'Access Hollywood' is canceled as NBCUniversal exits first-run syndication business

NBCUniversal is cutting "Access Hollywood" and several other of its daytime talk shows, effectively ending its first-run syndication business as daytime television atrophies.

The company confirmed that "Access Hollywood," and its counterpart "Access Live," will be coming to an end in September. The shows, produced in Los Angeles, are currently hosted by Mario Lopez, Kit Hoover, Scott Evans and Zuri Hall.

Talk shows "Karamo" and "The Steve Wilkos Show," produced out of NBC's facility in Stamford, Conn., are also shutting down. The programs have already completed their production for the season and will run through the summer.

NBC previously announced that"The Kelly Clarkson Show"is also ending later this year after seven seasons.

"The Steve Wilkos Show" ran for 19 seasons. The host is aformer bouncerfor "The Jerry Springer Show."

Francis Berwick, chairman of Bravo and Peacock unscripted, said in a statement that the company will continue to distribute library episodes of its talk programs and network shows such as "Law & Order." But NBCU's days of launching series for daytime and the hour before prime time are over.

Read more:L.A. wildfire coverage shows why local TV news matters in a crisis

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"NBCUniversal is making changes to our first-run syndication division to better align with the programming preferences of local stations," Berwick said. "The company will remain active in the distribution of our existing program library and other off-network titles, while winding down production of our first-run shows."

"Access Hollywood" was first launched by NBC in 1996 as a competitor to CBS Media Ventures' "Entertainment Tonight."

First-run syndication allows producers to sell TV shows to stations on a market-by-market basis, instead of distributing them through a single network. This model was a major success for talk show staples such as Oprah Winfrey and Ellen DeGeneres.

But streaming has pulled viewers away from traditional television, as viewers can watch their favorite shows and movies anytime on demand. The audience levels needed to generate enough ad revenue to support first-run programming in daytime no longer exists.

Many TV stations are filling their hours with more local news as daytime talk goes away.

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This story originally appeared inLos Angeles Times.

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March 14, 2026

'Access Hollywood' is canceled as NBCUniversal exits first-run syndication business

NBCUniversal is cutting "Access Hollywood" and several other of its daytime talk shows, effectively ending its ...

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Indigenous women tour Ecuador oil field as warning against Amazon drilling expansion

NUEVA LOJA, Ecuador (AP) — Standing beside a stream stained dark withoil in Ecuador's northern Amazon, an Indigenous woman shook her head in disbelief as she stared at the oily sheen drifting across the water and broken pipes cutting through the forest. Nearby, gas flares burned above the treetops.

APTOPIX Climate Ecuador Amazon Oil

Julia Catalina Chumbi, a 76-year-old leader from the Shuar ethnic group in the southern Amazon province of Pastaza, had traveled hundreds of miles tosee the damage for herself— the legacy ofdecades of oil and gas productionin the northeastern province of Sucumbios.

"Everything is contaminated, even the air," she said quietly.

Moments earlier, she had learned something that shocked her. In communities near the oil fields in Sucumbios, residents can no longer safely drink from local rivers and instead must buy water because of contamination and health fears.

"Seeing this makes me want to cry," she said, adding that in her territory rivers are still drinkable.

Chumbi was among about 30 Indigenous women from across Ecuador's Amazon who traveled to the region on what activists call a toxitour, visiting oil fields, pipelines and gas flaring sites tosee firsthand the environmental and health impactsof extraction. Organizers said the trip aimed to connect women from areas facing proposed oil projects with communities that have lived alongside the industry for decades. Because many oil blocks overlap Indigenous territories, communities are often among the first to experience contamination of rivers, forests and food sources.

The women — representing seven Indigenous communities — gathered for several days in the city of Nueva Loja for workshops to share experiences and discuss thegrowing threat of oil expansion in their territories.

Nueva Loja is widely known as Lago Agrio, a name workers fromU.S. oil company Texacogave the settlement in the 1960s after the Texas oil town of Sour Lake. The city later became the center of Ecuador's early Amazon oil boom.

A warning from the oil fields

The women traveled by bus, passing seemingly endless oil pipelines that snake along the roadside. Their destination was the Libertador oil field, operated by Ecuador's state oil company Petroecuador. Once there, they made banners to carry during the walk, including one that read: "Amazon free from oil and mining." The Associated Press was present as they quietly entered parts of the oil-producing area to witness the impacts firsthand. Polluted streams ran near pipelines and well sites, vegetation appeared contaminated and wildlife was notably absent.

Standing nearby in front of a roaring gas flare, Salome Aranda, 43, from the Kichwa community of Morete Cocha in Ecuador's central Amazon province of Pastaza, wore elaborate face paint across her cheeks and forehead.

Aranda said the visit allowed her to see impacts she is rarely able to observe near oil operations in her own territory.

"In our area we are not allowed to enter," she said.

Seeing the contamination up close confirmed concerns she already had about oil activity near her community.

"The animals are disappearing and the crops no longer grow the same," she said.

After the tour, the women returned to Nueva Loja, where they spent hours in workshops and group discussions reflecting on what they had seenand sharing experiencesfrom their own territories. By the end of the meetings, they had begun outlining strategies to strengthen resistanceto potential new oil concessions in their regions.

A looming expansion

"Women in the north have already lived through more than 50 years of oil exploitation," Natalia Yepes, a legal adviser for Amazon Watch in Ecuador, told AP at the workshop. "The idea is that those experiences and lessons can be shared with women from the center and south who are now facing these new threats."

Last year, Ecuador's government unveiled a sweeping "hydrocarbon road map" proposing a major expansion of the country's oil and gas sector, worth about $47 billion and new licensing rounds for exploration blocks in the Amazon and other regions. Many of them are located in the provinces of Pastaza and Napo, where Indigenous communities live.

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Officials say the plan is designed to modernize the industry, attract foreign investment and boost oil production.

But environmental groups and Indigenous leaders say the projects could open large areas of rainforest to drilling, pipelines and gas flaring. They also warn that many communities have not given the free, prior and informed consent required under Ecuador's constitution and international human rights agreements.

Ecuador's Ministry of Energy and Mines did not respond to a request for comment.

The debate over fossil fuel expansion in the Amazon is also expected to feature at an international conference in Santa Marta, Colombia, in April. The meeting will bring together governments, Indigenous leaders and civil society groups to discuss pathways to transition away from oil, gas and coal following last year's U.N. climate summit in Belem, Brazil.

Indigenous resistance

For some women on the tour, the visit reinforced battles they are already fighting at home.

Dayuma Nango, 39, vice president of the Association of Waorani Women of Ecuador, said the contamination she saw strengthened her determination to keep oil companies out of Waorani territory.

"Our forest is our mother," said Nango, who has received death threats for her advocacy. "That's why we protect it."

The Waorani have already fought major oil developments in Ecuador's Amazon. In 2019, Indigenous leaders won a landmark court ruling that blocked oil drilling in Block 22 in Pastaza after judges found the government had failed to properly consult communities as required under Ecuadorian law. In a separate decision in 2023, Ecuadorian voters approved a referendum to halt oil drilling in Block 43 inside Yasuní National Park, an area that overlaps with Waorani ancestral territory.

After seeing the pollution in Sucumbios, Nango said she fears her community could face similar consequences if new projects move forward.

"We don't want to live the same story that our brothers and sisters are living here," she said.

Toa Alvarado, 30, a Kichwa leader from the Pastaza province, said the visit also strengthened her determination to protect her territory. She recalled how her late father, a longtime community leader, once stood in the middle of a road holding a spear to stop a group of gold miners from entering their land.

"He told me our generation may be the last with the chance to protect our territories from contamination," she said.

The following day, many of the women who joined the toxitour gathered in the Amazon city of Puyo for International Women's Day demonstrations.

"Today is about reporting to the world about the violation of rights that us Indigenous women have to endure — specifically the rights of nature," said Ruth Peñafiel, 59, from a Kichwa community in Ecuador's northern Amazon.

"We want to live in a healthy environment and in harmony with the forest," she said.

For Chumbi, the visit to Sucumbios reinforced the message she plans to bring home to her Shuar community, deep in the Amazon.

"What we are going to do is fight," she said, referring to the possibility of oil drilling in her territory. "Even if it costs us our lives." ___

The Associated Press' climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP'sstandardsfor working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas atAP.org.

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March 14, 2026

Indigenous women tour Ecuador oil field as warning against Amazon drilling expansion

NUEVA LOJA, Ecuador (AP) — Standing beside a stream stained dark withoil in Ecuador's northern Amazon, an Indigenous ...

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Fletcher Loyer, No. 18 Purdue intent on sending message to UCLA

Purdue slumped to three losses in its last four regular-season games to stumble out of favorable positioning for the Big Ten Conference tournament in Chicago.

As it turns out, the No. 18-ranked Boilermakers didn't have an issue getting back in the groove.

After defeating 11th-ranked and second-seeded Nebraska 74-58 in Friday's quarterfinals, seventh-seeded Purdue (25-8) will look to keep rolling in Saturday's semifinal against sixth-seeded UCLA (23-10).

The winner will play either top-seeded Michigan or fifth-seeded Wisconsin in the title game on Sunday.

"Yeah, it's March. It's what you work for growing up. It's what you work for all offseason," Boilermakers senior Fletcher Loyer said. "Obviously, you want to build that resume in the regular season, but now it's time to really go. Just getting the message across. Glad to see we've played pretty well these last couple games and got some in the win category."

Loyer had 19 points to lead four Boilermakers' scorers in double figures Friday as Purdue cruised past Nebraska. The Boilermakers never trailed and pushed their lead to as many as 20 points.

While Oscar Cluff (12 points) C.J. Cox (12), and Trey Kaufman-Renn (10) rounded out a balanced attack, Braden Smith helped keep things churning with 10 assists.

Purdue knows it will need more of the same from the veteran Smith against UCLA and beyond as the NCAA Tournament looms. No trouble there, as Boilermakers coach Matt Painter sees it.

"He has worked really, really hard to put himself in this position," Painter said of Smith. "But you've got to follow it with action, and he does. He plays hard. He cares, and he wants Purdue to win."

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UCLA avenged a lopsided regular-season road loss to Michigan State with an 88-84 victory against the eighth-ranked and third-seeded Spartans in the quarterfinals on Friday.

Donovan Dent (23 points, 12 assists) and Eric Dailey Jr. (14 points, 10 rebounds) posted double-doubles for the Bruins while Trent Perry scored 22 points.

UCLA likely will be without starting forward Tyler Bilodeau against Purdue, as he sustained a right leg injury late in the first half. While Bilodeau returned to the bench for the second half to cheer his teammates, Bruins coach Mick Cronin said "it would take a modern miracle" for Bilodeau to play on Saturday regardless of his medical evaluation.

UCLA has won four games in a row and six of its past seven while displaying solid versatility to open the conference tournament. After limiting Rutgers to 37.9% shooting in a third-round victory Thursday, the Bruins shot 55.6% against Michigan State.

"It's big time. You want to be able to win games any way you can, whether it's offense or defense, whatever you need that night," Dent said. "That just shows how good of a team we really are."

UCLA defeated visiting Purdue 69-67 on Jan. 20 as Bilodeau hit a go-ahead 3-pointer with eight seconds left.

With the Bilodeau injury, the Bruins are working to hold steady defensively, a calling card of their run down the stretch.

"Just our defensive intensity, you know. Just talking, executing the game plan," Perry said. "When adversity strikes, we just keep going. We stay together as a team, and we've just kept fighting."

--Field Level Media

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Fletcher Loyer, No. 18 Purdue intent on sending message to UCLA

Purdue slumped to three losses in its last four regular-season games to stumble out of favorable positioning for the B...

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NFL mock draft roundup: Experts predict first round mid-NFL free agency

NFL free agencyhas moved at a furious pace in 2026, as many of the top talents on the market agreed to lucrative contracts during the league's "legal tampering" window.

With a good chunk of free agency now in the books, NFL fans can start turning their attention more toward the2026 NFL Draft.

The moves that unfolded in free agency will surely have an impact on the draft. For example, two of the top projected teams forJeremiyah Love– theNew Orleans SaintsandKansas City Chiefs– signed veteran running backs to big contracts during the offseason.

That, coupled with numerous players rising in the weeks after theNFL Scouting Combine, will certainly shake up the projected order of the draft's first 32 selections.

USA TODAY Sports compiled the latest projections for the first round with the first wave of free agency in the books. See whatUSA TODAY Sports' Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz,CBS Sports' Josh EdwardsandPro Football Focus' Max Chadwickhave in their latest mocks:

2026 NFL mock draft roundup mid-free agency

Here's how NFL draft experts project the first round will play out with NFL free agency ongoing:

1.Las Vegas Raiders

USA TODAY Sports: QB Fernando Mendoza, Indiana

CBS Sports: QB Fernando Mendoza, Indiana

Pro Football Focus: QB Fernando Mendoza, Indiana

USA TODAY Sports:"Mendoza, a rhythmic and clean distributor, sizes up as a nearly ideal trigger man for new coach Klint Kubiak's system. The fallout from the Crosby trade's dissolution could be far-reaching, but Las Vegas still has ample resources with which to enact its offseason transformation."

Pro Football Focus:"You can just about write this one in pen. Mendoza enjoyed a dream season at Indiana, posting a perfect 16-0 record, helping the program claim its first national championship and becoming the school's first Heisman Trophy winner."

2.New York Jets

USA TODAY Sports: LB/Edge Arvell Reese, Ohio State

CBS Sports: LB/Edge Arvell Reese, Ohio State

Pro Football Focus: LB/Edge Arvell Reese, Ohio State

USA TODAY Sports:"David Bailey and Rueben Bain Jr. each have solid cases for this spot, but Reese looks like the most explosive of the group. While it might take some time to put things together as a full-time edge rusher, the Ohio State standout could give Aaron Glenn the cornerstone talent the defense has lacked since sending off Quinnen Williams and Sauce Gardner at midseason."

CBS Sports:"Some of the signings in free agency take the pressure off Reese contributing immediately, which makes the upside play easier to justify."

3.Arizona Cardinals

USA TODAY Sports: Edge David Bailey, Texas Tech

CBS Sports: Edge David Bailey, Texas Tech

Pro Football Focus: OT Francis Mauigoa, Miami (FL)

USA TODAY Sports:"A blur off the edge, Bailey would pair with Josh Sweat to give the Cardinals a fearsome tandem with which to throw off the NFC West's high-powered offenses."

Pro Football Focus:"Paris Johnson Jr. is entrenched as Arizona's long-term answer at left tackle, but the Cardinals need to find a new right tackle."

4.Tennessee Titans

USA TODAY Sports: RB Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame

CBS Sports: LB Sonny Styles, Ohio State

Pro Football Focus: Edge David Bailey, Texas Tech

USA TODAY Sports:"Perhaps some might see taking a running back this high as a dessert-first move for a franchise that still has plenty of work to do in other areas to enact a proper support system for 2025 No. 1 pick Cam Ward, but Love's explosiveness and aptitude for slipping would-be tacklers could change the complexion of the Titans' attack."

CBS Sports:"It's easy to envision Styles as Robert Saleh's Fred Warner."

5.New York Giants

USA TODAY Sports: LB Sonny Styles, Ohio State

CBS Sports: RB Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame

Pro Football Focus: LB Sonny Styles, Ohio State

USA TODAY Sports:"Styles' knack for getting in the right place to make plays against the run should be of immense interest to a defense that ranked last in yards allowed per carry (5.3)."

Pro Football Focus:"Styles just put together a historic combine performance, and he earned an 88.6 PFF overall grade in 2025, ranking third in the Power Four."

6.Cleveland Browns

USA TODAY Sports: OT Monroe Freeling, Georgia

CBS Sports: OT Monroe Freeling, Georgia

Pro Football Focus: WR Carnell Tate, Ohio State

USA TODAY Sports:"Surprised? Don't be. While Freeling hasn't been the same top-10 fixture of mock drafts that fellow offensive linemen Francis Mauigoa and Spencer Fano have, the towering tackle sets himself apart from his peers with the build and athleticism of a true blindside protector."

CBS Sports:"No. 6 overall is a little too rich for any offensive lineman in this class, but the Browns have an opportunity to add a young prospect with a supreme athletic skill set at a premium position."

7.Washington Commanders

USA TODAY Sports: Edge Rueben Bain Jr., Miami (FL)

CBS Sports: Edge Rueben Bain Jr., Miami (FL)

Pro Football Focus: Edge Rueben Bain Jr., Miami (FL)

USA TODAY Sports:"Dan Quinn might not have the kind of qualms withBain's arm lengththat others possess, as he'll take a difference-maker off the edge in whatever form one might come in."

Pro Football Focus:"Bain has short arms (30 7/8 inches), but he led the nation with 83 pressures this year and his 92.8 PFF overall grade ranked third."

8.New Orleans Saints

USA TODAY Sports: WR Carnell Tate, Ohio State

CBS Sports: WR Carnell Tate, Ohio State

Pro Football Focus: RB Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame

USA TODAY Sports:"Some had pegged the Saints as a leading candidate for Love, but his expected ascension into the top five – as well as the team's pivot to Travis Etienne in free agency – could have New Orleans instead considering a fitting complement for Chris Olave. Tate, a fellow former Buckeyes wideout, should slide in nicely to Moore's scheme thanks to his precision and penchant for working back to the ball.."

CBS Sports:"New Orleans is the latest team to use premium resources to support a young quarterback."

9.Kansas City Chiefs

USA TODAY Sports: WR Makai Lemon, USC

CBS Sports: OT Francis Mauigoa, Miami (FL)

Pro Football Focus: WR Makai Lemon, USC

USA TODAY Sports:"Already an advanced and accomplished entity out of the slot, Lemon can immediately differentiate himself from the Chiefs' other receivers with his easy sense for separation and competitiveness at the catch point."

Pro Football Focus:"Lemon would help reset the room after winning the Biletnikoff Award — given to college football's most outstanding receiver — and leading the FBS with a 90.8 PFF overall grade in 2025."

10.Cincinnati Bengals

USA TODAY Sports: S Caleb Downs, Ohio State

CBS Sports: S Caleb Downs, Ohio State

Pro Football Focus: S Caleb Downs, Ohio State

USA TODAY Sports:"No defense was scorched by running games and tight ends alike as badly as the Bengals were, so there's plenty of incentive to import a player who was college football's pre-eminent force in the former category and has plenty of room for growth in the latter."

CBS Sports:"The Bengals signed Bryan Cook but still have a void at safety. They take the best player available as they continue to fill out their secondary."

Week 1: Detroit Lions wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa (18) makes a catch for a touchdown against the Green Bay Packers during the fourth quarter at Lambeau Field. The play was originally ruled an incomplete pass, but the call was overturned. Despite TeSlaa's effort, the Packers won the game 27-13.

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Best images of the 2025 NFL season

Week 1: Detroit Lions wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa (18)makes a catch for a touchdownagainst the Green Bay Packers during the fourth quarter at Lambeau Field. The play was originally ruled an incomplete pass, but the call was overturned. Despite TeSlaa's effort, the Packers won the game 27-13.

11.Miami Dolphins

USA TODAY Sports: OT Francis Mauigoa, Miami (FL)

CBS Sports: CB Mansoor Delane, LSU

Pro Football Focus: CB Mansoor Delane, LSU

USA TODAY Sports:" Whether at guard or as an eventual right tackle replacement for Austin Jackson, the punishing blocker could helpfirst-year coach Jeff Hafleyestablish his vision of a forceful run game."

Pro Football Focus:"Delane would inject some much-needed youth and talent to Miami's secondary. He surrendered just a 31.3 passer rating in coverage in 2025 (first among Power Four cornerbacks)."

12.Dallas Cowboys

USA TODAY Sports: CB Mansoor Delane, LSU

CBS Sports: CB Jermod McCoy, Tennessee

Pro Football Focus: CB Jermod McCoy, Tennessee

USA TODAY Sports:"If Delane is still available when Dallas first comes on the clock, there shouldn't be too much of a debate within the Cowboys' draft room. The consensus All-American has developed a mastery of man coverage, which would open up plenty of possibilities for new defensive coordinator Christian Parker to mix and match his scheme to his available talent."

CBS Sports:"Jermod McCoy has the potential to be one of the best players to emerge from this draft class and certainly the top cornerback, but he was injured all season."

13.Los Angeles Rams(fromAtlanta)

USA TODAY Sports: TE Kenyon Sadiq, Oregon

CBS Sports: TE Kenyon Sadiq, Oregon

Pro Football Focus: OT Spencer Fano, Utah

USA TODAY Sports:"Sean McVay and Les Snead were previously enamored a hybrid tight end in Brock Bowers, and Sadiq could feast in an offense that came to embrace using three tight ends."

Pro Football Talk:"His 92.0 PFF overall grade since 2024 led college football, and he can immediately compete with Warren McClendon Jr. for the starting right tackle spot, though his lack of length may push him inside long term."

14.Baltimore Ravens

USA TODAY Sports: iOL Olaivavega Ioane, Penn State

CBS Sports: iOL Olaivavega Ioane, Penn State

Pro Football Focus: WR Jordyn Tyson, Arizona State (mocked toRaiders before Maxx Crosby trade fell through)

USA TODAY Sports:"The Ravens can now continue to fortify a front that has seen substantial shifts in free agency. Ioane would team with fellow guard John Simpson to provide outstanding protection for Lamar Jackson and a massive push in the run game."

CBS Sports:"The Ravens could move forward with recently signed John Simpson at right guard and returnee Andrew Vorhees at left guard, but Vega Ioane is a Raven if I've ever seen one. He brings stability for a head coach who wants to instill a physical brand of football."

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15.Tampa Bay Buccaneers

USA TODAY Sports: Edge Keldric Faulk, Auburn

CBS Sports: Edge Keldric Faulk, Auburn

Pro Football Focus: Edge Keldric Faulk, Auburn

USA TODAY Sports:"Jason Licht sure has a type, gravitating toward young prospects known for their character and work ethic. Though he's hardly a finished product as a pass rusher, the 20-year-old Faulk shouldn't have any trouble winning over theBuccaneersafter drawing rave reviews for his leadership and persistence in college."

Pro Football Focus:"While Faulk has room to improve as a pass rusher, he produced an outstanding 89.2 PFF run-defense grade over the past two years."

16. New York Jets (fromIndianapolis)

USA TODAY Sports: WR Jordyn Tyson, Arizona State

CBS Sports: OT Spencer Fano, Utah

Pro Football Focus: WR Denzel Boston, Washington

USA TODAY Sports:"Though Tyson's extensive injury history could loom over him come April, the 6-2, 203-pounder clears the bar in a variety of categories for a top-flight wide receiver."

CBS Sports:"Fano is a high-quality offensive lineman, even if there are concerns about his length to play offensive tackle."

17.Detroit Lions

USA TODAY Sports: OT Spencer Fano, Utah

CBS Sports: OT Blake Miller, Clemson

Pro Football Focus: OT Monroe Freeling, Georgia

USA TODAY Sports:"Taylor Decker's surprising split with Detroitheightens the urgency of turning the page along the offensive line. Seen by some as a top-10 prospect, Fano slides a bit here but finds a team that should covet his smooth and polished approach."

Pro Football Focus:"Taylor Decker requested to be released following a decade as the Lions' left tackle. Detroit finds Penei Sewell's next running-mate here in Freeling."

18.Minnesota Vikings

USA TODAY Sports: S Dillon Thieneman, Oregon

CBS Sports: S Dillon Thieneman, Oregon

Pro Football Focus: CB Avieon Terrell, Clemson

USA TODAY Sports:"As an eventual successor to Harrison Smith, Thieneman would provide plenty of flexibility and versatility on the back end of Brian Flores' defense."

CBS Sports:"Dillon Thieneman tested off the charts from an athletic perspective and has also been incredibly productive."

19.Carolina Panthers

USA TODAY Sports: OT Kadyn Proctor, Alabama

CBS Sports: S Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, Toledo

Pro Football Focus: DT Peter Woods, Clemson

USA TODAY Sports:"With Bryce Young entering a critical year and left tackle Ikem Ekwonu's outlook uncertain after suffering a torn patellar tendon in the playoffs, Carolina is in a difficult spot. Enter Proctor, a massive protector who could step in on the blind side, replace Taylor Moton later on at right tackle or even kick to guard."

Pro Football Focus:"Woods would shore up a Panthers defense that placed in the bottom 10 in both team PFF run-defense grade and team PFF pass-rush grade in 2025."

20. Dallas Cowboys (fromGreen Bay)

USA TODAY Sports: Edge Akheem Mesidor, Miami (FL)

CBS Sports: WR Makai Lemon, USC

Pro Football Focus: Edge Akheem Mesidor, Miami (FL)

USA TODAY Sports:"Already armed with a deep bag of tricks as a pass rusher and self-labeled"seasoned rookie"– he'll be 25 next month – Mesidor should be an attractive instant-impact option thanks to his hustle and know-how."

CBS Sports:"Makai Lemon gives them another slot element and allows them to move some of the chess pieces around the board, but he also provides insurance and creates a potential off-ramp if CeeDee Lamb or George Pickens becomes too expensive."

21.Pittsburgh Steelers

USA TODAY Sports: DT Caleb Banks, Florida

CBS Sports: LB CJ Allen, Georgia

Pro Football Focus: OT Kadyn Proctor, Alabama

USA TODAY Sports:"Banks isn't a finished product yet, but Heyward could mentor the 6-6, 327-pounder and help him make the most of his disruptiveness off the line of scrimmage."

Pro Football Focus:"Proctor's 86.1 PFF overall grade in 2025 ranked fourth in the country."

22.Los Angeles Chargers

USA TODAY Sports: CB Avieon Terrell, Clemson

CBS Sports: DT Kayden McDonald, Ohio State

Pro Football Focus: iOL Olaivavega Ioane, Penn State

USA TODAY Sports:"The Chargers can give new defensive coordinator Chris O'Leary a corner who's well-versed in press-man coverage in Terrell."

CBS Sports:"Kayden McDonald at this stage may feel a little rich to some people, but he's a perfect fit for Jim Harbaugh."

23.Philadelphia Eagles

USA TODAY Sports: Edge Cashius Howell, Texas A&M

CBS Sports: OT Kadyn Proctor, Alabama

Pro Football Focus: TE Kenyon Sadiq, Oregon

USA TODAY Sports:"The arm length debate didn't quite engulf Howell the same way it did Bain, but it could prove even more consequential to his draft slot. Still, the Eagles might be willing to look past that shortcoming and instead prize what the Southeastern Conference Defensive Player of the Year can do with his considerable burst and bend."

Pro Football Focus:"Dallas Goedert is coming off the lowest-graded season of his career (66.7) and is a free agent at 31 years old. The Eagles find his replacement here in Sadiq."

24. Cleveland Browns (fromJacksonville)

USA TODAY Sports: WR Denzel Boston, Washington

CBS Sports: WR Jordyn Tyson, Arizona State

Pro Football Focus: OT Caleb Lomu, Utah

USA TODAY Sports:"With his go-get-it mindset frequently paying off on tight-window throws and even errant passes, Boston would make life a degree or two easier for the Browns' future quarterback."

CBS Sports:"Tyson wouldn't be available this late in the first round if not for his injury history, and that could present an opportunity for the Browns, depending on how one looks at it."

25.Chicago Bears

USA TODAY Sports: DT Peter Woods, Clemson

CBS Sports: WR Omar Cooper Jr., Indiana

Pro Football Focus: DT Caleb Banks, Florida

USA TODAY Sports:"Woods' high-end flashes separate him from all other interior defenders other than Banks, though his inconsistency could cost him a spot on Day 1."

Pro Football Focus:"Banks played in only three games in 2025 at Florida due to a foot injury, but his 12% pressure rate since 2023 still ranked sixth among Power Four interior defenders over that stretch."

26.Buffalo Bills

USA TODAY Sports: LB CJ Allen, Georgia

CBS Sports: Edge T.J. Parker, Clemson

Pro Football Focus: S Dillon Thieneman, Oregon

USA TODAY Sports:"The undersized Allen might not be a perfect fit for new coordinator Jim Leonhard's scheme, but the Bills likely would be quite fond of Allen's reliability against the run."

CBS Sports:"T.J. Parker has the profile they've been drawn to in the past. Perhaps he'll allow them to get off the carousel of acquiring a new 30-year-old every offseason."

27.San Francisco 49ers

USA TODAY Sports: OT Caleb Lomu, Utah

CBS Sports: OT Caleb Lomu, Utah

Pro Football Focus: WR KC Concepcion, Texas A&M

USA TODAY Sports:"Lomu could be in for a bit of a rough initial acclimation period when taking on pro defensive ends, but his upside as a pass protector is unmatched at this point in the draft."

Pro Football Focus:"Concepcion paced the SEC with 48 receptions that went for either a first down or a touchdown in 2025 and is a dangerous player with the ball in his hands."

28.Houston Texans

USA TODAY Sports: OT Max Iheanachor, Arizona State

CBS Sports: OT Max Iheanachor, Arizona State

Pro Football Focus: OT Blake Miller, Clemson

USA TODAY Sports:"A late bloomer who never played football until reaching junior college, Iheanachor is the kind of project the Texans' staff needs to demonstrate it can cultivate. The 6-6, 321-pounder could sit and learn behind Braden Smith before taking over for him at right tackle."

CBS Sports:"Even if he holds off Max Iheanachor for a year, the time will eventually come when [Trent] Brown retires, and the Texans would have a replacement in the building."

29. Kansas City Chiefs

USA TODAY Sports: CB Jermod McCoy, Tennessee

CBS Sports: CB Avieon Terrell, Clemson

Pro Football Focus: Edge Cashius Howell, Texas A&M

USA TODAY Sports:"McCoy has legitimate top-10 talent, but his draft stock could be somewhat volatile after he missed all of last season following a torn anterior cruciate ligament suffered in January 2025."

Pro Football Focus:"Howell has the second-shortest arms ever recorded for an edge defender (30 1/4 inches), but he logged 90.0-plus PFF pass-rush grades in three consecutive seasons."

30.Denver Broncos

USA TODAY Sports: WR Omar Cooper Jr., Indiana

CBS Sports: WR KC Concepcion, Texas A&M

Pro Football Focus: LB CJ Allen, Georgia

USA TODAY Sports:"Cooper is one of college football's premier threats at racking up yards after the catch and making things happen with the ball in his hands. That sure sounds like the kind of threat that Sean Payton would relish being able to deploy."

CBS Sports:"Denver had been searching for help at wide receiver prior to last year's trade deadline. The Broncos fell short in their pursuit of Jaylen Waddle and others but now take matters into their own hands with the selection of KC Concepcion."

31.New England Patriots

USA TODAY Sports: WR KC Concepcion, Texas A&M

CBS Sports: Edge Zion Young, Missouri

Pro Football Focus: Edge T.J. Parker, Clemson

USA TODAY Sports:"Concepcion can capitalize on Drake Maye's arm strength with his proven ability to separate."

Pro Football Focus:"Parker notched 85.0-plus career PFF grades as a pass rusher and a run defender and brings great power for the position."

32.Seattle Seahawks

USA TODAY Sports: CB Colton Hood, Tennessee

CBS Sports: Edge Akheem Mesidor, Miami (FL)

Pro Football Focus: CB Colton Hood, Tennessee

USA TODAY Sports:"Hood's physical approach to coverage and run-stopping should make him a natural fit for Mike Macdonald's group."

CBS Sports:"Akheem Mesidor is an older prospect who'll be able to help the defending Super Bowl champions immediately."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:2026 NFL mock draft roundup: New predictions during NFL free agency

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March 14, 2026

NFL mock draft roundup: Experts predict first round mid-NFL free agency

NFL free agencyhas moved at a furious pace in 2026, as many of the top talents on the market agreed to lucrative contract...

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The true story behind “Marty Supreme”: How real-life ping-pong legend Marty Reisman inspired the Oscar contender

Marty Supreme stars Timothée Chalamet as an audacious ping-pong prodigy in the early 1950s.

Key Points

• Josh Safdie's film is nominated for nine Academy Awards, including Best Picture.

• The movie was partially inspired by The Money Player, the autobiography of real-life ping-pong champ Marty Reisman.

Marty Supreme's Marty Mauser is a one-of-a-kind character — just like the guy who inspired him.

Timothée Chalamet's ping-pong prodigy has the soul of a hustler in Josh Safdie's thrilling drama, which is nominated for nine Oscars at the 98th Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director. Chalamet, too, is nominated for his turn as Marty, a wrecking ball of a protagonist who's based on a real-life ping-pong champ.

Marty Supremeisn't a biopic, but as Safdie has said in numerous interviews, the film was inspired byThe Money Player: The Confessions of America's Greatest Table Tennis Champion and Hustler, a 1974 autobiography from Marty Reisman.

"[Having] read that book, which was about a table tennis player who believed in this thing and had a dream that no one respected, it instantly was like, OK, well, this... world can be a great conduit to kind of explore those themes," Safdie explained toNPR.

So, how much of Reisman made his way into Mauser? Let's discuss it below.

Who was Marty Reisman?

Marty Reisman was born in Manhattan in 1930, the son of a Russian immigrant who left his taxi-driving, poker-playing father when Reisman was just 10. He took up table tennis shortly thereafter and was the city junior champion by the age of 13.

As noted in a1977Sports Illustratedprofile, Reisman was labeled the "bad boy of ping-pong" by the time he was 16, when he won the national junior title. In 1948, he was part of the three-man U.S. team at the world championships in London. As he traveled the world competing, he made cash on the side by exporting and selling contraband.

"Smuggling never bothered me," Reisman told the outlet. "Table tennis players have to survive on their wiles. A player who depended on exhibition fees could starve. The top players were either gamblers, smugglers or both. I had already won more than 175 trophies but I couldn't eat them."

Reisman, skinny and 6-feet tall, came to be known as "the Needle," due both to his physical appearance and forehand "kill shot," which the London press dubbed "the Atomic Blast." That kill shot helped him win the British Open Table Tennis Tournament, which Reisman named "second in international importance to the World Championships" in his autobiography. He was the first American to do so.

Like the film's Marty Mauser, Reisman put his showmanship on display as an opening act for the Harlem Globetrotters. Later, he'd run underground table tennis clubs that were frequented by celebrities such as Dustin Hoffman, Kurt Vonnegut, and another offbeat prodigy in chess champ Bobby Fischer, as reported in Reisman'sNew York Timesobituary. Famed writer and director David Mamet, who cameos inMarty Supreme, is also said to have attended Marty's clubs.

In 2010, two years before his death at 82 from complications of heart and lung ailments, Reisman foundedTable Tennis Nation.

All told, he earned 22 major table tennis titles, including one at the age of 67, making him the oldest player to win a national championship in a racket sport.

He was married twice and had a daughter, Debbie, from his first marriage.

IsMarty Supremebased on a true story?

WhileMarty Supremeis only loosely inspired by Reisman, there are several sequences and character details plucked from his life. Reisman, for example, worked as a shoe salesman, much like Marty. He didn't quit (or loot the safe), however. Instead, he was fired for consistently showing up late, according toSports Illustrated.

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Reisman's verve and competitive spirit, for example, mirror Marty's relentless drive. "Though I need it to get the adrenaline flowing, the money is nothing, the excitement everything," Reisman toldSports Illustrated. "I never played a game for fun in my life."

Marty's brashness is on full display in the film when, while traveling for a competition, he ditches the pitiful London hotel where all of the competitors are staying for a room at the high-end Ritz. As detailed in his autobiography, Reisman pulled a similar trick.

"[We had been] staying at the Royal Hotel, which had more fleas than royalty. Our rooms were closet-size and smelled of decayed wallpaper," he wrote. "During the British Open championship, theLondon Timeshad called me the 'Danny Kayeof table tennis.' Well, I reasoned, the Royal was no place for Danny Kaye."

He and a friend moved into the much more expensive Cumberland Hotel and, as Marty does in the film, charged expenses to the English Table Tennis Association.

As previously noted, Reisman also toured with the Harlem Globetrotters, where he performed skits that included playing with frying tunes to the tune of "Mary Had a Little Lamb." During those shows, perSports Illustrated, he perfected his signature trick of "standing a cigarette on end at the far side of the table and then blithely breaking it in two with a forehand smash."

"I had the time of my life touring with the Harlem Globe Trotters," he wrote in his autobiography. "For a while people even stopped sneering at the fact that table tennis was all I did."

While there's no evidence that Reisman played against a sea lion, as Marty does in the film, the real-life legend did once play a chimpanzee. "That ape had a lot of native ability," Reisman toldSports Illustrated.

Is Milton Rockwell based on a real person?

WhileKevin O'Leary's wealthy Milton Rockwell is a fictional character created for the film, his success in the pen industry appears to be a nod to Reisman's trick of selling ballpoint pens overseas in a bid to make extra cash.

"They cost fifty cents each and were a way of meeting expenses. Ballpoints were new in Europe and I was able to get five dollars apiece for them," he wrote in his autobiography.

Is the story about bees and Auschwitz true?

One of the more memorable detours inMarty Supremeinvolves Marty's friend and colleague Béla (Géza Röhrig) telling a story about his time as a prisoner at the Auschwitz concentration camp during World War II. During a bomb disposal mission, he rubbed honey from a beehive all over his skin and later let his famished fellow prisoners lick it off his body.

As Safdie toldThe Guardian, this is a true story about a Hungarian Jew and table tennis player named Alojzy Ehrlich. "I learned more about the Holocaust in that little story than from some movies that are only about the Holocaust," he said.

Where can I watchMarty Supreme?

Marty Supremeis currently playing in theaters.

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

Read the original article onEntertainment Weekly

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March 14, 2026

The true story behind “Marty Supreme”: How real-life ping-pong legend Marty Reisman inspired the Oscar contender

Marty Supreme stars Timothée Chalamet as an audacious ping-pong prodigy in the early 1950s. Key Points Josh S...

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All About Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn's Children (Including 3 Famous Actors!)

Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn have been together since 1983 and share four children

NEED TO KNOW

• Goldie welcomed Oliver Hudson and Kate Hudson with ex Bill Hudson while Kurt welcomed son Boston Russell with ex-wife Season Hubley

• The couple share their youngest child, Wyatt Russell
  

Kurt RussellandGoldie Hawn's longtime love story is one of the most famous in Hollywood, and through it all, they've managed to raise a family of tight-knit kids together.

Kurt and Goldie have four children: Boston Russell, whom Kurt welcomed with ex-wife Season Hubley;Oliver HudsonandKate Hudsonfrom Goldie's previous relationship with Bill Hudson; and Wyatt Russell, the couple's youngest, whom they welcomed together.

Kate, for her part, doesn't believe Kurt and her mom could complement each other any more than they do now. "Mom is kinetic and she is a butterfly, and Pa likes his family and his home.But when they're together, it's so powerful," she told PEOPLE.

InPEOPLE's 2020 Beautiful Issue, theAlmost Famousstar opened up about modeling her mom's parenting style, especially regarding raising her daughter. "Mom was so available to being my greatest cheerleader," Kate told PEOPLE. "It just made me think about Rani — I just hope I give her that kind of confidence."

"As a parent, you basically raise your children to raise their children appropriately as well. So that's thatdomino effect," Goldie told PEOPLE in March 2022. "And as parents, we have a tremendous responsibility."

They have a lot to celebrate even now that their kids are all grown up, including Kate's 2026 Oscars nomination for Best Actress inSong Sung Blue.

Here's everything to know about Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn's children.

Oliver Hudson, 49

Goldie welcomed son Oliver with ex-husbandBill Hudsonon Sept. 7, 1976. Oliver gained TV recognition for his roles onRules of Engagement,Nashville,Scream QueensandThe Cleaning Lady. He's also famously known for hosting the podcast Sibling Revelry with younger sister Kate.

Per Kate, Oliver is quite the jokester, too. "He really isfunnier than me," she told PEOPLE in 2021. That same year, Oliver was featured inPEOPLE's 2021 Sexiest Man Alive issue.

Olivermarried his wife, Erinn Barlett, in 2006, though, he recalls Goldie's motherly push to get him down on one knee. "To be honest, it was not easy. I didn't want to get married. I thought that the perfect relationship was Kurt and Mom," Oliver said onE!'sDaily Popin 2022. "I mean, I was a child of divorce, that didn't work, and then I saw this working."

Referring to his proposal as "a major surprise," Oliver remembered Erinn telling her parents that a wedding was more than likely not in the cards. After a heartfelt conversation with his mom, Oliver knew it was the right choice: "She says, 'It's [the ring] a token. You don't have to get married right away.' And so I gave [Erinn] the ring and it was very scary and we were engaged for two and a half years."

Oliver and Erinn are parents to sonsWilder BrooksandBodhi Hawnand daughterRio Laura. The actor'snumber one advice for fellow fathers? Always find ways to embarrass your kids. "You're not a father unless you're embarrassing your children," he said during a 2022 appearance onTheEllen DeGeneresShow.

"He's the greatest, most handsome, amazing father, actor, comedian, human, son," Hawn previously told PEOPLE of Oliver. "I mean,he's such a gift. They're all gifts, all my children."

Kate Hudson, 46

Goldie and Bill's daughter Kate was born on April 19, 1979. The 2000 filmAlmost Famousmade Kate (who starred as Penny Lane) an overnight sensation, earning her a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress. Her career continued to skyrocket with films such asHow to Lose a Guy in 10 Days(2003),Fool's Gold(2008),Bride Wars(2009) andSomething Borrowed(2011).

Kate has always praised her mother and Kurt, who helped raise Kate alongside Goldie. In honor of Kurt's 70th birthday, Kate penned a heartfelt letter reexamining "how different our life would have been if he never entered the picture."

"He's an original. One of kind. A powerful, intelligent, talented, loyal family man. He has taught me that we can all exist with immense love through our differences," she wrote onInstagram.

"He gave me the gift of confidence, instilling a knowingness in me that I deserved everything I worked for and I knew that he'd always have my back in whatever challenges may lay ahead. When you have a dad who gives you permission to be confident, you live courageously," she added.

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Kate is a mom of three herself. She welcomed her son Ryder Robinson with ex-husband Chris Robinson in January 2004. She also shares a sonBingham Hawn Bellamy, who was born in 2011, with ex-fiancé Matt Bellamy. In 2018, Kate and her fiancéDanny Fujikawawelcomed daughterRani Rose Hudson Fujikawa.

When it comes to navigating the ins and outs of co-parenting, Kate says she's learned from the best. "I think the one thing that I learned from my mom is that no matter what you're feeling and no matter what — when I see my friends talking s--- about their ex-spouses in front of their kids, I get so upset because they don't recognize how much that affects their child and how resentful their child will become of them," the Fabletics founder said on a 2019 episode of theDivorce Sucks! With Laura Wasserpodcast.

"No matter what, I never heard a bad word about my father," she said, adding, "It's not our place to tell them [kids] how to feel about the other parents. I think that's so important."

While the actress wouldn't "recommend it [her situation] to most," she believesthe relationships she's formed with each of her kids' fathersare "quite amazing," — even more amazing is the fact that the dads all get along as well!

"We might not have been able to live together and sustain the distance, but at the end of the day, there's real love there. When the kids feel that I think, to them, it makes them feel safe and good," Kate said.

Boston Russell, 46

Born on Feb. 16, 1980, Boston is Kurt's son whom he shares with actress and ex-wife Season Hubley. The pair met on the set of 1979'sElvis,in which they portrayedElvisandPriscilla Presley. Their divorce came four years later, in 1983. Apart from the occasional red carpet appearance, Boston lives an ultra-private life, out of the spotlight.

Kate, however, remembers the first time she met Boston as a young girl. "For me, it felt like such a big moment because it was like, 'My mom is madly in love with this guy.' For me, at the time, it was like, 'Is this going to be my dad?' " she recalled on her podcastSibling Revelry. "And I was meeting his son [Boston], which meant, 'Does this mean that this is my brother?' It was a lot to handle at such a young age."

Wyatt Russell, 39

Kurt and Goldie welcomed their son Wyatt Russell on July 10, 1986. He has since starred in22 Jump Street(2014),Table 19(2017) andDisney'sThe Falcon and the Winter Soldier.

Just like his parents, Wyatt met his wife on a movie set. He and actress Meredith Hagner fell in love while filmingFolks Hero & Funny Guyin 2016 and got engaged in 2018. Theywed in a Western-themed weddingin September 2019 at Goldie's house in Aspen, Colorado.

Their family expanded in March 2021 with the arrival of their son,Buddy Prine Russell. Speaking withEntertainment Tonight, Wyatt described fatherhood as an "incredible" experience.

"It's everything you didn't know it was going to be," he told the outlet. "I think everything you hope it's gonna be is like a mish-mash in your mind before it really happens and then after it happens, whatever happened before is almost like [it never happened]."

He continued, "Biologically, I think it does something to your brain where you just erase half your life before you've lived there. And now it's about him and your family and trying to balance everything, and time, and new, amazing problems, amazing issues to have."

In January 2024, Wyatt opened up about what it's like tosee Kurt as a grandfatherto his son, as well as his siblings' kids, during a joint appearance with his father onLate Night With Seth Meyers.

"He's awesome, 'cause he can do all of the hard sort of lessons that sometimes I don't want to have to do," Wyatt said. "But luckily he doesn't hide any of who he is to who my son is. So there was, like — we were going on a street when I was living in Vancouver shootingMonarch,and Buddy wants to test going on the street, and my dad goes, 'No, no, no!' "

Wyattwelcomed his second child, a son named Boone Joseph, in February 2024. Hagner shared a photo from the hospital onInstagramthat showed Wyatt leaning into kiss her as their new baby boy lay on her chest.

"Boone Joseph Russell. Born Feb 13, a week before his due date. 8 pounds 3 oz of heaven. Hearts overflowing," she wrote.

Read the original article onPeople

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March 14, 2026

All About Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn's Children (Including 3 Famous Actors!)

Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn have been together since 1983 and share four children NEED TO KNOW Goldie welcome...

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Photos of Russia's latest missile and drone attack on the Kyiv region

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — A combined missile and drone attack on the Kyiv regionhit four districtsand damaged homes, schools, businesses and critical infrastructure.

Russia Ukraine War

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This is a photo gallery curated by AP photo editors.

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March 14, 2026

Photos of Russia's latest missile and drone attack on the Kyiv region

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — A combined missile and drone attack on the Kyiv regionhit four districtsand damaged homes, schools, ...

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