‘Audition’ book cover (Courtesy of Riverhead Books)
Lucy Liu (Elementary) and Charles Melton (Warfare) are committed to star in Audition, with The Farewell‘s Lulu Wang and Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Martyna Majok on board to adapt the Booker Prize-longlisted novel by Katie Kitamura. Wang will also direct.
“Bringing Katie Kitamura’s Audition to the screen is a thrilling challenge,” said Wang. “What makes it feel possible, and electrifying, is working with Lucy Liu and Charles Melton. They’re both such magnetic performers, and I can’t imagine better collaborators to step into this story with.”
The film is being produced by Higher Ground Productions and LAIKA, in association with Wang’s production company Local Time. Higher Ground was founded by President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama, and Audition made the cut for President Obama’s summer 2025 reading list.
“Audition is a twisty thriller that follows a celebrated actress enjoying a charmed, bohemian life in Manhattan with her creative husband,” reads LAIKA and Higher Ground’s synopsis. “That is until a mysterious young man appears, claiming to be her long-lost son. What begins as a misguided reunion spirals into an enthralling mystery about identity, guilt, and the roles we perform.”
Producers include Wang, Higher Ground’s Vinnie Malhotra and Anikah McLaren, and LAIKA’s Travis Knight and Matt Levin. Lucy Liu, author Katie Kitamura, and LAIKA’s Jeremy Kipp Walker are serving as executive producers.
“Katie Kitamura’s Audition is a masterfully crafted psychological thriller that explores the complex layers of identity and performance,” stated Higher Ground’s Head of Film Anikah McLaren. “We’re thrilled to partner with LAIKA and Lulu, an incredibly talented and poignant filmmaker, to adapt this compelling narrative about family, deception, and self-discovery.”
“At LAIKA, we are always seeking out bold, emotional, and inventive stories, and Katie Kitamura’s Audition is exactly that,” said Matt Levin, President of Live Action Film & Series. “Lulu Wang is a brilliant and daring filmmaker we’ve long admired, and her unique vision and Higher Ground’s commitment to powerful storytelling make them the perfect partners to bring this extraordinary novel to the screen.”
Taylor Frankie Paul stars in ‘The Bachelorette’ season 22 (Disney/Michael Kirchoff)
ABC’s The Bachelorette season 22 is going outside of the Bachelor Nation for its star. 31-year-old Taylor Frankie Paul has been named the new Bachelorette, following up her standout role in The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives with the lead in the upcoming 2026 season of The Bachelorette.
ABC offers this brief bio of Paul: “Paul is the breakout star of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, captivating millions with her raw, unapologetic storytelling. Off-screen, she’s a TikTok powerhouse whose comedic, heartwarming, and bitingly honest content has earned her a massive following. As a single mother of three, Paul shares the highs and lows of her life with unfiltered candor. With humor, resilience, and a fearless openness, she inspires others to embrace life’s chaos and own their story.”
Season 22 will premiere in 2026. A new season of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives debuts on November 13, 2025.
Taylor Frankie Paul described being named as the new Bachelorette as surreal in an interview with Good Morning America. Asked what characteristics she’ll be looking for among the season 22 bachelors, Paul replied, “How you treat people is my number one, down to things of like someone in passing by or a neighbor or your server.”
Paul also confirmed she’d be open to dating someone outside of her religion. She added, “Kids are important. I’m obviously going to ask them, like, ‘Are you ready to be involved with three children?’ I think everything can be workable if two people want it and they love each other.”
We’ve reached the halfway point of Prime Video’s psychological thriller, The Girlfriend, and Laura (Robin Wright) is becoming unhinged. The following is a recap of episode four, which means there are spoilers ahead.
Episode four begins from Laura’s point of view as she heads to her son’s new home. She’s on her way to tell Cherry that Daniel did not die, despite telling her that he did in episode three.
Cherry (Olivia Cooke) quickly cleans up the living room; the apartment is a mess. Laura finds a credit card in Daniel’s name, a pair of men’s boxers, and Daniel’s laptop. She asks if Daniel has stayed there and Cherry confirms he has not. He’d only just gotten the keys before they went off to celebrate his birthday. Laura wonders why Daniel’s laptop is there, and Cherry claims he let her borrow it.
Laura’s about to break the good news that Daniel is alive when Cherry cuts her off. “Did you know Daniel proposed to me?” asks Cherry, which catches Laura completely by surprise. Cherry asks about a funeral and Laura, still reeling from the engagement news, lies and says they already had his funeral. It was small and private. Cherry gets angry and kicks Laura out.
Laura takes Daniel’s laptop which has Cherry’s social media accounts on it. She blocks Daniel on there and looks up Cherry’s password. As she goes through a stack of Daniel’s mail Cherry gave her, Laura finds one belonging to Cherry. It has an outstanding balance for a nursing home.
Laura’s interrupted by the doorbell and it’s Cherry, banging furiously on the door. Laura calls Howard and suggests they take Daniel to Spain to recover.
On the way to Spain, Daniel (Laurie Davidson) asks Laura if she got in touch with Cherry. Laura lies to her son and claims she didn’t. Daniel wonders if he did something wrong that would cause Cherry to ghost him, and Laura suggests that some people just want to be around for the good times.
Laura tells Daniel she got him a new phone and offers to set it up for him. As she does, she deletes voicemails from Cherry and adds a different number under her name that belongs to a burner phone.
Laura, Howard, and Daniel sit down for a meal and Daniel stares at his phone, waiting for word from Cherry. Laura cuts up his food like he’s a child and he stops her, saying he can do it himself. He tries but fails, and Laura starts to feed him. Frustrated, he wants her to stop.
Laura looks through the burner phone and sees Daniel has been texting Cherry, begging her to call him. Laura calls Isabella (Tanya Moodie) and requests that Isabella ask Brigitte to keep quiet about Daniel’s recovery. She lies and says Cherry has still not tried to reach out to Daniel.
Cherry cries as she puts on Daniel’s clothes she found in his backpack. She leaves him voicemails even though she was told he died. Cherry buys Daniel a suit for his funeral but her credit card is declined so she uses one of his.
Laura’s visit plays out completely differently through Cherry’s eyes. When Laura tells Cherry they already had Daniel’s funeral, Cherry asks why she didn’t call her. Laura simply says, “Because you’re not family.” Laura informs Cherry she needs to move out and then leaves, without being in the least bit sympathetic.
Cherry shows up to talk to Laura, but Laura won’t answer the door. She leaves Laura a voicemail saying she just wants to know where Daniel is buried. Laura calls Cherry and informs her they are selling Daniel’s apartment.
Daniel works out in the pool with his new physical therapist and Howard (Waleed Zuaiter) wonders where Laura found her. Laura confirms she asked for someone who is the best and the prettiest, believing that to be the fastest way to mend a broken heart. Howard still can’t wrap his head around what happened with Cherry, and Laura reminds him he only wants to see the good in people. Laura chooses this moment to reveal she doesn’t think Daniel should go back to his apartment because he needs to move forward. Howard reminds her it’s Daniel’s decision, and Laura suggests that Howard should speak to Daniel about it.
Daniel becomes frustrated in the pool and Laura joins him, cradling him like he’s a baby and not like he’s a grown man. As she gets Daniel settled in a chair, Laura panics when Cherry calls her. She immediately blocks Cherry’s number on her phone.
The burner phone shows that Daniel is constantly texting Cherry and sending her explicit photos. Howard startles his wife as she goes through the texts, suggesting that now that Daniel has gone to bed, he thinks they could have some alone time. As things get hot and heavy, a text from Daniel on the burner phone interrupts, and she forces Howard to stop. She texts Daniel pretending to be Cherry and claiming she can’t do this and that it is over between them.
Daniel, clearly upset, throws his phone.
Cherry’s co-worker invites her out for drinks after work, and she declines. Cherry arrives at the apartment and finds her things outside. The locks have been changed. After checking into a hotel, she changes her mind and heads to the bar. She dances with a stranger and does drugs.
It turns out that as Cherry’s making out with the stranger, Brigitte (Shalon Brune-Franklin) is at the same bar. Brigitte confronts Cherry, and Cherry doesn’t understand what her problem is. Brigitte wonders if Cherry really thought they would be friends after what she did to Daniel. Brigitte is glad Daniel isn’t there to see what she is doing right now.
Isabella tells Laura about Brigitte bumping into Cherry and Laura asks where because she doesn’t want Daniel to bump into her. Things are getting out of control when Laura hacks into Cherry’s social media and posts something derogatory about her company’s clients.
Cherry gets a call from her boss informing her that she is fired because of her social media post. She doesn’t understand and looks at her account. Laura posted, “Rich wanker foreigners buying up London, taking our homes. And my boss is happy as a hog s**t.” She insists it wasn’t her and that she was hacked.
Cherry is forced to move back in with her mother, Tracey (Karen Henthorn), and work alongside her as a butcher. As Cherry tries to find a new job, she realizes she’s been blacklisted.
Daniel’s rehab is going well, and he goes into town to have drinks with his therapist. Laura sets up drinks and food for her and Howard, apologizing for neglecting him. She’s been thinking and wonders what he thinks about it just being them and no more Marianne. Howard admits he’s been wanting that.
Daniel returns from having drinks and tells his mom she was right about Cherry. He deleted her phone number and believes it’s time to go home. Laura double-checks and confirms that Cherry no longer works for that real estate company.
As Cherry puts her things away, she finds the business card for Howard’s friend. She and her mom go out for karaoke and have a heartfelt conversation. Tracey convinces Cherry to go see her dad at the nursing home. (Cherry told Daniel’s family that her father is dead).
Her mother leaves Cherry and her father alone together. She tries to talk to him, and he tells her in a vulgar way to get lost, screaming at her that she’s a liar. Her mom finds her and tells her to just give it a couple more weeks and everything will sort itself out.
Cherry sets up a meeting with Howard’s friend about a possible job. He brings up her posts and she doesn’t deny she wrote them. He wonders if she has spoken to Howard about all this and she informs him they haven’t spoken since Daniel died.
Episode four ends with Howard’s friend dropping the bombshell news that not only is Daniel alive, but he’s currently having lunch in this very building. Cherry finds him very much alive and dining with his mother!
Prime Video’s The Girlfriend episode three begins on a grim note, with the action unfolding inside a hospital. A doctor indicates someone is in critical condition but doesn’t confirm who it is.
The following recap has spoilers!
The first half of the episode is from Cherry’s point of view, with Laura (Robin Wright) showing up at Daniel’s new apartment for the first time. She confirms he has the money for it, thanks to his dad’s generosity. After Daniel (Laurie Davidson) steps out of the room, Laura confronts Cherry (Olivia Cooke), rhetorically asking if she did not make herself clear. (Laura ordered Cherry out of Daniel’s life in episode two.) Cherry insists Laura can’t tell her what to do. Laura warns that she’s going to make sure all of Cherry’s lies catch up with her.
Cherry does not pay attention in a work meeting; she’s too worried about what Laura might be up to. Cherry speaks with her mother, Tracey (Karen Henthorn), demanding to know if anyone has come along asking questions about her. Daniel interrupts their conversation and meets Cherry’s mom for the first time.
Cherry comes home to find Laura sitting in bed with Daniel. Laura makes a remark about Cherry staying over again, pretending to be joking when she suggests they start charging her rent. Laura brings up a tradition she and Daniel have for his birthday, but Cherry shoots down her plans, claiming she booked a getaway for them for Daniel’s birthday weekend. That forces Daniel to make a decision. He chooses to go with Cherry, upsetting Laura. (Cherry, of course, did not already have the trip booked.)
Cherry receives a call from her ex, Nicholas (Leo Suter), and he knows she messed with his wedding cake. He threatens to tell the police. Cherry warns that if he does that, she’ll talk to his wife. Cherry’s mother appears to be listening to the conversation. Nicholas threatens that if she or her American friend, Laura, contacts him again, he will end her.
Cherry instructs her mom to tell the police she was with her on the 26th. After her mother agrees, she confesses, “I really hope you haven’t returned to the old Cherry. She scared me.”
Cherry wonders if she is a bad person and Daniel insists she isn’t. She then claims Nicholas was controlling when they were together, but now that he knows about Daniel, he has gotten scary. She lies and claims Nicholas is spreading rumors about her, alleging that she ruined his wedding. Daniel wants to confront Nicholas, but Cherry thinks that’s a dangerous idea.
Next, Cherry confronts Laura about speaking with Nicholas. Cherry continues to lie and claims Nicholas is spreading rumors. Laura doesn’t believe her for one second. Cherry notices Daniel is there and amps up the dramatics, begging Laura not to do this to her. Laura admits she doesn’t like or trust Cherry, which leads to Daniel confronting his mom. (Exactly as Cherry had planned.)
Daniel and Cherry leave for his birthday weekend getaway, which involves rock climbing, one of Daniel’s favorite activities. He’s upset as they drive away, and Cherry finally manages to get him to lighten up. Once at their destination, Daniel pretends he is going to propose to Cherry. He laughs and then turns serious, assuring her he does want to marry her. He takes the key ring off his keys and uses that as a ring.
Daniel is in his element rock climbing, and he tries to show off but falls!
Howard (Waleed Zuaiter) gets ready for a ballet but offers to stay home. Laura waves him off, reminding him that Marianne is expecting him. She receives a text from a Lilith telling her she knows where to find her. Laura heads to the pool, where she finds her son and Cherry naked.
Daniel apologizes to Laura about what she witnessed, and she asks that he not have sex in her pool. He changes the subject by sharing good news; he got the apartment Cherry showed him. Laura can’t believe he’s going to be living on his own, but he says he won’t; he will be living with Cherry.
Laura contacts Nicholas and he tells her to leave him alone.
Laura’s point of view of the birthday trip announcement is, of course, dramatically different from Cherry’s. Cherry begins to make out with Daniel in front of her.
Laura tells Isabella (Tanya Moodie) and Brigitte (Shalom Brue-Franklin) that Daniel and Cherry were laughing at her and asks Brigitte’s opinion of Cherry. Brigitte likes her even though she is a bit psycho. Laura feels Cherry is trying to prove she owns Daniel. Isabella wants to talk about something else; all Laura talks about is Cherry.
Laura convinces Nicholas and his wife, Millie, to meet with her. Nicholas opens up right away, warning Laura that once Cherry gets her claws into someone, she never gives up. Laura wonders if Cherry is dangerous. Nicholas admits that when he broke up with Cherry, she went crazy and spread lies about him. And when he and Millie got together, it got worse. He kept seeing Cherry outside their apartment. They were forced to take out a restraining order.
Now we see the confrontation between Daniel and Laura from Laura’s perspective. She admits she met with Cherry’s ex, Nicholas, but Daniel refuses to believe anything his mother tells him. He yells at her, accuses her of smothering him, and then storms off.
Howard tries to get Daniel to calm down before he and Cherry leave. Howard confesses he doesn’t believe what Laura is saying either. Howard also confesses that in the past he was worried about Laura’s obsession with Daniel. Howard feels Laura hates Cherry because she fears she is replacing her. He believes it stems from trauma over losing their daughter and insists it has to stop.
Laura visits her old lover, Lilith (Anna Chancellor), and tells her about everything going on with Cherry. She admits no one believes her. Lilith convinces Laura to stay the night and that it’s best to play Cherry’s game. She thinks Laura should apologize to Cherry and that eventually Cherry’s lies will catch up with her. She feels that if Laura can do this, when Daniel does come to his senses, he won’t blame his mom for anything.
Putting aside the topic of Cherry for a moment, Laura practically begs Lilith to let her show her art. Lilith has never let her before and doesn’t agree now. They’re just about to reignite their sexual relationship when Cherry calls with the devastating news that something happened to Daniel.
Howard and Laura show up at the hospital and Laura demands that Cherry get out of the room. The doctor informs them that they need to remove a piece of Daniel’s skull to relieve pressure in his head and to stop the bleeding.
Laura sobs over her son’s condition and expresses her hatred of Cherry. Howard lets Cherry know how Daniel’s surgery went and that he’s currently stable. She wants to see Daniel, but Howard informs her that it is not possible. She wants to stay, but Daniel thinks it’s time for her to leave.
Howard assures Laura that Daniel is going to be all right. Cherry’s returned to the apartment she shares with Daniel and calls Laura, wanting an update. Laura refuses to pick up any of her calls.
Unfortunately, the doctor is forced to deliver terrible news. He informs Laura and Howard that the surgery wasn’t successful. Daniel won’t make it. As they get this tragic news, Cherry repeatedly calls Laura.
As Daniel is being taken off the ventilator, Laura finally answers Cherry’s call. She lies and tells Cherry that Daniel died that morning. As episode three draws to an end, Laura talks to Daniel, telling him she can’t live without him. He responds with noises.
Poster for ‘The Girlfriend’ (Photo Credit: Prime Video)
Episode one of Prime Video’s psychological thriller The Girlfriend ended with a chilling scene that left viewers wondering where the show is headed. Episode two is once again told from differing points of view, with Laura viewing herself as her son’s savior and Cherry feeling rejected by the family of the man she professes to love.
A detailed recap follows, so there are spoilers ahead!
Episode two kicks off with Cherry (Olivia Cooke) struggling in the ocean. A flashback shows her packing for a vacation with Daniel and his family. Her mother wants to go, and Cherry reminds her that she herself is barely allowed to come.
As she waits for her flight, she falls asleep. After freshening up in the bathroom, she and Daniel (Laurie Davidson) head to the house. Cherry admits to Daniel that she is nervous.
After meeting up with Laura (Robin Wright) and Howard (Waleed Zuaiter), Cherry praises the exhibition at Laura’s gallery. Laura admits it didn’t receive rave reviews. Laura changes the subject, insisting she’s looking forward to getting to know Cherry. However, minutes later she hears Daniel thanking Laura for inviting Cherry along. Her response? “Well, you didn’t really give me a choice.”
It’s not just a family affair when Laura’s good friend Isabella (Tanya Moodie) and her daughter, Brigitte (Shalom Brune-Franklin), show up. Cherry is caught off guard by their presence. Isabella remembers how Daniel used to sneak into Brigitte’s room back in the day. Daniel jokes that there weren’t a whole lot of girls to pick from back then. Brigitte insults Cherry by stating he was lucky back then; it’s all slim pickings now. Laura aims a smug look directly at Cherry.
Later, Cherry sneaks into Isabella and Brigitte’s room and leaves the bracelet she stole from Laura there. (The maid sees her in the room.) Cherry makes her way to the tennis courts and catches Brigitte and Daniel flirting. Cherry joins the game and asks that they go easy since she’s barely played. Isabella wonders how that can be true since it was mandatory to play tennis at the school Cherry claimed she attended.
Although it’s supposed to be a doubles game, it turns into a game between Daniel and Brigitte. Cherry’s upset and hits the ball at Brigitte, striking her. Daniel and Cherry talk, and she confesses she is upset he didn’t tell her about his past with Brigitte.
Daniel and Cherry take off on a long bike ride and she apologizes for being strange earlier; she’s worried she doesn’t fit in. Daniel reminds her he loves her for her. Still concerned about earlier, Daniel makes a list of every woman he has been with. It’s revealed Brigitte was his first intimate partner. Cherry also learns he was with his music teacher.
Cherry notices messages on Daniel’s phone from his mother and turns his phone off.
Daniel and Cherry finally arrive back at the house and discover that Laura is extremely upset. Not only was she worried when they took off, the chef was there and cooked all of Daniel’s favorites. They missed it.
While lying in bed, Cherry teases Daniel about his wound from falling off the bike. She finds it a bit creepy how Laura treated him when she discovered he was injured. Daniel doesn’t find it creepy at all, stating his mother just likes to help people. He seems upset about the topic of conversation and decides to go for a run.
Cherry finds Howard in Rose’s room and asks how he is doing. He confesses no one has asked him that in a long time. After having a moment together, he suggests putting Cherry in touch with a business partner about housing. (Rose is the deceased daughter of Howard and Laura.)
Laura demands to know why the doors to Rose’s room are open. Howard confirms he and Cherry were in there. He knows she doesn’t like anyone in there but reminds her that he’s allowed to visit the room.
Cherry almost provides Laura and Daniel with a detail they can use against her when she leaves her plane ticket on her suitcase. She panics and hurriedly distracts Daniel sexually, just as Laura catches them. Cherry insists she wants to spend time alone, just the two of them, but Daniel doesn’t agree. He reminds her they are on holiday with his family.
The vacationers relax on a yacht and as Daniel is putting suntan lotion on Brigitte, Isabella notices Laura has found her missing bracelet. Laura thinks she must have left it there in Spain but pins Cherry with a knowing look.
Howard checks on a seasick Cherry but feeling ill is the least of her worries. She overhears Laura and Isabella talking about what a shame it is that things didn’t work out with Daniel and Brigitte.
Cherry tries her hand at paddleboarding, and when she gets knocked off, she pretends to struggle. Laura just watches as she flails around and calls for help.
Laura’s Perspective Shines a Different Light on the Vacation
Howard asks Laura if she is going to play nice and Laura admits she still isn’t sure about Cherry. He points out how much Daniel seems to like her, but Laura believes there’s something odd about her.
Isabella notifies Laura she did not see Cherry in business class on the plane; therefore, she was not on the same flight. Laura wonders if she pocketed the money Daniel gave her for the ticket. Isabella decides to do a little detective work to find out what happened.
Cherry hits Brigitte with the tennis ball and when we saw the accident from Cherry’s perspective, she was apologetic and checked on her. However, from Laura’s perspective, Cherry does none of that and instead just stands there.
The late dinner also plays out differently, with Laura calm and collected and Daniel apologetic. Afterward, Laura goes through Cherry’s luggage and finds her plane ticket and a magazine with a review of Laura’s gallery.
Laura overhears Howard and Cherry’s conversation and then catches Cherry trying to seduce Daniel. Cherry looks smug and laughs when she sees Laura. Laura reacts by turning the sprinkler on her.
Fast-forward to the events on the yacht, Laura jumps in as soon as she sees Cherry struggling in the ocean. She rescues Cherry and they have a moment of getting along. Now that things seem okay between them, Cherry comes clean about not being in business class and using the extra money for clothes. She wanted to look the part. Laura offers to make a pact: no more lies.
Cherry speaks to a butcher in perfect Spanish and seems to know what she is talking about. She admits her mom is a butcher.
Laura takes Cherry shopping and confronts her, asking why she punched the man outside her office. (That was a shocking scene in episode one.) Cherry lies and claims he’s an ex-boyfriend of her co-worker. She says she’s not normally a violent person as she proceeds to chop the head off a chicken.
Laura lectures Daniel about leaving his guest out, asking if they are in love. Cherry confirms they are.
In a quieter moment, Laura confesses she was in love with someone besides Howard. She fell for a woman after Rose died. They were going to spend their lives together, but she got pregnant with Daniel. Laura asks Cherry not to say anything about it. After having another good moment together, Laura tells Cherry, “And here I thought you threw my cat out the window.”
As they all dance around the pool at night, Cherry witnesses a strange interaction with Daniel and Laura where they kiss and he calls her, “My love.”
The next morning Laura offers the house to just Daniel and Cherry while the rest of them venture off wine tasting. While there, Brigitte shows Isabella and Laura a clip from the wedding Cherry ruined. Laura recognizes the groom as the guy Cherry punched. Furious, Laura takes off.
The episode ends with Laura confronting Cherry, and Cherry insisting she thought they were keeping each other’s secrets. Laura orders Cherry to stay away from her son. It’s game on as the two women engage in a stare-off.
Prime Video released the psychological thriller The Girlfriend, based on Michelle Frances’ novel, on September 10, 2025. The six-episode drama stars Robin Wright, Olivia Cooke, and Laurie Davidson in a twisted triangle of lies, manipulation, and betrayal. The streamer unleashed every episode at once for your binge-watching pleasure, and the following is a recap of episode one.
There are spoilers ahead!
The Girlfriend’s first episode begins with a flashback to events five months earlier, told from Laura’s (Robin Wright) perspective. She’s arguing on the phone about tracking something down when a noise startles her. Suspecting it’s someone in her family, she investigates. Fortunately, the noise is just a cat knocking over a vase.
Later, her son Daniel (Laurie Davidson) playfully scares her in the pool, revealing the unusually close relationship between mother and son. They chat about his new love interest. The new girlfriend’s also the subject of a conversation Laura has with her friend, Isabella (Tanya Moodie), while making dinner. She admits she’s nervous about meeting her.
Our first look at Cherry (Olivia Cooke) seems to make Laura’s nervousness feel justified. The evening passes and Laura notices her son is very handsy with Cherry. And a short while later, Laura goes looking for Daniel and Cherry, catches them in a sexual act, and quickly walks away. Her husband, Howard (Waleed Zuaiter), reminds her they were once like that.
The evening continues with probing dinner table conversations. Cherry tells them what school she attended, and Laura says their goddaughter went there. After claiming not to know who she is, Cherry finally remembers her.
Laura reveals they had a daughter named Rose who was only with them for a short time.
Laura overhears Cherry talk about Daniel changing his mind, shifting his interest from pediatrics to surgery. Laura isn’t happy, insisting that not “we” decided. Cherry defends Daniel’s choice to switch, and Laura accidentally pours hot coffee on her.
The evening continues and Laura discovers Cherry has a bracelet in her bag that is exactly like one of her own. Also, she can’t find her indoor cat in the middle of the night.
Following the dinner, Laura and Isabella have a spa day and Laura recounts all the strange things that occurred during his first meeting with Cherry. Laura believes Cherry is hiding things, and she still can’t find her cat. Their conversation is interrupted by Isabella’s daughter, Brigitte (Shalom Brune-Franklin), asking why her mom blew off a meeting with her lawyer. It’s revealed she’s avoiding him because they had a sexual relationship.
Daniel brings Cherry to Laura’s art gallery and Laura keeps an eagle eye on them. Laura contacted the school Cherry claimed she went to, and the headmaster has no record of her attending. Laura lets her attention wander a minute when she spots her husband standing close to another woman who touches his buttocks. Ignoring that, she asks Howard where Daniel and Cherry are because they are supposed to go to dinner. He confirms they left.
After the gallery showing, Laura’s surprised to see her husband is home; she assumed he was staying at Marianne’s, which would have been fine. Howard found it strange that Daniel left without saying goodbye.
After they have sex, Daniel asks if she is ready for him to give up Marianne. She’s not and thinks it’s better this way. (Apparently, they have an open marriage.)
Laura puts up flyers for her missing cat and decides to pop into Cherry’s office to see if she really works there. She catches Cherry standing outside, arguing with a man. He yells, “I’m getting married on Saturday!” and Cherry hits him in the face.
The first episode switches to a fresh perspective, Cherry’s. She lays eyes on Daniel for the first time, and he is smitten at first sight. She’s shocked to discover her unreliable co-worker got a promotion over her and spits in her cup.
Later, as Cherry leaves her cycling class, she sees the man she argued with. They don’t speak but stare at each other.
Daniel comes into her place of work to see about an apartment he is interested in. He spoke with someone else, but she takes him on as a client. There’s flirtation going on while she shows him the apartment.
After breaking into another apartment, she asks him what he thinks, and he wonders how they should celebrate his new apartment. They celebrate by being intimate. He takes her on their third date to his dad’s hotel. She asks about his mom and says her father passed away when she was 14.
It’s revealed that Cherry had been to Daniel’s family home before while his parents were gone. As Cherry tries on Laura’s jewelry, she hears Laura on the phone and quickly hides. She’s almost caught, but then Laura hears the vase break and leaves the room.
Cherry’s perspective of her first meeting with Daniel’s mom is decidedly different than Laura’s version. Seeing Cherry meet Laura for the first time from Cherry’s perspective, Laura does not seem either warm or welcoming.
Cherry notices Laura watching them being intimate together. And later, Laura accidentally pours coffee on Cherry while looking smug about it. As she gets cleaned up, Cherry puts their cat, Moses, through a window, even though she’s aware he’s an indoor-only cat.
Laura grills Cherry about what kind of work her father did and insists on trying to look him up on the internet. Daniel puts a stop to it. The whole evening is much more confrontational from Cherry’s perspective.
At home, Cherry’s mother thinks she would be better off dating the neighbor. Her mom believes the man Cherry’s dating will never marry her because he comes from money.
Even the gallery visit has a different vibe, with Cherry convinced Laura doesn’t like her. She tries to have a conversation with Laura, but Laura blows her off. Uncomfortable, Cherry sees someone she knows and convinces Daniel to leave.
Daniel is already falling hard and invites Cherry to come with him and his parents to Spain. He also confesses he loves her.
The slapping incident plays out from Cherry’s point of view. The man confronts her, accusing her of stalking him and his fiancée. She slaps him after he says degrading things. Cherry sees Laura and Cherry informs her that Daniel invited her to accompany him to Spain.
Episode one ends in an eerily creepy way with Cherry scooping guts out of an animal (her mother is a butcher) and placing them in a bag. The reason quickly becomes evident when the scene shifts to Cherry’s ex, who accused her of stalking him, enjoying his wedding with the woman he loves. As they cut into the cake, horrifyingly, blood sprays out, drenching them. Cherry takes off her catering uniform and leaves the wedding with a smile on her face.
Come Christmas time, those who aren’t Neil Diamond fans might find themselves converted. Focus Features has set a December 25, 2025 theatrical release for Song Sung Blue, which just released an official trailer.
Oscar nominee Hugh Jackman (Deadpool & Wolverine) and Oscar nominee Kate Hudson (Glass Onion) star as musicians who form a Neil Diamond tribute band. The cast also includes Michael Imperioli, Ella Anderson, King Princess, Mustafa Shakir, Hudson Hensley, Fisher Stevens, and Jim Belushi.
“Based on a true story, two down-on-their-luck musicians (Jackman and Hudson) form a joyous Neil Diamond tribute band, proving it’s never too late to find love and follow your dreams,” reads Focus Features’ synopsis.
Craig Brewer (Hustle & Flow) wrote and directed the inspirational film and serves as a producer along with John Davis and John Fox. Erika Hampson and Greg Kohs serve as executive producers.
Ryan Seacrest, Lionel Richie, Carrie Underwood, and Luke Bryan in ‘American Idol’ (Disney/Gizelle Hernandez)
ABC’s August announcement naming the American Idol season nine judges was noticeably missing one thing: the host. Today, the network confirmed Ryan Seacrest is returning for the upcoming ninth season of the singing competition airing on ABC. (It’s the 24th season overall.)
ABC announced on August 25 that Luke Bryan, Lionel Richie, and Carrie Underwood will return as judges for season nine.
ABC released the following details on season nine auditions: “Auditions are currently underway with the return of ‘Idol Across America,’ the live virtual nationwide search for the next superstar, taking place across all 50 states plus Washington, D.C. Those auditioning will be given the opportunity to showcase their talents face-to-face with an American Idol producer, from anywhere in America, across any official audition date for a chance to proceed to the judge auditions. Contenders will also be allowed to audition during open call dates, and auditions will be open worldwide to all those eligible.”
“Idol Across America” auditions:
• Alaska, California, Hawaii, Nevada, Washington (Sep 9)
• Florida, Michigan, Virginia, West Virginia (Sep 11)
• East Coast open call (Sep 12)
• The South open call (Sep 15)
• Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Wisconsin (Sep 16)
• West and Midwest open call (Sep 18)
• Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, Ohio, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, D.C. (Sep 19)
• Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Wyoming (Sep 22)
• Nationwide open call (Sep 24)
To register for the virtual auditions, visit americanidol.com/auditions. Per ABC, aspiring singers can audition on any “Idol Across America” date. Megan Wolflick is the showrunner and executive produces, along with Eli Holzman and Aaron Saidman.
Netflix’s Nightmares of Nature takes a decidedly different approach to covering wildlife. The trailer confirms this isn’t your standard cute animals struggling to survive series. No, Nightmares of Nature, described as a “Natural History and Horror” series, is going to show just how tough it is to make it in a world where everything wants to eat you.
The three-episode first season premiere on September 30, 2025. The two-episode second season debuts on October 28. Maya Hawke (Stranger Things) narrates both seasons of the series created by Blumhouse Television and Plimsoll Productions.
Executive producers include Jason Blum, Martha Holmes, Mark Brownlow, Grant Mansfield, Gretchen Palek, and Matt Sarshik.
Netflix offered this description of Nightmares of Nature:
Season 1 Synopsis: A CABIN IN THE WOODS is set in the perfectly haunting world of the North American Woods. Our three characters (a soon-to-be-mother mouse, a young bachelor raccoon and a froglet who has seen terrible things) quickly discover how scary the woods truly are and find themselves in search of sanctuary. They stumble upon an old Cabin in the woods, thinking it a safe haven, they soon discover their nightmares have really only just begun…
Season 2 Synopsis: LOST IN THE JUNGLE is set deep in the creepy Central American rainforest, a place with more creative ways to die than anywhere else on Earth. For our three characters (a young opossum, a newly-hatched iguana and a feisty jumping spider) the nightmare of staying alive in the jungle escalates fast
when they discover an abandoned laboratory deep in the jungle. And before
they know it, lost in this unnatural labyrinth, with a new monster hiding behind
every corner, they are in the struggle of their lives to get out before it is too
late…
Poster for ‘Nightmares of Nature’ (Photo Credit: Netflix)
The awards buzz is building around A24’s The Smashing Machine, and in particular around Dwayne Johnson’s performance. Hot off its Venice Film Festival Silver Lion win for Best Director, A24’s launched a new trailer for the possible awards-season contender.
Johnson stars as the legendary mixed martial arts and UFC fighter Mark Kerr. The R-rated drama also stars Emily Blunt, Ryan Bader, Bas Rutten, and Oleksandr Usyk.
Benny Safdie wrote the screenplay, directs, edits, and produces. Additional producers include Dwayne Johnson, Eli Bush, Hiram Garcia, Dany Garcia, and David Koplan. Safdie’s behind-the-scenes team includes director of photography Maceo Bishop, production designer James Chinlund, costume designer Heidi Bivens, and casting director Jennifer Venditti. The music is by Nala Sinephro.
The Smashing Machine will open in theaters on October 3, 2025.
