Men's Journal's Blog, page 133
April 23, 2025
Taylor Swift Could Soon Find Herself Sitting in a Courtroom
Taylor Swift is used to performing live for tens of thousands of fans on a near-nightly basis. But standing in front of a judge could bring its own sort of unique pressure.
If various media reports turn out to be true, the “Bad Blood” singer could find herself being handed a subpoena this week to testify in the ongoing legal drama between Blake Lively and her It Ends With Us co-star and director Justin Baldoni. According to a number of sources, Swift—and Ryan Reynolds’ BFF Hugh Jackman—could both be served with subpoenas to testify as early as this week.
If you haven’t been following the drama, it all began when Lively—a longtime friend of Swift’s—sued Baldoni for sexual harassment. He then filed his own lawsuit, claiming that any sexual harassment accusations were untrue. And accusing Lively of trying to use her powerful husband and circle of friends to further intimidate him.
It does appear that Swift met Baldoni at least once, at Lively’s New York City apartment, where the billionaire pop star and Lively’s Deadpool husband both gushed over the changes the Gossip Girl star had suggested for their movie’s screenplay.
On Tuesday, an anonymous source told The Daily Mail that Swift and Jackman will “most definitely be served this week” and that “It could happen at any time.”
The same source went on to note that Lively and Swift—who is the godmother to three of Lively and Reynolds’ four children—have not been seen together since her name was first publicly dragged into the legal circus. Reports have recently surfaced claiming that the duo have mended their rift, but they still have yet to be seen grabbing a meal, and Lively did not accompany Swift to this year’s Super Bowl (as she had previously).
April 22, 2025
Max Has Unveiled a Clever Way of Cracking Down on Password-Sharing
No one wants to interrupt their grandma’s The Righteous Gemstones binge-watch, but Max is onto the fact that your nana is using your password. And they’ve come up with a clever way to stop it: “Extra Member” accounts.
As Variety reports, Warner Bros. Discovery—Max’s parent company—is tired of seeing how much money is being left on the table due to people sharing their login info with friends and family. So on Tuesday, they launched a unique way to combat the problem by introducing “Extra Member” accounts.
Related: Max, Formerly Known as HBO Max, Changed Its Logo
Rather than forcing your freeloading friend to purchase their own subscription to the streaming service, Extra Member accounts let them continue to log on through yours—but at a cost of $7.99 per month. Given that the cost of an individual account starts at $9.99 for a basic subscription, including ads, and tops out at $20.99 per month for its Premium package, it’s a bargain any which way you look at it (though certainly more money than “free” has been).
The Extra Member incentive allows a user outside your household to set up their own individual account with their own preferences, which means your pal won’t interrupt your The Pitt marathon, and you don’t have to question why they’ve watched Chernobyl 10 times in one month. So really, everyone wins.
Max isn’t the first streamer to take this kind of sugar-coated approach to password-sharing. Netflix launched a similar program in 2023, and Disney+ followed suit in late 2024. In both cases, it has shown to be a revenue-booster.
Just be warned: you’ll only be allowed to add one Extra Member to your account. So you’ll need to think carefully.
Brooks Nader and Her Model Sisters Tease Major Announcement
Brooks Nader has already conquered the modeling world, having regularly featured in SI Swim, including a cover gig. She's also proved she's got the moves with her stint on Dancing With the Stars. Now she’s bringing her sisters into what could genuinely be called the family business.
On Tuesday, Variety reported that late-night icon Jimmy Kimmel is expanding his talents beyond the Jimmy Kimmel Live! desk to produce a new Hulu series about all four Nader sisters—Brooks, Sarah Jane, Grace Ann, and Mary Holland—trying to make it in the cutthroat modeling world of New York City.
Related: 'SI Swim' Model Brooks Nader Sends Clear Message to Ex Amid Breakup
The upcoming series, titled Love Thy Nader, will follow the quartet of genetically-blessed sisters from “their humble beginnings in the Louisiana bayou for the glamour and grind of New York City,” according to Hulu.
The network’s description goes on to explain that Brooks’ “breakout success” has led her three sisters “into the high-stakes world of modeling, the social scene of Manhattan’s elite, and opened the door to a whirlwind of attention in their romantic lives.” Of course, Hulu’s take on it is much more to-the-point: “In a city where one can burn bright or go up in flames, sometimes the only thing truly needed is a sister who has your back.”
Kimmel will serve as an executive producer on the series through his company, Kimmelot, in what is seemingly a departure for the comedian and host. The new series was revealed at Hulu’s “Get Real” House event, where the streamer celebrated its move into unscripted original series.
That Dance Song at the End of 'Andor' Episode 3 Is a New Remix of a Previous 'Star Wars' Banger
If you feel like you've heard that techno-ish, dance club track that scores the last moments of Andor Season 2, Episode 3, you're right, you totally have. In the last moments of this episode, a lot goes down, and while the action seems to spin out of control, and simultaneously coalesce into the ending of this part of the story, one set of thumping beats pervades it all.
But the song that ends the third episode is actually a remix of a different Andor song from 2022. Spoilers ahead.
Andor Season 2, Episode 3 Ending Explained
Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) at the end of 'Andor' Season 2, Episode 3.Lucasfilm/Disney+
The third episode of Andor Season 2 includes two pivotal turning points. First, Mon Mothma (Genevieve O'Reilly) dimly becomes aware that Luthen (Stellan Skarsgård) plans to quietly assassinate Tay Kolma (Ben Miles), the banker who helped cover up Mon's shady finances in Season 1. At the same time, Andor (Diego Luna) is rescuing his longtime partner Bix (Adria Arjona) and Wimon (Muhannad Bhaier) from the planet Mina-rau.
The big plot pivot for Andor is that he's now brought Bix and Wilmon into the more dangerous part of working as a Rebel agent, and it seems his friends and found family from the planet Ferrix no longer have a safe haven. Meanwhile, Mon Mothma is struggling with her sudden guilt in letting Luthen murder her childhood friend, Kolma, the banker, because he knew too much about their operation.
And during all of this, action, as Mon tries to dance herself clean and Andor takes his stolen TIE Fighter into the future, the beats of one song connect it all. But what is it?
"Niamos," the Star Wars: Andor Dance Song, ExplainedThe song playing at the end of Andor Season 2, Episode 3 is actually a remix of a similar dance song from Season 1, called "Niamos!" It first appeared in Episode 7 of Andor Season 1 when Cassian was on the planet called, funnily enough, Niamos. On the Andor soundtrack, there were a few different mixes of this song, but "Niamos! (Morlana Club Mix)" was the most popular. (Polygon called the song a "barn burner" in 2022.)
View the original article to see embedded media.
The song was composed by Nicholas Britell, who was also the mastermind behind Andor's entire Season 1 score. Other than Andor, Britell is likely most famous for composing the music for the hit series Succession.
However, Britell did not score Andor Season 2. Instead, the composer this time is Brandon Roberts, who was responsible for the music in the rebooted Jordan Peele Twilight Zone series. The credits of all Andor Season 2 episodes read "Andor themes by Nicholas Britell," so it's pretty clear that this latest remix of "Niamos!" uses the song created by Britell, and has been remixed (probably) by Roberts.
Lucasfilm and Disney+ tend to drop pieces of their soundtracks onto Spotify and iTunes as new shows air. So, keep a lookout for this new, extra-long version of "Nimos!" which, if we had to guess, will be called "Chandrila Club Badass Remix."
Andor Season 2 streams three new episodes on Disney+ every Tuesday until May 13.Related: 'Andor' Season 2 Review: Here's The One Thing You Need to Know
Ryan Coogler's 'Sinners' Makes Horror Movie History
Filmmaker Ryan Coogler's newest feature starring Michael B. Jordan released in theaters on April 18 and stunned audiences.
Sinners is Coogler's fourth and by far most ambitious feature following Fruitvale Station (2013), Creed (2015), and both Black Panther movies under Marvel Studios.
Set in 1932 Mississippi, Sinners tells the story of twin brothers returning home and the supernatural events that follow. Jordan takes on dual roles, playing both brothers.
"I never did a horror film before and playing two characters, and twins at that ... I think the combination of all those things makes this experience like truly, truly, unique and special for me," Jordan told ABC News.
Michael B. Jordan attends the Warner Bros Pictures "Sinners" New York Premiere at AMC Lincoln Square Theater.Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images
Praised for its rare mix of horror, action, and adventure, Sinners scored an impressive 98% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Sinners’ success on the ratings scoreboard — the film became the first horror movie to score an “A” on CinemaScore — is also translating to success at the box office. The film earned $7.8 million on Monday, making history as the second-best Monday for an R-rated horror movie, trailing only It (2017).
Ryan Coogler’s ‘SINNERS’ had the 3rd biggest Monday domestically for any horror movie ever, earning $7.8M
— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) April 22, 2025
Read our review: https://t.co/AGnQ9Gwyyv pic.twitter.com/ijuPxY1hNE
In a heartfelt letter to fans following Sinners' immediate success, Coogler wrote, "We always had our minds on you, the audience, and felt a deep responsibility to entertain you, and move you in the way only cinema can."
Science Just Debunked a Major Myth About Protein and Muscle Gains
People have been curious about the best way to build muscle for a long time. Old-school bodybuilders swear by lean protein, healthy fats, and complex carbs, while most powerlifters champion the dirty bulk. But one question keeps coming up: Can plant-based protein build muscle as effectively as meat? Turns out, there's little difference between the two, a new study from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign found.
For years, research has shown that animal-based diets have the edge over plant-based ones. Animal protein is “complete,” meaning it contains all 20 amino acids needed for protein synthesis. Soy—often considered the most complete plant-based option—only has nine.
"The longstanding belief or the current dogma was that animal-based protein sources were better, particularly for the muscle-building response,” said co-lead researcher Nicholas Burd, a professor of health and kinesiology at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
According to Burd, the issue with most of the previous research was that it focused on muscle biopsies after a single feeding. For this new study, researchers wanted to see if longer-term plant-based eating could have the same effects on muscle growth as animal-based eating.
Related: How to Instantly Improve Your Grip Strength for Better Workouts
The team recruited 40 healthy adults between the ages of 20 and 40 years old. For the first seven days, the participants stuck to their normal diets, then they were broken into two groups, following either a vegan or an omnivorous diet.
The majority of the foods in the omnivore diet were animal-based, including staples like beef, pork, chicken, dairy, and eggs. The vegan diet, on the other hand, was entirely plant-based but carefully designed to ensure participants still consumed all essential amino acids necessary for muscle growth and recovery.
After the participants were split into the original two groups, they were split again. Some ate equal amounts of protein at three meals, while others spread their intake across five meals, consuming more protein later in the day.
They also worked out and performed muscle-strengthening activities every three days. Every day, they drank water containing deuterium, which bonded with amino acids, allowing researchers to trace their incorporation into muscle tissue. At the beginning and end of the study, biopsies from a leg muscle were taken.
In the end, researchers found no difference in muscle-building between the two diets, and meal frequency didn’t matter either.
“It was thought that it was better to get a steady-state delivery of nutrients throughout the day,” Burd said in a statement. “I also thought that if you’re getting a lower quality protein—in terms of its digestibility and amino acid content—that perhaps distribution would make a difference. And surprisingly, we showed it doesn’t matter.”
Benson Boone Sends Clear Message After Online Hate
Pop superstar Benson Boone does not mind facing criticism, but he just wants people to be a little more specific about what exactly they dislike about him or his music.
In a post on TikTok this week, after performing at both weekends of the Coachella Music festival in Indio, California, Boone shared a message where he simply asked his haters to at least "have a good reason" for their hate.
"If you hate me or my music at least have a good reason for it," Boone wrote in white text over a front-facing video of his face with an unreleased song playing in the background. "I just read a comment that said 'idek why I hate Benson Boone but it feels right.' Like WHAT!!? how am I supposed to improve after reading that?"
Boone has become notorious for his acrobatic flips during his performances on stage, and he even addressed that in his video.
"At least say something valid like 'he low key just flips everywhere can he [do] anything else?'" Boone wrote.
Boone even offered one suggestion for criticism that he would deem "super valid."
"I just don't like his songs even though I'm basing my opinion off the only one I've heard over and over," Boone wrote, seemingly referencing his massive hit "Beautiful Things" which has received a lot of play on the radio.
Regardless of the criticism that he has received from some people, he has clearly been successful, earning a Grammy nomination this year and playing in front of a massive crowd at Coachella this month.
‘Malcolm in the Middle’ Star Drops Epic Reunion Photo
It’s hard to believe it’s been nearly 20 years since Malcolm in the Middle last graced our television screens, which makes it all the more exciting to know that the series is embarking on a triumphant return.
In December, fans rejoiced when it was announced that the beloved Fox series, which followed the antics of a lovably dysfunctional family of seven, was being revived by Disney+ with original stars Frankie Muniz, Bryan Cranston, and Jane Kaczmarek set to reprise their roles as Malcolm, Hal, and Lois, respectively (the family’s last name was never included on the show, but a season 1 DVD feature referred to them as the “Wilkersons”).
Related: Bryan Cranston, Breaking Badass
As is often the case with such highly anticipated reunions, very few details about the revival have been shared. What we do know is that it will be a quick watch—just four episodes—and that they’ll center around a celebration for Hal and Lois’ 40th wedding anniversary.
Several of the original actors are also scheduled to attend, including Christopher Masterson, who played Francis, and Justin Berfield, who had the role of Reese. Erik Per Sullivan, the original series’ Dewey, retired from acting shortly after the show ended and will not be returning (his role has been recast).
We also know that a sixth sibling hinted at in the series finale—which would push Malcolm out of “the middle”—will be included: Vaughan Murrae will play Kelly, the family’s youngest child and only daughter. Other newcomers include Keeley Karsten as Malcolm’s daughter and Kiana Madeira as his girlfriend.
While Malcolm in the Middle helped to make Muniz one of the wealthiest young actors of the 2000s, he switched gears not long after the series ended to become a professional race car driver.
While Muniz initially seemed thrilled about the prospect of stepping back in front of the camera, he shared an update to his X (formerly Twitter) account on Monday to share that he was struggling.
If I'm being 100% honest... Mentally/emotionally I may be at a new low. Just wanted to say it out loud.
— Frankie Muniz (@frankiemuniz) April 21, 2025
“If I’m being 100% honest... Mentally/emotionally I may be at a new low. Just wanted to say it out loud,” Muniz wrote, prompting fans to celebrate his very public admission with many suggesting that he should put his mental health first and drop out of the show.
On Tuesday, however, it seemed as if Muniz was back on track—possibly due to some extra support from his onscreen parents. The 39-year-old actor posted a photo of him on the set of the new Malcolm in the Middle, flanked by Cranston and Kaczmarek.
Always good to have Mom and Dad around! pic.twitter.com/7XH585hnZE
— Frankie Muniz (@frankiemuniz) April 22, 2025
Muniz’s caption seemed to indicate that everything is going to be alright: “Always good to have Mom and Dad around!”
Legendary ESPN Announcer Passes Away
Legendary ESPN broadcaster Mike Patrick has passed away at the age of 80 years old, the network confirmed on Tuesday.
Patrick spent 36 years as a play-by-play commentator for ESPN, serving as the voice of the network's NFL coverage on "Sunday Night Football" for 18 seasons. He joined ESPN in his play-by-play role in 1982 and called his last event for the network in 2017.
He passed away of natural causes on Sunday in Fairfax, Virginia.
ESPN president of content Burke Magnus offered a heartfelt message after Patrick's passing.
"Mike Patrick called countless significant events over decades at ESPN and is one of the most influential on-air voices in our history," Magnus said in a statement. "In addition to calling ESPN's first-ever regular season NFL game and voicing the 'Sunday Night Football' franchise for 18 seasons, Mike's work on college sports was exceptional.
"For 36 years, he called football and men's and women's basketball, including the Women's Final Four and so many historic matchups between ACC rivals Duke and UNC. Our deepest condolences to Mike's family and his many friends throughout the industry."
Many of Patrick's former colleagues also offered heartfelt tributes to the legendary broadcaster.
"I'm so sorry to learn about the passing of Mike Patrick. I called him Mr. ACC as he had a great love for doing the big ACC games," ESPN college basketball analyst Dick Vitale said Tuesday. "Mike had great energy and a keen knowledge of ACC basketball, and I truly enjoyed sitting next to him calling so many special games over the years."
"So sorry to learn of the passing of the great Mike Patrick. Mike was the voice of ACC Basketball when I was a player, and I had the honor of working with him and calling him a friend. Mike Patrick was a pro's pro. RIP Mike Patrick," ESPN's Jay Bilas wrote on social media.
Patrick made a lasting impact on the sports media community and will not be forgotten.
'Last of Us' Star Bella Ramsey Opens Up About Autism
While filming the latest season of HBO's hit show "The Last of Us," Bella Ramsey faced some harsh conditions and grueling situations, which made things difficult for the actor, who was diagnosed with autism recently.
Back in March, Ramsey revealed that they had been diagnosed with autism while working on "The Last of Us."
“Having to wear the waterproofs underneath my costume was absolutely atrocious,” Ramsey admitted. “I’d have to make light of it on set because otherwise I was going to go insane. We’d say, ‘Oh, I’m tweaking.’"
“I got diagnosed with autism when I was filming season one of 'The Last of Us,'” Ramsey said last month, according to People Magazine.
Ramsey "always wondered" if they were on the spectrum. When a crew member, who has a daughter with autism, assumed they had been diagnosed, Ramsey sought out a formal psychiatric assessment, where Ramsey was diagnosed.
Ramsey said that the diagnosis has been "freeing."
“It enables me to walk through the world with more grace towards myself about not being able to do the easy everyday tasks that everyone else seems to be able to do,” Ramsey said. “The label of being autistic has been so helpful to me because that’s helped me to understand myself."
While filming the latest season of the show, Ramsey ran into some challenges with the extreme environment as well as general fatigue. The show is set in a rather harsh climate where it was often "cold, wet, and muddy" on set. That presented some challenges given Ramsey's sensory issues.
“Having to wear the waterproofs underneath my costume was absolutely atrocious,” Ramsey told The Hollywood Reporter. “I’d have to make light of it on set because otherwise I was going to go insane. We’d say, ‘Oh, I’m tweaking.’"
Ramsey tried to "pretend that it wasn't happening and distract myself." However, there were also times that Ramsey would "literally rip off my waterproofs at lunchtime."
The harsh conditions, coupled with fatigue, were not exactly easy to handle.
"Being tired for me also always amplifies my autistic traits. That was a challenge, as the months went on," Ramsey added.
Season 2 of "The Last of Us" is currently airing on Sunday nights on HBO and Max.
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