Category: Entertainment

Prince Harry is working overtime to do the interview rounds ahead of the release of his memoir Spare on Tuesday. And this one is a BIG one, even by those already-lofty standards.

On Monday night, the 38-year-old prince sat down with Good Morning America co-anchor Michael Strahan. The Brit delivered an expansive, long-form interview about his book and his life. Nearly no stone was unturned as Harry spoke about his relationship with wife Meghan Markle, the fractured relationships he now has with father King Charles III and brother Prince William, and every other dramatic detail about his former life with the royal family.

Related: Prince Harry Claims Dig At William’s ‘Alarming Baldness’ Wasn’t A Diss At All!

The interview covered a lot of ground. As the former New York Giants football star prodded William’s little bro and sat in awe to hear the responses, Harry spoke candidly about how life has changed since walking away from Buckingham Palace.

Here are all the highlights from Monday night’s Prince Harry: In His Own Words tell-all interview…

The Divide Was Already There

As we’ve reported, Harry has already spoken in GMA teasers about the growing rift between himself, Prince William, and King Charles. When Strahan asked about that, as we’ve noted, Harry doubled down:

“I have thought about it long and hard. And as far as I see it, the divide couldn’t be greater before this book.”

Still, the Spare author remained optimistic about possibly finding some kind of reconciliation with his family in the future. If that comes, Harry told the television host, it would be life-changing:

“If we can get to the point of reconciliation, that will have a ripple effect across the world. I genuinely believe that, and that’s kind of what is pushing me. And if that doesn’t happen, then that’s very sad.”

Wow. Clearly, there are a lot of emotions here.

Harry’s (Not So) Beloved Brother

To the outside world, Harry and his 40-year-old brother have always seemed close — especially after the tragic death of their mother Princess Diana when they were children. But in speaking to Strahan, Harry explained there is actually more to the story regarding the connection between him and William.

The memoir writer, who called William his “beloved brother and arch nemesis,” explained:

“There has always been this competition between us weirdly. Again, I think it really plays into, or is played, by the heir/spare.”

Harry even went so far as to tell Strahan he felt William was jealous of his position as the “spare” of the two brothers.

While Prince William sits “in the monarch’s shadow” and waits for his turn on the throne, as Harry said, the younger brother gets to enjoy relative freedom. To that end, Harry explained the dynamic to the former NFL star:

“I have more freedom than he does, right? So his life is planned out for him. I have more flexibility to be able to choose the life that I wanted.”

Well, that’s true. And Harry proved as much when he walked away from the royal family. So there’s definitely something real about that assessment.

The Brothers’ Broken ‘Pact’

Harry also opened up about a “pact” the brothers had in the past. As the younger bro moved towards marriage with Meghan several years ago, he and William apparently agreed to an informal deal. In it, they intended to not allow their offices or publicists to fight externally or brief the media against each other.

But that didn’t end up happening, Harry claims. Instead, he told Strahan that members of the royal family allegedly fed stories to the press. They also supposedly refused to discredit other salacious stories about Meghan and Harry that the fam knew were plainly phony.

Harry explained:

“The people that he employed broke that. But again, within the family, it’s hard because you are led to believe that if you don’t play the game, that you will be destroyed. And again, I’m the one who’s proving that that is true, right? Chose not to play the game, but they’re trying to destroy me.”

The Suits alum’s husband went on to say that the press ate it up. In turn, they worked up a feud between the two couples for maximum ratings and attention from the public:

“[The media] pitched the Waleses, which Kate and William are now, against the Sussexes, me and my wife. They always pitched us against each other. They pitched Kate and Meghan against each other.”

Wow. Not great!!

Oh, and speaking of Meghan and Kate…

Catherine Vs. Meghan

Harry blames press reports and media strife on disrupting Markle’s relationship with Princess Catherine when it was still in its very early stages. Of course, we’ve written quite a bit about that tense relationship over the past few weeks.

The memoir author said:

“Without question. If you read [news coverage], it very much feeds into how you function, operate, and behave. Without question. But the moment you don’t read it, you can live a truly authentic life.”

Such was the thrust of their Netflix docuseries released late last year. So it sounds like Harry is actually practicing what he preaches with that?

Reconciliation On The Horizon?

All the while, Harry claimed to Strahan, the British press worked tirelessly to “drive a wedge” between the brothers. However, he still hopes he can one day be close with William again at some point far in the future:

“I hope that we will be joined at the hip again. Because, you know, if there’s something that will terrify the British press more than anything, it’s William and I being aligned.”

Damn!!

It just may take some time.

Related: Prince Harry Walks Back ‘Villain’ Claim About Queen Camilla

And to be fair, Harry did admit to bearing some of the blame for the fractured relationship he has with his older bro. Still, he told the GMA host that he has worked hard behind the scenes to try to mend fences:

“What people don’t know is the efforts that I’ve gone to [in order] to resolve this privately, both with my brother and with my father.”

As you can see, Harry is remarkably emotional over the challenge of navigating that tough relationship:

Prince Harry to @michaelstrahan on rift with his family: “What people don’t know is the efforts that I’ve gone to to resolve this privately, both with my brother and with my father.”

Stream now on @ABCNewsLive or on @Hulu here: https://t.co/pwf8p4chSC pic.twitter.com/EBGCicBcBt

— ABC News Live (@ABCNewsLive) January 10, 2023

Ugh!!

A difficult situation for all, no doubt.

Major Security Concerns

A big remaining point of contention for Harry goes back to the moment when he and Meghan chose to step back from the royal family. When he approached the family with his choice, Harry claims he was met with “zero compromise.”

When he and Meghan moved to Canada briefly while starting that process, then, they received no security after a previously-agreed-upon 12-month transition period of guard was pulled out from under the couple. Harry told Strahan:

“I was stunned that my family would allow security to be taken away, especially at the most vulnerable point for us. And maybe they didn’t understand the concerns that I had. I mean, I listed them. I laid them out.”

Strahan asked the famous father whether Buckingham Palace didn’t realize about his security concerns or didn’t care. To that, the younger prince replied:

“I think probably a little bit of both.”

Oof. Definitely not a good look for the royal fam. Just saying…

Wishing For Windsor

Still, initially, Meghan and Harry didn’t want to leave their roles within the royal family. He recalled how being based in Windsor made him feel — for a while — like that was where he was meant to spend the rest of his life:

“We were based in Windsor. That was where we genuinely thought we were going to spend the rest of our lives.”

But things were tough, too. The “filter of the tabloids,” as Harry noted, made life difficult to live in the public eye as part of the monarchy.

And so he and Meghan tried to find a way through it — but to no avail. The embattled prince told Strahan:

“We were trying to find a different way to work, but for one reason or another, despite the fact that it already exists within the family, we weren’t allowed to do things slightly differently. To still perform and work and support and represent the monarchy, but to be financially independent, to remove the supposed public interest, which the tabloids had used repeatedly to invade every single element of our life.”

It sounds like its own prison, TBH. Definitely not fun in some ways! Even if it might feel like a fairytale life from the outside looking in! The grass is always greener, after all…

Striving For Peace

Now, Harry is in a mood for peace. Spare bares all when it comes to his fractured relationship with the institution and his family, of course. But he thinks telling his story in book form will eventually lead to a truce among family members:

“I don’t think that we can ever have peace with my family unless the truth is out there. There’s a lot that I can forgive, but there needs to be conversations in order for reconciliation, and part of that has to be accountability.”

And one day, Harry told Strahan, he hopes to have a candid (and private!) conversation with his family to clear the air:

“I just hope that there’s a way that we can have a conversation that is trusted within that conversation that isn’t then spilled to the British press. That’s where I am.”

Well wouldn’t that be something? Not holding our breath here, tho…

Interacting With The Queen

Interestingly, Harry did tell GMA that Queen Elizabeth II was not angry with him for wanting to alter his royal role. Instead, he thinks she was “sad” about the situation and how it unfolded near the end of her life.

Harry hypothesized more on the late Queen’s possible mindset towards him and Meghan in her final years:

“I had many, many conversations with her both in the U.K. over the years and in the run-up to the point of this change, so it was never a surprise to anybody, least of all her. She knew what was going on. She knew how hard it was. I don’t know whether she was in a position to be able to change it.”

Say what you will about Harry, and Meghan, and the royal family in general, but clearly this was a tough situation for all.

Dealing With Diana’s Death

Harry also spoke openly about the past. Specifically, he talked to Strahan about his mother’s shocking death in a car accident in Paris while being pursued by paparazzi in 1997. He told Strahan that he initially didn’t want to believe Diana was dead, and as a 12-year-old boy who was confronted with the shocking fact, it harmed him greatly.

Calling his wish to avoid the death a “defense mechanism,” Harry told the GMA host:

“I think for anyone, especially if you’re a kid, I was 12 years old. I refused to accept that was what had happened.”

He also explained how Charles woke him and William up early the next morning to break the news to them, saying:

“It was really important to be able to sketch that scene and share with people where my story really began. As a dad, I would never, ever want to have to break that news ever, so I have a huge amount of sympathy and compassion and understanding now about how ill-equipped I guess my dad was, how ill-equipped anybody would be in that situation.”

Wow.

Harry admitted that the moment was truly the most difficult one imaginable, and even now, he’s not sure how it could have possibly turned out any better:

“I don’t think my family knew what to do. I don’t think they knew what to do, and I can’t say whether other families would’ve done a better job.”

No kidding. Such an awful situation.

As we already reported based on early GMA teasers, Prince Harry spoke about his take on Queen Camilla‘s role in the royal family. In his comments to Strahan, Harry said some surprising stuff:

“That made her dangerous because of the connections that she was forging within the British press. And there was open willingness on both sides to trade off information. And with a family built on hierarchy, and with her, on the way to being Queen Consort, there was gonna be people or bodies left in the street because of that.”

Jeez!! Then, when asked what Camilla had done to make Harry so resistant to welcoming her into the family, Harry replied:

“I have a huge amount of compassion for her, you know? Being the third person within my parents’ marriage. And she had a reputation or an image to rehabilitate, and whatever conversations happened, whatever deals or trading was made right at the beginning, she was led to believe that that would be the best way of doing it.”

That “compassion” comment definitely made Strahan raise his eyebrows. And now, despite claiming there’s no bad blood between the two, the author did reveal they don’t have much of a relationship these days:

“We haven’t spoken for a long time. I love every member of my family, despite the differences. So, when I see her, we’re perfectly pleasant with each other. She’s my stepmother; I don’t look at her as an evil stepmother. I see someone who married into this institution and has done everything that she can to improve her own reputation and her own image for her own sake.”

Well then! Are U guys buying that?

A Future Far From Home

So what does the future look like, then?

For Harry, he doesn’t believe his family will ever return full-time to the United Kingdom. Directly referencing the overly-aggressive British press, he told Strahan:

“Even if there was an agreement or an arrangement between me and my family, there is that third party that is going to do everything they can to make sure that that isn’t possible. Not stopping us from necessarily going back, but making it unsurvivable, and that’s really sad because that is essentially breaking the relationship between us.”

And yet he left the door open to be of service to the Commonwealth in some other way moving forward if he felt there were something he could do:

“If there was something in the future where we can continue to support the Commonwealth, then that’s of course on the table, but there’s so much that needs to happen between now and then, and so much that can happen.”

That would be interesting. But it sounds like the door is (mostly) closed for him and Meghan. Especially in regards to being back in London!

With the memoir, Harry told Strahan he is now hoping to “change the media landscape” in the United Kingdom. It remains to be seen whether that will happen, of course.

Related: Harry Will No Longer Have Role In King Charles’ Coronation After Memoir Claims!

But Harry took a dim view of the role the tabloid media plays in the Commonwealth. And he regrets very much what it did to him and his extended family:

“In this instance, the most popular, most read and therefore most influential newspapers in our country are tabloids. That affects the country. That affects the construct of the country.”

He also told GMA about his hope for changing the “codependency” the royal family and the tabloids have on each other:

“There are some people, especially in the U.K., who have been led to believe that because you are a member of the royal family, somehow everyone owns you or has a stake in you. And that’s a message that has been purely pushed out by the British tabloids, and it creates real problems within that family and that relationship. Of course, there has to be some sort of relationship, but where it’s got to now is incredibly unhealthy.”

Obviously, that’s a real line in the sand on that one. Whether Harry — or anyone — can succeed in changing that close relationship is anybody’s guess. But we’re not holding our breath. Just saying…

Modernizing The Monarchy

Finally, the Duke of Sussex spoke about what he hopes the monarchy will become in the future. He “genuinely” believes it should continue, he told Strahan. But he also hopes it will modernize through the 21st century.

Harry said:

“I think the same process that I went through regarding my own unconscious bias would be hugely beneficial to them. It’s not racism, but unconscious bias if not confronted, if not acknowledged, if not learned and grown from, that can then move into racism. And the way that I understand it is that we all want to be part of the solution rather than part of the problem.”

Specifically, Harry also felt the royal fam had “a huge missed opportunity” when they failed to represent and promote Meghan as a biracial woman during her time in London:

“It’s what she said to me from right from the beginning, representation. And I, as a privileged white man, didn’t really understand what she was talking about.”

Well said.

Harry also worries about younger members of the royal family, and what they may go through. He explained:

“I also worry about other young kids within that family if this continues. Because who’s to say that someone else doesn’t fill my shoes and that their partner, whether it’s a husband or a wife or boyfriend or a girlfriend, doesn’t get treated exactly the same as Meghan did?”

That’s a tough one, for sure. Do U have any solutions, Perezcious readers?

You can see more highlights from the GMA interview (below):

Wow.

That’s obviously a heavy subject — and one that means a great deal to Harry.

What do U think of Harry’s whole interview with Michael Strahan? The duo covered a LOT of ground. What are your reactions to it??

[Image via GMA/YouTube]

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Prince Harry continued to tell all during his 60 Minutes interview on Sunday, Jan. 8. The Duke of Sussex, 38, sat down with Anderson Cooper to discuss his bombshell memoir Spare and the on-going rift in the Royal Family that ultimately caused him and his wife Meghan Markle to step down from their royal duties and move to North America in 2020. During the intense one-on-one, Harry also admitted he wasn’t able to bring himself to tears over the 1997 death of his mom, Princess Diana, even well into his 20s, which became a source of tremendous “guilt” for him. “I was constantly trying to find a way to cry,” he admitted.

Prince Harry said that for years after his mother Princess Diana’s death, he believed that she had disappeared and would one day return. Searching for proof, Harry asked to see the police files of the crash that caused his mother’s death. https://t.co/Pq5F644mVs pic.twitter.com/s7MRFcuuU5

— 60 Minutes (@60Minutes) January 9, 2023

“Even sitting on my sofa, and going over as many memories I could muster up about my mom, and watching videos online,” Harry added, before admitting that none of it worked. He eventually sought out therapy to help with his grief and eventually tried psychedelics. “I would never recommend doing this to all people, but doing it with the right people, if you are suffering from a huge amount of loss and grief or trauma, then these things have a way of working as a medicine.” He said the medicine helped him realize that he didn’t have to cry to mourn his mom and that his mom “just wanted” him “to be happy.”

Harry also went into detail about the woman who would ultimately take his mom’s place next to his father King Charles: Camilla Parker Bowles. He admitted he and his brother Prince William asked their father not to marry the now-Queen Consort eight years after their mother’s death because it would only cause more turmoil. He also called Camilla “dangerous” around that time as she was now deemed the “villain” after Princess Diana suggested Camilla was the “third person” in her marriage to Charles. “She needed to rehabilitate her image,” Harry said. To do such, Camilla and her “PR team” were willing to throw Harry and William under the bus to make her look better in the tabloids, according to Harry.

The Duke of Sussex then discussed the Spare passages about his father waking him to tell him about Diana’s death, not being included in the family travel plans to visit the dying Queen and the royals’ first reaction to the “love of his life,” Meghan. Harry wrote in the book that Charles took a liking, William was skeptical, and other members weren’t having it. When Anderson asked why, Harry offered, “The fact that she was American, an actress, divorced, and Black, bi-racial with a Black mother.”

Prince Harry said his brother Prince William told him when they attended the same high school that he should “pretend we don’t know each other.” In his new book, Harry describes their childhood sibling rivalry. https://t.co/IlqO1DmD5g pic.twitter.com/Lvab9ONTtP

— 60 Minutes (@60Minutes) January 9, 2023

Meghan’s race, according to Harry, was the root of his wife’s mistreatment by the British press and, ultimately, why they decided to start a new life. “What Meghan had to go through was similar, in some part, to what Kate [Middleton] and what Camilla went through — very different circumstances,” he said. “But then you add in the race element, which was what the British press jumped on straight away, I went into this incredibly naive. I had no idea the British press was so bigoted. Hell, I was probably bigoted before the relationship with Meghan.”

Following up, Anderson asked if Harry thought of himself as bigoted. “I don’t know,” Harry replied. “Put it this way, I didn’t see what I now see.” Harry also said the issues with Meghan made Buckingham Palace claim Harry became a different person after he met her. “He’s changed, she must be a witch,” Harry quipped.

Anderson then pressed Harry on why he decided to speak out publicly against Buckingham Palace and what he claims is their misinformation campaign against him and Meghan. Harry insisted he had initially tried to keep his concerns behind closed doors. “Every single time I’ve tried to [resolve issues] privately, there have been briefings and leakings and planting of stories against me and my wife,” he told Anderson, adding, “You know, the family motto is never complain, never explain.”

Harry went on to claim that Buckingham Palace “spoon-feeds” information to a correspondent, who then writes up a story for the press using that information and adding that the correspondent had asked for a comment from Buckingham Palace. “But the whole story is Buckingham Palace commenting,” Harry explained. “So when we’re being told for the last six years, ‘We can’t put a statement out to protect you.’ But you do it for other members of the family. It becomes— there becomes a point when silence is betrayal.”

“The family motto is never complain, never explain. But it’s just a motto.”
Prince Harry told 60 Minutes that rather than leaking or planting stories with the press, he wants people to hear directly from him. https://t.co/3Rp651Zv4y pic.twitter.com/G6eXualjI7

— 60 Minutes (@60Minutes) January 9, 2023

In a preview clip for his 90-minute ITV special, Prince Harry: The Interview, which aired the same day as the 60 Minutes interview, Harry also touched upon a possible reconciliation with his family even after the drama was exacerbated when the couple spoke out on their alleged mistreatment by the Royal institution during their 2021 bombshell Oprah interview. “I want reconciliation,” Harry told Tom Bradby. “But, first, there needs to be some accountability. The truth, supposedly, at the moment, has been there’s only one side of the story, right? But, there’s two sides to every story.”

“I would like to get my father back,” he added. “I would like to have my brother back.”  Harry also said that he’s hoping that he can sit down and talk to members of the family before his dad’s coronation ceremony in May.

Harry also sat down with Good Morning America in an interview with Michael Strahan that airs on Monday, Jan. 9. In a teaser, Harry touched upon Princess Diana and how she would feel about the feud between himself and his brother Prince William. “I think she would be sad,” Harry said. “I think she’d be looking at it long term to know that there are certain things that we need to go through to be able to heal the relationship.”

Prince Harry tells @michaelstrahan he thinks Princess Diana would be “sad” about his relationship with his brother Prince William now, in wide-ranging interview ahead of his memoir release. Watch @GMA Monday. https://t.co/StuYIvP8bO pic.twitter.com/8m38b7nFAK

— Good Morning America (@GMA) January 5, 2023

Ahead of the memoir’s release, excerpts were reported on after a major leak occurred, including the accidental early sale of the book in Spain, per ABCNews. One claimed that King Charles banned Meghan from visiting Queen Elizabeth as she lay dying in her home at Balmoral Castle in Scotland. Harry said he told his father in response, “Don’t ever speak about my wife that way,” according to the outlet.

Another excerpt found Harry breaking his silence on his uncle, Prince Andrew’s, sexual abuse allegations that involved ties with Jeffrey Epstein. Harry slammed Andrew’s “embarrassing scandal” and the fact that Andrew’s security was not removed despite Harry and Meghan losing theirs after stepping down from royal duties.

One of the more explosive excerpts detailed a fight between Harry and his brother William, per The Guardian. The Duke of Sussex described an alleged meeting with his brother in 2019 that led to an attack. Harry claimed William had called Meghan “rude” and “abrasive.” Harry said he tried to leave before it escalated. “He grabbed me by the collar, ripping my necklace, and he knocked me to the floor. I landed on the dog’s bowl, which cracked under my back, the pieces cutting into me. I lay there for a moment, dazed, then got to my feet and told him to get out.”

On 60 Minutes, Harry acknowledged the physical fight and said his relationship with William was sadly non-existent after the death of their mother. “Even when you were in the same school, in high school, your brother told you, ‘Pretend we don’t know each other?’” Anderson asked to which Harry replied, “Yeah, and at the time it hurt. I couldn’t make sense of it. I was like, ‘What do you mean? We’re now at the same school. I haven’t seen you for ages, now we get to hang out together.’”

Harry continued, “He’s like, ‘No, no, no, when we’re at school we don’t know each other.’ And I took that personally. But yes. We had a very similar traumatic experience, and then we dealt with it two very different ways.”

HollywoodLife will keep you posted on the upcoming interviews with Prince Harry — including Tuesday’s appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert — and the all the explosive details that will emerge when Spare is finally released on January 10!

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When it comes to comedy, I always love a good satire or mockumentary and especially love it when filmmakers or show runners parody real-life situations or make light of politics and social issues and even historical events through satire. Here are my top 10 favourite mockumentary comedy series featuring the finest cast, finest writing and a whole lot of creativity. They’ll have you laughing in no time, but many of them will also provide food for thought about the society we are currently living in.

Documentary Now!

A mockumentary series hosted by Helen Mirren with SNL’s finest comedic duo Fred Armisen and Bill Hader headlining episodes with occasional guest stars like John Mulaney, Jack Black and Cate Blanchett also partaking in the satirical takes on various documentaries like ‘Grey Gardens’ (that follows Jackie Kennedy’s aging eccentric relatives) or on Vice’s penchant for true crime and investigative journalism, ‘Documentary Now!’ is well-written, hilarious and not to be missed!

Armisen and Hader who play most of the main characters in the mockumentaries give it their comedic best, even going so far as to dress up in drag to play the parts of female characters like Little Edie and Viv in the aforementioned ‘Grey Gardens’ parody. Their natural camaraderie instantly shows up onscreen, especially when they play a rockstar duo in the ‘Blue Jean Committee’ story which is a take on the ups and downs faced by members of popular bands like ‘The Eagles’. The writing ranges from bizarre and twisted takes on the original material to sweet little endings that will leave you feeling all warm and fuzzy. And even if you haven’t seen the original documentaries, the mockumentaries in this series will give you a taste of the same and even want to make you check out the source matter. So, pull up a chair or sink into the couch and binge this show now!

Portlandia

Another gem from IFC and Fred Armisen, straight off the success of ‘Documentary Now!’, ‘Portlandia’ is set in a fictionalised version of Armisen’s hometown of Portland. It follows the lives of the inhabitants of Portland and these are all characters with their own quirks which makes them delightful to watch. From the feminists who just want to run their bookstore in peace without any ‘new-age hocus pocus’ (cough…hipsters!) intruding on them or my new favourite couple, Nina and Lance who are constantly trying to spice up their marriage, with hilarious results, everyone has a story (or stories) to tell here in Portland. We are also introduced to Portland’s mayor who is as quirky and nonsensical as the folk who live there and even a tad naïve when it comes to decision-making to keep Portland running. You could even say he is the David Brent (just a little Office UK reference there) of this show.

Carrie Browstein and Fred Armisen play a majority of the characters, even doing a gender-reversal when it comes to playing the romantic couples featured in the show with Browstein playing Lance the macho boyfriend and Armisen playing Nina the nagging girlfriend in a very satirical take on modern-day relationships. Someone who steals the show effortlessly for me is Kyle McLachlan as the mayor who is an utter nincompoop but lovable. It’s also funny to see his interactions with the various characters. At times, this show also takes a surrealistic turn.

I also enjoyed the inclusion of the guest stars like Jeff Goldblum, Bill Hader (putting on a hysterical Aussie accent), et al who play the most interesting characters. So, do drop in to pay the good people of Portlandia a visit and enjoy your stay!

Curb Your Enthusiasm

‘Curb your Enthusiasm’ is the fictional tale of comedy legend Larry David (creator of Seinfeld) and it is a show that is extraordinarily made better by Larry’s trademark dry-wit and sardonic brand of humour. It always makes me crack up whenever Larry’s antics start annoying the people around him and it’s fascinating to watch him tackle everyday situations which can be cloying for many, like an annoying airplane passenger in his signature sardonic manner.

It has also received critical acclaim and it is more naturalistic than sitcom-y and it sometimes seems as if we are just following Larry around on his everyday routine. A must watch if you want belly laughs that will also make you snort out anything you might be drinking while watching this show right out your nose.

What We Do In The Shadows

This mockumentary series is based off the movie by the same name which was also written and created by showrunners Taika Waititi and Jermaine Clement (who are quite possibly the best two people out of New Zealand and should be declared national treasures). It follows a group of vampires who live in Staten Island with Guillermo, their human familiar (a fancy name for a ‘servant’ who’s been tricked into thinking he’ll be turned into a vampire, blessed/cursed with immortality some day). It follows their adventures as well as misadventures and their encounters with fellow vampires who live (and rule) some of the other boroughs of New York like Manhattan, as well as facing off against trolls.

It is a fun bingeworthy show and features great acting from the always bankable and funny Matt Berry, the spectacular Natashia Demetriou, hilarious Kayvan Novak and Mark Proksch who all perfectly fit their roles as the vampires Laszlo, Nadja, Nandor and Colin Robinson respectively and also features surprise cameos from some big names who’ve played movie-vampires such as Tilda Swinton, Wesley Snipes and many more. However, it is Harvey Guillen as Guillermo who steals the show and his inner conflicts between his loyalty to vampires and humans is a very interesting plot point that I latched on to and which is a great addition in the second season of this show. The special effects aren’t done to death and thus not distracting and it is definitely one of the most original shows and a much better depiction of the vampire community than Twilight, so do tune in!

Derek

‘Derek’ is a mockumentary set in a nursing home and it comes straight from the genius mind of Ricky Gervais who also stars as the titular, namesake character, Derek Noakes, who is quite possibly the kindest and loveliest character to exist on telly.

A fifty-year-old man who works at a nursing home, Derek has a big heart and is very angelic, but while this show may be named for him, it is not only about him, but also about the others who work at the nursing home such as Kev (Dave Earl) who is quite pervy but grows on you as the show progresses, the often exhausted handy-man Dougie (Karl Pilkington) and the hard-working Hannah (Kerry Godliman).

I love the emotional roller-coaster that this show is, from being hilarious to honest and pleasing to the senses and at times, very heart-breaking and how it focuses on themes such as loving not just your fellow human but also animals, kindness and being open-minded and accepting of all. It is honestly like a loving hug under the guise of a show and will make you feel all warm and fuzzy just getting to know each and every character who get ample opportunity to shine and develop as the show progresses. It also sends the message to not take your elderly folk for granted.

Among the performances, I couldn’t be able to pick a favourite as everyone is such a natural at bringing their characters to life and they all share a lovely familial bond onscreen. I also enjoy the soundtrack which features some golden oldies as well as soothing numbers from ‘Coldplay’ which go very well with the emotional scenes especially. Don’t miss out on this underrated gem of a show.

W1A

This show is a satirical take on the workings behind the BBC (yes, that very BBC). Instead of featuring professionals who are good at their job, it features a bunch of incompetent employees and follows them as they try to go snooping about for the catchiest, eye-grabbing headlines and either succeed, fail or garner scrutiny for it.

It features prominent names such as the ever-reliable Hugh Bonneville, the ever-funny Jessica Hynes, the bumbling Hugh Skinner and so many more British gems like Sarah Parrish and it is also narrated by the one and only David Tennant whose Scottish accent is one helluva earworm. It also features references to BBC’s own famous shows like ‘Doctor Who’ which are worth watching out for. It also features appearances from actors like Hugh Grant who aren’t afraid to be the butt of jokes. So, be sure to tune into this satire.

The Office US

An adaptation of The Office UK, this show follows a group of office employees working at the Scranton paper company run by an incompetent boss named Michael Scott (played by comedy genius Steve Carell). The show follows the shenanigans as well as relationships between the employees, with Pam and Jim obviously being the ship that refuses to sink among fans of this show. It also follows the employees trying their best to keep cool heads and save the company from sinking, mostly due to the mishaps caused by Michael Scott.

While the show has a lot of fun and jokes and is known for iconic one-liners, it also has its fair share of emotional moments and the finale is certainly a tear-jerker. Both the versions are widely watched and very humorous with the only difference being that the US version is a tad too long (that’s what she said!), so you might as well get aboard this train to Scranton.

Arrested Development

‘Arrested development’ is the story of Michael Bluth and how he tries to survive his dysfunctional family while also attempting to move on after the Bluth family loses their success, wealth and everything else after their patriarch is accused of fraud.

It is a hoot to watch this bumbling, spoilt brat of a family as they attempt to scheme their way to the top again and there are so many twists and turns in it that you’d think that Gob (Michael’s brother who is a magician, played by Will Arnett) wrote the episodes on this show. It also features a talented ensemble cast like Jason Bateman, Jeffrey Tambor, Alia Shekawat and many others.

So, join the Bluth household as they attempt to navigate the messes that they have created for themselves and try to dig themselves out of endless graves (sometimes quite literally). While it may not enlighten you on any tricks of the trade or help you in any way if you wish to start a business of your own (except, maybe don’t do anything that the Bluth family would do and definitely don’t skimp/take shortcuts, I guess), it is guaranteed to make you laugh till your eyes well up.

Drunk History

As the title suggests, this is a mockumentary series that features a new celeb each episode who drunkenly retells real historical events and it always ends up making me fall off my chair with laughter. What’s even better is that the show employs other celebs (usually comedians like Catherine Tate, Bill Hader and many other legends in the field of comedy) who provide a hilarious re-enactment of the historical events which are being recounted by the drunk narrator.

So far, ‘Drunk History’ has managed to comically muddle up important moments in history such as the invention of Cola, various political events in history and even the sinking of the Titanic. So, if you’re a history buff but also don’t care if it’s muddled up for comic relief or even if you want to binge something light and funny that will definitely make your lungs explode and will definitely not teach you anything of historical importance that is even remotely true, than do tune in, preferably with a glass of wine/can of beer in hand.

Modern Family

‘Modern Family’ has been around for so long and has some very memorable characters, so I’m sure most people are familiar with it. It is a mockumentary of three families living in the suburbs and it delves into their daily lives, their familial feuds, the hysterical situations they manage to get themselves into and so much more, of course not in a Kardashian-esque manner but more so in a comical manner. Later on, in the seasons, there are also a handful of celeb guests thrown in which makes for an even more interesting watch.

Having received critical acclaim and tons of accolades, the show also deserves brownie points for its portrayal of same sex relationships as it features a gay couple named Cam and Mitchell, as well as devoting an episode to the hurdles of adoption faced by parents. The humorous as well as emotional moments are well-balanced and while the character of Gloria might be slightly stereotypical in nature, Sofia Vergara absolutely slays this role and she’s one of my favourite characters in this along with Phil Dunphy played by Ty Burrell who is a natural and a hoot at playing this character. I also love all the child actors from Alex Winter to Rico Rodriguez, although the show -stealer is obviously young Aubrey Anderson Emmons as Lily who is quite the smart aleck. If you have time to spare, come be a part of this family.

If you have kids (or like to collect cute toys), you’ve probably encountered LOL Surprise! Dolls. These giant-headed, millennial-inspired dolls come wrapped in opaque packaging, so the opener doesn’t know which doll they will get until the toy is unwrapped. There are also various layers of packaging containing extra surprise gifts like hair ties or glitter spray, which makes the whole unwrapping process an ‘experience’ (this concept was actually inspired by the popularity of YouTube unboxing videos). These dolls have become one of the most popular toys on the market – there’s even a New York Times article about how they became a ‘cultural phenomenon’.

LOL Surprise! Winter Fashion Show is the latest installment in the LOL Dolls film series and is currently streaming on Netflix.

In the new LOL Dolls film, emerging fashion star Neonlicious’ debut fashion collection goes “missing”, so she needs to use all her creativity to create a new, hastily designed collection in time for her fashion show.

We chat with Aussie actor Nerida Bronwen, who voices the character of ‘Sashay’, and may or may not be responsible for the fashion collection’s disappearance.

“I voice Sashay, who is a ‘Miranda Priestly-esque’ fashion designer who doesn’t like being shown up. She’s worked really hard to get to her respected position and will stop at nothing to stay there. She’s kinda the villain of the film – which personally was very exciting to play. But without giving too much away for those who haven’t seen it, she definitely still has a heart.”

Nerida Bronwen is an Australian stage, screen, and voice-over artist best known for her work on Deadly Women, award-winning short Lowering Awareness, web series Wingman, and Aussie TV series 600 Bottles of Wine, which was picked up by Netflix. Theatre-wise, Nerida has been in performances of Bertolt Brecht’s The Caucasian Chalk Circle, Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot and John Patrick Shanley’s Danny and the Deep Blue Sea, just to name a few.

Nerida, who is based in Los Angeles, got the opportunity to play Sashay from her voice-over agent in the US (yes, voice-over agents are a thing). “I recorded two takes for the audition, one in British and one in American. I was quite proud of that audition actually; I think I even played it for my parents [laughs]”.

Not long after she sent the tape off, her agent told her she’s got the role. “I was so excited. There really is nothing like that “booked” feeling for an actor. I’m grateful to my agent; she really knows my abilities and consistently submits me for things that are super appropriate for me”.

Initially, Nerida wasn’t given much information about Sashay for confidentiality reasons. “All I really knew was that she seemed complex, and despite being successful, she still has a chip on her shoulder and a need to prove herself. I also had an idea of how she should sound, vocally”.

Once Nerida had the chance to read the script, she grew to love the character even more. “I really liked Sashay’s underlying message and character arc. The fashion world is a competitive place, especially for a woman, and the lesson learned through this story is that it doesn’t need to be like that. Working together and lifting each other up brings so much more joy, creation, collaboration, and companionship. Everyone is so different in this film and in life, so being yourself and allowing others to be themselves is so important”.

Although LOL Surprise! Winter Fashion Show is intended for children, the themes the film explores are universal and relatable. “My character feels like she has worked really hard for something and like it’s not being acknowledged. I’ve been in the entertainment industry for such a long time, and I’ve had that feeling too – it’s so common to feel like your hard work isn’t seen or appreciated. We live in such a time of external validation, too, with other people’s opinions about us often meaning more than our own. I’m becoming prouder of my achievements and less interested in what others think about me”.

Nerida has her own home recording studio, which she set up during the pandemic so that she could continue to work. But she recorded this film at a studio in Los Angeles. “I love recording at studios because I can come in fully focused on my role and voice and not worry about any of the production that comes with recording yourself in a home studio. The recording process was so fun. We recorded all my lines together with the producers and directors. It was really collaborative, and we’d get multiple takes of every line. They were really trusting of what I’d come in with, too, and let me play as Sashay. Nothing I tried was ever wrong; it was a safe, creative and supportive session”.

You might think developing an animated character would be quite different from developing a character for the stage or live-action film, but Nerida’s character development process is basically the same. “Whether I’m developing a character for stage, film or voice-over, my process always starts with reading the script and exploring my given circumstances, my objectives, what drives and motivates my character, and their relationships with the other characters. For Sashay, I worked with a voice coach to make sure my American accent was flawless. We meticulously went over every line in the script for both voice and accent in the weeks prior to recording”.

Nerida also embodied Sasha physically. “Even though she’s an animated character, I couldn’t help moving around a lot in the studio. I’ve trained theatrically, so voice and movement go hand in hand with character creation. In fact, when recording, we had to redo a few takes because I’d move away from the mic with my movements [laughs]. The directors would be like ‘that was great, but we need you to stay on the mic Nerida!’. So I can’t help but give my voiced characters a physicality. When I finally watched her, I swear I could see the resemblance in her movements! But many others deserve credit for Sashay’s creation, too; it was an honour to be a part of the team who brought her to life”.

Nerida has always loved the idea of playing a villain. “Sashay is a fairly tame villain in the scheme of things, but I do love playing darker characters. One of my earlier memories of seeing a brilliant ‘villain’ was Angelina Jolie’s Lisa Rowe in Girl, Interrupted. She was portrayed so well that you couldn’t help but be fascinated by her and have compassion for her. She was so layered and so damaged, that my mind went to what had happened to her to bring her here, and thus began my psychological obsession with why people do and act the way they do”.

Nerida was taught very early in college to never negatively judge a character. “As soon as you do, it’s much more difficult to justify their actions and portray them authentically as a human (or whatever they are) with needs, wants, and a motivation that you truly believe in. Sometimes it can be a great challenge. And that’s exactly what I want. The best villains are ones who are difficult to hate that you find yourself trying to justify because their need is so strong. I’m also drawn to characters that will educate the audience in some way – not just entertain them, and I like to explore all the human parts of myself — even the “ugly” traits. I quite like playing less glamorous roles – real life is rarely as glamorous as Hollywood might try to make it at times”.

Speaking of Hollywood, Nerida has been in Los Angeles for 5 years now and assures us it’s not as glamorous as one might think. “It’s been a journey despite having spent a lot of time in the states since childhood prior to the move. There have been times when I’ve called my Mum crying, saying I was jumping on the evening Qantas flight back to Sydney”.

Overall though, she wouldn’t change much about the last five years. “After the first year or so in Los Angeles, I started to figure out my groove. I have achieved so much I never thought I was capable of, and I can honestly say I really love who I’m becoming as both an artist and a human. I’ve definitely ticked things off the bucket list already – like playing an animated character, and a villain. I keep having moments where I feel like this is exactly where I’m supposed to be and what I’m supposed to be doing, and that’s very calming and not something I often felt in my 20s. I used to feel like I was racing toward a destination, but now I truly appreciate the journey. Los Angeles is wild. And it will always blow your expectations up. But that’s not a bad thing. Just a lesson in being more malleable and able to go with the flow and accept new directions”.

As for what’s next on the agenda, “I voice the lead in an upcoming five-part podcast series that comes out on all audio platforms in February, which I’m very excited for! I’m in a Music Video also set to be released early this year, and I have just recorded another scripted podcast. I have some exciting projects that I’ll be starting work on later this year too, but I’m not able to give too much away on them just yet!”.

Nerida, who was diagnosed with ADHD at age seven, also hopes to one day study psychology and counseling, with a focus on ADHD and autism in women and girls. “I’m not quite sure how that will fit in with my acting yet, but I’ll figure it out”.

If you want to connect with Nerida or stay tuned about her latest projects, head over to her website https://www.neridabronwen.com/.

Sarah Schenck is a writer, director, and producer who is deeply passionate about using filmmaking to advance public health goals for diverse audiences. She makes shorts for nonprofit organizations including the Park Slope Food Coop, Planned Parenthood, Amnesty International, NYC public schools, and the Supportive Housing Network, where she served as Chief Digital Officer. While working as the NYC Comptroller’s Senior Policy Advisor for Education, where she received a Commendation for Excellence in Public Service, she taught herself filmmaking. She produced “Virgin,” starring Elisabeth Moss and Robin Wright for which she was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award for Best Feature Film Under $500,000. Her feature comedy “Slippery Slope” won prizes at film festivals worldwide.

“The Invisible Extinction” hits theaters and VOD January 6. The film is co-directed by Steven Lawrence

W&H: Describe the film for us in your own words.

SS: There is a newly-discovered organ in our bodies – the microbiome – composed of tiny creatures (microbes) that have evolved with us for millennia. When they are in balance, we are healthy.

Our film is a whirlwind adventure looking at the work of researchers around the world, and brave patients, working on the cutting edge of this field, seeking cures to debilitating diseases.

W&H: What drew you to this story?

SS: One of my kids almost died. She used to eat everything, then suddenly, after a pecan cookie, she went into anaphylaxis, [which is when] airways shut down, and body temperatures drop. It can be deadly. I needed to figure out why that happened.

W&H: What do you want people to think about after they watch the film?

SS: We are all superorganisms — our human cells and also our resident microbes — living in harmony. When we take care of them, they take care of us. Our film offers simple insights into how you can cultivate your “good bugs” while also showcasing the work of innovative researchers seeking cures to debilitating diseases by harnessing the power of our microbes.

W&H: What was the biggest challenge in making the film?

SS: Being a mother and daughter and wage earner while making a film is very hard and I often thought of women who came before me who faced even greater challenges and somehow endured. So I made it my task to keep the film moving forward, not set it aside while waiting for another, easier day. One of the ways I did this was to seek out a seasoned collaborator, initially as a producer, who later became my co-director, Steven Lawrence. He had a distinguished career in documentary filmmaking, was Michael Apted’s long-time producer, and also had a deep personal connection to the subject matter.

W&H: How did you get your film funded? Share some insights into how you got the film made.

SS: It took years to get things off the ground.

Neil Rasmussen, Founder of the MIT Center for Microbiome Informatics and Therapeutics and a generous and visionary philanthropist, was our first significant funder along with his wife, Anna. They introduced to us by Paul Greenberg, who knew we were scrounging around for money for a movie about the microbiome. He met Neil while in Boston on a business trip.

Another early funder was Peter Emch. Between his support and Neil’s we were able to film key interviews and scenes, and produce a sizzle reel. Then we were blessed to get support from a cadre of amazing executive producers who have become friends as well as funders. They include our leaders, Gerry Ohrstrom and Thomas Campbell Jackson, who and have exec produced other science docs, Ara Katz, Andrew Creighton, Wea Ohstrrom Nichols, and David Rees and Elisabeth Rees, who run the Seerave Foundation, which supports cutting edge research into the microbiome and cancer. When we were in the midst of post we received a completion grant from the Sundance Institute Documentary Film Program with support from Sandbox Films. That was not only critical support but a great honor.

W&H: What inspired you to become a filmmaker?

SS: Dave Monahan, a super talented filmmaker, then at Columbia’s grad film program, asked me if I could build a jail set for a film he was making. He somehow connected me with another friend who had access to circular saws, jigsaws, hacksaws — which I learned how to use without losing a limb! Even more fun was watching Dave work with the actors and camera. It was deeply exciting to see a world take shape, purely from one’s imagination, and to create the work with all these talented actors, makeup artists, composers, and shooters.

W&H: What’s the best and worst advice you’ve received?

SS: A line from Ariel Javitch re: directing her first stunning feature film “Look, Stranger” about the war in Yugoslavia: “I think I have the humanity, but I’m not sure I have the brutality necessary to direct another film.” I think Arielle was paraphrasing someone else.

This phrase got me thinking about how you actually get a film made, and the fine line between persuasion and manipulation or coercion — what it means to create a collective vision for crew and cast while also honoring and acknowledging everyone’s individual dignity and humanity.

Also: “Don’t do this.” That came from another successful filmmaker, who shall remain nameless.

Don’t do this unless you have to. It’s a very challenging road. Especially if you have kids or want to. The way some people say “marriage is a terrible antiquated institution — the only reason to tie the knot is if you feel you absolutely must,” it’s the same thing with filmmaking. Only do it if you can’t not.

W&H: What advice do you have for other women directors? 

SS: Keep your friends and collaborators close. Life can become very rocky and you need loving kindness. We all need loving kindness. There is no real intimacy if you aren’t sharing the bad stuff with people as well as the good stuff — even though the temptation to present a shiny, happy face to the world can be intense.

Be ready to stand up and show up for your women friends who are also directors. It matters a lot. There are many times in life when disaster strikes and just knowing someone else is aware of what you are going through can give you the strength to keep going.

W&H: Name your favorite woman-directed film and why.

SS: For sheer beauty, the poignancy of our mortality, leavened by humor and a brilliant eye for the unexpected, Naomi Kawase’s “The Mourning Forest.” I got to see this on MoMA’s giant screen with gorgeous projection. It is an astonishing achievement!

The elegiac beauty and fierceness of Julie Dash’s “Daughters of the Dust.” I just watched this for the first time a few years ago with my then-tweens and a teenage German cousin and it spoke to us across cultures and generations.

I love the brilliant and rousing opening sequence of Jane Campion’s “Holy Smoke,” one of her less successful films in an amazing oeuvre, but this intro — to me — is an entire film unto itself.

Speaking of India’s color and complexity, Mira Nair’s “Monsoon Wedding” for moments of sheer joy.

The wacky and revolutionary Vera Chytilova’s “Daisies.”

I also have huge affection for Sarah Polley’s “Away from Her.”

W&H: What, if any, responsibilities do you think storytellers have to confront the tumult in the world, from the pandemic to the loss of abortion rights and systemic violence?

SS: I took umbrage when my dad asked me 20 years ago, as a budding filmmaker, if my work was making the world a better place. “That’s not art’s job!” I retorted then. I’m kind of a jerk. I ask for forgiveness! But I feel differently now, at least for my own work. Life is short. The days are precious. I am very lucky and yet have lots of challenges.

My favorite way of facing a challenge is to notice whether a lot of other people have this same problem dogging them — and then I consider whether a film can make things better, bring us together, share our sorrow and amplify our understanding. Film is a powerful medium. And while I believe in art for art’s sake, my favorite films continue to resonate for me because they have deep things to say about how to be a better human. Every single one of the films I mentioned above could be described in this way.

W&H: The film industry has a long history of underrepresenting people of color onscreen and behind the scenes and reinforcing — and creating — negative stereotypes. What actions do you think need to be taken to make it more inclusive?

SS: When we’re crewing up and casting, check our biases and make sure we’re representative of our increasingly diverse world both in front of and behind the camera. There are plenty of amazing organizations that can assist us in casting a wider net, like NALIP, the National Latino Independent Producers Association.

“The Invisible Extinction” showcases the work of leading women researchers, one of whom is Latina, two of whom are Asian or Asian-American. It was very important to me to center the film around women though it was a constant battle to retain this vision. I have a long list of women researchers from diverse backgrounds whom I hope to interview and shoot for supplemental content on our website, or perhaps other standalone films.

 

Whether you’re looking for a new series to binge or awaiting the return of an existing series, January has plenty to offer. If one of your resolutions for 2023 is to practice a new language, there are several internationally-produced series premiering in January: Italian-language show “The Lying Life of Adults” (January 4), Danish-language show “Copenhagen Cowboy” (January 5), and German-language show “Woman of the Dead” (January 5) all launch on Netflix.

If you’re as big of a bookworm as you are a TV enthusiast,  you may recognize “The Lying Life of Adults” as an Elena Ferrante title. Yep, it’s another adaptation of the author behind the source material for HBO series “My Brilliant Friend” and Maggie Gyllenhaal drama “The Lost Daughter.” “The Lying Life of Adults” tells the story of an aunt taking her niece under her wing. Fans of AMC’s “Interview with a Vampire” will be happy to see another Anne Rice adaptation coming to the small screen. “Anne Rice’s Mayfair Witches” stars “The White Lotus” alumna Alexandra Daddario as a neurosurgeon who discovers that she’s the descendant of witches — and has powers herself. The series debuts on AMC and AMC+ January 8.

Ringing in the old with the new, Debrah Jo Rupp returns as Kitty Forman January 19 in Netflix’s “That ’70s Show” reboot, “That ’90s Show,” set two decades after the original sitcom. The comedy is co-created by Lindsey Turner with her parents, and original creators of the show, Bonnie and Terry Turner.

Returning series include the sophomore seasons of Netflix’s mother-daughter dramedy “Ginny & Georgia” (January 5) and Hulu’s Hilary Duff-starrer “How I Met Your Father” (January 24).

Here are January’s premiering and returning women- and nonbinary-centric, directed, and written TV projects. All descriptions are from press materials unless otherwise noted. 

TV and Episodic Premieres:

“Sometimes When We Touch” (Docuseries) — Directed by Lauren Lazin (Premieres January 3 on Paramount+)

The untold story of soft rock, whose artists dominated pop music worldwide in the ‘70s, only to crash and burn in the ‘80s, eventually experiencing one of the most unlikely comebacks in music history. The series presents all-new interviews with some of soft rock’s biggest legends, like Air Supply, Dan Hill, Kenny Loggins, Ray Parker Jr., Rupert Holmes, and Toni Tennille.

“The Lying Life of Adults” (Premieres January 4 on Netflix)

In 1990s Naples, brash and bold Aunt Vittoria (Valeria Golino) helps her sheltered niece (Giordana Marengo) experience a different side of the city, upsetting the teen’s strict parents. “The Lying Life of Adults” is based on the latest novel by Elena Ferrante.

“Copenhagen Cowboy” — Created by Sara Isabella Jønsson Vedde and Nicolas Winding Refn (Premieres January 5 on Netflix)

After a lifetime of servitude, Miu (Angela Bundalovic) traverses the ominous landscape of Copenhagen’s criminal netherworld. Searching for justice and enacting vengeance, she encounters her nemesis, Rakel (Lola Corfixen), as they embark on an odyssey through the natural and the supernatural. The past ultimately transforms and defines their future, as the two women discover they are not alone, they are many.

“Woman of the Dead” — Created by Barbara Stepansky, Benito Mueller, and Wolfgang Mueller (Premieres January 5 on Netflix) 

A story about the lengths a passionate woman (Anna Maria Mühe) will go to for vengeance after her husband’s death, and the tug-of-war between good and evil that exists in all of us.

“Anne Rice’s Mayfair Witches” — Created by Esta Spalding and Michelle Ashford (Premieres January 8 on AMC and AMC+)

Rowan Fielding (Alexandra Daddario), an intuitive young neurosurgeon, discovers that she is the unlikely heir to a family of witches; as she grapples with her newfound powers, she must contend with a sinister presence that has haunted her family for generations in this show based on the trilogy book series “The Lives of Mayfair Witches” by Anne Rice.

“Gina Yei” (Premieres January 11 on Disney+)

Gina (Didi Romero) won a scholarship at the Instituto Musical del Caribe. Her ultimate dream is to compose songs for great artists and let everyone know her ideas and feelings, but she finds things seem immensely more complex than she expected.

“That ’90s Show” — Created by Bonnie Turner, Lindsey Turner, and Gregg Mettler (Premieres January 19 on Netflix)

Now it’s 1995, Leia Forman (Callie Haverda) is visiting her grandparents for the summer where she bonds with a new generation of Point Place, WI, kids under the watchful eye of Kitty (Debra Jo Rupp) and the stern glare of Red (Kurtwood Smith).

“Women at War” (“Les combattantes”) — Created by Cécile Lorne (Premieres January 19 on Netflix)

France, 1914. The destinies of four women intersect: Marguerite (Audrey Fleurot), a mysterious Parisian prostitute; Caroline (Sofia Essaïdi), propelled to the head of the family factory; Agnes (Julie De Bona), Mother Superior of a requisitioned convent; and Suzanne (Camille Lou), a feminist nurse.

“Shahmaran” (Premieres January 20 on Netflix)

When Şahsu (Serenay Sarıkaya) goes to Adana for a lecture, it’s the perfect chance to face her estranged grandfather. But soon, she finds herself in the midst of a legend.

“Extraordinary” — Created and Written by Emma Moran (Premieres January 25 on Hulu). 

Meet Jen (Máiréad Tyers). She lives in a world where everyone has a superpower. Everyone except her. Which is just sodding great. “Extraordinary” is an eye-popping, shocking, hilarious, and bittersweet comedy about finding your way in the world, when all you’ll ever be is “ordinary.”

“Against the Ropes” — Created by Carolina Rivera; Written by Carmen Castro, Olfa Masmoudi, and Cynthia Fernández Trejo (Premieres January 25 on Netflix)

Released from prison, Ángela tries to regain the respect of her daughter, who loves lucha libre wrestling, by entering the ring as a mysterious persona.

“Mila in the Multiverse” (“Mila no Multiverso”) — Directed by Júlia Pacheco Jordão and Jessica Queiroz (Premieres January 25 on Disney+)

Mila (Laura Luz) is 16 years old and living the adventure of her life, traveling through the multiverse in search of her mother, Elis (Malu Mader). As she travels, she will come face to face with The Operators, a mysterious and dangerous group that wants to exterminate all universes. She will have to face them in order to save the vast multiverse.

“The 1619 Project” (Docuseries) — Created by Nikole Hannah-Jones (Premieres January 26 on Hulu)

This six-part limited doc-series is an expansion of “The 1619 Project” created by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones and The New York Times Magazine, seeks to reframe the country’s history by placing the consequences of slavery and the contributions of Black Americans at the very center of our national narrative. 

“Poker Face” (Premieres January 26 on Peacock)

Charlie (Natasha Lyonne) has an extraordinary ability to determine when someone is lying. She hits the road with her Plymouth Barracuda and with every stop encounters a new cast of characters and strange crimes she can’t help but solve.

“The Snow Girl” (“La chica de nieve”) (Premieres January 27 on Netflix)

When a little girl goes missing during a parade in Málaga, a young newspaper journalist (Milena Smit) becomes fiercely determined to help Amaya’s parents find her.

“The Watchful Eye” – Created by Julie Durk (Premieres January 30 on Freeform)

“The Watchful Eye” follows Elena Santos (Mariel Molino), a young woman with a complicated past, maneuvering her way into working as a live-in nanny for an affluent family in Manhattan. She quickly learns that everyone in the mysterious building has deadly secrets and ulterior motives. What they don’t know, however, is that Elena has some shocking secrets of her own.

Returning Series

“Ginny & Georgia” — Created by Sarah Lampert (Netflix, January 5)
“Miss Scarlet and the Duke” — Created by Rachael New (PBS, January 8)
“Sky Rojo” (Netflix, January 13)
“How I Met Your Father” — Created by Elizabeth Berger and Isaac Aptaker (Hulu, January 24)

It’s the controversy of the year: nepo babies!

Throughout the last few weeks, social media has been in a heated back-and-forth over nepotism in Hollywood — you know, celebs who gained fame with the help of their already very notable parents. While many of them are super talented in their own right (!!!), it’s still been frustrating for fans (and other hopeful artists) to see the stars refuse to own up to their privilege — even when called out on it!

Related: Model Shades ‘Nepo Baby’ Lily-Rose Depp After Elle Interview!

The topic got so crazy, many of those born and bred by entertainment icons became the face of New York Magazine’s December cover story, “Year of the Nepo Baby.” Ch-ch-check it out (below)!

Nepo babies are not only abundant — they’re thriving. How could two little words cause so much conflict? Writes @kn8 in our (over)analysis of the phenomenon: “We love them, we hate them, we disrespect them, we’re obsessed with them.” https://t.co/WA22qhdS29 pic.twitter.com/nmWXlrIMNS

— New York Magazine (@NYMag) December 19, 2022

But, look, nepotism is NOT a new thing. It’s been happening for decades in pretty much every industry. So much so, we bet you don’t even realize some of your favorite stars are actually nepo babies! It’s time for a deep dive to get you caught up (below)!

Nicolas Cage

Nicolas Cage has an impressive résumé — but it makes so much sense when you check out the accomplishments of his family! The 58-year-old National Treasure star comes from parents August Coppola and Joy Vogelsang. You probably recognize the last name Coppola. August was an author, film executive, and advocate for the arts, whose siblings were also media personalities (such as The Godfather director Francis Ford Coppola). Meanwhile, Joy was a dancer and choreographer.

And get this: Nicolas literally changed his name to avoid comparisons to his father early on in his career, something he admitted earlier this year while speaking with WIRED! He was running from the nepo baby chatter from the very start. LOLz!

Mariska Hargitay

She’s a legend in her own right, but Mariska Hargitay comes from two famous parents, as well. Her mother is Jayne Mansfield, who was an American actress, singer, nightclub entertainer, and a former Playboy Playmate. She was one of the most notable sex symbols in the ’50s and ’60s. You may also know her from films like The Girl Can’t Help It and Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter? Then there’s Mariska’s father: Mickey Hargitay, a Hungarian-American actor and the 1955 Mr. Universe. Wow!

Zoey Deutch

You know her from Not Okay, Something From Tiffany’s, Set It Up, and Zombieland, but do you know her parents? Zoey Deutch‘s mother is Back To The Future star Lea Thompson and her father is Pretty in Pink director Howard Deutch.

Gwyneth Paltrow

Wait, what? It’s true! Gwyneth Paltrow is also a nepo baby! She was born in 1972 to parents Blythe Danner and Bruce Paltrow. While you may recognize Blythe from Gwyneth’s social media, she was (and continues to be) a very famous actress long before her daughter entered the picture. The 79-year-old is most known for roles in I’ll See You In My Dreams, The Lucky One, Meet the Parents, and Will & Grace. Bruce also knows his way around a set since he was a television director on shows like Duets, A Little Sex, and The White Shadow.

Timothée Chalamet

Timothée Chalamet has risen through the ranks of Hollywood in the blink of an eye with performances in Call Me By Your Name, Little Women, and Dune, but he probably inherited some of his talents from his mom and dad! The 27-year-old’s mother, Nicole Flender, made a name for herself on Broadway as a dancer. His father, Marc Chalamet, may not be in the entertainment industry, but he’s not a nobody! Marc is an American-French writer who currently works as an editor for the United Nations!

Related: Remembering All The Celebrity Splits Of 2022

Oh, and Timothée wasn’t the only Chalamet to find a love for the arts. His older sister Pauline Chalamet is also in the biz, currently starring as Kimberly in The Sex Lives of College Girls.

Lily Collins

Can you feel the… nepotism in the air tonight?

Surprise, surprise! Emily In Paris‘ Lily Collins is the daughter of legendary musician Phil Collins. You know, the man behind classics like Strangers Like Me, You’ll Be In My Heart, and In the Air Tonight. Alongside his solo career, he was also the drummer and lead singer of the rock band Genesis. He welcomed Lily with his now ex-wife Jill Tavelman.

Robert Downey Jr.

Robert Downey Jr. may be best known as Iron Man, but he got his start back in 1985 on Saturday Night Live. After starring in some films, how’d he manage to snag the VERY competitive job, you ask? Well, it probably helped that his uncle was legendary SNL writer Jim Downey! Ironically, Robert was dropped from the show amid poor ratings and criticism of the new cast’s comedic chops the next year, so he had to fight his way back up to the top. Good thing his parents were pretty notable, too. His dad, Robert Downey Sr., was an actor, filmmaker, and director. His momma, Elsie Downey, was an actress and writer. So, he had connections!

Angelina Jolie

Shocking, right? Angelina Jolie may be raising several nepo babies herself, but she is one, too! Angie’s dad is Jon Voight, an American actor known for his Academy Award-nominated performance in Midnight Cowboy. He’s also been in National Treasure, Holes, Deliverance, and Anaconda, among other credits. Her late momma, Marcheline Bertrand, was an actress in films like Lookin’ to Get Out, The Man Who Loved Women, and Trudell.

Rashida Jones

Rashida Jones has been making us all laugh for years on hits like Boston Public, The Office, and Parks and Recreation, and we bet she learned how to be a great entertainer from her ‘rents!

The performer comes from Quincy Jones, iconic record producer, and Peggy Lipton, an actress. Quincy is a HUGE name in the music scene — with 80 Grammy nominations, 28 Grammys, and a Grammy Legend Award in 1992. Dang! Peggy is perhaps best known for her role in The Mod Squad, as well as Twin Peaks and A Dog’s Purpose.

Lenny Kravitz

Lenny Kravitz is not only the dad to a super famous nepo baby (Zoë Kravitz), but he is one himself! He was raised by his father, Sy Kravitz — a film and TV producer for NBC — and his mother, Roxie Roker — an iconic actress known for portraying Helen Willis on the CBS sitcom The Jeffersons. Helen was half of the first interracial couple to be shown on prime time TV. Incredible! Roxie was also an accomplished stage performer who was nominated for a Tony Award for her role in The River Niger. Also, her father, Albert Roker, was supposedly cousins with TV personality Al Roker‘s grandfather! Small world.

And this is just a handful of the most surprising nepo babies — there are SO many out there! Can you believe it? Who shocked you the most? Let us know (below)!

[Image via British Vogue/Drew Barrymore Show/Jimmy Kimmel Live/GQ/Late Night/YouTube]

We have collectively left 2022 behind, and some of our celebrity faves entered the new year with a new status: single.

Missed all the breakups of 2022? Here’s a rundown of the romances, marriages, and lil’ flings that didn’t make it past the 2023 countdown! And while some are enjoying the single market, others have already started mingling! So keep scrolling to see which couples we said goodbye to!

T.J. Holmes & Marilee Fiebig 

T.J. Holmes ended his 2022 embroiled in a workplace affair scandal that had the innanet in shambles for weeks! The Good Morning America host and his wife, Marilee Fiebig, left their union in 2022 after it was revealed that Holmes and his co-host Amy Robach had a months-long romance.

The pair recently filed for divorce–with some reports saying Holmes filed the paperwork. They share a daughter named Sabine, who they welcomed three years after tying the knot in 2010.

Sources recently told E! News that T.J. and Amy were staying out of the spotlight while ABC investigates their relationship. However, one day after the divorce news, photos surfaced of the GMA hosts sharing smooches, smiling, and embracing in Miami.

Summer Walker & Lvrd Pharoh 

Summer Walker recently gave birth to twins, and her former boyfriend, Larry, also known as Lvrd Pharoh, didn’t miss a moment of his children’s birth.

The singer revealed the end of their relationship in early November, praising Larry’s fatherly side and confirming that there are “no hard feelings” between them. She later released a video of them cackling over an alleged $200,000 sexual proposal. Fans first learned the former pair were expecting in June, but Summer denied that she was having twins early on.

Derrick Jaxn & Da’Naia Jackson

Just days before Christmas, relationship coach Derrick Jaxn announced his divorce from Da’Naia Jackson. The news came less than two years after Derrick publicly admitted to cheating on Da’Naia with multiple women.

Hours before his divorce announcement, Tasha K released exclusive images of Derrick close to a woman in Miami.

“Earlier this year, after much prayer, counseling, nad deep consideration, we decided to go our separate ways and filed for divorce,” Jaxn wrote. “Making the decision to file was one of the hardest decisions of my life, but I’ve found peace knowing that our mission of rasing healthy children, starting with healthy and whole parents, is still being accomplished.

But it’s unclear when exactly the couple split, given that in November, she went viral for randomly cursing anyone, in the Lord’s name, that speaks ill of her, Derrick, and their union.

Tia Mowry & Cory Hardrict

Tia Mowry may have filed for divorce in October, but she and Cory Hardrict didn’t let the paperwork stop them from enjoying Christmas Day together. In her words, “family is family,” and the former couple shares two children, Cree and Cairo.

After 14 years married, Mowry cited “irreconcilable differences” as the reason for their split. However, Mowry told fans on social media that her decision is “not without sadness” but that they plan to “maintain a friendship as [they] co-parent.” 

Soon after the filing was revealed, Hardrict denied cheating caused their romance to end. Despite the divorce, Tia later shared that she views her marriage as a success.

Lisa Bonet & Jason Momoa 

While relationships were ending all 2022, a split is how Lisa Bonet and Jason Momoa kicked off the start of the year. The former couple, who share two children, announced their divorce in January after 16 years together and nearly five years married.

DJ Mustard & Chanel McFarlene

After less than two years of marriage and more than a decade together, DJ Mustard filed for divorce from Chanel McFarlene in May. He cited “irreconcilable differences” as the reason for the split. In the filing, Mustard requested joint legal and physical custody of their children Kauner, Kylan, and Kody.

“Anyone that followed me or knows me personally knows my family means the world to me,” Chanel said after the filing made headlines. “I’ve dedicated 12 loyal years, and it is more than heartbreaking to see things end.”

Mustard took to social media days after filing to shut down rumors that he or Chanel cheated. By the end of June, Chanel shared that she had secured her first solo home.

In November, Chanel seemingly fired online shots at Mustard, saying he doesn’t get “cool points for f***ing over your day 1.” 

Raymond Santana & Deelishis 

A union that surprised us when it began did the same at its end. In March, Raymond Santana, one of New York’s Exonerated 5, filed for divorce from reality TV star Deelishis. In the divorce filing, Santana listed their relationship as “irretrievably broken with no hope of reconciliation” less than two years after tying the knot.

News of the filing hit headlines after Deelishis had accused Raymond of being a “narcissist who is a complete liar and a cheat.” According to the legal paperwork, they had been separated since November 2021, and both agreed on no alimony.

In September, Raymond said he gave his “heart to someone who didn’t deserve” or “love” him.

Crystal Smith & Ne-Yo 

In late July, Crystal Smith gave the world an intimate look at her marriage to Ne-Yo–and the way she painted it, the union was everything but genuine romance.

She accused the singer of being a narcissist while having unprotected sex with multiple women throughout their eight-year relationship–including their six-year marriage. Ne-Yo reacted to Crystal’s post by liking it and then asking for privacy on Twitter.

According to TMZ, Crystal alleged in the August 1 divorce filing that Ne-Yo fathered a child outside their marriage. The former couple share three kids together.

She listed their date of separation as July 22–days before her public blast and their social media shots at each other. In the filing, Crystal sought temporary and permanent alimony, child and spousal support, and $25,000 to cover her legal fees.

By September, Ne-Yo fired back, suggesting Crystal’s affiliation with him boosted her “ability to procure stable and consistent employment” now and after the finalized divorce. Ne-Yo also sought joint custody and asked the judge to consider Crystal’s “lack of contribution” to the purchase and maintenance of assets during its division.

Tom Brady & Gisele Bündchen 

After much speculation (and reports) of a marriage on the rocks, Gisele Bündchen filed for divorce from Tom Brady in October. Gisele ended 13 years of marriage without any contest from Brady–whose die-hard commitment to his NFL career is rumored to be the source of their end.

The former pair later released statements on social media. Tom revealed their decision to split was reached “amicably and with gratitude for the time spent together.” Gisele said they grew apart while also expressing the same gratitude as Tom.

Cynthia Bailey & Mike Hill 

Fans speculated about the breakdown of Cynthia Bailey and Mike Hill‘s marriage in October. The former couple, who wed in 2020, let their second wedding anniversary pass with no celebratory posts. And the innanet streets didn’t miss that beat, especially after a video surfaced of Mike doubling as a pole for a dancer.

Soon after, Cynthia and Mike confirmed their split in joint and individual statements. They revealed that “no one is to blame” for the separation and that they “remain good friends.” 

Bailey also said that Hill coming into her life was destiny but that she couldn’t be more excited for the next chapter. Hill later revealed that they had contemplated splitting “for the last few months.”

About three weeks after the divorce announcement, Cynthia said the final straw was that they “weren’t friends anymore” and chose to pump the breaks before things got worse.

Miguel & Nazanin Mandi

Miguel and Nazanin Mandi gave their fans hope for their love in early 2022 after they shared spicy, couple-like photos in February. They had previously revealed their decision to part ways in September 2021, so the flicks (and the accompanying captions) made it seem like their relationship was on the up.

Months later, in October, the couple called it quits again–ending a 17-year relationship and revealing they’d been apart “for some time now.” Naz reportedly filed the paperwork, citing “irreconcilable differences” as the cause for their fizzled fire.

Hazel-E & De’von Waller 

Though Hazel-E and De’von Waller appeared to have a loving relationship, Hazel shattered that imagery in November. The former Love & Hip Hop accused her husband of cheating and abusing her and their two-year-old daughter Ava Dior. However, the mother of one revealed she hung on to the 2019 marriage because she “was trying to avoid raising [Ava] alone.” 

In addition to being unfaithful, Hazel alleged that Waller gave Ava a black eye and shared images of what appeared to be bruises on the toddler’s face and arms. She also shared a video of a seemingly frustrated De’von changing Ava’s diaper.

“I want me back, I don’t want to be controlled. I don’t want to be told what to wear, what to do, what I can say, what I can’t say, what music I can record…who I can talk to. I’m just tired of not being myself. I’m tired of mental abuse,” Hazel-E shared.

Soon after dropping her allegations, Hazel-E also revealed that she filed an order of protection against De’von to protect her and their daughter.

De’von responded to Hazel-E’s allegations, including that he once replaced her water with bleach in several posts. He also repeatedly expressed his love for their daughter.

In early December, The Shade Room exclusively revealed that Hazel-E filed for divorce from Waller and is seeking full custody of Ava.

Kimbella Venderhee & Juelz Santana

Days before the end of 2022, Kimbella Venderhee took to Instagram with her buns glistening in the sun and a lil’ message. She wrote, “next chapter…SINGLE” in the caption of her curvy and cheeky flicks.

But Kimbella gave no additional information about the alleged split from her husband, Juelz Santana. In the comment section of Kimbella’s post, she pinned three comments about the breakup, but it’s unclear if she’s already filed for divorce.

The pinned comments:

“Single? Oh, hell no. Now, what in the world did Juelz do to his #1 support system while in jail, beautiful woman, hustler, and great mother??? YOU KNOW WHAT SMFH”

“Nooooo….well, enjoy this chapter! You tried hard with your marriage…”

”

All jokes aside, she did hold him down for a long time multiple times. When is enough enough. I hope you only blessing moving forward.”

Juelz hasn’t publicly commented on the split, but Kimbella shared another solo shot captioned, “getting back to myself,” following her announcement.

Nia Long & Ime Udoka

Like T.J., Ime Udoka got inappropriately romantic at work and lost his finacée Nia Long, along with his head coaching gig, as a result.

pic.twitter.com/ySo5wGKrfX

— Boston Celtics (@celtics) September 23, 2022

A rep for Nia, who welcomed a son during her 13-year relationship with Udoka, confirmed the split in a December statement to PEOPLE. 

“The situation is unfortunate and painful, but Nia is focusing on her children and rebuilding her life,” the rep said.

At the end of November, Nia expressed that she was “thankful for the gift of new places and spaces.” 

Love Is Blind Stars Iyanna McNeely & Jarette Jones And Raven Ross & SK Alagbada 

It turns out love may be blind after all. Two couples from Netflix’s hit dating show have called it quits this year.

Iyanna McNeely and Jarette Jones announced their separation and upcoming divorce in August. The split came about a year after the couple tied the knot in a ceremony during the season two finale of Love Is Blind. Iyanna officially filed for divorce in October, citing “irreconcilable differences” as the cause of their split. At the time, she asked the judge to enforce a global settlement that she and Jones agreed to, which addresses their support and asset allocations.

Season three contestants Raven Ross and Sikiru ‘SK’ Alagbada announced their split in late November amid SK cheating rumors.

“We are saddened to announce that we have decided to go our separate ways. Due to on-going legal proceedings surrounding these allegations, we cannot provide additional details and ask that you please respect our privacy during this hard time,” a joint statement released on Raven’s Insta-Story said.

And that’s a wrap on relationships that ended in 2022!

Wishing everyone good luck as they navigate the single life (and mingling) life in 2023! But, roomies, is there a couple you hope will reconcile in the new year? Let us know in the comments!