Hayden Panettiere recalls first onscreen makeout at 13 — with ‘20-something-year-old guy’ in “Raising Helen”

While reflecting on her various film projects, Hayden Panettiere shares memories from the 2004 movie Raising Helen with EW.

Key Points

• The actress had her "first makeout" scene on the project with a man she thinks was at least seven years older than her.

• "I was shocked that he used his tongue!" she says. "I couldn't believe it, and I didn't want to make a big deal out of it."

Hayden Panettierestill has more stories to tell.

Ahead of the release of her headline-making memoir,Entertainment Weeklyspoke to the 36-year-old actress about the book and her career, including memories from the 2004 movieRaising Helen.

“Garry Marshall— an amazing man, the director who's no longer with us — he was just such an incredible person to work with,” Panettiere said.

When asked if being a mother of11-year-old daughter Kayachanged the way she watches the film, which follows Kate Hudson’s Helen stepping in to raise her nieces and nephews, including Panettiere’s Aubrey, she admitted that she hasn’t seen the project in years.

“I don't tend to go back and rewatch things that I do. You're lucky if I sit through the premiere of it and I don't run off and hide in the bathroom stall, which has happened before,” she explained to EW. “I don't want to nitpick them. I have amazing memories of what it was like being on set and being a part of the creation of it, which was much more important.”

Panettiere was 13 at the time of production, playing a 15-year-old.

Get your daily dose of entertainment news, celebrity updates, and what to watch with ourEW Dispatch newsletter.

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“Can you believe I was 13 in that movie? At certain points, they had me dressed up like you would've thought [I was way older],” she said. “I look back at pictures, people tell me how young I look now, but it's crazy because when I was 13, I almost looked like I was a teenager — the tummy out, the smokey eyes.”

Panettiere recalled “the first makeout ever in my life was onRaising Helen,” seemingly with bad boy BZ played by Michael Esparza.

“My mom [was] watching me with a 20-something-year-old guy while I was 13. I was shocked that he used his tongue! I couldn't believe it, and I didn't want to make a big deal out of it,” she told EW with a laugh. “I was like, ‘Oh, that's how it's done. Got it.’ I've got a lot of very great memories, funny memories from that, for sure.”

WhilePanettiere’s book,This Is Me: A Reckoning, includes stories from various projects likeRemember the Titans, Heroes,andNashville,she noted, “If I had told every single solitary story, the book would be five 300-page books.”

She also dives deep into her personal life, including herabusive relationshipwith ex Brian Hickerson.

“I really hope that by reading about the trials and tribulations that I've gone through, that it can help [readers] overcome their own obstacles and make sure that they know that they're not alone, because that's the worst feeling in the world — especially when you're going through a trying time — is to feel alone,” Panettiere told EW. “All you want to know is that somebody else has gone through and survived what you're going through right now, and even though in the moment it feels like you'll never be okay again. But I also hope people laugh through it as well. I think there's a good balance.”

This Is Me: A Reckoningis available wherever books are sold.

Read the original article onEntertainment Weekly

byDamon Long

in

May 25, 2026

Hayden Panettiere recalls first onscreen makeout at 13 — with ‘20-something-year-old guy’ in “Raising Helen”

While reflecting on her various film projects, Hayden Panettiere shares memories from the 2004 movie Raising Helen with EW. Key ...

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Inside the “Bonanza” Cast's Lives Decades After the Series Ended

Bonanza premiered on NBC in 1959 and helped define the Western genre

NEED TO KNOW

• The Emmy-winning show featured actors Lorne Greene and Michael Landon as father and son, respectively

• Bonanza ran for 14 seasons, concluding in 1973 after 431 hour-long episodes

It's pretty much impossible to think about the Western TV genre without thinking ofBonanza.

The beloved NBC series galloped into fans' lives on Sept. 12, 1959, and ran for 14 seasons.Bonanzafollowed the Cartwright family and their adventures on their sprawling Ponderosa Ranch in Nevada in the 1860s.

Known for its heartfelt storytelling and colorful characters,Bonanzabecame a trailblazer as one of the first shows broadcast in color. The Western earned critical acclaim, including earning threeEmmy Awards, and has remained a cultural touchstone in classic television.

Though the show wrapped on Jan. 16, 1973, after 431 hour-long episodes, its legacy still looms large.

Find out what became ofLorne Greene, Pernell Roberts, Dan Blocker,Michael Landonand their castmates who brought this frontier family to life.

Lorne Greene as Ben Cartwright

Greene portrayed Ben Cartwright, the patriarch of the Cartwright family, who raised three very different sons on the Ponderosa Ranch.

The actor was deeply admired for his commanding presence and baritone voice. BeforeBonanza, he was known as the "Voice of Canada" for his work as a CBC radio broadcaster. After starring on the Western, Greene led the sci-fi seriesBattlestar Galacticaas Commander Adama. He remained active on TV and public service in his later years, and his final role was the 1987 TV movieThe Alamo: Thirteen Days to Glory.

The Ottawa native was first married to Rita Hands, with whom he had twins, from 1938 to 1960. He married his second wife, Nancy Deale, in 1961, and the pair had one child together.

Greene died in September 1987 from pneumonia following surgery,per theLos Angeles Times.He was 72.

Pernell Roberts as Adam Cartwright

Roberts played Adam Cartwright, the eldest and most intellectual of the Cartwright brothers.

He leftBonanzaafter six seasons and later found success starring on the medical dramaTrapper John, M.D.during the 1980s. He also starred in the filmsNight Rider(1979),Hotel(1983) andDesperado(1987), and had guest spots onThe Love BoatandDiagnosis Murder.

Roberts stepped away from acting in his later years. He was married four times and had one son, who sadly died in a motorcycle accident.

According toThe Guardian, he died of pancreatic cancer in January 2010 at the age of 81.

Dan Blocker as Eric "Hoss" Cartwright

Blocker won over hearts with his role as Eric "Hoss" Cartwright, the gentle giant middle brother.

BeforeBonanza, he was a Korean War veteran and had a few roles on other Westerns, such as NBC'sThe Restless Gun.

Blocker married Dolphia Parker in 1952, and they had four children, includingBrooklyn Nine-NineactorDirk Blocker.

His sudden death in May 1972 from a pulmonary embolism following gallbladder surgery,perThe New York Times, shocked fans and castmates alike. Blocker was only 43 at the time, and his passing was written into the show.

Michael Landon as Joseph "Little Joe" Cartwright

Landon played the charming and impulsive Little Joe, the youngest Cartwright son.

AfterBonanza, he became a household name again after starring on eight seasons ofLittle House on the Prairieand five seasons onHighway to Heaven.

Landon wasmarried three times: first to Dodie Levy-Fraser from 1956 to 1962, then to Marjorie Lynn Noe, whom he met on the set ofBonanza, from 1963 to 1982. He was married to his third wife,Cindy Landon(née Clerico), from 1983 until hisdeath from pancreatic cancerin July 1991, at age 54.

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In total, the late actorhad nine children, some of whom followed him into show business.

"He was very much a family man," Landon's daughter Jennifer, whom he shared with Cindy,toldThe Coronado Newsin May 2023. "I am so proud to have a father who had such an incredible effect on our people because he truly loved us."

David Canary as Candy Canaday

David CanaryjoinedBonanzaon later seasons as Candy Canaday, a loyal ranch hand who became like family to the Cartwrights.

He was also known for his iconic role as Adam Chandler onAll My Children, for which he won five Daytime Emmys. He also appeared onThe DoctorsandAnother World.

Canary was married to actressMaureen Maloney. They shared two children, son Christopher and daughter Kathryn.

He continued acting until his retirement in 2010. Canary died from natural causes at 77 in November 2015,perVariety.

Tim Matheson as Griff King

Tim Mathesonplayed Griff King, a former convict who earns a second chance working on Ponderosa during the show's final season.

Though his time onBonanzawas brief, Matheson went on to have a long and active career in Hollywood,spanning over five decades. He's best known for playing Otter in 1978'sAnimal Houseand Vice President Hoynes onThe West Wing.

Matheson hascontinued to workin front of and behind the camera as a director on popular series likePsychandBurn Notice. He also starred on Netflix'sVirgin Riveras Dr. Vernon Mullins and had recurring roles on shows likeHart of Dixie,Evil,This Is Us,Quantum Leapand9-1-1: Nashville.

Matheson was married to the lateYours, Mine and OursactressJennifer Leakfrom 1968 to 1971 and Megan Murphy from 1985 to 2010 before tying the knot withElizabeth Marighettoin March 2018. He and Murphyshare three children: Molly, Emma and Cooper.

Mitch Vogel as Jamie Hunter Cartwright

Mitch Vogel played Jamie Hunter, the teenage orphan who was adopted by Ben Cartwright onBonanza's final three seasons.

"TheBonanzaset was a really special set," Vogeltold theDesoto Times-Tribunein June 2024. "And I know that because afterBonanzaended, I went on to do other shows. There was a lot of fun on the set, especially Michael Landon and Dan Blocker."

BeforeBonanza, Vogel earned praise as a child actor. He starred in 1968'sYours, Mine and Oursand 1969'sThe Reivers, earning aGolden Globenomination for the latter. After, he played three different characters onGunsmokeandreunited with Landon onLittle House on the Prairie, among other TV guest roles.

Vogel stepped away from acting in his 20s, with his last roles coming onWonder Womanand in the 1978 filmTexas Detour. He moved to Pittsburgh and began focusing on music before returning to California, where he is semi-retired and has worked in hospitality in recent years, per theDesoto Times-Tribune. He also told the newspaper that he wouldn't mind returning to acting.

He married Christine Gilles, with whom he shares two daughters, in 1985.

Guy Williams as Will Cartwright

Guy Williams (born Armando Catalano) briefly joinedBonanzaas Will Cartwright, a cousin brought in as a potential replacement for Adam. His stint was short-lived, as fans strongly preferred the original Cartwright trio.

Williams is better remembered for his iconic role as the titular character on the 1950s Disney seriesZorroand as Professor John Robinson onLost in Space.

He was married to model Janice Cooper, and they had two children, son Steven and daughter Toni, both of whom pursued acting.

Later in life, Williams largely stepped back from the spotlight. He moved to Argentina, where he lived out his days semi-retired until he died in April 1989,per theLos Angeles Times. He was 65.

Read the original article onPeople

byDamon Long

in

May 25, 2026

Inside the “Bonanza” Cast's Lives Decades After the Series Ended

Bonanza premiered on NBC in 1959 and helped define the Western genre NEED TO KNOW The Emmy-winning show featured ...

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Anthropic's Olah says AI must be guided from outside Big Tech

VATICAN CITY, May 25 (Reuters) - Anthropic co-founder Chris Olah said on Monday ‌that the development ofartificial ‌intelligencecannot be left solely to technology companies, urging ​greater oversight from religious leaders, governments and civil society.

Speaking in the Vatican at the presentation of Pope Leo's first ‌encyclical on artificial ⁠intelligence, Olah said there was "a real possibility" that AI will ⁠displace human labor "at very large scale".

"If that happens, supporting those displaced will be ​a moral ​imperative of historic ​proportions," he said, ‌sitting alongside the pope.

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He added that companies like his operated under strong commercial, geopolitical and personal pressures that can be at odds with the broader interests ‌of society.

"Every frontier AI ​lab ... operates inside a ​set of ​incentives and constraints that can ‌sometimes conflict with doing ​the right ​thing," he said, adding that even well-intentioned researchers remain influenced by those ​forces.

Olah said ‌this made outside scrutiny essential.

(Reporting by ​Giselda Vagnoni and Joshua McElwee; Editing ​by Crispian Balmer)

byDamon Long

in

May 25, 2026

Anthropic's Olah says AI must be guided from outside Big Tech

VATICAN CITY, May 25 (Reuters) - Anthropic co-founder Chris Olah said on Monday ‌that the development ofartificial ‌intelligencecannot ...

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Jon Favreau teases what's next for the Mandalorian and Grogu: ‘I have a lot of notes and ideas’

Jon Favreau teases what's next for Mando and Grogu after their standalone Star Wars film.

Key Points

• The director and co-writer tells Entertainment Weekly he's been thinking about "what's the next step for both of them," calling their future a "wide open canvas."

• "I have a lot of notes and ideas as to where I think things might go within this small microcosm within Star Wars," he says.

This article contains spoilers forTheMandalorian and Grogu.

They survived a Dejarik battle. They took down three AT-ATs. And one of them nearly died from dragonsnake poison! So what, exactly, is next for Mando (Pedro Pascal) and Grogu after their adventurous film debut?Jon Favreaualready has some ideas.

TheMandalorian and Grogudirector and co-writer tellsEntertainment Weeklythat the galaxy's the limit when it comes to the future of the fiery bounty hunter and his Force-wielding young apprentice.

"I think about it creatively, and so for me it's like a garden or a greenhouse with all the different storylines and characters," Favreau explains. "I see opportunity in all of them, because these storylines have taken on a life of their own, and I love the progression of these characters, and I like to think forward as to what's the next step for both of them."

He describes Mando and Grogu's future as a "wide open canvas," but teases that he knows Lucasfilm president and chief creative officerDave Filonihas also been "thinking deeply and about the larger story, about how all the characters [like Ahsoka and Thrawn] all fit together, and understanding the timeframe and how it leads into the next era ofStar Wars," too.

"So I think that there's a lot of higher-order strategic decisions that Dave is making that this will fit into," Favreau says, "but from my perspective, I have a lot of notes and ideas as to where I think things might go within this small microcosm withinStar Wars."

The Mandalorianfans will remember that Favreau previously revealed thathe'd penned a fourth seasonof the Emmy-winning Disney+ series that would've helped set upthe events ofAhsokaseason 2. It was ultimately put on hold in favor of bringing Mando and Grogu to the big screen in a much more accessible storyline that could be appreciated by both new and oldStar Warsfans alike.

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The film follows Mando and Grogu as they're sent on a quest to locate Rotta the Hutt (Jeremy Allen White) and return him to his notorious crime family. But when the pair decides to let Rotta go instead, Mando is captured by the bounty hunter Embo as punishment for double-crossing the slimy galactic gangsters, prompting Grogu (and a bunch of ridiculously cute Anzellans) to set out on an adventure to rescue him.

In the end, the pair and Rotta manage to escape Nal Hutta with a little help from an X-wing-flying Colonel Ward (Sigourney Weaver). The trio returns to their New Republic base, where Mando and Grogu are offered a more permanent position within their ranks if they so choose.

Get your daily dose of entertainment news, celebrity updates, and what to watch with ourEW Dispatch newsletter.

While the film's self-contained storyline doesn't dig into other events unfolding in the galaxy like a fourth season may have, it does feature a few familiar faces like Zeb (Steve Blum) ofStar Wars Rebelsfame. However, it stays away from other key players like Ahsoka (Rosario Dawson), Sabine Wren (Natasha Liu Bordizzo), Hera Syndulla (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), Ezra Bridger (Eman Esfandi), and Grand Admiral Thrawn (Lars Mikkelsen).

"When we were discussing doing a fourth season of [The Mandalorian], which was put on hold, and then the idea of doing a theatrical presentation… It changed the way we approached how interconnected things should be," Favreau explains. "A fourth season of a show would have assumed that you saw three seasons previously and, frankly, everything else on Disney+. That's the nature of a serialized long-form TV story."

It's currently unclear if Favreau's original fourth season ofThe Mandalorianwill ever see the light of day now thatLucasfilm has announcedAhsokaseason 2 will premiere early next year. Regardless, it seems something big is brewing within the greaterStar Warsuniverse — and Mando and Grogu may need to buckle up for the adventure ahead.

The Mandalorian and Groguis in theaters now.

Read the original article onEntertainment Weekly

byDamon Long

in

May 24, 2026

Jon Favreau teases what's next for the Mandalorian and Grogu: ‘I have a lot of notes and ideas’

Jon Favreau teases what's next for Mando and Grogu after their standalone Star Wars film. Key Points The dire...

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This one 'Mandalorian and Grogu' line may hit 'Star Wars' fans hard

As much as starships and lightsabers have played a significant role in “Star Wars,” so have the famous philosophical sayings. “May the Force be with you” is the one everyone knows, obviously, but also “Do or do not, there is no try” and “I’m one with the Force, the Force is with me.” More recently, “The Mandalorian” made hay with “This is the way.”

The new film“The Mandalorian and Grogu”(in theaters now) introduces another memorable quote into the mythology: “The old protect the young, then the young protect the old.” It’s fairly simple and straightforward, but powerful in both the context of the movie and the way it may hitlongtime “Star Wars” fans.

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The Mandalorian (Pedro Pascal) says the line to Grogu, his young adopted son who has an appetite for snacks and a sensitivity to the Force. For three seasons of “The Mandalorian” series, Mando has protected Grogu on their many adventures and even in the movie, makes sure his armor is on tight before heading into a sticky situation. But Grogu gets his chance to return the favor and care for his space dad when something bad happens to Mando.

Pascal admits he was “very moved” when he read the line in the script but it also “transcends ‘Star Wars’ in a relatable way for audiences. For obvious reasons, it's such a true evolution to so many human relationships, especially that of parents and child. It's an incredible principle: We are meant to protect the young, and, therefore, earn their protection in return when needed. That's the way it should be.”

Forco-writer and director Jon Favreau, what makes “Star Wars” enduring is “how much people feel connected to it still,” he says. Everything’s “cascaded down” from George Lucas’ original films, and then just as now, fans see themselves in it.

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“When you're young and you're watching Luke looking up at the binary suns and wishing that he could get off the planet, that's a feeling that audience members felt in their life,” Favreau explains. “That’s part of what those mythic stories are. It's what we struggle with in our normal pedestrian lives put in this large scale, so that you could appreciate it and study it, and then you could learn from the lessons of the generations that preceded you because it's presented to you in such a fantastic way.”

But now, “as we get older as 'Star Wars' fans, we're not looking up wondering what's it like to get off this planet,” Favreau says. “A lot of us are parents. A lot of us have aging parents. We're in a much different place in our lives, but we still connect with ‘Star Wars,’ and we still connect with these stories to add context to it.”

Favreau feels the relationship between Mando and Grogu is what connected multiple generations to “The Mandalorian” show: “The young people will watch it through the eyes of Baby Yoda, of Grogu, and the adults will be looking at it like, ‘Hey, there's a cool dad.' "

The movie also embraces the intergenerational exchange in a deep way, especially with that one line.

“We’re not going to be here forever. Our kids are going to be here when we're not,” Favreau says. “Of course, it's heightened and stylized in this, because (Grogu’s) going to live for centuries. But we all feel a version of it.

“These things that we're dealing with, when we see it portrayed in the context of a fable or a story, it engages us more. That’s what I think George set out to do and why it's still relevant today.”

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:'Mandalorian and Grogu' adds new 'Star Wars' quote to mythology

byDamon Long

in

May 24, 2026

This one 'Mandalorian and Grogu' line may hit 'Star Wars' fans hard

As much as starships and lightsabers have played a significant role in “Star Wars,” so have the famous philosophical sayings. “May the ...

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From Costars to Best Friends: 14 Lifelong Friendships That Started on Set

Some actors don't just play best friends in films and on TV — they're BFFs in real life, too!

Okay, so some also played siblings or mortal enemies. Still, the idea's the same: Between long days filming, attending worldwide press tours or simply bonding over their shared experiences, many castmates haveformed lifelong friendships.

Celebrity bestieslikeMichelle WilliamsandBusy Philippsfirstmet while working on the teen dramaDawson's Creekin 2001 and have remained inseparable ever since, with PhilippstellingPage Sixin March 2025 thatthey've "been there" for each other"through so many different moments in each other's lives."

Meanwhile,Vampire Diaries' starsPaul WesleyandIan Somerhalderturned on their humanity IRL, forming a brotherly connection andlaunching their own bourbon brandin 2021. Far from the only two to go into the spirits business together,Breaking BadbestiesBryan CranstonandAaron Paulco-own the mezcal and tequila company Dos Hombres.

"We became family onBreaking Bad, and this has given us a reason to keep creating together," Paul told PEOPLE in April 2026 of their business, joking that Cranston is "stuck with" him. "He's like a brother to me."

From costars to platonic soulmates, these famous duos and tight-knit casts became real-life support systems for each other well after the director yelled "cut."

Parks and Recreation's Kathryn Hahn and Amy Poehler

Amy PoehlerandKathryn Hahnfound a kinship while costarring on the hit NBC seriesParks and Recreation, but Hahn "didn't anticipate" they would stay friends after the show ended in February 2015.

"I've been in a lot of projects where you get, like, intimate really fast, and then everybody says goodbye," Hahn said during an episode ofGood Hang with Amy Poehlerin April 2025. "I did not anticipate that you would want to continue to be my friend after we did it! And then the fact that it's gotten deeper and deeper ... I'm so grateful for you in my life."

Poehler added, "We've been through a lot of tough times together. We've been very honest together. I think we've really taken great pains to see each other."

"It's so important to have women in your life that aren't family, to grow old with in a way that — it's like you said — feels very honest and also hilarious," Hahn said. "But also doesn't feel like we have to keep up anything together, like, keep up any sort of front. ... Like to walk into these next chapters together just feels like it's not as terrifying."

Victorious' Liz Gillies and Ariana Grande

Ariana GrandeandLiz Gillieshave come a long way since sharing the stage in13: The Musicalon Broadway in 2008. The longtime friends went on to star together on Nickelodeon'sVictorious, where Grande starred as Cat Valentine and Gillies played Jade West, and have remained close ever since.

Over the years, they've continued to support each other's careers, from Gilliesjoining Grande for a dueton herSweetener World Tourin 2019 to Grandewatching her pal performin the Off-Broadway revival ofLittle Shop of Horrorsin 2025. (They evendressed up for Halloween togetheras characters from the 2000 filmBest in Show.

"We make a real effort to see each other," Gillies told PEOPLE in November 2024. "We laugh, we reminisceand we make new memories. I think a lot of the time, when you have friends from childhood, you need to make new memories to keep a friendship going. Otherwise, you're just reminiscing about the past and getting together once a year."

She continued, "I see Ariana all the time, and we're constantly doing things, having new experiences and adding chapters to our book. I'm so grateful that we've been able to share in this wild ride together, and I can't wait to see what's next."

Grande is a pro at making BFFs on set — she's alsofamously closewith herWickedcostarCynthia Erivo, whom she met while filming in 2022.

The Parent Trap's Elaine Hendrix and Lisa Ann Walter

They may haveplayed on-screen rivalsChessy and Meredith inThe Parent Trap, but Lisa Ann Walter and Elaine Hendrix have been joined at the hip ever since.

Sincestarring in the beloved 1998 remake, the two actresses have fostered a decades-long friendship that, according to Walter, has always come naturally.

"People always talk about, 'Oh, you make time for your friends, and you have to make it important,' " she told PEOPLE in September 2023. "It was never a chore. It was never something that I had to schedule."

She also referred to Hendrix as her "life partner," saying, "She just was the person that I called. Everybody has a person they check in with about everything in their life. And Elaine is it for me."

In May 2026, Walter revealed during an appearance onThe Viewthat Hendrix had played a major role in her landing her celebrated role as Melissa onAbbott Elementary.

When the hosts asked for her advice to those trying to make it in the industry, Walter said, "Don't quit," before explaining who made sure she didn't.

"And there have been many times that I wanted to, andI called my best friend Elaine Hendrix, the mean girl fromParent Trap, and I say, 'I'm done. I'm out. I'm moving to Atlanta with you,' " Walter recalled. "And she says, 'Don't quit.' And she read with me forAbbott, and she was part of the reason why I got that job."

Not only have there been several cast reunions over the years, but the pair also had a major TV moment together when Walterjoined Hendrix onDancing with the Starsto pay homage to theirParent Trapdays during season 34's "Dedication Night."

Dawson's Creek's Busy Phillips and Michelle Williams

Philipps and Williams have been BFFs sincemeeting on the setofDawson's Creek, and their working relationship has since developed into one of Hollywood's longest-lasting friendships.

Over the years, they've stood by each other through career highs, personal heartbreaks and motherhood, with their daughters considering each other as "sort of like cousins, in a way."

"We just know each otherand get each other in such a deep, fundamental way at this point," Philipps toldPage Sixof Williams. "When you have a friend like that, you're blessed."

Williams echoed that sentiment in December 2016 when she told PEOPLE they're "in love" with each other, adding, "She's proof that the love of your life does not have to be a man!That's the love of my liferight there."

The two have also become fan-favorite fixtures on red carpets over the years, including theCritics' Choice Awards2023. In January 2019, Philipps revealed that she evenhas one of Williams' Golden Globes at her home.

Alias' Victor Garber and Jennifer Garner

It makes sense thatVictor GarberandJennifer Garnerformed a close bond while playing father and daughter onAlias,and that connection has only gotten stronger over the years.

Since starring together onJ.J. Abrams' hit spy series from 2001 to 2006, the pair have supported each other through major life events andsweet reunions. Garberofficiated Garner's June 2005 weddingtoBen Affleck— and remained a presence through their divorce — and Garnerwatched him perform for several stage productions.

YearsafterAliasended, the duo reunited on-screen in 2023 for Apple TV'sThe Last Thing He Told Me— and for Garner, it was a joyful full-circle moment.

"We've wanted to work together again, obviously, forever. The only problem was, I couldn't stop smiling at him," GarnertoldEntertainment Weeklyat the time, adding, "I was just grinning ear to ear.I was so happy he was there."

In March 2024, Garnercelebrated Garber's 75th birthdaywith a sweet tribute post on Instagram, writing alongside photos of herself and Garber, "Everything's better when I'm next to you, Spy Daddy. Happy Birthday, @therealvictorgarber! 🎈♥."

Breaking Bad's Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul

Cranston and Paul gaveEmmy Award-winning performances as Walter White and Jesse Pinkman, respectively, on the AMC crime dramaBreaking Bad, but their connection is far from an act.

Over the years, the pair hasexpressed appreciation for each otheras friends, mentors, godparents, business partners in Dos Hombres andone-time bartendersforDrake.

"Bryan, he is my mentor, one of my best friends on the planet," Paul told PEOPLE in June 2023. "I've learned so much from this guy. To be able to tackle something yet again with him, that was really our own brainchild — a dream come true."

Echoing a similar sentiment, Cranston shared, "equally, I love this guy," adding that he was overjoyed to be able to work together again afterBreaking Badended in 2013.

The Office's Angela Kinsey and Jenna Fischer

Their characters onThe Officewere far from forever friends, butAngela KinseyandJenna Fischerforged an unbreakable bond behind the scenes throughout the mockumentary sitcom's nine-season run.

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"We had this really fun friendship," Fischer told PEOPLE in February 2021 about the origins of their connection. "You don't expect to make a friendship like this when you're older."

Since the NBC show ended in 2013, Kinsey and Fischer have maintained the show's legacy through their podcast,Office Ladies, on which they share stories and exclusive commentary from their time on set. The duo even coauthored a book, titledThe Office BFFS, detailing their personal experiences and favorite memories from filming the hit series.

The Cheetah Girls' Sabrina Bryan and Kiely Williams

Sabrina BryanandKiely Williamsstarred in all threeCheetah Girlsmovies in their Disney days of the aughts. They also performed and recorded music together in the girl group of the same name.

After the film franchise ended, the "Cheetah Sisters" kept up their friendship, with Bryan and Williams remaining as tight as ever. Williams even served as matron of honor when Bryanmarried Jordan Lundbergin October 2018.

They've continued to lean on each other as they'veraised their kids. In April 2019, Williams shared a nostalgic video of the twoserenading her daughter Rowanwith a Cheetah Girls hit-turned-lullaby via FaceTime.

BryantoldE! Newsin February 2024 that Williams "has been one ofmy best friends since the start to end."

"From the first movie, we really connected. And we were so sad when filming ended because we thought that was gonna be it," Bryan continued. "And then when we picked up with doing performances and then into the Christmas tour and beyond — continuing seven years — we've stayed so close."

Friends' Jennifer Aniston and Courteney Cox

The cast ofFriendshas certainly lived up to their show's name.

The six stars —Jennifer Aniston,Courteney Cox,Lisa Kudrow,David Schwimmer,Matt LeBlancand the lateMatthew Perry— reunited several times since the series finale in 2004, including for the much-anticipated 2021Friends: Reunionon HBO Max.

"It was great, we really did get along," Kudrow shared during a late 2024 appearance onDax Shepard'sArmchair Expertpodcast. "We also worked hard at being friends. That six-way relationship took some work, and we did it."

However, it's the duo behind on-screen BFFs Rachel Green (Aniston) and Monica Geller (Cox) that stands out as the sitcom's closest cast members.

Cox and Aniston's friendship has proved strong over the years. The pair reunited in April 2022 for charity, with Aniston posting a videoon Instagramof themwearingFriends-themed shirts.

They've also shared earnest moments from their time spent together during the holidays.

"We just have fun, we laugh, we're inseparable, and it's great," Cox previously toldTV Weekof the pair's dynamic.

The Vampire Diaries' Ian Somerhalder and Paul Wesley

Somerhalder and Wesley played bloodthirsty brothers on TV, and afterThe Vampire Diarieswrapped in 2017, they maintained their friendship off-screen. Their relationship even inspired the name of their bourbon brand, Brother's Bond.

In March 2021, the castmates-turned-business partners discussed their friendship and entrepreneurial evolution, telling PEOPLE that the collaboration felt natural given their shared love of bourbon and complementary personalities.

"This is not like a friendship.This is like a brotherhood; it's like a marriage," Somerhalder said. "We've been in it together for so long."

EdTV's Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson

Woody HarrelsonandMatthew McConaugheyhave been thick as thieves since starring together in 1999'sEDtv. They reunited in 2008'sSurfer, Dudeand on the first season ofTrue Detectivein 2014.

According to Harrelson, the longtime friends are working on a new TV project together that's set to debut in the fall of 2026.

"We play ourselves, and it's fiction, likeCurb[Your Enthusiasm], in a way," theHunger GamesalumtoldDeadlinein May 2026. "We play ourselves, but everything's fictionalized."

When asked if the show, aptly titledBrothers, would address the rumor that he and McConaughey were related — something the two actors haveteased in the past— Harrelson admitted, "That's going to factor in. Yeah, that's definitely going to factor in."

"I've known him since '97," he said of his friendship with McConaughey. "We've had a lot of fun together ... I love him like a brother, for sure."

Game of Thrones' Sophie Turner and Maisie Williams

Working on a show likeGame of Thronesis sure to bind actors together, and that was especially true forMaisie WilliamsandSophie Turner, whoplayed sisters Arya and Sansa Stark, respectively, for all eight seasons of the HBO show.

Their tight friendship has beenwell documented over the years, as the two grew up together on set.They evengot matching tattooscommemorating the date they were both cast onGame of Thrones: "07.08.09."

While discussing her hopes of producing and directing in the future during aVogueParisconversation withPhoenixcostarJessica Chastain, Turner shared that she hoped to work with Williams again.

"My best friend Maisie, she and I have a very intense friendship,a friendship that I haven't hadwith any of my other girlfriends before," Turner said in June 2019. "We felt like we wanted to write a movie about a friendship where it's kind of like you're soulmates, but you're friends, and it's like this beautiful connection, but it can also be quite destructive."

In 2017, Williams spoke just as highly of Turner during an appearance on the U.K.'sThis Morning, per theDaily Mail.

"It was so wonderful to have someone my age plucked out from normality into this world," she said, referring toGame of Thrones' massive success, whichthrust both women into the spotlightas teenagers. "It's really lovely to have someone to hold my hand through this. She's like my big sister."

TheModern FamilyCast

After playing one of TV's most beloved families for 11 seasons from 2009 to 2020, theModern Familycast has remained incredibly close.

The series starredEric Stonestreet,Jesse Tyler Ferguson,Ed O'Neill,Sofía Vergara,Julie Bowen,Ty Burrell,Sarah Hyland,Ariel Winter,Nolan Gould,Rico RodriguezandAubrey Anderson-Emmons.

Over the years, they'vereunited for special occasions, including Hyland's August 2022wedding ceremonyand an on-screen family gathering at Vergara's home in 2023. Though everyone can't always attend every get-together — especially Burrell, who often misses due to scheduling conflicts, though he didhave a reunionwith on-screen wife Bowen at the University of Oregon in 2025 — the group stays connected.

In January 2025, Stonestreet confirmed to PEOPLE that the cast has a group text chain while sharing that they "are such a close unit."

"We all are in communicationwith each other," he said. "It was no doubt from the beginning of that."

Recalling one of his first memories of the cast, Stonestreet added, "This is dark and macabre, but I remember thinking, 'Wow, I have a whole lot of new people that I'm going to grow old with and know for the rest of my life.' "

The Sisterhood of the Traveling PantsCast

The only thing more magical than the Traveling Pants is the real-life bond between the four "sisters" who wore them:Blake Livelyas Bridget,Alexis Bledelas Lena,America Ferreraas Carmen andAmber Tamblynas Tibby.

The four actresses met filmingThe Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants—the 2005 flick based on the novel series of the same name — and they've continuouslyshown their love and supportfor each other.

"We have aSisterhoodtext[group chat] that's been going for 20 years now," Ferrera told PEOPLE in January 2024. "We've all had kids. We've all gotten married. We were at each other's weddings. We've been through a lot of life together."

During an appearance onThe Tonight Showin April 2018, Bledel shared the group's interest in athirdSisterhoodmovie, saying that revisiting the franchise "would be the best thing."

Read the original article onPeople

byDamon Long

in

May 24, 2026

From Costars to Best Friends: 14 Lifelong Friendships That Started on Set

Some actors don't just play best friends in films and on TV — they're BFFs in real life, too! Okay, so some also played s...

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Trump talks up his ballroom plan dozens of times but plays down Americans' economic pain

By Steve Holland, Andy Sullivan, Richard Cowan and Nandita Bose

The site of ongoing construction of the planned White House ballroom in Washington

WASHINGTON, May 24 (Reuters) - Standing in front of the White House ballroom construction site, U.S. President Donald Trump appealed for patience from Americans struggling with soaring gas prices as he sought to justify the cost of a project critics call a vanity effort.

"This is peanuts," he said on Tuesday in an apparent reference to the economic damage inflicted on the U.S. by ‌the Iran war. "I appreciate everybody putting up with it for a little while. It won't be much longer."

The moment crystallized concerns among some in his Republican Party, who worry that the billionaire president's focus on the ballroom ‌appears insensitive as Americans struggle to fill their gas tanks ahead of November's midterm elections.

A Reuters review of Trump's public comments shows he has mentioned the ballroom - either via speeches, social media posts, or in comments to reporters - at least 40 times this year, including nine times this month alone. By comparison, he ​mentioned it 35 times in all of 2025.

He is prone to launching into sales pitches for the ballroom at any moment, whether talking to reporters on Air Force One, speaking to guests in the Oval Office or posting on his Truth Social platform.

A White House official rejected Democrats' contention that the ballroom is a vanity project.

"This is about legacy, not vanity," the official said. "The president is deeply passionate about this and wants to get it done."

It is hard to quantify how many times Trump has talked about the economy, but as gas prices have spiraled, he has repeatedly played down the economic impact of the war, counseling patience and offering little acknowledgement of Americans' financial strain.

“I don’t think about Americans’ financial situation," he said earlier this month in a viral off-the-cuff comment about the war's economic ‌impact that was seized on by Democrats. “The only thing that matters when I'm talking about ⁠Iran, they can't have a nuclear weapon."

SOME REPUBLICAN LAWMAKERS SAY BALLROOM IS A DISTRACTION

The Reuters review shows that the ballroom, reconstruction of the Washington Reflecting Pool and plans for a 250-foot Independence Arch in the capital are top of mind for a president whose second term has been dominated by legacy-building projects.

Even amid crises and diplomatic summits, Trump has kept the ballroom at the forefront. Within ⁠hours of an apparent assassination attempt at a Washington hotel, he used the incident to argue for building one. After his high-stakes meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Trump posted on Truth Social that the trip reinforced his case.

“China has a Ballroom, and so should the U.S.A.!” Trump wrote alongside a photo of him and Xi outside Beijing's cavernous Great Hall of the People.

In Republican-led focus groups, however, voters are expressing concerns over the ballroom and the arch, a senior Republican campaign operative told Reuters, requesting anonymity to discuss the matter.

"For voters, the message that is ​coming ​from the White House is Trump is focused on vanity projects and foreign policy, and those are things that voters don't care about," the ​operative said.

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Republican Senator Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming said in an interview that the attention being given ‌to the White House ballroom is "absolutely" sucking up more time than it should.

"It would sure be nice if the public understood that the ballroom itself was private money," Lummis said.

Trump says he has raised $400 million from wealthy donors and his own money for the ballroom. The Secret Service, however, has requested $1 billion in taxpayer money to fund security enhancements for the ballroom and the White House complex, a plan that lawmakers, including Republicans, have balked at.

Anxious Republican lawmakers and senior White House aides have for months urged Trump to focus more on the economy as voters look ahead to November, when Republicans are expected to face a difficult fight to retain control of Congress.

"Trump continues to talk about things that no one cares about," said a Republican strategist involved in efforts to help Republicans retain control of Congress. The strategist spoke on condition of anonymity in order to discuss the matter freely.

Trump's answer to questions about economic concerns is to repeatedly declare victory over inflation, despite official data showing otherwise. He has deflected ‌questions about economic uncertainty by boasting about a rise in the stock market and billions of dollars in foreign investment.

A January prediction from the ​White House that Trump would make weekly trips to promote Republican candidates and address economic concerns has not panned out.

After a flurry of weekly travel ​early in the year aimed at promoting his economic record, Trump has largely stayed at the White House or ​at his Florida weekend retreat since he launched the Iran war on February 28. He has made only a handful of domestic trips since then.

CHINA TRIP, ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT

As Trump faces a series of political ‌and policy challenges — including war with Iran, rising fuel costs, and dwindling popularity — he has increasingly ​turned to visiting construction sites tied to his initiatives, using them ​to underscore progress and reassert control over his agenda.

On Tuesday, he took reporters on a tour of the ballroom construction site and proudly described some of its planned security features. A week earlier, he rode in his armored limousine to inspect renovations at Washington's Reflecting Pool - which he has spoken about seven times this month alone.

Democrats who are trying to break Republicans' dominance in Congress in November say Trump's focus on legacy projects offers hope.

"I can't imagine that ​at a time when people are trying to figure out how to pay for their ‌groceries that are exorbitantly high thanks to Trump's tariffs that they're (Republicans) focused on a ballroom," Democratic Senator Raphael Warnock of Georgia told Reuters.

"Tone deaf is an understatement."

With polls showing a solid majority of Americans opposed to ​the ballroom, the message appears to have gotten through to Republicans. The $1 billion proposal was dropped last week - at least for now - from a spending bill in the Senate in a major setback for Trump.

(Reporting By ​Steve Holland, Andy Sullivan, Richard Cowan and Nandita Bose; Additional reporting by Bo Erickson; Editing by Ross Colvin and Alistair Bell)

byDamon Long

in

May 24, 2026

Trump talks up his ballroom plan dozens of times but plays down Americans' economic pain

By Steve Holland, Andy Sullivan, Richard Cowan and Nandita Bose The site of ongoing construction of the planned White House ba...

Read More