Levy shares behindthescenes stories about the comedy's fourth season. Dan Levy spills Schitt's Creek season 4 secrets: The musical moments, emotional journeys, and more Levy shares behindthescenes stories about the comedy's fourth season. By Alamin Yohannes :maxbytes(150000):stripicc()/AlaminYohannesauthorphotob9211b4217454a74b83fd90524ded829.jpg) Alamin Yohannes Alamin Yohannes is ’s social media director. He has been working at the publication since 2018. His work has appeared on NBC News and Inverse in addition to . EW's editorial guidelines October 16, 2019 8:25 a.m.

Levy shares behind-the-scenes stories about the comedy's fourth season.

Dan Levy spills Schitt's Creek season 4 secrets: The musical moments, emotional journeys, and more

Levy shares behind-the-scenes stories about the comedy's fourth season.

By Alamin Yohannes

Alamin Yohannes

Alamin Yohannes is ’s social media director. He has been working at the publication since 2018. His work has appeared on NBC News and Inverse in addition to .

EW's editorial guidelines

October 16, 2019 8:25 a.m. ET

We're getting to the emotional part of our *Schitt's Creek* journey.

For season 3 of EW's BINGE podcast, we're recapping *Schitt's Creek* with Dan Levy himself. Every Wednesday, the showrunner, co-creator, and star of the Emmy-nominated CBC and Pop TV comedy breaks down a season with EW's Shana Naomi Krochmal and Patrick Gomez. He shares behind-the-scenes secrets and walks us through some of the show's iconic moments. Follow along and you'll be ready when the final season premieres in January.

In this week's episode, which you can hear below, we cover season 4, the most musical and emotional season yet. They break down Patrick's epic open mic serenade, the iconic "you make me feel right" speech, and David's two musical numbers. Here are just a few highlights from this week's BINGE, which you can subscribe to on iTunes or wherever you listen to podcasts.

**That one year at Asbestos Fest**

Moira Rose is an enthusiastic philanthropist. When Eva Longoria dropped out of the Everybody Nose benefit due to exhaustion, Moira did the pair's ventriloquist act on her own. She also got Winnie Mandela to RSVP to an Artists Against Eczema benefit within an hour. So, it's no surprise that she jumped at the chance to get involved with Asbestos Fest — even if she thought it was a celebration of the town's asbestos at first.

Excited to be front and center at first, Moira is faced yet again with the prospect of acting, which she is a bit fearful of after such a long time away. "She decides on the Patty Hearst one-woman show and realizes that she can't pull it off," Levy says. "And David who, I guess when push comes to shove, will do what he can for his mother because I think they have a very wonderful bond, agrees to participate in their Christmas medley that they would do at their holiday parties every year."

Turns out their painful-yet-incredible duet was initially written differently. Levy scripted the medley to be a solo for Moira, but Catherine O'Hara wanted him to sing it with her. "The look in her eyes when she told me was like, *you'll be doing this*. And I said, ‘When ‘will I ever get this opportunity again to be immortalized on television?'" Levy shares. O'Hara worked out the whole tune, sent it to Levy to learn his part, and that magical musical *Schitt's Creek* moment was born.

**Patrick's Simply the Best**

Moira and David gave us the funniest musical moment of the season, but Patrick delivered the most iconic one. During an open mic event at Rose Apothecary, Patrick dedicates a performance of "Simply the Best" to David, a romantic performance that surely touched anyone watching.

"I knew that he could pull it off. I find it incredibly cringy, people singing generally, but I knew that he had such a confidence and a conviction to that side of his artistry that I wanted to use it," Levy says about Noah Reid's abilities.

Levy scripted the moment as "Patrick sings a surprisingly beautiful cover," but that wonderful stripped back version was all Reid. The actor said he'd give it a try and after a few weeks, he returned with the acoustic tune heard in the episode. "If we didn't have that song and he didn't do it the way that he had, I think that scene would not have had the kind of weight that it did and the ability to change my character in the way that it did," Levy says.

The weight of the song even got to O'Hara, who couldn't get through the scene without crying. Moira holding a tissue was not initially part of the scene, but was kept in to "show the candidness of television" according to Levy, who also says, "It was a moment that, for me, meant a lot because it was a parent supporting their kid."

"I think for us to be able to project a loving and supportive family in a moment when it counts was really important. And to show that kind of physical support of a parent supporting their queer child in a really lovely and magical time in their life was a message that I wanted to get out there," he explains.

Watching Patrick serenade David in front of a live audience was incredibly emotional and an important step for the beloved couple. Levy calls it a moment where things in a relationship progress to the next level, one that could be dramatized. An emotional moment the comedy earned after four seasons. "I think each of our characters in the fourth season were experiencing emotional stakes that they had not been used to before," Levy says, "We've earned the ability to ride that fine line between comedy and real human moments.

**"You make me feel right"**

David knew Patrick's previous relationships were with women, but being faced with the reality of his boyfriend's past was a completely different matter. When Alexis accidentally brings Patrick's ex-fiancée Rachel to a family barbecue, things get complicated for the couple.

Rachel's appearance sparked a deep panic in David who "was on the precipice of loving someone" and used the situation as a reason to confirm his own belief that bad things always happen to him. "I didn't want the relationship to be super easy. I didn't want it to just constantly fall into place," Levy explains.

David's panicked reaction turns into a reason to apologize after Patrick explains what their relationship means to him, delivering one of the show's most powerful speeches. He tells David that his past relationships and engagement to Rachel never felt right and that David makes him "feel right." "That was also a moment when we got to have Patrick really understand what the relationship means to him and really contextualize his sexuality a bit," Levy adds. After Patrick makes his feelings clear, David has to "earn that back after throwing a bit of a hissy fit and embarrassing himself."

**Simply the Best: The Sequel**

David's reaction to Rachel's appearance required an apology, one that included another musical moment for viewers to enjoy. To mend his things with Patrick, David lip-synced for his relationship with another performance of "Simply the Best."

Levy liked the idea better as a part of his script than as an actual thing he had to perform. "You get up to the day and it's like, I don't, I'm not a dancer. I'm not really a performer. I'm not a musician. I don't know what I'm going to do," he shares. Fortunately, Levy got some help: a bottle of Prosecco. "We shot that scene right after lunch and I requested a bottle of Prosecco to have over lunch, Noah and I split the bottle and we shot it," he says. The result was a wonderful song-and-dance, which was made up of footage mainly from the first take.

While David was a man on a mission, Levy was uncomfortable doing the scene, which he calls "so outside" of his comfort zone. "As an actor, it was the most unsafe I've ever felt, he explains, "that level of unabashed, just lack of consideration for how this is going to look or appear on film."

The scene got a strong reaction from the *Schitt's Creek* crew and viewers. It was planned to be humorous, but those behind the camera were crying after it was shot. "I thought I had done it wrong and I think at times there are moments that come out of when you're making TV that are unexpected," he says. "I don't think I knew what the context of the moment was and how emotional it would be, I guess, for people who were invested in the storyline." The viewers maintained that same energy when messages came in from people who shared they were also sobbing after watching David's performance.

Plus, the song charted after the episode aired. So all that work was simply the best after all.

***Schitt's Creek* embraces drama **

Season 4 of *Schitt's Creek* was full of powerful, emotional moments in addition to the usual laughs and, according to Levy, it's when the comedy roped people into the show.

"We had been slowly but surely building people who were interested and I think getting to a point where we could earn the kinds of emotional stakes … that "made people feel a kind of closeness to the show that was beyond just the comedy." The season included exploring queer relationships and other new and uncharted territory within the relationships of these characters that viewers grew to love.

"You can be a comedy and not be scared of drama as well," Levy adds.

*Schitt's Creek*'s sixth and final season begins Jan. 7 on Pop TV. New episodes of EW's BINGE are released each Wednesday.

**Related content:**

- Dan Levy reveals *Schitt's Creek* season 3 secrets, from Patrick's introduction to the magical ending

- Dan Levy dishes on *Schitt's Creek's* final season, LGBTQ representation, and drag queens

- This *Schitt's Creek* blooper reel will make you laugh so hard that snot shoots out of your nose

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Published: June 8, 2026 at 01:19AM on Source: RON MAG

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byKris Ronald

in

June 07, 2026

Dan Levy spills Schitt's Creek season 4 secrets: The musical moments, emotional journeys, and more

Levy shares behindthescenes stories about the comedy's fourth season . Dan Levy spills Schitt's Creek season 4 secrets: Th...

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Christopher Nolan's epic features a starstudded cast including Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway, Tom Holland, and Robert Pattinson. Only 1 actor asked to read Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey script before saying yes to the movie Christopher Nolan's epic features a starstudded cast including Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway, Tom Holland, and Robert Pattinson. By Sharareh Drury June 2, 2026 4:45 p.m. ET :maxbytes(150000):stripicc()/theodysseymattdamon060226c388315f1192429189153d37549771f7.jpg) Matt Damon as Odysseus in 'The Odyssey'.

Christopher Nolan's epic features a star-studded cast including Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway, Tom Holland, and Robert Pattinson.

Only 1 actor asked to read Christopher Nolan's *The Odyssey *script before saying yes to the movie

Christopher Nolan's epic features a star-studded cast including Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway, Tom Holland, and Robert Pattinson.

By Sharareh Drury

June 2, 2026 4:45 p.m. ET

Matt Damon as Odysseus in 'The Odyssey'. Credit:

Melinda Sue Gordon/Universal Pictures

- Christopher Nolan's *The Odyssey *stars Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway, Tom Holland, and Robert Pattinson.

- Pattinson revealed he was the one actor to ask to read Nolan's script before joining the film.

- *The Drama* actor plays Antinous in the adaptation of Homer's Greek epic.

Christopher Nolan's *The Odyssey*, expected to be one of this summer's blockbuster hits, has recruited quite an impressive cast.

Matt Damon leads the ensemble as Odysseus, the legendary king of Ithaca who ventures on a long and dangerous journey home after the Trojan War. He's joined by Anne Hathaway as Odysseus' wife, Penelope, and Tom Holland as his son, Telemachus. The on-screen royal family is joined by Hollywood heavy hitters, including Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong'o, Charlize Theron, Zendaya, John Leguizamo, and Elliot Page.

According to one actor from the group above, they were the only cast member to ask to read Nolan's script before signing onto the film. In a new interview for *GQ*, Pattinson revealed that when Nolan called him about joining *The Odyssey*, his response was a little surprising to the two-time Oscar-winning director.

“I was like, 'Yeah, can’t wait to read it.' He’s like, 'You want to read it? Everyone else just said yes.'" Pattinson told the outlet.**

Robert Pattinson as Antinous in 'The Odyssey'.

Melinda Sue Gordon/Universal Pictures

In the epic adaptation of Homer's ancient Greek epic, *The* *Odyssey*, Pattinson plays Antinous, who aggressively attempts to take Odysseus' throne and marry his wife, Penelope. The *Mickey 17 *star describes his character as "a little like James Woods in *Casino*. That was my inspiration for it."

"I thought it’d be quite nice to see it in Ithaca," Pattinson added. "And he’s like a little sleazy. I kept saying at my costume fitting, I was like, ‘I really want to have leopard underpants.’ I want to have it just coming out of my skirt, a little sparkly fur."

Pattinson also detailed how grueling production for Nolan's latest film was, saying while sitting at a hotel bar in southern Italy, he noticed crew coming in from a shoot and looking "so exhausted."

"And this was only a third of the way," Pattinson explained. "I started a third of the way through the movie, and they’d already been to [two] countries by that point and people just looked like…. I mean, at the end of every day people were broken."

'The Odyssey' trailer reveals cyclops, Charlize Theron, and Tom Holland 'pining for a daddy'

Why Christopher Nolan's 'The Odyssey' won't be longer than 'Oppenheimer'

Robert Pattinson and Tom Holland in 'The Odyssey'.

Universal Pictures

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

While Pattinson's idea of leopard underpants likely won't make it into the final cut of *The Odyssey,* a recently released trailer for the film previews an action-packed on-screen adaptation of the Greek epic.

*The Odyssey* is in theaters July 17. Watch the trailer above.

- Action Movies

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Published: June 8, 2026 at 12:38AM on Source: RON MAG

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byKris Ronald

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Only 1 actor asked to read Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey script before saying yes to the movie

Christopher Nolan's epic features a starstudded cast including Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway, Tom Holland, and Robert Pattinson. Only ...

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Dan Levy spills Schitt's Creek season 5 secrets: Cabaret, that hike, 'A Little Bit Alexis,' and more By Alamin Yohannes :maxbytes(150000):stripicc()/AlaminYohannesauthorphotob9211b4217454a74b83fd90524ded829.jpg) Alamin Yohannes Alamin Yohannes is ’s social media director. He has been working at the publication since 2018. His work has appeared on NBC News and Inverse in addition to . EW's editorial guidelines October 23, 2019 10:28 a.m.

Dan Levy spills Schitt's Creek season 5 secrets: Cabaret, that hike, 'A Little Bit Alexis,' and more

By Alamin Yohannes

Alamin Yohannes

Alamin Yohannes is ’s social media director. He has been working at the publication since 2018. His work has appeared on NBC News and Inverse in addition to .

EW's editorial guidelines

October 23, 2019 10:28 a.m. ET

It's showtime, bébé!

For season 3 of EW's BINGE podcast, we're talking to *Schitt's Creek* showrunner, co-creator, and star Dan Levy all about the Emmy-nominated CBC and Pop TV sleeper hit. Each week we recap a season of the comedy and Levy shares behind-the-scenes secrets about many of the show's biggest moments. Follow along and you'll be ready when the final season premieres in January.

In this week's episode, which you can hear below, we cover season 5, which starts with Moira on a movie set in Bosnia and ends with an incredible performance of *Cabaret*. Levy discusses giving Moira the win she deserves, how Stevie's story led to *Cabaret*, ‘A Little Bit Alexis,' and much more. Here are just a few highlights from this week's BINGE, which you can subscribe to on iTunes or wherever you listen to podcasts.

**Return of the ****Crows**

Viewers already knew about Moira's work on The Crows Have Eyes franchise, so it was great to see her back on set in Bosnia working on another installment in season 5.

When faced with an unenthused director, Moira fought for her movie by suggesting changes and inspiring him to get behind the project. "I wanted her to have a big win. I wanted Moira to finally be validated," Levy says, "I wanted there to be a legitimacy to her career."

The new film also gave us that unforgettable crow costume — prosthetic beak and all — and voice. "I remember her coming out of the hair and makeup truck in that wig and the prosthetic beak and being like, ‘Okay, great, this is exactly what I wanted,'" Levy adds. "Her impulses are so unique and there will never be anyone like her. You write something and she takes that and makes magic out of it."

The confidence and sense of hope Moira brought back to Schitt's Creek from Bosnia gave new energy to her character and the storylines of season 5. "It's so new for Moira because she's been so beaten down by the experience that to give her that sense of hope was crucial," Levy shares, "it was a really fun season to play and a really fun season to write because it was very hopeful and excitable."

**Patrick's Big Steps Forward**

Happy in his relationship with David, Patrick went through a lot of personal growth in season 5. He moved into his own apartment and finally came out to his parents, developments that allowed viewers to get to know the character better.

Getting the apartment was important for Patrick and it also created an opportunity for an epic — and eventful — housewarming party. The high school slumber party-themed event got wild after a very drunk Ted plants a big, enthusiastic kiss on David during a game of spin the bottle.

"He knows deep down that he probably shouldn't be because it really does mean nothing," Levy says about Patrick's reaction to the kiss. "To show a little bit of the cracks in the veneer of Patrick I think is really valuable in building him up to what becomes of his character over in the second half of the show."

Another crack in his veneer came when David invites Patrick's parents to a surprise birthday only to learn they don't know he's gay. "I knew that I wanted there to be a side of Patrick that we hadn't seen yet. I wanted there to be a skeleton in the closet," Levy shares. "With a character that's so confident, it's so important, especially knowing what I wanted to end with in terms of their relationship."

To add to Patrick's stress, David was taken aback to learn his boyfriend had been keeping his sexuality a secret. "I felt heartbroken for David that he's like, ‘Wait, you didn't tell them?' to then immediately having so much empathy for Patrick who is struggling so much to figure out how to do this and then kind of back again when David's like willing to basically go back into the closet if necessary to get his boyfriend through this," Levy says.

**A Little Bit Alexis**

One of the season's biggest stories was the town musical. The audition process for *Cabaret* gave us one of the show's most iconic and viral moments, thanks to Alexis.

Searching for a lead actress turned out to be a difficult task, so Alexis graciously offered her services. And who could turn down the trained singer and star of critically reviewed limited reality series "A Little Bit Alexis," which actress Annie Murphy actually wrote.

"She has always sort of been surrounded by musicians and new people and producers and said, ‘Yeah, let me see what I can do," and came back to us with a banger," Levy shares. "Now, I'll get tweets from predominately gay men who are in clubs and the song will play. I think gay bars and clubs are like playing it, which to me is the greatest compliment."

Unfortunately for Alexis, she didn't get the part.

From David's lack of interest in hiking to a branch going straight through Patrick's shoe, this couple's trip was a mess from the start. A mess that stressed out a typically-laid back Patrick, a change of pace that Levy enjoyed because it showed Patrick being "extra" for once as the frustration slowly built up.

Speaking of that branch, that painful development came from an incident from Levy's own life. "I was taking my dog for a walk and stepped on a branch that went right through my shoe. I'm fine…but it was a strange thing."

This seemingly-doomed adventure allowed for a role reversal, where David is the one to salvage the hike by literally carrying Patrick the rest of the way on his back. "Then for David to be rewarded with what happens, I thought was a really nice turn and twist," Levy adds, referencing Patrick's marriage proposal.

The choice of four rings to replace the four David always wear is both a romantic touch and testament to how well Patrick knows his finacé.

"It was an easy way of adding like an extra sucker punch to the emotionality of that scene by saying, ‘Oh, he really sees this person and knows what he wants and is thoughtful and caring and has taken the time to really know who this person is,'" Levy adds.

**Stevie Goes to the Cabaret**

The reason Levy landed on *Cabaret* for the musical had a lot to do with Stevie. "Because I knew … what Stevie was going to do at the end of it. And I knew how that song could service that character," Levy shares, adding that actress Emily Hampshire has always dreamed of playing *Cabaret*‘s Sally Bowles. "As she said, ‘I could never have dreamed that playing Stevie playing Sally would be how I did it and I wouldn't have it any other way,'" he says.

With that incredible performance, *Schitt's Creek* season 5 ends without a dry eye in the house.

Thank you so much for going on this journey with us as we revisit five great seasons of *Schitt's Creek*, but we're not done just yet. We have some amazing bonus episodes of BINGE where we sit down with stars Annie Murphy and Dustin Milligan AND we have the upcoming EW On Set podcast when *Schitt's Creek* returns for its final season in January.

*A* Schitt's Creek* immersive experience is coming to New York City and Los Angeles in November, and Dan Levy is hosting a charity fundraiser through Omaze and flying one lucky fan out to N.Y.C. to visit the pop-up with him! Get all the details here.*

**Related content:**

- EW is headed to Schitt's Creek! EW On Set podcast brings listeners inside season 6 of the hit comedy

- Dan Levy spills Schitt's Creek season 4 secrets: The musical moments, emotional journeys, and more

- Dan Levy dishes on *Schitt's Creek's* final season, LGBTQ representation, and drag queens

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Published: June 8, 2026 at 12:19AM on Source: RON MAG

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byKris Ronald

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June 07, 2026

Dan Levy spills Schitt's Creek season 5 secrets: Cabaret, that hike, 'A Little Bit Alexis,' and more

Dan Levy spills Schitt's Creek season 5 secrets: Cabaret, that hike, 'A Little Bit Alexis,' and more By Alamin Yohan...

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&34;His music carried generations through joyful celebrations, great love stories, and enduring moments of comfort and inspiration,&34; Bryson's family said in a statement. Peabo Bryson, singer of 'Beauty and the Beast' and 'Tonight, I Celebrate My Love,' dies at 75 &34;His music carried generations through joyful celebrations, great love stories, and enduring moments of comfort and inspiration,&34; Bryson's family said in a statement. By Kathleen Perricone June 2, 2026 8:21 p.m. ET :maxbytes(150000):stripicc()/PeaboBryson060226640a3a6780794cc0b2a876137c534078.jpg) Peabo Bryson in 2025.

"His music carried generations through joyful celebrations, great love stories, and enduring moments of comfort and inspiration," Bryson's family said in a statement.

Peabo Bryson, singer of 'Beauty and the Beast' and 'Tonight, I Celebrate My Love,' dies at 75

"His music carried generations through joyful celebrations, great love stories, and enduring moments of comfort and inspiration," Bryson's family said in a statement.

By Kathleen Perricone

June 2, 2026 8:21 p.m. ET

Peabo Bryson in 2025. Credit:

Monica Morgan/Getty

- R&B legend Peabo Bryson has died.

- The singer of "Beauty and the Beast," "A Whole New World," and "Tonight, I Celebrate My Love" was 75.

- He had famously collaborated with Celine Dion and Roberta Flack.

The music world lost one of its most nostalgic voices on Tuesday with the passing of Peabo Bryson, best known for the theme songs of Disney's *Beauty and the Beast* and *Aladdin*. He was 75.

The two-time Grammy Award winner had suffered a stroke days earlier, his rep confirmed, and was under medical care. When he died on June 2, Bryson was surrounded by family.

“We are tremendously moved by the outpouring of love, prayers and support from fans, friends, and colleagues around the world,” Bryson's family said in a statement shared with PEOPLE. “While our hearts are broken, we find comfort in knowing how deeply Peabo was loved and how many lives were touched by his voice and his generous spirit. His legacy and music will live on for generations to come.”

Bryson recorded 20 studio albums over his 50-year career, most recently 2026's *Grace*. The South Carolina native first found fame as a duet partner with Roberta Flack on 1983's "Tonight, I Celebrate My Love," considered one of the greatest love ballads of the decade.

Celebrity deaths 2026: Remembering the stars who died this year

'Beauty and the Beast' Then and now

In 1991, he recorded "Beauty and the Beast" with Celine Dion for the animated classic, earning an Oscar, Grammy, and Golden Globe. The following year, he struck gold again with Regina Belle on "A Whole New World (Aladdin's Theme)." The pop ballad, which plays during *Aladdin*'s closing credits, peaked at No. 1 on the *Billboard* Hot 100 — bumping Whitney Houston's "I Will Always Love You" from the top of the charts.

"I think the secret to a really good duet is that you have to fall a little bit in love with your duet partner," Bryson told *Tatler Asia* in 2015. "I was very fortunate in finding a duet partner in Roberta Flack who really knew what a duet was and knew how to play to a person's strengths and weaknesses equally."

He did exactly that with Dion, a French-Canadian powerhouse who was still relatively new to American audiences in 1991 and seemed timid in the recording studio.

"I looked across at her, and she looked back at me and what went on from the point of becoming relaxed was extremely intimate," Bryson recalled. "You can't buy that. You can record it, though."

Bryson, a father of two, suffered a heart attack in 2019 yet made a full recovery. "I was on the other side long enough to make friends,” Bryson told 11Alive ahead of his comeback performance in Atlanta that year. “Flatlining is different... I’m healthy and anxious, and excited to be back on stage at this particular point.”

Peabo Bryson in 2022.

Derek White/Getty

Last year, Bryson announced his Golden Touch Tour to celebrate his 50 years in music. "It's surreal," he said. "Most people don't get to say they've had a five-decade career in anything, let alone music. But what makes it even more special is that I almost didn't make it to see this milestone."

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

After his passing on Tuesday, Bryson's family remembered the beloved artist for serving as "the soundtrack to some of life’s most cherished moments. His music carried generations through joyful celebrations, great love stories and enduring moments of comfort and inspiration, creating a legacy that will forever live in the hearts of those who loved him and the countless lives he touched through song."

The statement continued, "In this deeply difficult moment, the family asks for privacy as they mourn the loss of a beloved husband, father, family member, friend and artist whose impact extended far beyond the stage."

- Celebrities & Creators

- Celebrity Death News

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Published: June 7, 2026 at 11:38PM on Source: RON MAG

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Peabo Bryson, singer of 'Beauty and the Beast' and 'Tonight, I Celebrate My Love,' dies at 75

&34;His music carried generations through joyful celebrations, great love stories, and enduring moments of comfort and inspiration,...

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Tom Cruise, Drew Barrymore, and Nicolas Cage are among Hollywood notables who have shared their experiences with the notoriously 'difficult' actor. 11 costars or directors who have spoken about working with Val Kilmer Tom Cruise, Drew Barrymore, and Nicolas Cage are among Hollywood notables who have shared their experiences with the notoriously 'difficult' actor. By Kathleen Perricone June 3, 2026 12:12 a.m. ET :maxbytes(150000):stripicc()/TomCruiseValKilmerNicolasCage0602262226408af5ad454c9c10aecd4e528596.jpg) Tom Cruise, Val Kilmer, and Nicolas Cage.

Tom Cruise, Drew Barrymore, and Nicolas Cage are among Hollywood notables who have shared their experiences with the notoriously 'difficult' actor.

11 costars or directors who have spoken about working with Val Kilmer

Tom Cruise, Drew Barrymore, and Nicolas Cage are among Hollywood notables who have shared their experiences with the notoriously 'difficult' actor.

By Kathleen Perricone

June 3, 2026 12:12 a.m. ET

Tom Cruise, Val Kilmer, and Nicolas Cage. Credit:

Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty; David Livingston/Getty; Amy Sussman/GA/The Hollywood Reporter via Getty

Val Kilmer was an actor dedicated to his craft, perhaps to a fault. Many of his former costars and directors have spoken out on what it was like behind the scenes working with the notoriously difficult star on the sets of films such as *Top Gun*, *Batman Forever*, *Tombstone*, and *The Doors*.

Kilmer, who passed away April 1, 2025, at the age of 65, was fully aware of his Hollywood reputation. And during a 2017 Reddit "Ask Me Anything" Q&A, he provided some insight. He admitted to taking "risks" with his performances while not always considering the potential financial impact on a production, which he acknowledged was "foolish." As he explained, "I was often unhappy trying to make pictures better.”

Here are 11 memorable experiences straight from the mouths of Kilmer's former costars and directors.

Val Kilmer and Tom Cruise in 'Top Gun'.

Paramount Pictures/Sunset Boulevard/Corbis via Getty

The two played rivals onscreen in *Top Gun*, and just like their characters, Cruise and Kilmer shared a complicated bond that evolved with age. During the making of the 1986 movie, the method actors were so immersed in being Maverick and Iceman they hardly interacted when the cameras weren't rolling.

Despite their frosty relationship on the set, "I felt so grateful that he decided to make the film," Cruise told *Sight and Sound* magazine in 2025 about Kilmer, a Juilliard grad, who was reluctant to play a "supporting" role.

"I was calling his agent," Cruise recalled, "and [director] Tony Scott was hunting him down and meeting in an elevator… and he was like, 'Please, Val, please.'"

As Iceman, Kilmer was "just on fire," gushed Cruise. "If you look at *Top Gun*, I think he's in the movie maybe 10 minutes. That's the impact of an artist like that."

Three decades later, when Cruise and Kilmer reunited for the sequel, *Top Gun: Maverick*, "it was like time had not passed. We were laughing and it was joyous. And then we started acting and it's just, you see it… he became Iceman."

By then, throat cancer had greatly affected Kilmer's voice, a detail that was written into the script: Iceman communicated with Maverick by typing his thoughts into a computer.

"He didn't even have to speak," Cruise said. "That's what he's able to do. Beautiful, really beautiful. A gift that he had and that he shared with all of us."

Two days after Kilmer's passing, Cruise took a moment to "honor a dear friend of mine" during his appearance at CinemaCon.

"I really can't tell you how much I admired his work, how much I thought of him as a human, and how grateful and honored I was when he joined [the] first *Top Gun* and came back for *Top Gun: Maverick*. He gave a lot to all of us with his performances," Cruise said.

Warwick Davis

Val Kilmer and Warwick Davis in 'Willow'.

MGM/Courtesy Everett

Kilmer had an ally on and off screen in *Willow*, the 1988 fantasy flick about a disaffected warrior who joins forces with an aspiring magician, played by Davis, to protect a baby princess.

"He's really the reason I got through the making of the film *Willow*," Davis told *** *following Kilmer's death. "Because if ever I was tired, exhausted, fed up, cold, he'd say, 'Come on, keep going!' And he'd be the kind of leader of the army, keeping us going. He was a beautiful man."

Kilmer didn't reprise his role for the 2022 Disney+ series due to his health, and his presence was greatly missed.

"I always like to tell the world how great he was, because I often think the media gave the wrong impression of who he was as a person," Davis told EW. "He was a very warm, generous, kind-hearted person."

Oliver Stone

Oliver Stone directs Val Kilmer in 'The Doors'.

TriStar Pictures/Courtesy Everett

Kilmer embodied psychedelic rocker Jim Morrison in the 1991 biopic *The Doors*.

“His personality was not easy to get along with,” Stone revealed to RogerEbert.com in 2025. “Creative people are often self-involved, and there was a fair amount of stuff you’d expect to see from an eccentric young actor in Hollywood—although, even by those standards, Val was pretty out there.”

The relationship between Kilmer and Stone started off strong, but production of *The Doors *ended on a sour note, especially for the lead star.

"He did a great job, but he was not happy with me or himself, and he was very troubled in many ways," Stone said. "At the end of the movie, he hurt me by saying things to me that were not kind. It was a bitter experience in a sense, you know: ‘Goodbye. Go to hell.’ That kind of thing.”

Despite the fallout, when Stone was casting 2004's *Alexander*, he had one person in mind to play King Philip II of Macedon, the titular character's father.

"I had a hunch that he would be good for it,” Stone said of Kilmer. “And he did it perfectly."

Kurt Russell

Kurt Russell and Val Kilmer in 'Tombstone'.

Buena Vista Pictures/Courtesy Everett

The making of the 1993 Western *Tombstone* was fairly wild, beginning with its original director getting fired at the start of production. But for Russell and Kilmer, who starred as Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday, respectively, the chaos only brought them closer.

“I thought his performance was one of his best,” Russell told *Rolling Stone* just after Kilmer's death. “We were always in cahoots. We were always thinking the same thing. That was a big part of why I had such a great time working with him. It was a collaboration in a lot of ways that is a wonderful thing to have.”

Russell admitted he had a soft spot for Kilmer because he got to know the person beneath the tough exterior.

"I don’t disagree that he was complicated, but I just always felt he wore so many things on his sleeve that I couldn’t help but appreciate," Russell said.

The mutual admiration forged a lifelong bond. The last time Russell visited Kilmer before his passing, “It was difficult for him to talk [but] he had wonderful things to say. He had a fairly good sense of humor," Russell recalled to *Rolling Stone*. "He said, ‘Sometimes, I could have been a little bit nicer to a lot of people.’ And he laughed. He was being retrospective, looking back on his life. He was a good guy."

Michael Biehn

Michael Biehn in 'Tombstone'.

John Bramley/Buena Vista Pictures/Courtesy Everett

Ever the method actor, Kilmer stayed in character on the set of *Tombstone* by not making nice with Doc Holliday's nemesis, outlaw Johnny Ringo, played by Biehn.

"People ask me all the time about Val Kilmer, and I always say the same thing: I don't f---ing have any idea 'cause I never met Val Kilmer," Biehn said in 2025 on his podcast *Just Foolin About*. "I never spent any time with who I would consider Val Kilmer… There was no interactions. We stayed away from each other."

As Biehn explained it, the lawmen and the outlaws drew a line in the sand on the Arizona set. Kilmer and Russell had their own clique apart from cowboy gang members like Biehn's Ringo and "Curly Bill" Brocius, played by Powers Boothe. The rivalry between Holliday and Ringo ultimately ends in a deadly duel, a pivotal scene that required rehearsing. Kilmer and Biehn drove to the location separately and didn't acknowledge each other once they arrived.

"There was never any, 'Hey Val, how you doing,'" Biehn recalled. "None of that... because he was one of *them*."

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The 10 best Val Kilmer movies ranked, from the slapstick of 'Top Secret!' to the soul of 'Heat'

Joel Schumacher

Val Kilmer and 'Batman Forever' director Joel Schumacher in 1995.

Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic

*Batman Forever* felt like an eternity for its director. Kilmer, who took over the role from Michael Keaton for the 1995 installment, was "childish and impossible" to deal with, Schumacher told ** in 1996 — after he replaced Kilmer with George Clooney for *Batman & Robin*.

"[Kilmer] was being irrational and ballistic with the first AD, the cameraman, the costume people," Schumacher revealed. "He was badly behaved, he was rude and inappropriate. I was forced to tell him that this would not be tolerated for one more second."

Kilmer was so upset, he didn't speak to the director for two weeks.

"It was bliss," Schumacher quipped.

Drew Barrymore

Val Kilmer, Nicole Kidman, Jim Carrey, and Drew Barrymore in 'Batman Forever'.

Barrymore had a much different experience making *Batman Forever*.

"Val Kilmer was so nice to me," the actress, who played Two-Face's cohort Sugar, remembered on *The Drew Barrymore Show*. "So nurturing and kind and safe, which was a very important thing for me.”

John Frankenheimer

Val Kilmer in 'The Island of Dr. Moreau'.

Richard Stanley, the original director of *The Island of Dr. Moreau*, jumped ship only three days into filming due to "argumentative" Kilmer. Frankenheimer took over for the project — and inherited Stanley's same difficulties. Except he gave it right back to Kilmer.

The actor once tried to give his opinion during a scene, but Frankenheimer cut him off before he could finish: "I don't give a f--- [what you think]." The moment Kilmer wrapped his final scene, Frankenheimer reportedly remarked, "Now get that bastard off my set."

But the director went on-record with EW to broadcast his unfiltered thoughts on the star: "I don’t like Val Kilmer, I don’t like his work ethic, and I don’t want to be associated with him ever again.”

Nicolas Cage

Val Kilmer and Nicolas Cage in 'Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans'.

Lena Herzog/First Look

Kilmer got to tap into his comedic side in 2009's *Bad Lieutenant*: *Port of Call New Orleans*, playing the partner of Cage's titular character, a drug-addicted police detective trying to solve a string of murders.

The two had been longtime admirers of each other and forged "an interesting relationship," Cage told Collider.

"We don't have a friendship per se, but would write letters to each other, from one actor to another, offering support to one another, as we did for *Tombstone* and *Leaving Las Vegas*," Cage said. "We always knew there was camaraderie there… So to get a chance to work with Val was a good thing, and I hope we'll have more to do together. He is my brother, in many ways, as a fellow artist."

When his former costar passed in 2025, Cage reflected on sharing the screen with Kilmer in *Bad* *Lieutenant*, saying, "I admired his commitment and sense of humor."

Jorma Taccone

Jorma Taccone and Val Kilmer at the 'MacGruber' premiere in 2010.

Jesse Knish/WireImage

Kilmer and his director got off on a strange foot when they first met to discuss the 2010 action-comedy *MacGruber*, a parody of *MacGyver*, starring *Saturday Night Live*'s Will Forte.

"I drove out to Malibu to meet him, and his door was open," Taccone recalled on *The Lonely Island and Seth Meyers Podcast*. "I go in the house, and he's on the balcony… throwing these little chips or something into the ocean, and he's going, 'Are you a king? Are you a king?'"

Kilmer then started tossing the "little paper chips" at Taccone.

"It takes me, like, a couple minutes to figure out that he was invited to Mardi Gras that year to play King Bacchus, the guy who leads the float," he explained. "And these are little paper chips that he's supposed to be throwing out to the crowd with his face on it."

Ultimately, Taccone realized Kilmer "was just messing with me," and it was the start of an amusing relationship.

"He was such this wonderful ball-buster of a human being, just f---ing with life and just, he was on every level the most interesting mind," the director said. "I will forever remember that particular meeting."

Val Kilmer in 'Conspiracy,' directed by Adam Marcus.

Courtesy Everett

Kilmer's director in 2008's *Conspiracy* waited until after the star's death to break his silence — and he didn't hold back on his not-so-fond memories.

"#MicroIntellectMonday to that time when I directed that guy," Marcus teased in a June 1, 2026, post on Threads. "The guy who played Iceman and Doc Holiday [sic]. You know the one. Here’s me and the Putz working it out on the set of *Conspiracy*," he wrote, including a photo of himself and Kilmer, who played a disabled veteran investigating his friend's disappearance in an Arizona border town.

The timing could not have been any worse, just a little over a year since the actor's passing. Marcus didn't care, however.

"And to any of you rolling your eyes because of the whole 'don’t speak ill of the dead bullsh--', f--- that," he continued, adding that if Kilmer "did one-tenth of what he did on my set today, he would have been cancelled in a blink. Worst human being I’ve ever known… and that is really saying something."

Marcus didn't elaborate on what Kilmer allegedly did on *Conspiracy* and ultimately deleted the controversial post altogether.

- Celebrities & Creators

Original Article on Source

Source: "EW Celebrities"

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Source: Celebrities

Published: June 7, 2026 at 11:38PM on Source: RON MAG

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11 costars or directors who have spoken about working with Val Kilmer

Tom Cruise, Drew Barrymore, and Nicolas Cage are among Hollywood notables who have shared their experiences with the notoriously '...

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The tale spans more than a century, but you only need a few hours. The essential Interview With the Vampire episodes to prepare you for The Vampire Lestat The tale spans more than a century, but you only need a few hours. By Tiffany Kelly Tiffany Kelly Tiffany Kelly is a staff editor at . She has been working at EW since 2024. Her work has previously appeared in the Los Angeles Times, Wired, GQ, and Ars Technica. EW's editorial guidelines June 3, 2026 11:00 a.m. ET Leave a Comment :maxbytes(150000):stripicc()/IWTVessentialepisodes176a63d3c72b44e186f81647ea97cb7c.

The tale spans more than a century, but you only need a few hours.

The essential Interview With the Vampire episodes to prepare you for The Vampire Lestat

The tale spans more than a century, but you only need a few hours.

By Tiffany Kelly

Tiffany Kelly

Tiffany Kelly is a staff editor at **. She has been working at EW since 2024. Her work has previously appeared in the Los Angeles Times, Wired, GQ, and Ars Technica.

EW's editorial guidelines

June 3, 2026 11:00 a.m. ET

Leave a Comment

‘Interview With the Vampire’ stars Bailey Bass, Assad Zaman, Sam Reid, Delainey Hayles, Eric Bogosian, and Jacob Anderson. Credit:

- ** picks its favorite episodes from AMC's *Interview With the Vampire series.*

- The adaptation of Anne Rice's *The Vampire Chronicles* book series premiered in 2022 and was followed by a second season in 2024.

- Season 3, newly titled *The Vampire Lestat*, premieres on AMC and AMC+ on June 7.

AMC's *Interview With the Vampire** *manages to teeter between campy ridiculousness and heartbreaking romance with remarkable ease. Even those who don't have a taste for blood can appreciate the series for its unique approach to storytelling and strong performances.

The adaptation of the beginning of Anne Rice's *The Vampire Chronicles* book series, which premiered in 2022 and was succeeded by a second season in 2024, follows the vampires Louis de Pointe du Lac (Jacob Anderson) and Lestat de Lioncourt (Sam Reid) and their tumultuous, on-again, off-again relationship, chronicled by journalist Daniel Molloy (Eric Bogosian).

To make sure everyone's ready for season 3, now titled *The Vampire Lestat*, which premieres Sunday, June 7, at 9 p.m. ET/PT on AMC and AMC+, ** has pulled together a list of our eight favorite episodes from the series below. And if you’re new to the *IWTV* world? As Louis says in the first episode, "Let the tale seduce you." Then strap in for a wild ride!

"In Throes of Increasing Wonder…" (season 1, episode 1)

Louis de Point Du Lac (Jacob Anderson) and Lestat de Lioncourt (Sam Reid) in 'Interview With the Vampire'.

Alfonso Bresciani/AMC

Our story begins during the pandemic. No, not a pandemic from 100 years ago — the one we recently experienced. It's 2022, and Louis is living in a high-rise in Dubai, where he's being interviewed by Daniel about his life as a vampire. He was turned in 1910 by the mysterious Lestat, while both of them lived in New Orleans. The first episode feels like a mini movie and packs in a lot of plot, so you definitely don't want to miss this one on a rewatch or first watch of the series.

"...The Ruthless Pursuit of Blood With All a Child's Demanding" (season 1, episode 4)

Claudia (Bailey Bass) in 'Interview With the Vampire'.

Alfonso Bresciani/AMC

To make Louis happy, Lestat turns a teen girl into a vampire. Not surprisingly, it changes their lives in a big way and the two dads have their hands full teaching 14-year-old Claudia (Bailey Bass) how to survive and become accustomed to bloodsucking before she's figured out her place in the world. This episode also features a scene with Louis and Lestat fighting in French, and Bass perfectly delivering the line, "I'm so hungry I think I'm gonna die!"

"A Vile Hunger for Your Hammering Heart" (season 1, episode 5)

Louis de Point du Lac (Jacob Anderson), Lestat de Lioncourt (Sam Reid), and Claudia (Bailey Bass) on 'Interview With the Vampire'.

Alfonso Bresciani/AMC

Louis and Lestat's relationship suffers after Claudia decides to leave New Orleans. When she returns, Lestat and Louis engage in a violent fight that ends in the air. Yes, Lestat reveals he can fly! (Or *float*, as Louis calls it.) A heartbroken Lestat tells Louis, "I have patiently waited in vain for you to love me as I love you," before dropping his lover from the sky.

Well, that's one way to break up!

"The Thing Lay Still" (season 1, episode 7)

Louis de Point du Lac (Jacob Anderson) and Lestat de Lioncourt (Sam Reid) share a kiss on 'Interview With the Vampire'.

Alfonso Bresciani/AMC

Every TV show needs at least one epic episode centered around a wedding or party, and *IWTV* achieves this with its season 1 finale. After Lestat finagles his way into becoming the King Raj of Mardi Gras in 1940, the vampire trio throws an extravagant bash that ends in a bloodbath. All the while, Claudia and Louis plot to kill Lestat and travel to Europe. But first, Loustat (their ship name) share a romantic dance, where they gaze deeply into one another's eyes and passionately kiss in front of a shocked crowd. Of course, Louis can't burn Lestat — which would guarantee death — after that! Instead, he and Claudia poison Lestat.

(Special mention to Lestat for saying, "Bach is beyond you.")

'The Vampire Lestat' star Sam Reid fought to sing live on the show

'The Vampire Lestat' boss reveals Louis' 'heartbreaking' expanded role (exclusive)

"Do You Know What It Means to Be Loved by Death" (season 2, episode 2)

Lestat de Lioncourt (Sam Reid) on 'Interview With the Vampire' season 2.

Larry Horricks/AMC

After traveling through Europe at the end of World War II, Claudia (played by Delainey Hayles in season 2) and Louis settle down in Paris, where Louis takes up photography. Everything feels a little lighter for our characters until they meet the vampires who run Théâtre des Vampires, headed by Louis' present-day partner, Armand (Assad Zaman). Just when it seems like the pair of travelers has finally found their community in the City of Light, we see Lestat's portrait hanging on a wall in the theater. Lestat's the co-founder! Louis and Claudia decide to keep their past history with Lestat — and the fact that they poisoned him and left him to die — a secret from the French coven.

We also learn that both Louis and Armand dated Lestat before dating each other. Daniel can't contain himself over this revelation, yelling out, "It's a telenovela!"

"Don't Be Afraid, Just Start the Tape" (season 2, episode 5)

Daniel Molloy (Eric Bogosian) on 'Interview With the Vampire'.

Larry Horricks/AMC

This episode is a fan favorite for a reason. We see a young Daniel (Luke Brandon Field, perfectly cast) meet Louis at a bar in San Francisco in 1973. When Louis invites him back to his apartment to start the interview, Daniel misreads the vibe and takes off his shirt. Present-day Daniel asks Louis if they hooked up that night, since he can't remember. (No, they didn't.)

Eventually, they both realize Armand altered their memories. Armand tortured and planned to drain Daniel, but Louis stepped in to save him. Louis is also left writhing in pain after intentionally walking outside during the day.

"I Could Not Prevent It" (season 2, episode 7)

Madeleine (Roxane Duran) and Claudia (Delainey Hayles) on 'Interview With the Vampire'.

Larry Horricks/AMC

Ah, the trial episode. The thespian vampires abduct Louis, Claudia, and the newly turned Madeleine (Roxane Duran) and put them on stage to face their crimes. Lestat returns to testify, and dramatically recall the events from New Orleans. However, when it comes time for the audience to gleefully sentence Louis to death, Armand uses his powers to save him from that fate and be be banished instead. The vampires take Louis to their crypt, lock him in a coffin, and cover him with rocks to starve for the rest of eternity. Claudia and Madeleine are burned by the sun and killed on stage, as Lestat watches with tears in his eyes.

In a haunting final image, Santiago (Ben Daniels) picks up Claudia's dress from a pile of ashes.

"And That's The End of It. There's Nothing Else" (season 2, episode 8)

Armand (Assad Zaman) on 'Interview With the Vampire'.

Larry Horricks/AMC

The season 2 finale is the best episode of* IWTV*. Thanks to Daniel’s smooth follow-up questions, the bombshell of the series is revealed: Armand* didn't *save Louis. Lestat did! Yet since Lestat didn't take credit for his gesture, Armand swooped in.

And then we get the ending that feels as if it's pulled from a rom-com. Louis rushes back to New Orleans, where Lestat is currently living (and teases his plan to go on tour as a musician), and tells him what he's learned. Lestat saved him from death, yet he didn't say anything for 77 years.

"I don't like to point out my virtues," Lestat simply says.

They embrace as a hurricane rages on outside, acting as if they are the only two people on the planet. Cut the cameras!

But before all the romance, let's rewind a bit and appreciate Louis going full John Wick on the French coven who killed Claudia and shoved him in a coffin. The shot of Louis slicing off Santiago's head is iconic. Luckily, though, one vamp escaped, and that’s how Daniel ended up with the annotated script decades later, showing that Armand directed the play and intended for his boyfriend to die.

Daniel goes on to publish his best-selling book. Oh, and one more thing: He's a vampire now, thanks to Armand.

All episodes of *Interview With the Vampire* are streaming on AMC+. *The Vampire Lestat* premieres Sunday, June 7, at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT on AMC and AMC+.

Watch the extended trailer, below:

Original Article on Source

Source: "EW Drama"

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Source: Drama

Published: June 7, 2026 at 09:38PM on Source: RON MAG

#ShowBiz#Sports#Celebrities#Lifestyle

byKris Ronald

in

June 07, 2026

The essential Interview With the Vampire episodes to prepare you for The Vampire Lestat

The tale spans more than a century, but you only need a few hours. The essential Interview With the Vampire episodes to prepare yo...

Read More