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Like so many of us, fans of fantasy author Tomi Adeyemi can’t wait for 2026 to reach its final months. The bestselling writer’s next book, Sirens, is set to drop in the fall, then the big-screen adaptation of her 2018 hit, Children of Blood and Bone, will arrive in theaters on January 15. But instead of the joyful anticipation they expected, Adeyemi’s admirers are worried. As VF’s Rebecca Ford reports, the author was granted a remarkable amount of involvement with the movie, which counts Viola Davis, Idris Elba, and Regina King among its all-Black cast. But she’s distanced herself from the production, saying publicly that her experience with the film caused her physical pain, and is “the worst thing I have ever had to live through.” What went wrong, and where does this leave the upcoming film based on Adeyemi’s stunning debut? Read Rebecca’s thorough look at the controversy for more.

That’s not the only reporting we have on the convergence of pop culture and conflict for you today. There’s also playwright Jonathan Spector, whose Birthright—about a group of six friends who met on an all-expenses-paid trip to Israel in 2006—is enjoying a sold-out run at Manhattan’s MCC Theater. Hannah Seligson speaks to Spector about how, in a world increasingly divided by the war in Gaza, audiences are “seeing themselves onstage” through his work. And what about Melissa Rich, a former Sex and the City tour guide who turned that experience into a one-woman comedy show that tackles over-eager fans, self-described Samanthas, and gentrification? Marisa Meltzer talks to Rich about weaving those themes into one wildly entertaining package.

A bit more before we go: Why is WNBA player Sophie Cunningham such a MAGA fixation? Why do Luigi Mangione’s lawyers want to livestream his trial? And which horror icons would Widow’s Bay creator Katie Dippold happily hook up with? Answers to those questions, and more, await below.

EVE BATEY,
EDITOR

LITTLE GOLD MEN

Widow’s Bay Creator Katie Dippold Would Marry Freddy Krueger, F Jason, and Kill Hellraiser

BY JOHN ROSS

The Emmy nominee opens up about her infamous Babadook meme, her horror influences, and the toxic discourse surrounding her 2016 Ghostbusters reboot.

MANHATTAN

A New Sex and the City Comedy Show on Wheels, Made for the Fans

BY MARISA MELTZER

Twenty-eight years after the show’s premiere, the West Village has changed. Melissa Rich’s one-woman show appraises the lore of the show and the enduring fantasy of living in New York City, on a bus of her own.

SPORTS

How Sophie Cunningham Became a MAGA Fixation and the WNBA’s Lightning Rod

BY KASE WICKMAN

WNBA player Sophie Cunningham made a name for herself with her unapologetically physical play and trash talk on the court. Now, she’s doing the same for conservative messaging.

THEATER

Birthright Might Be the Perfect Catharsis for Jewish American Families at Odds Over Israel and Gaza

BY HANNAH SELIGSON

Playwright Jonathan Spector explains the inspiration for his sold-out drama about a group of Jewish friends who met on a free trip to Israel—a show that’s hitting a nerve, particularly for liberal Jews.

You may not have ever heard of Jordan Roth. If you’ve started watching Ryan Murphy’s adaptation of Bret Easton Ellis’s novel The Shards, Roth plays Steven Reinhardt, a looming Hollywood fixer styled a bit like David Bowie. Before I profiled him, I knew him only by reputation, which is vast. He’s the son of a billionaire who, fresh off graduating from Princeton, became a Broadway wunderkind producer of Mean Girls and Kinky Boots. He had a buzz cut and wore a dark suit to work every day. But in the last 10 years, Roth, who is 51, began a metamorphosis into the butterfly he is today, wearing Margiela couture gowns to the Tonys or Met Gala outfits that defy explanation. Alongside that, he has built a manic and zany Instagram presence with over a million followers. Did I mention he has started doing performance art at the Louvre?

He is the kind of classic New York City character that Truman Capote would have written about for his dry wit and over-the-top lifestyle. It turns out that was only part of the story. Roth is, yes, someone who people have a lot of opinions about, largely about why a truly intelligent man is chasing fame on social media and now television. But this is also a story of one person’s exploration of life and art and gender that gets beyond the mask of camp into his own humanity. This piece has everything: a movement coach, frenzied dress fittings, Cher’s stylist, Jean Genet. It’s funny, and it’s deep at the same time. And it’s the kind of work I wanted to do when I became a journalist. And if you need a much-deserved break after the Auntie Mame world of Jordan Roth, how about Kate Andersen Bower’s investigation into the real thoughts and agency in the life of Second Lady Usha Vance? Or, remember when Rick Caruso, the LA developer, ran for mayor a few years ago, and Gwyneth Paltrow and Kris Jenner endorsed him? Maxwell Adler’s profile of him proves he’s not leaving the public eye (or politics) anytime soon. Matt Carlstrom breaks down author Hank Green’s AI controversy and Nate Freeman investigates whether the mega-collector Leon Black will ever be punished by the art world gatekeepers for his ties to Jeffrey Epstein. And of course, if you’re over the heat or humidity, may I suggest Marie Antoinette, the Sofia Coppola film celebrating its 20th anniversary this year? It’s on Netflix!

MARISA MELTZER,
SENIOR STAFF WRITER

NEWS

What Is Usha Vance Thinking?

BY KATE ANDERSEN BROWER

“It’s patronizing to say that she’s been silenced,” one Yale Law classmate says of JD Vance’s wife, who has perfected the art of knowing where she stands in the Trump administration’s political pecking order. “She has chosen this.”

TRUE COLORS

The Strange Tale of Leon Black and Jeffrey Epstein

BY NATE FREEMAN

The Epstein Files revealed the most forensic release of a private mega-collector’s holdings in history. But that hasn’t stopped Leon Black from serving on the MoMA board and making the rounds at art fairs.

CRASH COURSE

The Brief Wondrous Cancellation of Hank Green

BY MATT CARLSTROM

When the author and YouTuber admitted to using AI to make more creative projects, fans revolted. His apology is already winning them back. So what did we all learn from this glitch-out?

NOW STREAMING

The 25 Best Films to Watch on Netflix This Month

BY CHRIS FEIL

From hidden gems to blockbuster hits, here’s what you should press play on during your next movie night.