Latest news with #ReginaGeorge
Forbes
12-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Reneé Rapp's Superstar Moment Has Arrived
Reneé Rapp has gone from an exciting, talented newcomer in several entertainment fields to a certified superstar in just a few years. The singer and actress first made herself known in the TV series The Sex Lives of College Girls before starring as Regina George in the musical film adaptation of Mean Girls. In between projects, Rapp has managed a music career, which has taken off spectacularly. Her fanbase is global, but in the United Kingdom, it seems especially strong, as that's where her new album Bite Me earns its most impressive starting points. Bite Me Launches at No. 1 on Several Charts Bite Me opens on six tallies in the U.K. this week, and it leads many of them. Rapp debuts her sophomore full-length at No. 1 on the Official Albums chart, the ranking of the most consumed projects in the country. The title also begins its time in first place on the Official Album Sales, Official Physical Albums, and Official Vinyl Albums rankings. Reneé Rapp Reaches the Top 10 Bite Me is a top 10 win on every tally on which it appears in the U.K. at the moment. As it leads four lists, it also launches in fifth place on the Official Album Downloads chart and at No. 10 on the ranking of the most streamed collections. Bite Me Follows Snow Angel Bite Me arrives almost exactly two years after Snow Angel, her debut full-length. That project was also a top 10 success in the U.K., as it stalled at No. 7 on the main ranking of the biggest titles. 'Leave Me Alone' Introduced Bite Me Bite Me was fronted by several singles which arrived before the album dropped in full, with 'Leave Me Alone' kicking things off and introducing the new rock sound the set was centered around. That tune reached No. 69 on the main songs tally in the U.K., earning Rapp only her second appearance on the list. She also made the 100-spot roster that measures the most consumed songs in the U.K. with 'Not My Fault,' a collaboration with Megan Thee Stallion, which was created specifically for Mean Girls.
Yahoo
02-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
10 Friendship Red Flags That Are Corrosive AF, According to a Relationship Counselor
Make new friends, but keep the old non-toxic ones. From Bette and Joan to Taylor and Blake, not all friendships are built to last—and some are better left behind. Maybe they compete with you like Regina George, or leave you emotionally drained like Fleabag and Boo, or try to steal your identity like Single White Female. Whether it's constant drama, crossed boundaries, or backhanded compliments disguised as jokes, the signs of a toxic friend aren't always easy to spot—when you've known them forever or are just mingling for the first time. So how do you actually know when a friendship is no longer healthy—and more importantly, what should you do about it? I asked a relationship expert to break down the biggest friendship red flags. Plus, what to say (or text) when it's time to set boundaries—or walk away entirely. Because even friendships need check-ins, boundaries, and sometimes, an exit plan. Meet the Expert , LCPC, MA, is a licensed clinical therapist with over a decade of experience and three master's degrees in Counseling, Psychology, and Education. She's also the founder of Mindful Healing Works, a therapy and wellness company for people who've felt unseen in traditional mental health spaces. The Hell with Gentle Parenting. What We Actually Need Is More Gentle Friendshipping 9 Friendship Red Flags to Watch Out For 1. Subtle Put-Downs Disguised as 'Jokes' If their humor regularly comes at your expense—and you're always the punchline—it's not banter. It's belittling. We often excuse this repeated behavior as 'just how they are,' especially in long-term friendships, says Meyer, who reminds me that familiarity can make us blind sometimes. Remember: 'Loyalty isn't about tolerating disrespect; it's about mutual care,' reminds Meyer. 2. Emotional Dumping Without Reciprocity Everyone vents, but if you're constantly playing therapist while they barely ask how you're doing, that's emotional labor, not friendship. 3. Ghosting When Things Get Real They vanish during your hard moments but expect you to drop everything when they're in crisis. This isn't emotional support—it's convenience. 4. Feeling Drained After You Hang Out A rough patch still feels like you're on the same team. But if you leave interactions feeling anxious, small or like you're walking on eggshells, it's not a phase—it's a pattern. 5. Censoring Your Wins If you find yourself downplaying your joy, your growth or your success to keep the peace—beware. Real friends don't shrink you to feel bigger. 6. Boundary-Crossing Framed as Loyalty Write this one down: 'True loyalty holds space for autonomy.' People often confuse enmeshment with closeness. More wise words from Meyer who reminds us that if your friend insists you check in constantly, share every secret, or rely on each other for everything, that codependency is not care. 7. Resenting Your Growth If setting a boundary, evolving or investing in your own life makes them distant or cold, we're looking at a red flag. Per Meyer: 'If a friend gets upset when you not loyalty, it's control dressed up as care.' 8. Complicated Power Dynamics Do they always have the final say, dominate plans or treat your ideas like they're optional? Red flag. 9. They Offer Non-Apologies A non-apology is one of the sneakiest—and most telling—friendship red flags because it signals a lack of emotional accountability. You know the type: 'I'm sorry you feel that way.' 'Sorry if I hurt you, but I was just being honest.' 'You're too sensitive.' These phrases may sound like apologies on the surface, but they actually deflect blame, invalidate your feelings, and protect their ego more than they repair the relationship. In a healthy friendship, both people can own their impact—not just their intent. As Meyer told me, true friendship is about mutual care. And that includes being able to say, 'I see how I hurt you—and I'm sorry.' Without that, you're stuck in a dynamic where your emotions are minimized and the other person never has to grow 10. They Deal in Absolutes 'You always do this,' 'You never support me,' 'If you don't agree with me, you're against me'—that's not honesty, that's emotional manipulation. Absolutes shut down nuance, growth and honest dialogue, which is kinda the point. But healthy friendships can hold complexity. Navigating Friendship Red Flags Why Is It So Hard to Walk Away from a Friendship That's Not Good for You? 'Because we grieve what could've been,' shares Meyer. 'We hold onto the history, the shared memories, and the version of ourselves that once needed that connection. Especially for high-achieving women or empaths, it can feel like failure to walk away. But sometimes loving yourself means outgrowing what no longer serves your nervous system.' How Do Friendship Red Flags Differ in Your 20s vs. Your 40s? 'In your 20s, red flags are often tied to identity. Jealousy, competition, inconsistency,' Meyer tells me. A couple decades later, in your 40s, the red flags get quieter but more impactful: "friends who don't respect your time, ignore your healing, or can't hold space for your joy. When you're building a life that's aligned, you don't have time for energy leaks.' What Does Healing from a Toxic Friendship Actually Look Like? 'Healing means reclaiming your self-trust. It's the moment you realize you're no longer replaying old convos in your head or explaining your side to people who aren't in the room. It looks like noticing peace instead of panic in silence. You know you're ready for new friendships when you stop needing people to 'get' you, and instead seek people who feel good to be around.' In short, as Meyer breaks it down, it's about opting to step off the cycle. What to Say to Red-Flagged Friend I asked Meyer for specific scripts to use when taking steps in creating distance with a toxic friend. Here's what she told me. To create boundaries with a friend:'I care about our friendship, and I'm realizing I need to take better care of my energy. That means saying no sometimes, even if it disappoints you.' To alter the power dynamic: 'I've noticed I've been shrinking a bit in this friendship, and I'm working on showing up more fully, so I may start speaking up differently moving forward.' To move on from a friendship:'I've appreciated what we've shared, but I'm in a different season now and need space to grow into it fully.' Bottom Line As Erin Meyer, LCPC, reminds us, healthy friendships don't demand constant access, blind loyalty or self-sacrifice. They offer mutual care, respect for boundaries and space for both people to grow. Because the best friendships—the ones that do last—don't drain you, shrink you, or guilt-trip you for evolving. They cheer you on, hold you accountable and don't judge that you watched 30+ episodes of Love Island in one weekend. What Is the Perfect Number of Friends? Why You Should Trust Us PureWow's editors and writers have spent more than a decade shopping online, digging through sales and putting our home goods, beauty finds, wellness picks and more through the wringer—all to help you determine which are actually worth your hard-earned cash. From our PureWow100 series (where we rank items on a 100-point scale) to our painstakingly curated lists of fashion, beauty, cooking, home and family picks, you can trust that our recommendations have been thoroughly vetted for function, aesthetics and innovation. Whether you're looking for travel-size hair dryers you can take on-the-go or women's walking shoes that won't hurt your feet, we've got you covered. Solve the daily Crossword
The Sun
28-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Win tickets to a fashion makeover weekend in Sun Bingo's slot prize draw
THERE'S ASOS vouchers and tickets to Sun Bingo's fashion makeover weekend to be won in this slot prize draw. Calling all fashion fans, style sisters, designer divas and pamper princesses, Sun Bingo has the next big look in online bingo promotions. It's hot, it's fresh and it's for everyone (that meets the eligibility requirements). The prizes in this slots draw are to die for, darling. We're talking five ASOS vouchers worth £100 each! Then, there's the ultimate prize. The coolest, trendiest, most glamorous prize you've ever seen. It's the Regina George of prizes, without the mean girl attitude problem! Our final week prize winner will join the exclusive group of Sun Bingo winners that are invited to join us for a fashion makeover weekend that'll make your friends wild with jealousy! Luckily, one of them won't have to suffer from FOMO as they can come along as your plus one. Who? Anyone who meets the following eligibility requirements can be part of our cool group and join the slot prize draw: You must be a registered player You must be a UK and ROI resident You must be at least 18+ years old (registration and ID verification are required) What? This summer, Sun Bingo has a promo so hot, it would scorch the Burn Book. We're taking a selection of winners and their plus ones to London for a fashion makeover weekend! You'll be staying in a lovely hotel where you can enjoy a two-night stay with breakfast and dinner included (see full T&Cs below). As part of the weekend, our winners will also have a day of pampering, with a makeover, hair treatments and a facial. Don't think we're done yet as this weekend has more treats than Glen Coco. We're also including a personalised session with a top stylist who will help each of our winners to make their wardrobes pop thanks to expert advice, tailored to our winners' most flattering styles. Each winner will get a new daytime AND evening outfit to keep. Want a fancy night out to debut the new look? We thought of that as well, with each winner receiving two theatre tickets. We know we could stop there… but why would we? Turn the high street into a catwalk with a £300 shopping voucher. Now you know how fetch the prize will be, here's how you can win your way onto the weekend. One way to win is through our slot prize draw. To enter, opt in each week that you want to participate and stake £50 cash on slot games. This will act as one entry to the prize draw. There will be five winners each week, who will be awarded a £100 ASOS voucher each. Then, all qualifying players throughout the weeks will automatically be entered into the grand finale. That week's prize draw will award five £100 ASOS vouchers AND a pair of tickets to the fashion weekend (for one main winner and their plus one). The limit does not exist with this promo as there is no cap on entries per person. 1 When? The promotion starts on Monday 28th July and finishes on Sunday 24th August. The prize draws will take place every Monday, starting on Monday 4th August. The grand finale winners will have their names drawn on Monday 25th August. Where? No need to pick a slot clique to sit with at lunch as you can qualify on any of the slot games at Sun Bingo. Why? There's no pain just gain when it comes to this fashion makeover promotion. Even if you already like your wardrobe, who doesn't love to add to it? These outfits will have been selected by an expert so that you look your most fabulous when wearing them. Come and let us pamper you with a weekend of fun, fashion and fetch times. How do I get my prize? Players who win the fashion voucher or fashion makeover will be sent a code and link to the Sun Bingo prize website within seven days of winning via email. Winners will have seven days to claim their prize after receiving the winners' email. Players will need to follow the link from the email, confirm the address is in the UK, and accept the terms. Select their prize and fill in the information required to deliver the respective prize. Please allow up to 28 days for delivery of prizes. In order to fulfil the prize, the details entered to the prize claim site will be shared with and or Brand Matters, our approved prize supplier. By claiming the prize, players are accepting these terms. It is a customer's responsibility to ensure that they have the correct details added to their accounts to ensure they receive prize claim emails. Failure to do this could result in the loss of a prize. It is a customer's responsibility to enter the correct details for delivery and be able to accept the delivery at that address within the 28-day delivery window. Prizes are subject to change throughout the campaign due to availability with *New customers only. Deposit £10 for 100 free spins on selected games (wager winnings 20x) and spend £10 on bingo tickets for £50 bingo bonus (wager bonus 4x within 7 days). Only completed games are credited. Debit cards only. Offer ends 31.07.25. 18+. T&Cs apply. Offer runs between 28.07.25 and 24.08.25. Opt in, stake £50 cash on slots each week (Monday to Sunday) and gain one entry to the prize draw. There are five £100 ASOS vouchers to be won each week. The final prize draw will award one winner tickets to the fashion makeover. 18+. T&Cs apply. The Fashion Makeover The fashion makeover prize includes accommodation for two individuals for two nights in London. Breakfast and dinner will be provided at the hotel. Dinner expenses will be pre-paid for two guests, up to £50 per night. Any additional charges incurred at the hotel will be billed to the winner by the hotel. Additionally, the prize includes two theatre tickets. The makeover event is scheduled for Sunday 5 th October and Monday 6 th October (we reserve the right to alter these dates). The prize package also encompasses hair, makeup and a facial. Each winner will receive two styled outfits, one for daytime and one for evening wear, which they will be allowed to take home. Furthermore, they will be awarded a £300 shopping voucher to select additional outfits based on the stylist's recommendations. This prize is designated for one individual per winner. The event will be documented through photography and videography for social media purposes, and each winner will receive the images and videos to keep and share with their family and friends. Commercial content notice: Taking one of the offers featured in this article may result in a payment to The Sun. 18+. T&Cs apply. Remember to gamble responsibly A responsible gambler is someone who: For help with a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133 or go to to be excluded from all UK-regulated gambling websites.
Refinery29
16-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Refinery29
We Don't Need To Bitch About Our Bodies To Bond, OK?
My therapist gave me a strange request during our last ever session: stand naked in front of a full-length mirror and say affirmations about my body out loud. ' Not a chance in hell ', I thought at the time, instinctively covering my boobs with my hands over my t-shirt. The idea was that verbalising positive affirmations about my body and myself, all in the nude, would help with the negative self-talk I said in my head. It took me literal months before I dared flash myself in the mirror, let alone say lovely things about myself while full frontal. But, once the silliness wore off, and I got truly naked with myself, I realised why I was given this assignment: I needed to break the habit of bitching about my body. I was put to the test amongst a new set of friends recently. They were chatting about what they would change if they had the money for cosmetic enhancements. It was the expected conversational dance; 'I need a boob job' met the response 'I'd get a tummy tuck', and so on. Except, as eyes turned to me, ready for me to share the flaw I was keen to fix, I couldn't think of anything. In that moment, I was alright with myself. 'I wouldn't change anything,' I said, shrugging. I quickly got the sense that this response was wrong. (If you're thinking of that Mean Girls scene — you're spot on; the one where Regina George and co stand in front of a mirror picking apart their skin, hair and nails, and Lindsey Lohan's character, Cady, feeling the pressure to participate, says, 'I get bad breath in the morning'). I wasn't supposed to like my body in that moment. Not really. Especially not in this perceived safe space. Especially when we're bonding over the cruel and relentless demands placed on a woman's body image. The conversation became awkward and cold, as if I were breaking an unwritten rule. Do we need to empty our private boxes of vulnerabilities on the table for our friends to pick up, scrutinise and compare? Do we appear much more relatable when we do? It's clear to me that my habit of negative self-talk about my body isn't just something reserved for when looking in the mirror but mirrored in my friendships, too. 'I instantly thought of that Mean Girls scene,' says psychotherapist Eloise Skinner when we chatted over Zoom. Skinner specialises in existential therapy and has an extensive background in fitness and modelling. She explained that my decision not to engage with negative self-talk in a social setting was a 'counter-cultural position' given the amount of emphasis placed on women's perceived flaws and vulnerabilities in society. 'I've also seen it a lot in other places as well in popular culture, so it's clearly something that is quite a well-known phenomenon, not just in people's friendship groups but also in the media and how we perceive women and their conversations.' Frustratingly, women are often accused of being superficial, and women's friendships are criticised under this lens. The words 'bitchy', 'gossipy', and 'competitive' spring to mind. This is something I was extremely conscious of before setting pen to paper to write this piece. In popular culture, when women meet with other women to talk, our conversations are reduced to mindless gossip instead of what they are and can be: a highly emotionally intelligent way to put the world to rights. And it feels deeply misogynistic to suggest that women only sit around talking about the way our bodies look. Yet it would also be disingenuous to say the subject doesn't matter at all. Statistics by YouGov in 2021 confirm that we are thinking about our bodies a lot, and the majority of women polled in the UK and the US want to change their appearance in some way. By now, most of us have come to understand the role that capitalistic pressures, beauty standards in social media and traditional marketing play in this. Still, research by the Mental Health Foundation stresses that 'how our family and peers feel and speak about bodies and appearance can also have an impact on self-esteem'. You may have seen the term 'Almond Mom' on social media, where women, specifically, talk about how their mothers' restrictive eating habits, comments around dieting and their weight, impacted how they view their own. There are more than 20,000 videos talking about this on TikTok. Our friendships can have a similar effect. ' We are all at different stops on this long, tiresome journey towards self-acceptance. And this conversation requires a huge dollop of nuance that acknowledges how conventional beauty standards impact people differently, depending on how close or far you are from the so-called ideal. ' 'In the group dynamic, [being critical about your image] can be seen as a culturally acceptable way to bond,' says Skinner, comparing these conversations to social activities like gossiping and drinking. Skinner explained that when choosing not to participate in self-critical discussions, it can indicate that you're not within the group or do not align with the group's values. 'There's also that feeling of, this group is trying to create a space for shared vulnerabilities, and [you've decided you're] not going to like participate in that,' she explained. Of course, vulnerability in friendship should be treasured, and the therapists I spoke to for this article all agreed that being open about your insecurities can lead to deeper and stronger connections with people in your life. Within trusted groups, by being able to share, you can challenge some of the harmful thoughts you withhold about your image — my best friends always call me out on any neggy comments I make about myself, as I do for them. How can you tell the difference between a nurturing friendship and one where negative self-talk is allowed to breed and fester? Angela Kyte, a former Harley Street psychotherapist who specialised in body image, eating disorders and anxiety and depression before setting up as an image consultant, explained there are key things to be aware of when you're talking about yourself in social settings. She explained that people with an 'external locus of evaluation' tend to be 'validated by the views and opinions of others'. She also explained how this can lead to low self-esteem, not just related to body image but in friendships, romantic relationships and the workplace. I'd be lying if I said I don't ask for opinions about myself constantly, whether it's my career choices or if I look good in an outfit. Is it ever a good thing to constantly seek validation and reassurance from a friend, especially with something as relatable and common as not feeling confident in your own skin? Kyte believes there is. 'If they're a trusted friendship group, the positive impact this could have is challenging your own thoughts, especially if you're getting a lot of positive reinforcement from these friends and people around you. It can start to at least make you stop and think about your own self-processes and self-thoughts.' We are all at different stops on this long, tiresome journey towards self-acceptance. And this conversation requires a huge dollop of nuance that acknowledges how conventional beauty standards impact people differently, depending on how close or far you are from the so-called ideal. It'd be entirely smug and frankly, self-aggrandising to not understand how my own set of privileges makes healing my negative self-talk simpler than it may be for some. However, questioning the shitty, insidious way society's structures make women question their worth is a huge part of my job. It's why interrogating why and how self-deprecation becomes embedded in the way we sometimes speak about ourselves feels so vital. ' I was raised to believe that speaking badly about myself was 'giving power to the devil' — and yet the longer I spend in this country, the more the devil wins. ' 'We just are so used to culturally and socially receiving [self critique] as the only way to think about ourselves… it would almost be seen as self-indulgent to say 'let's just go around the circle and say what we like about ourselves', even though that would probably be better for our mental health,' says Skinner. 'It's much more socially acceptable, in terms of the culture that we have right now, which is always about finding flaws and improving them or solving them with a product, to criticise yourself.' Let's be honest, being self-critical has often been linked to humility — which is practically a virtue in the UK — especially when you're a woman. Kyte agrees. 'We are in the British society, and the British society likes to be more modest [when you talk about yourself],' she says, knowingly. Indeed. The biggest insults I heard growing up in inner city Manchester were, 'she loves 'erself' or 'she thinks she's it ' — usually said after I put my hand up in class or wouldn't speak to the boys in the neighbourhood. The inference was that girls like me shouldn't love themselves, they shouldn't know they are pretty, or clever, or talented. You should instead bat away compliments, cast your eyes down and play small and humble. As Black women living in the UK, Kyte and I agreed that this forced humility doesn't work well when coming to appreciate your physical beauty in a world where you are the obvious minority. Praising a Black woman for being 'humble' feels like a microaggression at this point. 'Maybe your cultural background is also feeding into how you are as an individual, in terms of wanting to think more about your positive, all the great things you can do, all the great things you see in yourself, rather than dwelling on the negative in those sorts of settings and groups,' she considered. Agreed. I was raised to believe that speaking badly about myself was 'giving power to the devil' — and yet the longer I spend in this country, the more the devil wins. Though the Black women in my life, from Jamaica to Nigeria to the US, generally speak with confidence about themselves (even writing under pictures of themselves, captions such as 'I'm a fine babe'), not all friendships leave room for this kind of unbothered self-praise. Our bodies are the least important thing about a good friendship. We all know this. My best friends know me intimately and couldn't care less about the way I look, as I them. But to ensure our safe spaces remain that way, it's best to be conscious that they don't become playgrounds for our meanest insecurities.
Daily Mail
22-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Jennifer Garner hailed as 'relatable' as she drops very zany selfies
While she may be an A-lister, Jennifer Garner is being praised by numerous fans for her 'relatable' presence. The star, 53, dropped a slew of zany photos taken over the years to her Instagram on Saturday - and fans praised her for her 'relatable' snaps. 'Five stars if you've been here since Day One, bc the scroll back to 2017 is harrowing,' she captioned the post. The carousel began with a photo of Jennifer at the dentist - an image she 'hesitated' to post - followed by a string of silly snaps that she uploaded without a second thought. 'A photo I posted with no hesitation,' Jennifer - who took part in a running event on Sunday - described an wacky selfie taken on a set followed by a silly one of her with a hellish flame filter. Then came a video of her bathing green penguin statute - which she shared without thinking twice. 'A video I posted with no hesitation,' she said of the clip. Other photos shared with 'no hesitation' included a snap of a wig-clad possum, a photo of a swimsuit-clad Jennifer wearing goggles, a photo of her walking her late pet chicken Regina George, and more. As zany as the photos were, numerous fans hailed Garner for being 'relatable' and refreshing. 'One of the most relatable celebrities! I love watching your stories and your pretend cooking show,' one posted. 'I follow you because you're so unfiltered and I love it! AND also just a beautiful human being inside and out,' another wrote. 'Oh it's anything but harrowing, you're refreshing & one of the most relatable, worthy & lovable humans of following on here,' another wrote. 'I admire your authenticity,' another posted. 'Sooooo relatable! We all do stuff like this,' another wrote. Meanwhile, Garner was busy Sunday morning working on a cause close to her heart. One of the photos she posted with 'no hesitation' was of her with a hellish flame filter For over two months, the Alias actress has committed to running a mile a day to raise money for hungry children, and on Sunday hosted a running event celebrating the culmination of her daily jogs. 'Join me on June 22nd to run a mile for @savethechildren! I've been running one mile a day for the last 67 days— just $67 can help bring a child back from the brink of starvation,' the Save The Children ambassador wrote. 'Now I'm inviting you to join me for my final mile on Sunday, June 22nd with @becsgentry and @brooksrunning in support of Save the Children— in LA or from wherever you are! Let's celebrate what we've done and keep this movement going strong.' The 13 Going On 30 actress has been dating Miller on-off since 2018 and recently it's been reported that they have begun living together part-time. In a recent update of Garner and Miller's relationship, Us Weekly reported that John is now living with the Alias actress 'part time.' 'John is basically living with Jennifer,' a source told the publication back in April, noting it was only 'part time.' 'John is basically living with Jennifer,' a source told the publication back in April, noting it was only 'part time.' The site also claimed he moved out of his Los Angeles home after the wildfires ravaged several neighborhoods in the Southern California city, and he has yet to find a new pad. 'He has an office in L.A. and splits his time between staying there and at Jennifer's home,' the source said. 'But he's been staying with Jennifer more often [and] doesn't want to impose, so he's looking for his own place… [and] deciding whether he'll rent or buy.' Jennifer and John have been dating on-off since 2018. Garner is also close to her ex-husband Ben Affleck whom she has her kids with: Violet, 19, Fin, 16, and Samuel, 13.
