Latest news with #Carrie
Winnipeg Free Press
6 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Winnipeg Free Press
A killer curveball
Our favourite diminutive gray-haired autistic private eye Holly Gibney faces not one, not two, but three totally whackjob wingnut killers converging on dreary Buckeye City on the even drearier shores of Lake Erie. Having sold plenty of copies of his most recent novel Holly, American horror master Stephen King brings Gibney back again, this time tackling an unknown avenger seemingly killing people randomly, and siblings from a far-right church aiming to assassinate a feminist icon. Well, as Holly might say, this is kind of poopy, but no more than she can handle. Probably. Maybe. Shane Leonard photo After supporting roles in some of his other books, Never Flinch is Stephen King's second novel to feature Holly Gibney as the protagonist. Never Flinch is quite the episodic tale, offering us disparate elements galore, which we're confident will all come together in an apocalyptic finale. One hint: no supernatural creatures this time… just evil on steroids. To set the scene: A man who was beaten out for a big promotion frames his competitor as a child pornographer who goes to prison and is murdered by another inmate. The elevated runner-up doesn't get to enjoy his new job very long; he has terminal cancer and relents, although the innocent man is dead by then. Except… except that there's evidence he recanted in time to save the wrongfully convicted man, but the prosecutor sat on the evidence because he had a slam-dunk conviction. Now someone has announced he'll kill 13 innocents and one guilty in retribution. And proceeds to start doing so. Meanwhile, feminist motivational author Kate is on a speaking tour across the U.S., attracting hordes of supporters and MAGA haters. King quietly works in the names of real doctors murdered for providing abortion as a health care service. Unbeknownst to Kate and faithful assistant Corrie, a right-wing church has dispatched siblings Chris and Chrissy to try to scare her off the campaign, and if that doesn't work, to murder her and as many of her followers as they can manage. In Buckeye City, it goes without saying. The plot needs even more thickening — so Holly becomes Kate's bodyguard. Meanwhile, legendary soul singer Sista Betty is going to be performing in Buckeye City, and is a huge admirer of Holly's young associate, poet Barbara, and wants to adapt one of her poems to music and perform it together. Yes, together. Barbara and her brother Jerome are tangentially helping Holly unofficially sleuthing the growing list of random murders, after Holly is off-the-books enlisted by her friend police detective Izzy. Never Flinch Meanwhile (yet again), Izzy is starting pitcher for the cops in a charity softball game against the firefighters, that the mayor has decreed must go on, serial carnage notwithstanding. Further muddying the picture, the firefighters are depicted as a pack of MAGA misogynists. Stephen King has written dozens of horror novels since Carrie in 1976, only a handful limited to human beings, and a paucity of straightforward murder mysteries, an obvious exception Holly the book, albeit with elderly professorial cannibals. Never Flinch does get quite busy, the softball game especially cumbersome. In a desperate attempt to avoid spoilers: some characters are dealt with quite abruptly, when we might expect drawn-out confrontations lasting the better part of a chapter. King has generally had well-meaning white liberals from the northern U.S. as his protagonists, for which Holly certainly qualifies. He has had less success writing Black characters who feel like rounded real people. Barbara, Jerome and Sista Betty are just so nice, and so magnificently talented in everything they do. They feel like folk in a '50s sitcom about perfect families. Nevertheless, Holly Gibney is an appealing hero with legions of fans. In the acknowledgements, King says his wife Tabitha read a draft and told him he could have done better. Maybe so, but it's Stephen King, and Never Flinch offers a darned good read. Retired Free Press reporter Nick Martin has no intention of visiting Erie or Sandusky or whichever awful Ohio city that Buckeye City is supposed to be; he reckons random murders might not have been one of the featured tourism draws.
Hamilton Spectator
8 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Hamilton Spectator
Carrie's voice is back. So is the show's soul as ‘And Just Like That…' grows up
PARIS (AP) — 'She's messy. It can be messy. But it's real.' So says Cynthia Nixon — not just of Miranda Hobbes, the character she's embodied for almost three decades, but of the show itself. 'And Just Like That...,' HBO's 'Sex and the City' revival, has come into its own in Season 3: less preoccupied with pleasing everyone, and more interested in telling the truth. Truth, in this case, looks like complexity. Women in their 50s with evolving identities. Not frozen in time, but changing, reckoning, reliving. Queerness that's joyful but not polished. Grief without melodrama. A pirate shirt with a bleach hole that somehow becomes a talisman of power. At its glittering European premiere this week, Nixon and co-star Sarah Jessica Parker, flanked by Kristin Davis and Sarita Choudhury, spoke candidly with The Associated Press about how the show has evolved into something deeper, rawer and more reflective of who they are now. A voice returns Season 3 marks the return of Carrie Bradshaw's iconic internal monologue that once defined 'Sex and the City.' The series has always followed Carrie's rhythm, but now it brings back something deeper: her voice. Literally. 'We've always loved the voiceover,' Parker said. 'It's a rhythm — it's part of the DNA.' The decision to restore it, producers say, was deliberate. The voiceovers return just as Carrie rediscovers her direction — offering viewers a renewed sense of intimacy and connection. That growth is echoed in her rekindled relationship with Aidan and her acceptance to step back for him to focus on his troubled son. The character who in 1998 first stopped a cab in Manolo Blahniks — and once floated through Manhattan chasing shoes and column deadlines — is now grounded in reinvention, the wounds of loss and cautious hope. The word is: grown up. 'She doesn't burst into tears or stomp out of the room anymore,' Parker said. 'She asks smart, patient questions. That's not effort — that's just her nature now.' 'People seem surprised that she is mature,' Parker added. 'But that's just basic developmental stuff — hopefully, simply by living, we get better at things. It's not surprising. It's just real.' Warts and all If Carrie is the compass, Miranda is the seismic shift. Miranda's arc — which now includes a late-in-life queer awakening — may be the show's most radical contribution to television. And for Nixon, who publicly came out as queer while still playing straight in the original 'Sex and the City,' that evolution is deeply personal. 'There's never a 'too late' moment. Miranda comes to queerness at 55,' Nixon said. 'That doesn't mean everything that came before was wrong. It just means this is her now. And it's messy. It can be messy. But it's real.' That embrace of imperfection lies at the core of Nixon's philosophy — and the show's power. On television, where characters linger in our lives for years, there's a unique intimacy and empathy that develops. 'Television puts someone in your living room, week after week. They're imperfect, they make you laugh, and eventually you say, 'I know that person. They're my friend.'' she said. 'That's more powerful than one mythic, perfect film. That's where the change happens.' That change includes how queerness is portrayed. Nixon recalled how earlier generations of LGBTQ+ characters were forced to be flawless, or two-dimensional, to justify their screen time. 'There was a time when gay people on screen had to be saints or martyrs,' she said. 'Now, we can be characters like Miranda — who've had rich, fulfilling heterosexual lives and now stumble upon queerness, and not in a tidy way. There's collateral damage. That's important.' That depth, Nixon said, comes not just from character, but from the format. Unlike film, which requires resolution in two hours, television lets people grow — and falter — in real time. 'The writers are smart' And Miranda's transformation isn't just personal. It's political. In Season 3, she's seen retraining in human rights law, joining protest movements, and wrestling with systemic questions — mirroring Nixon's own off-screen life. In 2018, the actor ran for governor of New York on a progressive platform, bringing her activism directly into the public arena. That convergence isn't accidental, she says. 'On long-running shows, if the writers are smart, they start to weave in the actor,' Nixon said. 'When I started, Miranda and I were very different. But now we've grown closer. We're almost the same person — in temperament, in values.' Season 3 narrows its scope, pulling focus back to the emotional cores of Carrie, Miranda and Charlotte. Several side characters are gone, including Che Diaz, and what remains is a cleaner, more character-driven story. 'I think one of the great things about our show is we show women in their 50s whose lives are very dramatic and dynamic,' Nixon said. 'You get to this age and there's a lot going on — if you choose to keep moving forward.' Friends, friction, and freedom Kristin Davis, who plays Charlotte, noted that those life shifts come fast and often overlap. 'She really starts to unravel,' Davis said. 'But the joy is her friends are there.' Sarita Choudhury, who plays real estate powerhouse Seema, echoed that sense of late-blooming autonomy. 'She's feeling that, if you have your own business, your own apartment, your own way, you get to say what you want,' Choudhury said. 'There's power in that.' It's a subtle rebuke to the long-held media narrative that midlife is a decline. Not just fashion — declaration Fashion, as ever, is present — but now it feels more personal than aspirational. Parker described insisting on wearing a ripped vintage Vivienne Westwood shirt with a bleach hole. 'It had to be in an important scene. It meant something,' she said. Even the show's iconic heels, still clacking through New York's brownstone-lined streets, feel louder this season. And yes, Carrie is writing again — not her usual musings, but a 'historical romance' that lets the show wink at its own pretensions. Taxis become carriages. Voiceovers drift into period drama. Her beloved blouse — vintage, shredded, almost costume — fits the mood perfectly: century-leaping fashion for a century-leaping Carrie. The protagonist, as ever, walks the line between costume and character. 'And Just Like That...' is a show that's learned to walk — loudly — into its next chapter. 'You're better today than you were 10 years ago,' Parker said. 'That's not just Carrie — that's everyone.' ___ Season 3 of 'And Just Like That…' premiered on Thursday on HBO Max
Elle
12 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Elle
A Full Recap And Analysis Of And Just Like That... Season 3, Episode 1
Spoilers below. Every season of And Just Like That… has felt like the start of a new chapter, but this season, it really feels like it. Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker) has a new apartment, Samantha (Kim Cattrall) gave us closure, and Miranda (Cynthia Nixon), and the show as a whole, are done with Che. In fact, a few characters are missing from the season 3 opener, including Sara Ramirez's divisive stand-up comic, professor Nya (Karen Pittman), and Miranda's ex Steve (David Eigenberg). Maybe the show realized that there was too much going on, and that it needed to slim down its focus a bit. It's still outrageous, just a little less crammed. But some things still linger from past seasons, like Carrie and Aidan's situationship? You might recall that in the season 2 finale, the old lovers left things off on a confusing note: They are taking a five-year break while Aidan (John Corbett) tends to his family in Virginia. They're not supposed to see or talk to each other during that time, but they've been bending that rule by sending each other postcards. Carrie starts off the episode sending one with a vintage photo of Gramercy Park (her new neighborhood). How long can they make this arrangement last? Later that night, Miranda falls into an entanglement of her own during a night out at a lesbian bar. After braving an awkward run-in with her son's old babysitter and getting called a 'rando' by other patrons, she finds solace in another out-of-place guest named Mary (Rosie O'Donnell). She's in town visiting and is rather forward, inviting Miranda to her hotel room after exchanging only a few words, but what the heck, Miranda is into it. They go home together, but the next morning, Miranda is in for a few surprises: Their night together was the first time Mary had sex…with anyone…because she is a nun. A virgin nun? Oh, Miranda you've really outdone yourself. Meanwhile, the ever-glamorous Seema (Sarita Choudhury), whom I more and more each season, has her own crisis while trying to get in touch with her busy director boyfriend Ravi, who is filming on location in Egypt. She lights up a cigarette in bed and falls asleep waiting, nearly burning her apartment down. (On the bright side, the damage was only done to her hair. The down side? Damage was done to her hair.) She later vents to Carrie about it during a walk in Washington Square Park, but I'm sorry, I'm too distracted by Carrie's massive bonnet to register anything else. She looks like a very chic mushroom from Fantasia. Lisa (Nicole Ari Parker), on the other hand, seems to be making headway in her career. (Last season, she suffered a miscarriage and worried about not being able to balance motherhood and her professional life.) Her latest project is a documentary series about unsung Black women throughout history, like Bessie Coleman, the first Black woman to earn a pilot license. It seems to be going well, but her producers seem more interested in including a bigger name—like Michelle Obama. Lisa is confused. Isn't this series supposed to be about unsung women rather than a very famous first lady? She acquiesces but feels her vision is being compromised. After Carrie accidentally slips and falls in her new home (it's big enough to run around in) Miranda comes over to debrief about her night with Sister Mary, using some delightful wordplay. 'You deflowered the Virgin Mary,' Carrie points out. Mary's too clingy and keeps texting Miranda, but she wants to end it. 'Can I ghost a nun?' she asks. 'It would be a holy ghost,' Carrie responds. Charlotte (Kristin Davis) is unfortunately stuck in this episode dealing with dog drama. Her bulldog, Mr. Burton, is accused of attacking a Chihuahua at the park, which sends her spiraling looking for a new dog walker and doggy daycare. In the end, she finds out that Burton was wrongly accused because the woman making the claim has bad eyesight. (Go figure!) Charlotte's daughter Lilly (Cathy Ang), however, is treated to a little bit of romance this week when she, Carrie, and Anthony (Mario Cantone) get exclusive invites to a ballet dress rehearsal at Lincoln Center. She has a crush on one of the dancers, and she nearly falls out of her seat watching him pirouette. While she ogles at her crush, there are some tensions between Carrie and Anthony as he judges the state of her relationship with Aidan. How can she be with him if she doesn't know when (or if!) he's coming back to New York? Aidan does return to our screens in this episode—but not to the Big Apple just yet—when he calls Carrie from his Virginia home, slightly drunk. Their flirty conversation turns into phone sex, but Carrie gets cold feet when she realizes her cat, Shoe, is staring her down from across the room. As Aidan finishes on the other end of the line, Carrie pretends that she does too. At least one long distance couple reunites: Seem and Ravi. The director arrives home surprisingly early and pampers Seema with a cascading bouquet of flowers and a reservation at Jean-Georges, but there's a catch: They have to go location-scouting for his film first…with his crew. Though he promises they'll make their lunch reservation, they go over-time, and Seema is fed up. Ravi 'lost track of time and on me,' she tells him. She calls a black car and leaves him in a movie-worthy exit. The rest of the ladies gather at Harlem's Red Rooster for Herbert's (Christopher Jackson), campaign event. (Lisa's husband is running for city comptroller, if you needed a reminder.) Though he's been spending a majority of the episode trying to be 'cool,' he succumbs to his charmingly uncool hobbies and performs with his college a cappella group. (A great excuse for to get the Hamilton alum to sing onscreen.) While staying true to himself, Herbert encourages Lisa to do the same with her docuseries and stay true to her vision. She's all ears until she realizes their event planner has a connection to The White House. Could he be her in with the Obamas? Miranda also can't help but go with her gut when Mary asks to meet in Times Square by the M&M store. (She gifts her a bag of the candies—M&M for Mary and Miranda!) She feels bad for the nun, but she also doesn't want to lead her on. 'Don't leave God for me,' she pleads. Mary shrugs all that off; of course she wouldn't leave God, she says, she's married to him. On a more sentimental note, Mary explains that Miranda helped her explore a side of herself that was always within her, waiting to be uncovered. Fresh off of watching a performance of Wicked, she takes Miranda's hands and sings, 'Because I knew you, I have been changed for good.' Carrie also comes clean when she calls Aidan that night, confessing that she faked her orgasm over the phone during their last conversation, but she's willing to give it another go. Unfortunately, it's not a good time for Aidan, who's in bed with his son. This five-year, long-distance break is going to be harder than Carrie thought. She gets out of bed and returns to the thing she knows best: writing. She opens her laptop and begins typing (with her signature narration), 'The woman wondered what she had gotten herself into.' This season, we're about to find out. ELLE Collective is a new community of fashion, beauty and culture lovers. For access to exclusive content, events, inspiring advice from our Editors and industry experts, as well the opportunity to meet designers, thought-leaders and stylists, become a member today HERE. Erica Gonzales is the Deputy Editor, Culture at where she oversees coverage on TV, movies, music, books, and more. She was previously an editor at There is a 75 percent chance she's listening to Lorde right now.
Yahoo
14 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Carrie Underwood Welcomes New Farm Baby and People Can't Get Enough
Carrie Underwood Welcomes New Farm Baby and People Can't Get Enough originally appeared on PetHelpful. On Wednesday, May 21st, country music star (and American Idol judge!) Carrie Underwood announced the arrival of her farm's newest family member: a tiny, adorable baby boy lamb! Carrie shared a few pictures as well as an adorable video of the baby and his mama. Carrie also shared his name, explaining that since he was born on the day of the American Idol season finale the only appropriate name would be Jamal, the winner of the season! Carrie said in the video's caption that she pops into the barn every chance she gets for snuggles, and who can blame her?! Jamal is the cutest little guy we've seen on the internet today!People loved Carrie's photos and video. @American Idol chimed in with, "Already lookin' like a winner!" @hudialyss added, "I feel like he needs a photoshoot with Jamal the winner!" However, others were upset by the lamb's name. While some viewers thought the name that Carrie chose for her little baby lamb was cute, some thought it was insulting, like @sassybrit 75 who said, "Tone deaf af. Damn shame." @ agreed, adding, "Ain't no way y'all think this is ok…." Many thought that Carrie's name choice was distasteful, especially since many fans believed she wasn't happy that Jamal had won. @bigpoptlc shared, "It seems counterintuitive to believe that you don't know that naming an animal after someone (for whom you've made clear you harbor considerable disdain) would be profoundly reductive and disrespectful. Shame on you for doing this passive aggressive nonsense." Commenter @k80slife shared, "So adorable! It's really crazy how someone people will turn anything into an insult. She didn't have to name the lamb after him, and I'm sure she wouldn't have if she hated him like some of y'all believe." Wow! Most people showed up just to see Carrie's cute little lamb, not even realizing what a controversy his name would start. Fortunately, most of the comments were positive and only focused on how cute the little lamb is. Carrie Underwood Welcomes New Farm Baby and People Can't Get Enough first appeared on PetHelpful on May 29, 2025 This story was originally reported by PetHelpful on May 29, 2025, where it first appeared.
Elle
17 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Elle
Yes, You Can Shop Carrie's Insanely Large Hat From 'And Just Like That'
Every item on this page was chosen by an ELLE editor. We may earn commission on some of the items you choose to buy. Sex and the City's fashionable legacy is alive and well in And Just Like That..., whether it's in the form of more frilly, frothy gowns or eccentric accessories (like that pigeon purse). While Patricia Field is no longer with the series, Carrie, Miranda, Charlotte, Seema, and Lisa are in good hands with costume designers Molly Rogers and Danny Santiago. If you're looking for some out-of-the-box outfit inspiration this spring and summer, look no further than the standout looks from AJLT season 3. See some of our favorites below, and check back each week for new additions. What does Carrie Bradshaw wear in her apartment? Oh, just a casual sheer Simone Rocha dress and coat. The famous columnist starts out season 3, episode 1 in this ethereal look, and similar pieces are still available to shop. We need to talk about the hat. During a stroll with Seema, Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker) steps out in what many have described as a Strawberry Shortcake-like headpiece. 'I saw the hat and wanted it on my head,' Parker told US Weekly. 'We pretty much just put stuff on my head and photograph it, and hope that Michael Patrick [King, the showrunner] is hospitable to the idea.' The piece is by Maryam Keyhani, paired with a vintage Ossie Clark dress and Dr. Scholl's sandals. Nicole Ari Parker's Lisa might be a new addition to the world of SATC, but she can certainly keep up with the main trio, especially when it comes to style. For her husband's campaign event, she dressed up in a colorful La DoubleJ dress and yellow feathered heeled sandals for an extra pop of color. You can find a similar style here. This post will be updated.
