Spoilers below for anyone who hasn’t yet watched The Last of Us’ latest episode on HBO or streamed it with a Max subscription, so be warned!
After setting up Ellie and Dina’s screen-perfect dance and kiss in The Last of Us’ Season 2 premiere, and then pitting them against the life-changing tragedy of Joel’s murder (with Dina swapped in for Tommy in the TV series), co-creators Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann thankfully cemented their romantic relationship with this cycle’s fourth installment. And yes, that came complete with a tweaked version of the video game’s sex scene that fans were disappointed didn’t happen when Eugene’s grow room was introduced.
I did while live-blogging the ep) with all manner of hot and bothered reactions to the live-action characters’ bonding and then some. And the fact that their late-night loving was prefaced by Dina’s pregnancy reveal only made it more meaningful. At least to me. Let’s see what others had to say about it all.
The Last Of Us Fans React To ‘Dellie’ And That Sex Scene
Despite giving audiences plenty of moments that come straight out of the video game, HBO’s The Last of Us held off on Ellie and Dina consummating their romantic connection until the pair reached the all-important theater that serves as a key hub in the source material. But after all the stress of Ellie having to explain her immunity, and Dina coping with that reality, it felt like the perfect time for the characters to engage in whatever kind of relief was available. Which, at that point, was some lustful smooching as they rounded second base.
Not that this series went all hardcore with graphic nudity the way that Bella Ramsey’s former HBO series Game of Thrones did for years on end. But that didn’t stop fans from reacting in huge ways to it all, as seen below, starting with a cheeky post from Max.
Now, I’m not exactly sure how a televised sex scene could properly be put onto a fan’s grave, at least at our current point in history where tombstones don’t come equipped with media players. But I kinda like the idea of someone leaving a cell phone atop the grave with that scene playing in a loop. Probably best to leave the sound off.
Also, I kinda left out the more extreme posts where fans inserted themselves into the action instead of one of the characters, or where the sex was championed outside of the context of the characters’ relationship. I obviously also avoided giving haters any attention, since they can all make time for themselves.
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But outside the scope of carnal stress relief, viewers were also vocal about the ups and downs that took place during Dina and Ellie’s trip to Seattle, from the aforementioned reveal to the TV station sequence to Ellie seemingly sacrificing herself. Along with a hefty dose of unbridled adoration for Isabela Merced in general.
“Holy shit…I’m going to be a dad!” Ellie’s reaction on knowing Dina’s pregnant being more sympathetic, understanding and excited as opposed to the game was a heartwarming change that I enjoyed #Dellie – @bigdogXVI
isabela merced has been crushing it as dina since episode 1, but episode 4 is HER episode. every nuanced look, every piece of dialogue, everything she has poured into this character has been amazing to watch. this was THE dina episode and she nailed it. i’m so happy #thelastofus – @noradominick
#TheLastOfUs S2E4 is powerful and storytelling at its finest. Bella and Isabelas give their best performance thus far which is saying something. Issac was really intense and better in one scene alone than he was in the whole game. The subway was incredible, the action was intense. The TV station atmosphere was great but could have used more. Loved what they did with the Immune and pregnancy reveal. Very beautiful. A couple changes idk if I liked as much like Dina going off with Ellie on her journey at the end of the episode although yes it makes sense for the show and makes it compelling. – @WesleyW606
I believe the casting of #TheLastOfUs has been outstanding all around. But Isabela as Dina has been breathtaking. She enhances every scene. Absolutely a joy to watch. – @DaBaba85
i was surprised by how well the show handled dina finding out ellie is immune. ellie putting her arm in front of dina so she got bit instead was sooo good. #TheLastofUs – @razzelrocks
And I’d be remiss if I didn’t also share a little love for Bella Ramsey and their applause worthy performance of A-ha’s “Take On Me,” a scene whose impact definitely rivaled that of the game.
Bella’s amazing vocals. Isabela’s genuine infatuation. The gorgeous lighting. Baby, they nailed this scene. #TheLastOfUs – @MyersFTW
Bella Ramsey did phenomenal doing Take On Me ???????? #TheLastofUs – @DomTheBombYT
So. Much. Love. And it’s all deserved, at least in my book. Now let’s check out what one-half of that beloved coupling had to say about it all.
(Image credit: HBO)
Isabela Merced Explains Dina And Ellie’s Relationship Equation And Reacts To Sex Scene
Isabela Merced has been talking proudly about The Last of Us’ second season for a long time now, and was seemingly referring to this particular episode when saying that fans would be tweeting heavily about a particular scene. And it sounds like she’s all-in on continuing to develop all the Dellie vibes. Speaking with THR, Merced shared her explanation for why Dina and Ellie are so compatible, saying:
Just like with any great couple, they are similar in the right ways and then they are different in the right ways. There are similarities that bring them together, but their differences keep them together because they compensate for what the other lacks. Dina is the brains and Ellie is the brawn, and this this operation wouldn’t work if they weren’t together. Also, what keeps them together is the need for vengeance for Joel’s death and there’s a lot of guilt there too.
According to Merced, Dina feels guilt about things going down exactly the way they did, and feels that her character could have changed something that might have led to an outcome where Joel wasn’t murdered. Alas, such regrets don’t have a home in the post-apocalypse.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, the actress also has very high regard for her and Bella Ramsey’s sex scene, and shared why she thought it was hot in and of itself. As she put it:
I think they did it really tastefully. The intimacy coordinator was phenomenal. But also, this is a really necessary step in their relationship. It’s also just like really hot to me because it’s like the culmination of all of these feelings and secrets all just being let out in one moment. It may seem passionate and in-the-moment, but it was really calculated, and we were really intentional about every single thing that was a part of that sequence, because we wanted to make sure none of the characters were doing anything that was out of character.
If it wasn’t the most natural turn of events, that’s probably because discoveries about immunity and pregnancy aren’t the most natural ways to get one’s libido revved up and rolling. Dina’s pregnancy admission being followed by love and passion is a direct flip from how it played out in the game, with Ellie’s reaction being far colder, to the point where she called Dina a burden for being a liability.
Learn where The Last of Us will go next when Episode 5 hits HBO on Sunday, May 11, with just three more eps left to hit the 2025 TV schedule.
Ben Affleck’s wildly successful Super Bowl Dunkin’ ads have featured a lot of cameos. The seven-minute Super Bowl LIX commercial featured familiar faces like Casey Affleck, Jeremy Strong, Donnie Wahlberg, and even John Candy’s son, Chris, found his way in there. You may have also noticed legendary NFL head coach Bill Belichick was also in the spot alongside his 24-year-old girlfriend Jordan Hudson, and sources are saying she allegedly “forced her way” into that appearance.
Former cheerleader and 2024 Miss Maine USA Pageant runner-up Jordan Hudson reportedly met Bill Belichick on an airplane in 2021. They went public with their relationship three years later, with the two now rumored to be engaged. Eyes were on the couple last month when Belichick was asked during a CBS Sunday Morning interview about the aforementioned meeting, with Jordan Hudson interrupting the interview by shutting down the question.
rumors floating of Jordan Hudson’s alleged demands to be an executive producer on Bill Belichick’s now-scrapped season of HBO’s docuseries Hard Knocks. Sources said that she allegedly told execs she wanted to see the dailies and to be treated with respect, or they couldn’t use the coach’s “IP.”
That pattern of alleged behavior also apparently includes Hudson showing up in the Super Bowl LIX Dunkin’ ad, which we’ll get into below.
What Reportedly Really Happened With The Dunkin’ Super Bowl Commercial
In the DunKings 2: Super Bowl Commercial, we see Bill Belichick alongside his girlfriend, Jordan Hudson, as team players of the DunKings. While Belichick has one line delivering a snappy zing towards the opposing team, Barista Buds, Hudson doesn’t have any lines and just pumps her fist in the air to support the DunKings. A sports source close to Belichick told PageSix that the former cheerleader apparently made sure she wasn’t left out of the commercial. Here’s what the insider said:
She forced her way in…. but Bill saw it as a way for her to get paid. People said they’ve never seen anything like it.
Earlier this year, former ESPN reporter Pablo Torre claimed that Jordan Hudson represented herself as Bill Belichick’s “de facto agent” in order to secure a spot in the Super Bowl LIX ad. He continued to speak on his Pablo Torre Finds Out podcast on the apparent influence the 24-year-old has on the six-time Super Bowl-winning coach’s career:
[Hudson is] the person who you need to go through to book Bill Belichick for a Super Bowl commercial or for the other commitments he has as a multi-platform personality. She’s the gateway. So in this case, what I have been told reliably, is that Jordon happened to then use that power to be in the commercial as well.
Ben Affleck himself directed the Super Bowl ad through his production company, Artists Equity, with its rep providing no immediate comment about Hudson’s involvement. A rep from The University of North Carolina, where Bill Belichick coaches, also had no comment on Jordan Hudson’s alleged participation in the commercial.
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Insiders claim that Bill Belichick’s 24-year-old girlfriend, Jordan Hudson, allegedly “forced her way in” Ben and Casey Affleck’s Super Bowl commercial, calling her the “gateway” to booking jobs for the head coach. It’ll be interesting to see if Belichick and Hudson will share their responses about the DunKings ad allegations down the road.
Normally, we’d open a story like this with a bold spoiler alert on how the Thunderbolts*’ asterisk mystery now has its answer. However, considering that Marvel Studios’ latest 2025 movie schedule entry is now openly giving it away, I think we can dispense with the pleasantries and just give a quick heads up. And, before you start to say, “Hey, it’s not like they’re renting a billboard or anything,” allow me to tell you a fun story about the MCU’s latest box office champ.
The Real Title Of Thunderbolts* Is Probably What You Expected
Marvel Studios actually is advertising that director Jake Schreier’s MCU movie has a very different title. In fact, a huge Los Angeles billboard, as well as theater standees and social media promos are giving you the answer up front, instead of making you wait until the end of the picture.
Thunderbolts* review will protect you from the image of that billboard, shown here:
The billboard for ‘THUNDERBOLTS*’ has officially been changed to ‘THE NEW AVENGERS’ pic.twitter.com/0efdYrZNQNMay 5, 2025
Oh, it’s gonna get confusing around these parts in the next couple of weeks, isn’t it? Technically, we’re talking about Thunderbolts*, as that’s the formal name of Marvel Studios’ new picture. However, it appears that this name really was a placeholder, like everyone had suspected. On that note, if someone starts talking about seeing *The New Avengers this weekend, don’t look at them funny – they’re technically correct.
As you can also see, the gag involving that provocative punctuation is still present. Not only that but, as you’d expect, the discussion of whether or not it’s a spoiler to reveal this fact or not is currently ongoing. However, there is a surprising omission that does actually maintain a little bit of mystery. So, if you don’t want to spoil Thunderbolts*’ post-credits scene, consider this an official spoiler warning.
(Image credit: Marvel Studios)
*The New Avengers Title Gag Is Leaving Out One Finishing Touch
Apparently, there is a bridge too far when it comes to selling Marvel Studios’ big Phase 5 finale. For those of you who have seen the picture yourselves, you’ll know what people are talking about with that “Z” the fans are talking about. Otherwise, please enjoy the rest of this sampling of internet discourse:
“Isn’t this a spoiler??? They should have probably waited like a week before doing that” – @zenoKonsuke
“Funnier if they spelled with a ‘Z’” – @Billy_Rock_
“Now cross out the S and add a Z” – @DanDellaCroce
“Plot twist marketing or multiverse mischief? ????????” – @Cinegasm_
“Advertising a movie you want people to watch using a different name, and one that spoils the movie? Seems like a mistake.” – @davidgaw
That last reaction may really speak to anyone with Edge of Tomorrow trivia knowledge. More specifically, they may recall that time Warner Bros. tried to drum up more business with an alternate title. As for “The Z,” that is of course a clever reference to how Red Guardian (David Harbour) tries to navigate some tricky trademark waters in the aftermath of Thunderbolts*’ name change.
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If you think that’s strange, try rolling around Thunderbolts*’ tricky new friendship twist in your head a little more. Though circling back to this name game, I’m now very curious as to what’s being planned for film’s home release. If this is another case of Live Die Repeat – then we might see an attempt to ditch the old title in subsequent releases. Which, if you ask me, is only going to confuse new viewers who aren’t as hard in the ink as other Marvel die-hards.
So, if you run into someone who asks you what the real is with *The New Avengers movie, feel free to show them this official clip – courtesy of Marvel Studios Singapore:
You’ve seen the asterisk everywhere. Now it’s time to watch the reveal in cinemas. Marvel Studios’ #ThunderboltsSG is in cinemas now. Get your tickets here: https://t.co/VdkBJ9PXwe #TheNewAvengers pic.twitter.com/Y0vRsGD0PuMay 5, 2025
Whether you call it Thunderbolts*, *The New Avengers or The Last Temptation of Bob, you can see this picture in theaters now. Just be sure to check your local listings, so you remember which movie you’re heading out to see.
Justin Bieber has been all over social media lately, smoking, partying with friends at Coachella and even confronting paparazzi, as rumors persist that he and wife Hailey are having issues. In fact, some of his recent behavior has people starting to worry about his finances, given the fact that he lost a lot of money when he pulled out of his tour back in 2022 and hasn’t been working. Let’s break down what happened and why insiders are concerned.
Justin Bieber Made Money By Selling The Rights To His Music, But Source Suggests He’s Blowing Through His Fortune
Looking at Hailey and Justin Bieber, you wouldn’t think money was something they’d have to be concerned about. After skyrocketing to pop stardom in the 2010s, the Biebs has an estimated worth of $300 million, with about $200 million of that coming from the deal he struck in 2023 to sell the publishing rights to his music, Page Six reports.
Hailey Bieber gave birth to son Jack Blues in August, Justin has been partying and allegedly doing drugs, and many are concerned about his behavior, as he’s reportedly cut ties with longtime friends and has been getting closer to more questionable characters as he continues to live a lavish lifestyle.
Why Justin Bieber Canceled His Justice World Tour And Lost $90 Million
When the Justice World Tour kicked off in February 2022, it was a long time coming for fans, who had originally planned to attend the tour closer to the release of his Changes and Justice albums. However, the pandemic forced the dates to be pushed, and then Bieber chose to end the tour six months early after being diagnosed with Type 2 Ramsay Hunt syndrome.
Ramsay Hunt is a rare disease that causes facial paralysis. It occurs when a shingles outbreak impacts the facial nerve close to the ear and can also cause hearing loss. After initially canceling a few concert dates, he decided to end the tour altogether, losing out on an estimated $90 million in income. He also was indebted to the tour’s promoter AEG for $20 million. Justin Bieber’s then-manager Scooter Braun paid the debt, but Bieber reportedly only reimbursed some of that.
Whether or not the diagnosis is what has kept Justin Bieber from working is unknown, but THR reports he is “very close” to finishing a new album.
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Lavish Spending Continues As Hailey Bieber Becomes The ‘Breadwinner’
Despite having no new music or giving performances — tours are where musicians make their money these days — Justin and Hailey Bieber continue to spend in what many consider an alarming way. The source said:
These two are traveling on vacations every two days on Instagram, they’re running around with full-time security and there’s no money coming in for a long time.
Justin Bieber owns six homes and flies his friends around on private jets. While one source alleged that he spent $300,000 at Nobu at Coachella, another source denied that he visited the sushi eatery.
Either way, it’s thought that Hailey Bieber has “become kind of the breadwinner” of the family, bringing in money with her beauty brand Rhode. However, despite spending big bucks on jewelry to honor her son, Hailey’s company is only being a few years old, and an insider says there’s no way it’s bankrolling their high-spending lifestyle at this point:
Rhode hasn’t made any money yet. If they sell she’ll make a lot of money. There’s no money that comes out of it. It’s all going back into marketing … If they sell Rhode they’ll be exponentially wealthy and I really hope they do.
Between the constant news reports, social media posts that show JB partying and his own musings on faith, it does seem like something is going on behind the scenes. We’ll have to see if the Biebs does come through with new music to help support his spending habits.
There were always going to be eyes focused on a movie like Another Simple Favor. The first movie was a surprise hit, leading to the sequel happening in the first place. However, the film is also the first major project for Blake Lively since It Ends With Us. That movie set has resulted in multiple lawsuits, both by and against Lively. There have also been rumors of conflict between Lively and her Simple Favor co-star Anna Kendrick, but director Paul Feig is denying there’s any feud.
There are lots of stories about actors on movie sets being a problem to work with and while there have been some cases of real problems, Feig insists that, at least in the case of Blake Lively, reports regarding Lively being difficult to work with mostly stem from people who don’t understand how movie sets actually work. He tells Esquire…
Blake is an amazing collaborator, so when I read people’s misconceptions about how movies are made, it’s just frustrating for me. Every star I’ve worked with works this way.
Blake Lively trying to have some control of productions, that’s only because that’s how it always works on set. Feig continued…
The idea that a star just shows up and you go ‘Here’s the script’ – please point me to one movie star who works that way. So when the gang on the internet get [up in arms] about something, it’s just like, guys, you don’t know what you’re talking about. I love working with Blake – she’s just the best.
Certainly, with lawsuits having been filed by Blake Lively against her It Ends With Us director Justin Baldoni, and with more lawsuits filed by him, including suits that include Lively’s husband Ryan Reynolds and the New York Times, whatever may have happened on that set went beyond the norm. Of course, that movie was also different because, in addition to being an actress, Lively was also a producer.
Feig seems to indicate that anything that may (or may not) have happened on the set of A Simple Favor was nothing more than the normal interactions between people on a movie set. Lively and Kendrick have no issues working together to promote the film, something that wasn’t the case following It Ends with Us.
For the filmmaker, anybody who has an extreme reaction to the stories about Blake Lively needs to relax, because there’s simply no reason to be outraged here. Feig explained…
Outrage is the most boring emotion humans have these days – when it’s towards something meaningful, that’s great. But people get outraged at everything. It’s like, this is what you’re angry about? There’s other things to be outraged about – please, go and help make the world a better place.
While Paul Feig may be looking to reduce the outrage, with lawsuits set to go to trial next year, the controversy surrounding Blake Lively likely won’t be going away anytime soon, whether or not this is all actually normal for a movie star.
Though Dwayne Johnson is pretty much persona non grata in WWE right now, I can’t help but feel excited for The Smashing Machine, the upcoming A24 movie about trailblazing and controversial MMA fighter Mark Kerr. The movie, which is being directed by Uncut Gems filmmaker Benny Safdie, is one of The Rock’s upcoming movies I’ve been following for a very long time, and one I’m so excited to see later in the 2025 movie schedule. And that excitement just got a whole lot more intense thanks to one minor detail.
I recently learned just how far Safdie was going in order to make The Smashing Machine as realistic, faithful, and authentic as humanly possible, and fans of old school MMA will really like to know what I found out. That said, let’s break it all down…
(Image credit: A24)
The Smashing Machine Has Been One Of My Most Anticipated Movies For A Long Time
The Smashing Machines’ development for a couple of years now, and with every release of a new picture of Dwayne Johnson as MMA fighter Mark Kerr, though somewhat unrecognizable in his depiction, I’m getting more and more excited. Basically, this has been one of my most anticipated movies for a very long time, and I cannot wait to see where it takes The Rock’s career.
And just when I couldn’t get any more hyped up for this long-awaited sports biopic, The Smashing Machine’s first trailer came out and made things even more electric. But that isn’t the only reason my excitement for this movie has reached new heights. In fact, it’s just the beginning…
Matt Serra’s YouTube channel, where the MMA legend talked about just how committed Benny Safdie was to getting it right. In the chat, Rutten, who worked extensively with the director and Dwayne Johnson in The Smashing Machine, said the filmmaker went as far as to get the same cameras used by PRIDE FC back in Mark Kerr’s era:
They used the same cameras that PRIDE had. … Then the special parts that they film when the fighter walks up, that’s a different camera. He got those cameras, so it looked exactly the same. Yeah, he’s something, man. That guy is very involved in what he’s doing.
I’m not going to lie, when I first saw the fight footage in The Smashing Machine’s trailer, I thought it was some clever editing and visual effects to give them that grainy and washed-out look. To find out that Safdie went the extra mile to make this look like the real thing instead of fixing it in post is astounding, to say the least.
(Image credit: A24)
The Attention To Detail In This Movie Is Going To Be Nuts, And I’m Along For The Ride
There have been some great MMA movies (Warrior is a personal favorite of mine) over the years, but after watching Bas Rutten get that excited talking about cameras on the set of the upcoming sports flick, my anticipation is through the roof. During that same interview, Rutten talked about how Benny Safdie recreated the Tokyo Dome by making the set have Japanese writing everywhere and even the same lights that were used at the PRIDE shows held at the famous stadium.
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I’m sure those aren’t the only ways The Smashing Machine’s production team made the set look and feel like a real MMA show, and I can’t wait to see how all of that looks when the movie opens this fall.
