Parade

Eiza González is celebrating how far she's come after dealing with an eating disorder in the public eye.

In honor of Eating Disorder Awareness Week, the 36-year-old actress took to Instagram to share photos from her journey and reflect on becoming "deeply committed" to giving her body the love and kindness it deserves.

"Most of my life my relationship with my body has been complicated. It began at a young age, after my father’s sudden death, when I coped with depression by eating compulsively—trying to soothe pain I hadn’t processed," González wrote. "By 13, I had gained 30 pounds almost overnight, navigating grief, puberty, and confusion all at once."

🎬 SIGN UP for Parade’s Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox 🎬 

Things got even more complicated when González landed a starring role on the telenovela Lola: Érase una vez and later on the Nickelodeon Latin America series Sueña conmigo.

"At 15, I was suddenly thrust into the public eye. Every image was dissected, every detail criticized, and everyone seemed to have an opinion about my body, who I was, and who I should be," she said.

González continued, "That level of scrutiny naturally fueled deep self-dysmorphia and sent me down a painful path. I became obsessed—constantly weighing myself, measuring my worth in pounds, asking if losing more would make people like me, or make me like myself."

Looking back González says that "approval never came" and instead, "the opinions multiplied." At that time, she admits she "felt emptier than ever."

"The one thing I learned from all this is how powerful the mind can be and how much we can change when we set our will to it. The same energy you put into shrinking yourself, or conforming into the standard can be used to build what you really dream to be," González shared.

She added, "Today, as a grown woman, I choose myself. It hasn’t been an easy journey, and it’s still ongoing. Over time, as my body has carried the weight of my experiences and spoken back to me, my priorities have shifted. Its power now serves a different purpose."

González is now focused on giving her body love, which for her means "fueling it with kindness, care, and respect so it can feel happy and fulfilled."

"I’m proud of where I am and of the hard work it’s taken to break old patterns. I hope anyone reading this knows that choosing yourself and honoring your body for the right reasons is far more meaningful than trying to be liked by others even ourselves sometimes. I don’t like to pretend the journey is over, it’s hard, complex. But NEVER too late," she concluded.

If you or someone you know is struggling with an eating disorder, you can reach out to The Alliance for Eating Disorders helpline at 1-866-662-1235. They also provide free, therapist-led support groups.

At long last, Survivor 50 is up and running. After years of anticipation (and, for some players, decades), the historic cast of 24 hit the sand running. Over the course of three hours, we watched hard-fought challenges, old rivalries squashed and reignited, new advantages, a blindside to kick off the season, and a game-ending injury. And still, there was so much more left on the cutting room floor.

Luckily, Parade was fortunate enough to get the chance to go out onto the Survivor set in Fiji to not only interview the contestants before the game begins, but also witness the events from the first three days. As such, I had a firsthand perspective on the major events from the premiere, from challenges to camp life to Tribal Council. Here are the biggest tidbits from my time on Survivor 50 that you didn't see in the premiere.

🔥Don’t miss our weekly Survivor newsletter! Sign up to get Mike Bloom’s exclusive interviews with the players and the latest news about the show right to your inbox.🔥

The Marooning and opening challenge

• The winds of fate were whipping around the islands of Fiji during Survivor 50's opening moments. Rain poured down as the barge carrying the 24 contestants made landfall, serving as a metaphoric cleansing rain for some who are looking to not make the same mistakes they did last time. Even as the precipitation tapered off, the stiff breezes continued through the entire opening, as you can see from contestants' hair flying everywhere and Jeff Probst looking like he'll fly away. Perhaps it was Mother Nature manifesting that they bring the force akin to a Category 5 hurricane to the game (hopefully not literally, though, we don't need another weather evacuation).
• Christian Hubicki came into Survivor 50 wanting to weaponize "narrative warfare." And we got first glimpse of this within five minutes. The David vs. Goliath standout interrupted the proceedings at one point, pitching for a change in the vernacular. He took umbrage with the fact that Probst and company were referring to people who played from Seasons 1 to 40 as the "old era." Instead, he pitches three different classifications: The "classic era" (from Seasons 1 to 20), the "attractive era" (humorously referring to the players from the 30s, himself included), and the "new era." Leave it to an out-of-the-box thinker like Christian to come up with a chronological Beauty tribe.
• Of course, we got to see the beautiful moment of Cirie Fields joyously and tearfully talking about how much Survivor has meant to her. "Survivor is my home," the six-time player said. "And there's no place like home." But she was far from the first person to shed tears on the sand. Angelina Keeley actually kicked off the proceedings, pontificating on how her dream was to be a mom, and the difficulties of leaving a 2- and a 5-year-old back at home to come out and play again.
• The most emotional person out of the entire cast, however, was Ozzy Lusth. Despite it being his fifth time on the island, the challenge beast was choked up, at a loss for words when Probst went to him. After a pause longer than the single-file line everyone was standing in, he finally uttered, "When I saw your face on the Zoom call, I just knew immediately that I had to be out here. I've failed in front of millions of people more than once. And it's super humbling. But I wouldn't trade it for the world."
• Never change, Q Burdette. Jeff intro'd the Season 46 star by saying he "played a somewhat chaotic game by design." Q was quick to correct the record, bluntly replying, "That’s the term you give it." The way he sees it, he was merely "bored" at the point his game completely changed. Hopefully his allies will be able to keep his attention rapt this time around!
• Discussion, of course, turned to the "In the Hands of the Fans" theme. As we saw on the episode, Rick Devens said he voted, wanting to have an influence on the game he was about to play. Q, however, took on the complete opposite approach.
  
  "I did not vote," he said. "I’m a fan of the show, but I didn't want my one vote potentially to be the tipping edge.”
  
  “This is why you’re back, Q," Probst replied. "I don’t even know if that makes sense. But it's so unique. It's so specific to you and how you see the world in this game."
• While Q did not vote, Angelina's mother certainly did. During one of the rounds of voting, the Season 37 standout received a text from her, reading, "I'm so sorry, honey. I voted no rice. I'm old school. You gotta earn it. No rice. So I'm fully expecting nada." And mother truly knows best, as she joined the 53% of fans who chose not to give the castaways the staple to start the game.
• Our recent cover story highlighted what is widely considered the "Mount Rushmore" of Survivor: Boston Rob Mariano, Sandra Diaz-Twine, Parvati Shallow and Tony Vlachos. Tiffany Ervin, however, had a different take on things based on the results of Season 50.
  
  "Winning this season cements your face on the Survivor Mount Rushmore," she said. "This is a landmark season. This is an iconic season. This is a season like we've never seen before. So if you could go through the fire and things that the fans have set out for us and come out victorious amongst all these Survivor giants, you are a cemented icon among icons."
• We closed out the first part of the opening with some prompted wise words from Benjamin "Coach" Wade. But the Dragon Slayer actually started off his speech by giving a shoutout to the teeming Survivor crew, hundreds of people behind the wall of cameras who are responsible for every element on the show. Perhaps showcasing his newfound warmth, the legendary character opines, "They’re the real warriors, and I love everybody here."
• Soon thereafter, buffs were unwrapped and the 24 players were divided into three tribes of eight. Probst clocked that Colby Donaldson was distractingly looking all the way across the beach. When asked what the four-time player was doing, he replied, "I’m looking to see where Ozzy is." And we got to see the former Top Shot host step into his element, as he hyped up the impending water duel between him and Jonathan Young.
• Speaking of the "Colbster," he proved to be one of the biggest surprises of the preseason. That's because the Texan came into his fourth season with plenty of vim and vigor, making sure he enjoyed himself in stark opposition to how things went last time on Heroes vs. Villains. And Colby showcased that enthusiasm with a very fun callback.
  
  "If you’ve got chocolate, I’ll take it this time," he promises. "I won’t pass it up again."
  
  "I got the message, brother," Probst replies, quoting back a previous tense back-and-forth between the two. "We’ll go when I’m ready."
• Probst showed great restraint when it took him over 30 minutes before asking Charlie Davis for a Taylor Swift reference. The Season 46 runner-up replied in kind, "I mean, it's all about Reputation right now. Everyone's thinking about, 'What did people do in their seasons? What are they going to do now? Do I have assumptions that are right, or do I have assumptions that are wrong? That's all Reputation, Jeff."
  
  Rick Devens followed that up from another mat, as the former newscaster quipped, "Check in a little while, there might be some Bad Blood!"
• The opening challenge played out the way you saw on TV. While Christian whipped through the puzzle with his unorthodox technique, and Jonathan and Joe were masters of the unruly seas, the lead Stephenie LaGrossa Kendrick earned for Vatu in the very first stage got them an easy win. What is interesting, though, is what happened when the tribes were asked to each send a person to "fight for supplies." Q spoke up, pitching that, since Vatu won the challenge, they should get the right to pick last. And Probst was amenable, allowing them to see who the others picked to hopefully match them. It speaks to the ingenuity that these players are walking into their return appearance with.

Related: Everything to Know About Survivor 50

Savannah Louie on 'Survivor 50'

Gail Schulman/CBS

Camp visits

As part of the press trip, I was given the opportunity to visit each of the tribe camps for a brief portion of time on Day 2. It's an incredible opportunity to not only see what the early day-to-day life is for these contestants, but also get a glimpse at the ever-moving work of the camera crew, always on the balls of their feet to set up a new shot or follow the players on the go. Here are some notable moments from my experience with each group of returnees:

Vatu Tribe

• There's been plenty of talk in the preseason about previous relationships among contestants who have played together. But what about relationships between players who haven't? When we saw that Q and Aubry Bracco were on the same tribe, we collectively held our breath. As a reminder, Q specifically targeted Moriah Gaynor in his season when she said that Aubry was her favorite player of all time. So what would happen when he was playing with the real McCoy?
  
  Luckily, I got to bear witness to the conversation, done in the middle of camp shortly after Q's return from Exile. “I know you’re just settling," she said, "but I have to tell you that I'm really excited to meet you. Can I give you a hug?"
  
  "Please do!" he replied.
  
  Following the hug, she said, "Everyone’s like, ‘Oh, Q’s on the tribe with you!’ But I would have done the same move. You’ve got a good sense of humor about it."
  
  Q was incredibly humble at the gesture, saying, "Thank you for not holding it against me." Consider that "beef," however lean it may be, squashed.
• As people went their separate ways, I got to see a conversation between the tribe's oldest and youngest members in Colby and Rizo Velovic. The two discussed their mutual good feelings about Kyle Fraser, and how neither person is threatened by working with winners.
• Colby admitted to Rizo that he was afraid the Season 49 returnee would be overplaying his hand, looking to get some old school "skin on the wall." But Rizo was able to take advantage of nobody having seen his previous season to paint his own narrative.
  
  "My word means something to me," he said. "Not only in real life, but in this game. And I know you haven't seen 49. But I was true to my two girls. We made it to the end together. I don't play that backstabbing s—t. So when I give you my word, that's what I mean." While what Rizo's saying is factually true with his "Tres Leches" alliance, it is interesting to hear him use this information asymmetry to push for himself as a loyal player.
• As was mentioned on the episode, Rizo is the same age Colby was when he first played Survivor. So, in addition to "strat chat," Colby was eager to give some life advice to the "RizGod": Curse less.
  
  "Just for one day. Just give it a shot," he said. "And be conscientious, be thoughtful of when you're saying it. You don't need to punch up your story or the points you’re making. And you've got a great way of communicating. If we're sitting next to each other, I'm going to start tapping you every time you cuss.
  
  "And you do the same thing with me. Because, look, I drop F-bombs more frequently than I should. You're gonna be my ears. And if I'm dropping unnecessary cuss words, then go, 'Colby, take a little bit of your own medicine.' I want to see what a day without Rizo dropping f-bombs, the menagerie of cuss words that you like to drop. And let’s see how that goes." What makes this all the better: Only a month prior, Rizo never thought he'd get the chance to interact with Colby Donaldson. Let alone get some fatherly wisdom.

Cila Tribe

• One of the big question marks coming into Survivor 50 is if Savannah Louie was going to be upfront about how she did on Season 49. On the episode, we saw she came clean pretty much instantly about her victory only ten days beforehand. But I got to overhear dropping more 49 factoids to her tribe members, specifically Jake Latimer receiving a bite from a poisonous sea krait, leading to his evacuation from the game.
  
  "He was super, in shape too," she recalled. "He looks like he could have done so well in the game. It's really sad."
  
  "What a trippy way to go out," replied Ozzy, who knows a thing or two about navigating Survivor sea life.
• Speaking of Ozzy, he surprisingly struggled in the latter part of the "Fight for Supplies," allowing Coach to snake him in the end. That may be due to the fact that, as he revealed to his tribe, he injured his back before the game started while deadlifting. He hasn't been 100% since, which is not the best thing to hear from one of the greatest challenge performers the game has ever seen.
• I was so grateful to be in-person for a beachside lecture from Dr. Christian Hubicki. The topics on the syllabus in today's class: Learning binary code. Using his robot shirt as a guide, he walked the Cila tribe through the complicated way of counting in computer form. While Jenna Lewis-Dougherty had a remedial understanding (and showcased her tech interests by subsequently diving into a conversation about AI), Cirie's look mirrored that iconic Winona Ryder meme, with code swirling around her head.
• Of course, one of the hot topics about the Survivor 50 cast is who wasn't on the cast. Jenna opened up about the fact that Jerri Manthey had been in frequent correspondence with her throughout the casting process. Survivor's original villainess had contacted her a number of times, saying she kept seeing her name on speculated cast list. But Jenna kept mum with her former All-Stars tribemate, saying, "If I only I were that cool! You know me. I am not interesting. I'll be excited to watch you play."
  
  When Jerri was ultimately not chosen for the season, she again reached out to her, saying, "I didn't get on. But I'm seeing everywhere that you are." But the Season 1 OG continued to deny, saying she had a listing appointment the next day. Which, she reveals, technically was true!

Kalo Tribe

• Perhaps reflecting the fact that the majority of Kalo was made of up of younger "new era" players, the majority of my time with the tribe involved a number of people relaxing in the shelter, chatting about everything from helicopters to robot dog abuse. The one exception, of course, was Jonathan Young. I was welcomed into came with a percussive fanfare, as the Season 42 goliath was beating a bamboo pole against a tree in an attempt to crack it.
• I'm so happy everyone got to see the scene of Coach taking off his toe ring and putting it on Charlie, considering I got to be there to witness the grody sign of matrimony. But, of course, Coach had a story to go with the unique piece of jewelry.
  
  "In 1988, my buddies that I was trying to learn surfing with, they were like, 'Let's go to Leguna and let's get toe rings.' I was like, 'What's a toe ring?' They're like, 'You put it on your toe.' I mean, nobody really heard of this. So I put it on, and this one has been on since 1988.
• What's more, the toe ring decision was not unprompted. It was actually a push from Dee Valladares, as the Season 45 winner "double dog dared" Coach (and succeeded in her mission, a showcase of her dominance in this game). He handed the metal off to Charlie, perhaps a sign of their mutual connection in metalhead Ben Katzman. Upon flexing the new hardware, Charlie quipped, "So I was just wearing your underwear?" The group then transitioned into an extended discussion on WikiFeet.

Mike White on 'Survivor 50'

Robert Voets/CBS

Related: ‘Survivor’s Mount Rushmore: The Legends Who Built a 50-Season Legacy (Exclusive)

The Immunity Challenge

• Still basking in the glow from that first win (and subsequent bonfire), Probst noted how it was all smiles on Vatu except for Colby, who showed an intensity that Christian referred to as "resting murder face" in the preseason. Colby tersely responded, "We're having fun. I'm good."
  
  "Oh my god, we’re back to 15 years ago," Probst laughed. "I ask Colby a simple question and the response I get is, ‘We’re good. Carry on.'"
• Leave it to Emmy winner Mike White to pen a beautiful line representing how exhilarating and demented this adventure can be. "I realized Survivor is one hellish thing after the next with sporadic moments of victory and pleasure." Get that cross-stitched on a pillow ASAP!
• At the time of this challenge, we didn't have much knowledge of how much Coach had snaked Ozzy at the "fight for supplies," nor Ozzy's adverse reaction to it. In retrospect, when he told Probst that, "This is gonna be an amazing CUTTHROAT game of teamwork," it was most likely a not-so-subtle dig at his reignited rival.
• Of course, when it came to the actual challenge itself, we have to talk about the injury Kyle received during one of the final stages. Interestingly, the edit didn't show that Kyle had actually gotten up the wall successfully the first time. But, after helping lift everyone up, Colby was stuck on the bottom, having difficulty getting enough height. So, in what would turn out to be a fateful move, Kyle went down the wall to help him up. And the rest was tragic history.
• Colby was not the only big guy struggling, though. After cementing his legacy carrying a ladder through torrential seas, Jonathan served as a human ladder for Kalo. The only issue: He was also stuck on the bottom, and was far too heavy for even the combined efforts of all his tribe members to lift him up. After a few gruesome hits against the wall, Charlie was able to work smarter, not harder. He offered his buff down, which Jonathan grabbed onto on his run up. He got much more traction than the muddy limbs of his tribe and finally got up the wall, albeit with Charlie having an even looser-fitting buff than before.
• And then, of course, there's Cirie. Talking with challenge producer John Kirhoffer, the challenges this season are meant to test individual accountability, to truly showcase there's nowhere to hide in this game. And Cirie got a firsthand experience with that in the form of her struggles with the monkey's fist. By my clock, she spent a cumulative 15 minutes at that stage (excluding a brief stopdown where medical took a look at Kyle).
  
  The biggest issue wasn't necessarily Cirie's form or technique, but actually the obstacle in front of her. Gated off by a series of crisscrossing ropes, her underhanded throws were sabotaged, as the ball of rope would consistently bonk off and lose all momentum. Just like, sadly, Cila.
• Speaking of the orange tribe, in a moment of seasonwide camaraderie, as Kyle was being looked at, the entire tribe of 8 got down on one knee. It was not too dissimilar to NFL players taking a knee after one of their teammates accrued a serious injury. Perhaps the comparison is too on the nose, considering we eventually found out Kyle had, much like many football players in his prime, ruptured his Achilles tendon.

The aftermath

• The first Immunity Challenge came with a hefty reward in the form of fishing gear for the two winning tribes. But Angelina did not wait long before she proposed making a deal. As Probst was about to send Vatu off, she spoke up, to which he immediately responded, "Are we negotiating already?"
  
  "Would you expect anything different?" she replied.
• Angelina's offer was, rather than the fishing gear, to take home the tarp instead. What it came down to, she outlined, was a matter of location. The Vatu came was located in a notoriously rocky part of the island, making fishing a struggle. Probst immediately called the offer a "non-starter."
  
  Angelina then asked if there was anything else he could exchange instead. Probst cheerfully replied, "Hang on, I'll check." Angelina replied with her sincere thanks.
  
  The Emmy winner then proceeded to step behind the three-foot podium next to him and mimed through options as if he was shopping at the general store (maybe Rick was having deja vu to the concept of Survivor 41 that never was). He eventually popped back up, saying, "Got nothing for ya. Take your fishing gear, be happy."
  
  To quote Angelina's good friend (and fellow two-time player) Adam Klein, it was worth a shot.

L to R: Christian Hubicki, Cirie Fields, Jenna Lewis-Dougherty, Savannah Louie, and Ozzy Lusth on 'Survivor 50'

Gail Schulman/CBS

Related: Jeff Probst Reveals What Shocked Him Most About ‘Survivor 50’ (Exclusive)

Tribal Council

• A month ago, I had been in Fiji for Survivor 49. And I was greeted by one of my favorite sets in the show's history, a gargantuan 75-foot shipwreck. Now what greeted me in the night was a resplendent white temple. The Survivor 50 Tribal Council set is almost Greek in nature, a series of stone structures with a giant obelisk in the center that served as the voting booth. Notably, there are 50 phoenix symbols found throughout the set, a representation of finding rebirth through fire, and hoping yours doesn't get snuffed out.
• Indeed, Jenna was asked to look back upon the first Tribal Council she ever attended in Borneo. What failed to make the edit (both then and now) was her mentioning that the Pagong tribe, ever the youthful group, tried to stage a coup immediately. "I do recall that we tried to vote you out," she mused. "That didn’t work."
• Despite the solemnity of the proceedings, Christian had quite a number of witty retorts throughout the evening. After a couple of attempts at an analogy, Probst said, "I’ve missed you." Christian replied, "I’m not sure if that’s the case, but it’s good to see you."
• Eventually conversation turned to the prevalent pre-existing relationships across the cast. Christian tried to dispel his connections with his David vs. Goliath cast members, saying, "People asked me what Angelina is like. And I said, 'Have you watched the show? I think you know' #tarpnegotiation."
  
  In true Emily Flippen style, she pushed back on that. "He’s showing that what he said about Angelina, he’s backing up with her actions. But another side he's massively downplaying is how close they are. Has Christian said he doesn’t want to work with Angelina? I didn’t hear him say that."
  
  Christian then immediately leaned over to Emily in an almost cartoonish fashion, saying, "I don’t want to work with Angelina."
• Talk then, of course, turned to the challenge. And, believe it or not, Cirie revealed she volunteered for the monkey's fist! It was actually something she had practiced prior to coming out, so she was happy to step up. "I’m not going to volunteer for anything I’m not confident to do," she said, crestfallen. "I learned today I need to practice a little more."
• At one point, Jenna spoke about the pre-Tribal scramble, saying, "It felt like every time I sat and chatted with somebody else, that first person would come back with a new plan."
  
  "I’m getting the impression that’s too fast," commented Probst.
  
  "Not too fast," she countered. "But people were accusing others of having very fast gameplay. And I was thinking, 'That’s you!'" It would prove to be a prophetic statement mere minutes later, as we would go on to discover that Jenna's immediate gaming had come back to bite her, earning untrustworthiness from the rest of the tribe.
• Since the episode showed very little of the voting confessionals, here's a transcript of what the castaways had to say as they voted!
  Jenna: "I am just so seriously hoping I’m on the right side of the vote and the people I’m trusting are absolutely trustworthy. But Cirie, you are absolutely wonderful. I’m so sorry." Joe: "I'm so, so sorry." Christian: "What a confusing first Tribal Council. I am hoping I am making the right decision with this choice. Hopefully I’ll live to see another day." Ozzy: "I am so sorry. I was stuck in Exile. By the time I got back from Exile, it seems like things were too hot and heavy, and I couldn’t swing things back from you." Cirie: "Jenna, you decided to come for me when I had zero intention of coming for you. And I respectfully hope it comes back to bite you by way of your torch being snuffed." Rick: [Rubs the oil lamp on the table, hoping some sort of genie will come out, then votes.] "I learned so much from you, Jungle Woman. Unfortunately, you brought me in real late. And I just don’t think I’m a legit part of your plans." Savannah: "I’m so sorry. I genuinely wanted to rock with you on Day 1. But you were just a little too intense and fast for these people. And I’m just going with the majority to save my own ass." Emily: "You’re a lovely person. I really wish I got the votes to save you tonight."

Related: Meet the Full Cast of 'Survivor 50': Photos, Bios and What to Know

Patrick Dempsey is reflecting on mourning his late friend and co-star Eric Dane.

In an interview with News Talk FM on Tuesday, February. 24, Dempsey spoke about Dane's passing on Feb. 19 from ALS.

"It’s very hard when you lose a family member. I lost my father very young, and my mother’s passed," he said. "And now several friends in the last year I’ve lost."

Dempsey shared that, "Eric was so beloved, and I think he would really be so happy to know — and I know a lot of people reached out to him before his passing to keep track — that he was so beloved and is deeply missed."

Dane had publicly announced his ALS diagnosis in April 2025 and was very open about his battle with the disease.

Dempsey and Dane starred together on Grey's Anatomy with Dempsey on the show from season 1 to season 11 and Dane from season 2 to season 9.

Dempsey also opened up about Dane's death on The Chris Evans Breakfast Showon Feb. 21.

"I feel really so sad for his children. I was corresponding with him, we were texting, so I spoke to him about a week ago and some friends of ours went in to see him and he was really starting to lose his ability to speak," he said in the Feb. 21 interview.

Dempsey also added, "He was the funniest man - he was such a joy to work with and I want to just remember him in that spirit because any time he was on set, he brought so much fun to it. He had a great sense of humor. He was easy to work with, we got along instantly."

🎬 SIGN UP for Parade’s Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox 🎬

It's been two years since we heard Survivor 50 would be a returning player season. It's been a year since we found out the "In the Hands of the Fans" theme. It's been eight months since the record-breaking cast of 24 contestants was revealed to us. And now, at long last, the milestone season of the hit CBS reality series is finally here.

Survivor 50 kicked off with the show's longest premiere to date, a three-hour "epic party." And, despite the length, there was a lot to pack in. The castaways hit the sand and immediately started to play hard, finding brand-new advantages, capitalizing on old rivalries, and building new ones. And, after the first boot of the season was decided, a shocking injury during a challenge led to an ending that left everyone in tears.

Here's our spoiler-filled recap of the Survivor 50 premiere, including who went home.

🔥Don’t miss our weekly Survivor newsletter! Sign up to get Mike Bloom’s exclusive interviews with the players and the latest news about the show right to your inbox.🔥

Who got voted off on Survivor 50 tonight? Jenna Lewis-Dougherty on 'Survivor 50'

Robert Voets/CBS

Jenna Lewis-Dougherty

When talking with the Survivor 50 cast days before the game began, the person they were probably the highest on cumulatively was Jenna Lewis-Dougherty. The fan-filled cast had reverence for someone from the historic first season, as well as assumptions that she would be set on playing an old-school game. But Jenna revealed to us that she was ready to come in with a new era bloodthirstiness, and a ferocity to gun for the big players early on.

As soon as her feet hit the sand for the first time in over 20 years, she went to work. From Day 1, she began pitching to get rid of Cirie Fields, feeling she couldn't give one of the best players to never win any leverage in the game. And, when Cirie basically single-handedly lost the Immunity Challenge for them, she felt confident the legend would see a rare premerge boot. She had no idea, however, how much her immediate gaming had alarmed the rest of her tribe. Feeling she could be too dangerous and uncontrollable moving forward, everyone banded together at their first Tribal Council to write down J for Jenna. In a massive blindside, the first player in became the first one out.

Kyle Fraser on 'Survivor 50'

Robert Voets/CBS

Kyle Fraser

Weeks before flying out to Fiji, the Survivor 50 cast saw Kyle Fraser put forward one of the most dominant wins in recent memory. On paper, that would put the Season 48 champ in hot water early on, especially as the only winner on his tribe. But, surprisingly, Kyle showcased his "people-first" skills once more on the island. He got in close with Genevieve Mushaluk and quickly became part of a core alliance on his tribe. It seemed like things were yet again going well for Kyle early on, setting himself up for perhaps another deep run.

But even though Kyle's position in the game was great, it was some very different shaky footing that would doom him. During the first Immunity Challenge, while attempting to run up a massive wall, he suffered an injury to what he believed was his ankle. After an entire stopdown of the challenge to get checked on by medical, he was cleared to continue, and helped his tribe win safety. The next day, however, further examination by the show's doctor determined that Kyle had actually ruptured his Achilles tendon. And so, to avoid him walking around in a boot, he had to become the next boot, taken out of the game to make sure he suffered no permanent damage to his leg.

Related: Meet the Full Cast of Survivor 50

Were any idols or advantages found or played on Survivor 50 tonight?

Yes! The fans voted for "dynamic" advantages this season, and we were off to the races with the number that showed up in the premiere. After losing the Exile Island challenge, Ozzy Lusth was given the opportunity to give Q Burdette tribe supplies. The challenge beast did not go home empty-handed, however, as he wound up with an Extra Vote, courtesy of the one Q "sacrificed" to get the pot and machete.

Genevieve found the first idol of Season 50, but it came with a twist. We got the first glimpse of the celebrity impact teased in the trailer with the introduction of the "Billie Eilish Boomerang Idol." Courtesy of the pop star, this idol must be given to someone on another tribe. If they are at any time voted out with it in their possession, then the idol "boomerangs" back to Genevieve, who gets it for herself. Hoping history would repeat itself, Genevieve sent the idol to Ozzy, giving him two advantages in the game.

Day 4 saw a "journey," where Savannah Louie and Colby Donaldson faced off in a high-stakes stacking challenge. The four-time player was defeated, losing his vote for the next Tribal Council. Savannah, meanwhile, earned a "Block-a-Vote," something she kept secret from the rest of her tribe.

One rivalry buried, another reignited

Ozzy came into Survivor 50 with a couple of pre-existing relationships — albeit, not good ones. Cirie had voted him out during their first season together on Micronesia, while Benjamin "Coach" Wade had burned him at the Final Four of South Pacific, prompting him to arguably lose the game for his fellow returnee. Realizing he was on the same beach as Cirie again, the two decided to work together. Ozzy had rebranded himself to "Oscar," and that involved varying up his game. In order to do that, he wanted to work with a renowned strategist. And that relationship paid off almost immediately, as Ozzy pushed to make sure Cirie would not be the first boot of the game.

When Ozzy and Coach arrived on Exile together, he intended to also bury the hatchet. And, initially, Coach apologized to him for taking out his loss on him, vowing they would let bygones be bygones. That quickly went out the window, though, during the challenge. Ozzy got off to a commanding lead, trying to get the others to promise that no one would try to snipe the key from whoever got it off the post. Notably, Coach did not agree to said promise. So, when Ozzy finally got the key in the sand, the Dragon Slayer swooped in, snatching it and victory. Ozzy was incensed, feeling Coach was not a man of "honor" as he had claimed. Word soon spread about what happened, including back to Coach, who himself was angry at Ozzy's retelling of the story. And, from the preview next week, it sounds like a war of words may be had on the mat!

Related: Jeff Probst Reveals What Shocked Him Most About ‘Survivor 50’ (Exclusive)

Who is left in the game on Survivor 50?Angelina KeeleyAubry BraccoCharlie DavisChrissy HofbeckChristian HubickiCirie FieldsBenjamin "Coach" WadeColby DonaldsonDee ValladaresEmily FlippenGenevieve MushalukJoseph "Joe" HunterJonathan YoungKamilla KarthigesuMike WhiteOzzy LusthQ BurdetteRick DevensRizo VelovicSavannah LouieStephenie LaGrossa KendrickTiffany Ervin

Related: 'Survivor's Mount Rushmore: The Legends Who Built a 50-Season Legacy (Exclusive)

Nobody wants to see people leave Survivor when they're not getting voted out. But to have it happen during a returning player season is an even bigger blow. The three-hour premiere of Survivor 50 seemed to have everything, from epic challenges to fan fiction meetups to a scathing blindside. And that included, unfortunately, a shocking medical situation. It was a cruel fate that befell Kyle Fraser, as the Season 48 winner got injured on the island, leading to his removal from the game on Day 4.

Here's everything to know about the reason why Kyle left Survivor 50.

🔥Don’t miss our weekly Survivor newsletter! Sign up to get Mike Bloom’s exclusive interviews with the players and the latest news about the show right to your inbox.🔥

Who is Kyle Fraser from Survivor?

Kyle is a lawyer currently residing in Brooklyn. He made major waves during his time on Season 48, navigating both a majority alliance and a secret undercover duo with Kamilla Karthigesu. Kyle won immunity at the Final Four, where he sent his closest ally into firemaking, controversially taking frontrunner Joe Hunter to the end. But Kyle made a fantastic argument in front of the jury, closing the case on his million-dollar verdict.

Only a couple of weeks after his win was shown on TV, Kyle came out to play in his second season, Survivor 50. Despite being only one of three winners, he found himself in a surprisingly good position on the Vatu tribe, yet again part of a majority alliance while working a side partnership with Genevieve Mushaluk.

Related: Read our Survivor 50 preseason interview with Kyle Fraser

Why did Kyle leave Survivor 50?

During the Immunity Challenge on Day 3 of Survivor 50, the penultimate portion involved scaling a massive wall to the top of a structure. Kyle had helped his entire tribe up, leaving him at the bottom. While attempting to run up the wall, Kyle came down hard. He ran back and started saying to himself, "Oh s—t." AfterJeff Probst asked him multiple times if he was okay, the host stopped the challenge, allowing the medical team to run out and assess the situation.

After an initial examination, Dr. Joe concluded that Kyle had injured his ankle, but it was not debilitating enough to pull him from the game. The challenge then continued and, astoundingly, Q Burdette was able to get Kyle up to the top with one working leg. His Vatu tribe won immunity, ensuring he wouldn't be the first boot. And so he was carried away piggyback on Q, impaired, but victorious.

Unfortunately, that victory would be short-lived. The next day, Dr. Joe and Jeff visited camp, doing a further examination on Kyle now that the initial pain had faded. Upon performing an ultrasound, they determined that the actual injury wasn't on his ankle. Rather, he had ruptured his Achilles tendon, the biggest tendon in the body. While the injury wasn't life-threatening, while left untreated and without proper physical therapy and a boot, he could sustain permanent damage. And so Probst said, out of caution, they would pull him from the game.

Related: ‘Survivor’s Mount Rushmore: The Legends Who Built a 50-Season Legacy (Exclusive)

Where is Survivor's Kyle Fraser today?

For those who were wondering what happened to Kyle after leaving the game, a scene at the end of the episode showed him giving his final words, wearing a boot on his foot. We'll be sure to get a formal update from Kyle's healing process when we talk to him in his exit interview. But recent social media activity shows that he seems to have made a full recovery from his injury. And what's more, he'll soon have a new face in the house who will be learning to walk, as he recently announced he and his wife are expecting their first child!

Related: Meet the Full Cast of 'Survivor 50': Photos, Bios and What to Know

Actress Courteney Cox is getting candid about one of her most iconic and controversial on-screen looks.

During an appearance on the February 24 episode ofThe Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Cox was asked about her Scream character, reporter Gale Weathers' short bangs, in the horror franchise's third film, released in 2000. She explained that she wanted her character to have bangs for Scream 3. However, she didn't intend for the bangs to be that short.

"The bangs were my choice. Not the way they came out," said Cox to hostJimmy Fallon.

When Fallon assured her that she pulled off the look because she has a "beautiful face," Cox replied, "No I can't." Fallon then asked if she "didn't love the bangs."

"I mean, would you? Look at that. It's the worst hairdo," responded the Friends star.

Fallon then pulled out a wig that replicated Gale's Scream 3 haircut.

"I think I can pull this off," quipped Fallon while wearing the wig.

Cox, however, disagreed.

"You're so cute. It's the worst you've ever looked," said Cox to Fallon, causing him to laugh.

Courteney Cox Opened up About Playing Gale Weathers

Cox began playing Gale in the first Scream film, which premiered in 1996. She continued to play the character for several Scream sequels, including Scream 3,Scream 4 (2011), Scream (2022), and Scream VI (2024), per IMDb. Cox reprised Gale for the latest Scream film, Scream 7, out February 27.

During a 2022 interview on The Drew Barrymore Show, alongside her Scream co-stars Neve Campbelland David Arquette, her ex-husband, Cox said she wanted Gale to have a different look for every Scream film.

"At each Scream, I would try to come up with a different look for her that was just over the top gross or ugly or too much," said Cox during the 2022 interview.

Campbell then reminded her of Gale's Scream 3 bangs.

"That was the worst," said Cox.

She then said Gale's Scream 3 bangs "was a big lesson in life because that will forever be on film."

Serena Williams had followers swooning over her latest post as the tennis icon shared a glimpse of her motherhood.

While rumors swirl about a potential comeback this year, the 23-time Grand Slam winner lets followers see her life as a devoted mother to her two daughters, Alexis Olympia Ohanian Jr. and Adira River Ohanian, whom she shares with husband and Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian.

In her latest Instagram post, the 44-year-old expressed her fulfillment and joy as a mother and the experiences, growth and responsibilities that come with it.

“Loving this season of motherhood and ME!” the caption reads.

The video also featured Williams’ transformation as a girl boss in her stunning mini dress that not only highlighted her striking, long and toned legs but also her slimmer figure.

The transition gave her look a more casual, effortlessly chic vibe, with a cropped pinstriped top paired with dark-washed barrel-leg jeans and neon high-heeled pointy shoes.

Her youngest daughter also made a cameo, watching her mom in awe as she did her thing, as they prepared for a mom and daughter bonding.

Following her Instagram update, the post received positive reactions from her followers, who were mostly raving about how stunning she is.

“Serena, you’ve always been gorgeous! Now your gorgeousness GLOWS,” one wrote.

View this post on Instagram

Meanwhile, followers admired her much slimmer figure following her recent weight loss.

“Let’s normalize loving people how they love themselves!!! She looks happy and that’s really all that matters right!!?” a commenter said.

“Slim you is great too!” an Instagram user noted.

“Oooh, the new slimmer frame! Looking great!” a follower echoed the same sentiment.

The same goes for another who said, “Beautiful and skinny in a healthy way.”

A commenter poked fun and wrote, “Okkkk we still got something in the back.wheeew.”

“Would love to see you come back on the tour. The weight loss and continued training….I sense an awesome comeback!” a social media user pointed out.

Meanwhile, another follower noticed the visible change in her figure noting “My god, Serena, you lost a lot of weight.”

Another commenter expressed worry and said, “Serena - hope this much weight loss is good for your health.”

Last year, Williams made headlines after publicly confirming she used GLP-1 weight-loss medication to help her shed her post-pregnancy weight. It came after followers pointed out her drastic transformation.

Serena Williams attends the "Princesa De Asturias" awards ceremony at Teatro Campoamor on October 24, 2025 in Oviedo, Spain.

Carlos Alvarez/Getty Images

“I feel great,” she told People following the 14kg weight loss. “I feel really good and healthy. I feel light physically and light mentally.”

The GLP-1 receptor medication is widely popular due to its ability to aid weight loss and regulate blood sugar, making it popular among diabetes patients.

In Williams’ case, she was also concerned about developing diabetes because it is something that runs in her family. Moreover, she admitted struggling to lose weight through exercise and diet.

“Sometimes, no matter what you do, no matter how many steps you take, how many miles you run, you just can’t get over that hump,” the retired tennis star shared with NBC News. “I know that for a fact,” Williams said. “As a woman, as I age, I definitely couldn’t get over that hump.”

Williams’ weight loss journey is a reminder that sometimes professional guidance and support are the key to overcoming persistent health hurdles.

Williams revealed in August that she had started taking a GLP-1 receptor agonist, a widely popular class of drugs. At the same time, she announced a partnership with the company Ro, which prescribes GLP-1 medications through telehealth. Williams’ husband, Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian, is an investor in Ro and serves on its board.

Related: Serena Williams Steals the Show at Milan Fashion Week

Parade aims to feature only the best products and services. If you buy something via one of our links, we may earn a commission.

If you're beating the winter blues by planning ahead for your summer vacation, you might want to start by upgrading your travel essentials — starting with a quality duffel bag. Whether you're using it as a carry-on on your next flight or just taking it to the gym, a stylish weekender bag always comes in handy while on the go. And right now, Walmart is offering nearly 50% off one of its top-rated options, the Gynky Travel Duffel Bag. 

For a limited time, you can snag the popular bag for as low as $16, down from $30. It's available in 13 beautiful colors that range from classic neutrals to bold brights to soft pastels, so you're guaranteed to find something that matches your style. 

Gynky Travel Duffel Bag, From $16 (was $30) at Walmart

Courtesy of Walmart

Measuring 16.5 inches long, 7.5 inches wide, and 11.6 inches high, the Gynky Duffel Bag is compact enough to stash in overhead bins or under airplane seats, while still offering plenty of room to hold your belongings. It has multiple compartments to help organize your items, including a PVC wet pocket for towels or toiletries and a large exterior zip pocket to keep small essentials within reach. 

The duffel is constructed of a thick, durable nylon material that's designed to stand up to wear and tear and remains easy to clean throughout your travels. You can carry it by the top handles, or use the longer adjustable strap to wear it crossbody when you need to go hands-free. It also has sturdy zippers to keep your belongings secure and a trolley strap that effortlessly attaches to rolling luggage. 

Related: Walmart's $22 3-Piece Duvet Cover Set Is Like a 'Cozy Hug for Your Bed'

Shoppers have praised the duffel's "extra roomy" interior, with several calling it a "great travel bag." One reviewer highlighted the versatile and "upscale" design, saying it "looks and feels expensive." Another noted that the practical size is "perfect for airline travel."

Shop more deals

• Joyway 2-Piece Expandable Foldable Duffel Bag Set, $21 (was $40) at Walmart
• Dakimoe Travel Duffel Bag, $20 (was $33) at Walmart
• Gynky Travel Weekender Bag, $20 (was $33) at Walmart

Between its generously sized interior, durable construction, and wide range of color options to choose from, this travel duffel bag is a surefire upgrade to any weekend getaway. Snag it for as low as $16 before the flash deal ends at Walmart. 

Don’t miss future deals! Sign up for Parade Picks to receive our commerce team’s curated selection of discounts and sales, twice a week.

Spirit Airlines isn’t disappearing after all—but it’s not exactly returning to business as usual either.

After filing for bankruptcy for the second time in a year, the ultra-low-cost carrier announced Tuesday, February 24 that it has reached an agreement with creditors that will allow it to emerge from bankruptcy later this spring or early summer. The deal will keep the airline alive at a time when many had questioned whether it could survive not one, but two bankruptcies.

“Spirit will emerge as a strong, leaner competitor that is positioned to profitably deliver the value American consumers expect at a price they want to pay,” CEO Dave Davis said in a statement per CNN.

But that word, leaner, is key. In order to stabilize its finances, Spirit has sold aircraft and airport gates to raise cash and reduce debt. It has also significantly cut staff and trimmed its flight schedule. According to aviation analytics firm Cirium, the airline plans to offer nearly 40 percent fewer flights and seats this summer compared to the same period in 2024.

The restructuring follows a turbulent stretch for the carrier. Back in August, Davis acknowledged deeper issues within the business. “Since emerging from our previous restructuring, which was targeted exclusively on reducing Spirit’s funded debt and raising equity capital, it has become clear that there is much more work to be done and many more tools are available to best position Spirit for the future,” he said at the time. He added that the airline was “moving away from the elements of the business that no longer work,” including “strategically growing our network in stronger markets with more opportunities and making some difficult decisions like re-evaluating unprofitable routes.”

Spirit’s path forward will be independent. Previous merger deals with Frontier Airlines and JetBlue Airways both collapsed, leaving the carrier to chart its own course.

P!nk is in utter disbelief after becoming a 2026 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame nominee for the very first time.

The pop powerhouse took to Instagram on Wednesday night, Feb. 25, to share her response with fans after the big news went live earlier in the day. She made the emotional announcement that she was in shock by sharing the sentiment, "How is this possible?!"

"Look what we did together y’all!!!!!" the "Stupid Girls" songstress exclaimed. "I never ever fit neatly into a box. That was kind of the whole point."

The musical artist is among this year's star-studded roundup, which includes the likes of Lauryn Hill, Phil Collins, Mariah Carey, Oasis, Wu-Tang Clan, Black Crowes, Jeff Buckley, Melissa Etheridge, Billy Idol, INXS, Iron Maiden, Joy Division/New Order, New Edition, Sade, Shakira, and Luther Vandross.

View this post on Instagram

“This diverse list of talented nominees recognizes the ever-evolving faces and sounds of rock & roll and its continued impact on youth culture,” John Sykes, chairman of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Foundation, said in a statement, per Rolling Stone. “Induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame is music’s highest honor, and we look forward to celebrating the class of 2026 this fall.”

Continuing her social media statement, Pink added, "This nomination isn’t mine; it’s ours. It’s for every one of us who ever felt like an outsider or underdog and found something in this music that made them feel less alone," before urging fans, "If that’s you, make your voice heard! You can vote every day."

Fans in the comments section sounded off on the "well deserved" honor, with a few dropping notes like, "TRULY deserved!!! And even more!!! 😍," "OBVIOUSLY!!!! Yes!!!" and "Fully deserved! I've been a big fan since day one! I'm rooting for you!"

"Love this. Congratulations!! It’s a celebration of forging your own path and embracing uniqueness rather than conformity. What an inspiration 🎉✨🎉," another applauded, as many more simply showered the "So What" singer with congratulatory messages and well-wishes.

The official inductees will be announced in April, while the annual ceremony is slated to take place this fall. Voting is open to the public online.

Related: Punk Rock Band Makes History With First-Ever No. 1 Hit

If you're anything like me, the day is not complete until I finish all of the free word games from the New York Times. Working on the daily Connections, Connections Sports Edition, Wordle, and Strands is a whole ritual for many of us. And we can't forget about the NYT's The Mini Crossword, too!

Although the NYT is known for "The Crossword," a larger puzzle for paid subscribers, The Mini has quite the fan following as well. This particular game resets at 10 p.m., unlike some of the others that start over at midnight.

So, if you're working on today's Mini on for Today's Mini Crossword on Thursday, February 26, 2026, and need some help (I've been there), get ready to read the clues and solutions for each line. We have them separated into hints first for both "Across" and "Down" words, followed by "Across Answers" and "Down Answers," so be careful if you want to avoid spoilers as you scroll!

🎬 SIGN UP for Parade's Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox 🎬

Hints for NYT’s The Mini Crossword on Thursday, February 26, 2026

Here are additional clues for each of the words in today's Mini Crossword.

NYT Mini Across Hints

1 Across: Tesla or Toyota — HINT: Ends with the letter "C"

4 Across: What the "M" of BMX stands for —HINT: Starts with the letter "M"

5 Across: Leafy lunch — HINT: Ends with the letter "D"

6 Across: Weighing device — HINT: Starts with the letter "S"

7 Across: "To be," in Latin — HINT: Starts with the letter "E"

Related: 16 Games Like Wordle To Give You Your Word Game Fix More Than Once Every 24 Hours

NYT Mini Down Hints

1 Down: Pepsi and Coke — HINT: Ends with the letter "S"

2 Down: Dickens's "___ of Two Cities" — HINT: Starts with the letter "A"

3 Down: Took to another floor, as the [circled letters] — HINT: Ends with the letter "E"

4 Down: Apple computers — HINT: Ends with the letter "S"

5 Down: Dir. from San Francisco to Santa Monica — HINT: Starts with the letter "S"

Answers to NYT’s The Mini Crossword for Thursday, February 26, 2026

Don't go any further unless you want to know exactly what the correct words are in today's Mini Crossword.

NYT Mini Across Answers

1 Across: Tesla or Toyota — CAR

4 Across: What the "M" of BMX stands for —MOTO

5 Across: Leafy lunch — SALAD

6 Across: Weighing device — SCALE

7 Across: "To be," in Latin — ESSE

NYT Mini Down Answers

1 Down: Pepsi and Coke — COLAS

2 Down: Dickens's "___ of Two Cities" — A TALE

3 Down: Took to another floor, as the [circled letters] — RODE

4 Down: Apple computers — MACS

5 Down: Dir. from San Francisco to Santa Monica — SSE

Related: NYT Mini Crossword Answers, Hints for Wednesday, February 25, 2026

International supermodel Rachel Hunter, 56, recently gave a fascinating interview on No Filter (with Kate Langbroek), a popular Australian podcast. (In case you forgot, Hunter originally hails from New Zealand herself.) In the interview, Hunter not only takes us back to the beginning of her modeling career and revisits her split from British rockstar Rod Stewart, but we also get to take in her flawless skin and gorgeous natural curls in all their glory. Is it possible her hair just keeps getting better?

Hunter, who kicked off her modeling career in the late '80s, graced the cover of the Sports Illustrated 1989 Swimsuit issue, and went on to become an international supermodel, shares some sensual details (think warm jasmine) of her early photo shoots for Revlon and CoverGirl. Just imagine—18 years old, stays at The Sunset Marquis in Los Angeles, and arriving on the Revlon set, which included a manmade lagoon!

"It was pretty intoxicating," Hunter says on the podcast:

@nofiltermamamia

"It was pretty intoxicating." Rachel Hunter reminisces about the 90s modelling industry, from the old school glamour of movie studio sets to the kindness of the teams she worked with. Full episode available now on No Filter: “Supermodel Rachel Hunter Was The Ultimate 90s Muse - Then She Walked Away." #rachelhunter #90sfashion #supermodel #revlon #90snostalgia

♬ original sound - No Filter Podcast

Hunter gets personal, too, about life after she chose to leave her marriage. At just 21 years old, Hunter married Stewart, then 45, but ultimately made the decision to leave with their young children, Renee and Liam, who are now 33 and 31. Hunter says she wanted to create a home for their kids, which she did, while continuing to work and making a life for herself. She also says the kids and Stewart maintained a "beautiful" relationship along the way.

Hunter explains, "I left so I take the consequences of this," making it clear she wasn't looking for pity then or now.

@nofiltermamamia

“I left, so I take the consequences." 90s supermodel Rachel Hunter reveals the reality of leaving her marriage to Rod Stewart and navigating life as a single mother. Full episode available now on No Filter: “Supermodel Rachel Hunter Was The Ultimate 90s Muse - Then She Walked Away.” #rachelhunter #rodstewart #90ssupermodel #singlemotherhood #divorce

♬ original sound - No Filter Podcast

Related: Supermodel Christy Turlington, 57, Is Gray Hair Goals While Dominating the Runway at Michael Kors

🎬SIGN UP for Parade's Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox🎬

Dearest gentle readers,

When one love story ends, another begins...at least in Bridgerton. After Benedict's story took center stage in Season 4, another Bridgerton sibling will step into the spotlight when the global phenomenon returns for Season 5.

Netflix renewed the Regency-era romance series for a fifth season in 2025. Executive producer Shonda Rhimes has teased that it is "a really sexy season," but also acknowledged in the same Sirius XM interview that she said the same thing about Season 4.

🎬 SIGN UP for Parade’s Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox 🎬 

"They're just sexy in different ways," Rhimes added. "And I think that’s what’s great."

Before a new romance gets the ton talking and Lady Whistledown writing, here is everything we know (so far) about Season 5 of Bridgerton.

Seasons 5 and 6 will focus on two Bridgerton sisters: Eloise and Francesca

Liam Daniel/Netflix © 2025

Who are Bridgerton's romantic leads in Season 5?

It hasn't been confirmed which specific Bridgerton sibling the show will focus on next, but showrunner Jess Brownell revealed to Deadline in January 2026 that the fifth and sixth seasons will be Eloise and Francesca's love stories. "Both characters with the initials on my pocket square will get seasons in 5 and 6," Brownell, wearing a pocket square with the initials E & F, told the outlet. "In what order? I can't say."

Who are Eloise and Francesca's love interests in Bridgerton?

In author Julia Quinn's books, Eloise marries widower and single father Sir Phillip Crane, while her sister Francesca was first married to John Stirling. After John's death, Francesca marries his cousin, Michael Stirling. Netflix gender-swapped Michael, making him Michaela in the show.

"Francesca gets together with John Stirling, and I really love that relationship. I think a lot of people will ship Francesca and John — as do I," Brownell told Tudum in 2024. "But part of her exploration going forward will be about whether or not there is in fact something missing. Book readers will know what it means when she meets Michaela."

Hannah Dodd as Francesca Bridgerton, Victor Alli as John Stirling and Masali Baduza as Michaela in Season 3

Liam Daniel/Netflix © 2024

When it comes to the creative liberties that the series takes, Season 4 lead Luke Thompson exclusively told Parade, "I think the books are the books and the series is the series. And I think the series has done a wonderful job of absolutely meeting the fandom in terms of like what they love about the books, but also surprising them, and also bringing that material into, you know, our century. Not just our century, but our decade. In terms of, like, you know that it reflects the diversity of experiences out there... I'm very suspicious of the word authenticity, I think, generally."

Who will play Sir Phillip Crane in Bridgerton?

Chris Fulton portrayed Phillip Crane in the first season of Bridgerton. Fans will have to wait and see if he returns to the role when the time comes for Eloise's story.

When does Bridgerton Season 5 premiere?

A premiere date has not yet been announced, but What's On Netflix reported in 2025 that production on the fifth season is "scheduled to begin sometime in March 2026."

Related: We Burn for These Quotes From ‘Bridgerton’

How to watch Bridgerton Season 5

Bridgerton streams exclusively on Netflix. Catch up on the first four seasons before Season 5 arrives on the streamer.

Who is in the cast of Bridgerton Season 5?

Netflix hasn't confirmed the Season 5 cast, but the show's regulars include:

Luke Thompson as Benedict BridgertonJonathan Bailey as Anthony BridgertonAdjoa Andoh as Lady DanburyJulie Andrews as the voice of Lady WhistledownLorraine Ashbourne as Mrs. VarleyMasali Baduza as Michaela StirlingNicola Coughlan as Penelope BridgertonHannah Dodd as Francesca StirlingDaniel Francis as Lord Marcus AndersonRuth Gemmell as Violet BridgertonFlorence Hunt as Hyacinth BridgertonMartins Imhangbe as Will MondrichClaudia Jessie as Eloise BridgertonLuke Newton as Colin BridgertonGolda Rosheuvel as Queen CharlotteWill Tilston as Gregory BridgertonPolly Walker as Portia FeatheringtonEmma Naomi as Alice MondrichHugh Sachs as Brimsley

Yerin Ha joined the cast in Season 4 as Benedict's love interest Sophie Baek. Netflix's Bridgerton also stars Simone Ashley as Kate Bridgerton and Victor Alli as Lord John Stirling.

Related: Can’t Get Enough Bridgerton? How to Read Julia Quinn’s Bridgerton Books in Order

What will happen in Bridgerton Season 5?

It remains unclear as Netflix has not yet confirmed who Season 5 will center around. Stay tuned for updates as more information is released!

Related: These Are the Real Places Where 'Bridgerton' Season 4 Was Filmed

It's been over fifteen years since we last saw JD (Zach Braff) walk the halls of Sacred Heart Hospital. Now, he's back to work.

Having initially decided to end the show after Season 8, Bill Lawrence (Ted Lasso, Shrinking) capped off JD's goodbye to the many people he had met over the years by walking through the hospital halls, seeing their faces, then watching a montage of moments from his future. "Endings are never easy," JD says in the episode. Scrubs learned that the hard way.

🎬SIGN UP for Parade's Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox 🎬 

ABC decided to bring the show back later that year with a sort of official/unofficial final season. Over the course of another 13 episodes, JD returned to Sacred Heart, along with Turk (Donald Faison) and Dr. Cox (John C. McGinley), to teach medical school. Now, it seems that it is officially non-canon.

"Well, considering it's a spin-off and I just learned what a ret-con is," said Braff in an interview with Parade, "Yeah, I guess that is ret-conned." In other words, JD’s Season 8 goodbye in "My Finale" remains the definitive ending of his story. Until now.

Related: 'Scrubs' Cast: Where Are They Now?

Faison has been even more explicit about what that means for JD’s life. “All of the stuff that happened in Season 9, pretty much, is considered ret-conned,” he said. “And so in Season 9, you guys are happily married, the baby comes…” The “you guys,” of course, refers to JD and Elliot (Sarah Chalke).

Braff even spoke about the montage that he watches at the end of the original run of the show. "I think fans need to be reminded that all the things that happened at the end of Season 8 that are projected on the sheet that JD's looking at are all what he day dreams about will happen," the actor said. "But as we all know, especially when you get to be 50 years old, there are plenty of things in your life that didn't necessarily work out the way you wanted," he added.

But if fans are worried about anything changing within the lore of the Scrubs lore, they can rest assured knowing that the bromance between JD and Turk is as strong as ever. "The bromance is alive," Braff said.

With Scrubs returning to television, fans can take comfort in knowing that the series’ true ending remains intact. Season 9 may exist as an interesting detour, but JD’s story still closes where it was meant to: with possibility, growth, and the relationships that defined him. Endings are never easy, but every now and then, they get a second chance to be set right.

Related: Are JD and Elliot Still Together? ‘Scrubs’ Revival Answers Fans’ Biggest Question (Exclusive)

Khloé Kardashian may have almost 300 million followers on Instagram but she says there's no one behind the scenes running her social media.

The reality star, 41, opened up about her online habits on a new episode of Khloé In Wonder Land that aired on Wednesday (Feb. 25), explaining that she's totally in control of her accounts.

"I get this asked if I control my own social media. Yes, I do," Kardashian revealed. "That's probably why there's no rhyme or reason. My stories on Instagram are crazy."

🎬 SIGN UP for Parade’s Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox 🎬 

She continued, "Like, I'll be posting, I don't know, it could be something that I'll make sense and I'm so close to getting it right and then I'll be like, 'Oh, that's a funny meme.' And I randomly just put it on my stories."

Kardashian went on to confirm that she does "do it all" and joked that "it's like a chicken with its head cut off." When asked if she prefers her social accounts to be that way, Kardashian admitted that she wasn't sure—but thought it was authentic to herself.

"I don't know if I like it like that. It's just like that's what it is," Kardashian shared. "Do I respect when I see other people's pages being so polished? I'm like, 'Wow, this is like so soothing to be on this page.' Sure."

She continued, "But I don't think I'm that soothing. So maybe it just goes with me. Like we're a little erratic. We try to be a little polished, but we just can't hold on that long. So, I think it very much describes who I am. And you can tell that I'm in full control."

You can hear all that Khloé Kardashian had to say below.

Harry Styles revealed that he has an unusual "talent."

During an appearance on the February 25 episode of Royal Court, host Brittany Broski referenced that Styles started out his singing career on the talent competition series, The X-Factor UK, in 2010. She asked if he were to go on another talent competition show and couldn't show off his abilities as a musician, what would he do? He replied that his hidden talent is eating a copious amount of yogurt.

"I can eat quite a lot of yogurt. No, I eat like remarkable amounts of yogurt. It shocks my friends. Shocks them," said Styles during the interview.

Broski, a comedian and internet personality, then inquired, "How did you kind of figure that out?"

"It's a little bit like, you know what, like when you watch the Olympics and there's someone on the pommel horse and you go like, 'Oh, how did you discover that you were good at that?'" said Styles to Broski. "It's a bit like that, but it's yogurt. Just like you have some and then you're like, 'I could have a bit more of that, I reckon.'"

Harry Styles Revealed His Favorite Foods

During the Royal Court interview, Styles also shared that his favorite foods include burgers, turkey legs, and rotisserie chicken.

"I really like burgers. I think I just like eating with my hands. It's the truth. It's like I love like a turkey leg," said the former One Directionmember.

The "Fine Line" singer also said he has a fondness for "seeing people take themselves out for ice cream."

"You see it a lot in Italy. Like by themselves, they've gone to get ice cream," said Styles in the interview. "It's like such a moment that's like centered around just your joy that I think I get a lot of joy in like seeing people do that."

Though Project Hail Mary does not come out in theaters for almost another month, critics and journalists are already raving about the film and comparing it to another iconic sci-fi movie.

Project Hail Mary, based on the novel of the same title by Andy Weir, follows Ryan Gosling as Dr. Ryland Grace, a junior high school teacher turned astronaut, who goes on a one-way mission to save Earth from a solar-dimming microorganism called "Astrophage," which is causing the Sun's energy output to drop by 10-15%, and will eventually trigger a new ice age and kill life on Earth.

The movie, which is set to be released in theaters on March 20, was produced and directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller. Other cast in the film include Sandra Hüller, Lionel Boyce, Milana Vayntrub, James Ortiz and Priya Kansara.

Ryan Gosling promotes the upcoming film "Project Hail Mary" at the Amazon MGM Studios presentation during CinemaCon, the official convention of Cinema United.

As early screenings of the film are happening in Los Angeles and New York City this week for the press, praise has been pouring in for the movie and Gosling's emotional and hilarious performance. For instance, Patrick Tomasso, a popular film critic and content creator, posted to X on Tuesday that "Project Hail Mary is one of the greatest space adventure films of all time."

"It’s gorgeous, full of heart and Gosling is spectacular. He gave his all to this one and you’ll be in awe," Tomasso continued. "If you’ve fallen out of love with going to the movies, I promise this one will win you back."

A senior editor at Variety posted on their X account that "Project Hail Mary is masterful and so beautifully done. A truly heartwarming story of humanity and friendship. A superb performance from Ryan Gosling - a career best. Greig Fraser’s cinematography is exquisite to perfection."

"Project Hail Mary absolutely floored me," journalist Kevin Verma wrote. "Lord and Miller deliver a space odyssey that is deeply human and heartwarming. Ryan Gosling is fantastic here and brings emotion and charm to this SciFi epic. Incredible visuals and a pulsing score. You wanna see this one in @IMAX."

"Project Hail Mary is more comedic than the wonky Andy Weir book-- it's Lord & Miller and Ryan Gosling after all-- but it's a hugely ambitious and satisfying space adventure which lets you revel in human -- and alien-- ingenuity," IndieWire's Senior-Editor-at-Large Anna Thompson posted. "And Sandra Huller always rocks!"

"PROJECT HAIL MARY has one of the best third acts I've ever seen. I was on the verge of tears for the last 40 minutes," freelance film critic Brandon Norwood revealed.

Collider's Adam Blevins even compared Gosling's upcoming project to the 2014 film Interstellar, which is widely considered one of the best sci-fi films of the 21st century. Starring Matthew McConaughey, Jessica Chastain, Anne Hathaway, Timotheé Chalmet, Mackenzie Foy and Michael Caine, and directed by Christopher Nolan, Interstellar starts with Professor Brand (Caine), a brilliant NASA physicist, working on plans to save mankind by transporting Earth's population to a new home via a wormhole. But first, he sends Cooper (McConaughey), Dr. Amelia Brand (Hathaway), Professor Romilly (David Gyasi) and Doyle (Wes Bentley) through the wormhole, where time is heavily dilated.

A poster seen during the premiere of Paramount Pictures' "Interstellar" at TCL Chinese Theatre IMAX on October 26, 2014 in Hollywood, California.

The book Project Hail Mary, which was published in 2021, is also widely popular and considered one of the best modern sci-fi books, winning the Goodreads Choice Award for Science Fiction that year. Weir also wrote other popular sci-fi books like Artemis and The Martian, the latter being adapted into a film in 2015.

Project Hail Mary will be out in theaters nationwide on March 20.

Related: Ryan Gosling's New Movie Has Celebs Calling It the Best Film of 2026 - and It's Not Even Out Yet

Related: The Internet Marks Two Years Since ‘Barbenheimer’ Made Movie History

Harry Styles is finally weighing in on one of the internet’s most persistent rumors.

During an appearance on Brittany Broski’s “Royal Court” on Wednesday, February 25, the Grammy winner playfully addressed speculation that he’s secretly bald. 

Broski asked whether his teeth were fake. “No,” Styles answered plainly—before immediately adding, “This hairline, though…” sending the host into laughter.

The joke nods to years of online chatter suggesting the 32-year-old singer may have undergone a hair transplant or is wearing a wig. Rumors gained traction around four years ago after a DeuxMoi blind item claimed an “A list musician / occasional actor” had gone “almost completely bald” and was sporting an impressive wig. Many fans speculated the mystery figure was Styles.

But this isn’t the first time he’s responded to the buzz. In a 2022 interview with Rolling Stone, Styles revealed that his collaborator Kid Harpoon couldn’t get enough of the discourse. “He won’t stop sending me messages about [people] trying to work out if I’m bald,” he said at the time. Addressing the speculation directly, Styles made it clear he wasn’t worried. “What is it with baldness?” he mused. “It skips a generation or something, right? If your grandad’s bald then you’ll be bald? Well, my granddad wasn’t bald, so fingers crossed.”

Of course, hair isn’t the only thing Styles is willing to poke fun at. During his chat with Broski, he also admitted that one of his former fashion staples makes him cringe. “In the 2010s, I wore like really, really tight jeans,” he confessed. “And I know it was of the time, but I think they were they were tighter than than my legs were.” Broski laughed, then chimed in with “Painted on,” prompting Styles to laugh and add, “Now I’d be like, just wear a size bigger… Or three sizes bigger.”

🎶 SIGN UP for Parade’s Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture & music news delivered right to your inbox 🎶

Fans of the social media personality were genuinely shook when they found out she secured Styles a guest on her show.

“WHEN SHE SAID WE WERENT READY I KNEWW ITTTTTT,” one fan commented on TikTok.

Another said, “i know she’s dying inside lol she’s handling this so well.”

“I was like huh.. that looks a lot like— HARRY STYLES?????” a third exclaimed.

Since premiere back in 2023, Broski has had a myriad of guests join her show, including Cole Sprouse, Finn Wolfhard, Brie Larson, and many more.

As the longest running radio broadcast in U.S. history, the Grand Ole Opry has launched the careers of countless country music legends...and now, over a century after it first began, the Opry is still honoring the legacies of those talented musicians.

In honor of the Opry's 100th Anniversary year (2025), fans voted over the course of 12 months for their favorite country song from over the decades, going all the way back to the 1930s.

While the most voted for tunes weren't ranked in order of popularity, some of the standout picks from the genre's earliest years and classic era included The Carter Family’s “Can the Circle Be Unbroken” (1935), Hank Williams' "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry" (1949), Patsy Cline's "Walkin' After Midnight" (1957) and Merle Haggard's "Mama Tried" (1968).

Related: Country Legend, 92, Is a 'National Treasure' Singing Beloved #1 Hit With His Sons

Moving on to the '70s, fan-favorite songs included hits such as John Denver's "Take Me Home, Country Roads" (1971), Tanya Tucker's "Delta Dawn" (1972) and Dolly Parton's "Jolene" (1973), while the selections from the '80s featured Willie Nelson's "Always on My Mind" (1982) and Alabama's "Mountain Music" (1982), among others.

Unsurprisingly, Garth Brooks showed up more than once in the '90s category for hits including "Friends in Low Places" (1990); Reba McEntirealso made multiple appearances for songs such as "Is There Life Out There" (1992). The 2000s kicked off with lots of songs from Alan Jackson, including 2003's "Remember When" and his duet from the same year with Jimmy Buffett, "It's Five O'Clock Somewhere," while more recent entries came from the likes of Miranda Lambert with "The House That Built Me" (2010) and Lainey Wilson with 2022's "Watermelon Moonshine."

So which decade produced the official Opry fan-voted #1 Greatest Country Song of All Time? It was the '80s, or, to be exact, 1980, the year George Jones released "He Stopped Loving Her Today."

Related: George Jones & Alan Jackson's New ‘He Stopped Loving Her Today’ Opry Duet Will Give You Chills

As the Opry website noted, in honor of the song's historic ranking, a "Full Circle Mix" of "He Stopped Loving Her Today" featuring Jones and the aforementioned Jackson appears on Opry 100: Country’s Greatest Songs.

Of course, as a majority of Opry fans made perfectly clear, "He Stopped Loving Her Today" is indeed one of the most beloved country songs in history...not just by music lovers, but by fellow musicians. Parton, for example, called it the "country classic of all time."

“To me, that song is so well written, but it touches every cell in your body, in your heart,” Parton said, according to Far Out magazine. “It’s just like he stopped loving her today, they hung that wreath upon the door.”

“He was never going to stop loving her in his lifetime,” Parton continued. “He had to die. It is so beautiful and, of course, George Jones is my favorite country singer in the world — always was, always will be. Nobody can tell that story like he did."

Related: Saddest Country Song of the 1980s Was Recorded by Former Marine Who Achieved International Fame

Some Costco finds are exciting. Others are legendary. And then there are the blink-and-you’ll-miss-it deals that make you text your group chat immediately. This is one of those moments. Shoppers are buzzing because Costco quietly restocked a massive kitchen upgrade that feels like the ultimate dream setup.

If you love high-end cookware, this Costco deal is what people wait years for. It’s big. It’s bold. And yes, it ships on a pallet.

🍳 SIGN UP to get delicious recipes, handy kitchen hacks & fun food news in our daily Pop Kitchen newsletter 🍳

The product is a 166-piece Le Creuset cookware set priced at $3,999.99, which is $1,000 off the original $4,999.99 price. That’s a serious deal on one of the most beloved cookware brands in the world. Available in red or blue and sold online only while supplies last, this Costco find is valid through March 2. Limit five per member.

Why This Costco Deal Is So Good Costco's Le Creuset 166-Piece Cookware Set

Le Creuset has been known for its colorful cast-iron cookware since 1925. The brand’s enameled cast iron pieces are made in France and are famous for excellent heat retention and durability. Seeing this much Le Creuset cookware bundled together at Costco feels almost unreal.

This isn’t just a few pots and pans. This is a full kitchen transformation. The set includes cast iron, stoneware, stainless steel, bakeware, enamel on steel, silicone tools, dinnerware and even wine accessories. Customers are calling it the deal of a lifetime.

Related: Costco's 'Gooey' New $12 Bakery Find Is 'So Delicious,' Shoppers Are Racing to Stock Up

What’s Included in This Massive Cookware Set

Here’s a look at what comes in this 166-piece Le Creuset Costco find:

• Signature enameled cast iron Dutch ovens, braisers, skillet, roaster, bread oven, saucepan and chef’s oven
• Stainless steel fry pans, saucepans, sauté pan, pasta pot, chef’s pan, splatter guard and measuring pan
• Enamel on steel stockpots and kettle
• Heritage stoneware baking dishes, casserole dishes, loaf dish, pie dish, pizza stone and mini cocottes
• Seven-piece metal bakeware set
• Mixing bowls, colanders and ramekins
• Full dinnerware sets including mugs, soup bowls, salad plates and dinner plates
• Utensils including ladle, slotted spoon, sauté spoon and turner
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Pepper mill and salt mill
• Wine tools and cooler bag
• Trivets, oven mitts, towels, cookbooks and cleaning tools

For anyone who has slowly collected Le Creuset over the years, this Costco deal might feel like the ultimate shortcut. It’s a serious investment, but compared to buying each piece individually, the savings are hard to ignore.

Related: Costco Is Selling a Chic 3-Compartment Laundry Organizer That Makes Sorting a Breeze