Bigg Boss 18 prize money: Salman Khan set to crown the winner. How much cash prize will they get?

The grand finale of Bigg Boss 18 is set to air tonight, with one of the six finalists — Vivian Dsena, Karan Veer Mehra, Eisha Singh, Chum Darang, Avinash Mishra, or Rajat Dalal — winning the coveted trophy and a cash prize of Rs 50 lakh. Hosted by Salman Khan, the finale will feature special appearances, including Akshay Kumar promoting his film Sky Force, along with powerful performances from the finalists. The wait is finally over as Bigg Boss 18 gears up for its grand finale. Hosted by Bollywood superstar Salman Khan, the season has kept fans on the edge of their seats with its drama, challenges, and unexpected twists. As the nation waits to discover who will lift the coveted trophy, excitement is at an all-time high.

The six finalists who emerged from the intense competition inside the Bigg Boss house are Vivian Dsena, Karan Veer Mehra, Eisha Singh, Chum Darang, Avinash Mishra, and Rajat Dalal. Among these contenders, one will claim the title and walk away with Rs 50 lakh as the grand cash prize, as reported by Mint. This amount matches the prize won by Munawar Faruqui, the victor of Bigg Boss 17.

The grand finale promises to be an unmissable spectacle. Bollywood star Akshay Kumar will make an appearance to promote his upcoming movie Sky Force, and several former contestants will return to add to the excitement. Fans are also thrilled to see Akshay Kumar reunite with Salman Khan on stage, a rare occurrence.

Adding to the grandeur, the finalists will deliver powerful performances during the finale episode, making it an evening full of entertainment and surprises. Salman Khan is expected to announce the winner in his signature style, raising the winner’s hand after teasing the top two contestants.

The winner will also receive a stunning all-bronze trophy, designed to complement the luxurious interiors of the Bigg Boss 18 house. This iconic trophy has become a symbol of triumph and resilience for the contestants.

The prize money in Bigg Boss has fluctuated over the years. The initial five seasons offered Rs 1 crore, but subsequent seasons saw varied amounts. The lowest prize money was Rs 25 lakh in Season 8, won by Gautam Gulati. Other notable winners include Sidharth Shukla (Rs 50 lakh in Season 13), Tejasswi Prakash (Rs 40 lakh in Season 15), and MC Stan (Rs 31.8 lakh in Season 16).

Meanwhile, guest participants have often earned massive paychecks for brief appearances. For instance, Pamela Anderson reportedly earned Rs 2.5 crore for a three-day stint in Season 4, while actor Rimi Sen took home Rs 2 crore per week during Season 15.

Ahead of the official announcement, fan polls have predicted potential outcomes. According to Pinkvilla, Karan Veer Mehra has garnered the highest votes, with 35% of the audience backing him to win. Vivian Dsena follows closely with 34%, while Rajat Dalal has received 24% of the votes.

The Bigg Boss 18 grand finale will air on Colors TV and stream on JioCinema on January 19 at 9:30 pm. Fans can expect the winner to be revealed post-midnight.

Adrien Brody hopes The Brutalist ‘reawakens empathy for immigrants’

Adrien Brody said he hopes his new film The Brutalist can “reawaken” empathy for immigrants.

The Oscar-tipped drama focusses on Brody’s Hungarian-Jewish architect László Tóth, a Holocaust survivor who emigrates to the United States.

Brody, 51, said he took inspiration for the role from his mother, the photographer Sylvia Plachy, whose family emigrated to the United States from Budapest in 1958 after the Hungarian Revolution.

“I witnessed my own mother’s journey, how she and her parents fled terrible circumstances only to enter a harsh new reality of being foreigners,” he told the Sunday Times.

“They had the obstacles of assimilation. But most of us in the US have come from such a past – second generation, third generation. So it is incongruous that there can be apathy towards people’s yearning to come over and be a contributing part of my nation.

“I hope this reawakens empathy for immigrants.”

The comments come as Donald Trump’s incoming administration has indicated that raids to detain and deport migrants living in the US without permission will begin on the first day of his presidency.

Brody is a frontrunner for Best Actor at the Academy Awards after winning the equivalent honour at the Golden Globes earlier this month.

In the opening scenes of the three-and-a-half hour film, his character Tóth arrives in New York as a Jewish immigrant, before finding patronage in Harrison Lee Van Buren, as played by Guy Pearce, who tasks him with refurbishing his private library.

Similarities have been drawn between the role and his portrayal of Wladyslaw Szpilman, a Polish-Jewish pianist who survives the Holocaust, in Roman Polanski’s 2002 film The Pianist.

Preparing for that film, Brody became ill after losing unhealthy amounts of weight. For The Brutalist, he has taken a more relaxed approach and said he is now a “grown-up”.

“As a young man I did not feel that I could faithfully honour all that was on my shoulders with The Pianist, so I dug very deep,” he said.

“I abandoned my life, loved ones, home, phone, car, in order to deliver truth. But it’s less toxic now. I no longer think it’s necessary to torment yourself.”

Brody won Best Actor at the Oscars for The Pianist but fled Hollywood soon afterwards for a quiet life on the east coast.

On winning his Oscar, he said: “I had never had that kind of love for my work — from anyone,” adding that the accolade didn’t make a lot of sense to him.

“So I shunned it. I moved. I isolated myself to live in the countryside and be in nature, and to fix up an old pick-up truck and house. I saw how much was coming to me and felt unnerved.”

The Duttons Head Back to the Yellowstone Ranch in Epic ‘1923’ Season 2 Trailer

Paramount+ has just dropped the trailer for the highly anticipated second season of 1923, giving fans a glimpse into what lies ahead for — or what happened to — the Dutton family. Created by Yellowstone mastermind Taylor Sheridan, the period drama which stars acting royalty Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren returns exclusively to Paramount+ on Sunday, February 23. In this new season, Jacob Dutton (Ford) and Cara Dutton (Mirren) must face an unforgiving Montana winter that brings not only brutal weather, but a blizzard of enemies determined to bring down the Dutton legacy for good. Wonder how that’ll go for them? Joining Ford and Mirren in the ensemble cast are Brandon Sklenar, Julia Schlaepfer, Jerome Flynn, Darren Mann, Brian Geraghty, Aminah Nieves, Michelle Randolph, Sebastian Roché, Timothy Dalton, and Jennifer Carpenter.

The show picks up with the Dutton Ranch in crisis mode, with Jacob recovering from his near-fatal injuries in Season 1 and Cara taking on an even greater role to protect their legacy. Meanwhile, Spencer’s (Sklenar) journey promises high-stakes drama as he races to save his family, while Alexandra (Schlaepfer) takes on her own daring trans-Atlantic trek to reunite with him.

The series has also been hugely popular with critics and is actually the highest-rated show from Sheridan’s ridiculously vast cabal of series at this point, with a Rotten Tomatoes score of 90% and a “Certified Fresh” seal. The site’s “Critics Consensus” sums it up:

“Distinguished by the ineffable star power of Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren, 1923 is another solid if unrelentingly grim addition to Taylor Sheridan’s Yellowstone universe.”

Are We Getting More ‘Yellowstone’?

Yes, and also no. This is the final season of 1923, as the story is set to be completed by the end of the season, while the mainline Yellowstone series concluded in somewhat contentious fashion last month. Another spin-off, which serves as a pseudo-sequel, The Madison, is in pre-production currently and will star Michelle Pfeiffer, Kurt Russell, Matthew Fox, Patrick J. Adams, and more in a story set following the end of Yellowstone, while the two remaining stars of that series, Cole Hauser and Kelly Reilly have closed deals to reprise their roles in a Yellowstone sequel series, which will take their characters to their own ranch, their own lives and, let’s be honest, their own problems.

1923 returns to Paramount+ on February 23. Stay tuned to Collider for more updates on the Yellowstone universe and check out the new trailer above.

1923

The Duttons face a new set of challenges in the early 20th century, including the rise of Western expansion, Prohibition, and the Great Depression.

Cast Harrison Ford , Helen Mirren , Sebastian Roche , Michelle Randolph , James Badge Dale , Marley Shelton , Brian Geraghty , Aminah Nieves Main Genre Western Seasons 1 Writers Taylor Sheridan

Watch on Paramount+

Disneyland Paris unveils spectacular nighttime show using Paris…

CHESSY, France (AP) – A cutting-edge nighttime show at Disneyland Paris is heralding a bold new chapter for Europe´s most-visited theme park, as a raft of ambitious developments comes to fruition under a 2 billion euro ($2.05 billion) expansion plan.

The overhaul includes the completed revamp of the luxury Disneyland Hotel, the upcoming renaming and doubling in size of Walt Disney Studios Park, and the much-anticipated arrival of The World of Frozen and a first-of-its-kind The Lion King land – cementing the resort´s gains after the wilderness years for theme parks during the pandemic.

Disney Tales of Magic was unveiled this month. It’s a dazzling 20-minute spectacle blending drones, synchronized fountains, high-definition projections and ultra-bright lasers.

“For the very first time, not only will we be projecting onto Sleeping Beauty´s Castle, but also Main Street USA,” said Tim Lutkin, artistic director of the production, referring to the park´s main commercial artery lined with boutiques and merchandise.

The show´s standout feature – ultra-bright lasers – has been used only once before, at the Paris 2024 Olympics at the Eiffel Tower during the iconic opening ceremony that featured a performance with Celine Dion. The lasers, which travel 23 miles (37 kilometers), deliver extraordinary power while remaining safe near crowds.

“The Paris Olympics used it first. But we saw it first,” said Dana Harrel, executive entertainment director at Disneyland Paris.

A firework display lights up the castle of Sleeping Beauty in Disneyland, in Marne-la-Vallee, east of Paris, Friday Jan. 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)

Featuring Disney and Pixar tales brought to life by drone-made 3D figures, synchronized fountains and a 100-piece orchestra, the show is elevated further by the original anthem “Live in Magic.”

Audiences have been awestruck. “It´s marvelous. We´ve never seen such a beautiful light show,” said Sacha Tellier, a 33-year-old mother visiting with her family. “It gave me goosebumps,” added Nathan Ruiz, a graphic designer from Madrid. “The combination of music, lights, and the drones felt like pure magic. I´ve been to Disney before, but this show is on another level.”

The spectacle also reflects Disney´s storytelling evolution. Lutkin noted the shift from classic ballgown tales to modern narratives like “Encanto” and “Inside Out 2,” which delves into deeper themes such as anxiety and depression. The latter´s unexpected box office success, Lutkin said, proved that “the world and its relationship with Disney are ready to embrace more complex stories.” This shift is mirrored in the show´s selection of movies, spanning Disney´s timeless classics and emotionally resonant modern hits.

At the heart of Disneyland Paris´ expansion is the transformation of Walt Disney Studios Park, doubling in size and reimagined as Disney Adventure World. Opening in spring 2025, a new park entrance, World Premiere, will greet visitors with the glamour of a Hollywood film premiere, leading them into immersive themed areas.

“These projects reflect our commitment to innovation and storytelling,” said Natacha Rafalski, head of Disneyland Paris, adding that they will further strengthen it as Europe´s top tourist destination.

Already Europe´s most-visited theme park and France´s top tourist attraction outdrawing the Louvre, Disneyland Paris welcomed over 10 million visitors in 2023.

The expansion includes two eagerly awaited themed lands. The World of Frozen, debuting in 2026, will transport guests to Arendelle with a central lake hosting water performances and the Frozen Ever After boat ride, alongside themed dining, shopping, and accommodations. Meanwhile, The Lion King land will bring the Pride Lands to life with a log flume cascading from Pride Rock and encounters with beloved characters like Simba and Timon.

The COVID-19 pandemic delivered one the toughest challenges to Disneyland Paris, as with all resort parks around the world, forcing an eight-month closure in 2020 and another in 2021.

But Disney doubled down.

The ongoing EUR2 billion expansion is part of a $60 billion global investment announced in September 2023, aiming to redefine Disney parks, cruises and attractions over the next decade.

A centerpiece of the Paris overhaul is the revamped Disneyland Hotel, with suites themed around classic Disney royalty.

Disneyland Paris opened in 1992 under its original name, Euro Disney Resort. Situated just outside Paris in Marne-la-Vallée, it marked Disney´s first foray into Europe. However, the park´s early years were fraught with challenges, including cultural missteps, financial struggles and lower-than-expected visitor numbers. Critics in France derided it as an American cultural invasion, dubbing it a “cultural Chernobyl.”

To reverse its fortunes, the park underwent significant rebranding, changing its name to Disneyland Paris in 1994 to emphasize its French location and connection to the capital. Over time, strategic changes, including the addition of new attractions and a shift in marketing, helped the resort recover. It is now a cornerstone of Disney´s global operations.

A light show is projected on the castle of Sleeping Beauty as fireworks explode in Disneyland, in Marne-la-Vallee, east of Paris, Friday Jan. 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)

A light show is projected on the castle of Sleeping Beauty as fireworks explode in Disneyland, in Marne-la-Vallee, east of Paris, Friday Jan. 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)

A light show is projected on the castle of Sleeping Beauty as fireworks explode in Disneyland, in Marne-la-Vallee, east of Paris, Friday Jan. 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)

A light show is projected on the castle of Sleeping Beauty as fireworks explode in Disneyland, in Marne-la-Vallee, east of Paris, Friday Jan. 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)

A light show is projected on the castle of Sleeping Beauty as fireworks explode in Disneyland, in Marne-la-Vallee, east of Paris, Friday Jan. 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)

A light show is projected on the castle of Sleeping Beauty as fireworks explode in Disneyland, in Marne-la-Vallee, east of Paris, Friday Jan. 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)

The Final Encore: Claire van Kampen’s Melodic Legacy in the Wake of Heartbreak

The world’s stage dims as the curtain falls on Claire van Kampen’s life—leaving behind a legacy rich with the kind of vibrant splendor that only someone with her magical melodic talents could manifest. For Mark Rylance, losing his wife on his 65th birthday lends a poignant twist to the date. Death has an uncanny knack for irony; that life’s celebratory milestones could intertwine with its mourning rituals is almost Shakespearean in its cruel artistry.

This London-born muse graced the arts with her presence, crafting theatrical phenomena through her work with the Royal Shakespeare Company and the National Theatre—no small feats considering she was blazing a trail as the first of her gender to assume such roles in these hallowed institutions. “Claire Louise van Kampen, Lady Rylance, has died this morning, Saturday the 18th of January at 11:47, in the ancient town of Kassel, Germany, surrounded by her family,” the family disclosed, weaving a final chapter in her storied narrative of rhythm and kinship.

How fortuitous, it feels, that a chance encounter during her tenure at the National Theatre led to a life intertwined with Rylance—an actor of unreplicable nuance and conviction. Their meeting wasn’t just a personal moment but a confluence of creativity that rippled through time, affecting countless productions and inspiring audiences with an authenticity often sought, yet seldom achieved.

The duo’s journey together was peppered with joy and unfathomable tragedy, the loss of Claire’s youngest daughter, Nataasha, in 2012 casting a shadow that even the brightest performances could never dispel. It’s the kind of grief that refines and tempers rather than diminishes, as Rylance later channeled his own through the award-winning portrayal of Thomas Cromwell—a role that mirrored his personal loss through the narrative canvas of ‘Wolf Hall.’

Claire, with her steadfast poise and creativity, has left a void in a world that so profoundly valued her “magic, music, laughter, and love.” Yet her ghostly symphony will play on, against the backdrop of her compositions for eminent Broadway productions like ‘True West’ and ‘La Bete,’ her musical lifeblood woven into the very fabric of the theatre houses still echoing with her genius.

“She introduced me to that world of classical and modern music, and it was very much around music that we fell in love,” Rylance ruminated, his words a testament to the harmonious partnership that transcended the elaborate complexities of the artistic domain.

As the world bids farewell to a luminary whose laughter once filled rooms and whose compositions filled auditoria, we are reminded of the irreplaceable notes she left behind—notes to which the world must now compose the rest of its melody without her guiding hand. Indeed, as much as she was “the rock” of Rylance’s life, she was an enduring granite pillar in the theatre’s narrative; her impact forever etched into the annals of performance art history.

Bigg Boss 18 Grand Finale LIVE: How Much Will The Winner Walk Away With?

Bigg Boss 18, India’s most talked-about reality show, is all set for its grand finale after intense drama, emotional moments, and unexpected twists. Hosted by Salman Khan, the season, which premiered on October 6, 2024, will conclude tonight, January 19, at 9 PM on Colors TV and JioCinema.

This season, Bigg Boss 18 brought a unique theme — Time Ka Tandav — which pushed contestants to their limits with unpredictable tasks, surprising evictions, and strategic gameplay. From shocking eliminations to fiery confrontations, the show has kept audiences glued to their screens, making it one of the most entertaining seasons yet.

Out of the 23 contestants who started the journey, only six finalists remain — Rajat Dalal, Karanveer Mehra, Vivian Dsena, Avinash Mishra, Chum Darang, and Eisha Singh. One of them will lift the coveted Bigg Boss 18 winner’s trophy and take home a grand cash prize of Rs 50 lakh.

As the finale approaches, fan polls and social media discussions suggest that the competition is at its peak. Among the finalists, Rajat Dalal, Karanveer Mehra, and Vivian Dsena have emerged as the strongest contenders, gaining massive support from fans. Their journey inside the house has been filled with strategic gameplay, friendships, rivalries, and emotional moments that have won the hearts of viewers.

The finale promises to be a spectacular event, featuring stunning performances, special appearances, and emotional moments as the contestants reunite one last time. Salman Khan is expected to have a final face-off with the top contestants before announcing the winner, adding to the excitement.

With just hours to go, fans are eagerly waiting to see who will emerge as the ultimate champion of Bigg Boss 18! Who will claim the trophy and the grand cash prize? Will it be a predictable win or a shocking twist?

‘Ted Lasso’ Heads for Extra Time As Star Drops Massive Season 4 Tease

It seems like AFC Richmond might be heading back onto the pitch sooner than expected. Nick Mohammed, who plays the Jose Mourinho-coded Nate Shelley in Ted Lasso, has sparked massive speculation about the Apple TV+ comedy’s long-rumored fourth season. Fans are buzzing after Mohammed shared a cryptic video on social media, teasing an exciting project that has interrupted his comedy tour. Wonder what that could be?

In the video, Mohammed, in character as Mr. Swallow from his Show Pony tour, explained that several of his tour dates had to be rescheduled due to “some filming I have not been able to shift for love or money.” While stopping short of outright confirming Ted Lasso’s return, he held up the iconic “BELIEVE” sign from the series, further fuelling fans’ hopes.

“I cannot say what that filming is. But it will be announced shortly. In the meantime, I would really appreciate if people just didn’t speculate as to what they think it might be. The last thing I want is for people to be going mad.”

As you can imagine, fans haven’t taken too long to jump all over Mohammed’s little tease, although it doesn’t require investigative abilities like that of Trent Crimm, Independent, to figure out what’s going on. Despite Season 3 airing its presumed finale in early 2023, neither Jason Sudeikis nor co-creator Bill Lawrence officially called it the show’s swan song.

So, Are We Getting More ‘Ted Lasso’?

Lawrence hinted at the possibility of more Ted Lasso episodes in an interview with Deadline last year, stating that the future of the show lies squarely in Sudeikis’s hands. “Jason Sudeikis is the voice, heart, driving factor behind the show, not only professionally, but on a personal level,” said Lawrence. “The only sure bet in Hollywood is that nobody involved with Ted Lasso will ever, ever speak about it until Jason makes his decision of who he wants to talk to and what he wants to tell.”

Adding fuel to the fire, Warner Bros. Television picked up the options for several key cast members, including Hannah Waddingham (Rebecca), Brett Goldstein (Roy Kent), and Jeremy Swift (Higgins), following the Season 3 finale. Juno Temple (Keeley) was also reportedly in negotiations to return as of August, leaving the door wide open for more.

Stay tuned to Collider for more on the future of Ted Lasso.

Ted Lasso

TV-MA

Comedy

Drama

Sport

American college football coach Ted Lasso heads to London to manage AFC Richmond, a struggling English Premier League soccer team.

Cast Jeremy Swift , Phil Dunster , Hannah Waddingham , Nick Mohammed , Brendan Hunt , Jason Sudeikis , Brett Goldstein , Juno Temple , Toheeb Jimoh , James Lance

Writers Brendan Hunt , Joe Kelly , Bill Lawrence

Watch on Apple TV+

Saturday Night Live: Dave Chappelle returns for a stellar episode

The controversial comedian makes a plea for empathy from the returning president in a strong week for the show

Saturday Night Live returns from holiday hiatus with MSNBC coverage of the impending presidential inauguration. Rachel Maddow (Sarah Sherman) presides over a panel of liberal pundits – including her doppelganger Chris Hayes (Andrew Dismukes) – essentially “the Avengers for your aunt”.

The panel promises not to let crazy a Trump outburst distract them from the real news like las time around, only to breathlessly report on the president-elect’s incoming comments and tweets, including a plan to trade Kentucky for Italy, sending Don Jr to purchase the Emerald City from Wicked, challenging China’s president to a fight in the UFC octagon, and a declaration of war on sharks.

They cut to footage of Trump (James Austin Johnson) rambling about TikTok (“We used to hate it but it then, in many ways, got me elected”), Mark Zuckerberg (“He looks much cooler in terms of perm and with regard to chain”), his inauguration (“it will be indoors; too many people to fit outside”), and his latest cabinet pick, George Santos (Bowen Yang), who will be serving as Secretary of Fact Checking and Ambassador to Sephora. Things wrap up with Trump live tweeting insults at the MSNBC anchors: “This lineup looks like Scooby Doo: Oops, All Velma.”

A fine, if uninspiring cold open ahead of the dire prospect of Monday’s event. The best bits were the digs on Hayes.

When November’s post-election episode of Saturday Night Live aired without Dave Chappelle at the helm, it seemed as though the show was intentionally breaking with the tradition it started in 2016. No so, according to the comedian, hosting for the fourth time, who informs us that Lorne Michaels indeed asked him to do it, only for Chappelle to pass. Instead, he offered to host in January, hoping to avoid controversy. Alas, “the moment I said yes, LA burst into flames”.

Smoking a cigarette and pulling up a stool, Chappelle reflects on the perfect storm of catastrophe that caused the apocalyptic California fires (“You have to at least consider the possibility that God hates these people … Sodomites … no, that’s not true, West Hollywood was unscathed”), before giving in and turning his attention to Trump.

An Ohio resident, Chappelle was especially upset by Trump’s racist attacks on Haitian immigrants in Springfield, only one town over from where he lives, and decided to make a public show of support for the community: “Every day, I would drive a few miles over to Springfield and eat lunch at the Haitian restaurant … and to be honest with you, I don’t know what that meat was. But whatever it was, it fell right off the bone, I’ll tell you that.”

He also speaks on Diddy’s legal troubles, realizing the only reason he was never at the freak-offs was because he was too ugly to attend: “Can you imagine … everyone in Hollywood had an orgy behind your back … Carl Winslow from Family Matters was there, and I wasn’t invited?”

He then wraps up with a sincerely moving story about the late Jimmy Carter touring Palestine against the warnings of the secret service. This leads him to deliver a message to Donald Trump and viewers at home about showing empathy for others, especially displaced people “whether they’re in the Palisades or Palestine”.

The message itself – the strongest statement on Palestine to appear on SNL yet – is unimpeachable, although it’s rich for Chappelle to dole out moral instruction considering he has spent the last several years publicly disparaging transgender people.

Still, it was a good performance, less a monologue than a mini-standup special. It was certainly funnier than any of his full-length Netflix specials.

The first sketch of the night sees the return of Immigrant Dad Talk Show. Marcello Hernández’s Latino emigree invites his Black neighbor Richard (Chappelle) onto the show. They hold court on their favorite subject: their disappointing sons (“My son diagnosed himself with OCD. I said, Oh? See Deez Nuts!”). Later, they’re joined by fellow neighbor Kevin (Mikey Day), a sensitive dweeb who creepily kisses his son on the mouth Tom Brady-style but shakes his wife’s hand. As with almost every race relations sketch, the writers can’t help but fall back on cringey white liberals as the butt of the joke.

A Los Angeles family in one of the fire zones decide to evacuate, only for the dad to start tearing apart the house (and family dog) to retrieve his hidden stash of cash, forged passports, firearms and secret French family. There’s no real payoff to any of this, but it’s got some good gore and a couple of funny moments between Chappelle and Devon Walker as his “soft like a bitch” son.

Musical guest GloRilla performs her first song of the night, then it’s on to Weekend Update. Colin Jost scores some big laughs with a solid dig at the expense of Mark Zuckerberg (“He flew down to Mar-a-Lago to meet with Trump and boy are his knees tired”) and gets a lot of groans over a joke about the Israel-Palestine ceasefire agreement (“their version of dry January”).

Michael Che invites cast member Michael Longfellow to make one final plea to save TikTok. Longfellow discards concerns over the app’s Chinese ownership (“You know who else was Chinese? Jesus Christ … I saw it on a Tik Tok”) and data stealing (“Oh no, China knows I like thick Latinas – who doesn’t?”), while contemplating how he’ll live without it: “What do I do at work? What do I even watch during a movie?” A very good takedown of the awful social platform and the best Longfellow has been on the show, his vocal patterns and line delivery reminiscent of the late Phil Hartman and Norm McDonald.

Later, Jost welcomes their second guest, the original Nosferatu (Sherman, of course). The OG vampire is not happy with the new film’s redux (“He doesn’t even look like me … the guy is jacked and has a mustache; he looks like shirtless Ned Flanders”), but he spends more time ragging on Jost, a coke-addicted sex fiend who is the bigger monster at the desk. As ever, Jost and Sherman have the best chemistry on the show.

At a police station, a man (Walker) reports his girlfriend missing. He gives a description of her to the cops, only to freeze when asked how much she weighs. An eavesdropping janitor (Kenan Thompson) is sympathetic to his cause, providing him with answers that will keep him out of trouble should his statements ever come to light. Painfully unfunny, it takes forever to peter out.

GloRilla performs her second song, then the show concludes with online dating show Pop the Balloon. A group of single ladies meet a couple single guy contestants before being introduced to Chappelle Show’s resident Playa Haters Silky Johnson and Beautiful, and degenerate gambler Ashy Larry (the latter two played by series regular Donnell Rawlings). Asked if he’s some kind of sex trafficker, Silky retorts: “I don’t do traffic, I take helicopters, bitch.” They all get popped immediately. It’s great to see these classic characters back, especially the ones played by Rawlings, a truly great and perpetually underrated actor. I only wish there had been more of them.

The first two episodes of SNL that Chappelle hosted left behind a sour taste, but these last two have been winners. Even his penchant for preachiness landed here since he was on the right side of history for a change. The rest of the episode was roundly solid as well.

When SNL returns next week, it will be under a second Trump presidency. Expect the mood to be grimmer.

Tragedy as actor’s wife dies on his birthday

Theatre director and composer Claire van Kampen has died of cancer aged 71 , according to a statement from her family.

Her husband, the actor and playwright Mark Rylance, and her daughter Juliet described van Kampen as one of the “funniest, wickedest, most inspiring women we have ever known,” the statement said.

Van Kampen died “surrounded by family” in Germany on her husband’s 65th birthday.

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“We thank her for imbuing our lives with her magic, music, laughter, and love,” the family said.

“Ring the bell, sound the trumpets reverie, something is done, something is beginning. One of the great wise ones has passed.”

Van Kampen has been nominated for five Tony Awards, including a nomination for best play in 2018 for her show Farinelli and the King. She also scored a number of Broadway productions including True West in 2000.

But van Kampen is likely best known for her work in the United Kingdom, where she was involved in numerous productions of William Shakespeare’s plays. She began her theatre career in 1986 with the Royal Shakespeare Company, according to her biography on the Globe Theatre’s website.

Van Kampen was the first woman to serve as a musical director for both the Royal Shakespeare Company and the Royal National Theatre, her biography said.

She met Rylance at the Royal National Theatre in 1987, where they were both working on a production of The Wandering Jew. The couple told The New Yorker in 2013 that it was Rylance who took an interest in her on the first day of their rehearsal.

He told the magazine that he “very much admired her walk”, but it took a bit longer for him to gain van Kampen’s attention.

“By about the third month, somebody pointed out that this young man was hanging around the piano rather a lot, and maybe he had other motives than learning his song,” van Kampen said.

They went on to work together in several productions after that, including Hamlet, As You Like It and The Tempest. The couple married two years after they first met in a ceremony in Oxfordshire, England.

Rylance has also starred in several films, winning the Oscar for best supporting actor in 2016 for his role in Bridge of Spies alongside actor Tom Hanks.

He became a stepfather to van Kampen’s two daughters, Juliet and Natasha. Natasha van Kampen died in 2012 from a brain haemorrhage during a flight from New York to London, according to People magazine.

Robert Downey Jr. Says His Short-Lived “SNL” Stint Taught Him ‘What I Wasn’t’

Robert Downey Jr. Says His Short-Lived “SNL” Stint Taught Him ‘What I Wasn’t’

Toria Sheffield

January 20, 2025 at 3:48 AM

Robert Downey Jr. is an actor who knows his limits.

The Iron Man star, 59, is featured in the new four-part docuseries SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night, which delves into the history and legacy of the iconic late-night sketch show Saturday Night Live.

Downey was a cast member on season 11 of the show, which ran from 1985 to 1986. The actor — who was just 20 years old at the time — said he was appreciative of his brief stint on SNL because it helped him better understand his lane as a performer.

“I learned so much in that year about what I wasn’t. But there’s not a more exciting 90 minutes you could have, whether you are any good or not,” he said.

The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now!

The Oppenheimer actor also shared that he got the gig on the iconic sketch series because of his good friend Anthony Michael Hall, who was also cast in the 1985-1986 season.

“Michael Hall said to me, ‘I’m gonna go do SNL. I’m gonna get you an audition and I bet you’re gonna get yourself on the show too,’ ” Downey recalled.

Related: Robert Downey Jr. Promises to Sue ‘All Future Executives’ Who May Try to Replicate His Likeness Using AI

Hall, who also appears in the docuseries — and was the youngest cast member ever hired on the show at just 17 years old — recounted his own challenging experience working on the comedy juggernaut.

“When I look back, I have some memories of it being difficult,” he said in his interview, while also admitting that, in hindsight, it was likely hard for the show’s writers to create material for someone so young.

“I think — for a lot of the writers to figure out how to write for this kid — I think it was a big challenge,” he said.

Season 11 featured a number of other now-well-known performers, including Joan Cusack, Damon Wayans, Randy Quaid, Jon Lovitz and Al Franken. However, the season is widely considered one of the show’s weakest by SNL fans and critics, and many of the cast members were replaced by season 12.

“I wanted to go younger,” SNL creator Lorne Michaels said of the season during the same docuseries. “I perhaps went too young, but I wanted to go younger. The Baby Boomer generation had dominated the show for 10 years, so I decided to clean house.”

While his time on SNL may have been rocky, Downey’s career is no worse for wear.

The Oscar winner has received a number of awards and nominations for his work over the years and he is officially one of the top-grossing film actors of all time due to his role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, per Collider.

Related: Robert Downey Jr.’s Wife Susan Shares the ‘2-Week Rule’ That Keeps Their 18-Year Marriage Strong (Exclusive)

The actor has also become known as a beacon of support for others in the industry — especially young performers still finding their way.

“If he sees a performance he likes, he will go out of his way to get ahold of that person, especially anyone young and up and coming,” his wife, film producer Susan Downey, 51, told PEOPLE exclusively in 2024.

“If he knows somebody struggling, he’ll reach out, so much to the point that people know to send people towards him, because he will make that time. It’s just an appreciation for all he’s gone through, for all the people who were there and stuck around through some of his more difficult times,” she added.

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SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night is currently streaming on Peacock.

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