Andy Serkis explains why he changed Orwell's iconic 'Animal Farm' ending for new movie

NEW YORK –Andy Serkishas been trying to animateGeorge Orwell’s “Animal Farm” for 15 years. In 2026, he says it “couldn’t, actually, be more relevant.”

Serkis and his producing partner, Jonathan Cavendish, started tinkering around with an adaptation after he filmed 2011's “Rise of the Planet of the Apes.” The rebellion in that movie reminded him of “Animal Farm,” which he read for the first time on the bus to school when he was 10 or 11. Fifty-some years later, it sticks with him. He wore a red hat to the premiere that read, "Make Animal Farm Fiction Again."

“It was just the most amazing experience of reading something that hits you viscerally,” Serkis tells USA TODAY. “It feels like it's something else, but you're not quite understanding the ground swell of darkness that's underneath it.”

Orwell is often lauded as prophetic because his 1940s dystopian novelsring true with readers today. The theme of last year's Banned Books Week was"Censorship Is So 1984."When he wrote “Animal Farm,” he intended it as an allegory for the Russian Revolution and rise of Stalinism. Barnyard animals overthrow their farmer to build a utopia but by the end of the novel have devolved into a corrupt power structure where "all animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others."

Serkis approached the adaptation by asking himself what Orwell would write about if he wrote “Animal Farm” today. He didn’t want it to be a story about Stalinist Russia. Instead, he gravitated toward themes of capitalism, wealth and overconsumption. The billionaire antagonist, Pilkington (Glenn Close), drives what closely resembles a Cybertruck.

The lead-up to this adaptation, in theaters May 1, has been largely controversial. Whenthe trailer droppedin December, oversaturated with middle-school knee-slappers and set to the upbeat “Feel It Still” by Portugal. The Man, the criticism was swift. After all, “Animal Farm” is a serious and violent story with a bleak ending. This advertised butt jokes, campy fight montages and sinister Seth Rogen laughs. Even a star-studded ensemble of Rogen, Close,Gaten Matarazzo, Jim Parsons,Woody Harrelson, Steve Buscemi andLaverne Coxcouldn’t sell the new “Animal Farm” to some.

Andy Serkis welcomes criticism of new animated ‘Animal Farm’

Backlash to the trailer included one particular sting: “Orwell is rolling in his grave.” But Serkis maintains his estate signed off on the adaptation when he secured the rights. He insists “Orwell would have wanted” controversy.

“He's sort of adored and abhorred by both left and right, and that's the other thing about our film. We're not having a go at any one administration or regime. It's about authoritarianism and our response to that and power corrupting,” Serkis says. “I welcomed it. I loved that debate because that's what it's all about, creating a debate. That's what I do in my job as an actor, storyteller, filmmaker. Any act of creating art for me is about saying to the audience or the viewer, ‘Think about this differently.’ And if you don't agree with me, that's not a problem, but think about it differently."

When he bought the rights, Serkis said the Orwell estate didn’t exert much creative control, only requesting that he not stray too far from what the book is about.

Representatives for the Orwell Estate did not respond to USA TODAY’s request for comment.

Anti-dictatorship, but for kids

Serkis scrubs the story of its violence, at least in any graphic manner. Snowball (Cox), for example, is escorted off the farm rather than chased by hounds and torn to pieces like in the book. Boxer’s (Harrelson) horrific glue factory death is largely implied. It didn’t stop Serkis’ team from giving me apromotional bottle of craft gluewith the horse’s face on it, though. I'm not sure how this bit of dark humor will go over with the kiddos.

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Deciding who the audience was, Serkis says, was part of why it took a decade and a half to get the project off the ground. He points out “Animal Farm” was once subtitled“A Fairy Story”: “It was meant for a younger audience. He was writing with children in mind … I think we’ve remained loyal to that,” Serkis says. He added a new protagonist, Lucky (Matarazzo), a “young innocent piglet” with a moral arc and a slightly off-beat side-plot romance.

Did he worry that replacing the violence with potty humor would dilute the message? Serkis doesn’t miss a beat in his reply.

“We didn’t. We wanted to translate it in such a way that the threat is there, the impending threat is always there,” Serkis says.

Many of the secondary school English classes that teach “Animal Farm” study violence as a central theme and abuse of power. The atrocities make the seemingly silly feel sobering. But Serkis prefers his Trojan horse without the slaughter.

“We’re almost desensitized by the amount of violence that we are subjected to through news. But in a way, we’re so desensitized, we can’t cope with it,” Serkis says. “For a young person, if you can allow them to emotionally feel something like I did when I read the book, emotionally feel something, but not fully understand it, that's a good place to be, I think.”

Why Andy Serkis made major changes to ‘Animal Farm’ ending

“Animal Farm,” classically, is a story without a happy ending. But Serkis’ interpretation gives viewers closure. The film adds an entirely new third act: Lucky has a change of heart and apologizes, the animals take down Napoleon and the evil capitalistic Pilkington. Lucky tells the cautionary tale for a new generation.

While the book haunts, the film aims for hopeful: dictators are bad, we should help each other and freedom is working hard “not because we have to, but because we choose to,” as Lucky says.

Serkis chose this new ending because he was hesitant to dog-pile on an already “bleak world,” he says.

“We live in a world where there seemingly is no hope at the moment. We keep making the same mistakes. There are oppressive regimes globally. There are bosses in companies that maltreat their workers globally. We're living in such a difficult time. All times are difficult for humanity, but we're living in, it seems, certainly a world without truth or the inability to really know what is true and what isn't true,” Serkis says. “So we wanted the next generation, the kids who we hopefully are going to be watching this film, to at least have the ability to question what they should do next time around. History will inevitably repeat itself.”

Clare Mulroy is USA TODAY’s Books Reporter, where she covers buzzy releases, chats with authors and dives into the culture of reading. Find heron Instagram, subscribe to our weeklyBooks newsletteror tell her what you’re reading atcmulroy@usatoday.com.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Andy Serkis welcomes criticism of new 'Animal Farm' movie

byLiam Oneel

in

April 30, 2026

Andy Serkis explains why he changed Orwell's iconic 'Animal Farm' ending for new movie

NEW YORK –Andy Serkishas been trying to animateGeorge Orwell’s “Animal Farm” for 15 years. In 2026, he says it “couldn’t, actually, be ...

Read More

71 Bartenders Share Customer Gossip They’ve Heard On The Job, And The Tea Is Piping Hot

We all knowalcoholcan act like a kind of truth serum, loosening people’s tongues after a drink or two. And in a crowded bar, with loud music playing and conversations buzzing all around, it can feel like whatever you say will disappear into the noise. Well, not exactly.

OneRedditorasked bartenders what rumors they’ve heard lately, and they delivered with some seriouslyjuicy gossipthey’d overheard on the job. Below, we’ve rounded up some of their best answers. Grab your popcorn and scroll down to read them.

A woman was planning her dog’s birthday party, and was debating which dogs to invite since some of the dogs didn’t get along with her dog.

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No joke January 2020 i was bartending a conference for Doctor’s and heard some talking about “something happening over in China” and hoping for it to make its way over here to get it over with.

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Not a rumor, but last night I got to listen to a middle aged German foreign national explain to a middle aged, American couple the parallels between his country’s history and our own country’s current events. Once the conversation steered towards WW2 history I had to step away or else it would’ve been obvious I was eavesdropping!

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I overheard two doctors at my bar discussing how they only treat symptoms and never the actual problem anymore. If they do try to treat the problem, they get red taped by insurance companies or reprimanded by the hospital itself.

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A customer is on the phone in the middle of the bar, not too crowded but a long bar. Guy couldn't have been more than 25. I go to help someone at the end of the bar and on my way back I overhear:"No, I don't care! She's my sister, she is THIRTEEN and there is no reason she should be doing illegal substances! At all!"Gave him a few drinks on the house that night.

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These siblings (aged 50-60’s) arguing over their (not even passed and in fact present at the table) mother’s will and who gets what. It ended in a heated argument and the son speeding off.

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I've heard discussions on if my chest is real.Listened to a couple in an open marriage and apparently bi scout out the picking for the evening.Listened to tons of people telling their SO that they were working late. One guy even met a date later.Listened to a couple have a very intense whispered argument about custody. I assumed a kid. Turned out to be a cat.Listened to a couple guys plan how to rob me.Bartending was fun I miss it sometimes.

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On Valentines day this year, we had a guest who accepted a face time from his girlfriend while his side-chick was with him at the bar. He angled the phone so his girlfriend wouldn't see the girl, but it was so obvious.

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The Epstein Files are not going to go away.

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Word on the street at my bar is American professional sports games are being thrown by players and/or refs due to sports betting. For example the NFL, every year I over-hear more and more people casually say to their friends “The game is rigged”.

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Not a rumor, but my almost 80 year old customer said “My wife said I need hearing aids. I asked her why and she said, BECAUSE YOU CAN’T HEAR THE SAFE WORD!” Thanks for the laugh, John.

The owner of the bar is hooking up with a 22 year old server and paying for her apartment money walks I guess.

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Had a nurse telling his colleagues that vegan meats are going to cause huge societal problems because they are structurally the same as human meat. And apparently once people acquire the taste for human meat, it’s an insatiable hunger they can never let go of and are going to naturally desire eating other humans.I hope to never see him on his working hours.

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These three middle aged women (alone at the bar) discussing in excruciating detail their adult fantasies, which seemed to include “being with a younger man.” I was 22 at the time. They obviously knew I could hear them but it was so awkward. I stood there cutting the hell out of lemons and limes.

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“There’ll be handcuffs, bagels and, streamers, my kind of party”.

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Last night I was told by a guest that the Rosé of Cabernet I had displayed on my bar was actually Tequila and I was just trying to trick people... at a winery.... where we make the Rosé of Cabernet... from grapes on property.When I told him he was mistaken, he told the entire bridal party I had a secret stash of tequila I was hiding from them.

A regular of mine recently told me all of these “second homes” and “air bnbs” out here on Oahu have been vacant for so long that when he goes to do any inspections or repairs the units are destroyed from rats coming up from the toilets. He says you see their footprints and turds everywhere and they chew up whatever they can.

“They’re giving us (POCs) cancer in coffee. We should only drink pure hot water with lemon” [proceeds to drink multiple D’usse margaritas with Grand Marnier floaters].

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I just heard this week that there is going to be yet another big scandal coming out soon in the sports programs at the local high school. I am zero percent surprised.

Guinness invented “splitting the G” to get people to drink their pints faster.

Trey broke up with Tammy because Maureen Kanallen said that she saw Tammy flirting with Walt Timny at a party, but she was only doing it to make Trey jealous because you know, she thought that Trey secretly liked Erin Henebry, but he doesn't like Erin Henebry, it was all a bunch of bull.

Not a bartender but a bouncer. We have been getting a TON of reeeeally good fake ids to the point where a lot of the ones I get I am just guessing. Like perfect indistinguishable from real ids in every way. I heard from the older college kids that apparently AI is changing the fake id industry big time.

Not a rumor, but a something weird that happened last week while I was bartending.Someone got drunk and start boasting about his 'Very small pp' to his friend. He kept saying "very tiny", "very macro". He then proceeds to lower his pants and show it to everyone in the bar. Lol.

Ok, check this. In October, Alberta, Canada is going to secede from the country and become the “Dubai of the west” because of their vast oil fields. This came from a person calling themselves a pastor and govt figure. He seemed really excited about this revelation and he was very adamant he had “the numbers” to see it happen.

I was playing music at a wedding and I told every drunk person “I’m going to play your song next.” Only one person noticed their song wasn’t next. She came back to tell me and I told her “I have told every drunk person that I will play their song next.” And she said “oh, ok, cool.” I did not play her song next.

AI is going to take our jobs.

The best rumors are the ones that start with “Don’t tell anyone, but…” and then spread around the bar in 20 minutes.

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Heard it from a bartender that the newly elected mayor was/is having an affair with the wife of a cop.

That the reason a $30,000 meat grinder/sausage machine went away is because it was used to dispose of a body. She was serious, but I really doubt it, she just wants reasons to hate the owners.

All of the quietly well off regulars want to sell their properties in SoCal and move away.

Bartender at a place near my office said a big tech guy comes in every thursday and always tips in cash so there's no paper trail. didnt say who. been trying to guess for weeks now.

The owls are not what they seem.

Mental health issues are rising because we got rid of smoking and second hand smoke.

I'm not a bartender, but I have a good friend who is. He works at one of the most awesome gay bars I've ever encountered in my life. Vibrant. Full of life. Just a good time to be around and dance.That said much of the staff and patrons partake in certain apps. Recently, he matched with a well known politician and the guy is, one of the bigger religious ones. Apparently made him sign an NDA and that was all I got out of him, which I wanted to know soooooooo much more. Though, he thinks the guy's stress got him sort of careless. We will see.The other one was Jax from Vanderpump Rules and The Valley. He showed up and said he was on a goal to do Sydney Sweeney and then said drinks should be comped because his presence was basically assuring they would get business. Spoiler alert: it changed exactly zero things.One that's just...boring but weird. Chris Pratt wanted them to run to Starbucks to get black coffee.

I was standing by a group of guy friends and one of them goes “I can never tell Josh I did his wife.” Josh being one of their other friends who wasn’t at the bar with them.

I heard about some strange woman living in an old house down near the shore. They say she's creepy as hell, and think she's the first person to invent toe shoes. Folks talk.

Had someone yell “RIP Olivia Newton John” and I interjected that she wasn’t passed. Big mistake. Drunk idiot got on one of those drunk loops about how I was wrong until we closed 20 min later. I even showed him on my phone that she wasn’t and he said “you can google anything”.

Back when you kept a news paper on the bar...Guy walks in and goes straight for the paper. Looks in one section then the other. Places paper down.I asked him if he found what he was looking for, and he said no. His ex isn’t passed away or in jail. Then he asked for a beer.

A woman at a corporate event was explaining to 3 male coworkers how she loves the thrill attained from snow being snorted off of her.

What happens a lot while working in bars is that you overhear small snippets of conversation that sound really weird taken out of context. Stuff like:- The best way to steal eggs is to pretend that they are something else..- The dogs wouldn't stand a chance against Bruce Springsteen in his prime...- I don't know if she can swim, but she bought sandals in the 90s...I usually entertain myself making up stories about these conversations.

I'll share mine real quick. Two girls sitting at the bar, otherwise the place is empty. They start discussing the details and numbers of abortions the one girl has had. Not terribly offensive to me or anything, but I certainly didn't expect to hear about it at work when I came in.Otherwise the good ones come from a game of hypotheticals called "Make It or Break It". Essentially, you have your perfect romantic partner. Everything about them is perfect, except for one flaw, and you have to decide if it's a deal breaker. My favorite one is "Make it or break it: She's your perfect woman, but she tells you after you've been dating for a while, that one time she slept with her dog." "I think make it." "What if she tells you it happened more than once?" "I don't know dude, probably still make it if she's perfect." "What if it was YOUR dog?" "Dude that! That's my DOG man!"

I overheard a guy telling his friend that he was going to have intimate time with that bartender (pointing to me). He proceeded to say, “she might not be there, but I am still going to.”

Once this older couple (55 ish) were talking about their "bedroom problems".The guy clearly had impotence issues and the lady kept complaining that she was feeling frustrated because he was frustrated.And meds weren't really helping, or at least not helping enough.Let's just say that other people around them weren't as comfortable as them about the conversation.

Two businessmen having after work drinks on a Friday, where the conversation built up to one of the sweetest sentiments I've heard.At first the usual "Lemme tell ya, you're a good person. I love you man."Later on (still fairly basic): "F the wives! Hey, you and me, we buy motorcycles!"To finally this gem: "If a tornado were to blow you away... I would fly after you.".

Three girls were talking about some guy one of them was hooking up with. Apparently the night before, she’d puked all over him in bed. Still slept together. Got alllll the details I never wanted.

I worked in a bar in a truck stop & we got lots of solo men. Guy on bar stool says "The government can track our every move. Now they're putting chips in newborns right at the hospital." The trucker next to him-who he just met-shakes his head and says, "Yeah, I know." Both were serious as could be and talked with each other about how the world is messed up. (It was the 2nd truckers response that got me).

I once listened to three people have an in depth discussion about how they were going to end the "local vampire" and the steps to take to protect themselves from the coven that said vampire is surely from.My favorite though what a heated debate over whether the first Robin would be a crime fighter if Batman hadn't picked him up and trained him.

Was visiting my mom at work once (she tends bar) and heard her making conversation across the bar with a patron.Suddenly, over the music, I hear the guy slam his fist onto the bar and yell "YOU... ARE FACTUALLY... WRONG." He immediately faceplanted on the bar, and his buddy had to carry him out of there.My mom was just commenting on the fact that the song that was playing was country...

One time I walked out to the patio to have a smoke break into three people all talking very drunkenly but also very seriously about theoretical physics.

I bartended at a country club, and there was this one group of tennis-ladies that would always sit at the bar and get absolutely wasted on weeknights at our wine nights.They took a liking to our main bartender and kept calling him exotic (he’s Mexican), they would say how love his beard, would talk about their fav (not tennis related) positions, how they kept their nether-regions tidy, slip him their numbers, how bad their husbands were, etc. Gave me glares every time I’d be bartending/bar-backing with him.

Randomly overheard two middle aged women,'as a woman ages she can choose between her face or her bum, but she cant choose both'I have no idea.

Work in a downtown hotel bar right across from our convention center. I’ve heard way too many negotiations between businessmen and ladies of the night.Last one I heard involved the guy asking the lady how much extra she would charge to let his friend watch. (She said it was $200 to watch, $500 if he joins in).

I’ve bartended but my favourite conversation was overhead while I was on the other side of the bar.“Look all I’m saying is Grand Theft Auto severely ruined our generations perception of how many police helicopters exist”Sounded like they were getting really heated over the matter haha.

I once heard a guy talking to his buddy about how he likes to have intercourse with both a female and male at the same time and likes to lick up the after effects of the male stuff off of her. Everyone’s got their preferences but that was not something I expected to hear.

Well, I'm not a bartender... but I once went to a very loud cuban dance party (in a church, if it matters) and was trying poorly to chat with a lovely young lady and she was scream-talking to her friend when the music suddenly stopped at the end of the song and in that half-second of silence she hollered out "I don't care I just want to get laid!!!". I thought that was a good sign, since she was clearly talking about me, which was unusual. Made it back to her place and she showed me her angel sticks (dorky things you pull out and they have a word that "describes you"). I got "forgiving", and she concentrated really hard then pulled out "efficient" and burst into tears and locked herself in the bathroom. I let myself out.

Ex bartender, guy who worked for Von Miller (linebacker for the Denver Broncos) was a regular and would sit at my bar. Heard many things about Vons life that humanized him to me instead of him being some super star.

A lady, her weird boyfriend, and the girl’s sister at my bar. When the girl went to the bathroom, her sister scooted in towards him and was saying they should get out of there before her sister gets out of the bathroom and go get a motel.They both must have seen something I didn’t because this dude was UGG-LAY.

I work in a hotel bar. There's a couple that comes in every monday. The kicker is that they're not married to each other. The woman got drunk and asked the guy if he thought about her when he slept with his wife.

Not a bartender, but I love hanging out on the riverfront and sounds travels quite well there.I overheard the gentleman that were hanging out near me discussing whether to rob me or not.

Not a bartender but I heard two girls discussing how the bartender, who was easily within listening distance, would be attractive if he wasn't fat. Then they went on to joke about how he probably takes so many bathroom breaks because he is stuffing his face with fries in the back room. They were drunk and loud and weren't looking in his direction, I don't know if they realized he was so close by.The bartender was looking over and clearly listening in, but when he saw that I noticed what was going on he just got red in the face. Poor guy.

Was at a bar with my friend and all we heard was "yeah he pissed me off so I ran him over." Still no idea what happened but I didn't want to inquire for obvious reasons.

Some rich corporate men talking about "the collective". Made me do a double take.

I will tell you the strangest thing that's happened to me.I cut someone off because they were pissed.That person returned hours later while we were closing.I said "sorry mate you're not getting a drink, I've already cut you off""Oh is that right?""Yeh it is""Well then" and he precedes to pull out a cooked fillet of chicken from his pocket and puts in on the bar and leaves without saying another word.Dumbfounded, me and my mate carefully pick up the cooked chicken fillet, it was cold. So this lunatic has gone home and cooked a chicken fillet then put it into his fridge on the intention of later placing it onto our bartop as some sort of "horse head in the bed" kind of revenge.We still have no bloody idea what he was doing.

I (25 F) recently had a bar guest on her (33 F) first tinder date (recently divorced) show up extra nervous. She ordered a drink and we chit chatted for a bit.After a while her date showed up. He ordered a coffee and ended up telling his date that he was only 18.She immediately cringed and told him that he seemed very sweet but he should be honest on his profile from now on (where he said he was somewhere around 30).He then started just insulting her age from then on out. Asking things like "I bet you remember the Clinton administration" and other stupid stuff I can't remember. LmaoThat poor lady. She sent him home and I got off shortly after, then we got hammered.

Heard a woman talking about how she had been starving the pigs she was farming for a few days. She then proceeded to say they ate all but the hair and teeth of Danny. Don’t know if Danny was a person or what...but I let my manager know what was said.

I work at a wine bar.A couple is sitting there and the girl basically yells at the guy "Stop staring at my calf! People are starting to think we're weird!"I just kept polishing glasses and walked away.

Not a bartender, but a few nights ago I overheard a girl telling the five dudes at her table about how she slept with her friend's boyfriend named "monkey".It was at a beach front Hooters.

Theres rumor of a ghost down by the old sawing mill.

Not a bartender but I was in Aldi last week and a self described "Teaching professional in the community she's currently shopping in"On the phone airing out another teacher's business about she's messing with a higher up and that's why he's going through a divorce. That affair teacher is also married to a state sheriffI mean the store was packed and kept saying she trying not to say too much since she's in a public Aldi line.

Talked to an anesthesiologist who said they’ve heard multiple tales of patients rising up just after they pass out, saying “I’m not going to wake up again,” then passing during surgery.

Was a bartender at a hotel bar, had all sorts of interesting folks come through.One time a group of guys, of varying ages, all came down and took the biggest table. No big deal, it was a slow night. They proceeded to reach in their bags and set up a game of Dungeons and Dragons and start playing, accents and all. (I distinctly remember something about Bob the Necromancer). The other guests thought it was funny and interesting, so I figured no harm no foul. Let them play all night.Later in the night, the same guys still playing, we witnessed some guy with a gold robot head made of cardboard go running by the main window of the bar. He was wearing the gold robot head, shoes, and nothing else. The cops arrived shortly after and we all had to give statements. The cops proceeded to interrogate me about the D&D players because "they like to dress up in weird costumes, right?" I told the cops that the guys hadn't left the table all night. One member of the adventuring party bid the cops farewell, in character.Another time I had a camera crew show up and start setting up. They were apparently with some ghost hunting show and were checking to see if we were haunted. I guess the owner had put them up to it (No press is bad press?) So I let them do their thing.Apparently we were "super haunted" (not the exact words they used), but the episode never made it to air. They ended up finding a secret crawlspace which was pretty cool, but it was completely empty.

byLiam Oneel

in

April 30, 2026

71 Bartenders Share Customer Gossip They’ve Heard On The Job, And The Tea Is Piping Hot

We all knowalcoholcan act like a kind of truth serum, loosening people’s tongues after a drink or two. And in a crowded bar, with loud ...

Read More

Seattle Kraken say assistant coach Jessica Campbell will not return next season

SEATTLE (AP) — Jessica Campbell, thefirst woman to be an on-bench assistant coachin NHL history, will not return to the Seattle Kraken next season, the team said Thursday.

General manager Jason Botterill said Campbell’s contract is expiring and she expressed a desire to explore other roles around the league.

“We support her in this process,” Botterill said in a statement. “Jessica has been an important member of our coaching staff for the past four years, demonstrating deep knowledge and a unique ability to connect with and develop players. We respect her decision and believe strongly in her as a coach in this league.”

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Campbell was promoted from the American Hockey League’s Coachella Firebirds along with Dan Bylsma in 2024 after he became the organization’s second head coach. She was retained after Bylsma was fired a year ago andreplaced by Lane Lambert.

The Kraken missed the playoffseach of the past two seasons and only qualified once since their debut in 2021-22. The Firebirds made back-to-back trips to the Calder Cup Final when Campbell was on Bylsma's AHL staff.

AP NHL playoffs:https://apnews.com/hub/stanley-cupandhttps://apnews.com/hub/nhl

byLiam Oneel

in

April 30, 2026

Seattle Kraken say assistant coach Jessica Campbell will not return next season

SEATTLE (AP) — Jessica Campbell, thefirst woman to be an on-bench assistant coachin NHL history, will not return to the Seattle Kraken ...

Read More

Luke Grimes' Kayce Dutton Is 'Really' Missing Dad Kevin Costner After a Big Win in “Marshals”

Warning: This post contains spoilers for the April 26 episode ofMarshals.

NEED TO KNOW

• Several references are made to Kevin Costner's Yellowstone character, John Dutton, in the April 26 episode of Marshals

• Luke Grimes' character, Kayce Dutton, at one point says, "I really wish my father was still around," after a successful endeavor with his team

• Costner's character died in the second half of Yellowstone season 5 after the actor announced his exit from the series

The loss of John Dutton is one that still haunts Kayce.

Kevin Costner'sYellowstonecharacter, whodiedin the second half ofYellowstoneseason 5, continues to to be painful for his youngest son, Kayce (Luke Grimes).

In the April 26 episode ofMarshals, Kayce and his U.S. Marshal team work tirelessly to rescue Andrea (Ash Santos), who was abducted by Randall Clegg (Michael Cudlitz). During the mission, Kayce couldn't help but feel the weight of his family on his shoulders.

As he explained to Cal (Logan Marshall-Green), the "ghosts" of his family were to blame for Andrea being taken in the first place.

"The Dutton curse," he told his teammate. "Clegg's had it out for my family for years, and I put one of his sons down hard. So whatever happens to Andrea, it's on me."

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Later, when Andrea was rescued safely and the team got their hands on Randall, Kayce once again referenced his dad.

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"I really wish my father was still around, so he could see Montana rid itself of the Cleggs," he said.

Costner's character diedin the final season ofYellowstone, after Costner, 71,announced his exit from the series.

John's death initially appeared to be self-inflicted, but it was later revealed that Sarah Atwood (Dawn Olivieri) had arranged a murder-for-hire scheme amid her relationship with Jamie Dutton (Wes Bentley), John's son and Kayce's older brother. In the series finale, Beth (Kelly Reilly), John's daughter,killed Jamieover his involvement in their dad's death.

After fans learned of the patriarch's fate, Grimes, 42, said that while he knew fans felt "sort of cheated," he had a different perspective.

"I think we were all lucky to have Kevin on the show as long as we did,” he told PEOPLE. "It was always the plan for him to have to go away for the story to really ramp up, and that was the story. You lose a patriarch of the family. Can the kids do it on their own?"

"I think originally he was supposed to die much earlier. So, in a way, they got way more of John Dutton than they were going to originally get," Grimes added. "I would keep that in mind."

New episodes ofMarshalsair Sundays at 8 p.m. ET on CBS.

Read the original article onPeople

byLiam Oneel

in

April 29, 2026

Luke Grimes' Kayce Dutton Is 'Really' Missing Dad Kevin Costner After a Big Win in “Marshals”

Warning: This post contains spoilers for the April 26 episode ofMarshals. NEED TO KNOW Several references are made to K...

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Hannah Brown Recovers from Surgery for Rare, 'Abnormal' Uterus Condition, Says She's Now in Her 'Family Planning Era'

Hannah Brown underwent surgery for a rare uterine condition that can cause infertility and miscarriages

NEED TO KNOW

• She discovered the condition after being diagnosed with PCOS and undergoing further testing, including an ultrasound

• Brown shared her gratitude for early diagnosis and support while poking fun at the recovery process

Hannah Brownsaid she's in her "family planning era" while recovering from surgery for a rare uterine condition that can "lead to infertility issues" and cause miscarriages.

"I finally had a procedure I'd been putting off for a while," theBachelorettealum, 31, wrote in the caption for an April 27Instagram Reelof herself resting in bed. She shared that she'd undergone surgery for a bicorporeal septate uterus, a rareconditionwhere a membrane splits the uterus. Although it's generally symptomless, it can causemiscarriages. As she described it, "basically my uterus is kind of separated into two sides, and that can lead to infertility issues."

Brown shared that she didn't know she had the condition until she was diagnosed withPCOSand underwent an ultrasound. At first, doctors thought she hadtwo uteruses— but through further testing,  "I found out I have an abnormal uterus."

"I've known for a while that I'd need to take care of this before trying to have kids one day… but life has been so full. Moving across the country, writing books, planning a wedding, buying a house — family planning just hasn't been front of mind," thenovelistexplained. "I still don't know if I'm ready (does anyone ever fully feel ready?!) but it felt like time to take a first step — and this was that for me."

In the video, Brown, resting in bed, flashes a peace symbol as her mother hands her a drink. Over the video, she penned a caption referencingJustin Bieber's ad-libs during hisperformanceof "Everything Hallelujah" at Coachella.

Superimposed over the video is the text, "Doing what I put off for years hallelujah/Successful surgery hallelujah/Family planning era hallelujah/My mom being my superhero hallelujah/Matching PJ sets hallelujah/Disposable under wear hallelujah/Naps and Netflix hallelujah."

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Although she said recovery "has been pretty smooth" — and thanked herhusbandAdam Woolardand parents — she did poke fun at her post-surgical diaper and catheter.

"These are my options for the next two weeks," she said, lifting her sweatshirt to show her diaper, visible above the hem of her shorts. "It's either diaper out," she said, before pulling her pants up to show a catheter taped to the inside of her leg. "Or catheter out."

"I'm thinking we cover up the catheter," she said with a laugh. She shared that she would have the catheter for two weeks, quipping, "You won't catch me in any leggings."

Although she called the medical device "quite humbling and quite annoying," Brown kept her recovery in perspective.

"I also know how fortunate I am to have found this out ahead of time," she captioned the post. "So many women walk through loss and disappointment before getting answers, and that's not lost on me. Thank you to those who have shared your stories with me and encouraged me to share mine 🫶."

Read the original article onPeople

byLiam Oneel

in

April 29, 2026

Hannah Brown Recovers from Surgery for Rare, 'Abnormal' Uterus Condition, Says She's Now in Her 'Family Planning Era'

Hannah Brown underwent surgery for a rare uterine condition that can cause infertility and miscarriages NEED TO KNOW ...

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Azeez Al-Shaair signs contract extension with Texans. Here's what it means

TheHouston Texanshave agreed to an extension with one of their key defenders following the 2026 NFL Draft.

The Texans are signing linebackerAzeez Al-Shaairto a three-year extension, according to multiple reports. The full terms of the contract have not yet been disclosed.

Al-Shaair was entering the final season of a three-year, $34 million contract he signed with the Texans as a free agent in 2024. His new deal will tie him to Houston through the 2029 NFL season.

OT Tytus Howard: Traded to Cleveland Browns (previous team: Houston Texans)

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> CB Trent McDuffie: Traded to Los Angeles Rams (previous team: Kansas City Chiefs)

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> RB David Montgomery: Traded to Houston Texans (previous team: Detroit Lions)

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> WR DJ Moore: Traded to Buffalo Bills (previous team: Chicago Bears)

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />

2026 NFL offseason tracker: Player signings, trades

OT Tytus Howard:Traded to Cleveland Browns(previous team: Houston Texans)

Al-Shaair's extension comes after he enjoyed a career-best season in 2025. He totaled 103 tackles – his second-most in a single season – while notching a career-best two interceptions and nine pass defenses and allowing an 80.3 passer rating.

Al-Shaair was named to his first career Pro Bowl as a result of his strong 2025 campaign. He was also the Texans' nominee for the Walter Payton Man of the Year award.

The Texans kept Al-Shaair despite trade overtures from the Dallas Cowboys,ESPN's Todd Archer reports. The Cowboys pursued Al-Shaair beforeacquiring linebacker Dee Wintersfrom the San Francisco 49ers during the 2026 NFL Draft.

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Retaining Al-Shaair could prove critical for the Texans. Both he and fellow starting linebackerHenry To'oTo'owere set to be free agents following the 2026 season. Now, the Texans have at least one linebacker locked up long-term for their defense, which was among the NFL's best stop units last season.

Here's more to know about Al-Shaair's contract as the soon-to-be 29-year-old prepares to stay in Houston long-term.

Azeez Al-Shaair contract details

The full details of Al-Shaair's contract have not yet been disclosed. All that is presently known is that Al-Shaair has signed a three-year extension to remain with the Texans.

Al-Shaair is the second notable Houston defender to sign a lucrative extension during the offseason. The Texans also inked star pass rusherWill Anderson Jr. to a three-year, $150 million contractto make him the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history by average annual value (AAV).

This story will be updated.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Texans extend Pro Bowl linebacker after 2026 NFL Draft

byLiam Oneel

in

April 29, 2026

Azeez Al-Shaair signs contract extension with Texans. Here's what it means

TheHouston Texanshave agreed to an extension with one of their key defenders following the 2026 NFL Draft. The Texans are signing ...

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King Charles jets to US for trip overshadowed by Iran quarrel and shooting

By Michael Holden and Suzanne Plunkett

FILE PHOTO: Britain's King Charles and Queen Camilla visit the British Museum on the 100th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth's birth

LONDON/WASHINGTON, April 27 (Reuters) - Britain's King Charles and Queen Camilla arrive in the United States later on Monday for a four-day trip, a tour which has taken on even greater prominence after the White House Correspondents' dinner shooting ‌and amid acrimony between the close allies.

The state visit, by far the most high-profile and consequential of Charles's reign, marks the 250th anniversary ‌of the U.S. declaration of independence from British rule, and is the first to the country by a British monarch for two decades.

It begins with a private meeting with self-proclaimed royal ​fan President Donald Trump, and includes an address to Congress and a lavish dinner at the White House.

PRESS DINNER SHOOTING JUST DAYS BEFORE VISIT

But the long-planned trip has become enmeshed in the political spat between the two countries over the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran, which led Trump to voice deep displeasure with the British government for failing to support the offensive.

The shooting on Saturday at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner in Washington, with the president and officials in his ‌administration the likely targets according to the U.S. acting ⁠attorney general, has cast a further pall over the visit.

Buckingham Palace said the trip would still go ahead as planned following discussions between British and U.S. authorities to determine if the incident would impact on the royals' plans.

"The king and ⁠queen are most grateful to all those who have worked at pace to ensure this remains the case and are looking forward to the visit getting underway tomorrow," a palace spokesperson said on Sunday.

TRUMP HAS CRITICISED UK OVER IRAN STANCE

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On arriving in Washington, the king and queen have a private tea with the president, an unabashed ​lover ​of the British royal family who regularly describes Charles as a "great man", and his ​wife, first lady Melania Trump.

The 77-year-old king, who is still ‌undergoing treatment for cancer, will address Congress the next day - just the second time a British monarch has done so.

The royals will then head on to New York where they will commemorate those killed in the September 11, 2001 attacks ahead of the 25th anniversary, while the queen will also mark the centenary of children's stories featuring Winnie the Pooh.

The U.S. trip concludes in Virginia with the king meeting those involved in conservation work, a nod to his half century of environmental campaigning.

The government of British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is hoping the visit will shore up the future of the two allies' "special ‌relationship" which is at its lowest point since the Suez Crisis in 1956.

Britain's ambassador ​to the U.S., Christian Turner, said the visit would underscore the shared history, sacrifice and ​common values between the two countries, adding that the approach would ​be a very British one of: "Keep calm, carry on."

While Trump has eased his criticism of Britain in recent days over ‌its response to the Iran war, an internal Pentagon email ​has set out how the U.S. could ​review its position on Britain's claim to the Falkland Islands as punishment for its lack of support, once again straining ties.

One issue off the table during the visit is the Jeffrey Epstein scandal. Royal sources have said it was not possible for the royal couple to meet ​any victims of Epstein during the tour, as ‌some have requested, to avoid impacting on any potential criminal cases.

Charles' brother, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, whose reputation and royal standing has been destroyed ​over his links to the late U.S. sex offender, is currently facing police inquiries over his connections. The former Prince Andrew ​has denied any wrongdoing.

(Reporting by Michael Holden in London; Editing by Toby Chopra)

byLiam Oneel

in

April 28, 2026

King Charles jets to US for trip overshadowed by Iran quarrel and shooting

By Michael Holden and Suzanne Plunkett FILE PHOTO: Britain's King Charles and Queen Camilla visit the British Museum on the ...

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Pistons-Magic takeaways: Detroit's problems are coming to a head as Orlando aims to dunk No. 1 seed

Can we just talk about Orlando Magic forward Jamal Cain's dunk on Detroit Pistons center Jalen Duren?

I mean, seriously, look:

Do we even care about the game? Like, who actually won? I genuinely don't remember.

That is one of the nastiest throw-downs ever and not just in a playoff context. Cain kept climbing and dunked on Duren, a man built like a Greek god, so hard the All-Star center backpeddled after coming down back to Earth.

(OK,the Magic took a commanding 3-1 series lead by winning 94-88, but that's definitely just a B-story to Cain's jam.)

In all seriousness, let's dive into Orlando's big win Monday night as it tries to become the seventh No. 8 seed to knock off a No. 1 in NBA history.

Cade Cunningham's turnovers are a team issue

As Cunningham entered Game 4, he had totaled 19 turnovers in the the series.

By halftime, he was up to 25 after turning it over six times in the first half.

While Cunningham is ultimately responsible for hanging on to the ball, the Pistons' roster construction isn't doing him any favors.

With both Duren and Ausar Thompson being almost entirely non-threats from the outside, Orlando has the freedom to double- and even triple-team Cunningham, swarming him whenever his feet are inside the 3-point line.

While Tobias Harris has done a solid job of adding spacing and overall scoring, the bottom line is simple: It shouldn't be this difficult for the Pistons to generate offense through Cunningham, but they have no other creators on the roster.

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Perhaps they should have made a play for someone at the trade deadline, instead of sitting still.

But here they are, shooting 37.8% from the floor and 20% from 3 in a crucial Game 4 as their season appears to be slipping away.

Wendell Carter Jr. is eating Jalen Duren's lunch

Throughout the regular season, it was never in doubt who, among Carter and Duren, had the best season. Duren was an All-Star, a double-double machine and one of the most exciting young players in the league.

Carter, who is far more of a role player than a featured star, apparently didn't get the memo.

During this series, the 6-foot-10 Carter has constantly outhustled, outworked and outdone Duren. It's not always reflected in his raw line (Carter had 12 points and 11 rebounds in Game 4), but his effort has put a spotlight on Duren as he enters free agency this summer.

Duren has struggled mightily all series, scoring a grand total of 39 points over the course of the four games, finding it difficult to get up shots, getting beat by Carter on backdoor lobs and overall having one heck of a troublesome series, which could cost him millions this July.

Dear Jamahl Mosley, make better use of Paolo Banchero

I may sound like a broken record here, but giving Banchero the ball high out on the floor and asking him to "do stuff" (which I'm guessing is his directive, because there doesn't seem to be anything close to a plan), is aching for punishment.

Banchero isn't a natural shooter, nor is he particularly effective as a spacer.

He is, however, ridiculously good near the rim, and when he ducks in for layups and dunks, he draws a ton of fouls and converts plays.

Orlando has one of the most inconsistent offenses in the league, and its plan is to use its most versatile offensive player, who is an athletic 6-10, 250-pound powerhouse, as an outside-in option?

It's been nonsensical for a while now, and it only looks worse after Banchero shot 4-of-18 from the floor and missed all four of his 3-point attempts Monday night.

byLiam Oneel

in

April 28, 2026

Pistons-Magic takeaways: Detroit's problems are coming to a head as Orlando aims to dunk No. 1 seed

Can we just talk about Orlando Magic forward Jamal Cain's dunk on Detroit Pistons center Jalen Duren? I mean, seriously, look...

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Angel Reese’s shot, confidence and versatility already trending up in Atlanta

CHAMBLEE, GA ― Shot by shot,Angel Reeseis finding her comfort with theAtlanta Dream.

Reese has spent the first 10 days afterher introductory press conferenceon April 17 focusing on basketball. She's praised her teammates and the "electric" environment they've provided, making her acclimation to the team "seamless." Reese also shouted out second-year head coach Karl Smesko for his coaching and guidance, helping to improve her shot.

"We’ve been working a lot. Forty-five (degrees), straight — he’s very big on analytics — so he’s helped me a lot. I can see the improvement already from yesterday to today,"Reese said on April 20. "But it’s been great. It’s been seamless. Amazing. Picking up things on the fly … but it’s been a great adjustment.”

Reese said earlier this month that she wanted to be coached hard. Smesko appears to be delivering.

On Monday, the former Florida Gulf Coast women's basketball coach spoke to his team in a calm but firm voice that noticeably cut through the silence in the gym with booming authority. Smesko, with a whistle in hand and arms extended outward, demanded extra attention to detail and focus from every player on the court.

He pointed out mistakes ― the incorrect set, a pending shot clock violation or defensive effort he wasn't pleased with ― by making his team run things again or asking them to take the reins on pointing out where they went wrong.

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Smesko also heaped praise on his group when they did something well, and the team responded, including Reese, who kept up her intensity and communication throughout the portion of the practice open to the media. After practice, Reese smiled gleefully when asked about her first training camp under Smesko.

LSU Tigers forward Angel Reese drives around South Carolina's Laeticia Amihere in the second half at Colonial Life Arena on Feb. 12, 2023.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Purdue's Rickie Woltman dribbles under the net against Maryland's Angel Reese during the fourth quarter of an NCAA women's basketball game on Feb. 25, 2021, at Mackey Arena in West Lafayette.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Purdue's Nyagoa Gony goes up for a shot against Maryland's Angel Reese during the second quarter of an NCAA women's basketball game on Feb. 25, 2021, at Mackey Arena in West Lafayette.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Maryland Terrapins head coach Brenda Frese and Angel Reese hug after their game against Northwestern at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on March 12, 2021.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Iowa's Caitlin Clark and Maryland's Angel Reese react to a call during a Big Ten conference game on Feb. 14, 2022, at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Maryland's Angel Reese flexes during an NCAA Big Ten conference game against Caitlin Clark and Iowa on Feb. 14, 2022, at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Maryland's Angel Reese celebrates after forcing a turnover against Iowa's Caitlin Clark during a Big Ten game on Feb. 14, 2022, at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Maryland's Angel Reese and teammates celebrate after a Big Ten game against Iowa on Feb. 14, 2022, at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />

Angel Reese: WNBA star, LSU national champion, 'Bayou Barbie' and Caitlin Clark rival

LSU Tigers forward Angel Reese drives around South Carolina's Laeticia Amihere in the second half at Colonial Life Arena on Feb. 12, 2023.

"My experience with Karl has been amazing. We work at it every day before practice ― about me shooting and keeping my shot on target and everything ― and I can tell the difference. Even my misses look like makes, and they're close enough," Reese said, laughing.

"He's been doing a lot of great things with me. He's sitting down individually (with me), but I appreciate him for holding me accountable every single possession, and always getting on me."

Still, Smesko, who commended Reese on her growth during her first Dream press conference, said Atlanta is the benefitting from having Reese on the team − not the other way around.

"Angel's gonna help us a lot more than us, a lot more than I'm going to help Angel. "She's such a talented player, and she's so great,"Smesko saidduring Reese's first week of practice.

"From defense to rebounding to handling the ball ― just being able to drive by people ― she just can do so many things. It's just being able to utilize her to what she does best and then just keep expanding her game where she feels more comfortable shooting it, catching it, shot-faking and taking it to the rim. Things of that nature. It'll be a process ... I do think that you'll see a lot of growth over the season just by her attitude and willingness to work to get better."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Angel Reese said she wants hard coaching — her shot is responding with Dream

byLiam Oneel

in

April 28, 2026

Angel Reese’s shot, confidence and versatility already trending up in Atlanta

CHAMBLEE, GA ― Shot by shot,Angel Reeseis finding her comfort with theAtlanta Dream. Reese has spent the first 10 days afterher in...

Read More