Oscar Winner’s Mom Wouldn’t Let Her Audition for Iconic Horror Role

Academy Award winner Jamie Lee Curtis, who got her start as a scream queen in John Carpenter’s 1978 classic Halloween, was not allowed to audition for a role in another staple of 1970s horror, The Exorcist. Curtis revealed during an appearance on The Drew Barrymore Show that her mother, Psycho star Janet Leigh, received a call from the film’s producer asking if she would let Curtis audition for the role of Regan MacNeil. “He called my mom and said, ‘Hey, I’m producing the movie of the book The Exorcist. Will you let Jamie audition for it?’” Curtis said. “At the time I was probably 12 and, like, cute and kind of sassy and I had some personality. I’m sure he saw me at a party and was like, ‘Oh, she’d be funny.’ And my mother said, ‘No.’” The role went to 14-year-old Linda Blair, who earned a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her work. Curtis would go on to make her feature film debut as Laurie Strode in Halloween, a role she has returned to several times over the past 46 years. Speaking to Barrymore, herself a former child star, Curtis acknowledged that Barrymore was not afforded the same protection she was. “My mom really wanted me to have—thank God—a childhood, which I understand you didn’t get. You didn’t get that option.”

Soul singer-songwriter Don Bryant has died at age 83. Bryant’s family announced the news in an Instagram post on his account on Dec. 26. “Don loved sharing his music and songs with all of you and it gave him such great joy to perform and record new music,” the post read. “He was so appreciative of everyone who was part of his musical journey and who supported him along the way.” Bryant was best known for co-writing the 1973 classic, “I Can’t Stand the Rain,” with fellow singer-songwriter Ann Peebles, his wife of more than 50 years, and pastor Bernard “Bernie” Miller. John Lennon once described the Grammy-nominated tune, which peaked at No. 83 on the Billboard charts, as “the greatest song ever.” It has been sampled multiple times, including by Missy Elliot in her 1997 hit “The Rain.” The veteran singer told Rolling Stone in 2020, “Music is one of my greatest loves. When I can concentrate on that, I can take my mind off everything else.” Bryant, who was inducted into the Memphis Music Hall of Fame in 2019, will be remembered for his impact on the “Memphis Soul” music movement.

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Brace your wallets, folks, because Lululemon’s end-of-year sale event is officially live with tons of bestselling leggings, tees, and accessories marked down up to 40 percent off. Right now, you can score tons of steeply discounted activewear pieces for both men and women, ranging from celebrity-approved Align pants (Meghan Markle and Jennifer Lopez are fans) to the brand’s beloved Swiftly Tech Tank Top. In the men’s section, you’ll find the Metal Vent Tech Short Sleeve Shirt 2.0 and the classic ABC jogger pants. It’s the perfect opportunity to refresh your activewear lineup ahead of New Year’s resolution season come 2026.

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The current end-of-year sale prices are now slashed anywhere from 20 to 40 percent off, so you can bet stock is already selling out fast. For this reason, we really do suggest adding everything you’re eyeing to your cart sooner rather than later. The end-of-year Lululemon event ends soon, so if you want to get the items on your list (and in your size), run, don’t walk.

An Arkansas couple who pleaded guilty to attempting to sell their baby for $1,000 plus a six-pack of beer has been sentenced. As a result of their separate plea deals, Darien Urben, 22, was sentenced to three years in prison for one count of attempted accepting compensation for adoption, while Shalene Ehlers, 21, was placed on state-supervised probation for six years for attempting to accept compensation and endangering the welfare of a minor. The couple was arrested in September 2024 after authorities were tipped off that they had signed a letter granting custody of their two-month-old son to a man they met at the Beaver Lake Hide-A-Way Campground in Rogers, Arkansas. The letter stated, “I, Darien Urban and Shalene Ehlers, are signing our rights over to [Cody Martin] of our baby for $1,000 on 9/21/24.” The letter also included a disclaimer which read, “After signing this there will be no changing y’all two’s minds to never contact again.” A witness used the phone in the campground manager’s office to alert authorities. As part of the plea deal, the parents have been barred from having any contact with the child, who is reportedly living in a stable, adoptive home.

Nearly a decade after the death of Carrie Fisher, the Star Wars icon’s daughter, Billie Lourd, shared an emotional post about motherhood. Along with sentimental photos of her parents, the American Horror Story star shared on Instagram: “It has been 9 years since my mom died. My daughter woke up earlier than usual this morning, so we went outside together and she knowingly laid her little head on my chest. She looked up at me with her big soulful eyes and said ‘I love you mama’ and grabbed my face with her little chubby hands and kissed me… There is no better way to wake up and no ritual I love more. I told her how much her grandmomby would have loved her and she looked up at me and kissed me again.” The 33-year-old actor added that, “Watching my dad with my kids is one of the greatest joys I’ve ever known…This joy wouldn’t be possible without my mom. This joy only exists because she existed. Even though she is not alive, she lives on through this joy… As my mom wisely said, ‘Nothing is ever really over. Just over there.’ My momby’s life isn’t really over. Just over there—in my kids and in this joy I’m able to experience because of her. Thank you, momby. I will never stop missing you.” Fisher’s sudden death at age 60 came on Dec. 27, 2016, four days after she fell ill on a flight from London to Los Angeles. Fisher’s mother, Singin’ in the Rain star Debbie Reynolds, died just one day after her daughter, from a stroke.

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2026 is almost here, and We-Vibe is ready to ensure you and your partner have an unforgettable holiday at home thanks to its current end-of-year sale. We-Vibe specializes in designing toys that make reaching the big O fun, easy, and more enjoyable. One of its discounted bestsellers is the We-Vibe Chorus, which was designed specifically with couples in mind. With an adjustable fit, dual rumbling vibrators, and ten intensity modes, you and your partner are in for a symphony of pleasure.

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A Florida Rep. is under fire after she shared an edited version of a photo of herself minus an expensive ring that was allegedly paid for with fraudulent funds. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, a Democratic representative for Florida’s 20th congressional district, shared a holiday greeting on X on Thursday, wishing her constituents a “joyful, safe holiday season,” along with an edited image of herself. Users on the platform were quick to point out that a ring the congresswoman wore in the original photo was notably absent. Last month, a federal grand jury indicted Cherfilus-McCormick, 46, on charges that she stole millions in funds allocated for FEMA. Of the disaster relief money she allegedly stole, she spent $109,000 on a 3.14-carat diamond ring from a New York City jewelry store in 2021, according to the Miami New Times. The congresswoman’s chief of staff, Naomie Pierre-Louis, told CBS 12 in a statement that the edited photo was “not directed, approved or authorized” by Cherfilus-McCormick. “It was a staff-level decision made by well-intentioned individuals seeking to protect the Member’s reputation. It was unauthorized and should not have occurred,” Pierre-Louis said. “The image is the Congresswoman’s official portrait, and she has no intention of altering or editing it now or in the future.”

A Texas dad took matters into his own hands after his daughter was kidnapped at knifepoint on Christmas Day. In a statement made on Facebook, the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office revealed that they received a call to a home in Porter, Houston, reporting the kidnapping of a 15-year-old girl, who was already safely back with her family. The police learned that the girl’s parents located her phone when she didn’t return from a dog walk at the expected time. Her father then tracked her to a pickup truck, which held her and her dog alongside a “partially nude 23-year-old male,” and helped her to escape. The statement detailed that the girl had been threatened at knifepoint and abducted off the street, with the suspect identified as Giovanni Rosales Espinoza. The suspect is currently in custody with no bond, charged with aggravated kidnapping and indecency with a child. The girl’s family told a local news station that they did not know Espinoza. Sheriff Wesley Doolittle stated, “Christmas is a day meant for joy, but this man chose to shatter that joy by targeting a child. I am incredibly proud of our deputies and detectives who worked tirelessly to ensure this dangerous predator was swiftly apprehended and is now off our streets.”

Jamie Lynn Spears gifted her daughter an ATV for Christmas nine years after she survived a near-fatal accident. On Thursday, the Zoey 101 actress, 34, shared a post on Instagram documenting her Christmas holiday spent with her daughters, Maddie, 17, and Ivey, 7. The post contains a photo of a cherry-red ATV with a decorative bow that says “Maddie” on it, along with another photo of Maddie and Ivey riding the off-road vehicle. Spears’ daughter Maddie, 17, nearly died and went into a coma after getting into an ATV accident in 2017, when she was 8 years old. Spears recalled the harrowing incident while on the British reality show I’m a Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here, sharing the shocking near-tragedy with her castmates. “I almost lost my oldest daughter ... She drowned and we couldn’t save her,“ she said in 2017. “We tried really hard. She was trapped under a little side-by-side that we ride around our pond.” Spears added that Maddie had to be airlifted out of the pond and was placed on life support before she regained consciousness.

Authorities are looking into a potential heist after a shipment of live lobsters worth $400,000 was hijacked from a cargo truck. The truck transporting the seafood from Taunton, Massachusetts, was headed for Costco locations in Illinois and Minnesota, but never reached its final destination, Dylan Rexing, CEO of Rexing Companies, told WFLD. Rexing said the heist could be linked to an organized cargo theft ring targeting high-value goods. “This is a huge issue across the country,” the logistics company head told ChicagoLIVE during an interview. “It directly impacts businesses and contributes to higher prices for consumers.” The heist follows another incident earlier this month, in which a seafood shipment was robbed at the same facility in Massachusetts. No arrests have been announced, but the FBI is investigating. The Department of Transportation is also looking into the matter. “Cargo theft is a growing concern for the U.S. transportation system, costing the economy billions annually. These crimes involve opportunistic ‘straight thefts’ of trailers, containers, and loads at truck stops or multimodal distribution hubs and highly coordinated operations conducted by organized criminal networks,” the bureau said in a request for information from law enforcement and transportation authorities. “Both categories create significant economic losses, disrupt supply chains, and in some cases fund broader illicit activities such as narcotics trafficking, counterfeiting, and human smuggling.”

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Runners and athletes rely on their sneakers to enhance performance and protect their feet from injuries. While there are plenty of footwear brands that specialize in supportive footwear, investing in quality shoes isn’t cheap. When it comes to athletic shoes, you get what you pay for. If you’re in the market for some new kicks, Hoka’s Black Friday sale came early so that you can treat your feet to a fresh pair now. Hoka’s performance sneakers have a solid reputation, particularly among the running community, for delivering comfortable shoes that aren’t so cushiony that their pillowy soles compromise the foot’s security. But with price points ranging from $60 to $280 a pair, its loyal fanbase appreciates occasional discounts, which is why Hoka’s Holiday sale is in motion.

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Prices on shoes and apparel have been quietly marked down since the beginning of the month (post Cyber Monday), and now select styles are up to a whopping 50 percent off. You’ll find a slew of discounted bestsellers, including the men’s Graviota 5 in a variety of colorways and designs, the women’s Kawana 2, and the unisex Challenger GTX 7, all marked down 20 percent or more. Whether you’re looking for a last-minute gift for the fitness lover on your list or a new pair of shoes or sweats for yourself, now is the time to add to cart.

A Florida man was arrested in the early hours of Friday morning after breaking into two million-dollar mansions on Christmas night while in the nude. Vladimir Demidovich, 26, from Hallandale Beach, was booked into the Miami-Dade County Jail on two felony charges after police were called about a naked man inside a luxurious house in Golden Beach, about 20 miles northeast of Miami. Authorities arrived at the $12 million home to find Demidovich completely naked, hiding in the garage, according to an arrest affidavit. Police said Demidovich told them his clothes were inside another nearby mansion, where officers encountered a chaotic scene. They concluded that Demidovich had burgled both homes, “consumed beverages and demonstrated intent to commit theft.” Court records show that Demidovich was charged with criminal mischief and burglary of an unoccupied dwelling. He was out on felony bond from a previous, unrelated case of criminal mischief in June.

An author has thrown cold water on Donald Trump’s claim that the president’s endorsement sent sales of his book soaring. Trump boasted at the White House Christmas reception earlier this month that he had boosted sales for Venom and Valor: A White House Physician Assistant’s Battle for Survival in the Amazon, written by his former medical adviser, Dr. James Jones, by promoting it in a Truth Social post. “It sold about two copies, but it had a hell of a cover,” Trump said at the reception, where Jones was in attendance. “I put it out: ‘Great book. Bop bop bop,’ picture of this viper, coming like, boom from the White House. And his publisher calls him, said, ‘Doctor, what happened? What’s going on?’… They sold 100,000 books.” But according to Jones, who published the book more than a year ago, Trump’s endorsement didn’t move the needle the way the 79-year-old president claims. “I don’t think it’s a massive bump, but, you know, I’m sure it didn’t hurt anything. But I haven’t seen anything that’s excessive,” Jones told NOTUS. The author, who served as Physician to the President under Barack Obama and later Trump—who went on to appoint him chief medical adviser—added that Trump hadn’t reached out to him directly about the book beyond the Truth Social post.