• The number of billionaires is on the rise — and they are richer than ever thanks to AI

    Jensen Huang
    Billionaires like Jensen Huang, the CEO of Nvidia, have seen their net worths skyrocket during the AI boom.

    • The number of billionaires is on the rise — and they are richer than ever.
    • The AI-driven stock surge this year has benefited some of the wealthiest billionaires.
    • That said, the 196 new self-made billionaires hail from diverse industries.

    Artificial intelligence is spawning a new breed — and it's not robots, it's AI billionaires.

    The world is now home to 2,919 billionaires — 8.8% more than last year — and they are richer than ever before, according to a new report by Swiss bank UBS.

    The bank based its report on surveys of its billionaire clients, as well as its billionaire database with PwC.

    Together, their net worth totals $15.8 trillion, up 13% from last year, largely due to the AI-driven surge in tech stocks, including Meta, Oracle, and Nvidia. The Magnificent Seven — a group of high-performing US tech companies — have seen their share prices increase a combined 25% this year.

    The wealth of just six US tech billionaires grew by $171 billion, largely tied to their companies' growth in AI. In China, tech billionaires connected to the industry saw their wealth surge.

    While the billionaires who got the richest this year — big names like the Alphabet founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin, Oracle CEO Larry Ellison, and Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang — capitalized on the AI boom, the world's 287 new billionaires had diverse sources of wealth.

    About 70% of the new billionaires are self-made. The report highlights bioscience billionaire Ben Lamm, who founded "de-extinction" company Colossal, and brothers Zhang Hongchao and Zhang Hongfu, who founded Chinese fast-food company Mixue Ice Cream & Tea.

    The other 91 new billionaires inherited their wealth, including 15 members of two German pharmaceutical families.

    That number should grow: Over the next 15 years, $5.9 trillion will be inherited by the children of billionaires, the report predicts.

    A nice life for the next-gen, but the cash comes with expectations.

    Eighty-two percent of the billionaires with children that UBS surveyed said they want their children to succeed independently, and not rely on their inheritance. No pressure.

    Read the original article on Business Insider
  • Marc Benioff is writing Salesforce’s annual strategy document. He shared the key details early with Business Insider.

    Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff at the Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, in January 2025.
    Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff says Gemini 3 is so advanced that he has stopped using ChatGPT.

    • Marc Benioff writes a strategic plan and shares it with the whole company every year.
    • He's a few weeks into writing the latest version and shared the playbook so far with Business Insider.
    • The most important piece is bolstering Salesforce's AI data foundations.

    Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff is drafting the company's annual strategic plan, and he shared key parts of the vision for next year in an interview with Business Insider.

    This annual document is called the V2MOM, which stands for Vision, Values, Methods, Obstacles, and Measurements. It's shared internally at the start of each fiscal year, which begins in February. The document often contains important projections. For instance, Business Insider broke details of Salesforce's 2023 plan to cut costs and boost profit margins, which fueled a massive rally in the stock that year.

    More recently, Salesforce has made a huge bet on AI agents with a flagship offering known as Agentforce. Some investors, clients, and employees have cast doubt on the initiative, although the company's earnings on Wednesday revealed some positive signs for the upcoming fiscal year.

    The V2MOM document for this upcoming fiscal year will have four main components, Benioff said in an interview following the results.

    "The first, most important thing is our data foundation," Benioff said. "None of these agents work without data and context, or you just get all the hallucinations," the term for inaccurate AI outputs.

    Salesforce recently bought cloud data management company Informatica for $8 billion. This will be combined with existing Salesforce data platforms, Mulesoft and Data 360, to make customer data "harmonized, federated, and integrated," he said. "That is critical for every customer."

    A strong data foundation is even more important for the generative AI era that's sweeping over the software industry right now. To get the most out of this new technology, companies are weaving their internal data with the intelligence of AI models to create new services and explore efficiencies.

    Salesforce handles a massive amount of corporate customer data already. Strengthening this part of its business could help the company build more power AI services, including bolstering its Agentforce efforts.

    Benioff said the second component of the strategy for next year sits on top of this data foundation. These are applications such as its popular CRM software, along with Slack, and Tableau data-visualization tools.

    The third piece is Agentforce itself, Benioff said, though he provided few details about his vision for this in the V2MOM document, beyond saying the AI service has dramatically evolved over the last year.

    The fourth piece is the "evolution" of bespoke AI agents that are curated for specific corporate customers such as Williams-Sonoma. This also includes AI agents for employees, such as Salesforce's own Slackbot, which Benioff used liberally to answer questions during the interview with Business Insider.

    Salesforce aims to deliver these services by industry, creating versions for automakers, drug companies, and governments, for instance, Benioff explained.

    Have a tip? Contact this reporter via email at astewart@businessinsider.com or Signal at +1-425-344-8242. Use a personal email address and a nonwork device; here's our guide to sharing information securely.

    Read the original article on Business Insider
  • Every animated Disney film, ranked by critics

    zootopia 2
    "Zootopia 2."

    • Walt Disney Animation Studios started as the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio in 1923.
    • Since then, the studio has produced over 50 fully animated, theatrically released films.
    • "Zootopia 2," Disney's latest release, was beloved by critics.

    Walt Disney Studios has come a long way since its inception in the 1920s, when two brothers, Walt and Roy Disney, began animating an impish mouse named Mickey.

    Now, Disney is one of the largest movie studios on the planet and controls properties such as "Star Wars," Marvel, Pixar, "Planet of the Apes," and more.

    But first and foremost will always be Disney Animation. Since its first feature-length animated movie was theatrically released in 1937, Disney has been the gold standard for animated films.

    Business Insider used Rotten Tomatoes' critics' scores to rank every one of the studio's fully animated films — that means no "Fantasia," "Mary Poppins," or "Song of the South," which have live-action components. This list also does not include movies like "A Goofy Movie" and "Return to Never Land," which were produced by a division of the company, Disney MovieToons.

    The scores were accurate as of December 2025, right after the release of "Zootopia 2."

    Here's how the animated Disney films stack up against each other from worst to best.

    56. "Chicken Little" (2005)
    a still from chicken little

    Rotten Tomatoes score: 36%

    Based on the folk tale of the same name, "Chicken Little" is about a fearful little chicken who becomes convinced the sky is falling. While the adults in his life dismiss him, it becomes clear that something is certainly afoot in his small town.

    "When Disney can't hit a tried-and-true fairy-tale adaptation out of the park, maybe it's time to give up the ghost and get Pixar back on the phone," wrote the Orlando Sentinel's Roger Moore.

    55. "Brother Bear" (2003)
    a still from brother bear (2003) of koda and kenai, two bears

    Rotten Tomatoes score: 38%

    After the success of the studio's 1999 movie "Tarzan" and its soundtrack, which featured Phil Collins, Disney attempted to recapture that magic with "Brother Bear," a story of brotherly love that also included Collins' music.

    However, Nell Minow of Common Sense Media called this film a "lackluster story only for kindergarteners."

    53 (tie). "Wish" (2023)
    asha and valentino from wish

    Rotten Tomatoes score: 48%

    "Wish" is filled to the brim with Easter eggs referring to Disney's 100 years of magic, but the studio seems to have forgotten to add a compelling story, lovable characters, or well-written songs.

    Asha had the potential to be an all-time Disney princess, but the rules of this universe are confusing, and Magnifico's heel turn seemingly comes out of nowhere.

    "This fairy tale feels more like a corporate product than a magical event; it's a limp dissertation on Disney's motto that, 'When you wish upon a star, your dreams come true,'" wrote The Boston Globe's Odie Henderson.

    53 (tie). "Atlantis: The Lost Empire" (2001)
    Atlantis: The Lost Empire

    Rotten Tomatoes score: 48%

    There's not a cute animal sidekick or a show tune to be found in "Atlantis." Instead, Milo, a passionate archaeologist, unwittingly exposes the people of Atlantis to the corporate greed of the surface world in this slightly depressing story.

    "It's so oppressively tedious at times that you almost wish the cast would break into a chorus of 'Under the Sea,'" wrote Lou Lumenick for The New York Post.

    52. "Home on the Range" (2005)
    Home on the Range

    Rotten Tomatoes score: 51%

    "Home on the Range" is a simple story of three cows who decide to take matters into their own hands (hooves?) to save their farm by collecting a bounty put on the head of Alameda Slim, a cattle rustler and thief.

    Richard Roeper called it "a serviceable time-killer" on "At the Movies."

    51. "Oliver & Company" (1988)
    Oliver & Company

    Rotten Tomatoes score: 52%

    This cartoon is a loose adaptation of the Charles Dickens story "Oliver Twist," but instead of a down-on-his-luck orphan, Oliver is an adorable stray kitten.

    For most people, this is remembered as the Disney movie with songs by Billy Joel.

    "With its captivating characters, sprightly songs and zap-happy animation, 'Oliver & Company' adds up to a tip-top frolic," wrote Peter Travers for People.

    50. "The Black Cauldron" (1985)
    The Black Cauldron

    Rotten Tomatoes score: 56%

    "The Black Cauldron" is based on Welsh mythology — hence why characters have names like Princess Eilonwy and Fflewddur Fflam. It tells the story of a teenager named Taran who longs to become a hero. He gets his chance when he sets out to prevent the Horned King from using the Black Cauldron to raise an evil army.

    "This is the 25th full-length animated feature from Walt Disney studios, and professionally put together as it is, many of the ingredients may seem programmed to those who have seen some of the others," wrote Walter Goodman of The New York Times.

    48 (tie). "Pocahontas" (1995)
    pocahontas

    Rotten Tomatoes score: 58%

    Pocahontas was a real Native American woman. but her life did not follow the fairy tale story put forth by Disney. No matter how good "Colors of the Wind" is, this film is flawed and best left in the past.

    "All Disney has really done in its disappointing 33rd animated feature is revive the stereotype of the Noble Savage," wrote Rita Kempley for The Washington Post.

    48 (tie). "Robin Hood" (1973)
    Robin Hood

    Rotten Tomatoes score: 58%

    In this version of the classic tale, Robin Hood and Maid Marian are foxes, his best friend Little John is a bear — who looks suspiciously like Baloo from "The Jungle Book" — and the dastardly Sheriff of Nottingham is a wolf.

    "The washed-out, muted colors are a mistake, and if Robin Hood is sometimes hilarious, it has little memorable magic," wrote Alan R. Howard of The Hollywood Reporter.

    47. "Moana 2" (2024)
    Moana holding an oar
    "Moana 2."

    Rotten Tomatoes score: 60%

    You'll find "Moana 2's" predecessor much higher on this list.

    "Moana 2" sees the return of Moana, a newly minted wayfinder, as she tries to reconnect the people of her island, Motunui, with their ancestors from other islands. To do this, she reunites with demigod Maui on a new adventure across the sea.

    "Much like the hermit crab who kicks things off by attempting to trade in his new shell for an ill-fitting larger one, there's simply not enough to fill out 'Moana 2,'" wrote Andrea Thompson for the Chicago Reader.

    46. "The Aristocats" (1970)
    The Aristocats

    Rotten Tomatoes score: 64%

    "The Aristocats" is essentially the tale of "Lady and the Tramp," but this time with cats. Duchess, a pristine cat and mom of three precocious kittens, meets the alley cat Thomas O'Malley and falls in love.

    "Before the disastrous aughts, was there a worse decade for Disney animated features than the 1970s?" asked Matt Brunson of View From the Couch.

    44 (tie). "Dinosaur" (2000)
    Dinosaur 2000

    Rotten Tomatoes score: 65%

    "Dinosaur" is the story of Aladar, a dinosaur who was orphaned and then raised by lemurs. Aladar and his adopted family join up with other dinosaurs to find a safe place after a natural disaster devastates their home.

    If this sounds just like the other animated dinosaur film, "The Land Before Time," to you, you're not alone.

    Michael Sragow of Salon wrote, "Well, Bambi meets Godzilla again in the new computer-cartoon epic 'Dinosaur,' but the results aren't so witty."

    44 (tie). "The Sword in the Stone" (1963)
    The Sword in the Stone

    Rotten Tomatoes score: 65%

    Notably, this was the last Disney film to be released before Walt Disney's death in 1966.

    "The Sword in the Stone" is King Arthur's origin story — he meets legendary sorcerer Merlin and pulls out Excalibur, the sword lodged inside the stone.

    "There is still some life in the characterizations, though the animation is turning stiff and flat," wrote Chicago Reader's Dave Kehr.

    42 (tie). "Meet the Robinsons" (2007)
    Meet the Robinsons

    Rotten Tomatoes score: 68%

    In "Meet the Robinsons," Lewis is desperate to find his birth mother, who gave him up for adoption. Instead, he's brought to the future by the mysterious Wilbur, who claims he's a time cop.

    "Charming as all these surface layers are — and even in 2D, it's more than passable family fare — 'Meet The Robinsons' really flowers with the extra dimension, which makes an already neato cinematic universe feel palpably inhabitable," wrote Scott Tobias for the AV Club.

    42 (tie). "Treasure Planet" (2002)
    Treasure Planet

    Rotten Tomatoes score: 68%

    "Treasure Planet" updates the setting of the famed pirate story "Treasure Island" to the future. Instead of hitching a ride on a pirate ship, Jim Hawkins hops on a spaceship — and instead of looking for buried treasure, Jim and his friends are searching for a missing planet made entirely of treasure.

    "Akin to an extremely well-made Saturday morning cartoon — great for hyperactive four-year-olds or hungover students, not worth a trip to the pictures," wrote Nev Pierce for the BBC.

    41. "Strange World" (2022)
    Strange World

    Rotten Tomatoes score: 72%

    Not even the A-list voice talent of Jake Gyllenhaal, Dennis Quaid, Jaboukie Young-White, Gabrielle Union, and Lucy Liu could save this movie — which isn't bad! — from flopping.

    "Strange World" is about the Clades, a family of legendary explorers who must venture into a subterranean world to see if they can save their planet.

    "So much of 'Strange World's' audaciousness is front-loaded into its concept, and so little of it comes through in the execution," wrote Alison Willmore for Vulture.

    40. "The Fox and the Hound" (1981)
    The Fox and the Hound

    Rotten Tomatoes score: 75%

    "The Fox and the Hound" is one of the rare Disney movies that doesn't have a totally happy ending. Tod, a fox, and Copper, a bloodhound, meet when they're young and become best friends. But when they grow up, they learn they're natural enemies.

    It ends on a bittersweet note, as the two friends acknowledge that they probably won't see each other again, but are at peace in the forest.

    "All charmingness aside, this cute but rather thinly plotted yarn exposes the cracks that were present in the pre-renaissance Disney empire," wrote William Thomas of Empire.

    39. "Frozen II" (2019)
    Frozen II

    Rotten Tomatoes score: 77%

    "Frozen II" picks up soon after where "Frozen" left off — Elsa is now queen and in control of her ice powers, Anna and Kristoff are in love, and Olaf is just happy he's not melting.

    But when Elsa begins to hear a mysterious voice calling out to her, our characters leave Arendelle behind to discover the source of Elsa's power.

    "The songs, perhaps not as compelling as in the original, still make the heart beat faster now and then," wrote Stephen Romei for The Australian.

    37 (tie). "Peter Pan" (1953)
    Peter Pan

    Rotten Tomatoes score: 78%

    "Peter Pan" is based on the 1904 play of the same name by J.M. Barrie.

    In it, the Darling children are whisked away to Neverland, a magical world where children never grow up, fairy dust lets you fly, and an evil captain with a hook for a hand terrorizes the seas.

    But Neverland is also home to Tiger Lily and her tribe, who are drawn in the most stereotypical way possible — so much so that Disney has added an apology before the film plays on Disney+.

    "It is still a lush, bright feature that happily clicks along with rollicking songs by Sammy Cahn, Sammy Fain, and others," wrote Dolores Barclay for the Associated Press.

    37 (tie). "The Great Mouse Detective" (1986)
    The Great Mouse Detective

    Rotten Tomatoes score: 78%

    In this story, Basil and Dawson are the mice stand-ins for Sherlock and Watson, while Professor Ratigan (a rat) is based on Sherlock's arch-nemesis Professor Moriarty.

    "'The Great Mouse Detective' reflects the energy and enthusiasm of a talented group of young artists stretching their wings for the first time," wrote Charles Solomon for the Los Angeles Times.

    36. "The Rescuers" (1977)
    The Rescuers

    Rotten Tomatoes score: 79%

    "The Rescuers" focuses on Bernard and Bianca, two mice who are sent to help Penny, a young orphan who has been kidnapped by the evil Madame Medusa, who plans to use her to steal a precious jewel.

    "Although not one of the studio's classics, it has warmth, humor and delightful characterization," wrote Victoria Mather for The Daily Telegraph.

    35. "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" (1996)
    The Hunchback of Notre Dame

    Rotten Tomatoes score: 80%

    Based on the 1831 Victor Hugo novel of the same name, "Hunchback" centers on sweet Quasimodo, a physically deformed man who is orphaned after the villainous Judge Frollo murders his mother.

    To atone for his sins, Frollo adopts Quasimodo but keeps him hidden atop Notre Dame's bell tower. But when Quasimodo catches sight of Esmeralda, he vows to enter the world below.

    "You're quickly won over by the movie's subversive wit, swept along by its narrative bravado and its enormous visual energy. This new 'Hunchback' is a triumph on its own terms, and on any other terms that might come to mind." wrote Joe Morgenstern of The Wall Street Journal.

    34. "Hercules" (1997)
    Hercules

    Rotten Tomatoes score: 83%

    "Hercules" is a loose re-telling of the Greek myth of the hero Heracles. After getting kidnapped and turned (almost) mortal by Hades' henchmen, Hercules goes on a quest to prove to his father, Zeus, and the rest of the gods that he's worthy of immortality and godhood.

    "Jumps into the ancient legends feet-first, cheerfully tossing out what won't fit and combining what's left into a new look and a lighthearted style," wrote Roger Ebert.

    33. "Alice in Wonderland" (1951)
    Alice in Wonderland

    Rotten Tomatoes score: 84%

    Based on Lewis Carroll's 1865 novel "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland," this adaptation follows Alice as she falls down the rabbit hole and meets unforgettable characters like the Cheshire Cat, the Mad Hatter, Tweedledee and Tweedledum, and the Queen of Hearts.

    "If you are not too particular about the images of Carroll and [illustrator John] Tenniel, if you are high on Disney whimsy, and if you'll take a somewhat slow, uneven pace, you should find this picture entertaining," wrote Bosley Crowther for The New York Times.

    32. "The Rescuers Down Under" (1990)
    The Rescuers Down Under

    Rotten Tomatoes score: 85%

    At the time, "The Rescuers" was one of Disney's most popular films (even if its reputation has been somewhat diminished since its release in 1977), which is why our two favorite mice, Bernard and Bianca, returned for this film — the first sequel ever theatrically released by Disney.

    This time, Bernard and Bianca are sent to Australia by the Rescue Aid Society to help a young boy who's been kidnapped.

    "A gorgeously drawn myth made for plucky children and very brave mice," wrote The Washington Post's Rita Kempley.

    29 (tie). "The Princess and the Frog" (2009)
    The Princess and the Frog

    Rotten Tomatoes score: 86%

    "The Princess and the Frog" updates the setting of the Brothers Grimm fairytale "The Frog Prince" to 1920s New Orleans. Tiana is a determined young woman who wants more than anything to open her own restaurant.

    When she kisses prince-turned-frog Naveen to revert him back to humanity, the opposite happens: Tiana turns into a frog, too.

    "This has a lot to commend it, and it isn't just nostalgia for the Disney past. It's a visual treat," wrote The London Evening Standard's Derek Malcolm.

    29 (tie). "The Emperor's New Groove" (2000)
    The Emperor's New Groove

    Rotten Tomatoes score: 86%

    In "The Emperor's New Groove," David Spade stars as Kuzco, the self-absorbed, clueless Incan emperor, who is turned into a llama by his evil advisor Yzma, who wants to steal the throne for herself. To get his throne back, Kuzco must team up with the kindly peasant Pacha, whose house he has marked for destruction.

    CNN's Paul Tatara called Kuzco's tale "a silly little movie that's smarter than most of the self-important features that came out this year."

    29 (tie). "Lilo & Stitch" (2002)
    Lilo & Stitch

    Rotten Tomatoes score: 86%

    Newly orphaned sisters Lilo and Nani are struggling to adjust to their new normal when Lilo adopts Stitch, a rambunctious alien who she thinks is just a weird dog. When two agents of the Galactic Federation come looking for Stitch, chaos erupts on Kauai.

    "It's one of the most charming feature-length cartoons of recent years — funny, sassy, startling, original, and with six songs by Elvis," wrote Roger Ebert.

    28. "Wreck-It Ralph" (2012)
    Wreck-It Ralph

    Rotten Tomatoes score: 87%

    "Wreck-It Ralph" is the story of Wreck-It Ralph, the villain in the classic arcade game "Fix-It Felix Jr." But when Ralph is sick of being the bad guy in everyone's story, he goes on an epic journey visiting other video games to become a hero.

    "'Wreck-It Ralph' is a must-see for anyone who grew up playing 1980s arcade games — and their kids will love it too," wrote Larushka Ivan-Zadeh for Metro UK.

    26 (tie). "The Jungle Book" (1967)
    The Jungle Book

    Rotten Tomatoes score: 88%

    This film is based on the Rudyard Kipling book of the same name, published in 1894 — and was the last film Walt Disney himself worked on. He died during its production.

    It's the simple story of Mowgli, an orphaned human raised by wolves. But when it becomes clear that the evil tiger Shere Khan will stop at nothing to kill Mowgli, a panther named Bagheera and a bear Baloo agree to take Mowgli back to the human village he came from.

    "It's a slight tale, of course, and incredibly short, but the characters and songs are pretty much perfect viewing time and again," wrote Empire's Ian Nathan.

    26 (tie). "Ralph Breaks the Internet" (2018)
    Ralph Breaks the Internet

    Rotten Tomatoes score: 88%

    Six years after "Wreck-It Ralph," in which Ralph discovers that even though he's a villain in his game, he doesn't have to be a bad guy; he's on another adventure with his friend Vanellope. This time, our duo heads to the internet to find a part that's needed to fix Vanellope's game, "Sugar Rush."

    "'Ralph Breaks the Internet' works because it doesn't pander, and it doesn't simplify," wrote Brian Tallerico for RogerEbert.com.

    23 (tie). "The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad" (1949)
    The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad

    Rotten Tomatoes score: 89%

    Running at just 68 minutes long, this is an anthology film. First up is "The Wind in the Willows," which is the story of J. Thaddeus Toad, who is trying to save his home from bankruptcy.

    The second story is "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow," in which Ichabod Crane arrives in Sleepy Hollow and is stalked by the terrifying Headless Horseman.

    Chicago Reader's Jonathan Rosenbaum called this film "engaging and lively."

    23 (tie). "Tangled" (2010)
    Tangled

    Rotten Tomatoes score: 89%

    "Tangled" is a classic Disney princess film, but made with modern 3D animation, a first for the studio. It tells the tale of Rapunzel, a teenager with magical hair who longs to see the world outside her tower — and when the charming thief Flynn Rider happens upon her home, she seizes the chance to break free.

    "If this is what old-fashioned means, then bring it on," wrote Derek Malcolm of The London Evening Standard.

    23 (tie). "Frozen" (2013)
    Frozen

    Rotten Tomatoes score: 89%

    While it doesn't seem like it now, a Disney princess story where the true love story is between two sisters was groundbreaking. Add in some of the catchiest songs ever written by the House of Mouse and a lovable (if somewhat grating) snowman, and you have one of the studio's biggest and most beloved films, raking in more than $1.3 billion at the worldwide box office.

    "'Frozen' feels like it's breaking new ground in telling a story where the women are actually in control, and where the clichés of their narratives are turned inside out, almost as a sly commentary on what has come before," wrote Jason Bailey for Flavorwire.

    19 (tie). "Tarzan" (1999)
    Tarzan

    Rotten Tomatoes score: 90%

    Based on the 1912 novel "Tarzan of the Apes" by Edgar Rice Burroughs, "Tarzan" tells the story of the titular character being raised by apes after his parents are killed. Although he feels out of place, he doesn't know any different until Jane and her crew of explorers arrive at Tarzan's jungle and begin to show him a different way.

    "Tarzan" is a fun time at the movies, but its lasting legacy is the multiple songs on the soundtrack written and performed by Phil Collins.

    In June 1999, Peter Stack of The San Francisco Chronicle called it "so far, the most entertaining film of the year."

    19 (tie). "Sleeping Beauty" (1959)
    Sleeping Beauty

    Rotten Tomatoes score: 90%

    For all the talk about how poorly this relationship has aged — sure, it's true love's kiss, but can someone under a sleeping curse really consent? — this movie is a wonder to look at. Maleficent, the evil witch, remains a high point of Disney's character designs.

    "'Sleeping Beauty' is a masterpiece. In my opinion, it's not just the best animated film to ever come out of Walt Disney Studios, but it is also the finest animated motion picture I've ever seen, period," wrote Sara Michelle Fetters for MovieFreak.

    19 (tie). "Bolt" (2008)
    Bolt

    Rotten Tomatoes score: 90%

    In the 16 years since its release, it seems like "Bolt" has been somewhat forgotten. But it's fun! It stars John Travolta as the voice of Bolt, the star of a hit TV series who doesn't realize his superpowers on the show aren't real. When he believes his owner is kidnapped — but really, it's just a cliffhanger in the show — he embarks on a cross-country journey to rescue her.

    "While it may lack a certain amount of bite, there's plenty of bark to recommend this winning animated adventure," wrote The Sydney Morning Herald's Eddie Cockrell.

    19 (tie). "Winnie the Pooh" (2011)
    Winnie the Pooh

    Rotten Tomatoes score: 90%

    Everyone's favorite honey-loving bear, who starred in 1977's "The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh," returned to the big screen in "Winnie the Pooh."

    This time, Pooh and the rest of the Hundred Acre Wood crew team up to save Christopher Robin from a monster they're calling the Backson — in reality, Christopher Robin is just at school and will be "back soon."

    "It's a pleasure to sink into an animated family movie from Disney that radiates charm with a gentleness that seems damn near revolutionary," wrote Peter Travers for Rolling Stone.

    16 (tie). "Mulan" (1998)
    Mulan

    Rotten Tomatoes score: 91%

    After years of criticism regarding its Disney princesses and their lack of agency, audiences were given Mulan, a young woman who secretly takes her father's place in the Chinese Imperial Army by disguising herself as a boy.

    Mulan is a warrior through and through. No one could ever call her a typical damsel in distress.

    "Overall, this is a lovely film, ranking with the best of Disney's animated features while taking on rather serious issues of war, honor, gender roles and family pride," wrote Moira MacDonald for The Seattle Times.

    16 (tie). "Bambi" (1942)
    Bambi

    Rotten Tomatoes score: 91%

    "Bambi" is a straightforward story about a young deer growing up in the forest and learning how to protect the forest creatures from hunters known only as Man.

    But this film's lasting legacy is the death of Bambi's mother, which remains tear-inducing to this day, even 82 years later.

    The New York Times' Theodore Strauss wrote, "In colors that would surprise even the spectrum itself, Disney's cartoon craftsmen have re-created a woodland that shimmers and glows and darkens altogether magically."

    16 (tie). "Lady and the Tramp" (1955)
    Lady and the Tramp

    Rotten Tomatoes score: 91%

    "Lady and the Tramp" is another Disney film that now comes with a disclaimer due to the problematic nature of its two Siamese cats, Si and Am.

    If you're able to move past that, though, "Lady and the Tramp" is simple and sweet. Lady is a dog who's barely left her house, but due to a misunderstanding, she ends up on the street and meets the stray Tramp.

    Their spaghetti kiss is still being referenced to this day.

    "The quintessential American love story — the one between the spoiled heiress and the spontaneous, fun-loving guy from the wrong side of the tracks — has seldom been more elegantly and entertainingly told," wrote The Chicago Tribune's Dave Kehr.

    13 (tie). "The Little Mermaid" (1989)
    The Little Mermaid

    Rotten Tomatoes score: 92%

    Disney went through a rough period in the '70 and '80s — when "The Little Mermaid" was released in 1989, it was a return to form for the studio. It's a classic love story with beloved songs like "Part of Your World," "Under the Sea," and "Kiss the Girl."

    "'The Little Mermaid' — impudent, grandiose, a multilevel crowd-pleaser — almost returns the Disney animated features to their glory traditions of the '30s and '40s," wrote the Los Angeles Times' Michael Wilmington.

    13 (tie). "Encanto" (2021)
    Encanto

    Rotten Tomatoes score: 92%

    "Encanto" is about the Madrigal family, who each receives a magical power when they turn 5 — all except Mirabel, who was mysteriously skipped over. When the magic in their home starts failing, Mirabel makes it her mission to save her family, powers or not.

    "You will be humming 'Welcome to the Family Madrigal' — expositional but infectious — all the way home. The characters are infectious, too, and well-drawn, enriching 'Encanto's' world with gifts that extend far beyond their bestowed powers," wrote Time Out's Whelan Barzey.

    13 (tie). "The Lion King" (1994)
    The Lion King

    Rotten Tomatoes score: 92%

    "The Lion King" combined breathtaking visuals, amazing songs composed by Elton John, Tim Rice, and Hans Zimmer, and an epic coming-of-age story to cruise to $978 million at the box office.

    Jay Carr wrote in The Boston Globe, "Make no mistake, the magnitude of the achievement here far outweighs any shortcomings. 'The Lion King' is both populist blockbuster and royal treat."

    11 (tie). "Raya and the Last Dragon" (2021)
    Raya and the Last Dragon

    Rotten Tomatoes score: 93%

    Kelly Marie Tran stars as Raya, a young woman who goes on a quest to find the last dragon to reunite her fractured country, Kumandra.

    "As an overall throwback, and as a return to the streamlined storytelling upon which Disney built its supremacy, 'Raya and the Last Dragon' is a welcome expansion of the Disney universe," wrote Pajiba's Roxana Hadadi.

    11 (tie). "Zootopia 2" (2025)
    zootopia 2
    "Zootopia 2."

    Rotten Tomatoes score: 93%

    Viewers return to the animal city of Zootopia in this sequel … but this time, there are snakes.

    Judy (Ginnifer Goodwin) and Nick (Jason Bateman) team up on a case to prove that reptiles don't deserve the reputation that precedes them with the citizens of Zootopia.

    "'Zootopia 2' ventures into new territory without losing its emotional footing. It shows us how trust and cooperation often hinge on small, brave choices made over and over again," wrote the San Francisco Chronicle's Zaki Hasan.

    7 (tie). "Beauty and the Beast" (1991)
    Beauty and the Beast

    Rotten Tomatoes score: 95%

    "Beauty and the Beast" is based on, well, a tale as old as time: a French fairy tale from the 1700s. In it, Belle is taken hostage by a prince-turned-beast who lives in a castle filled with talking furniture.

    When you take it out of context, as with many animated films, it's … weird. But songs like "Be Our Guest," "Beauty and the Beast," "Gaston," and "Belle" are all-time favorites. And the Academy agreed — it was the first animated movie to ever be nominated for best picture.

    "The set pieces are narcotically pleasing, especially the Busby Berkeley-style dancing-kitchenware spectacular, 'Be Our Guest,' and the romantic ballroom centerpiece that brings Beauty and her Beast together," wrote Lisa Schwarzbaum for Entertainment Weekly.

    7 (tie). "Dumbo" (1941)
    Dumbo

    Rotten Tomatoes score: 95%

    "Dumbo" has some problematic elements, including a flock of stereotypical crows — one of whom was originally named Jim Crow — a drunk baby elephant, and "Song of the Roustabouts."

    But Dumbo's design makes him one of the cutest characters in the Disney canon, and "Baby Mine" is a tearjerker.

    "Perfection, thy name is Dumbo," wrote Slant Magazine's Rob Humanick.

    7 (tie). "Moana" (2016)
    Moana

    Rotten Tomatoes score: 95%

    "Moana" is another modern Disney princess film that eschews a love story for a story of personal growth. Moana ventures out to the sea to save her island and, along the way, learns that she's capable of leading her people and exploring the open ocean.

    Victoria Luxford called "Moana" "great fun" and "a traditional Disney Princess film but with a little more depth to it, being about personal discovery and bravery" for BBC CWR.

    7 (tie). "Cinderella" (1950)
    Cinderella

    Rotten Tomatoes score: 95%

    "Cinderella" is one of the most frequently adapted fairy tales of all time, but Disney's animated version of the rags-to-riches story is the most beloved. And it's been said that Cinderella's transformation was one of Walt Disney's favorite pieces of animation.

    "The musical numbers woven into the fantasy are generally solid, with at least two or three likely hit tunes standing out in the half-dozen songs," Variety wrote in 1949.

    6 "Aladdin" (1992)
    Aladdin

    Rotten Tomatoes score: 96%

    "Aladdin" is anchored by the iconic voiceover performance by Robin Williams as the Genie. But there's lots of other stuff to love, like Princess Jasmine and her pet tiger Rajah, the bumbling Sultan, and the sweet "street rat" Aladdin.

    While its depiction of the Middle East has been criticized, as the BBC noted, "Aladdin" remains one of the most loved Disney films of the last 40 years.

    "The magical, the mystical, the mysterious — all those powers that lurk within movies but are rarely tapped are unleashed in Disney's latest magnificent animation, 'Aladdin,'" wrote Duane Byrge for The Hollywood Reporter.

    5. "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" (1937)
    Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

    Rotten Tomatoes score: 97%

    Almost 90 years later, the tale of Snow White, her seven dwarf friends, the Evil Queen, the Huntsman, and her handsome (unnamed) prince, remains the blueprint — it was the first Disney movie, after all.

    "It was the dearest picture I have ever seen. The characters were so sweet that I just wanted to hug them," wrote the Miami Herald's Elizabeth Hemphill.

    3 (tie). "One Hundred and One Dalmatians" (1961)
    One Hundred and One Dalmatians

    Rotten Tomatoes score: 98%

    This movie did more for Dalmatians than any best-in-show title could — and its villain, the puppy-napping, fur-obsessed Cruella de Vil, is still one of Disney's best-known villains.

    "Among the many contributions of Disney and his team to the cinema, this is perhaps the strangest: they have made us watch with heart in mouth the adventures of beings who exist only as the projection of photographs and colored drawings," wrote Dilys Powell for the Sunday Times.

    3 (tie). "Zootopia" (2016)
    A cartoon fox and rabbit in Zootopia. The fox is wearing a shirt and tie, and the rabbit is in police uniform.

    Rotten Tomatoes score: 98%

    "Zootopia" takes place in a world without humans, where anthropomorphic mammals have built their own society, complete with laws, organized crime, and tax evaders like Nick Wilde (a fox voiced by Jason Bateman).

    "The fictional universe it presents — a human-free world where mammals have evolved into a bustling, civilized society — is vividly realized, richly detailed, and very funny," wrote John Nugent for Empire.

    1 (tie). "The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh" (1977)
    The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh

    Rotten Tomatoes score: 100%

    "The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh" is three shorts starring Pooh as he combats a blustery day, bees, Heffalumps, and Tigger's inability to stop bouncing.

    "You'll enjoy reuniting with childhood friends, and for the next-generation fans of The Book of Pooh, this batch of honey couldn't be sweeter," wrote Entertainment Weekly's Dalton Ross.

    1 (tie). "Pinocchio" (1940)
    Pinocchio

    Rotten Tomatoes score: 100%

    "Pinocchio" is based on an Italian children's story from 1883. It's a heartwarming (if a bit creepy) story of a wooden puppet who comes to life after its creator, Gepetto, wishes upon a star.

    Why has "Pinocchio" remained at the top of the pack? Well, "When You Wish Upon a Star" is Disney's official theme, distilling everything we love about Disney movies into a 3-minute and 15-second song.

    Otis Ferguson wrote in The New Republic that "Pinocchio" is "a delight and at times will take your breath away, for the limits of the animated cartoon have been blown so wide open that some of the original wonder of pictures — wonder and terror too, as when that train roared up into the camera — is restored."

    Read the original article on Business Insider
  • Amplitude CEO says Sam Altman is the ‘best salesperson of this generation, bar none’

    Sam Altman listens during an event at the White House
    OpenAI CEO Sam Altman

    • Amplitude CEO Spenser Skates praised Sam Altman's ability to get people to rally behind a "very ambitious vision."
    • While executives bought into the AI boom, some engineers were skeptical of AI tools, Skates said on the "Lightcone Podcast."
    • Skates later told Business Insider that Amplitude leaders used AI tools like Cursor to "lead from the front."

    Executives worldwide are developing expansive, costly AI initiatives. Amplitude CEO Spenser Skates says a lot of the industry's buy-in is thanks to Sam Altman.

    Skates cofounded the publicly traded analytics company, which he said has about 800 employees. On the "Lightcone Podcast," Skates acknowledged that some engineers were skeptical of their company leaders' rapid adoption of AI.

    While it may sound "extraordinarily reductive," Skates credited the OpenAI CEO.

    "I think Sam Altman is the best salesperson of this generation, bar none," Skates said. "I think he has done an exceptional job stating a very ambitious vision, getting a lot of people rallied behind it."

    Thanks to Altman's pitch, "investors already bought in, executives are bought in, world leaders are bought in," he said.

    In an email to Business Insider, Skates doubled down on that view.

    "Sam has gotten companies to invest $1.5 trillion in AI this year while the corresponding revenue is in the tens of billions. Almost 100x ahead of where revenues are at," he wrote. "It's incredible."

    Skates also wrote that Y Combinator cofounder Paul Graham explained it "better than I ever could."

    In a 2009 blog post, Graham wrote of Altman: "There are a few people with such force of will that they're going to get whatever they want."

    Skates is one of many tech leaders to marvel at Altman's speed and salesmanship. Box CEO Aaron Levie told Business Insider that he was "one of the most ambitious founders out there."

    "I can't imagine moving the speed that they're moving," AutoUnify CEO Joel Milne previously told Business Insider.

    Others have been more critical. Friend-turned-foe Elon Musk often throws jabs Altman's way. Alexis Ohanian said he had a bad feeling about the "cunning" Altman's ask to scrape Reddit in the mid-2010s.

    On the podcast, Skates said that — after Altman's impressive sales pitch — the tech is still racing to meet its stated potential.

    "The reality is the capabilities are still trying to catch up," Skates said. "You have a lot of desire for this thing to happen, but it's not clear if the capabilities are there yet."

    Skates used his own company as an example. Some engineers were initially frustrated by what they thought of as "grifting" in AI, he said. They started to change their minds last year, he added, after seeing the potential to transform the analytics business.

    In his email to Business Insider, Skates explained how he convinced these skeptical engineers to use AI tools.

    "We actually had a bunch of leaders at Amplitude use Cursor and other tools themselves, and then show the rest of the organization by example," he wrote. "You have to lead from the front!"

    Read the original article on Business Insider
  • My family just stayed at our first all-inclusive resort. I really, really wish we’d done it sooner.

    People in lazy river surrounded by palm tr
    My whole family enjoyed our first experience at a big all-inclusive resort, and we'd definitely stay at another.

    • I didn't think I'd enjoy all-inclusive resorts until my family's first stay at one changed my mind.
    • I liked not having to make meal reservations, research activities, or navigate new places each day.
    • My teens were independent and met other kids, plus all-inclusive meant they didn't ask me for money.

    I'll admit I'm a bit of a travel snob and have always avoided big all-inclusive resorts.

    I assumed they'd be packed with people getting drunk on all-you-can-sip cocktails by 10 a.m. and crowding over buffets of subpar food.

    However, when my family needed a hotel for a few days in Montego Bay, a large all-inclusive resort was my only option.

    After staying at the Dreams Rose Hall Resort & Spa, my husband, sons (ages 13 and 16), and I all agreed: All-inclusives can be pretty great, and we wish we'd stayed at one sooner.

    Decision fatigue basically disappears at an all-inclusive

    Lounge chairs in sand among palm tree
    It was nice to have a select few choices for where to eat and hang out on the property.

    All of our meals and activities were steps away from our accomodations, so I didn't have to spend time researching where to go or mapping out routes to get there.

    Ample quick-service options, such as jerk-chicken huts and well-staffed bars, meant more time having fun and less time researching restaurants and securing reservations.

    With pools, beaches, and a variety of eateries nearby, we didn't have to plan our day or negotiate with our kids over meal times and activities.

    If one child is hungry but parents need a caffeine fix, no problem.

    Though having limited choices was refreshing at times, I was admittedly skeptical about the resort's preplanned activities. The thought of scheduled "nightly entertainment" initially gave me hives.

    However, after dinner, my whole family hung out to watch everything from a PG dance-off (Matty from New Jersey won with his enthusiastic but uncoordinated twerking) to a performance by a unicyclist-contortionist.

    We rarely stayed for the entirety of these shows, but they kept us together, off our phones, and laughing each night, which is a win in my book.

    My kids got more independence — and I got peace

    Large pool with chairs, umbrellas, palm trees around it
    As long as my teens stayed on the property, I didn't feel the need to worry about their location.

    Since the resort felt like a bit of a secure bubble, I was comfortable allowing my teens to be extra independent and hang out without my husband and me.

    They loved choosing how to spend their day, and we avoided the usual family debates over whether to go to the beach or one of the property's pools by splitting up.

    The all-inclusive's lazy river, waterslides, and multiple swimming areas kept my boys entertained for hours. They also met a bunch of other teens to hang out with.

    As long as our kids were on the property, I didn't feel worried about where they were or what they were spending.

    They could roam safely and grab a virgin piña colada at the swim-up bar … and I never received texts requesting money because everything was already paid for.

    The food was a nice surprise

    Mangoes restaurant with JAmaican flag, umbrellas, palm trees around it
    My family had numerous options for dining on the property.

    I had braced myself for soggy salads and buffets with gelatinous sauces, but was pleasantly surprised by the food options at our resort, which ranged from formal sit-down restaurants to international buffets.

    Most of our meals weren't exactly fine dining, but they didn't have to be. I wanted local flavor, and the Jamaican buffet delivered with curried goat and grilled jackfruit. My kids were also more adventurous eaters than usual since they could try a few bites without committing to an entire plate.

    Breakfast was easy, too. Teenagers notoriously sleep late, so my husband and I would bring plates of waffles and bacon back to the room, thus eliminating any stress about missing breakfast.

    All-inclusive resorts can be great for families and groups, and we'd definitely stay at one again

    Lazy river surrounded by palm trees
    Staying in an all-inclusive resort was so easy that I'd definitely consider it again when we need to switch off our brains a bit.

    Honestly, my biggest complaint is that I wish my family had gone to an all-inclusive sooner.

    These types of resorts commonly offer reduced rates for children (usually under 12 or 13) and some even allow kids below a certain age to stay for free.

    Our nightly rate was $724 for one room with two queen beds. If my kids had been younger, it would've been about $571 a night. Still, our stay was well worth the price we paid.

    If you're a family with ravenous teenagers or picky toddlers, a large all-inclusive resort can be surprisingly relaxing, with built-in value, easy food options, and just enough structure to make everyone happy.

    All-inclusives are also ideal for taking small risks, whether it's trying curried goat for the first time or hopping on a Hobie Cat when you've never sailed before.

    After all, you may as well get your money's worth.

    Read the original article on Business Insider
  • I moved my 88-year-old dad into my apartment complex. His apartment is visible from my window, so I can keep an eye on him.

    An older man is standing in front of a painting with a younger woman
    Deidre Catucci, with her father, William

    • Deirdre Catucci's father found his large home too quiet and empty after the 2020 death of his wife.
    • Catucci moved him into a unit inside her apartment building so she could keep a closer eye on him.
    • Her son lives with her, and his older brother rents a studio right next door to his granddad.

    This story is based on a conversation with retired social media specialist Deirdre Catucci, 63, of West Harrison, New York, who cares for her father, William, and volunteers in her community. It has been edited for length and clarity.

    It takes a matter of minutes for me to walk from my apartment to Dad's because we live on different floors of the same building.

    He's extremely independent at 88 — our family calls him our "super ager" — but we know that he will rely on us a lot more as time goes by.

    In 2020, when my 82-year-old mother reached the end of her life due to cancer, I said to her, "Mom, I've got Dad." Her face told me all I needed to know. She felt reassured that she was leaving her husband in safe and loving hands.

    Dad was a very hands-on father when we were young

    I've always been close to my dad. He had a demanding job as an executive at AT&T and a professorship at Fordham University, but he made a lot of time for me, my two brothers, and my two sisters.

    We did everything as a family when we were younger. Dad insisted that you couldn't take five kids to five different places.

    A woman and her father at a theater show
    Catucci and her father at a Broadway show. They are keen theater goers.

    We'd all watch my brother's basketball games. If we went to a Broadway show, Dad would buy standing tickets for all seven of us. We might have been standing behind a pole, but those were our formative years, and he wanted to encourage our love of theater.

    He continued to support us as we got older, especially during my divorce 15 years ago, and doted on his 14 grandchildren. His first great-grandchild was born only last week.

    I tried to visit Dad as often as I could

    I couldn't help notice the change in his personality after Mom died. They'd met as teenagers at a high school dance and were married for 62 years. He would sit in one room of their big house, and it was lonely and empty without his wife around.

    My home was a 40-minute drive away, and I tried to visit as often as I could. However, I was working full-time and had to look out for my sons, Robert and Daniel, now 38 and 23.

    A young couple at a dance
    Catucci's mother and father met at a dance

    If I spent two hours a day with Dad, it was just a drop in the bucket of attention and stimulation that he needed and deserved.

    In March 2021, I moved to a new apartment building 10 miles from my old house. Daniel shared my two-bedroom, and Robert rented a studio in the same building.

    He fell in love with the building where I lived

    But a key member of our family was missing — Dad.

    One day, I showed him around the complex, and he was impressed. "I would love you to live here," I said. He didn't say anything, so I said, "Well, let's think about it."

    Then, after a few minutes, he replied, "OK, what's not to love?"

    Dad moved into his two-bedroom in July. His second bedroom serves as his office.

    A senior sitting in an armchair
    William Catucci in his apartment.

    It didn't take long for us to realize we'd done the right thing. Dad made friends with the fellow residents. He always has time for them and vice versa.

    His mind is sharp, and he has an ongoing thirst for knowledge. He reads two separate newspapers every day and loves to learn and impart wisdom and knowledge to other people. He chats away when he's playing pool.

    He treats himself now and again

    A veteran in the Army who served in South Korea, he's incredibly fit for his age. He spends 45 minutes in the gym every day, cycling and lifting weights. He watches his diet and is careful not to overeat.

    But he indulges himself with a bowl of ice cream. He says it's essential to treat yourself occasionally.

    A grandfather teaches his granddaughter how to play pool.
    William Catucci shoots pool with one of his grandchildren.

    I try not to crowd Dad, but I constantly keep an eye out for him. I can see the window of his apartment from my place, as well as his TV in his living room. He and Robert actually share a wall.

    However, our time together revolves around meals. I'll bring him lunch when I can, but cook his dinners every evening, depending on whether we go out. I'll buy groceries, drop them off at his apartment, and then return to prepare the meal. The conversation is always intelligent and lively.

    Dad needs a certain amount of help

    Robert and Daniel often join us for dinner. My siblings visit regularly. This summer, a sister and brother took turns staying with Dad while Daniel and I vacationed in Italy.

    As self-sufficient as he is, our dad needs a certain amount of help, and we try to make his life easier as he gets older. I fill in his monthly calendar so he can keep track of his appointments. I have also stuck a magnetic pill container on his refrigerator, allowing him easy access to his medication and vitamins.

    A senior sits on an armchair as his family looks on
    Catucci with her father and two sons in the lobby of their shared apartment building.

    We plan to keep Dad in his apartment as long as possible. I've told him that I'll always take care of him.

    I think of the kindness and leadership Dad showed to his family, as well as the strong decisions he made.

    There are a lot of misconceptions about ageing in this world. Dad proves them wrong. I'm determined that he will maintain the dignity that he has held all his life.

    Read the original article on Business Insider
  • Taylor Swift’s ‘The Life of a Showgirl’ is one of her biggest albums on the Billboard 200. Here’s how her others rank.

    Taylor Swift wearing a silver metallic outfit, performing "I Can Do It With a Broken Heart" on the Eras Tour stage.
    Taylor Swift performs during The Eras Tour in Dublin.

    • Taylor Swift's "The Life of a Showgirl" spent seven consecutive weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard 200.
    • It tied "Red" as her fourth-longest reign atop the chart.
    • "The Tortured Poets Department" holds the record in Swift's catalog with 17 weeks at No. 1.

    Taylor Swift gave us fair warning in her newest album: "I'm married to the hustle."

    Swift's 12th studio album, "The Life of a Showgirl," not only broke the record for the biggest sales week ever, but it also continued to amass sales and streams in the US for nearly two months after its release.

    "Showgirl" fell to No. 3 on the Billboard 200 after spending seven consecutive weeks atop the chart.

    The impressive tally comes just one year after Swift set a personal-best chart record with "The Tortured Poets Department." Keep reading for a ranking of her 16 studio albums (including both originals and rerecords) based on their Billboard 200 performances.

    9. "Taylor Swift"
    Taylor Swift debut album cover
    Taylor Swift's debut album, "Taylor Swift," was released in 2006.

    Billboard 200 peak: No. 5

    Swift's self-titled debut is the only studio album in her catalog that hasn't reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200.

    "Taylor Swift" debuted at No. 19 and scaled the chart for more than a year, peaking at No. 5 in 2008.

    8 (tie). "Lover"
    Taylor Swift Lover album cover
    Taylor Swift's seventh album, "Lover," was released in 2019.

    Billboard 200 peak: No. 1 for one week

    Swift's seventh studio album was the first one that she owned outright, thanks to her new label contract with UMG.

    "Lover" was promoted by several singles, including "You Need to Calm Down," "The Archer," and "The Man." Four years later, once Swift kicked off The Eras Tour, "Cruel Summer" climbed to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and remained there for four weeks, becoming the album's biggest hit.

    8 (tie). "Red (Taylor's Version)"
    Taylor Swift Red (Taylor's Version)
    The cover art for "Red (Taylor's Version)" was photographed by Beth Garrabrant.

    Billboard 200 peak: No. 1 for one week

    The extended tracklist for "Red (Taylor's Version)" included the storied extended cut of "All Too Well," a longtime fan-favorite song in Swift's catalog.

    "All Too Well (10 Minute Version)" was released alongside a short film directed by Swift and promoted by a convention-breaking performance on "Saturday Night Live." It became the longest song to reach No. 1 in the history of the Hot 100.

    7 (tie). "Fearless (Taylor's Version)"
    taylor swift fearless taylors version album cover
    "Fearless (Taylor's Version)" was released in 2021.

    Billboard 200 peak: No. 1 for two weeks

    "Fearless" was the first rerecorded album that Swift ever released.

    The "Taylor's Version" series was inspired by the sale of Swift's masters to Scooter Braun in 2019, which she described as her "worst case scenario" in a passionate open letter. Swift decided to remake and rerelease her first six albums in a bid to reclaim ownership of her life's work. (Braun later sold Swift's masters to a private-equity company.)

    In addition to faithfully recreating each tracklist, Swift decided to add never-before-heard songs "from the vault" that were written during the album's original creative process but cut from the final product.

    "I've spoken a lot about why I'm remaking my first six albums, but the way I've chosen to do this will hopefully help illuminate where I'm coming from," Swift explained. "Artists should own their own work for so many reasons, but the most screamingly obvious one is that the artist is the only one who really knows that body of work."

    "For example, only I know which songs I wrote that almost made the 'Fearless' album," she continued. "Songs I absolutely adored, but were held back for different reasons."

    Many were skeptical that the "Taylor's Version" project would be embraced by fans, let alone achieve commercial success.

    Those skeptics were forced to eat their words when "Fearless (Taylor's Version)" began to outpace the original on streaming platforms. According to Billboard, "Fearless (Taylor's Version)" earned more equivalent album sales in its first week of release than "Fearless" earned over the entire next year.

    Four years later, in May 2025, Swift announced that she bought back her masters from Shamrock Capital, giving her complete control over her musical catalog and rendering her "Taylor's Version" project moot.

    7 (tie). "Speak Now (Taylor's Version)"
    taylor swift speak now taylor's version cover
    "Speak Now (Taylor's Version)" was released in 2023.

    Billboard 200 peak: No. 1 for two weeks

    The rerecorded version of Swift's third album featured six songs from the vault, including two duets with Fall Out Boy and Hayley Williams.

    6 (tie). "Reputation"
    taylor swift reputation
    The album cover for "Reputation."

    Billboard 200 peak: No. 1 for four weeks

    "Reputation" arrived after an extended period of silence. Swift's longtime feud with Ye (then known as Kanye West) and Kim Kardashian had reached a fever pitch; in response to a massive social media hate campaign, Swift decamped to London and withdrew from the public eye.

    She returned with a new snake-infested aesthetic and "Look What You Made Me Do," a cheeky lead single that poked fun at her own persona — and quickly shot to No. 1 on the Hot 100.

    Swift also declined to participate in interviews or media appearances while promoting her sixth album. Instead, she relied on a simple tagline: "There will be no further explanation. There will just be reputation."

    6 (tie). "Evermore"
    taylor swift evermore album cover
    Taylor Swift's ninth album, "Evermore," was released in 2020.

    Billboard 200 peak: No. 1 for four weeks

    "Evermore" was surprise-released just five months after Swift's previous album, "Folklore." The two were billed as "sister albums," created under near-identical conditions with the same team of collaborators.

    "To put it plainly, we just couldn't stop writing songs," Swift explained on social media.

    "Evermore" was nominated for album of the year at the 2022 Grammys, but lost to Jon Batiste's "We Are."

    5 (tie). "Speak Now"
    Taylor Swift, Speak Now, original album cover
    Taylor Swift's third album, "Speak Now," was released in 2010.

    Billboard 200 peak: No. 1 for six weeks

    Swift's third album had a lot to live up to, following the blockbuster success of "Fearless."

    In response to skeptics — who questioned whether the teen phenom was relying too heavily on her collaborators — Swift decided to write "Speak Now" entirely by herself. She is the only songwriter credited on the standard tracklist.

    5 (tie). "Midnights"
    taylor swift midnights album cover
    Taylor Swift's 10th album, "Midnights," was released in 2022.

    Billboard 200 peak: No. 1 for six weeks

    Swift's 10th studio album sold over 1 million copies in its debut week, the first to cross that seven-figure threshold since Swift's own "Reputation." (She has now achieved the feat on eight different occasions.)

    "Midnights" also won album of the year at the Grammys, joining "Fearless," "1989," and "Folklore" in the prestigious group of victors. Swift is the only artist in history to win album of the year four times.

    5 (tie). "1989 (Taylor's Version)"
    taylor swift 1989 album cover
    "1989 (Taylor's Version)" will be released on October 27, 2023.

    Billboard 200 peak: No. 1 for six weeks

    The rerecorded version of "1989" was released nine years after the original. Swift added five vault songs to the tracklist, including the fan-favorite closer "Is It Over Now?"

    4 (tie). "Red"
    taylor swift red album cover
    Taylor Swift's fourth album, "Red," was released in 2012.

    Billboard 200 peak: No. 1 for seven weeks

    "Red" is Swift's fourth studio album. It featured a mishmash of Max Martin-produced pop bangers ("We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together," "I Knew You Were Trouble") and country-rock breakup anthems ("State of Grace," "Holy Ground").

    4 (tie). "The Life of a Showgirl"
    Taylor Swift The Life of a Showgirl standard edition album cover
    Taylor Swift's 12th album, "The Life of a Showgirl," was released on October 3, 2025.

    Billboard 200 peak: No. 1 for seven weeks

    Cowritten and co-produced with Max Martin and Shellback, "The Life of a Showgirl" was described by Swift as a snapshot of "everything that was going on behind the curtain" during the Eras Tour.

    The album's seven-week reign at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 brought Swift's total sum atop the chart to 93, extending her record among solo artists.

    Since the Billboard 200 was launched in 1956, only The Beatles have logged more weeks at No. 1 than Swift.

    3. "Folklore"
    taylor swift folklore album cover
    Taylor Swift's new album cover and additional promo photos were taken by Beth Garrabrant.

    Billboard 200 peak: No. 1 for eight weeks

    "Folklore" marked a sonic departure for Swift, stripping down her favored synth-pop production to reveal introspective reflections and intricate narratives.

    The pandemic-era album was co-produced by Swift, Jack Antonoff, and Aaron Dessner of The National. It received rave reviews from critics and is widely considered her best work to date.

    2 (tie). "Fearless"
    Taylor Swift Fearless original album cover
    Taylor Swift's sophomore album, "Fearless," was released in 2008.

    Billboard 200 peak: No. 1 for 11 weeks

    Swift's sophomore effort had the longest run at No. 1 of any album in the 2000s. "Fearless" has since been certified diamond by the RIAA.

    2 (tie). "1989"
    taylor swift 1989 album cover
    "1989" was released on October 27, 2014.

    Billboard 200 peak: No. 1 for 11 weeks

    Swift's fifth album marked her official pivot from country to pop music, a move that Swift said she had to "really fight — and I mean aggressively fight — to have happen."

    In addition to its double-digit streak atop the Billboard 200, "1989" yielded several hit singles on the Hot 100, including "Shake It Off," "Blank Space," and "Bad Blood."

    1. "The Tortured Poets Department"
    taylor swift the tortured poets department deluxe album cover
    Taylor Swift's 11th album, "The Tortured Poets Department," was released in 2024.

    Billboard 200 peak: No. 1 for 17 weeks

    Swift's 11th studio album, "The Tortured Poets Department," did not leave the No. 1 slot for 12 straight weeks after its debut in April 2024, fending off new releases from stars like Dua Lipa, Billie Eilish, and Zach Bryan.

    The uninterrupted reign of "Poets" was rare for a streaming-era release. It became the first album ever by a female artist to spend its first 12 weeks atop the chart, surpassing a record previously held by Whitney Houston's 1987 blockbuster "Whitney." (The all-time record for a consecutive streak among women is held by Carole King's "Tapestry," which spent 15 weeks at No. 1 in 1971.)

    Swift briefly yielded the top spot to Eminem and Stray Kids before "Poets" notched 13th, 14th, and 15th consecutive weeks atop the chart.

    The album eventually fell to lower positions, but then in December of that same year, it returned for two more weeks at No. 1 after Swift released physical versions of the album's deluxe version, "The Anthology," for Black Friday.

    Read the original article on Business Insider
  • Altimeter Capital CEO said his and Michael Dell’s ‘phones were blowing up’ after the ‘Trump Accounts’ donation

    Michael Dell, Susan Dell, and Brad Gerstner
    Gerstner said he expects more philanthropists and companies to announce donations.

    • Brad Gerstner helped spearhead "Trump Accounts" and said he worked with the Dells on their donation.
    • The Altimeter Capital CEO expects a "steady drumbeat" of other donations by companies and philanthropists.
    • Other CEOs have pledged to match investments in the accounts of their employees' children.

    Michael and Susan Dell's blockbuster donation may be the first of many.

    Brad Gerstner, the CEO of technology-focused investment firm Altimeter Capital, told Business Insider that he helped coordinate the Dells' gift, and anticipates that a stream of other business leaders will follow in their footsteps.

    On Tuesday, the Dells pledged to invest $250 into the accounts of 25 million American kids, totalling a $6.25 billion donation from their charitable fund. The couple partnered with the Invest America initiative, a federal program better known as "Trump Accounts," which plans to give $1,000 to eligible newborns. Gerstner helped spearhead the effort.

    "This is the first time that the whole idea officially entered the American zeitgeist. You can imagine, both of our phones were blowing up, and lots of people were excited," Gerstner said about the day of the Dells' donation. He added that both he and Michael Dell have had conversations with prominent business leaders about the program ahead of its official launch on July 4, 2026.

    "I expect you'll hear a steady drumbeat of announcements, not only by philanthropists, but by companies," he said.

    Under the Trump Accounts program, the administration plans to provide a one-time $1,000 federal grant to US citizens born between 2025 and 2028. Others can contribute up to an additional $5,000 tax-free to those accounts every year. Gerstner said he's been talking with the Dells, and other philanthropists and companies, about the program for years, and that direct giving has always been a "critical part of the mission."

    The Dells' donation will benefit an additional 25 million children born between 2016 and 2025 who live in a ZIP code with a median household income of $150,000 or less. Parents of those children will need to open a Trump Account to automatically get a donation from the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation, the Dells told CNBC.

    As part of the Invest America CEO Council, 21 business leaders, including Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon and Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, have committed to contributing funds to the accounts of their employees' children, according to the Invest America website.

    Gerstner said the accounts could function like 401Ks. He thinks the capability for companies to match donations will be "built in" by the program's launch. He began raising the idea for the accounts during former President Joe Biden's administration, but only got it off the ground when President Donald Trump returned to office.

    "The Biden administration was a lot more traditional," he said. "The Trump administration is much more entrepreneurial and much more accessible, but I think it ultimately starts with a great idea."

    Read the original article on Business Insider
  • The stars of ‘Stranger Things,’ ranked by success

    Finn Wolfhard, Noah Schnapp, Sadie Sink, Caleb McLaughlin, Millie Bobby Brown, and Gaten Matarazzo attend Netflix's "Stranger Things" Season 5 World Premiere at TCL Chinese 6 Theatres on November 06, 2025 in Hollywood, California.
    Finn Wolfhard, Noah Schnapp, Sadie Sink, Caleb McLaughlin, Millie Bobby Brown, and Gaten Matarazzo.

    • "Stranger Things" finally returned for its fifth and final season in November.
    • When the show began almost 10 years ago, many of its stars were unknown child actors.
    • Now, the kids of "Stranger Things" are adults and making moves in Hollywood and beyond.

    Think back to July 2016: A new show just dropped on Netflix that combined the '80s nostalgia of "The Goonies" and Steven Spielberg movies with state-of-the-art special effects and a cast of talented young kids no one had seen before.

    That show, of course, was "Stranger Things," which became a full-blown phenomenon for the streamer — and turned the cast of unknown kids into A-listers almost overnight.

    Not all of them have become huge outside "Stranger Things." Millie Bobby Brown, Sadie Sink, and Joe Keery have all parlayed their success from the show into other things, including other franchises, musical careers, and even a Tony nomination. But some of the other actors have remained low-key, only appearing in indie movies or concentrating on their education.

    We looked at post-show résumés, social media followings, non-show business side projects, and general fame level to evaluate who the most successful "Stranger Things" child star is.

    While we celebrate (and dissect beyond belief) the first batch of episodes from season five, here's how we rank the child stars of "Stranger Things" by success.

    14. Priah Ferguson
    Priah Ferguson attends the "Stranger Things 5" UK Special Screening at Odeon Luxe Leicester Square on November 13, 2025
    Priah Ferguson in November 2025.

    Ferguson, who plays Lucas' sassy (and almost always correct) little sister Erica Sinclair, is the youngest member of the main cast at 19. She was 11 when she joined "Stranger Things" in season two.

    Impressively, while she was shooting the show, she was also balancing her studies — she graduated from high school this year. She wrote to her 3.7 million Instagram followers that "balancing an adult career — on and off screen" while maintaining an above-average GPA at her public high school was a "unique journey."

    Besides playing Erica, Ferguson had roles in the films "The Oath" and "The Curse of Bridge Hollow" (another Netflix joint). She's also had voice roles in animated series "Hamster & Gretel" and "My Dad the Bounty Hunter."

    Now she's done with school and has more time to focus on her career, we expect Ferguson will appear in more scene-stealing roles. In fact, she already booked a role in the coming Jean-Michel Basquiat biopic "Samo Lives."

    13. Charlie Heaton
    Charlie Heaton attends the "Stranger Things 5" UK Special Screening at Odeon Luxe Leicester Square on November 13, 2025
    Charlie Heaton in November 2025.

    Heaton, 31, plays Jonathan Byers, Will's devoted older brother who will do anything to help Will and his mom. He was 22 when the show began, playing a high school sophomore.

    The British actor hasn't done much outside the show. He was in the calamitous final 20th Century Fox "X-Men" movie, "The New Mutants," in 2020, which essentially doesn't exist. He also starred in the indie movie "No Future," which never had a wide release, and "The Souvenir Part II," which was critically beloved but not a big box-office hit.

    On the TV front, he only appeared in an episode of the 2020 anthology series "Soulmate."

    And while he has 5.5 million followers on Instagram, that number doesn't compare to some of the follower counts of his fellow cast members.

    We'd argue that Heaton's biggest claim to fame is his real-life relationship with Natalia Dyer, his on-screen love interest.

    12. Natalia Dyer
    Natalia Dyer attends the "Stranger Things 5" UK Special Screening at Odeon Luxe Leicester Square on November 13, 2025
    Natalia Dyer in November 2025.

    Speaking of Dyer, 30, she's next up on the list. She plays Nancy Wheeler, Mike's older sister with an investigative streak. Nancy was also involved in a love triangle with her first love, Steve, and Jonathan. She eventually picked Jonathan, but some moments in season four made it seem like a possible "Stancy" reunion is in the cards.

    Dyer, who was 21 when the show began, has the edge on her boyfriend, Heaton. She's appeared in multiple short films during her "Stranger Things" tenure, and had supporting roles in films like "Velvet Buzzsaw" and "Things Heard & Seen" (both Netflix films).

    She also had a lead role in the coming-of-age indie "Yes, God, Yes," released in 2020. But it's been five years, and she hasn't been able to parlay that into more leading roles.

    In 2023, she starred in the first season of the Peacock series "Based on a True Story" alongside Chris Messina and Kaley Cuoco.

    Dyer has slightly more Instagram followers than Heaton as well, at 8 million.

    11. Dacre Montgomery
    Australian actor Dacre Montgomery at the 82 Venice International Film Festival 2025. Dead Man's Wire Photocall. Venice (Italy), September 2nd, 2025
    Dacre Montgomery in September 2025.

    Montgomery was 23 years old when he joined "Stranger Things" in season two as Max's older stepbrother, Billy Hargrove, who made it his personal mission to bully Max, her friends, and even Steve.

    Now 31, Montgomery has been steadily working, but hasn't gotten his true big break. The same year he joined "Stranger Things," he starred in the ill-conceived "Power Rangers" movie as the Red Ranger.

    Since then, he had a small role in "Elvis" and starred in the underrated 2020 rom-com "The Broken Hearts Gallery."

    However, Montgomery has big things coming soon. He has four movies on the docket: "Faces of Death," which costars Barbie Ferreira, Josie Totah, Charli XCX, and Jermaine Fowler; "Dead Man's Wire," which will be directed by Gus Van Sant and costars Bill Skarsgård, Colman Domingo, Myha'la, and Cary Elwes in January 2026; and "The Engagement Party" which will also be Montgomery's directorial debut.

    But since those projects haven't come out yet, he can't be too high on this list.

    The Australian actor has 7.7 million followers on Instagram.

    10. Eduardo Franco
    Eduardo Franco at A24's "Y2K" Los Angeles Premiere at the Fine Arts Theater on December 2, 2024 in Beverly Hills, California.
    Eduardo Franco at A24's "Y2K" Los Angeles Premiere at the Fine Arts Theater on December 2, 2024 in Beverly Hills, California.

    Franco joined the cast in the fourth season of "Stranger Things" as Argyle, Jonathan's stoner best friend in California, though he's missing from the show's final season.

    Before even joining the show, 31-year-old Franco was well on his way to becoming a zillennial "that guy" — he's had recognizable roles in projects like "Booksmart," "Superintelligence," "Self Reliance," "American Vandal," and "Y2K" just last year.

    Franco also has had successful voice roles. He starred in "Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken," and has been playing DJ Catnip on the hit children's show "Gabby's Dollhouse" since 2021. A feature-length "Gabby's Dollhouse" film premiered in October, with Franco reprising his role. He has another voice role in "Goat," which premieres in February 2026.

    He'll be (physically) back on our screens in November 2026 with "Focker In-Law."

    His social media is what takes him down a bit, with 573,000 followers on Instagram.

    8. Noah Schnapp
    Noah Schnapp attends the "Stranger Things 5" UK Special Screening at Odeon Luxe Leicester Square on November 13, 2025
    Noah Schnapp in November 2025.

    Schnapp, 21, has played Will Byers, who was originally taken to the Upside Down (a dark parallel universe) in the show's first episode, since he was 12.

    Pre-"Stranger Things," Schnapp had a small role in "Bridge of Spies" and played Charlie Brown in "The Peanuts Movie."

    Since playing Will, Schnapp had a small role in "Hubie Halloween" (a Netflix movie) and starred in the indie film "Waiting for Anya," both in 2020. In the five years since, he's had just one other role, appearing in the 2023 thriller "The Tutor," which was a flop critically and financially.

    There's a reason for his slowdown in work, though — since 2022, he's attended the University of Pennsylvania. He's also leveraged his fame to become a business owner (he started the company TBH, which is a healthier alternative to spreads like Nutella) and YouTuber. He has 4.53 million subscribers on the site, even though he hasn't posted in years. He also has a huge Instagram presence, with 22.9 million followers.

    Schnapp has mainly been in headlines for his views on the Israel-Hamas conflict. Per Entertainment Weekly, after he made posts that were interpreted as him supporting Zionism in 2023, some fans called for a boycott of season five (which was then in production) or for Schnapp to be fired.

    In a January 2024 TikTok post, he said, "I feel like my thoughts and beliefs have been so far misconstrued from anything even close to what I believe."

    He continued, "I think anyone with any ounce of humanity would hope for an end to the hostility on both sides."

    8. Caleb McLaughlin
    18 November 2025, Berlin: Lead actor Caleb McLaughlin is coming to the fan event for the Netflix series "Stranger Things".
    Caleb McLaughlin in November 2025.

    McLaughlin has played Lucas Sinclair, the more level-headed and skeptical member of the core group, since season one, when he was 15. Now 24, McLaughlin has arguably undergone the biggest transformation — he even has a beard!

    Like many of his costars, McLaughlin has continued to work with Netflix. He appeared in "High Flying Bird" (directed by Steven Soderbergh), "Concrete Cowboy," and "The Deliverance," all Netflix originals.

    He had a role in the 2023 biblical comedy "The Book of Clarence," which was a box-office flop but critically well-liked. He also played former NBA player and current college coach Dru Joyce III in "Shooting Stars," a Peacock film about a young LeBron James.

    "Stranger Things" isn't the only TV show he's done, either. He played Ricky Bell in the BET miniseries "The New Edition Story," and has had voice roles in "Summer Camp Island," "Ultra City Smiths," and "The Boys Presents: Diabolical."

    In 2026, he will voice the lead role in the animated film "Goat."

    There's also a growing movement to cast McLaughlin, who has 13 million Instagram followers, as a live-action Miles Morales.

    7. Gaten Matarazzo
    18 November 2025, Berlin: Lead actor Gaten Matarazzo comes to the fan event of the Netflix series "Stranger Things".
    Gaten Matarazzo in November 2025.

    Matarazzo, 23, plays the lovably geeky Dustin Henderson, who formed a bond with older kids Steve and Eddie. He was 14 when the show began airing.

    Matarazzo has since built himself a very well-rounded career.

    In addition to his movie roles ("Honor Society," "My Father's Dragon," "Please Don't Destroy: The Treasure of Foggy Mountain" and the coming "Animal Farm" remake) and theater roles ("Into the Woods," "Parade," and the original cast of the "Sweeney Todd" revival), Matarazzo has also made himself a TV personality; he executive-produced and hosted the Netflix hidden-camera series "Prank Encounters."

    He also has 16.6 million followers on Instagram.

    6. Maya Hawke
    Maya Hawke attends the Los Angeles premiere of Netflix's "Stranger Things" Season 5 at TCL Chinese 6 Theatres on November 06, 2025
    Maya Hawke in November 2025.

    Hawke, 27, joined the show in season three in 2019, when she was 21. She plays Robin Buckley, originally Steve's coworker at Scoops Ahoy, but soon she becomes his best friend. She's also one of the show's two canonically queer characters, alongside Will.

    Technically, Hawke has been famous since birth, as her parents are Ethan Hawke and Uma Thurman. But 2019 was her breakout year, as she joined "Stranger Things" and appeared in "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood."

    Like the rest of her costars, Hawke has a good relationship with Netflix. She starred in "Fear Street Part One: 1994," "Do Revenge," and "Maestro," all on the streamer.

    Besides that, Hawke appeared in the Wes Anderson film "Asteroid City" and the highest-grossing film of 2024, "Inside Out 2." She voiced a new emotion, Anxiety.

    Next year will be a big one, though. Hawke was announced to be joining the cast of "The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping" as Wiress, originally played by Amanda Plummer in "Catching Fire." She's also costarring with Lewis Pullman in the romcom "Wishful Thinking."

    Hawke has a music career, as well. She's released three albums: "Blush" (2020), "Moss" (2022), and "Chaos Angel" (2024).

    She has 8.9 million followers on Instagram.

    5. Finn Wolfhard
    18 November 2025, Berlin: Lead actor Finn Wolfhard comes to the fan event of the Netflix series "Stranger Things"
    Finn Wolfhard in November 2025.

    Wolfhard, 22, is the show's lead character, Mike Wheeler. He's the one who decides to go looking for Will after he goes missing and forms a special bond with the mysterious girl they meet in the woods. We know the most about his home life, as his sister Nancy is a main character, and we've met his parents and younger sister, as well.

    He began playing Mike when he was 13 years old.

    Wolfhard has two successful franchises to his name. He played young Richie in 2017's "It" (which made $704 million) and 2019's "It Chapter Two" (which made $473 million).

    He also appeared in "Ghostbusters: Afterlife" and "Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire," which each made around $200 million worldwide.

    In 2024, he had a small role in "Saturday Night," and this year, he appeared in the A24 film "The Legend of Ochi." His directorial debut, "Hell of a Summer," premiered this April and made back its budget, per The Numbers.

    Wolfhard has also become a successful voice actor. He voiced Pugsley in the animated "Addams Family" movie, which also made around $200 million (though he was recast for the 2021 sequel), and voiced Candlewick in 2021's "Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio," which went on to win best animated feature at the Academy Awards.

    It's a wonder that Wolfhard also has time for a career as a musician. From 2017 to 2019, he was the lead singer of the band Calpurnia. He then joined the band The Aubreys, which released its debut album in 2021. On June 6, Wolfhard released his debut solo album, "Happy Birthday." He went on a mini-tour to support it during the month.

    He has 22.2 million followers on Instagram.

    4. Joe Keery
    Joe Keery attends the "Stranger Things 5" UK Special Screening at Odeon Luxe Leicester Square on November 13, 2025
    Joe Keery in November 2025.

    At last, we've come to Keery, aka Steve "The Hair" Harrington. Steve began the show as one of the mean popular kids, but has gone through a heartwarming transformation to become a fan favorite. Also, remember that baseball bat with the nails in it? Swoon.

    Keery was 24 when the show started airing, and now he's 33, the oldest of the main "kids" cast.

    His career has taken off since then. He was the lead of the 2020 black comedy/horror film "Spree," starred in "Free Guy" and "Pavements," and has a future film costarring Liam Neeson, Lesley Manville, and Vanessa Redgrave called "Cold Storage."

    He also had a main role in the fifth season of the anthology series "Fargo."

    But where Keery's edge lies is his music. While his costars have semi-successful musical careers, Keery (as his alter ego Djo) has had real success. His song "End of Beginning" was a bona fide hit in 2024, peaking at No. 11 on the Hot 100 chart, and received Billboard Music Award and Brit Award nominations.

    His 2025 album, "The Crux," peaked at No. 10 on the US Rock chart and No. 50 on the Billboard 200. It also received a Grammy nomination. The song "Charlie's Garden " is dedicated to his "Stranger Things" costar and friend Charlie Heaton.

    While Keery doesn't have a personal Instagram, he does have one as Djo, which has 3.3 million followers. He was touring through October 2025.

    3. Sadie Sink
    Sadie Sink attends the "Stranger Things 5" UK Special Screening at Odeon Luxe Leicester Square on November 13, 2025
    Sadie Sink in November 2025.

    Sink, 23, joined "Stranger Things" in season two as Max Mayfield, the new kid in Hawkins and a tomboy able to keep up with Mike and his friends, when she was 14. She eventually develops a close friendship with Eleven and begins dating Lucas in season three.

    Max was one of the biggest parts of season four. A pivotal scene in which she escapes the Upside Down helped bring the 1985 Kate Bush song "Running Up That Hill" back to the top of the charts, peaking at No. 3 on the Hot 100.

    Since joining "Stranger Things," Sink starred in the two Netflix horror films: "Fear Street 1978" and "Fear Street 1666." She also starred in the 2022 Oscar-winning film "The Whale," which earned her a Critics' Choice Award nomination.

    She began starring in the Broadway play "John Proctor Is the Villain" in 2025, which earned her a Tony Award nomination for best actress in a play, and is set to reprise the role in its movie adaptation. She'll return to the theater — though this time in the West End — in a new production of "Romeo & Juliet" with Noah Jupe in 2026.

    Sink has an undisclosed role in next year's film "Spider-Man: Brand New Day," per Deadline.

    Now, we can't talk about Sink without mentioning her role as, essentially, the Taylor Swift self-insert role in "All Too Well: The Short Film," the music video for the 10-minute version of "All Too Well." If Swift picks you to play a fictional version of herself, you know you've made it.

    Sink has 26.2 million followers on Instagram.

    2. Joseph Quinn
    Joseph Quinn attends The 28th British Independent Film Awards at The Roundhouse on November 30, 2025
    Joseph Quinn in November 2025.

    If you were on TikTok in the summer of 2022, it was impossible to miss the sound of Quinn's voice screaming for Chrissy to wake up.

    Quinn, 31, joined the cast in season four as a high school (super) senior named Eddie Munson, a heavy-metal-loving, Dungeons-and-Dragons-playing sweetie who bonds with Dustin.

    Quinn's this high on the list because, in the three years since he was on the show, his career has soared. Since last year, he's been in "A Quiet Place: Day One" (a hit), "Gladiator II" (another hit), "Warfare," and played the Human Torch in "The Fantastic Four: First Steps."

    And that's not all. In addition to reprising his role in "Avengers: Doomsday," he was announced to be playing George Harrison in Sam Mendes' four-part Beatles movie extravaganza.

    Quinn has 5.7 million followers on Instagram — not bad for someone who only joined the app in 2022 to promote "Stranger Things."

    1. Millie Bobby Brown
    Millie Bobby Brown attends the "Stranger Things 5" UK Special Screening at Odeon Luxe Leicester Square on November 13, 2025
    Millie Bobby Brown in November 2025.

    We haven't really mentioned Eleven (as played by Brown) in this ranking, because it's hard to explain her character without sounding a bit out there. But here we go: Eleven is a young girl who escaped from a secret government lab after discovering she has immense psychic powers.

    Brown, 21, was easily the breakout star of the show. During Halloween 2016, that pink dress, blonde wig, fake nosebleed, and Eggo box were unavoidable.

    Brown was just 12 when "Stranger Things" premiered, and received back-to-back Emmy nominations before she was 16.

    Since then, she's appeared in "Godzilla: King of the Monsters" ($387 million worldwide) and "Godzilla vs. Kong" ($470 million worldwide). She's also starred and produced in four Netflix movies ("Enola Holmes," "Enola Holmes 2," "Damsel" and "The Electric State" — three of which were huge hits) and has another "Enola" film and a rom-com called "Just Picture It" costarring Gabriel LaBelle on the way.

    She's proven herself to be a savvy businesswoman. She was reportedly paid $10 million for "Enola Holmes 2," and Brown has founded three successful companies: Florence by Mills Beauty, Florence by Mills Coffee, and Florence by Mills Fashion. Her beauty brand is available at Ulta, while her coffee is on shelves at Walmart.

    Brown also proved just how famous she was when she married Jake Bongiovi (son of Jon Bon Jovi) in 2024, and their wedding made dozens of headlines. They've since adopted a daughter. Yes, "Stranger Things" has been on long enough for Brown to get married and become a mom.

    And in case all that hasn't convinced you, Brown is far and away the most followed person from the cast, with a staggering 66.7 million followers on Instagram.

    Read the original article on Business Insider
  • 59% of young people believe AI poses a threat to their job prospects, according to a new Harvard Youth Poll

    Two young people using phones sitting on stone steps
    The Harvard Youth Poll also found that 52% of people ages 18-29 trust AI to help them complete school or work assignments.

    • Young people are pessimistic about the impact AI will have on their job prospects, per a new poll.
    • 59% of Americans surveyed between 18 and 29 believe AI poses a threat to their job prospects, a new Harvard Youth Poll says.
    • The poll also found that 52% of young people trust AI to help them complete assignments.

    A new poll found that many young people are concerned about how AI will impact their lives.

    59% of Americans surveyed between the ages of 18 and 29 say that they view AI as a threat to their job prospects, according to the Harvard Youth Poll.

    That includes 26% who said AI poses a major threat, while 33% said that it poses a minor threat. Another 23% said that AI poses no threat.

    That's higher than the level of concern about other traditional drivers of job losses: 48% of young people surveyed said that outsourcing poses a threat to their job prospects, while 31% said the same about immigration.

    Still, younger Americans are adopting the technology. 35% of those polled said they regularly use LLMs like ChatGPT and Claude, while 63% said they did not. And 52% said they trusted AI to help them complete work or school assignments.

    The Harvard Youth Poll surveyed 2,040 Americans aged 18 to 29 between November 3 and 7. The margin of error was 2.94%.

    The poll also found pessimism about how AI will impact work itself.

    41% of those surveyed said they expect AI will make work less meaningful in the future, versus just 14% who said it would make work more meaningful.

    Similarly, 44% of young people who participated in the poll said that AI would take away opportunities from them, while just 14% said it would create new opportunities.

    Read the original article on Business Insider