Jayson Tatum, Anthony Edwards, Jimmy Butler, and Domantas Sabonis. While the trailer did not provide any footage of what we can expect to see in the series, it does show Tatum pulling the other four members of the project into a group DM, before Netflix comes in and drops the poster and its release date of Oct. 9, 2024.

According to Netflix, each episode of the series — which is produced by UNINTERRUPTED, Higher Ground, and Omaha Productions — is 45 minutes long, all 10 episodes in the season will drop at the same time, and the five athletes will have their lives documented on and off the court.

“James exerts himself harder than ever to stay healthy — and dominant — in his 21st season, while Edwards electrifies with his rapid rise,” according to a post on Netflix’s site Tudum. “Butler’s relentless drive propels the Heat, Sabonis anchors the Kings with his versatile play, and Tatum leads the Celtics in their quest for a record 18th championship.”

A new TikTok video from Megan Thee Stallion is the bearer of some big personal news: She seemingly hard-launched her relationship with Torey Craig. Some (especially those who aren’t basketball fans) might be wondering who Craig is, so read on to learn more about Meg’s apparent new flame.

Who Is Torrey Craig, Megan Thee Stallion’s Rumored NBA Player Boyfriend?

Craig is a 6’7″, 33-year-old NBA player, originally from South Carolina. He’s currently a member of the Chicago Bulls, spending the 2023-24 season as a role player for the team, and he’s on contract for the upcoming 2024-25 season as well. He played his first three seasons in the league (beginning with 2017-18) with the Denver Nuggets, then had stints with the Milwaukee Bucks, Phoenix Suns, Indiana Pacers, and the Suns again, before landing with the Bulls.

Craig has a son, Braylon, who was born in 2014. Craig was also part of a noteworthy Shaqtin’ moment last season. Despite the blooper, though, Craig is generally respected for his defensive abilities. Meanwhile, he generated some attention in 2023 when Bucks star (and former teammate) Giannis Antetokounmpo inadvertently knocked out one of his teeth during a game.

In 2022, Craig launched The Tory Craig Foundation, which according to its website is “committed to driving transformative change across generations by investing in communities and equipping at-risk children with the tools and resources they need reach their full potential.”

Last week’s Democratic National Convention was a star-studded event, with special appearances from everyone from The Chicks to Lil Jon. However, one star that folks expected to see who didn’t show up was Beyoncé. Rumors about a performance from Cowboy Carter were so persistent that some delegates were even spotted wearing sashes like the one from Beyoncé’s album cover. While it was later revealed that Beyoncé was never even considered as a performer for the DNC, earlier this week, the convention’s producers revealed that even staffers thought they might end up being part of the Renaissance.

Ricky Kirshner and Glenn Weiss, the convention’s producers, told The Hollywood Reporter, “We never put out anything about Beyoncé. We denied it every time the media asked us — even though, by the way, people on my staff didn’t believe me. I kept getting texts from news organizations saying, ‘When is Beyoncé coming out?’ But come on, we have the biggest star, the Democratic nominee for president. Why would we overshadow that?”

Weiss echoed Kirshner’s sentiment above, saying, “This is the internet taking on a life of its own and people taking something as fact — literally, to the point that people in my booth are saying, ‘Is she coming? You can tell me.’ And I would say, ‘I have no knowledge she’s coming.’ And they would say, ‘No knowledge? So there’s something to know!’ It was pretty crazy. But she wasn’t coming. In the end, even TMZ [which first reported it] had to issue an apology.”

If you told the most stylish, forward-thinking, fashion-obsessed streetwear fan in 2014 that in a decade cargo pants would be making a major comeback, they would have laughed in your face. A decade ago when streetwear was all about slim-fit jeans, vibrant colors, form-fitting shirts, and joggers, the function-first aspects of the cargo pants felt like unnecessary bulk.

Flash forward to 2024, where comfort is king and now the street’s most stylish fashionistas are obsessed with y2k-era trends, and no single pair of pants captures that early millennium look like the iconic cargo pant.

Like a lot of fashion staples, cargo pants have a military workwear background, being the preferred pants of British and American soldiers during World War II, but the pants have become synonymous with the future-forward aesthetic of the 2000’s, and now twenty years later, they’re looking better than they ever have.

Because Under Armour’s is on the cutting edge of function-meets-fashion apparel, we’re here to highlight some of our favorite new cargo pants from UA’s Unstoppable Collection. Let’s dive in.

Men’s UA Unstoppable Vent Cargo Pants

Price: $120

Under Armour’s Unstoppable Vent Cargo Pants are a modern reimagining of the legendary silhouette. Instead of all the utilitarian bulk, the UA version streamlines the shape down while still offering something that offers comfort, wicks moisture and quick dries, and offers four-way stretch for ultimate mobility.

Rather than thick visible flap side pockets, these pants feature zipper-enforced cargo pockets in a sleek and stylish diagonal cut at the thigh. It has all the functionality we love about cargo pants, with a modern loose-fitting baggy look.

Pick up a pair of Men’s UA Unstoppable Vent Cargo Pants here.

Women’s UA Unstoppable Cargo Pants

Price: $90

If you prefer that classic flap pocket look, the Women’s UA Unstoppable Cargo Pants have you covered. These cargo pants feature Under Armour’s UA Storm technology, giving the pants a water-resistant sheen while still offering maximum breathability courtesy of its four-way stretch-woven fabric.

Under Armour kept the look relatively relaxed with a fuller cut that fits in alongside modern trends, while still offering an elastic waistband with an internal drawcord for cinching at the waist for a more flattering shape. The dual pockets don’t feature zipper enforcement, but those classic flaps will help to keep your cargo secured.

The UA Unstoppable Cargo Pants feature four colorways and a size run from XXS-3XL.

Pick up a pair of the Women’s UA Unstoppable Cargo Pants here.

Men’s UA Unstoppable Cargo Pants

Price: $120

The Men’s UA Unstoppable Cargo Pants feature the same colorway and general look and fit as the Women’s version with a few minor differences.

The pants feature the same UA Storm tech, which means they are water-resistant, stretchy, and made from the same durable ripstop woven fabric, but the men’s version also features a snap closure fly and snap adjustment panels at the ankle to taper the cuff, allowing you to showcase whatever sneakers you choose to pair with your full fit.

Pick up a pair of Men’s UA Unstoppable Cargo Pants here.

In recent times, Megan Thee Stallion has appeared to be single. Well, at the moment, that appears to no longer be the case, as she just seemingly hard-launched a relationship with veteran NBA player Torrey Craig.

As HotNewHipHop notes, yesterday (August 27), Meg posted a couple’s challenge video on TikTok (find it here), in which she and Craig answer questions about their relationship. (For the record, Craig said “I love you” first, per Meg.)

The 33-year-old athlete spent the 2023-24 NBA season as a role player for the Chicago Bulls. He played his first three seasons in the league (starting with 2017-18) with the Denver Nuggets before stints with the Milwaukee Bucks, Phoenix Suns, Indiana Pacers, and the Suns again, then landing with his current team, the Bulls.

Craig has a son, Braylon, who was born in 2014. He was also partially responsible for a memorable Shaqtin’ moment earlier this year.

In more platonic news, Megan and GloRilla recently spoke about their friendship, with Glo saying, “I first met you at your Hottieween party last year, and I ain’t gonna lie, I was kinda shy. You were just acting like you weren’t drinking that night. I was like… in my head, I’m like, ‘This b*tch ain’t acting like she ain’t drinking,’ like, ‘What’s up with this b*tch?’”

Was Sabrina Carpenter and Barry Keoghan’s relationship short n’ sweet? Or are they still dating? Keoghan may have quieted the speculation with Bratz dolls, naturally.

Anonymous gossip hub Deuxmoi claimed that the pair had broken up after he appeared in her Bonnie And Clyde-indebted “Please Please Please” music video. However, there was nothing official from either the singer (she’s too busy workin’ late) or The Banshees Of Inisherin star — at least until he responded to a Bratz recreation of Carpenter and Jenna Ortega in the murderous “Taste” video. “Can I have one?” he wrote, as seen here.

There are a few ways to interpret Keoghan’s comment: “can I have one?” means he and Carpenter broke up and now he has no one, or the more likely scenario, he’s having a laugh. Or maybe Keoghan is the world’s biggest Bratz fan and he genuinely wants a “Taste” doll. He has good taste.

In a recent interview with the Guardian, Carpenter called working with Keoghan “one of the best experiences I’ve ever had. I’m very honored and I got to work with such a great actor!” She also coyly addressed the breakup rumors and the increased attention on her private life. “It’s not what I signed up for, but I can’t really help when I was born,” she said. “I want to be honest – I want to just write about what’s happening in my life as a 25-year-old girl. But it comes with the territory and I just have to be like… OK!”

Questlove recently spoke with Common and Pete Rock on his Questlove Supreme podcast, and the conversation yielded something The Roots fans have been waiting for since the group’s latest album, 2014’s …And Then You Shoot Your Cousin: News of a new album.

During the episode, Questlove said of the upcoming project, “I know the exact date I want to release it, and it’s not 2024, but it’s a seminal 2025 date that will make sense once it comes out.”

Worth noting is that 2025 will mark the 30th anniversary of The Roots’ Do You Want More?!!!??! (which was released on January 17, 1995), as well as the 15th anniversaries of How I Got Over (June 22, 2010) and the collaborative John Legend album Wake Up! (September 21, 2010).

Quest also spoke about how Common and Pete Rock’s 2024 joint album The Auditorium Vol. 1 has inspired him and Black Thought (Tariq Trotter) to finish their upcoming album. He said:

“I will say that it’s made Tariq into… the motherf*cker wrote seven songs in one day! We have not done that since our second album. […] I was like, ‘Yo, dog. You ain’t going to believe this, but Rash [Common] and Pete made the perfect summit meeting record. No person’s outshining the other person.’ […] I was just going off about it and I could tell I planted a seed. But then, I think after the Hollywood Bowl performance that we did, […] I think that lit something under Tariq.

I mean, I can say in the last two weeks, he’s knocked off at least 80 percent. […] I mean, back in Do You Want More?!!!??! days, ‘Riq would write, like, six or seven songs in a setting. This album is definitely […] it’s probably what he’s working on right now as I speak. It’s inspiring.”

Check out the full episode above.