Jonathan Majors found guilty of assault and more pop culture news
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This week, we catch you up with the latest breaking pop culture news that you might have missed, including the latest developments in Jonathan Majors’ assault case, the tragic news of Brooklyn Nine-Nine ‘s Andre Braugher’s passing and more.
A new version of I’m Just Ken is here!
In true Christmas fashion, Ryan Gosling proves to be the gift that keeps on giving. If you have been jamming to the male-anthem Barbie song since its premiere, there are not just one or two but three new versions of I’m Just Ken to sing with your besties! On 21 December, Ken The EP was released, featuring fun renditions of the ballad which include a Merry Kristmas Barbie version, an In My Feelings Acoustic version and a Purple Disco Machine Remix. Gosling even filmed a performance video where he sings the holiday edition of the track producers Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt. Watch the video above and stream the EP below for an instant serotonin boost!
Jonathan Majors is found guilty of assault and Marvel cuts ties
On 18 December, the actor was convicted of several charges of harassing and assaulting his ex-girlfriend, Grace Jabbari. Out of the charges, Majors was found not guilty of one count of assault in the third degree and not guilty of aggravated harassment in the second degree; however, a New York jury found that the Marvel actor was guilty of assault in the third degree and guilting of harassment. The judge has set the sentencing for 6 February 2024 and Majors could face up to one year behind bars.
The actor first broke into mainstream cinema in the 2019 indie series The Last Black Man in San Francisco and later earned an Emmy nomination for his leading performance in HBO’s Lovecraft Country. His bodybuilding film Magazine Dramas received rave reviews at the Sundance Film Festival and even generated Oscar buzz for the actor. However, the film has been pulled from the cinemas with no release date as of yet. Major’s rapid rise in stardom was in full force after his leading role in Creed III and appearance as the antagonist in two Marvel projects, Loki and Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania this year.
He was poised to anchor the lucrative Marvel Cinematic Universe franchise as its next main supervillain, culminating in 2026’s Avengers: The Kang Dynasty for Phase Six. However, a source close to the matter told NBC News that Marvel Studios has decided to pull Majors out of its franchise for good. Before Jabbari accused her former boyfriend of assault (which he still denies), Majors was widely seen as one of Hollywood’s fastest-rising stars.
Ryan Reynolds stars in John Krasinski’s new upcoming movie
What if everything you believed as a child was real? John Krasinski blew audiences away with his directorial debut A Quiet Place. Now, he’s switching from the horror genre to a heartwarming family movie about the power of a child’s imagination. IF follows the story of a young girl who discovers she can see everybody’s imaginary friends, which is also the acronym of the movie. With her newfound superpower, she embarks on a magical adventure to reconnect forgotten IFs with their kids. The movie boasts a star-studded cast including Ryan Reynolds, Cailey Fleming, Fiona Shaw, and the voices of Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Louis Gossett Jr. and Steve Carell. Catch it in theatres on 16 May 2024!
Actor Andre Braugher passes away at age 61
In a piece of shocking news that devastated fans around the world, Andre Braugher was announced to have passed away on Monday following a brief illness. After graduating from Standford University and attending The Juilliard School for drama, Braugher had an illustrious and highly regarded acting career. He won two Emmy Awards, from a total of 11 nominations to date, for his performance in Homicide and Thief.
Out of his many notable roles, the one that audiences may remember the most would be Captain Raymon Holt from the hit police-comedy show Brooklyn Nine-Nine. Fans especially loved Braugher’s depiction of the sarcastic and foolhardy police captain who won audiences with his incredible comedic timing across six seasons. Actors and actresses such as Viola Davis, Terry Crews, Chelsea Peretti and Marc Evan Jackson expressed their condolences on social media.
Bridgerton season 3 announces official premiere dates
The Bridgerton series swept audiences off their feet with the stunning romances of Daphne and Simon, and Kate and Anthony. Now, fans won’t have to wait that much longer for the next swoon-worthy love story to take place as Netflix has announced that the third instalment of the series will premiere! The eight-episode drama will be released in two parts: part one on 16 May and part two on 13 June 2024.
Taking off from the cliffhanger of season two, Bridgerton season three will follow the blossoming relationship between Penelope Featherington and Colin Bridgerton. Don’t worry, Kate, Anthony and other fan-favourite characters will also be returning!
Taylor Swift turns 34!
13 December is Taylor Swift Day and the pop star royalty celebrated her 34th birthday with some of her dearest friends. Spotted in NYC with Swift were Blake Lively, Selena Gomez, Sabrina Carpenter, Miles Teller and wife Keleigh Sperry and Zoe Kravitz. On social media, she rang in the occasion by posting a video of her performing Long Live on her iconic blue koi fish guitar from the extended cut of her The Eras Tour film whilst using a ton of emojis.
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“PS troll me all you want about my excessive and literal millennial emoji use but A) no one’s prouder to be a millennial and B) it’s my bday and today I am exempt! 🎂,” she captioned under her post. Happy birthday, Taylor Swift!
READ: Everything Swifties need to know about Taylor Swift’s new beau, Taylor Kelce
Dune 2 drops its newest jaw-dropping trailer
Fans of Dune, behold! We have just been graced with a brand-new trailer that reveals more stunning visuals based on Frank Herbert’s sci-fi novel. In the latest released trailer, we see more of Timothee Chalamet as Paul Atreides and Zendaya’s Chani in their blossoming romance. Notably, audiences get more looks at Austin Butler as a “psychotic” warrior-villain and Florence Pugh as Princess Irulan. In Denis Villeneuve’s epic, the sequel will follow Paul’s alliance with the Fremen and the growing threat of the Harkanens in an action-packed intergalactic battle for power.
Zac Efron receives his star Hollywood Walk of Fame
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Is it surprising to know that pop culture icon Zac Efron only just received his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Monday, 11 December? During the ceremony, the actor took the opportunity to thank those who shaped him throughout his career, including his 17 Again co-star Matthew Perry.
Recalling what it was like to work with the Friends alum, Efron shared that the experience was “so much fun and really did propel me and motivate me in so many ways. It pushed me into the next chapter of my career.” The High School Musical star was also accompanied by good friends Miles Teller, Jeremy Allen White, and of course, Kenny Ortega.
Selena Gomez and Benny Blanco are dating
Looks like Selena Gomez isn’t going to be ‘Single Soon’ after all! On 7 December, the singer and actress confirmed the dating rumours between her and Benny Blanco via a fan account post. In the comments, Gomez described the music producer as “the best thing that’s ever happened to me”—talk about a hard launch! The pair have already known each other since 2019 when they worked on the English-Spanish song, I Can’t Get Enough, together. Since then, the Lose You to Love Me singer has been flaunting her romance with Blanco by posting sweet cuddle sessions on her Instagram. According to another comment, the couple have been dating for six months.
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