Author: business

Watch live streams of Beyoncé’s ‘Cowboy Carter’ concerts with this fan
- Beyoncé fan Matthew Serafin live streams concerts for fans unable to attend.
- Serafin began streaming during the “Renaissance” tour and gained a large following.
- He plans to stream the upcoming “Cowboy Carter” tour.
Beyoncé fans who can’t attend her highly anticipated “Cowboy Carter” tour in person won’t have to miss a beat thanks to fans like Matthew Serafin, who turned live streaming her shows into a passion and an act of service.

Serafin has been a longtime Beyoncé fan since she took on the role of Deena Jones in “Dreamgirls” in 2006.

“Her music has just kind of been something that I’ve always been able to find comfort in,” Serafin says. “I just remember being in awe of her talent and her beauty and just everything that she is.”

The Chicago native first saw Beyoncé in concert in 2013 during her Mrs. Carter World Tour, and since then he hasn’t missed any of her tours. “So I’ve seen every show,” Serafin says.

And after going live during Beyoncé’s 2023 Renaissance World Tour, he has now become a streaming aficionado on a mission to help other fans experience her shows if they can’t go in person.

It all started in Stockholm

Ten years after his first concert, Serafin attended Beyoncé’s opening night on her Renaissance World Tour in Stockholm, Sweden. There, he live streamed a concert to Instagram for the first time.

“I didn’t stream a show before that. ‘Renaissance’ was the first time I ever did that,” Serafin says. “I was there alone, so I thought this is kind of a fun way to share this with some of my friends from home — not at all thinking that it would totally blow up.”

To to his surprise, thousands of fans from all over the world joined his live stream, and he decided to stream the entire show.

“There was so much excitement. We didn’t have any visuals. We had no live performances from the (‘Renaissance’) era. We had no idea what to expect,” he says “It was sort of that perfect storm of all of that excitement. And for whatever reason, my international AT&T plan had a clear stream and people found it.”

Serafin found himself at eight other “Renaissance” concerts in 2023, and he continued to bring digital fans along with him.

“My mind was blown (by this) opening show, and I found that community. Suddenly, I was a part of it, and I was able to sort of share that with everyone in a way that I previously hadn’t connected online with,” he says. “It was one of those things that as the tour went on, I just had a lot of fun with it.”

Serafin works a full-time corporate job by day, but he says it was his experience as a photographer that may have also contributed to the overall success of the initial live stream.

“I have worked as a photographer for years, so I know how to frame a shot,” he says. “That’s not my main job now, but I am very adept at holding my arms up and being very still.”

‘I found fellow Beyoncé-lovers who I can always go to’

After successfully streaming Beyoncé’s opening show, Serafin quickly found himself as one of the go-to live stream sources for the duration of her 2023 tour.

“I started becoming a place people would go, even when it wasn’t at the show. I would always have who was going to stream,” he says. “Once I started posting people going live, then when people were going to go to the show and go live, they would message me.”

And while Serafin acknowledges he “was a bit later to the live-stream world,” he appreciates the wider community and genuine connections he quickly grew.

“I think through live streaming, I found fellow Beyoncé lovers who I can always go to and people who I can always share that (experience) with,” he says.

Serafin says there are always other fans excited to live stream the shows, too, and he encourages folks to find an account that resonates with them the most and enjoy watching.

Gearing up for the ‘Cowboy Carter’ tour

Of course, Beyoncé first announced her Cowboy Carter and the Rodeo Chitlin’ Circuit Tour the night before this year’s Grammy Awards, where she took home best country album and album of the year.

The tour is set to kick off April 28 in Los Angeles and include 32 stadium shows across the U.S. and Europe. Since the initial announcement, Beyoncé has added a handful of concerts including final shows in Las Vegas. She’s on track to make history with her scheduled tour dates.

“I am so excited to see how she translates this album to the stage,” says Serafin as he prepares for the upcoming shows.

Serafin says he’ll attend multiple concerts, including the opening and closing shows.

And, while he’s looking forward to seeing her “Cowboy Carter” spectacle for himself, he hopes to again help “folks who not only couldn’t get a ticket, but maybe just geographically, there’s no way that they’ll get to see Beyoncé live.”

Follow Caché McClay, the USA TODAY Network’s Beyoncé Knowles-Carter reporter, on Instagram, TikTok and X as @cachemcclay.
April 21, 2025
Crossword Blog & Answers for April 21, 2025 by Sally Hoelscher
There are spoilers ahead. You might want to solve today’s puzzle before reading further! No More Fooling Around (Freestyle)
Constructor: Dena R. Verkuil

Editor: Anna Gundlach

What I Learned from Today’s Puzzle

DAME (15A: Title for Sonia Boyce and Zaha Hadid) DAME Sonia Boyce is a multi-media artist whose works involve film, drawing, photography, print, and sound. She is the subject of the 2018 BBC Four documentary Whoever Heard of a Black Artist? Britain’s Hidden Art History. DAME Zaha Hadid (1950-2016) was an architect, artist, and designer. She was the first woman to be awarded the Pritzker Architecture Prize, which she won in 2004. She designed the London Aquatics Center and the Guangzhou Opera House in China. I am delighted to learn about both of these women.

SHUE (17A: “Battle of the Sexes” actress Elisabeth) Battle of the Sexes is a 2017 movie loosely based on the 1973 tennis match of the same name between Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs. Emma Stone and Steve Carell portray Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs. Elisabeth SHUE portrays Priscilla Riggs, Bobby Riggs’ wife.

Random Thoughts & Interesting Things

FAST (1A: Observe Yom Kippur, say) Yom Kippur is a Jewish holy day known as the Day of Atonement. It is considered to be Judaism’s holiest day, and is observed by FASTing and prayer. This year Yom Kippur will be observed from sunset, October 1 to nightfall, October 2.

OTOH (14A: “Then again,” in texts) OTOH is making back-to-back puzzle appearances. We saw it yesterday clued as [“That being said,” in a text].

AUNT (22A: Patty or Selma, to Lisa) In the animated sitcom The Simpsons, Patty and Selma are Marge Simpson’s sisters. That makes them Lisa Simpson’s AUNT.

LES (30A: Gibson ___ Paul guitar) LES Paul (1915-2009) was a jazz guitarist, songwriter, and inventor. He teamed up with the Gibson Guitar Company in the early 1950s, which produced a guitar according to his specifications. Gibson LES Paul guitars are still used by many musicians. Sometimes I joke that everything I know I learned about from crosswords. However, I learned about LES Paul and Gibson LES Paul guitars from an exhibit at the Museum of Pop Culture in Seattle, Washington.

LAKOTA (33A: People also known as the Teton Sioux) The LAKOTA, as the name Teton Sioux suggests, are a subculture of the Sioux people. The LAKOTA have land in North and South Dakota.

WHEY (35A: No ___! (punny name for a dairy-free chocolate brand)) This is a cute way to clue the word WHEY. No Whey Foods makes chocolate that is milk-free, nut free, gluten free, soy free, and egg free.

SHO (47A: “Yellowjackets” network, for short) Showtime (SHO, for short) describes the TV series Yellowjackets as “part survival epic, part psychological horror, and part coming-of-age drama.” The show tells the story of a high school girls’ soccer team whose plane crashes in the wilderness. The show recounts the time of survival after the crash, as well as events that occur 25 years later.

ELIOT (55A: “Middlemarch” novelist George) Middlemarch, A Study of Provincial Life is a book by George ELIOT that was first published in installments in 1871-1872. The book is set in the fictional English town of Middlemarch between 1829 to 1832, and focuses on the lives of the town’s residents. George ELIOT was the pen name of Mary Ann Evans (1819-1880).

ARBOR (63A: ___ Day (tree holiday)) Many countries observe ARBOR Day, a holiday for encouraging people to plant trees. This is a timely clue, as in the United States ARBOR Day is celebrated on the last Friday in April, which is Friday, April 25 this year.

EMUS (64A: Birds that lay green eggs) The eggs laid by EMUS are a dark green color and can weigh over a pound.

EDY’S (68A: East Coast ice cream brand) William Dreyer and Joseph EDY founded Dreyer’s Grand Ice Cream, Inc. in 1928. The company has two signature brands: Dreyer’s Grand Ice Cream – sold in the Western United States and Texas, and EDY’S Grand Ice Cream, sold in the Eastern and Midwestern United States.

ADA (5D: “Sanctuary” poet Limon) Ada Limón is the current Poet Laureate of the United States. You can read “Sanctuary” and listen to ADA Limón read the poem here.

ODD (10D: Like all prime numbers except 2) That’s ODD, there’s math in my word puzzle… If a number is greater than one and can only be formed by multiplying one and itself, it’s a prime number. Any even number other than 2 will be divisible by two, so will not be a prime number.

RPG (12D: WoW or D&D) RPG here stands for role-playing game. World of Warcraft (WoW) and Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) are RPGs. The abbreviation of the names of the games in the clue alerts solvers that the answer will be an abbreviation.

ATE (13D: Had a Dutch baby) A Dutch baby, also called a German pancake, is a fluffy oven-baked pancake similar to a popover or Yorkshire pudding.

ANA (19D: “Ugly Betty” actress Ortiz) I wrote about the TV series Ugly Betty (2006-2010) last month. ANA Ortiz played the role of Hilda Suarez, sister of the title character.

OTTERS (49D: Sea mammals that hold hands while sleeping) Yesterday we saw the singular OTTER clued as [Mammal form of the shape-shifting creature Kushtaka].

RBG (58D: First SCOTUS justice to officiate a same-sex wedding) Ruth Bader Ginsburg (1933-2020), known as RBG, was a member of the Supreme Court of the United States from 1993-2020. In the summer of 2013, the Supreme Court ruled on two cases that made same-sex marriage legal in all U.S. states. On August 31, 2013, RBG officiated the wedding of Michael Kaiser (who was the president of the Kennedy Center at the time) and John Roberts (a government economist, not the Supreme Court chief justice). RBG is believed to be the first SCOTUS (Supreme Court of the United States) justice to officiate a same-sex wedding.

SUE (60D: WNBA great Bird) SUE Bird is a retired professional basketball player. She played for WNBA’s Seattle Storm from 2002-2022. The Seattle Storm won four WNBA championships during SUE Bird’s time on the team. SUE Bird also has five gold medals from her time playing on Team USA in the Olympics.

Crossword Puzzle Theme Synopsis

NO MORE FOOLING AROUND (Freestyle): This is a freestyle, or themeless, puzzle. The title is a nod to I MEAN IT THIS TIME (7D: Now there really is a wolf!”)

I MEAN IT THIS TIME is a lovely grid-spanning answer, and it was fun to see the clue reference the fairy tale “The Boy Who Cried Wolf.” I also enjoyed the other two grid-spanning answers: I’M DRAWING A BLANK (23A: “Doesn’t ring any bells”) and THAT HITS THE SPOT (50A: “Ahh, so thirst-quenching!”). Thank you, Dena, for this interesting puzzle.

For more on USA TODAY’s Crossword Puzzles
April 21, 2025
Craig Mazin explains that big death, ‘toxic mourning’

Spoiler alert: This story includes details of the major Episode 2 fatality.

That “Last of Us” death hurts, especially so early in Season 2.

We’re not talking about Tommy Miller’s (Gabriel Luna) awesome blow-torch barbeque of the bloater beast in Episode 2 (now streaming on Max; new episodes Sundays, 9 ET/PT). Shroomzilla had that coming.

But, for those not familiar with “The Last of Us” video games from which the HBO series is adapted, the brutal death of Joel Miller – the role that propelled Pedro Pascal to superstardom – is an emotional bludgeoning. By a golf club. That is the weapon on hand for vengeful Abby Anderson (Kaitlyn Dever), who fatally tees off on Joel to avenge her dead father. The torturous clobbering comes after Joel saves Abby from infected hordes and is coldly executed in front of his surrogate daughter, Ellie (Bella Ramsey).

“People are going to be upset. That’s sometimes how good drama goes,” says executive producer Craig Mazin. “This was something that was always meant to happen. So much of the first season was, in a weird way, leading to this moment. And it’s upsetting.”

‘Very injured’ Pedro Pascal Plays broken Joel in ‘Last of Us’ Season 2 with Bella Ramsey

Joel’s death was ‘largely preordained’

Joel’s demise was already laid out, nearly blow-for-blow, in the source material, “The Last of Us Part II” video game. When Pascal took the role, Mazin says the actor knew Joel would face this savaging in a potential Season 2. And, of course, there was a Season 2.

“Loss is kind of how this story functions, so this was largely preordained,” says Mazin. “When I talked to Pedro the first time, I said, ‘This is how this will go.’ I wanted him to know that we’re not going to do this for seven seasons with you in that spot. We’re going to do a season, and if it goes well and there’s a second season, this will happen.”

The TV version provides one episode and change to build up some empathy for Abby, the Firefly daughter of the unarmed, scrubbed-up surgeon Joel killed in his Season 1 finale killing spree. In an Episode 2 hospital flashback, Abby discovers her father, who was about to remove Ellie’s brain for a humanity-saving cure. Abby has been searching for Joel, and payback, for five years.

We’ve got room on the couch! Sign up for USA TODAY’s Watch Party newsletter for more TV & film news.

Trapped and wounded by Abby, Joel’s eyes give license for revenge. “They have a weirdly intimate moment of connection where Joel, on some level, recognizes her right to retribution, to avenge her father,” Mazin says.

It’s important that Abby goes too far: ‘There’s justice and then there’s this other thing’

The Joel beating is conducted mostly off camera, but it’s brutal. The golf club hits to the head depicted in the video game are directed primarily at Joel’s shot-up leg for the sake of semi-reality. “This is live action,” Mazin says. “We do have to work a little closer to truer physics.”

Abby breaks the club and uses her fists before horrifyingly sticking the broken club into Joel’s neck. “So that broken piece of golf club was the coup de grâce. In some ways, it’s more haunting,” Mazin says. “We actually tried to show quite a bit of restraint in what people see. But it’s important for Abby’s character to go too far. There’s justice, and then there’s this other thing.”

Ellie vows revenge and circle of ‘toxic mourning’ continues

Half of the Firefly crew is appalled, including Owen (Spencer Lord), who ultimately has to tell Abby to stop the torture and “finish it.” Medic Mel (Ariela Barer) can’t hide her tears. Trapped, Ellie reflects viewers’ horror, and her primal need for her own form of revenge.

“Is Ellie going to do exactly what Abby did, pursue her and hunt her down at any cost? What does this toxic grieving do to us?” Mazin asks. “This is not a revenge story. It’s a story about grief and how people handle grief.”

We haven’t seen the end of Pedro Pascal in ‘Last of Us’

Rest in Peace, Joel. The final view of the deeply flawed protector is his covered body pulled through the snow to Jackson by horse. But we haven’t seen the end of Pascal. The troubled father figure still has – at least – a fateful confrontation with Ellie, as alluded to in the Season 2 trailer.

“I don’t think I’m spoiling anything,” Mazin says. “We have not seen the last of Pedro Pascal on ‘The Last of Us.’”

But the show shifts its focus to the aftermath of the seismic death and the actions of the grieving Tommy, Dina (Isabela Merced), and Ellie – who spits a vow of revenge.

‘The way Bella as Ellie says, ‘You’re all going to die,’ you can’t help but believe it is absolutely true,’ Mazin says.

As the somber Fireflies trudge away in the snow, Abby looks disturbed after finally killing Joel.

“It’s not remorse,” Mazin says. “There is a sense of dissatisfaction. This thing she thought would fix the wound in her didn’t fix it. She walks away no happier than when she showed up.”

April 21, 2025
Paris Hilton, Billy Ray Cyrus, more celebrate

Spring has sprung, and now the stars are hopping into the Easter spirit.

Paris Hilton celebrated the holiday in true mommy fashion by throwing an adorable Easter bash for her children, as seen in an April 19 Instagram post. The media mogul, 44, shares son Phoenix, 2, and daughter London, 1, with husband and entrepreneur Carter Reum, 44.

Hilton shared several photos from the party, which saw Phoenix and London decorate a cake with bunny-shaped treats and pose beneath a colorful balloon arch. “Getting ready for Easter with little bunnies 🐰🐰💖,” she wrote. “Feeling like the luckiest mama!💫 Cherishing every magical moment with my beautiful babies 💐”

Easter Sunday, an important day for members of the Christian faith, commemorates the miraculous resurrection of Jesus Christ after a 40-day season of prayer known as Lent.

The holiday is also the last day of Holy Week, a week’s worth of events paying homage to the final days leading up to Christ’s Crucifixion and Resurrection.

While some partake in more traditional practices like prayer or mass on Easter, others enjoy a more secular interpretation with baskets, egg decorating, egg hunting, and of course, the Easter Bunny.

Here’s how other celebs are celebrating.

Elizabeth Hurley and Billy Ray Cyrus

Elizabeth Hurley and Billy Ray Cyrus are celebrating Easter with a little romance.

The actress, 59, and country singer-songwriter, 63, took to Instagram to mark the holiday with an idyllic outdoor photo. Cyrus, wearing a denim shirt with striped pants and a bunny ears headband, planted a kiss on Hurley’s cheek as she cheerily posed in a blue flannel shirt and matching jeans.

Hurley did not share any details on the pair’s relationship status in the joint post. “Happy Easter ♥️,” Hurley wrote.

Elizabeth Hurley and Billy Ray Cyrus tease romance with affectionate Easter post

Kris Jenner

For Kris Jenner, Easter is all about family.

The reality-TV personality and Kardashians matriarch, 69, observed the holiday on Instagram by sharing an assortment of throwback photos from past Easter celebrations with her children Kim Kardashian, 44; Kourtney Kardashian, 46; Khloé Kardashian, 40; Rob Kardashian, 38; Kendall Jenner, 29; and Kylie Jenner, 27.

One photo shows Kris, decked out in a red frock and matching hat, posing with Kim, Kourtney and Khloé in nearly identical outfits. Another pic offers a sweet side-by-side shot of Kendall and Kylie wearing tulle dresses with dainty floral accents.

“Happy Easter!! 🐣🐰💐,” Jenner captioned the post.

Lindsay Lohan

Lindsay Lohan is keeping things chill this Easter.

Lohan, 38, shared a photo of herself on Instagram that showed the Critics Choice-nominated actress lounging poolside in a floral top and dark sunglasses.

“Happy Easter! 🐰🐣🐇 💐🌸🌺🌻,” Lohan wrote.

Rebel Wilson

Rebel Wilson is all for indulging in Easter fun, as long as there’s a balance.

The “Pitch Perfect” star, 45, dressed up as the Easter bunny for an egg hunt with her 2-year-old daughter Royce Lillian, Wilson shared on Instagram. The actress also candidly added that she “may have” gorged on a “dozen Cadbury Creme eggs” during the celebration.

I “am planning on going OFF chocolate tomorrow to do a challenge!”, Wilson concluded. “Anyone with me? 6 weeks NO CHOCOLATE CHALLENGE starting Monday?”

Snoop Dogg

Snoop Dogg is celebrating Easter with humor and heart.

The hip-hop icon, 53, shared a photo of himself and longtime wife Shante Broadus on Instagram. Broadus stunned in a plush pink coat and matching fedora. “Happy Easter from the Broadus Family @bosslady_ent 💕💕❗️”, Dogg wrote.

The rapper, a self-professed marijuana enthusiast, also poked fun at Easter Sunday falling on April 20, or 4/20, which is informally known as a day of appreciation for the drug.

On X, Dogg shared a meme that featured a seemingly photoshopped image of the rapper wearing a bunny suit with the caption, “When 420 falls on Easter Sunday.” In response, Dogg wrote, “Good morning 🤣🤣👏🏿 🙏🏿 ☀️”

Nick Cannon

Nick Cannon goes all out for Easter.

The actor and TV personality, 44, gave a glimpse into his festivities with co-parent Abby De La Rosa, 34, in an Instagram post. The pair shares three children: twin sons Zion Mixolydian and Zillion Heir, 3, and daughter Beautiful Zeppelin, 2.

Cannon dressed up as the Easter bunny while his children sat atop a life-sized egg-hunt basket. “Happy Easter!!”, Cannon captioned the post.

Why do we celebrate Easter? What to know about the widely observed Christian holiday

Reba McEntire

Reba McEntire is getting nostalgic this Easter.

The country music icon, 70, shared a throwback photo of herself on social media that showed her sitting with a basket full of flowers. McEntire, who is surrounded by larger floral arrangements in the image, beams for the camera while cradling a brightly colored Easter egg.

“Happy Easter from my family to yours 🐣🩷,” McEntire wrote.

King Charles and Queen Camilla

For King Charles III and Queen Camilla, Easter is a time for faith.

The British royals briefly greeted onlookers after attending an Easter service at St. George’s Chapel in Windsor, England, an important fixture in the 76-year-old monarch’s calendar as Charles serves as supreme governor of the Church of England.

Charles and Camilla, 77, were joined by Princess Anne, Prince Andrew, Prince Edward and other family members at the 15th-century chapel on the grounds of Windsor Castle. Camilla, who was handed a posy of flowers by a young girl, wished “Happy Easter” to members of the crowd after the service.

Royals celebrate Easter: King Charles and Queen Camilla step out with family

On April 17, the king used his annual Easter message to reflect on war, human suffering and the heroism of those who risk their lives to help others.

Contributing: Amaris Encinas and Jordan Mendoza, USA TODAY; Paul Sandle, Reuters

April 21, 2025
Billy Ray Cyrus and Elizabeth Hurley tease romance with Easter post

An outdoor egg hunt, Sunday church service and… hard-launching a relationship? Elizabeth Hurley is celebrating Easter with a little romance.

The actress, 59, took to Instagram to mark the springtime holiday with an idyllic outdoor photo — and Hurley wasn’t alone.

Standing next to Hurley was country singer-songwriter Billy Ray Cyrus. The 63-year-old musician, wearing a denim shirt with striped pants and a bunny ears headband, planted a kiss on Hurley’s cheek as she cheerily posed in a blue flannel shirt and matching jeans.

Hurley did not share any details on the pair’s relationship status in the joint post. “Happy Easter ♥️,” Hurley wrote.

Easter 2025: How Paris Hilton, Billy Ray Cyrus and other stars celebrated

USA TODAY has reached out to representatives for Hurley and Cyrus for comment.

The romantic post comes eight months after Cyrus finalized his contentious divorce with ex-wife Firerose in August 2024. The former couple, who were married for seven months, accused each other of spousal abuse in the months leading up to their divorce settlement. Firerose (real name: Johanna Rosie Hodges) told Page Six in a June 2024 interview that Cyrus was verbally abusive.

“He would rage at me, shout at me at the top of his lungs. He would terrify me,” Firerose said at the time. “It was illogical and insane and terrifying.”

Meanwhile, Cyrus alleged in a court filing that same month that Firerose was physically, emotionally and verbally abusive throughout the course of their relationship, adding that their brief marriage was “induced by fraud.”

Cyrus was previously married to manager and producer Tish Cyrus from 1993 until April 2022 when the couple filed for divorce, citing irreconcilable differences. Cyrus and Tish have five children together: Brandi Cyrus, 37, Trace Cyrus, 36, Miley Cyrus, 32, Braison Cyrus, 30, and Noah Cyrus, 25. Billy Ray adopted Brandi and Trace, who are Tish’s children from a previous relationship.

Hurley was married to Indian businessman Arun Nayar from 2007-2011. She also had long-term relationships with English actor Hugh Grant and Australian cricketer Shane Warne. The actress has a son, 23-year-old actor and filmmaker Damian Hurley, whom she shares with late businessman Steve Bing.

Contributing: Taijuan Moorman, USA TODAY

April 21, 2025
When does the next episode come out?
‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ is available to stream on Hulu.

Editor’s note: This post contains spoilers about Season 6 of “The Handmaid’s Tale.”
As the final season of “The Handmaid’s Tale” reaches its midpoint with Episode 5 dropping next week, tensions are on the rise as June (Elisabeth Moss), husband Luke (O-T Fagbenle), and best friend Moira (Samira Wiley) clash over plans to take down Gilead.

After escaping from no man’s land where they got trapped, Luke and Moira are all pumped to destroy Gilead. However, June is critical of their plans, and this causes a huge blowout between them. However, June and Luke eventually make up and agree to fight together as a family. Back in New Bethlehem, Commander Lawrence (Bradley Whitford) is sworn in as a High Commander as Rita (Amanda Brugel), a former Martha, arrives back in town. Serena (Yvonne Strahovski), meanwhile, shares a moment after an evening of light flirting with Commander Wharton (Josh Charles), Rose’s father.

According to Hulu, June will fight to take down Gilead with Luke and Moira joining the resistance in the final season of the Emmy-winning drama series. Serena, meanwhile, “tries to reform Gilead while Commander Lawrence and Aunt Lydia (Ann Dowd) reckon with what they have wrought, and Nick (Max Minghella) faces challenging tests of character.”

“This final chapter of June’s journey highlights the importance of hope, courage, solidarity, and resilience in the pursuit of justice and freedom,” the season’s synopsis says.

Adapted from Canadian author Margaret Atwood’s 1985 novel of the same name, “The Handmaid’s Tale” is about “the story of life in the dystopia of Gilead, a totalitarian society in what was formerly the United States,” according to the series synopsis.

June/Offred, one of the few fertile women in the oppressive Republic of Gilead, known as Handmaids, “struggles to survive as a reproductive surrogate for a powerful Commander and his resentful wife.”

Here’s what to know about Season 6 of “The Handmaid’s Tale,” including full episode schedule and cast.

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When do new episodes of ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ come out?

New episodes of “The Handmaid’s Tale” Season 6 drop every Tuesday on Hulu at midnight ET / 9 p.m. PT (previous day).

‘The Handmaid’s Tale’: Stream on Hulu | Watch on Sling

Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle

‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ Season 6 episode schedule

The final season of “The Handmaid’s Tale” will have 10 episodes. Here’s what the upcoming schedule looks like:

Episode 5 “Janine”: April 22

Episode 6 “Surprise”: April 29

Episode 7 “Shattered”: May 6

Episode 8 “Exodus”: May 13

Episode 9 “Execution”: May 20

Episode 10 “The Handmaid’s Tale”: May 27

The first four episodes of Season 6 are already available to stream on Hulu.

How to watch ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ Season 6

“The Handmaid’s Tale” is available to stream on Hulu.

Hulu offers membership options ranging from $7.99 a month to $17.99 a month for normal streaming services, and $75.99 a month to $89.99 a month for plans with streaming and live television. New users can also sign up for a free trial.

Watch every season of The Handmaid’s Tale on Hulu

‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ Season 6 cast

Cast members for “The Handmaid’s Tale” Season 6, as per Hulu, include:

Elisabeth Moss as June Osborne / Offred

Yvonne Strahovski as Serena Joy Waterford

Bradley Whitford as Commander Joseph Lawrence

Max Minghella as Commander Nick Blaine

Ann Dowd as Aunt Lydia Clements

O-T Fagbenle as Luke Bankole

Samira Wiley as Moira Strand

Madeline Brewer as Janine Lindo / Ofwarren / Ofdaniel / Ofhoward

Amanda Brugel as Rita Blue

Ever Carradine as Naomi Putnam

Sam Jaeger as Mark Tuello

Josh Charles as High Commander Wharton

Watch ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ Season 6 trailer

We occasionally recommend interesting products and services. If you make a purchase by clicking one of the links, we may earn an affiliate fee. USA TODAY Network newsrooms operate independently, and this doesn’t influence our coverage.

Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected] and follow her on X and Instagram @saman_shafiq7.
April 21, 2025
Prince Harry, Meghan Markle foundation cuts ties to Muslim group

Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan’s charitable Archewell Foundation has cut off funding to a Milwaukee-based Muslim women’s organization because of its leader’s views on the Israel-Hamas War.

An article published April 11 by the news outlet NewsNation seemingly prompted Archewell to halt its funding of the Milwaukee Muslim Women’s Coalition. A NewsNation reporter asked the foundation about the coalition’s executive director Janan Najeeb’s opinion piece in the Wisconsin Muslim Journal − an outlet run by Najeeb’s group − which included the contentious phrase, “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free.”

Representatives for Archewell did not respond to the USA TODAY Network’s requests for comment.

An online fundraiser for the women’s coalition reproduced a letter from the Archewell Foundation, which the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, part of the USA TODAY Network, independently verified.

“We have recently been notified of an online opinion piece you wrote that goes against the values of The Archewell Foundation,” the letter told Najeeb. “We have zero tolerance for hateful words, actions, or propaganda.”

After NewsNation called attention to Najeeb’s views, Archewell Foundation staff told her on April 9 that the Muslim Women’s Coalition was being removed from its funding network, and it would not award the coalition additional grants.

Prince Harry: ‘Exhausted,’ ‘Overwhelmed’ after returning home to UK

According to tax filings, the Archewell Foundation awarded the Muslim Women’s Coalition a $27,960 grant in 2023 to operate a support group and sewing circle for Afghan evacuee women in Milwaukee. The group planned to meet weekly to complete sewing projects and take part in “restorative” conversations that address the women’s trauma.

The foundation gave the coalition another grant of a similar amount in 2024, Najeeb said.

The funding cuts come as Harry and Meghan face scrutiny as media reports surfaced that Harry recently resigned from the charity he co-founded in honor of his late mother Princess Diana. Earlier this year, the two philanthropists were pictured visiting with victims of the Los Angeles wildfires in Meghan’s hometown.

Palestinian activist speaks out after Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan’s charity halts funding

For her part, Najeeb views the funding cut as part of a broader trend of organizations distancing themselves from pro-Palestinian views for fear of retribution.

“It’s unfortunate that a funder like the Archewell decided to cave in so quickly,” she told the Journal Sentinel. “This is not unusual. This is in line with what’s happening around the country.” In a letter to foundation executives, Najeeb rejected the characterization of her opinion piece as hateful or antisemitic.

I ‘need’ and ‘love’ to work: Duchess Meghan defends Netflix show and brand from criticism

“If your foundation stipulates that grant recipients must sit idly by as a genocide is broadcast live on their television screens, then we too regret to inform you that our values do not align,” Najeeb said in her response. “In choosing PR over principle, you betray the communities you claim to uplift.”

And she posited that the executives’ issues were actually with another opinion piece she wrote for the Journal Sentinel last May, in which she argued that student protesters “know truth about Israel’s genocide in Gaza.” That piece does not mention the phrase “from the river to the sea,” a slogan which many Jews consider antisemitic.

Harry and Meghan have fully re-entered public life this year with As Ever, Netflix show

The fundraising debacle coincides with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s return to public life five years after stepping back as British working royals in January 2020.

After she started dating Harry, Meghan shut down her popular lifestyle blog “The Tig” in April 2017, but the duchess hard-launched her new Netflix lifestyle show “With Love” and the brand As Ever this year.

The first As Ever drop sold out in less than an hour and one product (the $28 limited-edition wildflower honey with honeycomb) sold out in less than five minutes. The featured products in the company’s first collection included $12 herbal tea in three flavors: hibiscus, peppermint and lemon ginger.

In a recent profile for The New York Times published April 2 in conjunction with the official launch of As Ever, Meghan defended her decision to start her lifestyle brand and star in a new companion Netflix show.

In the piece, she explained that the brand gives her flexibility as mom to her two children with Harry: Prince Archie, 5, and Princess Lilibet, 3.

“I need to work, and I love to work,” Meghan told NYT, adding that the brand “is a way I can connect my home life and my work.”

Harry is set to take the reins of a second program that will bring viewers behind-the-scenes of the world of professional polo, a sport played by Harry for years, at the U.S. Open Polo Championship in Wellington, Florida.

April 21, 2025
Bowen Yang reacts to Aimee Lou Wood criticism of ‘White Lotus’ joke

Bowen Yang says a recent “Saturday Night Live” sketch that poked fun at Aimee Lou Wood is an example of how parody can go too far.

In an interview with Extra, the comedian, 34, weighed in after Wood slammed a “White Lotus” spoof on “SNL” that included a joke about the gap between her teeth. The actress described the sketch as “mean and unfunny.”

“However she reacted to that sketch is completely valid,” Yang told Extra. “With parody, you kind of forget the human, emotional cost” that humor takes on the subject.

The “Wicked” star added that “everyone at ‘SNL’ ” is a fan of Wood, noting the situation is a reminder “that parody can go (too) far sometimes and that we as comedians can take account for that, instead of banging our foot and saying that we should be allowed to say whatever we want.”

The “SNL” sketch, which aired April 12, imagined Season 3 of “The White Lotus” starring President Donald Trump and his allies. Host Jon Hamm played Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who said he wanted to remove fluoride from drinking water and asked, “What would that do to people’s teeth?” The show then cut to Sarah Sherman, who wore fake teeth to play Wood’s “White Lotus” character, Chelsea.

Aimee Lou Wood slams ‘SNL’: She calls out the show for a ‘mean and unfunny’ parody of ‘The White Lotus’

In a series of Instagram posts, Wood, 31, said she thought the sketch was “mean and unfunny” and wrote, “I am not thin skinned. I actually love being taken the piss out of when it’s clever and in good spirits. But the joke was about fluoride. I have big gap teeth not bad teeth. I don’t mind caricature – I understand that’s what SNL is. But the rest of the skit was punching up and I/Chelsea was the only one punched down on.”

In other posts on Instagram, Wood said there “must be a cleverer, more nuanced, less cheap way” to make fun of her and criticized the accent Sherman used in the sketch. “At least get the accent right seriously,” she wrote. “I respect accuracy even if it’s mean.”

But Wood, who previously told GQ she was unhappy with the amount of attention that has been paid to her teeth, clarified that she was “not hating on” Sherman and was just “hating on the concept.” She later revealed that Sherman sent her a “beautiful” bouquet of flowers.

Aimee Lou Wood receives flowers: ‘SNL’ star Sarah Sherman sent a bouquet after the ‘White Lotus’ star slammed ‘mean’ sketch

Wood also said in a previous Instagram post that she “had apologies from ‘SNL,’ ” though she didn’t provide details. Yang told Extra that Wood seems to have “spoken to people at the show” about the sketch.

“SNL” has not returned for a new episode since the controversial sketch aired. The show will be back on May 3 with host Quinta Brunson.

April 21, 2025
Aimee Lou Wood slams 'SNL' sketch mocking her appearanceTV

Aimee Lou Wood slams ‘SNL’ sketch mocking her appearanceTV

April 21, 2025
King Charles, Queen Camilla celebrate Easter. Who else was there?

Paul Sandle
| Reuters

LONDON − Britain’s King Charles and Queen Camilla briefly greeted onlookers after an Easter service at St. George’s Chapel in Windsor, an important fixture in the calendar of the monarch, who is supreme governor of the Church of England.

Charles and Camilla, who was wearing a pale blue hat and dress, were joined by Princess Anne, Prince Andrew, Prince Edward and other family members at the 15th-century chapel on the grounds of Windsor Castle.

Andrew’s attendance was notable after he was absent from the royals’ Christmas service amid scrutiny of his links with an alleged Chinese spy. The scandal-plagued prince was accompanied by his ex-wife Sarah, Duchess of York, and his daughters Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice.

New photos: King Charles III, Queen Camilla celebrate 20th wedding anniversary

The king’s oldest son and heir Prince William and his wife, Princess Kate, were absent. They are spending Easter with their children in Norfolk.

Camilla, who was handed a posy of flowers by a young girl, wished “Happy Easter” to members of the crowd after the Easter Matins service.

On Thursday, the king used his annual Easter message to reflect on war, human suffering and the heroism of those who risk their lives to help others.

Latest news: King Charles III makes first statement since recent hospitalization

In 2024, the Easter service was Charles’ first appearance at a public event following the announcement that he had been diagnosed with an undisclosed form of cancer the previous month.

Kate was also treated for an unspecified cancer last year. She said in January she was relieved in be in remission.

Contributing: Kim Willis, USA TODAY

April 21, 2025