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‘Novocaine’ star Jack Quaid spills on his middle school nickname
‘Novocaine’: Jack Quaid has his action hero moment with new movie
Jack Quaid stars as an action hero who can’t feel pain in the action comedy “Novocaine,” also starring Amber Midthunder.
Given his parents, Jack Quaid could have been called “You’ve Got Mail” or “The Right Stuff” by his middle-school classmates, if they were clever cinephiles. In reality, his nickname back then was much worse.
In Quaid’s new action movie “Novocaine,” his character Nate Caine is a guy who, because of a rare genetic condition, cannot feel pain. At a bar on a first date, he runs into an old bully who reveals to his crush Sherry (Amber Midthunder) that Nate was called “Novocaine” in eighth grade.
Sherry think it’s pretty cool. In reality, Quaid, the son of Hollywood icons Meg Ryan and Dennis Quaid, “wasn’t too proud” of his actual eighth-grade nickname.
“All the middle-school boys called me ‘Jackoff,’ just to get under my skin,” he says. And unlike “Novocaine,” it’s “definitely not a good superhero name.” (Quaid recently shared a picture of himself from those days on his Instagram.)
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Things were better in high school, when he could have been called “Mr. President.” He and a friend were co-presidents of a Bad Movie Club that met at lunch every Tuesday to watch “classics” such as “Troll 2.” His adoration for bad movies continues today. “There are certain things about a great bad movie that I think sometimes top true cinematic art,” says Quaid, adding that flicks like “Mega Snake,” “Samurai Cop” and “The Room” “live rent-free in my head. I just love them so much.”
Quaid had to wait till he was an adult to get his favorite nickname: His “The Boys” co-star Karl Urban calls him “Quaido.”
“It just makes me sound like a smuggler in the ‘Star Wars’ universe,” Quaid says, “and I’m all about it.”
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New episode release date, time, schedule
Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren talk partnership on ‘1923’
Helen Mirren and Harrison Ford, stars of the Paramount+ show, “1923,” explain why their characters’ relationship has resonated with viewers.
Entertain This!
Spoiler alert: This story contains information about the first three episodes of Season 2 of “1923.”
The Duttons are all over the place, and not just physically, in Season 2 of “Yellowstone” prequel “1923”.
The harsh weather along with external and internal threats present new challenges for the ancestors of the Duttons from “Yellowstone,” Cara and Jacob Dutton (Helen Mirren and Harrison Ford). While Cara managed to ward off a deadly intruder, it wasn’t without incident with one dead and Elizabeth Dutton (Michelle Randolph) getting painful preventive injections for rabies due to the rabid wolf encounter. Jacob manages to return from Bozeman safely despite a blizzard, but with an injured Zane (Brian Geraghty), who needs a surgery to remove excessive liquid buildup in his skull.
On the other hand, Spencer Dutton (Brandon Sklenar) is still on the road in Texas and has not yet arrived back at the ranch. His wife Alexandra (Julia Schlaepfer), meanwhile, has arrived in America and after harrowing experience with immigration at Ellis Island, she appears to be on her way to Billings from New York. Whether she makes it safely remains to be seen.
“With harsh conditions and adversaries threatening to end the Dutton legacy, Spencer embarks on an arduous journey home, racing against time to save his family in Montana,” the series synopsis says. “Meanwhile, Alexandra sets off on her own harrowing trans-Atlantic journey to find Spencer and reclaim their love.”
“1923” is the second “Yellowstone” prequel, following the events of the limited series “1883” (released in 2021) and before the current day “Yellowstone.” Part 2 of Season 5 of “Yellowstone” dropped on streaming Sunday and the entire series is now available to stream on Peacock.
Here’s what to know about Season 2, including which generation of Duttons you’ll see, the full cast and how to watch new episodes.
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When do new ‘1923’ episodes come out? Episode 4 release date, time
New episodes of “1923” Season 2 drop every Sunday on Paramount+ at 12 a.m. ET / 9 p.m. PT (previous day).
Episode 4 of the series titled “Journey the Rivers of Iron” will release on Sunday, March 16 at 12 a.m. ET / Saturday, March 15 at 9 p.m. PT.
The series premiered on Sunday, Feb. 23, at 12 a.m. ET / Saturday, Feb. 22 at 9 p.m. PT.
Watch 1923 Season 2 on Paramount+
How to watch ‘1923’ Season 2
Season 2 of “1923” is available to stream exclusively on Paramount+ starting Sunday, Feb. 23 with new episodes dropping weekly on Sundays.
Season 1 of the series is also available on the streaming service. Unlike “Yellowstone,” this series is only available via streaming on Paramount+.
‘1923’: Stream on Paramount+
‘1923’ Season 2 episode schedule
While Paramount+ has not released the full episode schedule for Season 2 of “1923,” the season is expected to have 8 episodes, according to reports in Collider and Forbes. Here’s what the upcoming schedule looks like:
- Episode 4: March 16
- Episode 5: March 23
- Episode 6: March 30
- Episode 7: April 6
- Episode 8: April 13
The first three episodes of the seasons are available to stream on Paramount+.
Who are the Duttons in ‘1923’?
“1923” follows the Duttons, led by patriarch Jacob and matriarch Cara, played by Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren respectively, according to Paramount+.
Jacob and Cara Dutton are ancestors of the current-day Yellowstone Dutton ranch owner and patriarch John Dutton (Kevin Costner), while Jacob is the brother of James Dutton, the settler played by Tim McGraw in “1883.”
The series, meanwhile, is set in the early 20th century, “when pandemics, historic drought and the end of Prohibition all plague the mountain west, and the Duttons who call it home,” according to the series synopsis.
Dutton family tree
Here’s a look at the Dutton family tree, as reported by Jennifer Borresen for USA TODAY.
‘1923’ Season 2 cast
Cast members for Season 2 of “1923,” per Paramount+, include:
- Harrison Ford as Jacob Dutton
- Helen Mirren as Cara Dutton
- Brandon Sklenar as Spencer Dutton
- Darren Mann as Jack Dutton
- Michelle Randolph as Elizabeth Strafford
- Julia Schlaepfer as Alexandra Dutton
- Timothy Dalton as Donald Whitfield
- Jerome Flynn as Banner Creighton
- Brian Geraghty as Zane
- Sebastian Roché as Father Renaud
- Aminah Nieves as Teonna
- Jennifer Carpenter
- Robert Patrick as Sheriff McDowell
Watch the ‘1923’ Season 2 trailer
Paramount dropped the trailer for Season 2 of “1923” on Jan. 19.
‘Yellowstone’ Season 5: How to watch
In other news, Part 2 of “Yellowstone” Season 5 will be available to stream on Peacock starting Sunday. The previous seasons are already available on Peacock and all five seasons of the series will be available to watch Sunday onwards.
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.
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.
Contributing: Jennifer Borresen, Gabe Hauari, Bryan Alexander, USA TODAY
Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected] and follow her on X and Instagram @saman_shafiq7.
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Crossword Blog & Answers for March 15, 2025 by Sally Hoelscher
There are spoilers ahead. You might want to solve today’s puzzle before reading further! Root Around
Constructor: Prasanna Keshava
Editor: Anna Gundlach
What I Learned from Today’s Puzzle
- SURF (32A: Drop in and ride the barrel, at the beach) I know what surfing is … and that’s the extent of my knowledge about this water sport (other than things I’ve previously learned from crossword puzzles). I was grateful for the “at the beach” hint, which helped me deduce that “drop in” and “ride the barrel” are SURF lingo. To “drop in” means to catch a wave that another surfer is already riding. As you might imagine, basic SURF etiquette says not to do this, as you could ruin the person’s wave. The “barrel” refers to the inside tube or curl of the wave. To “ride the barrel” is to SURF inside this wave curl. I’m sure I haven’t done the best job of explaining this, so I recommend watching the linked video if you want to know more.
- WIFE (30D: Jessica Betts, to Niecy Nash) Actress Niecy Nash and singer Jessica Betts married in August of 2020.
Random Thoughts & Interesting Things
- COMMA (1A: Punctuation mark with an Oxford variety) This clue was a fun way to start off this puzzle. In my experience, some people (myself included) can get emotional, opinionated, and outspoken on the subject of the Oxford COMMA. The Oxford COMMA, also known as the serial COMMA, is the COMMA placed after the second-to-last item in a list, just before the conjunction. The COMMA between the words “opinionated” and “and” above is an example of an Oxford COMMA. And by the fact that I used it, you can probably guess how I feel about this punctuation mark! The Oxford COMMA is generally not used in journalism in order to save space. Fortunately, since this article is only available digitally, I am able to utilize the Oxford COMMA when appropriate.
- RAY-BAN (27A: Wayfarer sunglasses brand) The sunglass brand RAY-BAN was created by Bausch & Lomb in 1936. In 1952, the company began marketing their Wayfarer line of RAY-BAN sunglasses. A number of celebrities, including Buddy Holly and James Dean, sported Wayfarers in the 1950s and 1960s, helping the brand become popular. In the 1980s when the glasses were becoming less popular, RAY-BAN invested in a product placement deal that resulted in RAY-BAN sunglasses appearing in numerous movies and TV shows. Notably, Tom Cruise wore Wayfarers in the 1983 movie Risky Business.
- RHINOS (33A: Huge horned herbivores) The name “rhinoceros” means “nose-horned,” a reference to the distinctive horns of these animals. The horns of RHINOS are made of keratin, the same material that makes up the fingernails of humans.
- CIARA (66A: “Body Party” singer) “Body Party” is a 2013 song by CIARA.
- MGS (3D: Booker T. & the ___) Booker T. & the M.G.’S were a band that played R&B, soul, funk, and instrumental rock. Booker T. & the M.G.’s were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992, and the Blues Hall of Fame in 2019.
- ANKARA (5D: Capital of Turkey) Turkey’s capital city of ANKARA is the country’s second-largest city, following Istanbul. Historically known as Angora, the city’s name officially changed to ANKARA in the 1930s. Angora rabbits (the source of Angora wool) and Angora goats (the source of mohair) were named after the city.
- DARLA (9D: “Finding Nemo” girl with braces) It’s been a while since I’ve seen Disney’s 2003 animated movie, Finding Nemo, but I have seen it. I needed some help from crossing answers to remember the name of DARLA, the braces-wearing niece of the dentist in whose office Nemo ends up in an aquarium.
- RENO (33D: “The Biggest Little City in the World”) RENO, Nevada is located near the Nevada-California border, about 22 miles northeast of Lake Tahoe. RENO is known for its tourism and casino industry, and has earned the nickname “The Biggest Little City in the World.”
- OCALA (36D: Florida city near Silver Springs) OCALA, Florida is located in the north central part of the state. Its nickname is “HORSE Capital of the World” – a nod to the many thoroughbred training centers in the area.
- EAST (38D: Mozambique-to-Madagascar direction) Mozambique is a country in Southeast Africa, with coastline along the Indian Ocean. Madagascar is an island country in the Indian Ocean, located EAST of Mozambique. How about a review of some capitals? The capital of Mozambique is Maputo, and the capital of Madagascar is Antananarivo.
- E-BOY (43D: Alt aesthetic popularized on TikTok) The E-BOY and e-girl alternative fashion subculture emerged in the late 2010s, and was popularized by TikTok. The look may include baggy clothes, neon-colored hair, nail polish, and decorative chains.
- ITHACA (47D: Cornell’s city) Cornell University was founded in ITHACA, New York in 1865 by Ezra Cornell and Andrew Dickson White. Cornell is a land grant university (an institution of higher education given federal land by the Morrill Acts of 1862 and 1890).
- THETA (49D: Greek letter after eta) THETA is the eighth letter of the Greek alphabet. It follows eta and precedes iota. From the top: alpha, beta, gamma, delta, epsilon, zeta, eta, THETA, iota…
- HORSE (51D: Belmont Stakes racer) The Belmont Stakes, known as “The Third Jewel of the Triple Crown,” is a HORSE race held on the first or second Saturday of June. The other two HORSE races that comprise the Triple Crown are the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes. The Belmont Stakes are held at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York.
- TAO (63D: “Eternally nameless” philosophy concept) TAOists follow a philosophical and spiritual tradition that emphasizes living in harmony with the natural order of the universe, a principal referred to as “TAO” or “the way.” The TAO Te Ching, a fundamental text for Taoism, describes TAO as the natural order of the universe. It is considered “eternally nameless” in contrast to the countless named things in the universe.
Crossword Puzzle Theme Synopsis
- BEST KEPT SECRET (16A: Info not many know about)
- BEFORE I FORGET (35A: “Oh, also let me quickly say…”)
- BEAR MARKET (59A: Downward trend on Wall Street)
ROOT AROUND: The ROOT vegetable BEET is found AROUND each theme answer: BEST KEPT SECRET, BEFORE I FORGET, and BEAR MARKET.
As with yesterday’s puzzle, “Picture Frame,” figuring out today’s theme requires an extra step. It is not the word ROOT that is found AROUND each theme answer; it’s the ROOT vegetable, BEET. I had a nice “Aha!” moment when I noticed that BEST KEPT SECRET begins with BE- and ends with -ET. Thank you, Prasanna, for this excellent puzzle.
For more on USA TODAY’s Crossword Puzzles
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Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa’s wills: Details reveal what’s next
Death timeline of Gene Hackman, wife
Gene Hackman and his wife died a week apart and from entirely different causes. No foul play is suspected in the deaths.
Details of Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa’s wills reveal they each wanted to leave their estates to each other.
In Hackman’s will — obtained by USA TODAY from his probate case in Santa Fe, New Mexico, on Friday — the Oscar-winning actor named Arakawa (referred to in the document as Betsy Arakawa Hackman) as the personal representative of his estate and the recipient of his “entire estate” in her role as the successor trustee of the Gene Hackman Living Trust.
Arakawa’s will details that her estate would go to the trustee for Hackman’s trust, should her husband outlive her.
Both estates will now go into a trust. Without trust documents, it is unclear how Hackman’s assets will be divided and among whom.
“Whomever acts as trustee will be bound by the actual terms of the decedents’ trust documents and shouldn’t be able to influence the distribution of assets. It will be the trustee’s job to simply carry out the terms of the trust,” says San Diego estate attorney and certified public accountant Michael P. McCarthy, who is not affiliated with the case. “Normally this is done privately and without formal court supervision.”
Hackman also appointed “the remainder of the trust estate” of a separate trust that dates back to September 1994, called the GeBe Revocable Trust, in Arakawa’s favor.
The will, dated June 7, 2005, also notes he has three children from his prior marriage to Faye Maltese: Christopher Hackman, Elizabeth Hackman and Leslie Allen.
The Daily Mail was first to report on the couple’s wills.
Hackman and Arakawa were found dead last month in their Santa Fe, New Mexico home. Arakawa, 65, died from Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, a rare disease that is contracted by contact with mouse droppings. And Hackman, 95, had heart disease and complications caused by Alzheimer’s disease and died from natural causes.
Arakawa died on Feb. 11 and Hackman died a week later, investigators said.
Who is in charge of Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa’s estate now?
Julia L. Peters, who was named as the second successor personal representative of Hackman’s estate, took over the duties as Arakawa and the first successor, attorney Michael G. Sutin, are both deceased.
A successor trustee, per Cornell Law School, is someone who assumes responsibility of managing a living trust property in the case that the original trustee dies or becomes incapacitated. A personal representative, meanwhile, is in charge of the decedent’s estate and pays debts and taxes, collects assets and distributes the remaining property to heirs or beneficiaries as designated in the decedent’s will.
Santa Fe district court documents reviewed by USA TODAY show Julia Peters, who works for a Santa Fe-based trust company, has been appointed the personal representative of both Hackman’s and Arakawa’s estates following the couple’s deaths last month.
In an application filed March 6, Peters asked the court to informally admit Hackman’s will to probate and informally appoint her as his personal representative. A First Judicial District Court judge approved the application that same day.
Who is in Gene Hackman’s trust?
On March 7, notice of Peters’ appointment as Hackman’s personal representative was mailed out to his three children.
Peters noted in a March 13 petition to the court that “there are trust assets to be administered in both the GeBe Revocable Trust and the Gene Hackman Living Trust,” and that the GeBe trust “passes through the Will of Gene Hackman to the Gene Hackman Living Trust.”
The latter “contains mainly out-of-state beneficiaries,” per her court filing.
She also wrote, “After specific bequests to (Hackman’s) identified beneficiaries,” the rest of his trust will be “distributed in accordance with the desires of Gene Hackman as expressed in the trust document.”
The trust has not been made public.
Betsy Arakawa’s will left her estate to Gene Hackman
Meanwhile, Arakawa’s will — dated, like Hackman’s, to September 2005 — details what she wanted to be done with her estate.
After all expenses and debts are paid upon her death, she wrote, her “tangible personal property” is to be given to designated people in a list that is separate from her will. Then the “residue” of her estate would go to the trustee for Hackman’s trust, should her husband outlive her.
Arakawa stipulated that if her husband died before her, a personal representative should put the remainder of her estate — funds that were not used toward paying for various costs and debts — in a charitable trust. The trust would “achieve purposes beneficial to the community, consistent with the charitable preferences and interests expressed or indicated by my spouse and me during our lifetimes.”
She named Hackman as her personal representative, with Sutin and Peters as alternates. There is also a caveat in her will that names the terms of “simultaneous death and survivorship” when it comes to beneficiaries. This section states, “No person will be deemed to have survived me if the person dies within 90 days of my death.”
Peters is also the personal representative in Arakawa’s probate case. In one of her court filings, she names Arakawa’s mother as the sole heir.
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Zinna died with an empty stomach
Death timeline of Gene Hackman, wife
Gene Hackman and his wife died a week apart and from entirely different causes. No foul play is suspected in the deaths.
New details were released about the death of one of Gene Hackman and wife Betsy Arakawa’s dogs, whose body was found in their Santa Fe home, along with the deceased couple, in late February.
The dog, Zinfandel (nicknamed Zinna), likely died from dehydration and starvation, according to a necropsy report obtained by the Associated Press and ABC News on Friday. The AP cites the New Mexico Department of Agriculture’s Veterinary Diagnostic Services as the source of the report, while ABC News sourced the report from Santa Fe Animal Control.
USA TODAY has reached out to the Department of Agriculture and Santa Fe Animal Control for more information.
The 12-year-old Australian Kelpie mix’s stomach was mostly empty, with the exception of “small amounts of hair and bile,” the news outlets reported. The report also said there was no evidence of infectious disease, trauma or poisoning, per the AP and ABC News.
A date of the dog’s death was not reported, but outlets stated the autopsy showed “partial mummification” and “severe decomposition.”
Why was the Hackmans’ dog in a crate?
On Feb. 26, after maintenance workers spotted Arakawa on her bathroom floor and called 911, sheriff’s deputies and paramedics discovered Zinna dead in a crate. The couple’s two other dogs, Nikita and Bear, were found roaming the property, and both the front door and a back door were ajar.
Robert Gruda, the owner of Gruda Veterinary Hospital, recently told USA TODAY that the hospital’s staff had told Arakawa to confine Zinna to a crate to keep her from running around following a “major surgery” in January. “She was an excellent dog owner, excellent caretaker to those dogs,” he said. “She really doted on them.”
Near Zinna, Arakawa’s body showed decomposition, and investigators estimated she’d died Feb. 11. The Oscar-winning actor was found in a mudroom with a cane and sunglasses nearby.
According to the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office, Arakawa, 65, died due to Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, a rare disease that is contracted by contact with mouse droppings. According to the CDC, Hantaviruses “are spread mainly by rodents and are not spread from person-to-person.” And Hackman, 95, had heart disease and complications caused by Alzheimer’s disease and died from natural causes.
Investigators theorized that once Arakawa died, Hackman no longer could care for himself or the dogs. He likely didn’t know his wife had died, officials said, citing his Alzheimers disease.
Hackman was believed to have died about a week after his wife, with his pacemaker last showing activity on Feb. 18. Hackman had been in very poor health, according to Dr. Heather Jarrell, New Mexico’s chief medical examiner.
Investigators were unclear how Hackman spent his last days. Jarrell said the autopsy showed that Hackman hadn’t eaten recently, but that he did not suffer from dehydration.
Contributing: USA TODAY staff
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Swifties love photo of Este Haim at Olive Garden
She did it…
Although it’s not Tuesday night, Este Haim posed in front of an Olive Garden as a playful reference to Taylor Swift’s song “No Body, No Crime.”
“Este’s a friend of mine,” Swift sings in an art imitating real life moment as all three Haim sisters — Este, Danielle and Alana — are her cohorts, collaborators and contributors.
The Haim sisters sing harmonies on the “Evermore” track. They begin the haunting melody with, “He did it, he did it.”
In the second verse, Swift’s line about the endless breadsticks and salad joint is, “Este wasn’t there Tuesday night at Olive Garden, at her job, or anywhere.”
The photo appeared on the Haim sister Instagram account among a carousel of images Friday. The caption wished Este “happy birthday to the best big sister.”
Don’t miss any Taylor Swift news; sign up for the free, weekly newsletter This Swift Beat.
Follow Bryan West, the USA TODAY Network’s Taylor Swift reporter, on Instagram, TikTok and X as @BryanWestTV.
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When is ‘Invincible’ Season 4? Here’s what we know so far
As the third season of Prime Video’s show “Invincible” has come to an end, fans are already wondering if the show is set to make a comeback.
Based on the comic book by Robert Kirkman, Cory Walker and Ryan Ottley, “Invincible” is the story of “18-year-old Mark Grayson, who’s just like every other guy his age − except his father is (or was) the most powerful superhero on the planet,” according to a description from Prime Video.
The last episode of Season 3 is already being hailed as one of the goriest episodes in the history of the show. Featuring an intense, nearly 30-minute showdown between Mark and Conquest.
Here’s what to know about the potential for a Season 4 of “Invincible.”
Will there be an ‘Invincible’ Season 4?
Yes! Amazon Prime Video’s “Invincible” is set to return for its fourth season.
Show creator Robert Kirkman made the announcement back in July at San Diego Comic-Con that the adult cartoon had been picked up for a new season.
How many seasons of ‘Invincible’ will there be?
It doesn’t look like the show will stop at Season 4, as long as Kirkman gets his way. He told The Direct he estimated the series could run somewhere between seven to nine seasons, adding that he hopes the show will “get to go for 11 seasons or more.”
When will ‘Invincible’ Season 4 come out?
While a release date has not yet announced by Prime Video, Kirkman hopes to begin releasing new episodes on an annual basis, The Direct reported, which would potentially indicate a Season 4 premiere in 2026.
“There’s a lot of opportunity to do a lot of specials. There’s a lot of characters that could really shine if they get that platform to have an episode focused on them, which we’re really excited about. We’d love to do that. We’re trying to do that,” Kirkman told The Direct.
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.
Contributing: Saman Shafiq – USA TODAY
Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach him at [email protected] and follow him on X @fern_cerv_.
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How and where to watch new season
‘American Idol’: Carrie Underwood makes history, replaces Katy Perry
Carrie Underwood, the season 4 winner of “American Idol,” is returning to the show. The Grammy winner will replace Katy Perry on the judges panel.
“American Idol” is back and all new.
Season 23 of the reality singing competition show that helped catapult Kelly Clarkson into stardom kicked off Sunday with some changes to the judges’ panel.
“Idol” Season 4 winner Carrie Underwood replaced “Teenage Dream” singer Katy Perry as a judge after seven seasons, joining longtime host Ryan Seacrest and judges Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie.
“A full circle moment indeed! Are you ready to join us on this journey to find the next #AmericanIdol?” Underwood wrote in a Sunday Instagram post.
Some well-loved stars, including Underwood, Jennifer Hudson and Adam Lambert, got their start on the show, which first premiered in 2002.
Here’s how to tune in to Season 23 of “American Idol.”
‘American Idol’ judges, host
Veteran judges Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan are joined by Carrie Underwood this season.
The “Before He Cheats” singer is taking over for Katy Perry, who revealed that she was leaving the show to focus on music. Underwood’s return to the show comes two decades after she took home the title in its fourth season.
Ryan Seacrest, who has hosted 20 seasons of “American Idol,” will once again serve as emcee.
Grammy-nominated singer Jelly Roll will serve as a first-ever artist in residence. He will work closely with contestants, giving them firsthand advice on how to “navigate the journey,” as Variety first reported.
How to watch Season 23 of ‘American Idol’
“American Idol” airs Sunday nights on ABC with episodes available to stream on Hulu the next day.
Viewers may also catch the show live on the ABC app or website along with live-streaming sites that allow viewers to watch in real time.
Watch “American Idol” and more: Get Hulu
‘American Idol’ Season 23 teaser
Who won last season of ‘American Idol’?
Abi Carter, a 21-year-old musician from Indio, California, won the title of “American Idol” in Season 22.
Will Moseley, a 23-year-old musician from Hazelhurst, Georgia, and Jack Blocker, a 25-year-old graphic designer from Dallas, Texas, were the runners-up.
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.
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Jonathan Majors on allegations and trial, Meagan Good and new movie
Jonathan Majors to stand trial for domestic assault case
Jonathan Majors must stand trial for domestic violence after a New York judge denied the motion to dismiss the case.
What’s Trending
Jonathan Majors has a message for Hollywood: You haven’t seen the last of me yet.
In his first comprehensive interview since a 2023 trial landed him with a guilty verdict for some of the charges he faced in assaulting ex-girlfriend Grace Jabbari, the actor told The Hollywood Reporter that he takes (some) accountability and revealed he suffered his own abuse as a child.
“At some point there has to be accountability for writing your own story,” he told the outlet in a cover story published Friday. “Am I going to fall into that narrative of falling apart, of self-destruction? Have a struggle, blame the world. Have a struggle, hate yourself. Have a struggle, deny everything. None of those narratives is beneficial.”
In his wide-ranging conversation with the outlet, Majors also revealed that he had been a victim of childhood sexual abuse, which he began working through in therapy after the trial, sharing the news with his mother and reengaging with his pastor. Working through his past has shed some light on the present, he said.
“There are no excuses, but by getting help, you begin to understand things about yourself,” he told THR.
Following a meteoric Hollywood rise that spanned independent films, the Michael B. Jordan-backed “Creed” franchise and a coveted Marvel movie treatment, Majors swiftly fell from grace after the alleged altercation with Jabbari became public.
Jonathan Majors making Hollywood comeback after assault trial
The trial surrounded an alleged fight in an SUV driving through New York in which Jabbari accused Majors of striking her in the head with his open hand, twisting her arm behind her back and squeezing her middle finger until it fractured. Majors denied the claims and accused Jabbari of being the aggressor.
The actor was charged with three counts of third-degree assault, one count of second-degree harassment and one count of aggravated harassment. He pleaded not guilty to all charges and went to trial in late 2023. The jury ultimately delivered a mixed verdict, acquitting him on three of the five charges and finding him guilty of one misdemeanor assault charge and one harassment violation. A judge later sentenced him to probation along with a yearlong domestic violence intervention program.
Majors’ latest film, “Magazine Dreams,” will finally hit theaters March 21 after it debuted at the Sundance Film Festival two years ago.
His conversation with THR did not deal directly with the facts of the trial but was peppered with statements from other Hollywood A-listers supporting his good character.
“You don’t get to say sorry these days,” said Whoopi Goldberg, Majors’ former co-star who has also acted alongside his current fiancée Meagan Good. “He was arrested. He went to court. He did what he was supposed to do. I’m not sure what else there is.”
Maura Hooper, one of Majors’ ex-girlfriends, whose testimony of her own abusive experiences with the actor figured into the trial, offered a differing perspective.
“I don’t really care that his movie is coming out,” Hooper told the outlet. “What do you get at the end of a 52-week domestic violence course? Do the victims get a debrief? How could I know if he’s changed? I don’t see redemption happening here.”
Jonathan Majors received support from Michael B. Jordan, Matthew McCounghey
Support from several of Hollywood’s leading men is part of the foundation of Majors’ shaky comeback.
Jordan, who starred with Majors in “Creed III,” said in an email to THR: “I would love to make ‘Creed IV’ together — among other projects.” His statement follows another recent round of support from a GQ interview published last month. In it, Jordan called Majors “my boy” and said he was “proud of his resilience and his strength through it all.”
“I’ve known and know him as someone who is continuously striving to improve as a human, a man and an actor. I believe in him,” Matthew McCounghey, who acted alongside Majors in 2018’s “White Boy Rick,” also shared in an email to THR.
Good, who began dating Majors months after his arrest, said she never considered abandoning him during the trial. The “Harlem” actress was a courtroom staple during the ordeal, oft-pictured next to the actor as a pillar of support.
“People tend to move out of the way out of concern for their careers or their reputations,” she told the outlet. “To me, that’s not real love. If you know someone and if you believe in someone, it’s not conditional.”
Jonathan Majors focused on building life with fiancée Meagan Good
As for Majors’ next chapter, he’s focused on building a life with Good and taking care of his daughter, Ella, who he has from a previous relationship.
“Growing up poor, I had that muscle memory,” he told the outlet of making money to support himself and Ella. “I was used to getting out there, finding a way. But it’s actually harder to find a way when you are trapped in notoriety. You can’t get out there and just work.”
He told the magazine he’s reading a few scripts and planning on expanding his wellness business alongside Good.
“Do I hope to make more movies? Absolutely. That is my intention. But that’s not my call. I don’t have a studio. And I’ve given up control.”
Contributing: USA TODAY Entertainment staff