Actor Tate Donovan is back in the spotlight this week. And let’s be real, it seems like every corner of 90s and early-2000s fandom perked up at the sight of him. The actor, who once dated both Sandra Bullock and Jennifer Aniston (yes, that’s your reminder that the 90s were wild), made a rare appearance in Santa Monica. And we’re sure fans instantly slipped right back into nostalgia mode.

Want to see the photos for yourself? Check them out here.

Donovan has always had that “oh yeah, I remember him!” energy. The kind of actor who popped up everywhere and managed to leave an impression every single time. Between movie roles, sitcom moments, and one very chaotic Newport Beach storyline, yep, he’s basically woven into the fabric of our TV memories.

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The Romances Everyone Still Brings Up

It seems like every time Donovan resurfaces, people do one thing. Immediately go back to his off-screen romances, and honestly, can you blame them? He and Sandra Bullock fell for each other while filming the 1992 movie “Love Potion No. 9.” They dated for around four years. Bullock has openly said how deeply she cared for him many times. And fans still treat their relationship like one of Hollywood’s lost golden-era love stories.

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Then came Jennifer Aniston. A relationship that lasted around two years and remains one of those “wait, that really happened?” moments of 90s pop culture. And because the universe loves a twist, Donovan played Joshua Burgin, the guy Rachel Green dates in Season 4 of “Friends.” So yes, Aniston had to film scenes flirting with her real-life ex. It seems like sitcom-level awkwardness, but it absolutely happened, and the behind-the-scenes trivia still entertains fans to this day.

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But Donovan’s résumé stretches way beyond famous exes. Fans of “The O.C.” still remember him as Jimmy Cooper; the stressed-out, well-meaning dad who could not stop landing himself in financial trouble. And if Disney classics were more your vibe growing up, get ready. He voiced the title character in the 1997 animated film “Hercules.” Yep, millennials everywhere can still hear that voice.

His Rare Santa Monica Sighting (Plus What He’s Working On Now)

So what brought Donovan back into the spotlight this week? A relaxing day out with his dog. He was spotted riding his bicycle through Santa Monica wearing a blue-and-green flannel and jeans… very casual, very lived-in L.A., and very wholesome. For someone who’s kept things low-key, it’s the kind of sighting that probably had longtime fans smiling.

And in case you were wondering whether he’s stepped back from acting: not at all. Donovan recently starred in the films “Paradise” (2024), “Steady” (2024), and “Rhythm Is a Dancer” (2025). He also appeared in the final season of “Blue Bloods,” proving he’s still popping up in shows fans couldn’t stop watching.

It seems like Donovan is enjoying his space and staying busy. He’s also quietly reminding everyone why he’s still such a familiar face. And honestly? We’re here for every soft-launch comeback moment he gives us.

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Mindy Sterling, Hollywood comedy icon who portrayed a villain in “Austin Powers” was spotted taking a stroll out in Los Angeles on Tuesday, December 9. The star, 72, appeared much different than her character as Dr. Evil’s henchwoman.

The Role of Frau Farbissina

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Sterling was seen taking a walk in Los Angeles on Tuesday, December 9, protecting herself from the cold weather with a jacket paired with flowing jeans and trainers, according to Daily Mail.

See the photos here.

Sterling famously portrayed Dr. Evil’s loyal henchwoman in 1997’s “Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery” followed by it’s sequels, “The Spy Who Shagged Me” and “Goldmember.”

The actress met Mike Myers, the man who portrayed the time-traveling spy and Dr. Evil, performing with him at the Groundlings show “Cooking with Gas.”

During her appearance on the Multiple Women Talking podcast last year, Sterling said, “he opened the door to where I was going next.”

Although Myers “really wanted” Sterling for the part, she still had to audition for it. The reason for this, according to Sterling, was that she “was a nobody.” She added, “There were other women.”

“I know that he really wanted me cause he thought I was so funny, he said the best thing about you is you know nothing. And so I remember going into the audition.”

When one of the podcasters noted that a huge compliment coming from Myers, Sterling replied, “I know. I will forever, ever be grateful for him.”

“So I remember going in and there was, I think, maybe two girls that, when I think about it now, I think, they were so wrong for it, but maybe I was thinking about another part.”

While her character of Frau Farbissina may be her best known role, Sterling has built up an impressive acting resume throughout the years.

Sterling’s Career & Personal Life

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The actress appeared in the film “How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” and a variety of hit television shows, such as “A.N.T Farm,” “Desperate Housewives,” “iCarly,” “Reno 911!,” and many more.

In 2017, Sterling was nominated for two Emmys. She was up for Outstanding Actress In A Short Form Comedy Or Drama Series for her roles in “Con Man” as the character of Bobbie and in “secs & EXECS” as the character of Shirla.

Outside of her acting career, Sterling is also a mother to her son Max Gadson with her ex-husband Brian Gadson. Sterling is the daughter of actor/comedian Dick Sterling, who is best known for “Mako: The Jaws of Death” (1976), “The Jackie Gleason Show” (1966) and “The Pilot” (1980).

“When you’re a kid with a celebrity parent, they’re your parents,” Sterling once said during an interview with Broadway World. “It’s not that big of a deal. He believes in me. He’s very supportive. He’s very congratulatory when I get something.”

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Melissa Joan Hart is opening up about how the premiere for her 1999 teen rom-com “Drive Me Crazy” turned out to be “one of the worst days” of her life. The actress bravely shared details about that night while reflecting on her career.

A Night of Celebration Takes an Unexpected Turn

Hart detailed the night where she was body shamed and fired from two jobs in one night during her recent appearance on Betches’ Picture Day, a series where celebrities like Hart look back at old photos from their career and react to their past selves in a yearbook-style format.

While discussing a photo where she is posing with Britney Spears at the “Drive Me Crazy” premiere, Hart said, “if you look at my eyes, they’re very bloodshot because this was what I would consider, if you read my book, one of the worst days of my life at the time.”

Hart explains that she and Spears were doing press for the film together, but she was set to travel to Vancouver to shoot “Scary Movie.”

“I was supposed to be this small part in the beginning, that’s like the Drew Barrymore knockoff part, but they decided when I did the fitting that I didn’t have big enough boobs for that part,” she said. “I’m driving to the airport and back in those days you had, the cell phone in the limo, and I got a call, and it was like, ‘Turn around, go back to your premiere. You’ve been fired from the movie.'”

Hart continued, “so I was already crying and waiting for everyone to finish the movie and come on over. And when they get there, my lawyer meets up with me first and says, ‘because of your cover of ‘Maxim’ magazine, you’re being fired from your show.'”

“So then I really start crying. And then my dad comes and hugs me. And I don’t see my dad often, so like for him to hug me? I was, like, ‘Oh my God, my dad’s hugging me.’ It was just a dramatic night,” Hart concluded.

Hart’s Career Following ‘Drive Me Crazy’

Though Hart lost out on “Scary Movie,” she went on to have a successful career on and off-screen.

She remained on the hit television series “Sabrina the Teenage Witch,” a role which solidified Hart as a household name.

Hart also landed a leading role in the sitcom “Melissa & Joey” opposite Joey Lawrence.

She appeared in several television movies, including “My Fake Fiancé,” another role where she starred alongside Lawrence, and “Holiday in Handcuffs” with Mario Lopez. She finished 6th place on season 9 of “Dancing with the Stars” when she was partnered with Mark Ballas.

Hart also expanded her career producing and directing for television including projects for Hallmark and Lifetime.

The post Beloved 90s Star Vulnerably Opens Up About Being Fired Twice in One Night appeared first on EntertainmentNow.

At the start of this December, “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” turned 36 years old. The festive slapstick comedy classic was released on December 1, 1989, is now far more appreciated than it was initially, and has become a festive viewing staple for millions.

In the movie, the inimitable Clark Griswold — played so iconically by Chevy Chase — attempts to give his family a perfect, traditional, old-fashioned Christmas. However, unsurprisingly, things don’t go according to plan and hilarity and calamity ensue.

“Christmas Vacation’s” memorable cast also includes the likes of Beverly D’Angelo, Randy Quaid, Juliette Lewis, and Johnny Galecki. Let’s take a look at what the core cast looked like then, compared to what they all look like now…

Chevy Chase (Clark Griswold)

Chevy Chase was already a huge star when “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” released. At 46, he had already featured heavily on television and in movies, getting his big break as the breakout cast member in the first season of “Saturday Night Live” in the mid-1970s.

He had also hosted his own show, “The Chevy Chase Show,” and co-hosted the 59th and 60th Academy Awards.

Regarding movies, his credits at that point included 1974’s independent comedy “The Groove Tube,” 1980’s sports comedy “Caddyshack,” 1985’s comedy-thriller “Fletch,” 1986’s Western comedy “¡Three Amigos!,” and, of course, two previous “National Lampoon” installments (per IMDb).

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Chase is now 82 and has enjoyed an enviable career on the big and small screens by anyone’s standards.

His subsequent television credits included a revamped version of “The Chevy Chase Show,” further appearances on “Saturday Night Live,” and roles in shows as varied as sitcom “The Nanny,” police procedural “Law & Order,” animated sitcom “Family Guy,” family drama “Brothers & Sisters,” Swedish sitcom “Hjälp!,” action comedy “Chuck,” and sitcom “Community.”

Movie credits for Chase since “Christmas Vacation” include 1992’s comedy-drama “Memoirs of an Invisible Man,” 1997’s road comedy “National Lampoon’s Vegas Vacation,” 2009’s fantasy adventure comedy “Jack and the Beanstalk,” 2010’s sci-fi comedy “Hot Tub Time Machine,” and 2015’s road comedy “National Lampoon’s Vacation.”

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Beverly D’Angelo (Ellen Griswold)

Beverly D’Angelo played Clark Griswold’s wife, Ellen, in “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.” She was 38 at the time of the movie’s release.

D’Angelo had only appeared in a couple of minor television roles prior to her appearance in “Christmas Vacation,” but had amassed a fairly substantial back catalogue of movie roles.

Per IMDb, her previous movie credits included 1977’s satirical romantic comedy-drama “Annie Hall,” 1977’s supernatural horror “The Sentinel,” 1978’s action comedy “Every Which Way but Loose,” 1980’s biographical musical “Coal Miner’s Daughter,” 1981’s comedy “Honky Tonk Freeway,” 1981’s comedy “Fraternity,” 1988’s fantasy comedy “High Spirits,” and, of course, two previous “National Lampoon” installments alongside Chase.

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After “Christmas Vacation,” D’Angelo continued to appear prolifically on television and in movies.

Her subsequent television credits include a wide variety of shows, including the horror anthology series “Tales from the Crypt,” animated sitcom “The Simpsons,” sitcom Frasier, sitcom “Rude Awakening,” police procedural “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit,” comedy-drama series “Entourage,” animated sitcom “Family Guy,” sitcom “Cougar Town,” drama series “Shooter,” and black comedy-drama series “Insatiable.”

D’Angelo’s movie credits now include the likes of 1997’s road comedy “National Lampoon’s Vegas Vacation,” 1998’s crime drama American History X,” 2008’s buddy stoner comedy “Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay,” 2015’s road comedy “National Lampoon’s Vacation,” and 2022’s Christmas action comedy “Violent Night.”

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Randy Quaid (Eddie Johnson)

Randy Quaid was 39 when he appeared as Eddie Johnson in “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.” Redneck Eddie is Ellen and Clark’s cousin-in-law, by virtue of the fact he’s married to Ellen’s cousin, Catherine.

Quaid had almost two decades of acting behind him when he appeared in “Christmas Vaction,” with prominent roles on television and in films (per IMDb).

His television credits included the likes of “Saturday Night Live” and a number of made-for-TV movies. His movie career had been more successful, with appearances in films like 1971’s coming-of-age-drama “The Last Picture Show,” 1973’s comedy-drama “The Last Detail” (for which he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor), 1976’s biographical drama “Bound for Glory,” 1983’s road comedy “National Lampoon’s Vacation,” and 1988’s sports comedy “Caddyshack II.”

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Quaid is now 75 and, although he is still acting, is rarely seen in public. He’s experienced some legal problems, but appears to have kept out of trouble in the last decade.

Following his appearance in “Christmas Vaction,” he continued to prolifically appear on television and in movies.

His television credits include more made-for-TV films, as well as shows like the sitcom “Davis Rules,” animated comedy series “The Ren & Stimpy Show,” drama series “The Brotherhood of Poland, New Hampshire.”

Quaid’s movie credits now include the likes of 1993’s black comedy “Freaked,” 1996’s sports comedy “Kingpin,” 1996’s sci-fi action flick “Independence Day,” 1997’s road comedy “National Lampoon’s Vegas Vacation,” 1998’s action thriller “Hard Rain,” and 2001’s parody movie “Not Another Teen Movie.”

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Johnny Galecki (Russell ‘Rusty’ Griswold)

Johnny Galecki was 14 when he played Clark and Ellen’s son, Russell “Rusty” Griswold, in “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.” Galecki replaced Anthony Michael Hall and Jason Lively, who played the character in two previous “Vacation” movies.

It was Galecki’s fifth acting job. He’d previously appeared in only four movies, one of which was another Christmas movie, in the form of 1988’s fantasy drama “Prancer” (per IMDb).

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“Christmas Vaction” provided Galecki with the platform for his acting career to take off, and he subsequently began appearing regularly both on television and in more movies.

Now 50, his television credits include significant roles in the sitcom “American Dreamer,” sitcom “Blossom,” “Head of the Class” spin-off “Billy,” sitcom “Roseanne,” and his most iconic role in sitcom “The Big Bang Theory.”

Galecki’s back catalogue of movies now includes 1991’s comedy film “Backfield in Motion,” 1997’s British comedy “Bean,” 1997’s crime thriller “Suicide Kings,” 1997’s slasher horror “I Know What You Did Last Summer,” 1998’s romantic dark comedy “The Opposite of Sex,” 2000’s romantic drama “Bounce,” 2001’s psychological sci-fi thriller “Vanilla Sky,” 2008’s superhero movie “Hancock,” and 2019’s adventure comedy-drama “A Dog’s Journey.”

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Juliette Lewis (Audrey Griswold)

Juliette Lewis was 16 when she played Clark and Ellen’s daughter, Audrey Griswold, in “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.” Lewis replaced Dana Barron and Dana Hill, who played the character in two previous “Vacation” movies.

She had only appeared in one movie before “Christmas Vacation” and that was 1988’s sci-fi comedy “My Stepmother Is an Alien.” She had, however, appeared in a handful of television series, including the sitcom “I Married Dora,” sitcom “The Facts of Life,” and the coming-of-age comedy series “The Wonder Years” (per IMDb).

Now 52, Lewis has appeared in dozens of movies and television shows following her role in “Christmas Vacation.”

Notable movie credits include 1991’s psychological thriller “Cape Fear,” 1993’s coming-of-age drama “What’s Eating Gilbert Grape,” 1993’s neo-noir crime thriller “Romeo Is Bleeding,” 1994’s romantic crime flick “Natural Born Killers,” 1995’s biographical crime drama “The Basketball Diaries,” 1996’s horror movie “From Dusk till Dawn,” 2004’s buddy cop action comedy “Starsky & Hutch,” and 2015’s musical drama “Jem and the Holograms.”

Her extensive television credits include the likes of the sitcom “A Family for Joe,” animated sitcom “Free for All,” legal thriller “The Firm,” mystery sci-fi series “Wayward Pines,” mystery anthology series “Secrets and Lies,” sitcom “The Conners,” drama series “Queer as Folk,” and biographical drama miniseries “Welcome to Chippendales.”

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Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Margo Chester)

Actress, comedian, and producer Julia Louis-Dreyfus was 28 when she played the Griswold’s yuppie neighbor Margo Chester in “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.”

Before her role in the movie, Louis-Dreyfus had made her name on television, regularly appearing on “Saturday Night Live.” Her other most significant TV role before the movie was in the sitcom “Day by Day” (per IMDb).

However, she had also appeared in three movies, all in 1986. They were the dark fantasy comedy “Troll,” the comedy-drama “Hanna and Her Sisters,” and the comedy film “Soul Man.”

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Louis-Dreyfus is now 64 and her television career has been hugely successful since “Christmas Vacation.” Subsequent notable small screen credits include the sitcom “Seinfeld,” the comedy of manners “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” animated sitcom “The Simpsons,” sitcom “Watching Ellie,” sitcom “Arrested Development,” sitcom “The New Adventures of Old Christine,” political satire “Veep,” and superhero series “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier.”

Her movie back catalogue now includes 1993’s comedy-drama “Jack the Bear,” 1997’s comedy movie “Father’s Day,” 1998’s animated comedy “A Bug’s Life,” 2013’s animated sports comedy “Planes,” 2020’s black comedy-drama “Downhill”, and the superhero movies “Black Widow,” “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” and “Thunderbolts,” in 2021, 2022, and 2025, respectively.

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Diane Ladd (Nora Griswold)

Diane Ladd was 54 when “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” hit theaters with a substantial acting career behind her. She played Clark’s mother, Nora Griswold, in the festive classic.

Per IMDb, Ladd had appeared prolifically on television, and in several notable movies, before playing Nora.

Some of her many television credits included the police procedural “Naked City,” the Western drama “Gunsmoke,” the sitcom “Alice,” and romantic comedy-drama series “The Love Boat.”

Her previous movie credits included 1966’s outlaw biker movie “The Wild Angels,” 1971’s comedy movie “The Steagle,” 1974’s neo-noir mystery film “Chinatown,” 1974’s romantic comedy-drama “Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore,” 1983’s dark fantasy horror movie “Something Wicked This Way Comes,” and 1988’s comedy movie “Plain Clothes.”

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Sadly, Ladd passed away earlier this year, on November 3. She was 89.

The star, who was the mother of actress Laura Dern, enjoyed a long career after “Christmas Vacation” that saw her acting well into her 80s.

Her subsequent television credits included the sitcom “Grace Under Fire,” the horror mystery miniseries “Kingdom Hospital,” the comedy-drama series “Enlightened,” and the romance series “Chesapeake Shores.”

Her movie back catalogue went on to include the likes of 1990’s neo-noir black comedy crime movie “Wild at Heart,” 1991’s romantic thriller “A Kiss Before Dying,” 1996’s biographical courtroom drama “Ghosts of Mississippi,” 2000’s comedy-drama “28 Days,” and 2014’s black comedy “Just Before I Go.”

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Other Dearly-Departed ‘Christmas Vacation’ Cast Members

There were, of course, other cast members who had smaller roles in “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation,” several of whom passed away some time ago.

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Doris Roberts (1925-2016), E.G. Marshall (1914-1998), and and John Randolph (1915-2004) — all pictured in the featured image playing Clark and Ellen’s parents — sadly haven’t been with us for a while, for example.

As the festive season is upon us, make sure “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” is part of your viewing schedule. May all its dearly-departed cast members rest in peace.

The post PHOTOS: The ‘National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation’ Cast Then & Now appeared first on EntertainmentNow.

Julia Louis-Dreyfus played the quirky, yet lovable, Elaine Benes on Seinfeld for nine years, and the show wouldn’t have been the same without her.

Louis-Dreyfus embodied the girl-next-door look to a tee, but for years, she’s wondered if Elaine should have been sexier.

During an appearance on “Good Hang with Amy Poehler” on December 9, the two “Saturday Night Live” alums reflected on Elaine’s signature look, which often included a baggy blazer and a loose-fitting dress.

Meanwhile, other ’90s shows such as “Friends” had characters who dressed in more form-fitting clothes.

“All those girls were so sexy. And I remember thinking like, ‘Ah, [expletive]. I should have been sexy,” Louis-Dreyfus said.

She continued, “This was such a missed opportunity … Like, a midriff. Anything!”

Amy Poehler reassured the “Veep” star, “But that’s why we love Elaine. We love her because of that, because she feels like us.”

Elaine Wasn’t Written For ‘Seinfeld’ With Her Gender in Mind

Louis-Dreyfus has had countless hilarious moments as Elaine Benes, and she revealed how her character was shaped in the early days.

“I never really approached it from the perspective of my gender, per se. I wanted to just play ball with everybody,” she told Variety in 2023.

The mom of two shared that she had to fight for more screen time, and finally, the show’s creators, Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld, made her character more prominent.

“But you see, they didn’t write for me as a woman. They just wrote for me, for this character, as opposed to this gender, which I think is instructive in a lot of ways from a writing point of view,” Louis-Dreyfus explained.

Writing Elaine as One of the Guys Made ‘Seinfeld’ Work

“Seinfeld” writer and producer Larry Charles confirmed Louis-Dreyfus’ story about not getting enough scenes on the show in an interview with CBC Mornings.

He recalled David suggesting they give Louis-Dreyfus a storyline made for George Costanza, which worked. “That exploded Elaine, because we had never written women before,” Charles said.

“And so now we had a way to write a woman that was kind of like the guys. She was dark, as untrustworthy, as vain as the guys were, and that made her fun to write for,” he continued.

Charles added, “That was unprecedented on television at that time. Most characters have honor, they have morals, they learn a lesson at the end.”

However, he described the characters in “Seinfeld” as being the opposite of that, adding, “And Julia was part of that ultimately. And she embraced it!”

The post Julia Louis-Dreyfus Jokes About ‘Missed Opportunity’ on ‘Seinfeld: ‘I Should Have Been Sexy’ appeared first on EntertainmentNow.

Big news has come out of Paramount this month, as Tony Scott’s Tom Cruise-led 1986 classic “Top Gun” is getting a re-release as part of the studio’s impressive 2026 slate (which also includes new “Sonic the Hedgehog” and “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” movies, incidentally).

Variety were the first to report it — and it could see 1986’s highest-grossing film add a significant figure to its $357 million worldwide haul (per The Numbers). The film will hit theaters again on May 13 next year to celebrate what will be its 40th anniversary.

It got us thinking, that movie had such a great cast; Cruise, Val Kilmer, Tom Skerritt, Michael Ironside, and several other great names. While we got to see some of them in 2022’s outstanding belated sequel “Top Gun: Maverick,” it’d be great to see them all as they are today.

With that in mind, here are the core cast members of “Top Gun” then and now…

Tom Cruise (Captain Pete ‘Maverick’ Mitchell)

Tom Cruise played the iconic Pete “Maverick” Mitchell in “Top Gun.” Maverick was, of course, a United States Navy aviator assigned to the Fighter Weapons School, otherwise known as the eponymous Top Gun.

Cruise was just 23 at the time of the movie’s release, with only seven movie credits to his name. That being said, they were pretty memorable and included the likes of 1983’s coming-of-age crime drama “The Outsiders,” 1983’s coming-of-age teen comedy “Risky Business,” and 1985’s epic dark fantasy movie “Legend” (per IMDb).

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Cruise is now 63 and in the kind of shape a man one-third of his age would be proud of. He’s one of the biggest movie stars on the planet (if not the biggest) and recently received an Academy Honorary Award at the November 16 Governors Awards. His filmography is among the finest of any actor or actress in film history.

Some of his many notable movie credits after “Top Gun” include 1988’s road comedy-drama “Rain Man,” 1994’s gothic horror “Interview with the Vampire,” 2002’s sci-fi action flick “Minority Report,” 2005’s sci-fi action-thriller “War of the Worlds,” 2008’s satirical action-comedy “Tropic Thunder,” 2014’s sci-fi action movie “Edge of Tomorrow,” the iconic “Mission Impossible” franchise, and, of course, 2022’s “Top Gun: Maverick.”

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Val Kilmer (Tom ‘Iceman’ Kazansky)

Val Kilmer was 25 when he played Maverick’s rival turned wingman and friend in “Top Gun.”

Per IMDb, it was only his third movie role, after he had appeared in the 1984 action comedy “Top Secret!” and 1985’s sci-fi comedy “Real Genius.”

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Tragically, after a long battle with throat cancer, Kilmer passed away at the age of 65 on April 1, 2025. The actual cause of his death was specified as pneumonia, with contributing underlying factors including two forms of respiratory failure, cancers on the base of his tongue, malnutrition, and tracheocutaneous fistula.

After his appearance in “Top Gun,” Kilmer enjoyed a superb Hollywood career, with many notable movie appearances. Some of his most memorable credits include 1988’s epic high fantasy adventure movie “Willow,” 1991’s biographical musical “The Doors,” 1993’s Western “Tombstone,” 1993’s romantic crime drama “True Romance,” 1995’s superhero movie “Batman Forever,” 1995’s epic crime drama “Heat,” 2005’s neo-noir black comedy crime movie “Kiss Kiss Bang Bang,” and, of course, a truly memorable final cameo in 2022’s “Top Gun: Maverick.”

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Kelly McGillis (Charlotte ‘Charlie’ Blackwood)

Kelly McGillis, who was 28 when “Top Gun” released, played Top Gun instructor and Maverick’s beautiful love interest Charlotte ‘Charlie’ Blackwood in the movie.

It was only her third movie role, having previously appeared in 1983’s comedy-drama “Reuben, Reuben” and 1985’s neo-noir crime thriller “Witness.” McGillis had also appeared in a few minor television roles at the time (per IMDb).

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It’s probably fair to say McGillis’ career peaked with “Top Gun,” but she has enjoyed a steady career in acting since its release. Some of her most notable subsequent movie roles include 1988’s neo-noir film “The House on Carroll Street,” 1988’s legal drama “The Accused,” and 1998’s drama “Painted Angels.” On television, her credits include animated series “The Wild Thornberrys,” sci-fi anthology show “The Outer Limits,” drama series “The L Word,” and horror series “Z Nation.”

Now 68, recent public appearances show McGillis is ageing extremely gracefully, and she hasn’t acted on screen in a few years.

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Anthony Edwards (Nick ‘Goose’ Bradshaw)

A then-23-year-old Anthony Edwards played Nick ‘Goose’ Bradshaw in “Top Gun.” Goose was Maverick’s radar intercept officer and best friend.

Edwards was by no means a newcomer to acting at the time. He’d appeared in several television shows, including a main role in the sitcom “It Takes Two,” as well as five movies, including 1982’s coming-of-age comedy “Fast Times at Ridgemont High” 1984’s comedy “Revenge of the Nerds” (per IMDb).

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Now 63, Edwards has enjoyed a stellar post-“Top Gun” career on both the big and small screen.

Movie-wise, his credits include the likes of 1992’s supernatural horror “Pet Sematary Two,” 1994’s legal thriller “The Client,” 2004’s sci-fi action-adventure “Thunderbirds,” 2007’s mystery thriller “Zodiac,” and 2013’s animated sports comedy “Planes.”

However, it’s on television that he’s flourished most. His prominent roles have come in shows like comedy-drama series “Northern Exposure,” medical drama “ER,” conspiracy series “Zero Hour,” true crime anthology series “Law & Order True Crime,” and political drama-thriller series “Designated Survivor.”

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Tom Skerritt (Mike ‘Viper’ Metcalf)

Tom Skerritt played Mike ‘Viper’ Metcalf, the commanding officer and instructor of the eponymous school, in “Top Gun.” He was 53 when the movie released.

Skerritt had already enjoyed a career spanning three decades at the time, with notable credits on television and in films.

Some of his notable television credits included war drama series “Combat!,” Western series “The Virginian,” Western anthology series “Death Valley Days,” military drama series “12 O’Clock High,” Western series “Bonanza,” Western series “Gunsmoke,” police procedural “The F.B.I.,” and detective series “Cannon.”

His biggest movie credits included 1970’s black comedy war movie “M*A*S*H,” 1975’s supernatural horror “The Devil’s Rain,” 1978’s buddy stoner comedy “Up in Smoke,” 1979’s sci-fi horror “Alien,” and 1983’s sci-fi thriller “The Dead Zone” (per IMDb).

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Skerritt is now 92 and, since “Top Gun,” his prolific acting career has continued virtually uninterrupted.

On television, his prominent subsequent credits include sitcom “Cheers,” family drama “Picket Fences,” family drama “Brothers & Sisters,” and action crime drama “Leverage.”

Movies he’s since appeared in include 1988’s supernatural horror “Poltergeist III,” 1989’s comedy-drama “Steel Magnolias,” 1997’s sci-fi drama “Contact,” 2010’s independent drama “Redemption Road,” and his most recent role in the 2025 Western drama “Broke.”

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Meg Ryan (Carole Bradshaw)

Meg Ryan only had a minor role in “Top Gun,” as Goose’s wife, Carole Bradshaw, but she’s too big a name to leave out of this list.

Ryan was 24 when the movie released, with a fledgling acting career behind her. She had only appeared in two movies at the time. They were 1981’s drama “Rich and Famous” and 1983’s supernatural horror “Amityville 3-D.”

She had, however, appeared fairly extensively on television, with roles in the likes of soap opera “As the World Turns,” sitcom “One of the Boys,” sitcom “Charles in Charge,” and Western series “Wildside” (per IMDb).

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Ryan is now 64 and has enjoyed a brilliant movie career dominated by, but not exclusively comprising, iconic rom-coms.

Her credits since “Top Gun” include 1987’s sci-fi comedy “Innerspace,” 1989’s romantic comedy-drama “When Harry Met Sally…,” 1990’s rom-com “Joe Versus the Volcano,” 1991’s biographical musical “The Doors,” 1993’s romance movie “Sleepless in Seattle,” 1998’s romantic comedy-drama “You’ve Got Mail,” and 2001’s sci-fi rom-com “Kate & Leopold.”

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Michael Ironside (Rick ‘Jester’ Heatherly)

Michael Ironside played Navy aviator and Top Gun instructor Rick ‘Jester’ Heatherly in “Top Gun.” Ironside was 36 when the film was released.

The star had around a decade of acting experience at the time, with close to 20 movies credits and a handful of television appearances to his name.

Movies he’d been in included 1981’s sci-fi horror “Scanners,” 1982’s psychological slasher “Visiting Hours,” 1984’s erotic thriller “The Surrogate,” and 1985’s spy drama “The Falcon and the Snowman.”

On television, his credits had included children’s drama “The Littlest Hobo,” action-adventure series “The A-Team,” police procedural “Hill Street Blues,” and sci-fi show “V: The Series” (per IMDb).

Ironside is now 75 with an amazing career to his name. Since “Top Gun,” he has continued to prolifically perform on both the big and small screens.

His movie credits now include 1990’s sci-fi action flick “Total Recall,” 1991’s action war movie “McBain,” 1993’s family drama “Free Willy,” 1997’s sci-fi action movie “Starship Troopers,” 2004’s psychological thriller “The Machinist,” 2009’s sci-fi action movie “Terminator: Salvation,” 2011’s superhero movie “X-Men: First Class,” and 2023’s independent supernatural horror “Late Night with the Devil.”

He’s been equally active on television, with prominent roles in the likes of medical drama “ER,” sci-fi series “seaQuest 2032,” animated superhero series “Superman: The Animated Series,” action series “Walker, Texas Ranger,” superhero series “Smallville,” historical fantasy series “Young Blades,” and animated superhero show “Wolverine and the X-Men.”

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Tim Robbins (Sam ‘Merlin’ Wells)

Tim Robbins played radar intercept officer Sam ‘Merlin’ Wells in “Top Gun” and was 27 when the film was released.

His filmography at the time was relatively modest, with a handful of minor appearances on television, and five movies to his name. The movies in question were 1984’s action movie “Toy Soldiers,” 1984’s comedy-drama “No Small Affair,” 1985’s teen comedy “Fraternity Vacation,” 1985’s Christmas rom-com “The Sure Thing,” and 1986’s superhero comedy “Howard the Duck” (per IMDb).

Since “Top Gun,” Robbins, now 67, has had a hugely successful acting career that includes winning a Best Supporting Actor Academy Award for his performance in 2003’s neo-noir mystery drama movie “Mystic River” (he’s also been nominated for a Best Director Oscar for 1995’s crime drama “Dead Man Walking”).

Other notable movie credits include 1988’s sports rom-com “Bull Durham,” 1990’s psychological horror “Jacob’s Ladder,” 1994’s exquisite drama “The Shawshank Redemption,” 1999’s neo-noir mystery thriller “Arlington Road,” 2005’s sci-fi action-thriller “War of the Worlds,” 2011’s superhero movie “Green Lantern,” and 2007’s sci-fi drama “Marjorie Prime.”

Subsequent television credits include animated sitcom “The Simpsons,” comedy series “The Brink,” drama series “Here and Now,” supernatural horror series “Castle Rock,” and dystopian sci-fi drama series “Silo.”

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We’ll be looking forward to seeing “Top Gun” in theaters again next year, when it’s re-released to celebrate its 40th birthday.

The post PHOTOS: The ‘Top Gun’ Cast Then & Now appeared first on EntertainmentNow.

Rob Reiner’s classic coming-of-age drama movie, “Stand by Me,” based on Stephen King’s 1982 novella “The Body,” released in the summer of 1986.

Ahead of its 40th anniversary next year, three of the brilliant film’s surviving cast members — Corey Feldman, Jerry O’Connell, and Wil Wheaton — recently reunited for a series of fan events across the Eastern United States.

Feldman and O’Connell took to their Instagram accounts to share a couple of videos of the trio reuniting. It got us thinking. How much have the core cast members of “Stand by Me” changed since the mid-1980s?

Let’s take a look at photographs of them from then and now.

Corey Feldman (Teddy Duchamp)

Corey Feldman was already a child superstar by the time he appeared as the hot-headed but loyal Teddy Duchamp in “Stand by Me.”

Feldman was 15 upon its release and, per IMDb, his movie credits at that time included 1984’s slasher horror “Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter,” 1984’s comedy horror “Gremlins,” and 1985’s adventure comedy “The Goonies.”

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Now 54, Feldman has remained active, but his movie roles haven’t been as high-profile as they once were in recent years.

That being said, immediately following “Stand by Me,” he did appear in the likes of 1987’s comedy horror “The Lost Boys,” 1989’s black comedy “The ‘Burbs,” and 1990’s superhero comedy movie “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.”

Most recently, Feldman featured as a contestant on season 34 of the hugely popular reality dance competition series “Dancing with the Stars.” He was paired with professional dancer Jenna Johnson, but lasted only two episodes before being eliminated at the earliest opportunity.

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Wil Wheaton (Gordie Lachance)

Wil Wheaton played the thoughtful and introverted Gordie Lachance in “Stand by Me.” He was 14 when the movie released.

Before appearing in the film, Wheaton’s filmography was modest. Per IMDb, he’d appeared in a couple of minor television roles, but also in three movies. They were 1983’s comedy-drama “Hambone and Hillie,” 1983’s rom-com “The Buddy System,” and 1984’s space opera “The Last Starfighter.”

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Since appearing in “Stand by Me,” Wheaton has appeared in more movies, but has made a name for himself primarily as a television star.

Films he’s appeared in include 1991’s action thriller “Toy Soldiers,” 1997’s sci-fi comedy “Flubber,” 2003’s indie flick “Neverland,” and 2020’s horror thriller “Rent-A-Pal.”

On television, he landed his most famous role as Wesley Crusher in sci-fi series “Star Trek: The Next Generation,” but has also appeared in the likes of sitcom “Family Ties,” horror anthology series “Tales from the Crypt,” sci-fi anthology series “The Outer Limits,” crime drama “Leverage,” and sitcom “The Big Bang Theory.” He is now 53.

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River Phoenix (Chris Chambers)

River Phoenix was 16 when he played the charismatic, tough, yet sensitive Chris Chambers in “Stand by Me.”

Per IMDb, it was only his second movie role, having previously appeared in the sci-fi fantasy film “Explorers” in 1985.

Phoenix had, however, appeared prominently on television. He had been a regular in the musical drama series “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers,” and had been in episodes of the sitcom “It’s Your Move,” the soap opera “Hotel,” and the sitcom “Family Ties,” amongst other shows.

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Tragically, Phoenix passed away from an overdose on October 31, 1993. He was only 23 years old.

His subsequent movie roles included 1988’s drama “Running on Empty,” 1989’s action-adventure “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade,” 1991’s independent adventure-drama “My Own Private Idaho,” and 1992’s caper thriller “Sneakers.” For “Running on Empty,” he received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.

Phoenix was part of an iconic family acting legacy that includes younger siblings Rain, Joaquin, Liberty, and Summer. May he rest in eternal peace.

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Jerry O’Connell (Vern Tessio)

Jerry O’Connell played the timid, overweight, and often comedic but loyal Vern Tessio in “Stand by Me.” He was just 12 at the time of its release.

Per IMDb, the movie was O’Connell’s first acting role.

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“Stand by Me” launched O’Connell’s career and, now 51, he has gone on to appear in many movies and television shows.

His most significant movie credits include 1997’s slasher horror “Scream 2,” 2003’s buddy action comedy “Kangaroo Jack,” 2010’s 3D comedy horror “Piranha 3-D,” 2013’s horror parody “Scary Movie 5,” 2014’s neo-noir comedy-drama mystery “Veronica Mars,” and 2017’s animated superhero comedy “The Lego Batman Movie.”

On television, his most prominent roles include the sitcom “Camp Wilder,” the sci-fi fantasy series “Sliders,” the crime drama “Crossing Jordan,” the sitcom “Do Not Disturb,” the sitcom “Carpoolers,” the sitcom “We Are Men,” and the gameshow “Pictionary,” which he hosts.

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Kiefer Sutherland (Ace Merrill)

Donald Sutherland’s son, Kiefer Sutherland, played the violent and antagonistic gang leader Ace Merrill in “Stand by Me.” He was 19 years old.

At the time, he was still a budding actor with just a couple of television appearances to his name, including an episode of the anthology series “Amazing Stories,” and three movie appearances. They were 1983’s comedy-drama “Max Dugan Returns,” 1984’s drama movie “The Bay Boy,” and 1986’s neo-noir crime drama “At Close Range” (per IMDb).

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Now 58, Sutherland’s career has been hugely impressive since he appeared in “Stand by Me,” with major roles on both the big and small screen.

Regarding movies, he’s appeared in the likes of 1987’s horror comedy “The Lost Boys,” 1988’s Western action flick “Young Guns” and its 1990 sequel, 1990’s sci-fi psychological horror “Flatliners,” 1992’s psychological horror “Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me,” 1992’s legal drama “A Few Good Men,” 1993’s action-adventure comedy “The Three Musketeers,” 2009’s animated sci-fi comedy “Monsters vs. Aliens,” and 2024’s legal thriller “Juror #2.”

On television, he landed his most iconic role as Jack Bauer in the action drama series “24” and its various spin-offs. His credits also include the likes of drama series “Touch,” anthology drama series “The First Lady,” and spy thriller series “Rabbit Hole.”

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Richard Dreyfuss (Adult Gordie, aka the Writer)

Richard Dreyfuss was undoubtedly the biggest name attached to “Stand by Me.” He was 38 when it was released, and he had a small but significant role as the adult Gordie Lachance, a writer from whose perspective the movie is told as a flashback.

Per IMDb, Dreyfuss had already been acting for more than two decades. He had appeared in movies like 1973’s coming-of-age comedy-drama “American Graffiti,” 1975’s horror thriller “Jaws,” 1977’s sci-fi drama “Close Encounters of the Third Kind,” 1977’s romantic comedy-drama “The Goodbye Girl,” and 1986’s comedy “Down and Out in Beverly Hills.” For “The Goodbye Girl,” he had won the Academy Award for Best Actor.

On television, he had appeared in shows like soap opera “Peyton Place,” fantasy sitcom “Bewitched,” crime drama “The Mod Squad,” and Western drama “Gunsmoke.”

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Dreyfuss is now 78. He has enjoyed a stellar career since “Stand by Me” released. His movie credits have included 1991’s comedy “What About Bob?,” 1996’s musical fantasy “James and the Giant Peach,” 2006’s disaster movie “Poseidon,” and 2008’s biographical comedy drama “W.”

On television, he’s appeared in shows like drama series “The Education of Max Bickford,” dark comedy-drama series “Weeds,” family comedy-drama series “Parenthood,” and sitcom “Your Family or Mine.”

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Next year, when “Stand by Me” celebrates its 40th birthday, we’ll hopefully get to see more of the cast reuniting. It’s a tremendous movie and one that fans and the cast alike should celebrate in the best ways possible.

The post PHOTOS: The ‘Stand By Me’ Cast Then & Now appeared first on EntertainmentNow.

The 2025 iHeart Radio Jingle Ball Tour brings together some of the most celebrated artists for a festive lineup of performances that draws in thousands of fans each year. Major artists for this year’s lineup include Ed Sheeran, Zara Larsson, Renee Rapp, and The Kid LAROI, just to name a few.

The tour, which takes place in cities like Los Angeles, New York City, Atlanta, Miami, Detroit, and Chicago, also draws plenty of A-listers who come out to get into the festive spirit and sing along to their favorite artists. Actress Jennie Garth attended with her daughter, Fiona Eve Facinelli, and fans immediately noticed how much she resembles her mother’s “90210” character, Kelly Taylor.

Jennie Garth’s Look-a-Like Daughter, Fiona Eve Facinelli

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Fans felt as though they’d stepped back into the ’90s when Jennie Garth walked the iHeartRadio Jingle Ball red carpet with her youngest daughter, Fiona Eva Facinelli, whose resemblance to Garth’s iconic Kelly Taylor era was unmistakable.

The mother-and-daughter duo, who attended the Dec. 5 stop of the festive tour in Los Angeles, coordinated in matching black outfits as they posed for photos.

Taking to Instagram, Garth shared snapshots from their fun-filled night, with fans gushing over her daughter’s beauty and noting how much they could pass as sisters!

“Jenni you two look like sisters. Beautiful,” a fan wrote. “Beautiful mother & daughter team ❣️😘❤️❤️👏👏👏👏,” another person commented. “That is her mini me,” another comment read.

“Twins! Love the mom-daughter duo!” A fan shared.

Meanwhile, Garth captioned her series of photos, “Loved getting to share this mommy-daughter red carpet moment with @fionaeveee . And SO looking forward to your new podcast (TEASER ALERT!😃 You all are going to love it!) We had so much fun! Thank you @iheartradio for an unforgettable night.”

Garth’s Daughters Are Her Biggest Supporters

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While on the red carpet at the iHeart Jingle Ball Tour in Los Angeles, Garth’s daughter, Fiona, gushed about her mom’s newest line with QVC, a clothing line she launched named Me by Jennie Garth last year.

Speaking to Us Weekly, Fiona shared, “I am so proud of her and my sister [Lola], as well. I love their brand. It’s great clothes for everyone. I think my mom’s doing an amazing job, and I’m so happy for them. They’re thriving and I love it.”

Fiona went on to add that her famous mom was “blossoming” in her new role as a clothing designer. “It’s really bringing out all of her artistic sides that everyone needs to see because she’s so artistic. I love watching her. It’s amazing,” she said.

For anyone who follows Garth on social media, she is incredibly close to all three of her daughters. The actress shares daughters Luca Belle, Lola Rae, and Fiona with her ex-husband, Peter Facinelli.

In October, while chatting about her QVC line, Garth told Us Weekly that her children have been her biggest support through it all.

“My girls are so encouraging and so supportive. They’ve seen me lost. They’ve seen me searching. They see me have successes and also big failures. Every time I try something new, they are just right behind me, supporting me so much,” she told the outlet.

The post Jennie Garth’s Daughter Is the Spitting Image of Her Iconic Kelly Taylor Character appeared first on EntertainmentNow.

While George Clooney played a range of roles during his early career, he eventually found fame when he landed his role as Dr. Doug Ross on what became one of the most popular medical dramas at the time (and of all time, TBH), “ER.” Now, the actor has opened up about the “miracle” that happened because of the hit show.

Talking about his experience with “ER” during a new interview on “Live With Kelly & Mark” on Friday, December 5, Clooney first opened up about the beginning of the show, saying, “It was a two-hour pilot. And I got to know all the people who ended up becoming very dear friends — Tony Edwards, Julianna Margulies, Noah Wyle … we all became a family.”

“And then the show aired and at the time there were two hospital shows coming on Thursday night, at the same time,” he went on to say. “And one of them was ‘Chicago Hope’ and one of them was ‘ER.’ And ‘Chicago Hope’ was supposed to kill us and we sort of doubled them, and overnight, there was that moment you realize … ‘I’ve got a job for a year. It’s like, a miracle. I’ve got a job for a year.’ And then, it worked out.”

Fans Love George’s Sentiments About His ‘ER’ Role

While “ER” debuted on NBC in 1994 and ended in 2009 after 15 successful seasons, Clooney left in 1999 at the end of Season 5, reappearing briefly in Season 6 and for the finale of the show. Despite it being so many years later, there are plenty of people who are still fans of both the star’s work on the beloved series and of the star himself.

When People posted about Clooney’s new interview on Instagram, a fair share of social media users left admiring comments.

One person wrote, “So much respect for George!!”

Another IG user wrote, “Clooney is so understated. Love this guy.”

Someone else left a comment, saying, “Thank you George! I love when actors really pay homage to the vehicles that first brought them stardom and steady work. Especially when they got to go on and become huge international movie stars.”

George Says ‘ER’ Was the ‘Job of a Lifetime’

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While Clooney went on to star in seemingly countless movies, he still has a soft spot for “ER.”

During an interview on “The Drew Barrymore Show” (via Reader’s Digest) he noted, “That [show] was a job of a lifetime. And it changed my career.”

The post George Clooney Recalls ‘Miracle’ That Happened Thanks to ‘ER’ appeared first on EntertainmentNow.

Dave Coulier and his “Full House” co-star and friend, John Stamos, appeared to be in great spirits when they attended the Steel City Comic Con. Fans have reacted to Coulier’s appearance and shown love for him as he battles cancer. 

Dave Coulier & John Stamos Together Again 

A short video clip of Coulier and Stamos walking onstage at a Steel City Comic Con was shared by the Steel City Comic Con Instagram page on Saturday, December 6. The video shows the two stars happy to be there, and Coulier begins the conversation by telling the crowd, “We love you.” 

Stamos then looks into the crowd and says, “Alice Cooper is here,” to which Coulier replies, “Alice Cooper,” and starts to do a little dance. The pair then sits down to begin their chat. Coulier has brought a box of Kleenex onstage and jokes that he is going to do “something fun” with it. He then makes a tissue jellyfish. Then comes a tissue ghost. “Halloween just passed,” Stamos informs his friend. 

The pair have such a great connection, and their appearance really highlights their friendship. The caption of the post reads, “The Full House panel with Dave Coulier and John Stamos has just begun, and it’s already completely unhinged.”

Fans have shared their thoughts in the comment section. “My two favorite Uncles,” a fan wrote. “Two Legends for sure,” another person shared. Other reactions include, “This panel was fantastic!,” “wish we could have been there!!!!!!!” and “Get Well Dave.”

Dave Coulier Bravely Battles Cancer 

The appearance comes days after Coulier announced on December 2 that he was diagnosed with a new cancer, after previously beating non-Hodgkin lymphoma. He underwent seven months of chemotherapy, and when he went in for his six-month checkup, medical professionals found that he had p16 squamous carcinoma. 

Fans have been heartbroken to hear Coulier’s health update, but he has remained positive. “I’d been feeling great, so I went into shock,” he told People. “It turns out, if I hadn’t had that PET scan, then they wouldn’t have had this early of a detection. I’d have been in a world of pain soon. So as weird as this sounds, I’m now actually thankful for the first cancer, because it helped me detect this second one.”

He is a fighter, and he has not lost his fighting spirit. “It’s a battle, but I’m battling through,” he said of his approach to his cancer treatment. His radiation sessions will end on December 31. Everyone is rooting for him!

The post Dave Coulier’s Fans Send Love as He Makes Appearance at Panel amid Cancer Diagnosis appeared first on EntertainmentNow.