Role Model brings sold-out No Place Like tour to New YorkMusic
Category: BUSINESS
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Role Model No Place Like tour: See the setlist
BROOKLYN, N.Y. − Sabrina Carpenter. Harry Styles. Niall Horan. Taylor Swift.
Those are just some of the names Role Model − the bedroom pop-turned-folksy artist born Tucker Pillsbury − likes to call himself, even signing his setlists with their signatures. His satirical approach to fame could be seen as desperate or forced, but at Brooklyn Paramount on Saturday night, every fan was in on his bit − and encouraging it. In New York, he was Ed Sheeran, Tate McRae and Maroon 5.
The cowboy hat-wearing crooner, who opened for Gracie Abrams on the U.S. leg of her The Secret of Us tour last fall, was once synonymous with any other aspiring indie artist in Los Angeles. But he axed the synths found on his debut album “Rx” and learned guitar for his second collection, “Kansas Anymore,” dipping into a genre repopularized and transformed by rising indie folk stars such as Noah Kahan and his frequent collaborator Lizzy McAlpine.
Role Model, 27, wrote his first album about falling in love (with YouTube personality Emma Chamberlain), and “Kansas Anymore” documented his grief following the dissolution of that relationship. There’s a newfound maturity in the heartache and homesickness conveyed in this story-driven work.
“ ‘Kansas Anymore’ is very much about heartbreak, but I didn’t want to write about that in a nasty, immature, angry sort of way,” he told MTV last August.
Role Model brings No Place Like tour to Brooklyn
Heartbreak has never felt as good as it does at a Role Model show − there’s something healing in hearing nearly 3,000 people sing together, “I don’t think you love me anymore / And I don’t think I love you anymore / But I don’t think I’ll ever be so sure.”
Smiling through the pain is not only allowed but celebrated at his live performances.
Throughout the venue, concertgoers anxiously awaited Role Model’s set. Along the barricade, diehard fans − some as young as 14 − had been waiting since 5 a.m. to secure a front-row spot. When he finally walked onstage and the opening riffs of “Writing’s On the Wall” played, the crowd erupted into full-fledged screams before singing every word.
He played 15 songs off the new album, including deluxe tracks − but none from “Rx.” Instead, he filled spaces with an original cover of The 1975’s “Somebody Else,” and two tracks from his early EPs (“that’s just how it goes” and “blind”).
After losing his hard-fought campaign for People’s Sexiest Man Alive in 2024, Role Model is now gunning for a Calvin Klein campaign. But as the night went on, he kept apologizing for losing his voice.
“Hey, Calvin Klein, I’m usually singing and doing all these Ariana Grande runs. I promise I’m better,” he joked. “But you know what, not tonight,” dubbing the evening “the Temu Role Model show.”
Role Model and his fans’ love affair
Witnessing Role Model work a crowd, it’s undeniable that he loves his fans. He jokes in unison with them − simultaneously teasing and uplifting each other − and has already built a collection of sassy inside jokes around this current album cycle. With so many boy bands denouncing fangirls (the infamous 5 Seconds of Summer “Rolling Stone” cover), seeing a male artist wholesomely welcome their affection is refreshing.
Midway through “Compromise,” the last slow song of the evening, he took a moment to thank those in the crowd.
“I know I make a lot of jokes, so I’ll be serious for one second,” he said. “I know what it takes to come to concerts. I know some of you wait all day long … some of you drive here or fly here (or) take the train … some of you skip work and you skip school. Whatever you’re missing out on to be here does not go unnoticed and I genuinely love you for doing it.”
Who was Role Model’s ‘Sally’ at his Brooklyn show?
For the second to last song of the night, “Sally, When the Wine Runs Out,” one lucky fan gets to be Role Model’s “Sally” for the night. Akin to Justin Bieber’s “One Less Lonely Girl” gimmick, a fan gets plucked from the crowd to dance onstage with Role Model. Past Sallys also include singer-songwriter Ashe, influencer Jake Shane and podcaster Grace O’Malley.
On Saturday, another fan joined Role Model onstage for a “diva-off.” The crowd cheered for the pair as they danced around the stage and screamed the lyrics, “Heard through the grapevine she can be a diva / Cold like Minnesota / Hotter than a fever.”
Role Model began to saunter off-stage before realizing he had “forgotten something,” and jumped into the lead single off “Kansas Anymore” and last song of Saturday night’s set, an upbeat track called “Deeply Still in Love.”
What better way to end the night right back where Role Model started, screaming: “I’m sorry but I’m deeply still in love with you.”
Role Model setlist for the No Place Like Home tour
- “Writing’s on the Wall”
- “Look at That Woman”
- “Scumbag”
- “Oh, Gemini”
- “Superglue”
- “The Dinner”
- “Frances”
- “Slut Era Interlude”
- “Somebody Else” (The 1975 cover)
- “The Longest Goodbye”
- “Old Recliners”
- “Slipfast”
- “that’s just how it goes”
- “Some Protector”
- “Compromise”
- “blind”
- “Sally, When the Wine Runs Out”
- “Deeply Still in Love”
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Ray Nicholson on ‘Novocaine,’ ‘Borderline’ and being Jack’s son
‘Borderline’: Ray Nicholson stalks a pop star in dark comedy
Ray Nicholson stars as an unhinged man who stalks and yearns to marry an A-list pop star (Samara Weaving) in the dark comedy “Borderline.”
Major movie premieres, red carpet walks, chats with talk-show hosts about sitting courtside at Lakers’ games. This was the life of Jack Nicholson back in the day, and now the existence of son Ray Nicholson.
The on-the-rise actor has two new movies in theaters this weekend: action comedy “Novocaine” and the 1990s-set dark comedy “Borderline.” By the tail end of a promotional push for both, “I was fully in the fourth dimension,” says the younger Nicholson, 33.
Still, it’s a job he loves: Acting “is a love language between me and my dad, for sure, and that’s why I do it.” And like his old man, Nicholson has a penchant for characters who lean unhinged and dangerous.
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He’s a sociopathic bank robber opposite Jack Quaid’s hero-who-can’t-feel-pain in “Novocaine,” and toes a fine line between protagonist and antagonist in “Borderline” as an escaped mental patient who stalks a pop star (Samara Weaving). And he manages to make both ne’er-do-wells magnetically watchable.
“I could care less whether people think I’m a great actor or not. I want to be engaging and entertaining,” Nicholson says. “Ultimately, it’s a service position. You want people to enjoy what you’re doing.”
Here’s what new fans need to know about the next Nicholson making waves in Hollywood.
Ray Nicholson is ‘human Red Bull’ in ‘Novocaine,’ channels Tom Cruise in ‘Borderline’
Jack Quaid says he was amazed by Nicholson’s ability to be his “very sweet” self and then “turn his psycho on at the drop of a hat,” adding that his co-star has as an electrifying side that’s “almost like human Red Bull.” It was important for Nicholson to be a positive force on set. “For me, my biggest obstacle is always myself,” Nicholson says. “But once I break through, I have unlimited energy.”
He made use of that enthusiasm making “Borderline,” especially in a scene where his unstable character runs wild through an empty mansion, eating snacks while dancing in his underwear a la Tom Cruise in “Risky Business.” “I ate about eight Hot Pockets that day, of varying warmth.”
Nicholson came up with a lot of shenanigans on the spot with writer/director Jimmy Warden (“Cocaine Bear”). “What would this person do?” the actor says. “Like, what can you do in the bathtub? I could shave my legs? Perfect! That creatively was the most fun I’ve ever had.”
But it took Ray Nicholson a while to come around to the family business
Growing up the son of a Hollywood legend and actress/model Rebecca Broussard, acting was “the absolute last thing that I wanted to do,” Nicholson allows. His first role was as a young catcher trash-talking David Spade in the 2006 baseball comedy “The Benchwarmers,” and back then “I was a really insecure kid: overweight, got picked on, not cool in school. Just this dorky kid that wanted to hide.
“Then it just dawned on me like, ‘What the hell are you doing? You’ve always wanted to (act), but you’re just too scared or you don’t feel worthy.’ Childhood resentment of not having the typical family and just kind of shaking that out,” Nicholson says. He graduated from film school and did Sandy Meisner classes but still had personal issues to work through: “The first exercise they teach you is a ‘knocking at the door’ exercise. I put so much pressure on myself, it was like, ’Is that knock good enough for four Oscars?’”
Over time, he righted himself and realized “I am my dad’s kid and I’m super-happy about it.”
Jack Nicholson’s son broke through in an a moment that pays homage to his dad
Ray Nicholson had small roles in “Promising Young Woman” and “Licorice Pizza” and played a main character on Amazon’s “Panic.” His big breakthrough came last year in the horror sequel “Smile 2,” wearing a similarly disturbing and sinister grin to Jack Nicholson’s in “The Shining.”
“Dude, that was the coolest thing ever,” Ray Nicholson says. “I’ve done as much as I could to fly under the radar as I could. But when I saw the billboards, I was like, ‘Oh, duh! I can do this and be my dad’s kid. I don’t have to hide.”
Ray Nicholson acknowledges that his dad Jack is ‘my favorite actor’
Nicholson loves talking about his mom. While he got his cinematic looks from dad, he got his “nice teeth, good manners, blue eyes and curly hair” from Broussard, as well as a grounded nature. “My dad is this larger-than-life person, and my mom’s someone that came from a trailer park in Henderson, Kentucky. She taught me how to be a human and how to have a heart.”
When it comes to inspiration, though, it’s all about Jack. “He’s my favorite actor,” Nicholson says. “He is my north star. If I didn’t want to be compared to my dad, I would’ve been a veterinarian.”
The elder Nicholson, 87, hasn’t been in a movie in 15 years. Could Ray Nicholson get him to come out of retirement and share the screen with his son?
“I think my dad is really happy with his body of work. He has done enough,” Nicholson says. “He has provided me and my sister with an amazing life. To continue to make him proud is all I want and hopefully I have kids and they look at me the way that I look at my dad.”
He pauses before flashing that multigenerational grin. ”But maybe.”
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Crossword Blog & Answers for March 16, 2025 by Sally Hoelscher
There are spoilers ahead. You might want to solve today’s puzzle before reading further! Welcome Foolish Mortals
Constructors: Amie Walker & Amanda Rafkin
Editor: Amanda Rafkin
What I Learned from Today’s Puzzle
- HOST (52A: Taylor Tomlinson, for “After Midnight”) After Midnight (stylized as @fter midnight) is a game show that premiered on CBS in January 2024. Taylor Tomlinson is the HOST of the show, which features a panel of comedians as contestants.
- MEL (56D: Actor Rodriguez) MEL Rodriguez portrays Marco Paternak on the TV series Better Call Saul (2015-2022). He also plays the Chief Medical Examiner, Dr. Hugo Ramirez, in the first season of CSI: Vegas.
Random Thoughts & Interesting Things
- EMO (5A: Something Corporate genre) Something Corporate is an EMO and alt rock band. This clue reminds me of Amie and Amanda’s November 11, 2024 puzzle with the title “Something Corporate.”
- ASSAM (8A: Indian state known for its tea) The state of ASSAM is located in northeastern India. It is known for ASSAM tea, which comes from a tea plant indigenous to the area. ASSAM is a black tea known for its malty flavor and strong color.
- ROSS (14A: “I’m Coming Out” singer Diana) “I’m Coming Out” is a 1980 song by Diana ROSS. The song has been my earworm since I read this clue. “I’m coming out / I want the world to know / got to let it show…”
- ERAS (20A: Taylor Swift’s “Lover” and Midnights,” e.g.) and SECRET (4D: “Our ___ moments in a crowded room / They got no idea about me and you”) Would it be an Amie and Amanda collaboration if there wasn’t at least one Taylor Swift reference? Today we have two. “Our SECRET moments in a crowded room / They got no idea about me and you,” is a lyric from Taylor Swift’s 2017 song, “Dress.”
- ALOO (21A: ___ methi (potatoes-and-fenugreek dish)) One of the things I like to do is occasionally remind readers (and myself) that ALOO is a South Asian term for potatoes. Therefore, if you see the description of a dish that contains potatoes – as in this clue – it’s quite possible the answer is going to be ALOO.
- PIE (22A: Dessert enjoyed on March 14th) Did you eat PIE two days ago on Pi Day? We had a coconut custard pie on March 14. I also continued my tradition of celebrating my own personal holiday on March 15, “Eat PIE for breakfast day.”
- PATEL (23A: “Monkey Man” actor Dev) Monkey Man is a 2024 movie starring Dev PATEL, who is also the producer and director. The movie is his directorial debut. Dev PATEL portrays Kid, a young man out for vengeance against corrupt leaders who murdered his mother.
- REY (31A: Hero with a yellow lightsaber) In the Star Wars franchise, REY is the main protagonist of the sequel film trilogy. Daisy Ridley portrays REY in Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015), Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017), and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (2019). In the Star Wars canon, there are eight colors of lightsaber, helpfully explained in this article. The plasma blade of a lightsaber is powered by a Kyber crystal, giving the lightsabers their distinctive colors.
- TETON (49A: Grand ___ National Park) Grand TETON National Park is located in northwestern Wyoming. It is one of the parks my husband and I have visited on our quest to visit as many National Parks as we can.
- A FAREWELL TO ARMS (53A: Hemingway classic) A FAREWELL TO ARMS is Ernest Hemingway’s 1929 novel set during World War I. The novel is the first-person account of Frederic Henry, an American expat serving in the Italian army. A FAREWELL TO ARMS haS been adapted for stage and TV. As of January 1 of this year, A FAREWELL TO ARMS is in the public domain (meaning it can be used or referenced without permission), so it’s possible more adaptations will be seen in the future.
- EELS (63A: Flotsam and Jetsam, e.g.) This is a reference to the movie The Little Mermaid (either the 1989 animated version or the 2023 live-action version). Flotsam and Jetsam are EELS that work for Ursula the sea witch.
- MOI (6D: French first-person pronoun) Whenever I see the word MOI, I hear it in Miss Piggy’s voice, “MOI?”
- OSCAR (7D: Award won by “The Favourite”) The Favourite is a 2018 movie set in 18th century Great Britain. Cousins Abigail Masham (Emma Stone) and Sarah Churchill (Rachel Wiesz) vie to be the favorite of Queen Anne (Olivia Coleman). Olivia Coleman won an OSCAR (Academy Award) for Best Actress.
- AGE (24D: “What’s My ___ Again?”) “What’s My AGE Again?” is a 1999 song by the rock band Blink-182. Just a few days, some friends and I were discussing how hard it is to remember our AGE. It’s a very real struggle for some of us!
- OMAR (25D: Michael K. Williams’ role on “The Wire”) The Wire is a crime drama TV series that originally aired from 2002-2008. The show was set in Baltimore, Maryland, and each season of the show centered on a different institution of the city (illegal drug trade, the port system, city government, education, and print news media) and its interactions with law enforcement. Michael K. Williams (1966-2021) played the role of OMAR Little, a notorious Baltimore stick-up man who robbed drug dealers.
- BTS (33D: “Life Goes On” group) “Life Goes On” is a 2020 song by the K-pop group BTS. The song was released during the COVID-19 pandemic, and its music video featured scenes of BTS living together in quarantine. Three alternative music videos were released: “Life Goes On” on my pillow, “Life Goes On” in the forest, and “Life Goes On” like an arrow.
- NIAGARA (37D: ___ Falls) NIAGARA Falls is located on the U.S.-Canada border between New York and Ontario. NIAGARA is comprised of Horseshoe Falls, American Falls, and Bridal Veil Falls. Of the three, Horseshoe Falls, also known as the Canadian Falls, is the largest. The waterfalls are formed by the NIAGARA River, which flows from Lake Erie to Lake Ontario. Our family visited NIAGARA Falls in March 2013. It was extremely cold when we were there, and although the Falls themselves weren’t frozen, much of the surrounding landscape was snowy and icy.
- CAT TREE (39D: Structure aka a kitty condo) When my kids were younger, they used to delight in climbing all over me. This led me to occasionally say, “Who needs a jungle gym when you have a mom?” My children are now adults, and thankfully have grown out of that habit. My CAT, Willow, however, has stepped in to fill the void. Willow likes to climb all over me, whether I’m seated at my desk or lying down. So perhaps now my saying is, “Who needs a CAT TREE?”
- LIU (55D: “Bottoms” actress Havana Rose) Bottoms is a movie released in 2023. The satirical comedy is about PJ (Rachel Sennott) and Josie (Ayo Edebiri), two queer high school girls who start a fight club with an ulterior motive of attracting girls. Havana Rose LIU portrays Isabel, Josie’s crush, who is dating the school’s star quarterback.
- A couple of other clues I especially enjoyed:
- FEET (60A: Features of many people and poems)
- SALSA (15D: Dip, or dance with a dip)
Crossword Puzzle Theme Synopsis
- ELECTRICAL STORM (17A: Weather phenomenon characterized by the presence of lightning)
- SMART LOCK (35A: Security device that might have a biometric sensor)
- A FAREWALL TO ARMS (53A: Hemingway classic)
WELCOME FOOLISH MORTALS: Each theme answer contains an anagram of the word MORTALS: ELECTRICAL STORM, SMART LOCK, and A FAREWALL TO ARMS.
“WELCOME FOOLISH MORTALS” is the greeting used at The Haunted Mansion, a Disneyland ride that inspired the 2003 movie of the same name. Today, however, it’s this puzzle’s theme. It took me some time to spot this theme. There was even a point when I wondered, “Is this a themeless puzzle that’s missing the “freestyle” tag? A little more thought led me to wondering if “FOOLISH” could be an anagram indicator. “Aha!” Indeed it is. Each theme answer contains an anagram of the word MORTALS. We have ALSTORM, SMARTLO, and LTOARMS. It’s impressive to have a hidden anagram theme featuring a seven-letter word. Thank you, Amie and Amanda, for this enjoyable puzzle.
For more on USA TODAY’s Crossword Puzzles
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Will Smith, Tatyana Ali, Doechii perform ‘Anxiety’ dance from ‘Fresh Prince’
Will Smith poses in an all black look at the 2025 Grammys
Will Smith is all smiles at the 2025 Grammys.
Entertain This!
Will Smith and Tatyana Ali are having a “Fresh Prince of Bel Air” family reunion.
The former co-stars, who played Will and Ashley respectively on the ’90s sitcom, reunited to perform the viral social media dance to Grammy award-winning rapper Doechii’s song “Anxiety” with the “Denial is a River” hitmaker herself. Smith posted the viral video on his Instagram page Thursday.
The dance trend, which has taken over TikTok recently, features Ali donning headphones as she dances alone in her room before Smith imitates her from behind. The original clip is from the show’s 1990 pilot episode.
“Waited 35 years for this dance to trend,” Smith captioned the post. Smith’s son Jaden commented, “Dad you gotta tell me what’s happening in the crib so I can fly home bro.”
Will Smith making music return with ‘Based on a True Story’ album
Earlier this month, on March 5, Smith shared the video writing, “I’ve been watching y’all and every video has been better than the last!! Love that track @Doechii. @Tatyana Ali remember this?” seemingly dropping an easter egg to fans about their reunion.
The “Anxiety” trend is right on time for Smith, who is returning to his musical roots. The “Pursuit of Happyness” actor announced a brand-new album in January. “Based on a True Story,” set to be released March 28, marks Smith’s first full studio project since 2005’s “Lost and Found.”
On Friday, he shared the album cover art on social media.
Smith has been soft-launching his return for nearly a year, releasing several singles with high-profile collaborators. The album will include those tracks − “You Can Make it,” “Work of Art” and “Tantrum” − made alongside rappers Russ and Joyner Lucas and Smith’s son Jaden.
“Based on a True Story” marks a return to public life for the Oscar-winning actor whose slap of Chris Rock at the 2022 Academy Awards ceremony seemingly derailed his career.
Contributing: Anna Kaufman
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Dolly Parton makes first public appearance since Carl Dean’s death
Dolly Parton’s husband, Carl Thomas Dean, dies at 82
Carl Thomas Dean, the husband of country music legend Dolly Parton, has died at the age of 82.
unbranded – Entertainment
Dolly Parton is paying tribute to her late husband Carl Dean for the first time in person after his death on March 3.
The country legend, who kept her love story with Dean private during their 57-year marriage, mourned the loss of Dean at the 40th anniversary sneak peek of her Pigeon Forge, Tennesseee amusement park Dollywood, according to video footage obtained by Tennessee news station WATE.
“You know how I loved him, and he would want me to be working today. I expect to be working,” she told attendees about why she chose to show up to the ceremony.
“I just wanted you to know that of course I will always love him, and I’ll miss him, but I wanted you to know that I will always love you,” Parton added.
‘My beloved husband’: Parton previously mourned loss of Carl Dean
Parton previously mourned Dean’s death in a lengthy social media post.
In a statement posted March 6 on Instagram, the music icon thanked fans for their support in the days since Dean’s death.
“This is a love note to family, friends, and fans,” Parton wrote. “Thank you for all the messages, cards, and flowers that you’ve sent to pay your respects for the loss of my beloved husband Carl. I can’t reach out personally to each of you but just know it has meant the world to me.”
She closed, “He is in God’s arms now and I am okay with that. I will always love you.”
To honor their love, the celebrated songstress released a new track on Friday March 7. “If You Hadn’t Been There,” a single dedicated to Dean, features a cover photo of the couple and chronicles a tender and enduring love.
“I fell in love with Carl Dean when I was 18 years old,” Parton wrote in an Instagram post announcing the song. “We have spent 60 precious and meaningful years together. Like all great love stories, they never end. They live on in memory and song. He will always be the star of my life story, and I dedicate this song to him.”
Dollywood opens for 40th season
Dollywood opened for its 40th season on Saturday. To celebrate its 40th season, Dollywood has added new food, shows, and have other surprises planned.
“I can’t believe that we’ve been making memories for folks here at my Dollywood for 40 years,” Parton said in a statement. “That’s a lot of laughter, hugs and smiles, and I’m glad that we’ve been able to be part of it for so many years.”
Contributing: Brendan Morrow, USA TODAY; Devarrick Turner, Knoxville News Sentinel
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Who is Miss Huang? College freshman plays eerie ‘Severance’ character
“I kind of felt like I was severed in a way because I had so many different things to focus on, but it was all really fun,” Sarah Bock says of balancing high school and filming “Severance.”
Sarah Bock on her role as Miss Huang in ‘Severance’
Just 15 when she auditioned for Apple TV+’s “Severance,” Sarah Bock is now a college student juggling work and school.
When Sarah Bock first walked onto Northwestern University’s campus last fall, she was just another freshman, excited for new classes and friends. But now, Bock finds herself being stopped more regularly by fans of her first true onscreen role.
Bock, 18, is a theater and psychology major at Northwestern in Evanston, Illinois, just north of Chicago. But she is better known for her role as Miss Huang in Season 2 of the Apple TV+ original series, “Severance.”
Directed by Ben Stiller and starring Adam Scott, “Severance” is the top streaming series on Apple TV+. The first season of the thriller debuted in 2022, and after a jaw-dropping cliffhanger, fans eagerly anticipated the release of its second in January. The season finale streams March 21, but fans said goodbye to the eerily rigid Miss Huang during this week’s penultimate episode.
In the first episode this season, Miss Eustace Huang is the new deputy manager of the severed floor, taking over the role from Seth Milchick (Tramell Tillman), who was promoted to floor manager. Despite her often-questioned young age, Miss Huang is quiet and follows the rules of Lumon Industries closely.
“It was fun to have this sort of unexpected young person down there,” Stiller says. “She’s just very inscrutable in the way that so many of the Lumon managerial people are.“
Bock says she’s enjoyed watching this season with friends and reflecting on memories that began more than three years ago.
It all started with ‘Winnie the Pooh’
Bock says her first acting gig, at age 5, was a children’s theater production of “Winnie the Pooh” in her hometown of Raleigh, North Carolina.
What kept her coming back to the stage was the community and ability to convey important messages.
“As I’ve gotten older, I’ve been able to recognize the power of it more, which makes me love it even more,” she says. “I’ve started to learn more about the art that I respond to and want to create.”
Auditioning at 15, becoming a fan
A common talking point for Bock’s role is her age ― both in and out of character.
In Miss Huang’s opening scene, in which she introduces herself to members of the severed floor, Mark Wilkins (Bob Balaban), an employee at least 50 years her senior, asks, “Why are you a child?” To which Miss Huang famously replies, with absolutely no emotion, “Because of when I was born.”
She auditioned for “Severance” at 15, sending a self-shot tape in which she read through that first scene. About a month later, she hopped on a Zoom call with Stiller. A month after that, she flew to New York to read through a few scenes with Tillman. Miss Huang interacts mostly with Mr. Milchick throughout the season.
Ahead of getting the role, Bock said she’d never watched an episode of the show, but her parents were fans.
“I hadn’t personally watched it, but I had walked into the back of the living room a couple times when they (parents) watched it and I was like, ‘Oh, the guy from ‘The Good Place’ looks different. What is the show?’” Bock says, referring to star Adam Scott. “But the night I got the audition, I binged the entire first season in one sitting just because I got so invested and became a huge fan.”
By the time production began on Season 2, Bock was 16, and still in high school.
Her scenes were mostly filmed at sound stages in the Bronx, with a seven-month hiatus due to the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike.
“It was a long, long time and obviously, there was a break in between, but I feel like even in the show you can kind of see I grew up a little bit,” Bock says. “It’s kind of crazy to watch.”
Initially, she continued her enrollment at a North Carolina public school system during filming, but eventually she transferred to a hybrid magnet school, which allowed her to take high-school classes online. She’d film for an hour or so and then squeeze in about 30 minutes of schoolwork before returning to the set.
“I kind of felt like I was severed in a way because I had so many different things to focus on, but it was all really fun,” Bock says.
Getting into character
Sitting in her college dorm room, Bock is cheerful and bubbly, in contrast to Miss Huang’s persona.
“I would hope that I’m pretty different from her,” Bock says. “I definitely wouldn’t be able to stare down John Turturro (Irving B.) or Tramell Tillman in the way Miss Huang does in the show.”
To get in the “Miss Huang headspace,” Bock analyzed the performances of Tillman and Patricia Arquette (Harmony Cobel), who play strict upper management characters. She also listened to a Spotify playlist of “intense, dark songs” featuring the Theremin, an instrument she plays in a few episodes.
The Miss Huang conspiracies
A character introduced without warning and with little to no backstory has resulted in a whirlwind of Miss Huang conspiracies. Is she a clone? Is she the child of Mark and Gemma? Bock says she hears a theory that Miss Huang is a robot the most.
“I’ll get DMs from people just saying, ‘You are a robot.’ Nothing else,” she said.
By the ninth episode, Miss Huang’s exit, fans still don’t know much about the character. But they learn she’s a student at the Myrtle Eagen School for Girls, the same cultish boarding school Harmony Cobel attended as a child. At the end of the episode, she’s given a Jame Eagan bust, also given to Cobel many years earlier. She is then sent on her way, earmuffs and all, to start her next chapter with Lumon Industries.
Balancing college finals, interviews with Jimmy Kimmel
Bock spent her first semester at Northwestern University under the radar, making friends and soaking up the college experience before her face would be displayed on TVs across the world.
Bock’s social media features traditional group photos with her girlfriends, accompanied by “Severance” promotional media and then most recently, clips from an interview with Jimmy Kimmel earlier this month. “I kind of feel like Hannah Montana, the best of both worlds right now,” Bock said, laughing. “I mean, today I had a final for one of my classes and then I came here and I’m doing some interviews.”
How to watch Season 2 of ‘Severance’
The Season 2 finale streams March 20 in the U.S. and globally on March 21. “Severance” is available for streaming on Apple TV+ with a paid subscription.
Contributing: Gary Levin
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Journey concert canceled abruptly after ‘electrical incident’
Beyoncé’s ‘Cowboy Carter’ tour stops to include only nine cities
The “Cowboy Carter and the Rodeo Chitlin’ Circuit Tour” will run in only nine cities April through July.
Houston Rodeo concertgoers faced a shocking spectacle at a Journey show Friday night.
During a performance of their legendary song “Don’t Stop Believin’” at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo in NRG Stadium, the stage went dark, according to multiple social media videos of incident.
The crowd continued to sing the song but stopped after realizing that something had went wrong. Later, fans found out why. RodeoHouston canceled the show and confirmed that an electrical fire complicated the iconic rock band’s performance.
“Due to an unforeseen electrical incident under the stage area, we regretfully announce the cancelation of tonight’s Journey concert,” RodeoHouston wrote in a statement released on X. “We sincerely apologize to all fans for this disappointment. Our team is working diligently to assess the situation, and we will provide updates regarding rescheduling options and refunds as soon as possible.”
According to the Houston Chronicle, the band’s RodeoHouston show drew a crowd of 72,109 paid attendance in 2022. Journey’s tour will go on and the band is set to perform in Highland, California on Sunday.
RodeoHouston said up-and-coming country star Warren Zeiders is set to perform Sunday night.
“Howdy! We are excited to host RodeoHouston and welcome Warren Zeiders today as scheduled. The stage will be operating as normal, and we will host all activities in the stadium and on the grounds as originally planned,” RodeoHouston announced. “For those who attended the Journey concert, we’ll follow up with more information soon. Thanks, and see y’all at the Show!”
Journey has been on highly successful tour across North America for years
Last year, Journey continued on its celebration of its five-decade career with a run of 2024 shows.
The 50th Anniversary Freedom Tour kicked off Feb. 9 in Mississippi and the band is set to tour North America for 30 dates through April 29 in Connecticut.
Toto, which supported Journey on their tour in 2023 to celebrate their “Freedom” album, joined Journey founder, guitarist Neal Schon, keyboardist Jonathan Cain, lead singer Arnel Pineda, keyboardist Jason Derlatka, drummer Deen Castronovo and bassist Todd Jensen as show openers.
Contributing: Melissa Ruggieri
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‘Yellowstone’ Season 5, Part 2 streams this weekend: Where to watch
‘Yellowstone’ finale: What happened with Rip and Beth and what’s next?
What’s next for “Yellowstone”? Here’s a recap of the finale and a look back to our chat with Cole Hauser and Kelly Reilly, plus a potential preview.
Season 5 of Paramount’s hugely popular series “Yellowstone,” which wrapped up in December with a finale that drew 11.4 million viewers will finally be available to stream on Peacock this week.
“Yellowstone” chronicles the Dutton family, owners of the largest ranch in the U.S., led by John Dutton, played by Kevin Costner before his departure before Season 5’s Part 2. The series, which has become one of the most popular shows on TV in recent years, follows the family as they battle to maintain the land, “amid shifting alliances, unsolved murders, open wounds and hard-earned respect,” according to Paramount.
The second half of Season 5 consists of six episodes that follow the Dutton family as they face “new challenges in the aftermath of a tragedy that rocks them to their foundations and creates a dangerous power vacuum in the state of Montana,” according to NBC.
If you’ve been planning to binge Season 5 Part 2 of “Yellowstone,” here’s what to know.
Watch Yellowstone on Peacock
When will ‘Yellowstone’ Season 5, Part 2 be available on streaming?
The second part of Season 5 will be available to stream exclusively on Peacock beginning Sunday, March 16, NBC announced in a news release last month. However, NBC did not specify what time the series will be available on their streaming service and did not immediately respond to USA TODAY’s request for information.
All five seasons of the series will be available to watch on the streaming platform beginning Sunday.
Why is ‘Yellowstone’ on Peacock and not Paramount+?
New episodes of “Yellowstone” Season 5 Part 2 initially aired on the Paramount Network on television in late 2024. They were not released on Paramount’s streaming service, Paramount+, or on Peacock.
Under streaming agreements, “Yellowstone” is available exclusively on Peacock. Paramount previously sold streaming rights to the series, which debuted in 2018, to Peacock, prior to the launch of Paramount+ in 2021.
Stream Yellowstone on Peacock
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‘Yellowstone’ Season 5, Part 2 cast
Cast members for “Yellowstone” Season 5, Part 2 include:
- Kelly Reilly as Beth Dutton
- Luke Grimes as Kayce Dutton
- Wes Bentley as Jamie Dutton
- Cole Hauser as Rip
- Ian Bohen as Ryan
- Dawn Olivieri as Sarah Atwood
- Kelsey Asbille as Monica Dutton
- Gil Birmingham as Thomas Rainwater
- Jacki Weaver as Caroline Warner
‘Yellowstone’ Season 5 Part 2 trailer
Will there be a ‘Yellowstone’ Season 6?
While the makers managed to tie loose ends in Season 5’s finale, which USA TODAY’S Bryan Alexander described as “bloody but happy,” the future of “Yellowstone” is still somewhat unknown. Multiple reports have suggested that the series will continue with a Rip and Beth-focused spinoff, though neither creator Taylor Sheridan, nor any of the actors have confirmed whether the series will be returning.
Hauser and Reilly (Rip and Beth) had earlier alluded to both scenarios (Season 6 and a spinoff), and director and longtime collaborator Christina Voros, in an interview with USA TODAY after the release of the first episode of Season 5, had claimed she did not know whether “Yellowstone” will end after the second half of Season 5 as originally reported.
Sheridan “has made some very strong choices about the ‘Yellowstone’ world being forever changed in John Dutton’s absence,” Voros previously told Alexander. “But when you write characters with depth, heart, and complexity, there’s always room to wonder what happens next.”
“These are some of the most popular characters in modern television,” she added.
Reilly, on the other hand previously told USA TODAY that she has known how “Yellowstone” would end since it started. Costner’s premature departure did not fundamentally change that course.
“It wasn’t supposed to happen so soon,” she had said. “But the fact that we got to return poetically to the show’s authentic vision is really satisfying.”
Hauser, who had declined to pinky swear, added: “We don’t know, for real. The truth is, there is nothing definitive or set right now. We want everyone to see these last six episodes as their finale. And then, if there is a future, and Taylor writes something inspiring for us, we’ve both said, ‘We’re there.’”
Where to stream ‘Yellowstone’ prequels ‘1923’ and ‘1883’?
The prequel spinoff series of “Yellowstone” “1883” and “1923” are available to stream on Paramount+.
Season 2 of “1923,” featuring the ancestors of the Duttons from “Yellowstone,” Cara and Jacob Dutton (played by Helen Mirren and Harrison Ford), premiered on Feb. 23 with new episodes dropping weekly on Sundays.
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Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected] and follow her on X and Instagram @saman_shafiq7.
Gabe Hauari is a national trending news reporter at USA TODAY. You can follow him on X @GabeHauari or email him at [email protected].
