As movies have morphed from a vibrant public event into a product we watch on our personal screens, film criticism has also been disrupted thanks to apps like Letterboxd. Fortunately, film critic A. S. Hamrah hasn’t gotten the memo. He is an insurrectionary voice in a time of critical complacency. Hamrah, who contributes reviews to Bookforum, n+1 and the Baffler, wields his pen like a flame thrower, lambasting Hollywood’s decline in a trenchant voice spiked with barbed wit while also shining a light on great marginalized films.
Hamrah has recently published two new books: a collection of his reviews called “Algorithm of the Night,” as well as a compilation of Hollywood news items called “Last Week in End Times Cinema” that reads like a doom scroll of cultural decay. I chatted with Hamrah about Marvel, Pauline Kael and AI.
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A. S. Hamrah is a film critic and author of the recently published books “Algorithm of the Night” and “Last Week in End Times Cinema.”
(Courtesy of A. S. Hamrah)
Both of these books really describe the end of an era for movies, what you call the end of a worldview. What do you mean by that?
I think the goal of the studios, Netflix in particular, is not just to end theatrical exhibition but to end a certain way of understanding the cinema and to just turn it into television. The merger of cinema and television is very bad for cinema.
In the past, when existential threats of film reared their head, whether it was television or videocassette recorders, there was a sense of movies having to work harder to maintain its supremacy. But if everything is film, then there is no countervailing force. It all just merges into one thing.
People who watch a lot of TV were seen as kind of not really up to life in some ways. But it was never the goal of TV to crush cinema, which is the case now. Someone like Ted Sarandos at Netflix, his whole thing is based on pretending that no one likes to go to the movies anymore, when, in fact, millions of people all over the world love going to the movies.
I feel like your criticism is not about thumbs up, thumbs down. Even when you write a negative review, it’s fun to argue against it. You are creating a dialogue with your readers.
I don’t write a negative review to stop people from seeing a film. I want them to see it and make up their own mind about it. I also really try to avoid writing anything that can be extrapolated for a movie ad. I don’t want my stuff to be taken out of context and thrown onto a movie poster.
“Algorithm of the Night” is a collection of reviews by film critic A. S. Hamrah.
(Courtesy of A. S. Hamrah)
What critics inspired you?
Andrew Sarris and Pauline Kael. The writer who had the biggest influence on me is Manny Farber, for the way he thinks about things and the freedom of his writing.
“Last Week in End Times Cinema” is the most depressing book I read last year, just a desultory litany of headlines about movie reboots, the creeping influence of AI on film, and so on.
When I first started publishing these, people thought I was making them up. I started culling them with great joy and mirth, but as the year progressed, with the wildfires in LA, the whole project became much more dire. And the death of David Lynch was a real blow, I thought.
You take a dim view of AI.
It seems to be Hollywood’s goal to not have any human beings involved in filmmaking. Why pay Will Smith $20 million when you can have an AI voice? But they’ve been preparing the ground for this since the beginning of the century. It feels like the whole system of production of Marvel films is already a form of AI. They’re trying to educate audiences into liking garbage, and that is what I mean when I write about the death of a worldview.
“One of the reasons I decided to focus on Orange County is that it’s not the norm — not what you think of as the Deep South. It’s Disneyland. It’s California,” author Eric Lichtblau says.
(Photos by Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times, Little Brown Company)
Costa Bevan Pappas has a chat with Eric Litchtblau about his new book “American Reich,” which explores the roots of white supremacy in Orange County. “One of the reasons I decided to focus on Orange County is that it’s not the norm — not what you think of as the Deep South,” Lichtblau tells Pappas. “It’s Disneyland. It’s California. These are people who are trying to take back America from the shores of Orange County because it’s gotten too brown in their view.”
Xialou Guo has crafted a radical remix of “Moby Dick” titled “Call Me Ishmaelle,” and Leanne Ogasawara is enchanted: “There is so much pleasure to be had in rereading old favorites — and part of the joy is meeting beloved characters, who have been updated or somehow arrive in a new form to resist old tropes and types.”
A year after the wildfires, L.A. native Jacob Soboroff has written “Firestorm,” and he sat down with Mariella Rudi to discuss the first book to be written about the calamity. “For me, it’s a much more personal book,” Soboroff says. “It’s about experiencing what I came to understand as the fire of the future. It’s about people as much as politics.”
Finally, Bethanne Patrick gives us the lowdown on January’s must-read book, while Eva Recinos gives us the five best science books of 2025.
📖 Bookstore Faves
Josh Spencer, owner of the Last Bookstore in downtown Los Angeles, opened a second location of the book store at 4437 Lankershim Blvd.
(Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times)
Ever since it opened a little over a year ago, Josh Spencer’s second edition of The Last Bookstore has grown a vibrant community of Valley-dwelling book lovers hungry for a store that sells newly published titles and a curated selection of second-hand gems. I chatted with store manager Shane Danielson about what customers are excited about right now.
What’s selling right now at the Valley store?
Right now film adaptations current and upcoming are driving a lot of our fiction sales – “Frankenstein,” Pynchon’s “Vineland” (for “One Battle After Another”), “Wuthering Heights.” Certain “brand name” authors always do well: Brandon Sanderson, Stephen King, Kurt Vonnegut. But generally, our stock is so diverse that it’s hard to spot broader trends.
What kind of community has gathered around the store?
We have a growing community of literate, curious, frequently funny, often politically-engaged readers and book lovers, both young and not-so-young, who see reading and things like book groups as an act of resistance to the dominant culture. They want to turn off their screens for a while, and give themselves over to the longer narrative and deeper pleasures that a book provides.
What specific genres are popular?
Plays and books about acting sell every day – unsurprising, since we’re close to the Warner Bros. and Universal studios as well as two local theatre schools. Horror, science fiction and fantasy are perennials; and an increasing number of women, presumably disillusioned with real-world dating options, are enthusiastic consumers of “romantasy” authors like Rebecca Yarros and Sarah J. Maas. Classics also do surprisingly well: people seem to be reading an awful lot of Dostoevsky and George Orwell and Jane Austen. Which is encouraging.
We know how difficult it is in this culture to make folks care about books. Do you still find in people that desire — to read, and to explore through books? Are people still curious to learn about the world via books as opposed to ChatGPT?
Many of our customers say they treasure the physicality of a book – its heft, the tactility of the pages – as opposed to the frictionless experience of reading on a Kindle or another device. And interestingly, they all say variations on the same thing, which is that those other reading experiences just don’t stick; for whatever reason, they don’t retain much of what they’ve read afterward.
ROBBIE Williams has revealed the heartbreaking text he received from his actress daughter Teddy at 2am.
Robbie, 51, who shares 13-year-old Teddy with his wife Ayda Field, has opened about his teenager’s torment over the future.
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Robbie Williams has opened up about a heartbreaking text he received from his teenage daughterCredit: BBC Radio 2Robbie is seen here with daughter Teddy and wife Ayda FieldCredit: SplashRobbie revealed that Teddy is anxious about her futureCredit: BBC Radio 2Teddy recently made her acting debut in the film Tinsel TownCredit: Splash
However, now the teen has set her sights on being a singer, just like her dad Robbie.
Teddy’s famous father has had huge success after starting out in boyband Take That, and then going onto sell hundreds of millions of records worldwide as a solo artist.
But Robbie has revealed that his teenage daughter has put tremendous pressure on herself to follow in his footsteps and achieve the same kind of success as a singer.
Opening up to Scott Mills on Radio 2, he talked about Teddy’s dream of becoming famous like him.
“Ted in particular is so desperate for it,” Robbie revealed.
“Now, when I was growing up in Stoke-on Trent, I was also incredibly desperate for it, whatever it was, you know, watching Top Of The Pops on Thursday and thinking, how the hell do I get in that box in the corner of this room and be one of those people?
“But I’ve never seen it so acute as I do with Ted. She sent me a text the other day. And it goes, let me get this.
“It says – this was Thursday, six minutes past two in the morning, ‘Dad, what if I’m not a singer? It’s my biggest fear not to be a singer.’ Biggest capital letters. ‘What if I’m nothing?’”
Robbie then jokingly added: “And I was like, ‘babe, you’re a nepo. You’ll be fine!’”
Turning serious again, the star said: “The only thing that worries me about it is, she’s incredibly sensitive. I am painfully, painfully sensitive.
“In some quarters it would be deemed as being oversensitive. She is worse than me. And I’m worried about what words will do to her.
“For me, it was either this or stacking shelves at ASDA – so this, every single day and for Ted, she’s got options.”
Teddy made her acting debut in Rebel Wilson’s film, Tinsel TownCredit: Sky
A source told The Sun at the time: “Teddy was born to be a star – after all, her parents are both the ultimate performers.
“Robbie and Ayda have been keen to keep her out of the spotlight for as long as possible though – obscuring her face on social media etc – so this is all very much being driven by Teddy who’s wanted to be on stage since she was old enough to talk!
“It’s a small part but obviously is super-exciting, and everyone is really proud of her.
“She’s an absolutely lovely girl on and off screen, and has fitted in seamlessly into on-set life.”
As well as Teddy, Robbie and Ayda are also parents to children Charlton (Charlie), Colette (Coco) and Beau.
The high-profile couple have consciously kept their children away from the public eye for most of their lives.
Loose Women panellist Ayda previously said: “We never show their faces, it’s really important to us.
“We’re really proud and we want to share absolutely everything but there’s a law in this country that means they can’t put pictures up of kids in the papers unless you’re posting their faces.”
Proud parents Robbie and Adya supported her at the premiere of Tinsel TownCredit: PA
There were no stars in the October sky. No moon that 64-year-old Masuma Khan could see from the narrow window of the California City Immigration Processing Center.
“No planes,” she said, recalling her confinement.
Once a prison, the facility in the Mojave Desert, located 67 miles east of Bakersfield, reopened in April to hold people in removal proceedings, including Khan.
It was not the kind of place where she imagined ending up — not after living in the country for 28 years, caring for her daughter and surviving one of California’s deadliest wildfires, the Eaton fire.
Khan was fortunate not to have lost her west Altadena home to the Jan. 7 fire, which destroyed more than 9,000 structures and killed 19 people.
But in the months that followed, Khan faced another threat — deportation.
As fire recovery efforts were underway in Los Angeles, the Trump administration launched immigration raids in the city, hampering recovery efforts and creating more distress for immigrants after the fires.
Khan worried. She was in the process of adjusting her immigration status and was required to check in every year with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
An immigration attorney reassured her that there was no cause for concern: Her husband and daughter were citizens, she had no criminal record, and her case was still under review.
And so, on Oct. 6, Khan drove to downtown Los Angeles for her routine immigration check-in and found herself caught up in Trump’s deportation surge.
Eaton fire survivor Masuma Khan, 64, right, with her daughter Riya Khan and husband Isteak Khan after bring released in December.
(Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times)
Khan was taken into custody by ICE agents and kept in a cold room for almost an entire day. She said agents denied her access to a lawyer and a phone until she signed deportation papers. Khan resisted but later signed.
She was placed in a van with other detainees and driven three hours north to the detention center in California City. She said there was no air conditioning in the van and she became nauseous and started to experience hypertension symptoms.
At the facility she was denied access to medications for high blood pressure, asthma, peripheral arterial disease, general anxiety and hypothyroidism, she said.
Khan, who is also prediabetic, said she struggled to maintain her health at the facility. Her blood pressure spiked and she began to experience stroke-like symptoms. Her legs swelled up and she became weak.
She said the facility was so cold that people often became ill, including staff. She and other women used socks as scarves, sleeves and mittens but were threatened with fines if they continued to misuse the garments.
She said she became sick and her vision got blurry without her prescribed eye drops. Her Halal meals shifted to a medical diet that included pork, which she cannot eat because she is Muslim.
Khan’s experience at the facility was similar to that of other detainees who filed a federal class-action lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security and ICE. They alleged inhumane conditions at the facility that included inadequate food, water and medical care, frigid cells and lack of access to medications and lawyers.
The California City Immigration Processing Center in Kern County, where Masuma Khan was held.
(Patrick T. Fallon/AFP/Getty Images)
In an email response, Tricia McLaughlin, a DHS spokesperson, said any claims about “subprime conditions at ICE detention facilities are false.”
“All detainees are provided with proper meals, certified by dietitians, medical treatment and have the opportunities to communicate with lawyers and family members.”
Khan said she spent most days in her cell crying.
“I missed my family, I missed everything,” she said “I was frustrated.”
She often thought of home: her husband and daughter, her small garden and the birds she fed daily with seeds and oranges from her balcony.
It would be weeks before she could see her family again, before she could gaze at the mountains and hear the symphony of wildlife.
‘Like an inferno’
The Eaton fire had been raging for hours in west Altadena when Khan and her husband were awakened by evacuation alerts on their phones at 3:30 a.m.
Khan got out of bed and from her bedroom window could see flames raging in the mountains.
Khan hadn’t seen anything like it. Four years before she arrived, the Kinneloa fire, sparked by a campfire, erupted in the same mountains. It fed on dry and flammable vegetation and was driven by Santa Ana winds. It was a destructive fire.
But the Eaton fire was different. Hurricane-force winds helped spread the embers and flames deep into the town’s heart — destroying homes, schools and countless structures.
A business and vehicle are a total loss as the Eaton fire rages along Lake Avenue in Altadena on January 8, 2025.
(Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times)
Khan and her husband, Isteak, didn’t have time to grab much before fleeing in their car that evening.
“It was like an inferno,” Isteak Khan, 66, recalled. “You could see the embers flying everywhere. It was very chaotic.”
The couple drove about three miles south to a supermarket in Pasadena. For a month they lived at a hotel until they were allowed to return home.
When they got back the surrounding neighborhoods were in ruins: Trees were charred, cars were stripped down to metal frames and homes were gutted or left in ash.
The couple’s apartment still was standing but had suffered smoke damage and there was no electricity, no safe water to use. The couple depended on water bottles and showered at the homes of relatives.
Khan never thought she would experience such a disaster in the U.S. Then again, she didn’t journey here for her own reasons. She came to save her daughter.
‘Incredibly traumatized’
In August 1997, Khan was living in Bangladesh with her husband and their 9-year-old daughter, Riya. That month Riya had traveled with her grandparents to the U.S. to see relatives when she fell seriously ill. Doctors determined she was suffering from kidney failure and needed ongoing treatment including chemotherapy and peritoneal dialysis.
Khan traveled to the U.S. on a visitor’s visa to be with Riya. For more than a decade her daughter received treatment at the Children’s Hospital in Los Angeles.
Khan became her daughter’s primary caretaker and did not return to Bangladesh as her visa was expiring. Her husband joined her in 1999 after obtaining a visa. He and Riya eventually received green cards and became citizens.
The following year, as Khan looked for legal ways to adjust her immigration status, she met a man at a Bangladeshi grocery store who befriended her and offered to help her obtain a green card, according to court records. Little did Khan know that this man — who spoke her language and was well known in the Bangladeshi community — was a scammer, one of many who prey on South Asians migrating to the U.S.
At the time Khan did not speak, read or write English well, and this man told her he could file an asylum application on her behalf, for a fee amounting to several thousand dollars.
But Khan was unaware this man had filed the application for her using a false name and listed his own address for future correspondence from immigration authorities, according to court documents.
All this came to light when she showed up for an asylum hearing in Anaheim in 1999 and responded to the questions of an asylum officer who noticed the information did not match what was in the application.
The officer denied the application, and later she was unaware of a notice to appear before an immigration court, since it had been sent to the scammer’s address.
Her absence at the hearing prompted an immigration judge to order her to be deported. Khan did not find out about the court’s action until 2015, when her husband petitioned to adjust her status so she could obtain a green card.
After the petition was denied and her case was closed because of the deportation order, Khan hired an immigration attorney who sought to reopen the case. But a judge denied it, and her appeal also was rejected by the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals.
In February 2020, Khan was detained by ICE but released and required to check in with immigration officials. That year she hired an immigration attorney who submitted paperwork to let her stay in the U.S. The application was pending when ICE took her into custody on Oct. 6.
McLaughlin, the DHS spokesperson, said there was no reason for the government to reconsider her case, since Khan had a final removal order since 1999 and had exhausted all appeals.
“She has no legal right to be in our country,” McLaughlin said. “DHS law enforcement lawfully arrested her on Oct. 6.”
Yet Khan caught a break in early November when a federal judge ordered her released. The judge ruled the government cannot detain Khan without giving her a hearing and explaining why it needs to detain her.
It was a victory for her legal team, made up of a law firm and two nonprofit groups — the South Asian Network and Public Counsel and Hoq Law APC.
Laboni Hoq, a chief attorney on the case, said the goal is to keep Khan out of detention while the team seeks to adjust her status.
“We’re feeling like she has a shot to pursue that process … given her long history in the country and that she is law-abiding and has met all the requirements to deal with her case through the court system and immigration system,” Hoq said.
Khan’s predicament has drawn the attention of numerous Southern California politicians, including U.S. Rep. Judy Chu and U.S. Sen. Adam Schiff. Much of it had to do with Khan’s 38-year-old daughter, Riya, who reached out to the lawmakers and also took to social media to bring her mother’s case to the public’s attention.
Still, it is unclear what will happen next.
As Khan’s legal fight proceeds, she must check in regularly with immigration authorities, as she did in downtown L.A. on Dec. 19, accompanied by Sen. Sasha Renée Pérez (D-Alhambra), who also became aware of her case from Riya’s efforts.
“She’s incredibly traumatized by what’s happened to her,” Pérez said of Khan. “She’s scared to even participate in the community events that we have during the holidays … it’s painful, it makes me angry, it makes me sad and I just wanted to be here with her.”
At their Altadena home one recent evening, the Khans sat in their living room. Riya said the hope was that the case will be reopened so her mother can obtain a green card.
“We’re going to stay together,” Isteak said.
Not far from Masuma, old “welcome home” balloons hovered. As she sat next to her daughter, she could express only two things: “I cannot leave this country. This is my home.”
THE daughter of Tommy Lee Jones was arrested over an alleged domestic violence dispute just six months before she was found dead in a hotel.
Emergency services were called to theFairmont in San Franciscoin the early hours of Thursday, where paramedics found Victoria Jones unresponsive and later pronounced her dead,TMZreported.
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Victoria Jones was arrested in JuneCredit: Napa County Department of CorrectionsTommy Lee Jones with his daughter Victoria in 2017 in Tokyo, JapanCredit: GettyShe was found dead at the luxury Fairmont HotelCredit: Getty
It has now been revealed that Victoria was arrested in June for domestic battery and domestic violence involving elder abuse for an alleged incident that occurred at the Carneros Resort and Spa in Napa, California.
The mugshot from her arrest shows the 34-year-old former child actress red eyed and dishevelled.
She pleaded not guilty and was scheduled to appear in court later this month.
Victoria Kafka Jones was the daughter of the actor Tommy and his ex-wife Kimberlea Cloughley, who divorced in 1996.
Sadly, Victoria was found lying on the ground of the 14th floor of the swanky hotel on New Year’s Day.
A harrowing 911 call has revealed a possible cause of death as an overdose.
Dispatch logs indicate that the call came in at 2.52 am on Thursday, prompting crews to rush to the hotel.
After assessing Victoria, medics pronounced her dead at the hotel, officials said.
Dispatch audio from Broadcastify, obtained by TMZ, described it as a “code 3 for the overdose, color change.”
TMZ reported the call was also logged as an overdose response.
A San Francisco cop who had previously dealt with Victoria told The Post she had struggled with substance abuse issues and suspected her death was “fentanyl-related.”
It remains unclear whether Victoria was staying at the hotel or why she was on the 14th floor.
Page Six has reported a string of other run-ins Victoria had with the law.
In April this year, Victoria was arrested for obstructing a peace officer, using/being under the influence of a controlled substance and possession of a narcotic controlled substance, for which she also pleaded not guilty.
The earliest criminal encounter is thought to be 2011 when she was arrested for theft in the amount of $50 to $500 in San Antonio, Texas — though the charges ended up being dismissed.
DAD’S ‘FIRING’
Victoria acted as a child, appearing in Men in Black II and later The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada.
She also made a one-episode appearance on One Tree Hill.
Speaking about his daughter while promoting The Three Burials, Tommy said, “She’s a good actress, has her SAG [Screen Actors Guild] card, speaks impeccable Spanish.
“When she was a baby, I told Leticia, her nurse, to speak to her in Spanish,” he said.
Victoria Jones, Tommy Lee Jones and Dawn Laurel-Jones at the The Homesman premiereCredit: GettyTommy Lee Jones and Victoria Jones in a photo session prior to the opening ceremony of the 30th Tokyo International Film Festival in 2017Credit: AFP
He also recalled a clash over an early call time on set in a resurfaced interview in which he joked that he had to fire his young daughter.
“She had to get up at 5 am for her part. One morning, she wouldn’t get out of bed,” he said.
“I said, ‘Honey, this is work.’ But she wouldn’t budge. So I fired her. Then, without telling me, the production staff went over and woke her and rushed her out to the set just in time.”
Although she stepped away from acting, Victoria still appeared with her father at public events, including the premiere of Just Getting Started in 2017 and the opening ceremony of the Tokyo International Film Festival that same year.
Fans also flooded social media with condolences, with one writing, “Condolences. Really sad way to lose someone, especially a family member, on the first day of the year as well.”
“No father should ever have to bury their daughter. I hope Tom has a lot of love around him during this tough time,” another fan added.
“Heartbreaking. 34 is far too young. Condolences to the family.”
Tommy Lee Jones and his daughter Victoria attend the New York premiere of The MissingCredit: GettyVictoria Jones, Tommy Lee Jones, Dawn Laurel-Jones and Hilary Swank attend The Homesman premiere during the 67th Annual Cannes Film Festival on May 18 2014Credit: Getty
CAROL VORDERMAN has posed with her rarely-seen lookalike daughter and son and revealed one of them has a very impressive job.
THE former Countdown star, 65, is known for keeping her children out of the spotlight but in a rare instance, she decided to share snaps of herself with her children on social media.
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Carol Vorderman has shared pictures with her rarely seen childrenCredit: InstagramShe posed with her lookalike daughter KatieCredit: Instagram
She took to Instagram to post a series of snaps, with the first one showcasing the proud mum with her two children, Katie and Cameron.
In the picture, the trio look directly into the camera and smile from ear to ear as she wrote over it: “Me any my “babies”.”
In another photo, Carol smiled with Katie and in a third, the Pride of Britain Awards presenter took a selfie in a furry coat with a curly hairstyle.
Sharing her New Year’s post, she captioned it: “I rarely show pics of my children as you know, but I’m sitting here at the beginning of 2026 and thinking of the extreme joy to come this year, and just how bloody lucky I am because not only do we love the other but we really like each other too.”
Carol went on to reveal what her children have been up to, before telling her followers what Katie does as her career.
She continued: “Katie @katie.science has Space Pharma company called Bio Orbit and their big rocket launch this Summer which is VERY exciting. She’s winning European and global awards too.
“And Cam and I muddle along so happily at home in Bristol. He’s doing brilliantly too but in a completely different sphere of work to Katie.
“This year has brought our big extended family even closer on holidays and all sorts and to have the family and friends I have is beyond anything I could have ever wished for my younger self all those decades ago.
“Stuff of my dreams xxx. Anyway I’m here planning parties and holidays and a LOT of fun… with some cracking work too xx,” the ITV star signed off.
Her loyal followers flocked to the comments section to wish her well as one said: “Go Carol – the best mum any child could wish for.”
Another person expressed: “What a really lovely mother you are!”
Somebody else gushed: “Lovely – they look like mini-me versions of you.”
Yet another penned: “Happy New Year to you all! Have a fabulous 2026.”
While a fifth added: “Proud mum picture rightly so as well. God bless you all @carolvorders.”
Katie and Cameron are Carol’s children with former husband Patrick King, a professional cricketer whom she married in 1990 and divorced in 2000.
She revealed the diagnosis while commenting on Coronation Street star Sally Dynevor’s Instagram post.
Carol wrote: “Morning Sally. I’ve done the same this year with a full body MRI and all clear thankfully.
“Having the special blood test for 70 cancers this week. Early detection where possible is now my mantra. The costs have come down dramatically for these services but they are sadly still a lot for most people.”
She then added: “I was struck with sudden and chronically debilitating rheumatoid arthritis almost a year ago and it’s taken a long time to get the meds right, so I no longer take my health for granted in any way xx
“Sending huge love and thanks 🙏🏼 to you for spreading the word and your honesty in all these matters. It helps no end of us mere mortals.”
She shares her children with her ex husband, Patrick KingCredit: GettyShe recently revealed she’s been suffering from a chronically debilitating illnessCredit: Splash
Victoria Jones, the daughter of Academy Award-winning actor Tommy Lee Jones, was reportedly found dead at a hotel in San Francisco on New Year’s Day. She was 34.
According to TMZ, the San Francisco Fire Department responded to a medical emergency call at the Fairmont San Francisco early Thursday morning. The paramedics pronounced Victoria dead at the scene before turning it over to the San Francisco Police Department for further investigation, the outlet said.
An SFPD representative confirmed to The Times that officers responded to a call at approximately 3:14 a.m. Thursday regarding a report of a deceased person at the hotel and that they met with medics at the scene who declared an unnamed adult female dead.
Citing law enforcement sources, NBC Bay Area also reported that the deceased woman found in a hallway of the hotel was believed to be Jones and that police did not suspect foul play.
“We are deeply saddened by an incident that occurred at the hotel on January 1, 2026,” the Fairmont told NBC Bay Area in a statement. “Our heartfelt condolences are with the family and loved ones during this very difficult time. The hotel team is actively cooperating and supporting police authorities within the framework of the ongoing investigation.”
The medical examiner conducted an investigation at the scene, but Jones’ cause of death remains undetermined. Dispatch audio obtained by TMZ and People indicated that the 911 emergency call was for a suspected drug overdose.
Jones was the daughter of Tommy Lee and ex-wife Kimberlea Cloughley. Her brief acting career included roles on films such as “Men in Black II” (2002), which starred her father, and “The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada” (2005), which was directed by her father. She also appeared in a 2005 episode of “One Tree Hill.”
Page Six reported that Jones had been arrested at least twice in 2025 in Napa County, including an arrest on suspicion of being under the influence of a controlled substance and drug possession.
TRAVIS Barker’s daughter Alabama has defended her dad in a furious rant after he was accused of buying her racy lingerie for Christmas.
The 20-year-old content creator, who celebrated her birthday on Christmas Eve, previously shared a video showing off her present haul which included sexy lingerie from drummer Travis, 50, and wife Kourtney Kardashian, 46.
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Alabama Barker revealed the sexy lingerie she received for her birthdayCredit: TikTok/alabamabarkerShe vowed never to do a gift haul with fans online ever again after the backlashCredit: TikTok/alabamabarker
After watching the video, some fans took to Reddit to share their thoughts and branded the purchase “disgusting” and “weird”.
Alabama has now moved to clear up any confusion, stating that Kourtney was solely responsible for the Agent Provocateur undies.
She ranted, “Hold on, I have to go on a f*****g rant. Why the f**k are you guys trying to make this lingerie thing a thing. It’s never going to be a thing, Gretchen.
“Kourtney picked out the lingerie. Kourtney! You think my dad’s like, ‘I’m going to pick out my daughter’s lingerie’? No.
“It was on my Christmas list and he wanted to make it happen for me, so he let Kourtney go pick out the lingerie. God forbid a girl wanted cute panties and bras. Literally leave me alone.
“I’m literally never going to do another Christmas haul. I hate you guys.”
Not everything in Alabama’s gift haul was naughty in nature.
She also received a dozen pairs of designer slippers, heels, and sneakers, and a brand-new collection of purses and handbags that she received from family members.
Alabama flashed an array of other pricey merchandise, including clothing, swimwear, perfume, scarves, hats, an iPad, and diamond jewelry.
Last year her present haul totalled an estimated $320,000 including a Hermès Birkin and single bracelet worth over $35,000.
Fashion-loving Kourtney is also a stepmother to Travis’s two older kids, Atiana De La Hoya, 26, and Landon, 22, whom he shares with ex Shanna Moakler.
Additionally, The Kardashians star has kids Mason, 16, Penelope, 13, and Reign, 11, with her ex, Scott Disick.
Fans thought the Poosh founder subtly announced she was expecting last month while sharing a sweet tribute to Travis for his 50th birthday.
One photo in Kourtney’s post showed Travis holding a pair of black Vans trainers with the letter “R” embroidered on the back.
Many wondered if the pic hinted that the couple was expanding their blended family.
Kourtney and Travis had a difficult time getting pregnant with their son, Rocky, after undergoing five failed IVF cycles and three egg retrievals.
They eventually conceived their son naturally after forgoing treatments and focusing on their health and faith.
Alabama’s a huge hit online with 6m TikTok followersCredit: Instagram/alabamaluellabarkerHer dad Travis is the drummer for Blink 182Credit: GettyAlabama revealed mom-in-law Kourtney was behind her lingerie giftCredit: Getty
GORDON and Tana Ramsay have paid an emotional tribute to their newly-married daughter Holly and her twin brother Jack on their birthday after the wedding drama.
Holly tied the knot with husband Adam Peaty on Saturday in a lavish ceremony in Bath Abbey but the lead up to the big day didn’t go without some drama.
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Gordon and Tana Ramsay have paid tribute to newly-married daughter Holly on her birthdayCredit: GettyThe pair shared pictures of Holly and her twin Jack to commemorate the occasionCredit: InstagramThe twins looked adorable in the throwback snapsCredit: Instagram
Sharing a joint collaborator post on Instagram, the proud parents posted a series of adorable pictures of their children from their younger years.
They penned: “Happy Birthday to our wonderful twins! @hollyramsaypeaty & Jack, there’s not enough words to explain how proud we are and watching you both grow into incredible individuals is such a joy!
“Love you so much Mum & Dad,” they signed off.
Their followers flocked to the comments section to wish the pair a happy birthday on their special day.
However, he deleted it from his Instagram stories just 15 minutes later.
The photo, which was taken on another occasion and not on the day of the wedding, showed the mother-son duo all dressed up in a suit and dress outside the iconic building.
Her Instagram story re-post read: “I won’t end this year pretending everything was fine.
“I lost a piece of myself this year that I will never get back, and I’m not forcing a smile like it didn’t change me.
“So no…I won’t be saying ‘2026 is going to be my year.’ I’ll be praying that I recover next year, that my heart never has to break like this again, that I never have to survive something like this again.”
Her birthday comes just days after she tied the knot with husband Adam PeatyCredit: SplashAdam uninvited several member of his family including his mum Caroline amid an ongoing feudCredit: Andy Kelvin / Kelvinmedia
Gogglebox stars Sue and Steve Sheehan have celebrated a special family milestone
Gogglebox’s Sue and Steve stun fans with snap of rarely-seen daughter
Gogglebox stars Sue and Steve Sheehan have stunned fans with a snap of their rarely-seen daughter.
The married couple first joined the cast of the Channel 4 show back in 2019, and have since become fan favourites with their witty commentary from the comfort of their stunning South London home.
Steve, a retired black cab driver, and Sue, who is semi-retired, have been married for nearly 47 years. They have two daughters, Leah and Kate, as well as a grandson named Roman.
Sue and Steve took to Instagram on Saturday (December 27) to share a rare photo of their youngest daughter Kate as she celebrated her 40th birthday.
“Our 2nd born 40th birthday today. Happy Birthday my darling, celebrations later,” the caption read, alongside several photos of Kate over the years.
Sue later shared a throwback photo of their daughter when she was younger, as well as one of her 40th birthday cake.
“The beautiful retro cake made by @claires_cakes5 and the old holiday photo,” she wrote.
On Monday (December 29), the stars went on to share more photos of a celebratory dinner for their daughter, which took place at Boys Hall restaurant in Kent.
The caption read: “A good time was had by all @boys.hall sharing a special birthday with the family.”
Several Gogglebox fans have shared their well wishes in the comments section, with one person writing: “Beautiful young woman, happy happy birthday. Best wishes to your gorgeous daughter.”
Another added: “Happy birthday to your lovely girl,” while a third said: “What a beautiful girl happy birthday.”
A fourth fan echoed the sentiment, saying: “Stunning girl you have!” with another similarly sharing: “Your daughter is absolutely beautiful. You have every reason to be proud.”
The news comes after Sue announced that she had Bell’s Palsy, which causes temporary weakness or paralysis in the muscles on one side of the face.
After an extended break from Gogglebox, the star told viewers that she had to “relearn” a couple of things since the diagnosis, explaining: “One is to speak through the side of my mouth, and the other one is chewing. Chewing takes a long time.”
Steve then joked: “I have offered to chew your food for you, but you declined. I’ve gotta say, you haven’t lost the sharp side of your tongue though, have you?”
“No, it’s sharper than ever actually,” Sue quipped in response.
Gogglebox is available to stream on Channel 4
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GORDON Ramsay gave a fiery speech at daughter Holly’s wedding to Olympian Adam Peaty — saying his wife Tana “will be a good mum to them both”.
The celebrity chef waded into the swimmer’s family feud as it emerged 31-year-old Adam has blocked their texts.
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Beaming newlyweds Adam and Holly – despite the feud with the groom’s familyCredit: SplashCelebrity chef gave a fiery speech at daughter Holly’s wedding to Olympian Adam — saying his wife Tana ‘will be a good mum to them both’Credit: PAAdam’s mum Caroline looked sombre as she left her home while Adam and Holly exchanged vows 150 miles awayCredit: Andy Kelvin / Kelvinmedia
Ramsay, 59, gushed at how beautiful Holly looked and told Adam he was a “lucky man”, adding: “Look at Tana and that’s what you have to look forward to.”
The triple Olympic gold medallist, 31 yesterday, acknowledged the pain caused by the bust-up in his speech at the reception at Kin House in Kington Langley, Wilts.
He told how his swim coach Mel Marshall has been “everything”, “grounding and inspiring” him.
After an emotional pause he said she was, “like a mum”.
The family source said: “This was the Ramsays’ plan all along. They wanted Adam’s family gone and they have succeeded.
“You’d think that as parents, Gordon and Tana would have a bit more compassion towards Caroline, Mark and the family.
“Caroline did everything and more to help Adam. She and Mark sacrificed a lot to get him where he is. Adam ought to be ashamed of himself for going ahead with the wedding without them after everything they did to support him.
“Beth has betrayed her mum to see what she can get out of being the only family member who gets on with Adam and Holly.
Gordon’s wife Tana looked glamorous as daughter Holly tied the knot with swimmer AdamCredit: SplashTV presenter Dan Walker, a guest at the ceremony, posted the couple’s wedding serviceCredit: Instagram
“This isn’t the Bethany we all know, she’s changed her appearance and personality to fit in with the Ramsays’ celebrity lifestyle.”
The source also revealed Adam had disinvited his great-aunt Janet and her husband Eddie days before the wedding — despite them booking accommodation and purchasing outfits. The source added: “It’s completely unacceptable.”
In her message, shortly before Adam entered the abbey with son George, five, his aunt Louise wrote: “I hope you never suffer the depth of pain you have put your mother through and despite it all she loves you still. Shame on you both.
“Remember on this, your happiest day, and on each anniversary of your happiest day, that you hurt your mum so deeply her soul screams.”
A family source confirmed Adam did not receive or read the message.
This was the Ramsays’ plan all along. They wanted Adam’s family gone and they have succeeded
Family source
Holly wore two outfits at the reception — including Tana’s gown when she wed Gordon in 1996.
A DJ announced the tribute, sparking applause from guests including Ramsay pals David and Victoria Beckham.
A source said: “David and Victoria were on the dance floor most of the evening. And they were almost the last to leave it. They happily mingled with everyone else.”
Adam’s best man was Ed Baxter, a former swimmer and business partner. Adam’s coach Mel sparked laughter by referring to her student as Golden Balls, while pointing out “the other” Golden Balls, Becks.
Adam with mum Caroline in happier times for the familyCredit: Shutterstock
All guests wore a wristband embossed with Adam and Holly’s initials to prevent wedding crashers.
A pal said last night: “Nothing interrupted what was a peaceful, joyous day with those closest to Holly and Adam.
“The ceremony was magical and the reception very emotional, there were a lot of tears.
“Gordon made an amazing speech that had everyone laughing and crying. None of the outside noise overshadowed what was an occasion filled with heartfelt joy and happiness for two people who are very much in love.”
Gordon walked his daughter down the aisle and Tana gave a reading during the hour-long service.
Look at Tana and that’s what you have to look forward to
A crowd of onlookers cheered the couple as they emerged. They were later whisked to the reception in a black Rolls-Royce. The maids of honour wore red dresses designed by Victoria, while Tana wore a similar style dress in green.
Other celebrities in attendance included Dragons’ Den star Sara Davies and TV presenter Dan Walker, who said on social media: “We had a lovely time celebrating with Adam and Holly.
“Great wedding, top people, wonderful service, unforgettable reception, brilliant speeches and we got to sing some bangers in the church too.”
A select few were invited to a breakfast gathering yesterday.
Tony Hawk, the skateboarding legend synonymous with daring tricks and modern skate culture, over the weekend faced an experience “WAY outside” his comfort zone: performing in a ballet.
The San Diego native and “Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater” namesake, 57, made his ballet debut Saturday skating on stage for Golden State Ballet’s production of “The Nutcracker.” During the one-of-a-kind showing at San Diego’s Civic Theatre, Hawk appeared in multiple scenes of the beloved holiday ballet, entertaining audiences with tricks while in costume.
“Sometimes you just have to say yes to things WAY outside your comfort zone, especially when your daughter thinks [it’s] funny,” he wrote Sunday in an Instagram post.
Golden State Ballet teased Hawk’s “Nutcracker” cameo on social media earlier this month, announcing, “he’s trying something completely new.”
“He’s supporting San Diego arts,” the original post read. “He’s making his daughter proud.”
“The Nutcracker” is a two-act ballet that follows a girl named Clara who receives a nutcracker doll for Christmas. When the toy magically comes to life, he defends Clara from the Mouse King and takes her on the journey of her dreams through the colorful land of sweets, where the Sugar Plum Fairy rules.
So how exactly does a pro skater fit in?
Hawk posted several photos and videos from his performance, including footage of his first cameo during the ballet’s opening number. The sports icon, donning a scarf and newsboy hat, disrupts the snowy scene outside of Clara’s home. He skates across the stage balancing on his board with both hands in the air as a police officer runs after him.
In the ballet’s second act, Hawk was not the only skater to take the stage. During the crowd-pleaser trepak, or Russian dance, Hawk and young skater Katelyn West joined a trio of dancers, launching themselves into the air off a quarter pipe. Like the dancers, both Hawk and West wore Russian-inspired fur hats, tunics and baggy red pants. The audience erupted in raucous applause.
Finally, Hawk and West rolled on stage for the show’s curtain call. Not too shabby, skater boy.
CARDI B’s boyfriend Stefon Diggs seemed to finally confirm he has welcomed more than one baby this year.
The New England Patriots player, 32 – who welcomed a son with rapper Cardi in November – posted three separate photos of three infants on his Instagram Stories on Christmas Day.
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Stefon Diggs and Cardi B attended the game between the Boston Celtics and the New York Knicks during Round 2 Game 4 of the 2025 NBA Playoffs on May 12, 2025 at Madison Square Garden in New York CityCredit: GettyStefon held his mystery baby boy in a new photoCredit: Instagram/stefondiggsStefon posed with a baby girl in his next photoCredit: Instagram/stefondiggsHe also gave a shout out to baby mama Cardi and their son in his third photoCredit: Instagram/stefondiggs
In one, Stefon held a baby boy in front of a colorful Christmas tree.
“One of my boys’ first Christmas,” he proudly posted.
The identity of the baby’s mother is unclear- though Stefon was rumored to have fathered a mystery child after TMZobtained photosof him loading a baby carrier outside a New York hospital in May.
In the second photo, the NFL star posed with a baby girl – who appears to be Charliee, his daughter with Instagram model Lord Gisselle, who also goes by Aileen Lopera.
The U.S. Sun exclusively confirmed Stefon was the father of Aileen’s baby after she took him to court to confirm paternity and request child support in Los Angeles.
The baby was born in April 2025 – just seven months before Cardi gave birth to his son.
In Stefon’s third photo, Cardi, 33, held their son in front of a sparkling Christmas tree.
“Miss yaw!” he captioned the pic. “Don’t be squeezing him too tight, you making him soft.”
Cardi and Stefon first stepped out publicly in May of this year, and she announced her pregnancy in September.
She is the mother of three kids with ex Offset- Kulture, Wave and Blossom. She gave birth to her youngest daughter in September 2024.
Stefon also has an older daughter named Nova, 8.
Stefon has a baby with Instagram model Lord Gisselle, who also goes by Aileen LoperaCredit: Instagram/lordgisselleCardi B gave birth to daughter Blossom in September 2024- after she split from OffsetCredit: Instagram
Pete Davidson has officially entered fatherhood, welcoming his first child with British model-actor Elsie Hewitt.
The former “Saturday Night Live” comedian, 32, and his girlfriend, 29, are new parents to a baby girl, Hewitt announced Thursday. “Our perfect angel girl arrived 12/12/2025,” the model captioned her Instagram post.
Hewitt shared scenes from Scottie Rose Hewitt Davidson’s arrival, including their first family selfie, images from the labor room and snaps of her own post-push sushi meal. In her caption, Hewitt described her daughter as “my best work yet.”
“I am absolutely overflowing with love and gratitude and disbelief,” she added.
Davidson apparently had other words to herald the arrival of his first child: “Wu tang forever.”
The pair welcomed their first child after less than a year of dating. Davidson (whose dating history notably includes high-profile relationships with Kim Kardashian and Ariana Grande) was first romantically linked to Hewitt (who previously dated Jason Sudeikis and Benny Blanco) in March when they were seen kissing in Palm Beach, Fla. Two months after making their relationship red carpet official, the couple announced in July they were expecting a little one.
In addition to recovering from labor, Hewitt revealed that she is simultaneously bouncing back from another procedure. In an Instagram story posted Thursday, Hewitt shared a selfie of herself in a pink hoodie with an ice pack around her cheeks as she held onto her daughter’s car seat.
“Who else had to get a wisdom tooth removed directly from the hospital the day after they gave birth,” she captioned the photo.
What do fallen empires leave behind? Djaimilia Pereira de Almeida’s new work of fiction attempts to answer that question. “Three Stories of Forgetting” probes the inner worlds of three men scarred by their participation in Portugal’s history of rapacious colonialist intervention that ended in 1999. For nearly 600 years, the European republic was involved in a bloody land grab that at its peak controlled over 5.5 million square miles across Africa, Asia and the Americas.
Pereira de Almeida’s protagonists — Celestino, a slave trader; Boa Morte, a former soldier who had been conscripted to fight his fellow Africans in the Guinea-Bissau War of Independence; and Bruma, an elderly plantation worker — live in a liminal state between past and present, searching for some measure of solace in a world that offers none. I chatted with Pereira de Almeida, who was born in Angola but was reared in Lisbon, about her haunting triptych of stories.
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Djaimilia Pereira de Almeida is author of “Three Stories of Forgetting,” a new novel exploring the legacies of slavery, colonialism, and the Portuguese Empire.
(Humberto Brito)
Three stories of forgetting … but nothing is forgotten among these men.
All three men are tormented by what they can’t forget, although they don’t feel exactly guilty, in the case of Celestino and Boa Morte. Bruma is a different story. The “forgetting” of the title relates to the omission of the figures who do not appear in the book, or who appear only occasionally, episodically. Those who are forgotten are the victims and their story. These three stories are also chapters of a more general story of violence, that of colonialism, whose victims are largely forgotten to this day.
Boa Morte, a valet in Lisbon, carries an enormous burden of guilt; in order to expiate it, he tries to save a young street vagrant. Of course, all attempts at redemption in the book are futile — why is that?
I don’t think redemption is as common as much of today’s fiction seems to suggest. The experience of guilt or of an existence haunted by ghosts seems more common to me. Boa Morte was forgotten by Portugal, the country for which he gave his life, and his hateful behavior left him utterly alone. What would redeem his life? Boa Morte is inspired by a man I knew who became my friend and lived on the streets of Lisbon, just like the character. One day, he was found dead in an alley. Not all lives know redemption.
The three protagonists are captives of their pasts, because the past is still present. Can you speak to that?
After reading [British philosopher] Peter Geach’s sentence that opens his book “The Virtues,” I became interested in inquiring into the lives of people who may be, so to speak, “dead in the eyes of God.” The problem with this possibility, however, is that we may die in the eyes of God early in life, without knowing it, and yet live to old age and remain here.
This sentence is important to me, regardless of its religious meaning. It is important in that it opens up the possibility that we may have exhausted our share of grace in life and, as humans, need to keep going.
All three of these characters are looking for some kind of solace — whether it’s reverting to some kind of quiet life among living things that don’t talk back, or building a lean-to as a kind of sanctuary.
Perhaps these places they seek are, in very different ways, the only possible remnants of rest: and also places where questions have ceased. Among living things that don’t talk there are no witnesses, there is no guilt.
You can’t write stories like these without some degree of empathy — do you feel sorry for these men? What do you feel for them as a writer?
I agree with that. I don’t feel sorry for them, but I tried to get closer to them and understand them, without imposing my ideas and opinions on them, something I don’t like to do when I write novels. Instead, I preferred, as I usually prefer, to fly around them like an insect, to study them, to let them talk to me: It is a non-imposing approach, which lets the characters speak. In general, I tend to be interested in characters I don’t like and who wouldn’t treat me with the kindness I show them. It’s my way of seeking justice, in its contradictions, and of exploring ambiguity in human behavior: I want to create hospitality, and that means being able to extend my hospitality to characters whose deeds I condemn.
(This Q&A was edited for length and clarity.)
📰 The Week(s) in Books
Carolyn Kellogg, Bethanne Patrick and Mark Athitakis select the best books of the year for The Times.
(Photo illustration by Josep Prat Sorolla / For The Times; book jackets from Scribner, Riverhead and Penguin Press)
Jim Ruland talked to Thurston Moore about his new book that chronicles the Sonic Youth guitarist’s love of free jazz. “I go out with my band and I play typical band gigs,” says Moore, “but I prefer being in a basement with a free jazz drummer any day of the week.”
Mark Athitakis finds favor with W. David Marx’s “Blank Space,” a sharp critique that maps the decline of our present culture, as well as Adam Morgan’s biography of 20th century literary firebrand Margaret C. Anderson, a trailblazer who bucked the prevailing culture to champion challenging art, including Joyce’s “Ulysses.” “If we want more works like ‘Ulysses’ in our world (and far less cringe) … it will demand a stubbornness from creators and dedication from consumers that the current moment is designed to strip from us,” Athatakis writes.
Apollo, one of two bookstore cats, sleeping in a box at the Iliad bookstore in North Hollywood.
(Gerard Burkhart / For The Times)
The San Fernando Valley has lost many of its beloved bookshops over the last two decades, but North Hollywood’s Iliad bookshop remains. The store, which first opened its doors 28 years ago and remains the greatest purveyor of used books in all of Los Angeles, is the kind of tangled labyrinth teeming with titles that one can get lost in for hours. I spoke with Dan Weinstein about what is moving out of the doors this holiday season.
What is selling in the Christmas rush this year?
We tend to sell the same kinds of titles all year round, so it’s standard literature, science fiction and the handful of authors we can’t keep on the shelves: Octavia Butler, Charles Bukowski, Sarah J. Maas and Brandon Sanderson. Also, a lot of gift cards! Actually, January is our strongest month for sales — winter kicks in and people like to stay at home and read.
Full disclosure: I’ve been a loyal Iliad customer since the ’90s. Do you tend to see the same faces across the years?
Oh, we have very serious hardcore customers that come over and over again. Some of them even come on a daily basis. Fortunately, we are always putting good new inventory out.
What about Hollywood business? You have a tremendous inventory of art and photography books. Do set designers come in to find inspiration?
We do sell a lot to the entertainment industry. That really keeps us alive. If we were doing business in a city other than Los Angeles, I don’t think we would do nearly as well.
Long Beach City College’s performing arts center is officially being named after Long Beach legend and LBCC alumna Jenni Rivera.
Last week LBCC’s Board of Trustees unanimously voted to name the new facility the Jenni Rivera Performing Arts Center.
“This naming recognizes not just an extraordinary performer, but a daughter of Long Beach whose voice and spirit transcended borders,” said Uduak-Joe Ntuk, president of LBCC’s board of trustees in a press statement. “Jenni Rivera inspired millions through her music, resilience, and advocacy. We are proud that future generations of artists will learn and create in a space that bears her name.”
Jenni Rivera Enterprises will donate $2 million over the next 10 years to the LBCC Foundation, with the bulk of the funds going toward scholarships and education programs, the Long Beach Post reported.
“Our family is deeply honored that Long Beach City College has chosen to memorialize Jenni in this extraordinary way,” said Jacqie Rivera, Rivera’s daughter and CEO of Jenni Rivera Enterprises, in a press release. “Long Beach shaped who Jenni was — as an artist, a mother, and a woman — committed to her community. Knowing that young performers will grow, train, and find their creative voice in a center that carries her name is profoundly meaningful to us.”
The performing arts center, which is scheduled to open in spring 2026, is the second honor the “Inolvidable” singer has received from LBCC. Earlier this year, Rivera was inducted into the LBCC Hall of Fame alongside actor/activist Jennifer Kumiyama and attorney Norm Rasmussen.
Rivera was born and raised in Long Beach, attending Long Beach Poly High School in the 1980s, where she got pregnant as a sophomore. She later graduated from Reid Continuation High School as class valedictorian. She went on to attend LBCC before transferring to Cal State Long Beach to get a bachelor’s degree in business administration.
She immediately put that degree to use as a real estate agent, while simultaneously working at her father’s recording studio and record label.
Her father, Pedro Rivera, was a noted singer of corridos. In the 1980s he launched the record label Cintas Acuario. It began as a swap-meet booth and grew into an influential and taste-making independent outfit, fueling the careers of artists such as Chálino Sanchez. Jenni Rivera’s four brothers were associated with the music industry; her brother Lupillo, in particular, is a huge star in his own right.
She released her first album, “Somos Rivera,” in 1992, launching a prolific career that was tragically cut short when Rivera and six others were killed in a plane crash in Mexico on Dec. 9, 2012.
The self-proclaimed “Diva de la Banda” was a self-made star with a veritable rags-to-riches story. She was a true trailblazer, a U.S.-born woman who took up plenty of space in the male-dominated world of música mexicana.
“One of my mom’s favorite exes used to work in this vicinity. We would come and check in on him and she always dreamt — I remember sitting in the car, in her Mercedes, and she always dreamt, ‘I’m gonna have my star here one day,’” Rivera’s daughter Jenicka Lopez said at the star unveiling ceremony.
“I thought it was impossible after she passed away, but God has a beautiful way of proving people wrong.”
ROB Reiner’s daughter has broken her silence over her dad’s death – revealing she saw him just one day before the film director and his wife Michele were murdered.
Tracy Reiner, 61, said the brutal double killing left her devastated – before paying her respects to the “the greatest family ever”.
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Rob Reiner and his wife Michele were found stabbed to death at their home in Los AngelesCredit: AFPRob’s adopted daughter Tracy has broken her silenceCredit: Getty
Tracy, who was adopted by Rob during his marriage to Penny Marshall, said she was left speechless.
The actress said: “I came from the greatest family ever.
“I don’t know what to say. I’m in shock.”
She added that she had seen her late dad at a family gathering just one day before horror knife attack.
The iconic director was married to Marshall from 1971 to 1981, during which time he adopted Tracy.
Rob, 78, and Michele, 68, were found dead by their other daughter Romy, 28, with their throats slit at their sprawling $13.5million Brentwood mansion on Sunday afternoon.
The Hollywood icon’s youngest son Nick has been charged with murder in connection with the grisly killing.
A source revealed to The U.S. Sun that Rob and Michele got into a heated public argument with Nick at a Hanukkah party on Saturday evening.
The party was hosted by Conan O’Brien, according to TMZ.
Nick, 32, was booked into a Los Angeles jail on Monday morning, according to online records viewed by The U.S. Sun.
He has since been charged with murder and is being held at Parker Center Jail on $4 million bail, Los Angeles Police Department Chief Jim McDonnell announced during a press conference on Monday.
Nick, who reportedly lives in the Los Angeles area, is rarely seen in public since he opened up about his struggles with drug addiction in 2016.
He admitted to first going to rehab at the age of 25 and said his addiction issues even led him to being homeless at one point in his life, according to People.
“When I was out there, I could’ve died. It’s all luck. You roll the dice and you hope you make it,” Nick said.
In 2015, Nick and his father worked on the semi-autobiographical film, Hey Charlie, which centered around the entitled, drug-addicted son of a renowned actor turned political candidate in California.
Rob Reiner and his son Nick Reiner pictured together at AOL Studios In New York CityCredit: Getty(L-R) Rob Reiner, Michele Singer Reiner, Romy Reiner, Nick Reiner, daughter-in-law Maria Gilfillan and Jake Reiner, pictured together in Los AngelesCredit: Getty
Rob told the Los Angeles Times at the time that he had to push past trauma and tough memories during filming.
“It was very, very hard going through it the first time, with these painful and difficult highs and lows,” the beloved director told the outlet then.
“And then making the movie dredged it all up again.”
Fellow Hollywood stars paid tribute to both Rob and Michele.
Ex-Monty Python member Eric Idle said he had spoken to Rob the night before his death.
Paying his respects, he said: “Rob Reiner was a lovely man. I spoke to him last night for over an hour. I always enjoyed his company.
“I met him at his Dad’s in 1975. He was telling me about filming at Stonehenge and his thoughts for the future … I shall miss him.
“A clever, talented and very thoughtful man. So awful.”
Ben Stiller said Rob was one of his favourite directors, and called him “a kind caring person who was really really funny”.
Josh Gad, who voiced Olaf in Frozen, described Rob and his wife’s deaths as a “devastating” loss.
Actor John Cusack, who starred in Rob’s 1985 film The Sure Thing, said he “saw the soul in others”.
Timeline of the double murder
ROB Reiner and his wife of Michele Singer Reiner were found dead in their Los Angeles home on December 14, 2025.
Timeline:
December 13, 2025: Reiner and his wife Michele attended a holiday party on the evening of December 13 with their son, Nick.
Sources conveyed to The U.S. Sun that the couple and their son were engaged in a heated public argument while at the event.
December 14, 2025: Reiner and Michele were found dead in their Brentwood home in Los Angeles at around 3:30 pm PST.
The couple’s daughter, Romy, reportedly discovered her parents bodies.
Online police records show Reiner and Michele’s 32-year-old son, Nick, was arrested at 9:15 pm PST on December 14.
December 15, 2025: Authorities in Los Angeles announce that Nick Reiner was arrested and charged with murder.
Nick was booked into a Los Angeles jail at 5:04 am and is being held on $4 million bail.
HOLLYWOOD HORROR
The gruesome homicides of Rob and his wife, Michele, 68, shocked the world of Hollywood after reports emerged that the couple were discovered with multiple lacerations.
The Misery director and his wife, who had been married for 36 years, had their throats slit by a family member following a heated argument, according to TMZ.
Romy, 28, told authorities that a family member “should be a suspect” because they’re “dangerous,” the outlet reported.
The Los Angeles Police Department is investigating the deaths as an apparent homicide.
Alan Hamilton, the deputy police chief of the LAPD, told reporters on Sunday evening that authorities would interview several family members of the Reiners as the investigation continued.
Hamilton said the property showed no signs of forced entry.
Rob’s daughter Romy discovered her dad’s bodyCredit: GettyRob Reiner on the set of the 1984 mockumentary This is Spinal TapCredit: Alamy
FILM ICON
Rob, who was raised in the Bronx by famed actors Carl and Estelle, was a huge presence in the film industry after more than five decades as one of Hollywood’s top directors and actors.
His career as an actor began in the early 1960s, but it was not until the 1970s that Rob gained recognition after portraying Michael “Meathead” Stivic on the TV comedy All in the Family.
Throughout the 70s, Rob continued to make guest appearances on several TV series, including The Partridge Family.
However, it was in the director’s chair where Rob flourished into a star in the world of film.
He helmed a string of hit movies, including, When Harry Met Sally, The Princess Bride, and the Academy Award nominated film A Few Good Men, among others.
It was on the set of When Harry Met Sally that he met the photographer and his eventual wife, Michele Singer.
“I look over and I see this girl, and ‘Whoo!’ I was attracted immediately,” Rob told The New York Times in 1989.
The couple wed in 1989, the year the film was released.
After their marriage, Michele began helping her husband with producing films, including Shock and Awe and Albert Brooks: Defending My Life.
The legendary career of iconic director Rob Reiner
FAMED actor, director and producer Rob Reiner, 78, died on December 14 alongside his wife Michele Singer, 68, in an apparent homicide.
Here is a look at the prodigious list of achievements the Hollywood powerhouse earned before his tragic and sudden death.
Director’s Beginnings
Reiner was born in New York City on March 6, 1947, to legendary comedy writer Carl Reiner and singer Estelle Reiner
He studied at the University of California, Los Angeles film school before breaking into the entertainment industry
Hollywood Career
Reiner first found fame as an actor playing Michael “Meathead” Stivic on the iconic sitcom All in the Family from 1971 to 1979
In 1984, he directed his first film This Is Spinal Tap – a mockumentary following a fictional heavy metal band
Reiner went on to direct cult classic films like The Princess Bride in 1987 and When Harry Met Sally… in 1989
Other notable movies made by the director include Misery, The American President, and A Few Good Men, which earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture
The production company he co-founded, Castle Rock Entertainment, has also produced hits like Seinfeld and The Shawshank Redemption
Reiner didn’t halt his acting career either, recently starring in The Wolf of Wall Street in 2013 and The Bear in 2025
Personal Life
Reiner married actress Penny Marshall in 1971 and adopted her daughter, Tracy, from a previous marriage. The couple divorced in 1981
He met photographer Michele Singer while shooting When Harry Met Sally
They married in 1989 and had three children: Jake, born 1991, Nick born 1993, and Romy born 1997)
Nick opened up about his struggle with drug addiction in 2016. The movie Becoming Charlie, directed by Reiner, was based on Nick’s story
Reiner was an outspoken Democratic activist and a fierce critic of Donald Trump
Rob and Michele are survived by their children, Romy, Jake, Nick, and Tracy, the director’s daughter, whom he adopted from his previous wife, Penny Marshall.
Tributes have been paid to the actor and director and his wife following their deaths.
“Rob was the big-hearted genius behind so many of the classic stories we love, with projects as wide-ranging as The Princess Bride to A Few Good Men,” California Governor Gavin Newsom wrote on X.
“His boundless empathy made his stories timeless, teaching generations how to see goodness and righteousness in others — and encouraging us to dream bigger.
“Rob will be remembered for his remarkable filmography and for his extraordinary contribution to humanity.”
Former US president Barack Obama spoke warmly about the couple.
Tracy and her biological mum Penny MarshallCredit: GettyTributes have poured in for the late starCredit: Splash
“Rob’s achievements in film and television gave us some of our most cherished stories on screen,” he said.
“But beneath all of the stories he produced was a deep belief in the goodness of people—and a lifelong commitment to putting that belief into action.
“Together, he and his wife lived lives defined by purpose. They will be remembered for the values they championed and the countless people they inspired.”
Former US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi described Rob as someone who was creative and funny.
She also hailed him as an actor who could make fans laugh and cry when they watched his films.
Pelosi described Rob’s wife as an “indispensible partner and intellectual resource.”
