Selena Gomez to direct 1st episode of 'Wizards Beyond Waverly Place' final chapter

Selena Gomezis stepping behind the camera for the final chapter of "Wizards Beyond Waverly Place."

Disney announced in a press release Thursday that Gomez, anexecutive producerand guest star on the hit "Wizards of Waverly Place" revival series, will make her directorial debut with the premiere episode of the final season.

Selena Gomez, David Henrie say 'Wizards Beyond Waverly Place' is a 'love letter' to fans

She will also reprise her original series role as Alex Russo in multiple episodes for the upcoming season, according to the release.

The actress and singer helped bring "Wizards Beyond Waverly Place" to life with her former "Wizards of Waverly Place" co-star David Henrie. Henrie is also an executive producer on the revival series, as well as a season regular, reprising his role as Justin Russo, Alex's brother.

The first season of "Wizards Beyond Waverly Place" premiered in October 2024.

At the time, Gomez and Henriecalledthe new show a "love letter to fans" of the original series, which aired from 2007 to 2012.

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"This means a lot to them," Henrie said at the revival's Hollywood premiere in 2024. "We really wanted this to be this big, warm hug to them, a love letter to them, but at the same time, just this invitation to pass the wand to a new generation."

Also starring in "Wizards Beyond Waverly Place" are Janice LeAnn Brown as young wizard Billie, Alkaio Thiele as Roman Russo, Max Matenko as Milo Russo, Taylor Cora as Winter, and Mimi Gianopulos as Giada Russo.

The press release for the final chapter of "Wizards Beyond Waverly Place" says that it will be a four-part event, picking up after season 2.

Selena Gomez, David Henrie to executive produce pilot for 'Wizards of Waverly Place' sequel

"Billie, still reeling from losing Alex at the end of Season 2, discovers that the only way to rescue her mother is to reunite with her long-lost father," the press release states. "As her family bands together to find Alex, Billie realizes that their combined power is the only way the Russos can defeat the evil plaguing them."

While production on the final season begins next week, fans can catch up on the first two seasons of "Wizards Beyond Waverly Place" on Disney+.

Disney is the parent company of ABC News and "Good Morning America."

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April 02, 2026

Selena Gomez to direct 1st episode of 'Wizards Beyond Waverly Place' final chapter

Selena Gomezis stepping behind the camera for the final chapter of "Wizards Beyond Waverly Place." ...

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North West, 12, performs 2 songs with dad Ye at sold-out Los Angeles concert, including 'Piercing on My Hand'

North Westis ready for "all of the lights."

The 12-year-old daughter ofYe(formerly known as Kanye West) andKim Kardashianjoined her father onstage at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, performing two songs for the sold-out crowd of 70,000 on Wednesday night.

The concert marked the first time the rapper has performed on U.S. soil since 2021.

North, dressed in all black and sunglasses with her long blue hair in pigtails, stepped onstage to her 2024 track "Miss Westie." She then performed two newer songs, "Talking" and "Piercing on My Wrist" — the latter possibly inspired by themultitude of microdermal piercingson both her hands.

The preteen's appearance came toward the end of her father's 33-song setlist, featuring hits like "Can't Tell Me Nothing," "Mercy," "Heartless," "Jesus Walks," "All of the Lights," and "Runaway."

Not only did North get up in front of an enormous crowd, but she also conquered any possible fear of heights, as the entire show took place atop a giant dome illuminated with a projection of the earth. For obvious safety reasons, it appears bothYe and North wore harnesses.

North wasn't the only special guest to join Ye onstage. Don Toliver also performed "Moon," his track with the rapper off 2021'sDonda.

Days before the L.A. show, Ye released his 12th studio album,Bully, which hasn't exactly received rave reviews from critics.Pitchforkdubbed it  "a cheap hit of retro-Kanye," whileRolling Stonegave it 2.5 stars for offering "plenty of fan service, but little substance."

Subsequently, one of the featured producers, James Blake, has publicly requested his name beremovedthe credits of "This One Here," a song he first worked on with Ye back in 2022.

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"My original version is a completely different production in spirit" than the version on Bully, he told fan on his social media platform,Vault. "Happy for the fans but I've asked to be taken off the producer credits for now as I don't want to take credit for other people's work and this version isn't what I created with Ye."

Wednesday's concert was not the first time Ye's daughter nearly stole the show. At the age of 6, North made her musical debut at 2020 Paris Fashion Week during her dad's Yeezy show.

Back in January, the preteen traveled to Mexico City to surprise Ye's 40,000 fans at the Monumental Plaza de Toros with the first live performance of "Piercing on My Hand."

Ye's latest tour, in support ofBully, continues for a second night at SoFi Stadium on April 3, before heading to India, Turkey, Netherlands, France, Spain, and Portugal this summer.

In January, the rapper published an essay in theWall Street Journalapologizingfor his past anti-semitic behavior, such as praising Nazi dictatorAdolph Hitlerand even selling T-shirts emblazoned withswastikas.

Get your daily dose of entertainment news, celebrity updates, and what to watch with ourEW Dispatch newsletter.

Citing a car accident 25 years ago that caused damage to the frontal lobe of his brain, yet went "unnoticed" according to Ye. Over time, he added, "I lost touch with reality."

Ye continued, "I said and did things I deeply regret. Some of the people I love the most, I treated the worst. You endured fear, confusion, humiliation, and the exhaustion of trying to have someone who was, at times, unrecognizable. Looking back, I became detached from my true self."

Read the original article onEntertainment Weekly

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April 02, 2026

North West, 12, performs 2 songs with dad Ye at sold-out Los Angeles concert, including 'Piercing on My Hand'

North Westis ready for "all of the lights." The 12-year-old daughter ofYe(formerly known as Kanye We...

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Blake Lively's sexual harassment claims against Justin Baldoni tossed out but robust case remains

NEW YORK (AP) — Blake Lively'ssexual harassment claimsagainst Justin Baldoni over the movie "It Ends With Us" were dismissed Thursday by a federal judge who left intact three claims, including retaliation, that will let a jury hear many of the allegations anyway.

The written ruling by Judge Lewis J. Liman in Manhattan came after Lively, who starred in and produced the film, sued her co-star and director in December 2024. A trial is scheduled for May 18.

Baldoni and his production company Wayfarer Studios had countersued Lively and her husband, "Deadpool" actor Ryan Reynolds, accusing them of defamation and extortion. The judge dismissed Baldoni's claims last June.

In his ruling, Liman determined that Lively was an independent contractor rather than an employee. On that basis, he said she was not entitled to bring sexual harassment claims under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. That law prohibits employment discrimination on various grounds, including gender.

As to retaliation, the judge said some evidence might enable a jury to conclude that Baldoni's production company planned not only to damage Lively's reputation but to destroy her career amid fear she'd file a discrimination claim. Lively alleges a smear campaign has been "devastating for her reputation and career," the judge noted.

In an analysis of the sexual harassment claims, the judge said Lively's claims had to be viewed in the context of the movie they were working on.

"Lively claims that during filming, Baldoni leaned in and gestured as if he was intending to kiss her, and that he kissed her forehead, rubbed his face and mouth against her neck, put his thumb to her mouth and flicked her lower lip, caressed her, and leaned into her neck, saying 'it smells good,'" the judge wrote.

He said there was no question that the conduct would support a hostile work environment claim if it happened on a factory floor or in an executive suite.

However, the judge noted, Baldoni was "acting in the scene" and his "conduct was not so far beyond what might reasonably be expected to take place between two characters during a slow dancing scene such that an inference of hostile treatment on the basis of sex would arise. At least in isolation, the conduct was directed to Lively's character rather than to Lively herself."

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Liman added: "Creative artists, no less than comedy room writers, must have some amount of space to experiment within the bounds of an agreed script without fear of being held liable for sexual harassment."

Despite those findings, the judge said some sexual harassment claims may be put to a jury to support two retaliation claims that survived the ruling, including one against It Ends With Us Movie LLC and Wayfarer Studios, and a third claim that was left intact alleging breach of a contract rider agreement against It Ends With Us Movie LLC.

The judge noted that Baldoni once said "pretty hot" after asking Lively to remove her jacket, exposing a lace bra underneath, and that when he was warned that it was inappropriate and distracting to make such comment, he allegedly rolled his eyes and responded: "Sorry, I missed the sexual harassment training."

Liman also cited a scene in which Baldoni pushed for Lively to perform a birth scene naked and then the scene was filmed over several hours without the set being closed to nonessential personnel.

In a statement, Lively attorney Sigrid McCawley wrote that Lively "looks forward to testifying at trial and continuing to shine a light on this vicious form of online retaliation so that it become easier to detect and fight."

She added: "This case has always been and will remain focused on the devasting retaliation and the extraordinary steps the defendants took to destroy Blake Lively's reputation because she stood up for safety on the set and that is the case that is going to trial."

A lawyer for Baldoni and his production company did not immediately comment.

"It Ends With Us," an adaptation ofColleen Hoover's bestselling 2016 novelthat begins as a romance but takes a dark turn into domestic violence, was released in August 2024,exceeding box office expectationswith a $50 million debut. But the movie's release was shrouded by speculation over discord between Lively and Baldoni.

Lively appeared in the 2005 film "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants" and the TV series "Gossip Girl" from 2007 to 2012 before starring in films including "The Town" and "The Shallows."

Baldoni starred in the TV comedy"Jane the Virgin,"directed the 2019 film "Five Feet Apart" and wrote "Man Enough," a book challenging traditional notions of masculinity.

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April 02, 2026

Blake Lively's sexual harassment claims against Justin Baldoni tossed out but robust case remains

NEW YORK (AP) — Blake Lively'ssexual harassment claimsagainst Justin Baldoni over the movie "It Ends With Us...

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Zelenskiy offers Ukraine's maritime expertise with Strait of Hormuz

April 2 (Reuters) - President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Thursday offered to provide Ukraine's expertise in dealing with freedom of navigation in ‌the Black Sea to countries considering how to keep ‌the Strait of Hormuz open amid conflict in the Middle East.

Zelenskiy, speaking in his ​nightly video address, said Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha had taken part in a virtual meeting devoted to reopening the Strait of Hormuz, attended by about 40 countries.

"Ukraine has relevant expertise concerning sea waterways, concerning the ‌defence and reopening of ⁠maritime traffic," he said.

"If (our) partners are ready to act we will consider how we can strengthen them, how ⁠we can apply our expertise, knowledge and technological potential."

Zelenskiy offered no further details.

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Ukrainian forces have developed technology, including sea drones, that has enabled ​them during ​four years of war to score ​notable successes over Russian ships ‌in the Black Sea and kept Moscow from controlling the waterway.

The president embarked last week on a tour of Middle Eastern countries as part of a drive to provide them with defence technology it has developed in four years of countering drones, many of them ‌designed in Iran.

He said he was ​expecting a report on progress in the ​issue on Friday from ​Rustem Umerov, Ukraine's top negotiator in talks on reaching ‌a settlement to the war.

On Wednesday, ​Zelenskiy said that ​Ukraine was already cooperating with Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Jordan, and was also in contact with ​Bahrain, Kuwait and Iraq. ‌The government team was also in talks on potential agreements ​with Turkey and other countries.

(Reporting by Ron Popeski and ​Bogdan Kochubey; Editing by Cynthia Osterman)

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Zelenskiy offers Ukraine's maritime expertise with Strait of Hormuz

April 2 (Reuters) - President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Thursday offered to provide Ukraine's expertise in dealing with ...

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Iranian president in letter says Iran doesn't pose a threat to US

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian denied that his nation is posing a threat to the U.S. in an open letter, and defended Iran's actions in the ongoing war, citing it as "legitimate self-defense."

In the translatedfour-page letter posted on Xaddressed to the "people of the United States" on April 1, Pezeshkian wrote that the Iranian people "harbor no enmity toward other nations, including the people of America, Europe, or neighboring countries."

"This is a deeply rooted principle in Iranian culture and collective consciousness – not a temporary political stance," Pezeshkian said. "For this reason, portraying Iran as a threat is neither consistent with historical reality nor with present-day observable facts."

Pezeshkian's letter came hours beforePresident Donald Trumpthreatened that the U.S. would bring Iran "back to the Stone Ages where they belong" while making another case publicly for thewar on Iranduring aprimetime address. While his speech did not reveal any major updates regarding the war, Trump reiterated his stance that the administration's goal is to ensure Iran never obtains a nuclear weapon. The president also did not give a timeframe for when the war would end, after saying on March 31 that it could conclude in "two weeks, maybe three."

President Trump speaks to the nation on Iran from the White House

In his letter, Pezeshkian also accused the U.S. of being a "proxy for Israel," and said the U.S. launched "two acts of aggression" during negotiations to end the war. He encouraged Americans to question the Trump administration's claims about Iran.

Additionally, Pezeshkian said the war is further damaging the "global standing" of the United States.

Trump's war:A head for the exits in Iran leaves complications behind

The notion of Iran as a threat is 'invented'

Pezeshkian noted that the perception of Iran as a danger was invented. The Iranian president said that notion is "the product of political and economic whims of the powerful — the need to manufacture an enemy in order to justify pressure, maintain military dominance, sustain the arms industry, and control strategic markets.

"In such an environment, if a threat does not exist, it is invented," Pezeshkian added.

The Iranian president also urged Americans to "look beyond the machinery of misinformation," and speak with visitors to Iran or observe the contributions of Iranian immigrants in Western academia and technology as a counter-narrative to official rhetoric.

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Pezeshkianwrote that the world "stands at a crossroads."

"Continuing along the path of confrontation is more costly and futile than ever before," Pezeshkian said. "The choice between confrontation and engagement is both real and consequential; its outcome will shape the future for generations to come."

What did Trump say in his speech?:Key takeaways from Iran address

Do Pezeshkian's words carry any weight?

Despite a well-constructed letter, foreign policy experts believe Pezeshkian's words could fall short as the war continues.

While Pezeshkian is speaking symbolically as president, the remaining leadership of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) is now in command of all things Iran, especially the war, saidAlp Sevimlisoy, a geopolitical strategist and 2021 Millennium Fellow at the Atlantic Council.

"The power (Pezeshkian) holds is very minimal now because IRGC is running the show," Sevimlisoy told USA TODAY from Istanbul, Turkey. "A lot of their generals are acting independently of the central command of the Iranian state in the absence of a credible supreme leader.

"(Pezeshkian) is posturing as this is narrative building to reposition the Iranian people for the next stage of this conflict, which is likely the deployment of U.S. ground forces," Sevimlisoy added.

While Pezeshkian's letter mentioned negotiations and a desire to end the war, the Iranian president's comments could also be seen by some as propaganda, saidMark Cancian, a retired U.S. Marine colonel and a senior adviser at the Center for Strategic International Studies.

"In terms of getting traction with a majority of Americans, his words are only as important if they are reflected in the actual negotiations taking place," said Cancian, who spent more than 30 years in the Marine Corps and served on multiple tours in Iraq. "Time will tell."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Iranian president denies Iran is a threat to US in letter to America

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April 02, 2026

Iranian president in letter says Iran doesn't pose a threat to US

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian denied that his nation is posing a threat to the U.S. in an open letter, and defended...

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Rapper Gucci Mane was the target of kidnapping and robbery plot by Pooh Shiesty, DOJ says

Rapper Gucci Mane was the victim of a kidnapping and robbery plot by a rapper signed to Mane's label earlier this year, the Department of Justice alleged in a criminal complaint unsealed Thursday.

Lontrell Williams Jr., known by the stage name Pooh Shiesty, allegedly asked to meet with Mane, whose legal name is Radric Davis, in Dallas on Jan. 10 to discuss his contract with Mane's label 1017, according to the criminal complaint filed Monday in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas.

Williams was "upset with the terms of his contract" and wanted to be released, the complaint said. They met that afternoon at a music studio inside an office building.

Williams was wearing an ankle monitor because he was on home confinement for a prior firearms conspiracy conviction out of Florida, the complaint said. While inside the studio, Williams allegedly learned on a phone call that his case manager had not given him permission to be out and had to return home immediately.

Mane offered to reschedule, but Williams allegedly asked to speak to him in an attached recording room. According to the complaint, Mane agreed and was inside the room with Williams, Williams' father and another artist.

An argument occurred inside the studio, and Williams told the other artist to bring him his bag, the complaint said.

He "pulled what appeared to be a black AK-style pistol from the bag" and pointed it at Mane, demanding that Mane sign the papers to release him from his contract, officials alleged. Mane signed the paperwork while Williams' father and the other artist stood by, according to the complaint.

Prosecutors allege that after they left, six others from their group armed themselves and demanded "property" from other individuals in the room, who were referred to by initials.

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One individual, identified as "M.M.," had a Rolex watch, wallet, Apple Airpods and a Louis Vuitton bag with other watches stolen, the complaint said. He was "choked from behind to the point of nearly losing consciousness," according to the complaint.

The victims were barred from leaving as one of the men involved allegedly barricaded them, according to the DOJ. The victims believed "they were going to be executed," the complaint said.

Williams, his father and seven others left in vehicles that were later identified in surveillance videos from a neighboring building, according to the complaint. One of the vehicles was a 2020 Dodge Charger Hellcat registered to his father and two rental cars that were rented to Williams' father at the time.

Williams, his father and six others were arrested Wednesday in Dallas and Memphis, Tennessee, according to the U.S. Attorney's office for the Northern District of Texas. They are facing federal charges in relation to kidnapping and robbery at gunpoint.

They each face a potential sentence of life in prison if convicted.

Ryan Raybould, the U.S. Attorney for the district, described them as having "resorted to violence and intimidation to achieve their purported business objectives."

Neither representatives for Mane nor Williams immediately responded to a request for comment from NBC News on Thursday.

The U.S. Attorney's Office said that the electronic monitoring device worn by Williams at the time of the alleged kidnapping and robbery placed him at the incident's location at the time as well as surveillance footage. Social media posts from the suspects also showed the allegedly stolen items after the incident occurred, the prosecutor's office said.

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April 02, 2026

Rapper Gucci Mane was the target of kidnapping and robbery plot by Pooh Shiesty, DOJ says

Rapper Gucci Mane was the victim of a kidnapping and robbery plot by a rapper signed to Mane's label earlier this ...

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Bigger and better: Women's Final Four teams filled with multi-talented frontcourt players

PHOENIX (AP) — Madison Booker has a midrange jumper that's almost unblockable, beats defenders off the dribble, plays in the post when she wants, shoots the 3 if she needs to.

NCAA Texas Basketball

The Texas junior has great court vision, is an adept passer and is a menace defensively, bullying smaller guards on the ball, jumping into passing lanes off it.

Had it been an earlier era in women's college basketball, Booker would have been a back-to-the-basket player.

But this is a new age, one where 6-footers are everywhere atthis year's Final Fourand Booker is a guard — at 6-foot-1.

"You look at Madison Booker and, I mean, she's like a mini-KD (Kevin Durant)," Kentucky coach Kenny Brooks said after Booker had 17 points, eight rebounds and five assists against his team in the Sweet 16.

The average height for an American woman is 5-3, according to the CDC.

Women's college basketball has become the oversized outlier above the median, towering players spread across the Division I landscape, many of whom do more than just park under the basket.

This year's repeat Final Four has a large collection of large players, UConn, South Carolina, UCLA and Texas arriving with a combined 36 players 6-0 or taller — 55.6% of all the players in Phoenix.

UCLA's Lauren Betts is the tallest among the regular contributors at 6-7, anchoring a team with eight players at least 6-0.

The two-time AP All-American is a matchup nightmare, using her height and skill to score in a variety of ways — mainly shooting over smaller defenders. Betts is just as dominant on the defensive end, swatting shots, altering many more, deterring opponents from even thinking about going into the lane.

Betts averaged 18.5 points and 7.6 rebounds while shooting 60.1% from the field and leading the Bruins (35-1) with 71 blocked shots.

"It's just really hard to defend her an entire game," Duke coach Kara Lawson said after Betts scored 15 of her 23 points inUCLA's 70-58 comeback winover the Blue Devils in the Elite Eight.

Betts and the Bruins will face pair of Texas bigs in Friday's second Final Four game.

Kyla Oldacre is 6-6, Breya Cunningham 6-4 and the pair helped shut down Betts when the teams met in November in Las Vegas.

They've been doing it all season on a team that features nine players 6-0 or taller.

Behind the towering presence of Oldacre and Cunningham, Texas (35-3) was one of the nation's best defensive teams, holding teams to 55.9 points per game and 38% shooting from the field.

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The two biggest Longhorns are a handful on offense as well, both shooting at least 59% from the floor while combining to score 18.3 points and grab 11.8 rebounds per game.

"You can win a lot of games with just good guard play, no question, but you've got to have size to go with it," Texas coach Vic Schaefer said.

The first Final Four game doesn't get any smaller.

Reigning national champion UConn (38-0) has two All-Americans in Azzi Fudd and Sarah Strong — alsoThe Associated Press player of the year— as they've gone nearly untested through an undefeated season.

Fudd is 5-11, but Strong is a 6-2 forward who fits the mold of today's bigs on a team with 10 players 6-0 or taller.

Strong is a superb post player, yet can also beat defenders off the dribble and shoots 41% from 3. Like Booker, she also has great court vision and is a great passer.

Strong averaged 18.8 points on 60% shooting, 7.7 rebounds and 3.8 assists on a front line that includes 6-4 Serah Williams with 6-5 Jana El-Alfy coming off the bench.

"She is such a hard guard," North Carolina coach Courtney Banghart said after Strong had 21 points and 10 rebounds and five steals against her team in the Sweet 16. "She's so unselfish. If she wants to score 40 the next game, she can."

South Carolina (35-3) got manhandled by UConn in last year's title game, but coach Dawn Staley retooled her roster to add versatility.

Second-team All-American Joyce Edwards played for Staley last season, but took a big jump this season, boosting her scoring average seven points to 19.7 per game. The 6-3 sophomore can play inside or out, has a strong midrange game and can guard multiple positions.

Madina Okot is 6-6, but is far more than a back-to-the-basket big.

The Kenyan center is an elite finisher at the rim, was the SEC's leading rebounder at 10.8 per game and shot 48% from 3 (58% overall). Her size and timing combined to make her a super interior defender, leading the team with 55 blocks while altering many more.

The pair anchor a team that has nine players 6-0 or taller and held its first four NCAA Tournament opponents to 32% shooting.

"They're a much better team than they were last year, really hard to prepare for," UConn coach Geno Auriemma said. "They've shot the ball exceptionally well this year. They've added the size that is hard to match up with."

Size can be found all across women's basketball these days, particularly at this year's Final Four.

AP March Madness bracket:https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-womens-bracketand coverage:https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness

byCosmopolite

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April 02, 2026

Bigger and better: Women's Final Four teams filled with multi-talented frontcourt players

PHOENIX (AP) — Madison Booker has a midrange jumper that's almost unblockable, beats defenders off the dribble, plays...

Read More