Megan Thee Stallion Reveals Why She Broke Up With Klay Thompson

THE RUNDOWN

• Megan Thee Stallion and Klay Thompson confirmed they were officially dating in July 2025 when they made their red carpet debut at the inaugural Pete & Thomas Foundation Gala in New York City.

• The couple shared bits of their relationship on social media while they were dating.

• On April 25, 2026, Megan revealed she ended her relationship with Thompson, explaining in a statement, “Trust, fidelity, and respect are non-negotiable for me in a relationship.”

Megan Thee Stallion and Klay Thompson essentially announced they were dating in early July 2025, both sharing discreet yet obvious snaps of one another on Instagram.

Days later, the couple confirmed the dating rumors by making their red carpet debut in New York on July 16. They dated until April 2026, with the singer confirming their breakup in a statement toTMZ.

“I’ve made the decision to end my relationship with Klay,” she said. “Trust, fidelity, and respect are non-negotiable for me in a relationship, and when those values are compromised, there’s no real path forward.”

So who is Klay Thompson? Here’s everything to know about the Dallas Mavericks star and his relationship with the Grammy winner.

Klay Thompson is a Dallas Mavericks player.

Sports fans might laugh at the question, because Thompson is a four-time NBA champion who is very well known for his incredible athleticism.

Thompson was born in Los Angeles to parents Julie and Mychal Thompson, both successful athletes as well. His mother was a volleyball player, and his dad was the first overall pick of the 1978 NBA draft, perThe Columbian. The family moved to Oregon when Thompson was only two, before heading back to California for his high school career. He was invested in basketball early and went on to play at Washington State University for college. He was selected 11th overall by the Golden State Warriors in 2011, the team where he won four NBA championships.

Thompson was traded to the Dallas Mavericks in 2024. He is also a member of the U.S. national team, and won a gold medal at the 2016 Olympics.

The couple didn’t share when they started dating.

It’s not clear when exactly the couple linked up. Megan was last romantically involved with NBA forwardTorrey Craig, reportedly splitting with him in April 2025. Megan and Thompson confirmed their relationship in July 2025.

They made their red carpet debut on July 16, 2025.

Megan and Thompson made their first official appearance as a couple at the inaugural Pete & Thomas Foundation Gala on July 16, 2025, in New York City. The rapper, whohosted the event and founded the organization, walked the carpet with Thompson at Gotham Hall, where they posed together.

“This is my first relationship where I’ve ever been with somebody who’s genuinely a nice person,” Megan toldPage Sixon the red carpet. “He makes me genuinely happy.”

She added, “I’ve never dated somebody like him before and I’m just grateful that he’s here by my side and he feels the same way about me.”

Megan shared a video of them working out together in July 2025.

On July 19, the rapper posted an Instagram Reel co-narrated with Thompson, showing their workouts as a couple at the gym. Both of them are very committed to fitness and appear to be having a lot of fun challenging one another during their routine.

Throughout the reel, they make each other laugh as they describe what’s happening, especially while working on their cores. At one point, Thompson supports Megan as she does some assisted pull-ups, and she laughs about how he pushed her from the bottom. They then stop to share a kiss.

The couple went on a golf date in July 2025.

On July 23, Megan posted avideothat chronicled their recent golf date. At the beginning of the clip, Thompson shows off some cute outfits that he picked out for her. And later, we see them playing on the course.

They kiss at the end of the video, and Thompson reveals that “ever since I’ve been in love, my golf game’s reaped all the benefits.”

Megan released “Lover Girl” about Thompson in October 2025.

On October 24, Megan released her new single “Lover Girl,” a song inspired by her relationship with Thompson. In the track, she raps about the moment she knew he was the one: “I had to lock in when I found out he could handle me… This shit be easy when you find somebody on your level.” She also references marriage, saying that she’s “the type of fine that makes a man run to the altar.”

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In the moments leading up to the song’s release, MeganpostedInstagram photos with Thompson, writing “LOVER GIRL 💙.”

Megan shared a birthday tribute to Thompson in February 2026.

Megan marked Thompson’s birthday with acelebratory Instagram post. On February 10, she shared a carousel of photos of the couple from the festivities, writing simply, “Klay Day ⚓️💙.”

Megan opened up about Thompson in a new interview in February 2026.

In a new interview withPeople, the rapper talked about where she was at mentally and emotionally when she fell in love with Thompson.

“Well, I don’t never want to tell [anybody] to just jump in a relationship just because everybody else got one, and I’m not going to tell you to just jump in a relationship because you have to,” she said. “I didn’t even know I was going to be in my relationship, to be honest.”

She continued, “I think that because finally I started being in a better mind space about myself and my life, and I had already been doing a lot of work to heal me. I had been going to therapy, I had a bunch of activities that I started doing for myself; maybe God just opened up that space for me to have somebody that loved me right.”

Being with Thompson has offered her a level of safety and comfort she hasn’t experienced before.

“This is one of the first times that I’ve ever been just overly comfortable,” Megan explained, adding, “I’m comfy, babe!”

As for how other people can find what she and Thompson have, Megan advised those looking for love to focus on themselves.

“People got to stop trying to be in love and trying to chase love,” she said. “They just got to let it come to them. When it’s meant for you, it’s going to happen. God does not give you nothing that is not meant for you.”

In February 2026, Thompson gave Megan a car for her 31st birthday.

On February 17, Megan revealed that Thompson helped ring in her 31st birthday with a tropical getaway and a very special gift. Sharing photos from the trip onInstagram, she wrote, “Aw man I was not ready for this birthday trip to be over 🥺 A time was definitely had 🏝️🥂🥳 THANK YOU BABY⚓️.”

One of the photos showed a light-blue Bentley adorned with an oversize bow. A source toldTMZ Sportsthat Thompson bought Megan the car as a birthday gift.

In February 2026, Megan said she’s “manifesting” her engagement.

On February 24, Megan spoke about marriage during aYouTube Shortfilmed in Milan with Team USA athletes Brittany Bowe, Hilary Knight, and Leila Edwards. After congratulating Bowe and Knight on their engagement, she said, “I hear y’all just got engaged, congrats.”

Watching a video of the proposal, Megan added, “I love love, that’s so sweet,” before crossing her fingers and saying she was “manifesting my engagement, too.”

She shared a rare mirror selfie with Thompson in March 2026.

In a carousel of photos shared on March 26, Megan posted a picture she took in the mirror with Thompson, in which she is wearing black pants and a black T-shirt reading “Hollywood,” and he is standing shirtless behind her. Thompson appears to be kissing the back of the rapper’s head as she reaches towards him.

The rest of the pictures seemed to be mostly focused on her recent appearance inMoulin Rouge.

Megan confirmed she broke up with him on April 25, 2026.

Megan released a statement toTMZthrough her rep, explaining why she ended her relationship with Thompson. (She drew attention for an Instagram Story she posted earlier that day about relationship issues.)

“I’ve made the decision to end my relationship with Klay,” she said. “Trust, fidelity, and respect are non-negotiable for me in a relationship, and when those values are compromised, there’s no real path forward. I’m taking this time to prioritize myself and move ahead with peace and clarity.”

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byVaclavien Pynzarien

in

April 26, 2026

Megan Thee Stallion Reveals Why She Broke Up With Klay Thompson

THE RUNDOWN Megan Thee Stallion and Klay Thompson confirmed they were officially dating in July 2025 when they made their...

Read More

“Michael” Fact vs. Fiction: What the Movie Got Right and Wrong About the King of Pop's Life

Michael, the new movie that depicts Michael Jackson's rise to fame in the 1970s and '80s and stars the singer's nephew Jaafar Jackson as the King of Pop, released in theaters on April 24

NEED TO KNOW

• The movie's cast features Colman Domingo, Nia Long, Miles Teller, Laura Harrier, Larenz Tate, Miles Teller, Kendrick Sampson, Mike Myers, Deon Cole and more

• Many of the events in Michael are taken from Jackson's real life, though some aspects are fictionalized

Michaelis providingMichael Jacksonfans with a feature film-sized take on his upbringing and rise to superstardom.

The new biopic released in theaters on April 24 with the late singer's real-life nephewJaafar Jacksonportraying the "Thriller" singer as a young adult, whileJuliano Valdiportrays Jackson as a child during his time singing with theJackson 5.

The movie meets a young Jackson as he and his brothers — Jackie, Tito, Jermaine and Marlon — begin performing together and rise to fame via Motown Records in the late 1960s and early '70s.

Along the way, a young Michael meets (and wows) music industry legends likeBerry Gordy(Larenz Tate) andQuincy Jones(Kendrick Sampson) and embarks on his mega-successful solo career.

"I knew to make my family proud, I knew I would have to have a work ethic that was incredible and really take on everything the way Michael would take it on," Jaafar told PEOPLE at the movie's Los Angeles premiere.

Michaeldied in 2009 at age 50; the new movie follows his life into 1988, andreportshave suggested that the film's studio, Lionsgate, may seek to make a follow-up movie to cover more of the singer's life.

But how much of the biopic is real? Here's everything to know about what is fact and what is fiction inMichael.

Warning:Michaelspoilers ahead!

Was Michael Jackson actually obsessed with Peter Pan?

InMichael, the singer is depicted as frequently reading from the bookPeter and Wendy, which many literature and movie fans recognize better asPeter Panvia Disney's 1953 animated classic of the same name.

Throughout the movie, Michael voices his admiration for the novel's Neverland setting a number of times in his downtime from writing and performing music.

It's unclear exactly how interested Michael was in that story in real life. According to a 2020Biography.compiece, Michael once said he identified with the story's title character Peter Pan, who famously never grows up.

The book's inclusion in the movie is also a reference to Michael's famous Santa Barbara County, Calif., home, Neverland Ranch, where he lived for over 15 years.

Michael paid $19.5 million for the property in 1988 and built amenities like a zoo and a small amusement park on the property over the years, according toBillboard.

In 2005, he left the ranch and lived elsewhere for the rest of his life after he was acquitted of all charges in a2005 criminal trialrelated to allegations of child molestation. A billionaire named Ron Burklepurchased the propertyfor $22 million in 2020.

Did Michael Jackson really own a pet chimpanzee?

Michael famously owned a chimpanzee named Bubbles for a number of years. According to theCenter for Great Apes, Bubbles was born in 1983.

A 1986 article published byUPIstated that Michael was granted a permit to raise a young giraffe named Jabbar at his Los Angeles-area home.

At that time, the singer's head of security,Bill Bray, told UPI that Michael also owned a chimpanzee, two llamas and multiple deer.

The nonprofit Center for Great Apes' website states that Bubbles joined the dedicated ape sanctuary in 2005, after he appeared in a number of Michael's music videos and other promotional material over the years.

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Bubbles even notably joined Michael on tour in Japan, as the nonprofit noted.

Did Michael Jackson actually meet with gang members to recruit them for the "Beat It" music video?

InMichael, the singer is depicted as bringing various members of the Los Angeles-area gangs, the Bloods and the Crips, together to combat gang violence by participating together in the music video for his 1982 hit "Beat It" after Michael witnesses a news report on violence in L.A.

According to a 1983Timemagazine article, this detail is based in reality. The article describes the "Beat It" music video as a "$150,000, five-minuteWest Side Story, in which the singer flashdances through a cast of 80 gang members (most of them real Los Angeles street dudes) and 60 scenes to avert a showdown."

Bob Giraldi, who directed the music video, also toldBoardsmagazine in a 2009 interview that Michael decided to invite members of both gangs to participate in the music video.

"He went out and he got 'em through, I guess, the LAPD's gang squad and he convinced them that, with enough police presence, this would be a smart and charitable thing to do; get them there to like each other and hang with each other for two days doing the video," Giraldi said at that time.

He added, "I didn't like the idea because it was hard enough to direct actors and dancers, let alone hoods."

In that interview, Giraldi remembered that there were "a few incidents" between the rival gangs during the video shoot that almost resulted in police shutting the production down.

Did Michael Jackson actually suffer burns to his head while filming a Pepsi commercial?

A pivotal moment inMichaeldepicts a lengthy hospital stay the singer experienced after he suffered burns to his head when his hair caught on fire while filming a mock concert for a Pepsi commercial.

This did happen: aBBC Newsarchive states that Jackson's hair caught fire when a fireworks display went off behind him on Jan. 27, 1984. According to the article, Michael was treated for second-degree burns at a nearby hospital.

The Culver City, Calif., burn center that treated Jackson was renamed after him in the wake of the incident, according to an 1987Associated Pressarticle.

As is depicted in the movie, the article states that Jackson established a fund for the burn center to treat and entertain victims, but it was closed in 1987.

A 2013Los Angeles Timesarticle reported that Jackson asked Pepsi to fund the burn center rather than sue the company over the incident.

Did Michael Jackson actually quit the Jacksons during their Victory Tour mid-performance?

One ofMichael's climactic moments features Michael announcing during his final 1984 Victory Tour concert with his brothers at L.A.'s Dodger Stadium that he would never perform with the rest of the Jacksons again.

This, too, is rooted in reality: aYouTube videoof the Dec. 9, 1984, performance shows Michael making the announcement similarly to how it is depicted in the movie.

"I'd like to say this is our last and final tour, and I think this is our farewell tour. You've all been wonderful, it's been a long 20 years, and we love you all," he said in the video.

Biographer J. Randy Taraborrelli's bookMichael Jackson: The Magic, The Madness, The Whole Storycorroborates the event and notes that Michael and his brothers did not get along during the tour.

Michael's father Joe and boxing promoter Don King, who worked with the Jacksons around this time, originally planned for the tour to continue to Europe, but Jackson told them he would "absolutely not" tour with the group further before making the announcement, according to the book.

The announcement seemingly came as news to each of his brothers. According to Taraborrelli's book, Michael donated all of the money he made from the tour to a cancer research foundation, as well as the United Negro College Fund and the Ronald McDonald Camp for Good Times.

Read the original article onPeople

byVaclavien Pynzarien

in

April 26, 2026

“Michael” Fact vs. Fiction: What the Movie Got Right and Wrong About the King of Pop's Life

Michael , the new movie that depicts Michael Jackson's rise to fame in the 1970s and '80s and stars the singer's nephew Jaa...

Read More

Tucker Carlson admits he doesn’t ‘hate’ Trump, but feels ‘betrayed’ by the president’s policies

Tucker Carlsonsays he doesn’t hate his former close friend, PresidentDonald Trump, but feels “betrayed” by the administration’s recent military actions in theMiddle East.

Carlson, the formerFox Newshost and one of the most influential conservative media voices in America, was once closely aligned with Trump and even served as an informal adviser.

Now, Carlson has become one of Trump’s mostvocal conservative critics, especially over the president’s foreign policy and military actions in the Middle East.

He recentlyapologized for helping Trumpget elected, saying Trump has moved away from his earlier “America First” promise to avoid foreign wars and has instead taken a more aggressive approach.

“I don’t hate Trump. I hate thiswarand the direction that the U.S. government is taking,” Carlson toldThe Wall Street Journalin an interview released Saturday. “I feel betrayed.”

Carlson said he believed Trump’s campaign promise of “no new wars,” especially in the Middle East, was sincere. He now argues that Trump has since been influenced by neoconservatives and Israel, and has moved away from that original anti-war position.

“Why can’t the U.S. government act on behalf of its own citizens?” Carlson asked theWSJ. “This is a generational problem that didn’t start with Trump. If anything, Trump just proved the system was stronger than him.”

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Carlson has also faced his own criticism. Last October, he hosted Nick Fuentes, a known Holocaust denier, on his podcast and accused some U.S. politicians who support Israel of being overly influenced by a “brain virus,” which led to accusations of antisemitism and calls from some conservatives to distance him from the movement.

At the same time, Carlson had been privately and publicly urging Trump for months not to enter another war in the Middle East. He reportedly visited the White House three times to speak with Trump directly and stayed in frequent contact with him.

Despite those efforts, Carlson told theWSJhe failed to change Trump’s direction. He points to “February 28” as the breaking point, the day U.S. and Israeli airstrikes onIrankilled Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, a move that, in his view, deeply divided conservatives who believed Trump’s “America First” stance meant avoiding new wars.

Carlson described the man he helped elect to a second term as “charming, intelligent, and an existential threat to self-government.”

“Trump has proven his own point, unfortunately, which is that the people running your government are only about themselves,” he said. “You can run an authoritarian system that way. You cannot run a liberal democracy that way.”

On his end, Trump has dismissed Carlson andother former MAGA alliesas having a “low IQ” for criticizing his handling of the Iran war. Carlson responded to that remark earlier this month in an interview withNewsmax, calling Trump a“slave”who “can’t make his own decisions.”

"I’ve always liked Trump and still feel sorry for him, as I do for all slaves,” Carlson said April 10. “He’s hemmed in by other forces. He can’t make his own decisions. It’s awful to watch."

The Independenthas contacted the White House for comment.

byVaclavien Pynzarien

in

April 26, 2026

Tucker Carlson admits he doesn’t ‘hate’ Trump, but feels ‘betrayed’ by the president’s policies

Tucker Carlsonsays he doesn’t hate his former close friend, PresidentDonald Trump, but feels “betrayed” by the administration’s recent ...

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Roommate faces murder charges in deaths of 2 doctoral students

Roommate in court over deaths of Florida doctoral students 01:44

A 26-year-old man is facing two counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of two University of South Floridadoctoral studentswho went missing last week, local authorities said Saturday.

The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office in Floridasaidthat evidence presented to the state attorney's office resulted in the charges against Hisham Abugharbieh, the roommate of Zamil Limon, one of the doctoral students.

Abugharbieh is accused of premeditated murder with a weapon and other charges, according to the sheriff's office.

The suspect was shackled and wearing a protective gown during his first appearance in front of a judge in Tampa on Saturday. He is being held without bond and he will be back in court on Tuesday for a pre-trial hearing.

Sheriff deputies took Abugharbieh into custodyon Friday— the same day Limon was found dead — after he came out of his residence shirtless, wearing a bath towel around his waist.

The family of Nahida Bristy, the other doctoral student, told CBS News that police said she is also likely dead. That is based on the volume of blood discovered at Abugharbieh's residence, which he shared with Limon.

"My home is just broken," Bristy's brother, Zahid Prato, said Saturday.

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The family was told her body may never be found and police believe she may have been dismembered, according to Prato.

CBS News has reached out to police for more information.

Authorities said in a statement Saturday they were still searching for Bristy.

Limon's remains were found on the Howard Franklin Bridge in Tampa Friday morning, Chief Deputy Joseph Maurer with the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office said. His cause of death was pending autopsy results.

A close friend of Limon and Bristy, Omer Hossain, told CBS News that Limon had raised concerns about his roommate in the past.

And in a 2023 protective order granted by Hillsborough County and obtained by CBS News, Abugharbieh's brother alleged Abugharbieh "would start screaming in the middle of the night about how he is God and we should all bow down to him."

Deputies with the sheriff's office took Abugharbieh into custody on Friday after responding to a domestic violence call at a home in the Lake Forest Community, a neighborhood near USF's Tampa campus, officials said. He also faces charges including battery, false imprisonment, tampering with evidence, failure to report a death and unlawfully moving a body.

Limon and Bristy, both 27, had last been seen in the Tampa area on April 16.

Limon was studying the use of AI in environmental science and was set to present his doctoral thesis this week, his family said. Bristy is studying chemical engineering.

byVaclavien Pynzarien

in

April 25, 2026

Roommate faces murder charges in deaths of 2 doctoral students

Roommate in court over deaths of Florida doctoral students 01:44 A 26-year-old man is facing two counts of first-degree murder in...

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“The Rocky Horror Show” Returns to Broadway in a Campy, Luke Evans-Led Revival That Plays It Too Safe

Sam Pinkleton's revival of Richard O'Brien's The Rocky Horror Show opened on Broadway on Thursday, April 23 at the Roundabout Theatre Company's Studio 54 theater

NEED TO KNOW

• Luke Evans makes his Broadway debut as Dr. Frank-N-Furter but delivers a performance more playful than provocative

• The rest of the cast — including Juliette Lewis, Stephanie Hsu and Michaela Jaé Rodriguez — delivers standout performances in a visually striking production

There's no denying that Richard O'Brien'sThe Rocky Horror Showremains one of the most gleefully subversive pieces of musical theater ever written: a cult phenomenon built on sex, absurdity and a streak of mischief that makes audiences feel like anything could happen.

That last ingredient is where the Roundabout Theatre Company's new Broadway revival, directed by Tony Award winner Sam Pinkleton (Oh, Mary!), comes up short.

Opening on Thursday, April 23 at Studio 54 in New York City, thisstarry productionleans fully into the show's campy pleasures, delivering plenty of laughs, strong performances and visual flair. But it rarely taps into the provocative, more unpredictable undercurrent that givesRocky Horrorits countercultural bite. And without that sense of risk, much of the evening feels curiously weightless.

That imbalance is most evident inLuke Evans' turn as Dr. Frank-N-Furter, the seductive chaos agent at the center of the show.

The Welsh actor — known for roles in theFast & Furiousfranchise,The Hobbitfilms and as Gaston in the live-actionBeauty and the Beast— is clearly having fun here in his Broadway debut, relishing every wink, strut and tossed-off innuendo thrown by the "Sweet Transvestite" alien mad scientist from Transylvania he plays. He prowls the stage with ease in fishnets, heels and a leather corset, luxuriating in Frank's vanity and sexual bravado. Flipping around his long-haired wig, it's clear the action star is accessing parts of his acting range he's never shown off before.

But his Frank feels more playful than destabilizing. He teases and torments Brad (Andrew Durand) and Janet (Stephanie Hsu), but there's little sense they're ever truly in danger. He has Columbia (Michaela Jaé Rodriguez) paralyzed and drugged when she challenges him, but barely reacts when it happens. Even the infamous moment when Frank dispatches Eddie (Harvey Guillén) with a chainsaw lands more like a gag than a shock.

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Without that underlying menace, the show's final stretch struggles to land. When Frank is ultimately overthrown and strips away the façade to deliver “I'm Going Home,” the moment loses its tragic revelation. It's showmanship, lacking the real emotional vulnerability that would make it land.

The production's uneasy relationship with audience engagement only deepens that disconnect, especially given how essential that tradition is toRocky Horror's legacy.

WhenThe Rocky Horror Showbegan on stage in London in 1973, it was celebrated for its outrageous, irreverent spirit. Two years later, the midnight-movie adaptationThe Rocky Horror Picture Showtransformed it into a cultural phenomenon, fueled by raucous responses, scant costumes and a sense of communal anarchy.

The experience wasn't just encouraged. It was the point.

That point has echoed through every incarnation ofThe Rocky Horror Showsince. Past stagings have embraced that interactivity — like the 2000 Broadway revival, which sold participation kits to the audience. But in Pinkleton's show, that energy is noticeably restrained. Fans are encouraged to stay quiet, with signage in the lobby reminding theatergoers this is aliveperformance, not a film. “Choose your call outs carefully," the show's website even warns.

The change came, Evans explained in aNew York Timesinterview earlier this month, because "hard-core" fans were so disruptive during early previews. “It was like there was a callback every time I took a breath,” he told the outlet. “It just sounds nasty and heckling."

Here's the problem, though. Now, by neither embracing that bedlam nor banning it outright, the action gets stuck in limbo.

Some audience members shout callouts, but not loudly or consistently enough to register, leaving the cast awkwardly straining to acknowledge jokes that barely land. Worse, when narratorRachel Dratchpauses to ask, “What did you say?” or attempts to repeat a muffled punchline, it feels embarrassingly apologetic rather than playfully interactive.

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Instead of communal mayhem, the evening settles into something far less satisfying: a half-participatory experience where no one, onstage or off, seems entirely sure of the rules. Even the fans who arrive in costume appear to be getting only part of the experience, while those who don't dress up are left without a clear way in.

It's almost as if, in trying to tame the show's unruly spirit, Pinkleton'sRocky Horrorforgets that it was built to break rules.

Still, there is plenty to enjoy here, starting with a cast brimming with distinct, vibrant interpretations that feel fresh and entirely their own.

All attack the material with full-throttle commitment — especiallyJuliette Lewis, in a mesmerizing Broadway debut.

The Oscar-nominated screen star steps into the spotlight as a whimsical cinema usher, serenading the crowd with "Science Fiction/Double Feature," and immediately setting the tone for what's to come. From there, she transforms into Magenta with a lived-in rocker energy that's a perfect fit for the character's feral cool. You simply can't take your eyes off her.

If Lewis infuses a magnetic grit,Amber Gray's off-kilter take on Riff Raff only deepens the intrigue. The Tony nominee delivers an eerie, gender-flipped take on Frank-N-Furter's right-hand servant, reimagining the character's sly authority and sharp, compelling edge with an added mischievous wink of unpredictability. Her every moment keeps the audience guessing.

As Columbia, Rodriguez takes big, bold swings, shifting from manic exuberance to bruised vulnerability to feral anger over the course of the night. ThePosestar — also making her Broadway debut here — meets every turn with confidence. Most impressively, she locates real ache beneath Columbia's quirky exterior, bringing emotional texture the production doesn't always know how to use.

Hsu shines as Janet, whose trip to the castle inspires a self-discovery journey that evolves from wide-eyed, tightly wound innocence to brash confidence. The production's biggest asset, she has razor-sharp comic timing and knows exactly how to milk Janet's mounting liberation for laughs without losing the character underneath it.

Vocally, the Broadway veteran andEverything Everywhere All at OnceOscar nominee is also among the strongest singers in the company, bringing clarity and force to numbers like "Touch-a, Touch-a, Touch-a, Touch Me." It's the fullest performance of the night.

As Brad, Durand makes an ideal foil to Hsu's Janet. He captures the character's square-jawed earnestness while allowing flashes of panic and confusion to break through at just the right moments. Best of all, the Tony nominee smartly resists overplaying the joke, grounding the part enough that Brad's unraveling becomes funnier.

Elsewhere, Dratch proves a slyly steady hand as the Narrator, theSaturday Night Livestar's signature deadpan grounding the production whenever it threatens to spin off course.What We Do in the Shadowsstandout Guillén (in yet another Broadway debut) brings winning comic spark and spunk to the dual roles of Eddie and Dr. Scott. AndJosh Rivera— the final Broadway debut among the principal cast — gamely leans into Rocky's absurd, muscle-bound innocence (while looking very, very different than he did in his on-screen breakout role in Stephen Spielberg'sWest Side Story).

Even when the production itself loses its grip, the ensemble rarely does.

In the end, Pinkleton's revival delivers much of what audiences might want fromThe Rocky Horror Show: recognizable stars giving lively performances in a beautifully designed, fantastical world (hat tips to the immersive and clever set by dots, and the colorful costumes by David I. Reynoso). There's certainly enough spectacle and surprises to keep the crowd smiling. It just misses the transgressive thrill that has kept the material alive for generations.

Dammit, Janet.

Tickets toThe Rocky Horror Show, which runs through June 21, are now on sale.

Read the original article onPeople

byVaclavien Pynzarien

in

April 25, 2026

“The Rocky Horror Show” Returns to Broadway in a Campy, Luke Evans-Led Revival That Plays It Too Safe

Sam Pinkleton's revival of Richard O'Brien's The Rocky Horror Show opened on Broadway on Thursday, April 23 at the Roundab...

Read More

Il Volo on advice from Andrea Bocelli why Pope Leo is their favorite

NEW YORK – When the three singers ofIl Vololeft Italy for the United States to sign a record deal, it was the first time any of the then-teenagers had visited the country. It was 2009, and the trio signed with Geffen Records. At the time, Geffen and its sister labels housed the likes of50 Cent,Eminem,Maroon 5and theBlack Eyed Peas, and those groups topped charts with hip-hop, pop and dance songs.

Still, Il Volo stuck to its goal of bringing bel canto (beautiful singing) to a global audience and they never considered the idea that they could potentially switch genres.

"We don't want to be a copy of someone who does it better than us," Gianluca Ginoble, 31, tells USA TODAY alongside his groupmates Piero Barone, 32, and Ignazio Boschetto, 31. "We are operatic pop singers. It's like asking the Black Eyed Peas to sing 'Nessun dorma.'"

The reference is an aria from the final act of the Italian opera "Turandot." The solo song has been used in a number of films and it was performed by Andrea Bocelli at theopening ceremonyfor the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan. The trio says they have a "great" relationship with the Italian tenor, who they all count as an inspiration.

And yes, Bocelli has even offered the three younger vocalists some advice on what to do both on and off stage.

"The best advice he gave us? Eat the pasta, but with the ancient grains," Barone reveals as the guys laugh. Ancient grain pasta is an alternative to modern wheat and can be easier to digest. "If you eat the pasta with ancient grains, you are not going to suffer with jet lag, you're not going to suffer before a concert. Since I personally ate ancient grain pasta, my life changed completely."

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Il Volo on touring the U.S. and meeting Pope Leo XIV

Il Volo is in the middle of a spring tour in the U.S. that runs until May 2. The operatic pop triorevealed exclusivelyto USA TODAY that they'll return to North America this fall for additional dates on theirworld tour. The eight-city trek kicks off Nov. 10 in Hollywood, Florida, and wraps Nov. 21 in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.

However Il Volo jokes that while in the U.S., the group may not be looking to find the best restaurants that serve ancient grain pasta.

"Bring me to something typical here, right?" Boschetto says. "When you come to Italy, I'm not going to tell you, 'Let's do a beautiful barbecue,' because (Americans) are better than us at that."

A-listers are welcoming in spring 2026 by stepping out at star-studded events, including the premieres of "The Drama" and "You, Me & Tuscany." Still to come this month will be the premiere of the Michael Jackson biopic "Michael" and the annual CinemaCon convention.

Scroll through for the best celebrity photos of April so far, starting with Robert Pattinson, left, and Zendaya at the premiere of "The Drama" on April 2, 2026, in New York City.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Eddie Murphy poses with his AFI Lifetime Achievement Award at the 51st annual ceremony honoring him at the Dolby Theatre on April 18, 2026, in Los Angeles.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Coleman Domingo, Eddie Murphy and Nia Long attend the 51st annual AFI Lifetime Achievement Award ceremony honoring 2026 recipient Eddie Murphy.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Mike Myers attends the 51st annual AFI Lifetime Achievement Award ceremony honoring Eddie Murphy.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Mike Myers appears as Shrek while speaking at the 51st annual AFI Lifetime Achievement Award ceremony honoring Eddie Murphy.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Robert Downey Jr. attends the 12th annual Breakthrough Prize ceremony.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Rob Lowe and Sheryl Berkoff

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Ben Affleck

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Echo Quan and Ke Huy Quan

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Gayle King

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Elvia Lind and Oscar Isaac

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Paris Hilton and her husband Carter Reum

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Adam Levine and wife Behati Prinsloo

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Octavia Spencer

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Michelle Yeoh

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Charlie McDowell and Lily Collins

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Chrissy Teigen and John Legend

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Michelle Williams

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Olivia Wilde

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Salma Hayek Pinault

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Jessica Chastain

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Gal Gadot

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Christina Aguilera

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Billie Eilish was chosen as Justin Bieber's "One Less Lonely Girl" as he performed during Coachella Weekend 2 on April 18, 2026 in Indio, Calif.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Justin Bieber performs on the Coachella Stage during the 2026 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Kacey Musgraves performs in the Mojave Tent during the 2026 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival at Empire Polo Club on April 18, 2026.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> French Montana, Hugel and Ty Dolla $ign pose for a portrait backstage in the Sahara Tent during the 2026 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival on April 17, 2026.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Sophia Laforteza, Daniela Avanzini, Lara Raj, Megan Skiendiel and Yoonchae of KATSEYE pose for a portrait backstage in the Sahara Tent during Coachella on April 17, 2026.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Will Ferrell and wife Viveca Paulin attend LACMA's opening gala for the David Geffen Galleries.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Heidi Klum attends LACMA's opening gala for the David Geffen Galleries.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Alicia Keys attends LACMA's opening gala for the David Geffen Galleries.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Lionel Richie and Lisa Parigi attend LACMA's opening gala for the David Geffen Galleries.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Joe Jonas toasts to Coachella Weekend One ahead of a surprise appearance at the Aperol Day Club during day one of the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival on April 10, 2026, in Indio, California.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> It's a "Scrubs" reunion! Creator Bill Lawrence (from left), Donald Faison, Zach Braff, John C. McGinley, Sarah Chalke, Christa Miller, Aseem Batra, Judy Reyes, moderator Vanessa Bayer and Neil Flynn arrive for ABC's "Scrubs" panel during the 2026 PaleyFest LA at Dolby Theatre on April 11, 2026, in Hollywood, California.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Sarah Chalke

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Donald Faison

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Zach Braff

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Donald Faison, Zach Braff and Sarah Chalke

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Olivia Wilde attends the Fashion Trust Awards at Nya Studios on April 8, 2026, in Los Angeles.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Chrissy Teigen

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Selma Blair

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Uzo Aduba

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Melissa McCarthy

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Jurnee Smollett

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Lili Reinhart

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Emily V. Gordon, left, and Kumail Nanjiani

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Alison Brie

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Mindy Kaling

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Frankie Muniz attends the premiere of "Malcolm in the Middle: Life's Still Unfair" in New York on April 7, 2026.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Jane Kaczmarek

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Bryan Cranston

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> From left, Jane Kaczmarek, Frankie Muniz and Bryan Cranston

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Christopher Masterson

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Justin Berfield

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Zendaya attends the premiere of "Euphoria" Season 3 on April 7, 2026, in Hollywood, California.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Jacob Elordi

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Sydney Sweeney

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Alexa Demie

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Hunter Schafer

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Chloe Cherry

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Yvette Nicole Brown attends the PaleyFest presentation of "Pluribus" in Hollywood, California, on April 4, 2026.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Rhea Seehorn

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Robert Pattinson attends the premiere of "The Drama" on April 2, 2026, in New York City.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Zendaya

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Alana Haim

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Mamoudou Athie

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Paul Dano

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Matt Rogers

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Heidi Klum

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Halle Bailey, left, and Chloe Bailey attend a screening of "You, Me & Tuscany" on April 2, 2026, in Los Angeles.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Halle Bailey, left, and Chloe Bailey

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Halle Bailey speaks at a screening of "You, Me & Tuscany" at Spelman College on April 1, 2026, in Atlanta, Georgia.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Sharon Stone visits SiriusXM Studios on April 1, 2026, in New York City.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />

See Justin Bieber, Zendaya and more in best celeb photos of April

A-listers are welcoming in spring 2026 by stepping out at star-studded events, including the premieres of "The Drama" and "You, Me & Tuscany." Still to come this month will be the premiere of the Michael Jackson biopic "Michael" and the annual CinemaCon convention.Scroll through for the best celebrity photos of April so far, starting with Robert Pattinson, left, and Zendaya at the premiere of "The Drama" on April 2, 2026, in New York City.

The trio has a few more food hot takes up their sleeves: no pineapple on pizza and "shorter" (smaller) coffees. But as for performing on stage, Ginoble says the group is "really happy to be back on tour" and will be backed by a "big orchestra."

In between their strings of dates in North America, Il Volo will play a number of shows back in Italy this summer. In August 2025, the group performed in Rome forPope Leo XIVduring the Catholic Jubilee celebration. Barone remembers a cardinal introducing the group to Pope Leo before their performance.

"'Oh, I know them. I've listened since 15 years ago to your music,'" Barone recalls the pope saying as he shook their hands. "He's my favorite."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Italian trio Il Volo says Pope Leo XIV is their favorite. Here's why.

byVaclavien Pynzarien

in

April 25, 2026

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