Tesla launched a $450 lightning-shaped bottle of mezcal, its priciest alcohol yet.
The hand-blown bottle, inspired by Oaxaca pottery, features a sleek, black finish.
Previous Tesla alcohol releases include Cyberbeer, GigaBier, and a $250 Tesla Tequila.
Tesla announced its most expensive alcohol yet earlier this month: a $450 lightning-shaped bottle of mezcal.
Announced on June 6, Tesla Mezcal has since sold out, according to the listing.
Tesla's director of product design, Javier Verdura, designed the hand-blown glass bottle, which has a sleek, black finish and draws inspiration from centuries-old pottery traditions in Oaxaca, Mexico, Tesla said on its website.
The liquor has a citrusy scent with notes of lime and green apple, and a smoky finish, according to the listing. It also has some sweeter flavors with finishes of tuberose, jasmine, and chamomile, the website says.
The 750ml bottle costs $450 and draws inspiration from Oaxaca, Mexico.
Tesla
Believe it or not, this is the third limited-release alcohol product that the carmaker has produced — and they've all been pricey.
The EV-maker also released a $250 gold bottle of Tesla Tequila in a lightning-bolt shaped bottle, similarly designed to the latest model. The 750ml bottle came out in 2020, two years after Musk joked about "Teslaquilla" in a tweet.
Tesla Tequila sold out within hours and Tesla released a second batch in March 2021, which also sold out almost immediately. After it sold out, resellers listed empty bottles of the Tesla Tequila for thousands of dollars online.
Tesla Mezcal comes to about $498 after taxes and each customer is limited to two sets. Tesla didn't respond to BI about how many Mezcals have been sold so far.
Now that it's sold out, at least one customer who ordered the liquor is trying to profit off it, listing the empty bottle on eBay for $5,000.
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Lauren Hoselton, a former track-and-field athlete from the University of Mississippi and the founder of Total NIL. The following has been edited for length and clarity.
I am a former track-and-field athlete for the University of Mississippi. In 2021, when new name, image, and likeness rules were implemented for student-athletes, I knew brands wouldn't knock on my door to pay me to show up for a birthday party. Those opportunities usually go to star football and basketball players. So I told myself to get creative and use my entrepreneurial mindset to make money off NIL.
Ole Miss was amazing at helping athletes with opportunities, but NIL was so new that the school didn't really know how much it could do or what it could do. I secured my first NIL deal when our social-enhancement coordinator contacted students about an opportunity with Graduate Hotels. I think I was one of the few people at the school to apply. I got the deal and was paid for my work, including for hosting events like a coffee happy hour at one of the hotel's cafés and when people used my referral code.
From there, I continued to hustle and use platforms such as LinkedIn and the marketplace Opendorse to get NIL deals. I pitched myself to managers in my college town to secure as many brand deals as possible. That year, I secured over 20 sponsorships with brands such as the streaming platform Peacock and the restaurant chain Smoothie King.
NIL also made me think about social media differently. I used to use platforms like Instagram to post cute pictures or for fun. But NIL shifted my mindset to think like a content creator. I became very strategic about what I posted on social media. I tell everyone now, even if you feel silly, make the TikToks. The more engagement you have, the more money you can ask brands for.
Since graduating about two years ago, I've used my experience as a walk-on college athlete to help other student-athletes nationwide navigate brand and sponsorship deals. NIL opened doors for me to go into business for myself and helped me land a full-time job shortly after college.
Building a career in NIL after college
I'm now the vice president of marketing and athlete management at the Grove Collective, an NIL program independent of Ole Miss that raises money from donors and facilitates NIL deals for student-athletes at the university. In my role, I assist about 200 athletes with marketing, social media, and brand partnerships. On a normal day, I look over contracts and help athletes create content and negotiate with brands.
The Grove Collective has raised over $10 million and helped athletes secure deals with Delta Air Lines, the camouflage brand Realtree, and the private-jet-charter company Wheels Up.
Hoselton, a vice president at Grove Collective.
Bill Dabney
After college, I didn't initially think I would work in NIL. I was interviewing for a job in medical sales when NIL opportunities started to come my way. Ole Miss asked me to talk to its incoming freshmen and transfers about the space and how I navigated it. From there, I created a brand called Lauren Hoselton Consulting and began speaking with student-athletes and coaches at other schools.
After I built my consulting business, the University of South Florida wanted to partner with me and I thought, "I have to turn this into something legit." With the help of an extremely successful mentor of mine, we created Total NIL. I still run this business, separate from my work at Grove.
My experience as a student-athlete has helped me do my job better. I know what it's like to be so busy that you can't work a full-time job. I also know what it's like to be injured and have a lot of things thrown your way.
I want to help student-athletes who face challenges like these. This money changes the lives of these kids. I helped one student-athlete pay for his family's health insurance. They'd never had it before. This is why I do what I do.
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Before ever stepping foot on the court in the WNBA, the rookie and college-basketball phenom Caitlin Clark scored an eight-year shoe deal with Nike worth up to $28 million.
Other athletes, like Clark, have leveraged their success in sports to strike brand deals and kick down doors once closed to amateurs.
Athlete marketing was upended in 2021 when the NCAA lifted its long-standing ban on student-athletes getting endorsement deals, which opened the door for them to make money from their name, image, and likeness.
College players — from the University of Southern California freshman basketball player Bronny James to the Louisiana State University gymnast Olivia Dunne — are earning millions a year from licensing and brand deals.
NIL has also created career paths for college athletes, some of whom are building businesses as influencers and content creators or getting jobs in social media and marketing rather than going pro. And it's given rise to a cottage industry of companies helping student-athletes work with brands and managing logistics such as licensing and compliance.
According to the NIL marketplace Opendorse, spending on the NIL market hit an estimated $1 billion in its second year and is forecast to reach $1.17 billion in year three.
While the rules around NIL are still evolving, with recent developments setting the stage for schools to pay athletes directly and get involved with NIL deals, one thing is for sure: NIL isn't going anywhere.
"Everyone needs to embrace it — I think schools, coaches, athletes, families. It is here to stay," Garrett Yaralian, the head of NIL at WME Sports, told Business Insider. "It will continue to shift, and it'll continue to kind of change." It's important for schools that want to be involved in NIL deals to engage in sports marketing and sourcing deals for athletes, he added.
Athletes are building careers as influencers
Dunne, who has 5.2 million followers on Instagram, where she's been creating content since she was a teenager, is one of the top-earning student-athletes, with an annual NIL valuation of $3.9 million, according to On3.
Brands and talent agents are engaging with athletes like Dunne earlier in their careers, said Yaralian, who works with Dunne, TikTok, and the University of Texas at Austin track-and-field star Sam Hurley.
While Dunne and Hurley are still focused on competing, they may have other opportunities if they choose not to go pro after college, such as becoming full-time influencers, building consumer brands or products, or pursuing passions like fitness, Yaralian said.
Dunne already followed one of her passions last year by establishing the Livvy Fund to bring more NIL opportunities to her school's female athletes.
Though Division I athletes seem to be among the highest earners, student-athletes of all levels are making money from NIL. Connor Printz, a former Division III basketball player at Claremont McKenna College, has landed over 100 NIL deals.
NIL has also helped some student-athletes set themselves up for careers outside athletics or content creation. The University of California, Los Angeles, quarterback Chase Griffin is working toward a master's degree in legal studies because he wants to understand the contract side of talent and production work.
"This has just fast-tracked me for opportunities that I think I probably would've had with a lot of hustle at 27, 28, 29," Griffin previously told BI. "Now I'm able to do it at 20, 21, and 22, all while still within the safety of my scholarship, the safety of education, and continuing to play the game I love."
It's not just student-athletes who are benefiting
NIL isn't creating more career opportunities only for college athletes.
Sports marketing and talent agencies are staffing up to support their NIL work. WME Sports, for example, now has a dedicated team that sources NIL deals for student-athlete clients and a small team in Austin that supports the agency's partnership with the Texas One Fund for University of Texas student-athletes.
A crop of companies has emerged around NIL, from platforms such as Opendorse, where brands and student-athletes can connect and access educational and compliance resources, to companies like The Brandr Group and OneTeam Partners that work on group licensing for jerseys, playing cards, and more.
Some of the donor-funded collectives that facilitate some 80% of NIL spending are also run like businesses with full-time staff.
There may be more opportunities on the horizon, too, if more schools bring NIL activities in-house as the University of Georgia Athletic Association has, with it hiring an athletic-marketing manager to lead the department.
"The future of the NIL will require technology to optimize and operationalize its structure to ensure a better financial future for athletes," Drew Glover of Fiat Ventures wrote in March.
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Murthy speaking at a mental health summit in 2023.
Bryan Bedder/Getty Images
Dr. Vivek Murthy said social media is contributing to a mental health "emergency."
He's calling for a Surgeon General's warning label, which would require congressional action.
Murthy said parents shouldn't let their kids have social media until after middle school.
The US Surgeon General says social media should come with a warning label — similar to the ones that appear on cigarette packs.
In an op-ed for The New York Times, Dr. Vivek Murthy said social media is contributing to an "emergency" mental health crisis for young people, increasing anxiety and depression symptoms, and making adolescents feel worse about their bodies.
The Surgeon General's warning label would state that social media is "associated with significant mental health harms for adolescents," Murthy wrote, noting that such a label would require congressional action.
Studies have shown that tobacco warning labels can be effective, Murthy wrote in the Times.
The legislation would protect young people from online harassment and abuse, prevent data collection from kids, and restrict features like push notifications, autoplay, and infinite scrolling, he wrote.
These changes "remain the priority" over labeling.
Murthy also said in his op-ed that social media platforms "must be required to share all of their data on health effects with independent scientists and the public" for safety audits, and urged parents not to let their children access social media until after middle school.
"The moral test of any society is how well it protects its children," he concluded.
I went to popular chains Baskin-Robbins, Dairy Queen, and Cold Stone Creamery to see which had the best ice-cream cake.
Molly Allen
I tried ready-made ice-cream cakes from Dairy Queen, Cold Stone Creamery, and Baskin-Robbins.
The Baskin-Robbins cake was the most expensive, and I didn't love its flavors or layer structure.
Dairy Queen's ice-cream cake was delicious, affordable, and beautiful.
I compared ice-cream cakes from Baskin-Robbins, Cold Stone Creamery, and Dairy Queen.
I bought round, premade cakes from Baskin-Robbins, Dairy Queen, and Cold Stone Creamery.
Molly Allen
As a professional baker, I've certainly made and eaten a lot of cake, and I've paired plenty of slices with a scoop of ice cream.
But it's been at least 10 years since I've eaten an ice-cream cake, and I wanted to put three popular chains — Dairy Queen, Cold Stone Creamery, and Baskin-Robbins — to the test.
I chose some sort of vanilla-and-chocolate combination at each location.
Left to Right: My cakes from Baskin-Robbins, Dairy Queen, and Cold Stone Creamery.
Molly Allen
To keep things fair, I headed into each store without an order to see what was available to buy from the freezers.
At each location, I picked up the smallest round ice-cream cake that incorporated both chocolate and vanilla flavors.
The Cold Stone Creamery ice-cream cake had intricate decorations.
At Cold Stone Creamery I bought a The Tall, Dark & Delicious ice-cream cake.
Molly Allen
The Tall, Dark & Delicious is one of the chain's signature ice-cream cakes, meaning it's available to grab at just about any time from the freezer. The 8-inch round cake cost $39.95. (When I most recently checked prices online, the cake cost $41).
This cake has four layers: devil's food cake, chocolate ice cream with Oreos, more devil's food cake, and sweet-cream ice cream with brownie chunks. The whole cake is also covered in fluffy whipped frosting and fudge ganache.
After purchasing the cake and putting it in my freezer at home, the ganache developed a layer of moisture, which made it look less beautiful.
The flavor of the Cold Stone Creamery cake was good, but it was a bit too much for me.
Cold Stone Creamery knows how to make an ice-cream cake — but this was really decadent.
Molly Allen
Cold Stone is known for its super creamy ice cream, and that came through in this cake.
The chocolate ice cream was incredibly flavorful and smooth. The chocolate cake had good flavor and wasn't too dry.
The combination of the cake and ice cream was perfectly balanced. I also liked the addition of the whipped topping and luscious chocolate ganache.
Although it was delicious, I found this cake to be a bit over the top. I'm a chocolate lover through and through, but there seemed to be almost too much going on here.
The Baskin-Robbins cake was beautifully decorated.
The Baskin-Robbins Oreo cookie cake was decorated with Oreo cookies and fudge.
Molly Allen
At my local Baskin-Robbins, I grabbed an Oreo cookie cake out of the freezer. The 9-inch round cake cost $45.99 at the time of writing. (When I most recently checked prices online, the cake cost $56).
I also appreciated that one of the employees asked if I wanted it packed with dry ice for $1 to keep it extra cold.
The exterior of the cake looked lovely, with dollops of whipped topping, a chocolate drizzle, and a fudge border.
But the Baskin-Robbins cake's flavor let me down.
Unfortunately, I didn't think the amazing look of the Baskin-Robbins cake matched the flavor.
Molly Allen
Inside, the cake was one super-thick layer of chocolate cake paired with a thick layer of cookies-and-cream ice cream.
The cake layer was very dry and almost difficult to eat. The cookies-and-cream ice cream made for a nice pairing, but I was pretty underwhelmed by the dessert as a whole.
Because of the construction of this cake — two massive layers, including one that melts — it was pretty difficult to cut. It also seemed to melt and fall apart really quickly after I cut just one slice.
Since this cake was the most expensive, I was extra disappointed.
At Dairy Queen, I chose an Oreo Blizzard cake I pulled directly out of the store's freezer.
The exterior was absolutely beautiful, with detailing around the edges, piped borders, crushed Oreo cookies, and a chocolate drizzle.
I thought it was the most attractive out of the three cakes, which surprised me even more because it was the cheapest, too. The 8-inch round cake cost $28.99. (When I most recently checked prices online, the cake cost about $32).
The Dairy Queen cake's flavors and textures were incredible.
The Dairy Queen cake had so many delicious layers.
Molly Allen
This ice-cream cake had so much going on in the best way.
It had a layer of classic vanilla soft serve, a layer of fudge and crunchy chocolate crumbs, and a layer of Oreo Blizzard. A whipped topping and a drizzle of chocolate finished it off.
It was super flavorful. And the flavor combination was beautifully nostalgic.
There wasn't any actual cake included in this option, but I think it was better for it. The playfulness of the flavors and textures was so good.
Overall, each cake was certainly beautiful and convenient to buy.
Any of these ice-cream cakes would be showstoppers at a party.
It was impressive that all of these cakes were ready for me to grab and buy from each ice-cream chain. No ordering ahead was required.
It's also worth noting that the flavor selection at all three of these ice-cream chains is unbelievable. If you order ahead, you can choose virtually any flavor combination of cake and ice cream. You can also customize the decorations.
Still, when it came down to flavor, value, and presentation for these premade cakes, I had one winner in mind.
Much to my surprise, Dairy Queen's ice-cream cake was my absolute favorite.
The Dairy Queen ice-cream cake didn't even need real cake.
Molly Allen
I would totally buy the Dairy Queen cake again, thanks to its many great textures and flavors.
I did not think it would be my favorite, especially because Dairy Queen isn't usually one of my go-to spots for dessert, and this option didn't contain real cake.
Even better? It was the most affordable out of the three ice-cream cakes I tried.
I would definitely get another ice-cream cake from Cold Stone, but I'd try different flavors that might be less intense and overpowering. I'd be open to trying another ice-cream cake from Baskin Robbins — especially if it were customized with my favorite flavors — but I wouldn't buy the Oreo one again.
This story was originally published on August 6, 2022, and most recently updated on June 17, 2024.
Caroline Kennedy and Jack Schlossberg attend the 2017 Met Gala.
Rabbani and Solimene Photography/Getty Images
The Kennedy family has been a prominent clan in US politics for over a century.
The younger Kennedys are a mix of politicians, authors, actors, socialites, and journalists.
Meet some of the most prominent Kennedy family members making headlines.
The younger members of the Kennedy family, one of the most famous political dynasties in the US, include authors, actors, and journalists.
The most famous members of the Kennedy family include former president John F. Kennedy, his wife and first lady Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, and their son John F. Kennedy Jr, who tragically died in a plane crash off the coast of Martha's Vineyard in 1999 with his wife and sister-in-law.
However, younger members of the Kennedy family, from the Schlossbergs to the Schwarzeneggers, have risen in the ranks of American politics and are making a name for themselves in film, philanthropy, and politics.
Here are 11 young Kennedy family members who are making headlines.
Joe Kennedy III is one of the most prominent modern Kennedys in politics.
Joe Kennedy III.
Greg Nash-Pool/Getty Images
Joe Kennedy III, 43, is the grandson of Robert F. Kennedy.
In 2020, Kennedy, who attended Stanford University for his undergrad and Harvard Law School, lost the senate primary against Ed Markey, becoming the first Kennedy to lose an election in Massachusetts history.
Still, he'd go on to serve as a United States representative for Massachusetts from 2013 to 2021 and has held the position of United States Special Envoy for Northern Ireland since 2022.
Kennedy first came to national attention in 2018 when he gave the Democratic Party's response to former President Donald Trump's State of the Union address.
Kennedy served on the House Energy and Commerce Committee while representing Massachusetts's 4th congressional district. He supported Democratic efforts like the Green New Deal, according to a Facebook post made by the congressman, and protection for Dreamers and immigrants under the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) program, according to NBC Boston.
He's also spoken out in favor of gun control. After a 2018 mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, Kennedy said during an appearance on The View, "We're not doing enough … I can't even tell you how many times we have uttered our thoughts and prayers to the victims and survivors of gun violence and thoughts aren't doing it."
In December 2012, he married Lauren Birchfield, a fellow Harvard-educated lawyer. The pair met in a Harvard Law School class taught by Sen. Elizabeth Warren, and they now live in Newton, Massachusetts, with their two young children, CBS reported.
His twin brother, Matthew Rauch Kennedy, has stayed more out of the public eye, opting to study business instead, CNN reports.
Katherine Schwarzenegger Pratt, who is married to actor Chris Pratt, is related to John F. Kennedy through her maternal grandmother.
Chris Pratt and Katherine Schwarzenegger photographed on November 4, 2023, in Pacific Palisades, California.
Michael Kovac/Getty Images
Katherine Schwarzenegger Pratt, 34, is the oldest daughter of actor and former California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and broadcast journalist Maria Shriver. Pratt's middle name, Eunice, is a nod to her maternal grandmother, Eunice Kennedy Shriver, the younger sister of John F. Kennedy, Robert Kennedy, and Ted Kennedy.
Pratt has written several self-help and children's books. Her most recent self-help title, "The Gift of Forgiveness," was released in March 2020. She interviewed 22 people for the book, from kidnapping survivor Elizabeth Smart to Sue Klebold, the mother of one of the perpetrators of the 1999 Columbine school shooting.
"I grew up with this understanding that forgiveness is something you give another person, like: 'I forgive you for doing something wrong to me.' By doing this book and getting a deeper understanding of forgiveness, I realize forgiveness is all about you. It's a gift you give yourself," Pratt told Oprah Magazine.
In addition to writing, she is involved in animal rights advocacy and is an ambassador for Best Friends Animal Society and the ASPCA, according to her website. She's a dog mom to a rescue named Maverick, who inspired her first children's book, "Maverick and Me."
Pratt's private life has also been a topic of interest in the press. She's married to actor Chris Pratt. Their first child, Lyla Maria, was born in August 2020, and their second daughter, Eloise Christina, was born in May 2022.
Patrick Schwarzenegger, Katherine's younger brother, is an increasingly familiar face in the young Hollywood crowd.
Patrick Schwarzenegger attends the 2023 GQ Men of the Year.
Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic/Getty Images
Schwarzenegger, 30, is a model and actor who has appeared in many movies, TV shows, and music videos, including "Midnight Sun," "The Staircase, and "Gen V," according to his IMDb page.
In 2019, he acted in the psychological horror film "Daniel Isn't Real," produced by Elijah Wood. The movie also starred Miles Robbins, Susan Sarandon's son.
Jack Kennedy Schlossberg is the grandson of President John F. Kennedy and the son of Caroline Kennedy.
Jack Schlossberg.
Nathan Congleton/NBC/Getty Images
Schlossberg, 31, is the youngest son of Caroline Kennedy, the former US ambassador to Japan and the only surviving child of John F. Kennedy, and Edwin Schlossberg, a designer and author.
He was born in New York City and graduated from The Collegiate School, an all-boys private school in Manhattan, the New York Post reported. He later attended Yale University as an undergrad, Esquire reported. He'd go on to graduate from Harvard in 2022.
In April 2023, Schlossberg announced in an interview with People that he had passed the New York State Bar exam.
Schlossberg makes frequent media appearances and has written for prestige publications several times, with op-eds in The New York Times and The Washington Post. In the latter, Schlossberg urged fellow young people to vote for Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton days ahead of the 2016 presidential election.
"I'm inspired by my family's legacy of public service," Schlossberg said in his first live television interview on "Today" in 2017. "It's something that I'm very proud of."
Esquire reported that he appeared at the virtual 2020 Democratic National Convention and discussed the climate crisis, healthcare, and racial justice.
He has also frequently gone viral on TikTok for his humorous videos, making him one of the most well-known young Kennedys.
Tatiana Schlossberg, Jack's older sister, is a journalist with a focus on environmental issues.
Tatiana Schlossberg attends her book signing in 2019.
Amber De Vos/Getty Images
Tatiana Schlossberg, 34, is a journalist who covered the climate crisis for the New York Times science desk until 2023. According to her website, she now freelances for several publications. She graduated from the University of Oxford in England with a US history degree in 2014, according to People and the New York Times.
She released a book titled "Inconspicuous Consumption" in August 2019 that Vogue called "a plucky exploration of the myriad ways our casual lifestyle choices come at the expense of the planet and our fellow human beings."
Tatiana married her college boyfriend George Moran, a medical student, in 2017 at her family's estate on Martha's Vineyard, The New York Times reported.
They welcomed a son, Edwin Garrett Moran, in April 2022, Glamour reported. He is the first great-grandchild of former President John F. Kennedy.
Rose Schlossberg is an actor and has been described as a lookalike of their grandmother, Jackie O.
Rose Schlossberg attends the "Incitement" screening at The Museum of Modern Art on December 8, 2019.
John Lamparski/Getty Images
Rose Schlossberg, 35, is the oldest child of Caroline Kennedy and Edwin Schlossberg.
WWD reported that Rose received her bachelor's degree in English studies from Harvard University in 2010. She later received a master's degree in interactive studies from New York University.
She is a voting rights activist and appeared in and directed a video promoting voting for Dover Street Market in 2020, ahead of the presidential election. She is also involved in filmmaking and acting, according to her IMDb page. Her most recent acting credits include roles in the short film "Small Gay Tragedy #1" and the upcoming television series "End Times Girls Club."
She has been married to her wife, restaurateur Rory McAuliffe, since 2022, according to People.
Kyra Kennedy is a New York City socialite and fashion enthusiast.
Kyra Kennedy.
Daniele Venturelli/Getty Images
Kyra Kennedy, 28, is the daughter of presidential candidate and well-known vaccine skeptic Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
In 2016, Harper's Bazaar wrote that Kyra, then 21, was "the latest Kennedy making headlines" after making her formal debut in society at a 2013 debutante ball in Paris. The outlet also reported that she was a student at the Fashion Institute of Technology.
The New York Times also profiled her social circle that year, dubbing Kyra "a statuesque beauty" and a member of the so-called "Snap Pack," named for their frequent use of Snapchat to document nights out on the town. The group included people like Gaia Matisse, the great-granddaughter of artist Henri Matisse, and Tiffany Trump.
Kyra has dabbled in modeling, posing for her friend and fellow Snap Pack member Andrew Warren's clothing line during New York Fashion Week in May 2016, Harper's Bazaar reported. According to her Instagram, she frequently attends brand pop-ups, fashion shows, and Fashion Week events.
Robert "Bobby" Kennedy III is an actor and director.
Bobby Kennedy III attends the "Bombshell: The Hedy Lamarr Story" premiere in 2017.
Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images
Bobby Kennedy III, 39, is one of the more well-known children of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and his first wife Emily Ruth Black, who separated in 1993, according to the LA Times. He is the grandson and namesake of Robert F. Kennedy, who was assassinated on June 6, 1968.
He wrote, directed, and acted in the 2013 film "AmeriQua," which was retitled "Eurotrapped" for home-streaming services. He starred opposite Alec Baldwin and Alessandra Carina Mastronardi in the film, which earned a dismal 1-star rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
People reported that in July 2018, he married Amaryllis Fox, a former CIA agent, at the Kennedy family compound in Cape Cod, Massachusetts.
In January 2019, the couple welcomed their first child, a daughter named Bobby, also named for her great-grandfather, People reported.
Michaela, Mariah, and Cara Kennedy-Cuomo are the daughters of New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Kerry Kennedy, the daughter of Robert F. Kennedy.
Mariah Kennedy-Cuomo, Cara Kennedy-Cuomo, Kerry Kennedy and Michaela Kennedy-Cuomo attend the 2022 Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Ripple of Hope Gala.
Kevin Mazur/Getty Images
Cara Kennedy-Cuomo, 29, attended Harvard for her undergraduate studies and lived in New York City. She has previously worked with Sahar Global Summits, global investment firm RockCreek, and the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Foundation, according to her LinkedIn profile.
Kennedy-Cuomo's twin, Mariah, studied history at Brown University and is the founder and SEO of Socrates Social, a social media advisory firm, according to her LinkedIn profile. In November 2023, she got engaged to her longtime boyfriend, Tellef Lundevall, in Italy, People reported.
Michaela, 26, is the youngest of the three Kennedy-Cuomo sisters. Her LinkedIn profile says that she graduated from Brown in 2020 and is the founder of Mic Loves Me, a wellness company that sells jewelry and decor to promote balance and "help individuals align with the Divine within and throughout, and thrive for the collective good."
Debanjali Bose contributed to an earlier version of this story.
Michaela Jaé Rodriguez became the first transgender woman to win a Golden Globe in 2022 for "Pose."
According to GLAAD's 2023-2024 report on LGBTQ+ representation on TV, 5% of characters on TV are transgender (24 out of 468 characters).
While that may not seem like a lot, it's certainly progress. The first time GLAAD did this report, in 2007, there were zero trans characters and only nine gay or lesbian characters. We still have a long way to go, but there has been progress in the last 17 years.
Much of that progress is due to these actors, who have broken barriers and fought for both transgender and cisgender roles on TV.
These are 21 transgender actors who have changed the face of TV as we know it.
Michaela Jaé Rodriguez is known for her work on "Pose" and became the first transgender person to win a Golden Globe in 2022.
Mj Rodriguez.
Jordan Strauss/AP
Before landing her role in "Pose," Rodriguez appeared on TV in shows like "Nurse Jackie" and "The Carrie Diaries." But her role as Blanca Rodriguez on "Pose" really catapulted her into the spotlight.
After three seasons, Rodriguez was finally nominated for an Emmy in May 2021 for her role in "Pose," making history. And in January 2022, Rodriguez made history again by becoming the first transgender person to win a Golden Globe.
"This is the door that is going to Open the door for many more young talented individuals," Rodriguez wrote on Instagram. "They will see that it is more than possible. They will see that a young Black Latina girl from Newark New Jersey who had a dream, to change the minds others would WITH LOVE. LOVE WINS. To my young LGBTQAI babies WE ARE HERE the door is now open now reach the stars!!!!!"
Rodriguez also appeared in the Golden Globe-winning Netflix musical "Tick, Tick…Boom!" in 2021 and now stars in the Apple TV+ series "Loot" alongside Maya Rudolph, Adam Scott, and Joel Kim Booster.
Josie Totah transitioned after starring in NBC's "Champions" in 2018. Now, she's starring in the Apple TV+ series "The Buccaneers."
Prior to transitioning, Totah appeared in several TV shows, including "Jessie," "Glee," and "Liv and Maddie." Right before coming out, she starred as Michael Patel in NBC's "Champions."
In 2018, she announced in Time Magazine that she was transgender and prefers she/her pronouns. She has continued to act, appearing in "The Other Two" and "No Good Nick." In late 2020, Totah became the lead in the "Saved by the Bell" reboot, according to The Hollywood Reporter, which was canceled after two seasons in 2022. Totah was also a producer on the show.
"We wanted to tell a story that normalized being trans in high school," Totah told People in December 2020. "The entire character isn't based on that one part of her. We have normal lives. We do normal things. And there is so much more to us than our gender identities."
Since "Saved by the Bell" ended," Totah has frequently popped up on TV, most recently in a starring role on the Apple TV+ series "The Buccaneers" in 2023.
Hunter Schafer stepped into the limelight with HBO's hit "Euphoria," and is now a movie star.
Hunter Schafer.
Jordan Strauss/ AP
Schafer's only acting credits for a while were her role as Jules on HBO's "Euphoria" and as a voice in the English dub of the 2021 anime film "Belle." But that's all changed recently.
Besides playing Jules, who still seems to be one of the few trans characters on TV who doesn't struggle with her identity (as Variety noted), Schafer has starred in "The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes," the anthology film "Kinds of Kindness," and the horror film "Cuckoo."
"There need to be more roles where trans people aren't just dealing with being trans; they're being trans while dealing with other issues," Schafer told Variety in 2019. "We're so much more complex than just one identity."
Zion Moreno starred in the "Gossip Girl" reboot for two seasons from 2021 to 2023.
Zion Moreno on June 30, 2021.
Dia Dipasupil/WireImage/Getty Images
Moreno made a name for herself as a transgender model and then switched to acting, appearing in Netflix's "Control Z."
In 2020, Deadline announced that Moreno would join the cast of the "Gossip Girl" reboot on Max. In the first season, Moreno's character, Luna, was one of the rich kids with a bad attitude.
"Gossip Girl" executive producer Joshua Safran told Variety in July 2021 that Luna is transgender in the series.
"We decided as writers that this isn't a show about how she became her authentic self. That's just not our story. Luna is Luna to these people, and that's that," Safran said in the interview.
She also appeared in four episodes of the TNT comedy "Claws" from 2021 to 2022 and starred in the Hulu romantic comedy Prom Dates in 2024.
Elliot Page acted in "Umbrella Academy" and "Tales of the City" before coming out as transgender.
Elliot Page at the 2021 Met Gala.
Sean Zanni/Patrick McMullan/Getty Images
Getting his start in "Juno" in 2007, which earned him an Oscar nomination, Page has since made a name for himself in Netflix's "Umbrella Academy" as Vanya Hargreeves and "Tales of The City" as Shawna Hawkins.
In 2020, Page came out as transgender.
"I love that I am trans," Page wrote in a statement in 2020. "And I love that I am queer. And the more I hold myself close and fully embrace who I am, the more I dream, the more my heart grows and the more I thrive. To all the trans people who deal with harassment, self-loathing, abuse, and the threat of violence every day: I see you, I love you, and I will do everything I can to change this world for the better."
Variety reported at the time that he would continue his role in "Umbrella Academy." During season three, Page's character also transitioned and now goes by Viktor, making it one of the first shows where an actor's transition will be reflected in their work on-screen.
Laverne Cox got her start on "Orange Is the New Black."
Laverne Cox.
Jason Merritt/Getty Images
Cox jumped into the spotlight in 2013 when she started playing Sophia Burset on Netflix's "Orange Is the New Black." In the show, she played a transgender inmate in a women's prison.
Cox was nominated for three Emmy awards for her role on the show. In 2014, she was the first openly transgender person nominated for a Primetime Emmy in an acting category.
In 2015, she won a Daytime Emmy for executive producing "Laverne Cox Presents: The T Word," becoming the first openly transgender woman to win the award.
Cox appeared in a few other TV shows, such as "The Mindy Project," "Dear White People," and "Curb Your Enthusiasm." She was also in the Oscar-winning film "Promising Young Woman," and was a main figure in Netflix's documentary "Disclosure."
However, the actor has also become an activist for transgender rights.
"It's amazing that in various parts of the country, young people are still struggling who are LGBTQ+. And I think it's because we still, culturally, have this very rigid idea of what women should be," Cox told Yahoo Life in 2018.
"And because of that, young people are being bullied, particularly LGBTQ+ youth. There's unprecedented visibility for trans folks now, but we're being attacked more than ever before."
Cox was then tapped to replace Giuliana Rancic as E! News' red carpet correspondent, beginning in 2022. She also appeared in Shonda Rhimes' latest Netflix show, "Inventing Anna."
Asia Kate Dillon starred as Taylor Mason in "Billions" through its end in 2023.
Asia Kate Dillon.
Bryan Bedder/GettyImages
In 2016, Dillon earned a spot on Netflix's "Orange Is the New Black," playing Brandy Epps, but most people know them as Taylor Mason on Showtime's "Billions." By playing Mason, Dillon became the first nonbinary actor to play a nonbinary character on TV.
Dillon told "Good Morning America" in 2019 that this role helped them better understand their identity.
"In that moment, it crystallized for me that it was going to be OK for me to never change my body if that was my journey and I was still valid as a nonbinary person and a trans person," they said.
Dillon made headlines in 2017 when they spoke about the Emmys' gendered award categories.
"It's not the first time I've thought about this, but it was certainly the first time where I felt like I had a unique opportunity and a platform to engage in the conversation about questions that I had," Dillon told Variety.
In response, the MTV Movie & TV Awards created a gender-neutral acting award category, which Dillon presented that year, as Entertainment Weekly reported.
Most know Alex Blue Davis as the first trans actor on "Grey's Anatomy."
Alex Blue Davis.
Phil Mccarten/ AP
Davis got his start in TV on shows like "2 Broke Girls" and "NCIS," but he is best known for his role on "Grey's Anatomy." Davis played an intern, Dr. Casey Parker, who is an openly trans man.
Then-showrunner Krista Vernoff told The Hollywood Reporter she rewrote Parker's coming-out plotline several times. Ultimately, the character says, "I'm a proud trans man, Dr. Bailey. I like for people to get to know me before they find out my medical history."
In that same interview, Davis said the line was monumental for him.
"What's cool about the show, the episode and Krista's vision for this character is he's about way more than being trans," Davis said. "I cried at the table read, it was very moving for me. I've been waiting for a moment like this on TV my whole life. I am so honored I got to say that line on TV because it's a long time coming."
Since leaving "Grey's" in 2020, Davis has had voice roles in animated series such as "She-Ra and the Princesses of Power" and "Baymax!"
Dominique Jackson made a name for herself on FX's "Pose."
Dominique Jackson.
Richard Shotwell/ AP
Jackson is known for her role as Elektra Abundance on FX's groundbreaking show "Pose," which ended in 2021.
In season one, her character decides to get gender-affirming surgery — commonly referred to as "bottom surgery" — and loses some friends and her boyfriend over the decision.
"Throughout the years, many people have had this misconception about being transgender and they have always come from their comfortability," Jackson told Metro in 2019.
"But we also have to realize that having gender-affirming surgeries, it is a personal journey. Every trans person's journey ends in a certain place. My version of complete was bottom surgery. A lot of people just thought we did this surgery because it's always about 'getting a man' or something like that."
She was last seen on-screen in 2022 in an episode of "American Horror Stories."
Outside acting, Jackson has also written a book titled "The Transexual from Tribago," which chronicles her personal journey.
Indya Moore is another transgender star who appeared in "Pose."
Indya Moore.
Jordan Strauss/ AP
Moore started as a model, but they really made a name for themselves when they were cast as Angel on FX's "Pose." As a trans and nonbinary person, they became a mainstream success, booking even more modeling gigs and eventually becoming Elle's first trans cover model, as reported by Out Magazine in 2019.
In that cover story, Moore said activism is one of the most important parts of their life.
"When I'm around people having conversations about their day, I'm looking at them, like, 'What could they possibly be talking about? How are we not talking about deconstructing white supremacy right now? How are we not trying to save trans people?'" Moore told Elle. "I don't know who I am outside of someone who's just trying to be free and find safety for myself and for others."
Since "Pose" ended, Moore has moved on to movies, appearing in "Escape Room: Tournament of Champions," "Nimona," "Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom," and, this year, "Ponyboi."
Jamie Clayton is known for her role in Netflix's "Sense 8."
Jamie Clayton.
Paul A. Hebert/ AP
Clayton is known for her role as Nomi Marks on Netflix's "Sense 8." In the series, Clayton plays a trans hacker who develops the ability to see into the minds of eight other people around the world.
When the show ended in 2018, Clayton went on to appear in multiple other TV series, including "Designated Survivor," "Roswell, New Mexico," and "The L Word: Generation Q."
In 2022, she took on the iconic role of Pinhead in the Hulu reboot of "Hellraiser."
Outside media, Clayton has become an activist for trans rights, especially trans visibility in Hollywood.
"Actors who are trans never even get to audition for anything other than roles of trans characters," she posted in 2018. "That's the real issue. We can't even get in the room. Cast actors who are trans as non-trans characters. I dare you."
Tom Phelan had a groundbreaking role on "The Fosters."
Phelan in "The Fosters" with co-star Maia Mitchell.
Disney–ABC Domestic Television
Phelan has a short list of acting credits, but his role in "The Fosters" was revolutionary. He became one of the first trans actors to play a young trans character. In the show, his character, Cole, tackles taking hormones and experiencing misgendering.
In 2015, he told The Hollywood Reporter that while his character is great for trans visibility, he worried that it wouldn't make that big of an impact.
"We've come a long way with being in the public eye, but in terms of lessening violence, there hasn't been a lot of change," he said. "Media representation is great, but it's not going to promote visible, genuine change."
"Media representation is for the community and for young trans kids and it's for people looking to see themselves. I don't think it's for the rest of the world. Its primary function is to serve as a looking glass so that people who feel lost and confused can look and see themselves," Phelan added.
Elliot Fletcher has had recurring roles on some of the biggest TV shows, including "Shameless," "The Fosters," and "Y: The Last Man."
Elliot Fletcher.
Jordan Strauss/ AP
In 2016, Fletcher took on his first trans role on MTV's "Faking It." Since then, he has continued playing trans characters, like Trevor on Showtime's "Shameless" and Aaron Baker on "The Fosters."
Most recently, he had a starring role in "Y: The Last Man" as the character Sam. The show explores what would happen if every mammal with a Y chromosome suddenly dropped dead. In the graphic novel the show is based on, there's no real mention of trans men who, of course, would not be affected by the virus.
But in the Hulu adaptation, one of the main characters is Sam, a trans man, whose character brought a sense of modernity to the source material. The show was canceled in 2021 after one season.
"We change it up a lot," Fletcher told Men's Health in November 2021. "The show reverses traditional gender roles, or what are thought to be traditional gender roles, because there are no cis men in this world, and cisgender is so often the assumed default."
"There's no one version of a trans guy in Hollywood anymore," Fletcher told The New York Times in 2020.
Before Yasmin Finney appeared on shows like "Doctor Who" and "Heartstopper," she was famous on TikTok for documenting her experience as a Black trans teenager.
Yasmin Finney.
Dave Benett/Getty Images for Warner Bros.
Finney became the first trans character in "Doctor Who's" 60-year history when she played Rose Noble in 2023. She also played Elle on "Heartstopper," a series known for its LGBTQ+ cast.
"I want people to laugh, I want people to smile, I want people to cry. And also I just want to be good representation for people that haven't had it," Finney told the BBC in 2023.
Jen Richards produced and starred in the web series "Her Story."
Jen Richards.
Demis Maryannakis/ AP
Richards is best known for her work on the web series "Her Story," which she co-produced. She also played Violet in the show, which was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award in 2016.
Since then, Richards has appeared in "Nashville," "Better Things," Tales of the City," "Blindspot," "Mrs. Fletcher," "Clarice," and "Mayfair Witches."
Outside of acting, Richards also promotes trans visibility and fights for trans rights. She founded the Trans 100, which honors and recognizes people and organizations that are doing good within the trans community.
She has also been vocal about the importance of casting trans people in trans roles.
"If they cast a cis woman, they're ultimately saying a trans woman is a type of woman," Richards told Variety. "They cast a cis man, they're saying that, at the end of the day, a trans woman is a kind of man. Right from the moment you cast a man as a trans woman, you've already proven that you are out of step."
Alexandra Billings is most recognizable for her role in "Transparent."
Alexandra Billings.
Chris Pizzello/ AP
According to Indiewire, Billings became the first transgender person to play a transgender character on TV when she played Donna in 2005's "Romy and Michele: In the Beginning." Since then, she has appeared as a trans character in "How to Get Away with Murder," "Grey's Anatomy," "ER," "Eli Stone," and "Goliath."
But the actress is best known for her role as Davina on Amazon's "Transparent."
She has also been outspoken about cis-gendered people taking trans roles. In an op-ed for HuffPost, she explained her frustrations with Jared Leto's Oscar-winning performance in "Dallas Buyers Club," in which he played a trans woman. She especially found it frustrating that the actor didn't acknowledge the trans community in his acceptance speech at the Golden Globes.
"He spoke about shaving his legs, he spoke about his backside in his bikini, and he spoke about a Brazilian wax he never got because it seemed to be too much trouble," Billings wrote in 2016.
"What he didn't speak about was the transgender woman he played, or the millions of other transgender people in the audience, or the hundreds of millions of people around the world who are living with and dying from the AIDS virus," she continued.
Most recently, Billings was on the Prime Video series "The Peripheral."
Trace Lysette has appeared in "Transparent" and the movie "Hustlers."
Trace Lysette.
Chris Pizzello/ AP
Lysette began her acting career in 2014, playing Shea on Amazon's "Transparent." Her character is an openly trans woman who is a yoga instructor and educator.
Lysette made headlines in 2017 when she came forward and accused her "Transparent" co-star, Jeffrey Tambor, of inappropriate sexual behavior while on set, reported Newsweek.
"Despite multiple uncomfortable experiences with Jeffrey, it has been an incredible, career-solidifying honor to bring life to my character, Shea, on Amazon's 'Transparent,'" the actor wrote in a statement at the time. "Working on the award-winning series as a low-income trans woman with active roots in New York's ball culture is a rare opportunity most of my sisters are not given."
Tambor, who later left the show, responded to the accusations by saying he accepted he was not a perfect coworker but that he had "never been a predator — ever," according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Outside of "Transparent," Lysette has appeared on FX's "Pose" and "Hustlers." More recently, she hosted a six-part podcast series for Wondery called "Harsh Reality," which is about a controversial British reality TV show that starred a transgender woman.
In 2023, Lysette appeared in an episode of the "Quantum Leap" reboot.
Brian Michael Smith starred as a trans man in OWN's "Queen Sugar" and was the first trans man to be named on People's Sexiest Men Alive list.
Brian Michael Smith.
Phil Mccarten/ AP
Smith has been earning acting credits since 2011, appearing in TV shows like "Gossip Girl," "Girls," "Chicago P.D.," "Blue Bloods," and "After." But in all of these shows, he played a cis straight man. It wasn't until 2017, however, that Smith came out as trans through his character on OWN's drama series "Queen Sugar."
In 2020, Smith began starring in "9-1-1: Lone Star" on Fox, making him the first Black trans male series regular on network TV, according to Out Magazine. He also recurs on "The L Word: Generation Q" as a trans character.
"There weren't a lot of trans male roles when I started out," Smith told NBC News in 2017. "I was really trying to be cautious about [choosing a trans role] because it was something I was interested in, but I wanted to make sure that it resonated with me, and it would have a positive impact on trans and non-trans people alike."
In November 2021, People Magazine included Smith in their Sexiest Men Alive list. He was the first trans man to be named on the annual list.
"I've been called many things, this is a first," Smith wrote on his Instagram after the announcement. "Incredibly honored to be included in this list with so many actors I admire. Big love to @people for the historic shout-out."
Nicole Maines portrayed the first trans superhero on CW's "Supergirl."
Nicole Maines.
Richard Shotwell/ AP
Before acting, Maines was the subject of several documentaries that focused on the trans experience. In 2016, she was profiled in HBO's "The Trans List," and in 2018, she was profiled again in "Not Your Skin."
She then moved into acting, becoming the first trans superhero on TV in 2018. Maines played a reporter named Nia Nal on CW's "Supergirl." The character eventually turned into the superhero Dreamer. Maines remained on the show until its end in 2021.
"I've been doing a lot of auditions lately because a lot of different shows have been really eager to tell the story of transgender people," Maines said at Comic-Con in 2018. "It seems only fitting that we have a trans superhero for trans kids to look up to. I wish there was a trans superhero when I was little."
In 2023, Maines joined the cast of the hit Showtime series "Yellowjackets."
Leo Sheng was the only trans series regular on "The L Word: Generation Q."
Sheng.
Amy Sussman/Getty Images
Sheng first gained media attention through his Instagram, as he documented his transition on the app.
"Once I was able to start my medical transition, I started to document that on Instagram because I found a community there of trans guys sharing their journeys — whether that's social, medical, different variations of journeys," Sheng told The New York Times in 2020. "That felt really empowering to see."
He was then connected to Hollywood through a campaign he did with Miley Cyrus' charity Happy Hippie Foundation.
From 2019 to 2023, Sheng starred as Micah, an adjunct professor and therapist on "The L Word: Generation Q," a continuation of the groundbreaking series "The L Word."
"There's a lot that has become mainstream in the last 10 years," he told The Times. "These are conversations that not only queer and trans people are having, but cis folks are having and thinking about now. And I think that's reflected in our sequel."
Patti Harrison is one of the funniest people on TV.
Patti Harrison in 2023.
Amy Sussman/Getty Images
Harrison began her TV career by appearing in small roles on some of the most beloved comedies of the 2010s: "Broad City," "Search Party," High Maintenance," "BoJack Horseman," "Shrill," and most famously, "I Think You Should Leave," which she is also a writer for.
Harrison has also made the move to film, appearing in projects like "Together Together," "Raya and the Last Dragon," "The Lost City," and "Theater Camp."
As one of the most well-known trans comedians, Harrison knows that tokenization is still a problem. "I think in a lot of ways I've become visible because of the social-media-liberal, self-back-patting wave that has felt pretty condescending and minimizing of the work that I want to do," she told The New Yorker in 2022.
Luke Newton as Colin Bridgerton and Nicola Coughlan as Penelope Featherington in "Bridgerton" season three.
Liam Daniel/Netflix
"Bridgerton" season three has a tear-jerking ending to a friends-to-lovers romance.
It's a popular trope that's been used in countless movies and TV shows.
Here are nine great films and TV series for those craving more.
"Bridgerton" season three adopts the friends-to-lovers trope as it returns with another tear-jerking, fun love story.
All three seasons of the hit Netflix show use a different romantic arc for the main love story.
Daphne (Phoebe Dynevor) and Simon's (Regé-Jean Page) story utilized the fake-dating trope in season one. Season two features the enemies-to-lovers trope with fan-favorite characters Anthony (Jonathan Bailey) and Kate (Simone Ashley).
With Colin Bridgerton (Luke Newton) and Penelope Featherington's (Nicola Coughlan) love story in season three, the series focuses on friends-to-lovers, specifically childhood friends who later fall for each other. You've probably seen plenty before.
If the "Bridgerton" season three finale has left you desperate for more friends-to-lovers romances,here are 9 of the best TV shows and movies featuring the trope.
Warning spoilers for "Bridgerton" season 3.
"One Day" is one of the best friends-to-lovers series of 2024.
"One Day."
Ludovic Robert/Netflix
Netflix stole the world's hearts with another English romance series, that one based on David Nicholls' "One Day."
The TV miniseries follows two Brits, Dexter Mayhew (Leo Woodall) and Emma Morley (Ambika Mod), who meet on the last day of university and decide to preserve their friendship instead of date.
The series spans 20 years of their relationship, each episode set in a different year. Though "One Day" is more tragic than "Bridgerton" season three, it does follow a similar transition from platonic to romantic.
"One Day" is available to stream on Netflix.
"Dawson's Creek" has a friends-to-lovers story that's messy but ends happily.
Katie Holmes as Joey and Joshua Jackson as Pacey in "Dawson's Creek."
Columbia TriStar International Television / Courtesy of Getty Images
"Dawson's Creek," which inspired a wave of teen dramas such as "The O.C.," "Gossip Girl" and "Riverdale," is worth watching for the friends-to-lovers story between Joey Potter (Katie Holmes) and Pacey Witter (Joshua Jackson).
The two teens, who live in a small fictional coastal town, begin the series in a love/hate relationship, with their only connection being their friendship with Dawson Leery (James Van Der Beek). However, they realize they truly care for each other as time passes.
Joey and Pacey's love story is messier than Colin and Penelope's since there are a lot of breakups and dating other people, but they reach a happy conclusion.
All six "Dawson's Creek" seasons are available to stream on Prime Video or Hulu.
The "New Girl" friends-to-lovers story begins partway through the show.
Fox / New Girl
"New Girl" features a true friends-to-lovers arc where we see Nick (Jake Johnson) and Jess (Zooey Deschanel) bond as friends long before they ever admit to any attraction. In the pilot, Jess moves into an apartment with Nick and his two male friends, which leads to numerous hijinks.
Their love story doesn't begin until season two when they admit they are attracted to each other and have their first kiss. Nick's and Jess's relationship also has many ups and downs, but at their best, they are two characters who feel real comfort in each other's presence.
All seven "New Girl" seasons are available to stream on Hulu.
"The Summer I Turned Pretty" has a childhood friends-to-lovers arc.
Christopher Briney, Gavin Casalegno, and Lola Tung on "The Summer I Turned Pretty" season two.
Both are book adaptations. Both feature a female lead character, Penelope and Belly Conklin (Lola Tung), who has had a long-standing crush on a male lead, Colin and Conrad Fisher (Christopher Briney). However, in "The Summer I Turned Pretty," Belly has two romantic choices.
In the series, Belly spends every summer at Cousins Beach with her family and the Fisher family, bonding with the two sons Conrad and Jeremiah (Gavin Casalegno). After turning 16, Belly finds herself in a love triangle between both brothers, leading to messy drama.
The first two seasons of "The Summer I Turned Pretty" are available to stream on Prime Video.
"The Office" has one of TV's most popular friends-to-lovers relationships
Jim (John Krasinski) and Pam (Jenna Fischer) in "The Office."
The Office / NBC
Jim (John Krasinski) and Pam (Jenna Fischer) are one of the most iconic friends-to-lovers TV duos. The pair became close friends after working together at the Dunder Mifflin Paper Company, the show's main location.
Jim falls for Pam first. But just like with Penelope and Colin, it takes Pam some time to realize her feelings for Jim. "The Office" has a lot of funny gags, but this saccharine love story is also one of its best moments.
All nine "The Office" seasons are available to stream on Peacock.
"Love & Basketball" is a love story told over several years.
Quincy McCall (Omar Epps) and Monica Wright (Sanaa Lathan) in "Love & Basketball" (2000).
40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks
"Love & Basketball" is a 13-year love story told in four sections. The rom-com begins in 1981 when two children, Monica (Sanaa Lathan) and Quincy (Omar Epps), bond over their shared love of basketball. However, life gets in their way, stopping them from getting together.
If you're looking for a realistic depiction of a friends-to-lovers arc, "Love & Basketball" is the one to watch.
"Love & Basketball" is available to stream on Paramount+.
"13 Going on 30" is a rom-com classic.
Jenna Rink (Jennifer Garner) and Matt Flamhaff (Mark Ruffalo) in "13 Going on 30."
Sony Pictures Releasing
"13 Going on 30" is a fantastic story about the dangers of wanting to grow up too quickly, how popularity does not provide happiness, and the importance of being grateful for your life.
The classic rom-com also has a beautiful love story between the two leads, Jenna Rink (Jennifer Garner) and Matt Flamhaff (Mark Ruffalo). The pair are childhood friends, and Matt harbors a secret crush on Jenna. When Jenna accidentally wishes herself into the future, she reconnects with an older Matt and rebuilds their friendship. Garner and Ruffalo have great chemistry in the movie.
"13 Going on 30" is available to rent on Prime Video or AppleTV+.
"Always Be Maybe" follows another childhood friend duo who realize their feelings later in life.
Marcus Kim (Randall Park) and Sasha Tran (Ali Wong) in "Always Be Maybe."
Netflix
In "Always Be Maybe," Marcus Kim (Randall Park) and Sasha Tran (Ali Wong) are childhood friends who grew up next door to each other. However, their friendship breaks up after they have sex.
Similar to Colin and Penelope in "Bridgerton" season three, the physical interaction causes an awkward wedge between them.
The movie follows the duo 16 years after their friendship breakup. They've both moved on and found other people, but they realize the spark is still there as they reunite.
"Always Be Maybe" is available to stream on Netflix.
"My Best Friend's Wedding" involves a character trying to stop an engagement.
Julianne Potter (Julia Roberts) and Michael O'Neal (Dermot Mulroney) in "My Best Friend's Wedding."
TriStar Pictures
In "Bridgerton" season three, Colin tries to stop Penelope from marrying another person after realizing he is in love with her.
In "My Best Friend's Wedding," Jules Potter (Julia Roberts) does the same after finding out she loves her best friend, Michael O'Neal (Dermot Mulroney), four days before his wedding. This movie is a messy but honest interpretation of the friends-to-lovers arc.
"My Best Friend's Wedding" is available to stream on Starz.
Luke Newton and Nicola Coughlan in "Bridgerton" and on a red carpet.
Liam Daniel / Netflix / Elena Di Vincenzo / Archivio Elena Di Vincenzo / Mondadori Portfolio via Getty Images
The third season of "Bridgerton" has arrived on Netflix.
Season three adapts Colin and Penelope's story from the book "Romancing Mr. Bridgerton."
Here are the main cast members and the projects they've been in before the show.
"Bridgerton" is back with many old faces and a few new characters.
The globally watched show has a big ensemble but changes the leading characters every season to focus on a new love story. Season three follows longtime friends Colin Bridgerton (Luke Newton) and Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan) as they fall in love.
This is the first time "Bridgerton" fans know both characters in the leading couple before their romance begins since the pair have appeared in the show since season one.
To spice up London's high society, "Bridgerton" season three introduces five new characters: Lord Kilmartin or John Stirling (Victor Alli), Lady Tilley Arnold (Hannah New), and Lord Marcus Anderson (Daniel Francis), Michaela Stirling (Masali Baduza) and Paul Saurez (Lucas Aurelio).
Here's where you may recognize the main cast and newcomers.
Warning: spoilers ahead for "Bridgerton" season three.
Luke Newton returns as Colin Bridgerton.
Luke Newton as Colin Bridgerton in "Bridgerton" season three.
Liam Daniel / Netflix
Newton reprises his role as Colin, the third eldest sibling of the Bridgerton family.
It is his most prominent role, but fans may recognize the actor from his roles in Disney's "The Lodge" series or "The Cut."
Nicola Coughlan returns as Penelope Featherington.
Nicola Coughlan as Penelope Featherington in "Bridgerton" season three.
Liam Daniel/Netflix
Penelope Featherington, played by Coughlan, is the youngest daughter of the Featherington family. The Featheringtons live across the street from the Bridgertons and are close friends of the family.
Coughlan is known for starring in TV comedies such as "Derry Girls" and "Big Mood." However, she's also had some big screen roles, like a small part in 2023's "Barbie."
Hannah Dodd joins the cast as Francesca Bridgerton.
Hannah Dodd as Francesca Bridgerton in "Bridgerton" season three.
Liam Daniel/Netflix
Francesca Bridgerton is the sixth Bridgerton sibling who has appeared on the show before. But Dodd is a new face; her character was often away from the family home and when she did appear, she was played by a different actor, Ruby Stokes, in previous seasons.
Stokes left the role after season two to star in another Netflix series, "Lockwood & Co." Dodd was cast to portray Francesca for future seasons.
Dodd has previously appeared in Netflix's miniseries "Anatomy of a Scandal," Marvel's "Eternals," "Fighting with My Family," and "Enola Holmes 2."
Jonathan Bailey and Simone Ashley return as Anthony and Kate Bridgerton.
Simone Ashley as Kate and Jonathan Bailey as Anthony in "Bridgerton" season three.
Before "Bridgerton," Bailey had appeared in British shows like "Doctor Who" and "Crashing." Since his success on the hit Netflix show, he has starred in more American projects like "Fellow Travelers" and the upcoming "Wicked" movie.
Fans will likely recognize Ashley from the hit Netflix British show "Sex Education," where she played popular high-schooler Olivia. Ashley has also appeared in "Pokemon: Detective Pikachu" and last year's live-action reboot of "The Little Mermaid."
Many other Bridgerton family actors return in season three.
The Bridgerton family (L-R): Gregory Bridgerton (Will Tilston), Anthony Bridgerton (Jonathan Bailey), Hyacinth Bridgerton (Florence Hunt), Lady Violet Bridgerton (Ruth Gemmell), Kate Sharma (Simone Ashley), Francesca Bridgerton (Hannah Dodd), Colin Bridgerton (Luke Newton), Eloise Bridgerton (Claudia Jessie) and Benedict Bridgerton (Luke Thompson).
Liam Daniel / Netflix
Several of Anthony, Colin, and Francesca's siblings — Eloise Bridgerton (Claudia Jessie), Benedict (Luke Thompson), Gregory (Will Tilston), and Hyacinth (Florence Hunt) — all return in season three along with their mother, Violet Bridgerton (Ruth Gemmell). The only absent sibling is Daphne Bridgerton (Phoebe Dynevor).
"Bridgerton" is the biggest role for many of the actors who portray the Bridgerton family. Some "Dunkirk" fans may recognize Thompson since he was a background actor in the Christopher Nolan movie.
Jessie and Gemmell have appeared in several popular British series, including "Doctor Who," "Line of Duty," "Eastenders," and "Tracy Beaker."
"Bridgerton" was the second role for Tilston and Hunt, who play the youngest Bridgertons. Hunt starred in "Cursed" in 2020, and Tilston appeared in "Goodbye Christoper Robin" in 2017.
Polly Walker returns as Lady Featherington.
Polly Walker as Lady Portia Featherington in "Bridgerton" season three.
Liam Daniel / Netflix
Lady Portia Featherington is the matriarch of the Featherington family who consistently devises schemes to ensure her family's success.
Walker has been acting for years on TV and movies. Fans may recognize her from her appearances in Gwyneth Paltrow's "Emma," "Clash of the Titans," or "John Carter."
Victor Alli plays John Stirling, a new member of London's high society. He's also referred to as Lord Kilmartin.
Victor Alli as John Stirling in "Bridgerton" season three.
Netflix
John Stirling, the Earl of Kilmartin, is a new character in season three and is Francesca Bridgerton's love interest.
"Bridgerton" is Alli's biggest role to date. But before this, he's had small roles in "Andor," "Belfast," and "Death on the Nile."
Daniel Francis plays Lord Marcus Anderson, a character who doesn't appear in the books.
Daniel Francis as Lord Anderson and Adjoa Andoh as Lady Agatha Danbury in "Bridgerton" season three.
Liam Daniel/Netflix
Lord Marcus Anderson, played by Francis, is a member of the Ton, London's high society. He first appears in "Bridgerton" season three, episode two, as the brother of fan-favorite character Lady Danbury (Adjoa Andoh).
Fantasy fans are most likely to recognize Francis. He previously appeared in the most recent season of "Wheel of Time" and in a few episodes of the ABC series "Once Upon a Time."
Jessica Madsen returns as Cressida Cowper.
Nicola Coughlan as Penelope Featherington and Jessica Madsen as Cressida Cowper in "Bridgerton" season three.
Laurence Cendrowicz / Netflix
Cressida Cowper debuted in society in "Bridgerton" season one, but her mean, shallow personality stopped her from finding a husband. Madsen reprises the role in season three, and the character appears to have befriended Eloise Bridgerton.
Some fans may recognize Madsen from her appearances in the 2017 horror prequel "Leatherface" or the 2019 action movie "Rambo: Last Blood."
Sam Phillips plays Lord Debling, a potential love interest for Penelope.
Nicola Coughlan as Penelope Featherington and Sam Phillips as Lord Debling in "Bridgerton" season three.
Netflix
Lord Debling is a newly created character in the TV series, played by Sam Phillips. He's a suitor for Penelope.
Phillips has appeared in another big British hit series on Netflix, "The Crown." He played the Queen's equerry in seasons three and four.
Hannah New plays Lady Tilley Arnold, a mysterious new Ton member.
Hannah New as Lady Tilley Arnold in "Bridgerton" season three.
Liam Daniel/Netflix
Lady Tilley Arnold first appears in "Bridgerton" season three, episode two, as a new love interest for Benedict Bridgerton.
New is best known for starring as Eleanor Guthrie in the Starz series, "Black Sails." She has also appeared in "Maleficent" and the FX miniseries "Trust."
Martins Imhangbe and Emma Naomi return as Will and Alice Mondrich.
Emma Naomi as Alice Mondrich and Martins Imhangbe as Will Mondrich in "Bridgerton" season three.
Liam Daniel / Netflix
In season one, Imhangbe and Naomi first appeared as Will and Alice, a happy working-class couple. They ran a gentleman's club in season two. But in season three, they unexpectedly move up in society.
"Bridgerton" is the biggest role for both Imhangbe and Naomi. Before the show, Imhangbe was largely a stage actor in England, and Naomi appeared in smaller British TV shows.
Golda Rosheuvel returns as Queen Charlotte.
Golda Rosheuvel as Queen Charlotte on season three, episode three of "Bridgerton."
Liam Daniel/Netflix
"Bridgerton" season one introduced audiences to Queen Charlotte, a real-life monarch who reigned in England in the late 18th/early 19th century.
Golda Rosheuvel plays the stylish queen in the main series and its spin-off show, "Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Series." Rosheuvel has a long TV résumé, appearing in British shows including "Luther," "Holby City," and "Eastenders."
Since the success of "Bridgerton," Rosheuvel has appeared in bigger projects such as "Dune" and the latest season of "Doctor Who."
Lucas Aurelio plays Paul Suarez, Tilly's friend and secret lover.
Lucas Aurelio as Paul Suarez in "Bridgerton" season three.
Liam Daniel / Netflix
In season three, episode six, Lady Tilley Arnold asks Benedict to come for dinner with her special friend, Paul Suarez. Later in the episode, we learn Paul and Tilley are friends with benefits and want Benedict to join them to become a throuple.
Lucas Aurelio plays the dashing Paul Suarez and this is not his first Netflix project: he previously appeared on "The Witcher."
Masali Baduza plays Michaela Stirling, a potential love interest for Francesca.
Masali Baduza as Michaela Stirling on the season three finale of "Bridgerton."
Netflix
The season three finale has one more surprising addition to the cast. After Francesca marries John, she meets his cousin Michaela Stirling, who is coming to live with them in Scotland.
Michaela Stirling is the female version of Michael Stirling, Francesca's second love interest from Julia Quinn's books that the series is based on.
Masali Baduza plays Michaela, and "Bridgerton" is her biggest role to date. Baduza has previously appeared in "Woman King," "Noughts + Crosses," and the "Around the World in 80 Days" TV adaptation.
Welcome back! For the Elon Musk fans out there — 37% of you voted in favor of his pay package in our poll — you can now get a similar pair of the Cybertruck shoes he's been rocking.
Software may still eat the world, but only with the help of some serious hardware.
Marc Andreessen's famous 2011 proclamation about the rise of software has rung true for the past decade. But generative AI has put a considerable spotlight on a less sexy part of tech: hardware.
The massive data-center footprints that firms like Google, Microsoft, and Amazon have amassed are proving incredibly valuable during the generative AI boom. Like people looking to pack on muscle, large-language models need a place to train. This specialized hardware is the gym they can do it in.
But, following our fitness metaphor, there are only so many gyms in town. That's why we're starting to see unique partnerships between tech giants, like Apple and Google or Oracle and Microsoft.
YCharts/Business Insider
The increased importance of hardware hasn't gone unnoticed by Wall Street.
Nvidia is the most obvious example. It's the market's golden child and is close to catching Microsoft as the most valuable company in the world.
But it's not the only one. Chipmaker Broadcom saw its stock explode this week, adding to an impressive year that's seen its shares up roughly 60%. Now it could be the next $1 trillion company.
One of the biggest names in finance is all-in on the hardware, too. Private-equity giant Blackstone is betting big on data centers.
In April, CEO Steve Schwarzman said the firm has a $50 billion portfolio of data centers, with plans to double it. Blackstone President Jon Gray has previously pegged the data-center market at growing to a trillion dollars in the next five years.
All this is not to say that software has lost its luster. After all, a gym is only valuable if there are people looking to use it.
There are plenty of valuable companies in the space with high ceilings (see: OpenAI). But those high-flying AI models also come with controversy (see, again: OpenAI).
So yes, hardware might be boring. But for investors, boring can be good.
News brief
Your Monday headline catchup
A quick recap of the top news from over the weekend:
Citi's Andy Sieg bet big on overhauling a struggling wealth business. Merrill Wealth Management's former president took a gamble leaving a strong business for Citi's much smaller wealth division. But if he's able to execute a turnaround, he could be the bank's next CEO.
Even as stocks boom, some bears remain. It might seem impossible to bet against the market these days, but these folks are. Five bearish forecasters share why they still see a downturn coming.
Dan Sundheim is having a good year. D1 Capital, his $19 billion investment manager, is up 18% in its public-equity-only portfolio this year, a person close to the firm told BI. Despite its gains, the firm has billions allocated to private investments that have dragged down returns.
YouTube is the ultimate "must-have" service. In a recent survey of users' favorite entertainment platforms and services, four of the top five spots went to YouTube. It shows the power of the video platform, even compared to streaming giant Netflix.
Another Trump presidency could be a double-edged sword for Elon Musk. Musk has been flexing his power as a political influencer lately. And while he hasn't publicly endorsed any candidate, whoever wins the White House could massively impact his businesses through taxation and market stability.
3 things in business
Jimmy Simpson for BI
ALICEs and HENRYs and DINKs, oh my! Coverage of the economy is full of these weird acronyms and status labels, with more and more cropping up every day. (Ever heard of a "corporate girlie"?) To stay on top of these ever-expanding tribes, BI's glossary has you covered.
They're rich, but they're also really old. America's millionaires are getting older, and they're waiting longer to pass down their wealth. That's a big problem for aspiring millionaires. Younger workers can't amass wealth at the same rate they used to, and it's harder and harder to be self-made.
AI is set to dominate the ad industry's biggest event. The Cannes Lions ad festival kicks off this week, and AI is on everyone's minds. Businesses are exploring how they can use the tech to automate ad campaigns and for copywriting — but some worry about the loss of creativity.
The Insider Today team: Dan DeFrancesco, deputy editor and anchor, in New York. Jordan Parker Erb, editor, in New York. Hallam Bullock, senior editor, in London. George Glover, reporter, in London. Annie Smith, associate producer, in London. Amanda Yen, fellow, in New York.