Lady Gaga has moved on from “Bad Romance” and found herself a true “Stupid Love” (in a good way). The singer announced her engagement to entrepreneur and philanthropist Michael Polansky in July 2024, after over four years of dating, and he’s earned himself the admiration of Gaga’s loyal fans, some of whom now lovingly call him “Father Monster.”
The two initially kept their relationship private, only sharing the occasional Instagram selfie when they started dating in early 2020. But after getting engaged, Gaga has opened up about about their relationship. In fact, she even credited him for encouraging her to make her seventh studio album, Mayhem, out March 7.
“I had never met anyone like Michael,” she said in her Vogue cover story in September. “He’s so smart and so kind. And his life and my life are very different. He’s a very private guy and he’s not with me for any other reason than that we are right for each other.”
Below, catch up on Gaga and Polansky’s relationship timeline, from their first meeting to Mayhem.
2019: Mama Gaga Sets Her Up
Gaga’s mother, Cynthia Germanotta, met Polansky before the singer did, and immediately knew that he’d be a match for her daughter. “She said to me, ‘I think I just met your husband,’ and I said, ‘I’m not ready to meet my husband!’” Gaga told Vogue in September 2024. “I could never have imagined that my mom…found the most perfect person for me?”
Late 2019: Gaga & Michael Finally Meet
Gaga eventually met Polansky at a birthday party, and immediately connected like her mother predicted, with the singer saying they talked for three hours that night. “I was struck immediately by her warmth and openness — she was so genuinely curious about what my life was like growing up in Minnesota,” Polansky told Vogue. The two went on their official first date a few weeks later.
February 2020: Michael’s First Public Sighting
Polansky had his first public sighting with Gaga in February 2020 when they were spotted leaving Super Bowl LIV together in Miami, accompanied by her bodyguard. But at the time, most fans weren’t totally sure who he was.
March 2020: Michael’s Instagram Debut
After a few weeks of rumblings, Gaga and Polansky made their relationship Instagram-official by sharing a selfie. “I’ve got a STUPID love,” Gaga captioned her post, nodding to her then-new single “Stupid Love.”
2020: The Couple Moves Quickly
A few days after their Instagram debut, Gaga shared another selfie with Polansky, revealing that they were shacking up together in self-quarantine. She recalled this time to Vogue in 2024, saying their relationship grew stronger after the events of 2020.
“It was really kind of special,” she said. “I’d been so focused on my career since I was a teenager. And the gift of that time was that I got to completely focus on my relationship. I met this totally supportive, loving human being who wanted to get to know me — outside of Lady Gaga.”
January 2021: Their Inauguration Date
Gaga performed the National Anthem for President Joe Biden’s and Vice President Kamala Harris’ inauguration at the U.S. Capitol Building. Polansky was by her side for the big moment. Afterwards, she took to Instagram to share a sweet photo of the two locking lips through their face masks.
2022: Michael Inspires Mayhem
Polansky got to see Gaga in her pop-star element for the first time in the summer of 2022, when she embarked on her Chromatica Ball Tour. “On the Chromatica tour, I saw a fire in her,” he told Vogue. “I wanted to help her keep that alive all the time and just start making music that made her happy.”
Eventually, this led Polansky to encourage Gaga to record a new pop album, as she returned to jazz following the release of Chromatica. “Michael is the person who told me to make a new pop record,” she recalled. “He was like, ‘Babe. I love you. You need to make pop music.’” She’d work on that album over the next two years, eventually resulting in Mayhem.
April 2024: Michael Pops The Question
As Gaga revealed in a September 2024 interview on The Graham Norton Show, Polansky popped the question earlier that spring — on April Fools’ Day, to be exact. “He proposed on April 1 and I thought he was joking,” she confessed.
July 2024: Gaga Announces Her Engagement
The couple kept their engagement quiet for months, until a viral TikTok from the 2024 Summer Olympics in July showed Gaga introducing Polansky as her “fiancé” to French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal. She commented on the slip-up on Graham Norton, admitting, “I had wanted to keep it a secret.”
September 2024: Their First Red Carpet
After confirming their engagement, Gaga and Polansky made their official red carpet debut at the 2024 Venice Film Festival, where her film Joker: Folie à Deux had its first premiere. The two didn’t shy away from PDA after arriving on Venice’s iconic boats, with the singer subtly showing off her jaw-dropping engagement ring.
Later that night, Gaga shared a photo of her and Michael on Instagram, holding hands and gazing into each other’s eyes as they leave for the premiere.
January 2025: Gaga Talks Children
In her January cover story with Elle, Gaga opened up about her family plans, said that she envisions a “not-too-distant future” with “[her] and Michael and [their] kids.” She even talked about their parenting style, and what’s important to them in raising their children.
“That’s something Michael and I have talked about a lot — allowing our kids to be their own people,” she said. “It’s such an intense thing for kids coming into the world. And they’re told how to think and what to believe in and how to eat… I just kind of want to let my kids find out who they are.’”
February 2025: Awards Season Date Nights
Polansky was at Gaga’s side as she traveled between events throughout February, leading up to the release of Mayhem. While he skipped the red carpet, he sat with her at the 2025 Grammys, where she won Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for “Die With A Smile” with Bruno Mars and performed a meaningful tribute to Los Angeles with Mars.
Two weeks later, the couple walked the red carpet together at Saturday Night Live’s 50th Anniversary Special, after Gaga performed at the 50th Anniversary Concert just a couple nights prior.
With a stacked lineup for Gaga in the coming months, which includes a double-duty stint on SNL, headlining Coachella, and performing a historic show in Brazil, the couple is about to conquer the world together.
Millie Bobby Brown Reveals Her Real Name
Millie Bobby Brown has been lying to us for years — kind of. In a new interview with BuzzFeed UK, to promote her new movie The Electric State, the actor revealed that the name she goes by in public is not her real name.
While speaking with her co-star Chris Pratt, Brown went on to disclose that her middle name is Bonnie. “Millie Bonnie Bobby Brown?” Pratt inquired. “No, not Bobby,” she confirmed. “It’s Millie Bonnie Brown. I’ve never told anyone that. You heard it here first!” Just like all of us, Pratt exclaimed, “Oh sh*t!”
Brown didn’t explain why she hid her middle name. She seemingly changed it for no reason, explaining that it was simply “for sh*ts and giggles.” However, there is a special meaning behind her stage name. Brown’s father is named Robert, and he goes by the nickname, “Bobby,” making her chosen middle name a sweet tribute.
Brown really did manage to keep this a secret for years, given that “Bonnie” was only added to her Wikipedia page after the interview went live.
Millie’s New Name
While her switch from “Bonnie” to “Bobby” is new to fans, Brown recently underwent a much more significant name change. The Stranger Things star married her husband, Jake Bongiovi, in May 2024, after nearly three years of dating. While she doesn’t use it publicly, she did adopt his last name, meaning her full name is now Millie Bonnie Brown Bongiovi.
The couple kept their nuptials secret at first, throwing a “low-key, romantic” ceremony with just their parents and family in attendance, according to People. However, a few months later, they shared photos from their wedding in Italy on Instagram. “Forever and always, your wife,” Brown captioned her post, which Bongiovi matched with his own “Forever and always, your husband.”
Millie Bobby Brown Has The Perfect Rebuke To Body-Shaming Critics
Millie Bobby Brown has no time for body-shamers. On March 3, the actor called out critics in a video posted to Instagram, saying, “I want to take a moment to address something that I think is bigger than just me, something that affects every young woman who grows up under public scrutiny.” The 21-year-old, who started acting at age 10, has lived most of her life in the public eye.
“For some reason, people can’t seem to grow with me,” she said. “Instead, they act like I’m supposed to stay frozen in time, like I should still look the way I did on Stranger Things Season 1. And because I don’t, I’m now a target.”
Why Is Millie A Target?
Brown was referring to articles that have negatively discussed her appearance, and she named the reporters who wrote them.
“This isn’t journalism. This is bullying,” she said. “The fact that adult writers are spending their time dissecting my face, my body, my choices, it’s disturbing. The fact that some of these articles are written by women? Even worse.”
This isn’t the first time Brown has taken issue with critics. A few days prior, she shared an article from British Vogue with the headline “No One Cares How Old You Think Millie Bobby Brown Looks,” which criticized social media comments about her looks at the premiere of her new film, The Electric State. On her Instagram Story, she wrote, “@britishvogue thank you.”
Brown concluded her Instagram video by saying that she “refuses to apologize for growing up” and encourages the media to “do better” when it comes to commenting on women’s appearances.
“Disillusioned people can’t handle seeing a girl become a woman on her terms, not theirs,” she said. “I will not be shamed for how I look, how I dress, or how I present myself… Why is the knee-jerk reaction to say something horrible rather than to say something nice? If you have a problem with that, I have to wonder — what is it that actually makes you so uncomfortable?”
Kate Hudson Regrets Turning Down The Devil Wears Prada
Kate Hudson’s role as “How-to Girl” Andie Anderson in How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days will go down in rom-com history. But as the actor revealed in a recent interview, she nearly played another young journalist named Andie (er, Andy), who also worked at a women’s magazine she vocally disdained while longing to write about serious subject matter.
Yes, Hudson was offered the role of Andrea “Andy” Sachs in The Devil Wears Prada. And as she told Capital Breakfast in an interview posted on Feb. 21, she regrets passing on the job.
The Role That Might Have Been
“That was a bad call,” Hudson said, adding that it was a “timing thing” she couldn’t make work. “I should have made it happen. And I didn’t.”
Hudson — who stars in Netflix’s sports comedy series Running Point (out Feb. 27) — explained that when movies are being made, there are “waves of things that are happening,” and it’s not that she necessarily wanted to turn down Prada.
“It’s not like you don’t do them because you don’t want to do them,” she said. “It’s like, oh, you’re doing something else. And it just sucked.”
Watching the 2006 hit, “I was like, Ugh,” Hudson recalled. Despite her FOMO, she said that “everything happens for a reason.”
In the case of The Devil Wears Prada — based on Lauren Weisberger’s novel of the same name — it’s hard to imagine anyone but Anne Hathaway playing the assistant to Meryl Streep’s formidable Runway editor, Miranda Priestly.
But once upon a time, there were other options. In addition to Hudson, Kirsten Dunst, Scarlett Johansson, Rachel McAdams, and Natalie Portman were considered for the role of Andy, according to Entertainment Weekly’s oral history of the film.
“I patiently waited until it was my turn, and I got the call,” Hathaway told the magazine in 2021. “It was the easiest yes in the world.”
Another Casting Surprise
The role of Andy isn’t the only one that nearly looked different. As producer Wendy Finerman shared on the Hollywood Gold podcast in 2023, Streep wasn’t a shoo-in for Priestly.
“People would say ‘Are you out of your mind? She’s never been funny a day in her life,’” Finerman recalled. But, as the producer noted, “She has been funny, and they were wrong.”
Fortunately, naysayers couldn’t stop Streep from fulfilling her fashionable destiny. Not only did Miranda Priestly become one of Streep’s most iconic roles — and that’s saying something — but it also contributed to her long list of Oscar nominations. She now has a total of 21, making her the most-nominated actor in Academy history.
Kendall Jenner Rocked A Lacy Sheer Dress In Her New FWRD Campaign
Kendall Jenner wears many hats: model, entrepreneur, reality TV star, etc. Throughout her ever-changing careers, she’s racked up plenty of fashion knowledge along the way. So it comes as no surprise that the 818 Tequila founder took her learned expertise to FWRD, where she was named creative director in September 2021.
Not only does Jenner curate her favorite high-end attire and accessories regularly for her own edit on the e-tailor’s website, but she models her selections and even helps direct the campaigns herself. In her newest campaign image for FWRD, Jenner shows off another way to turn one of her go-to trends, naked dressing, into a high-fashion statement.
Kendall’s See-Through Dress
For the new campaign, Jenner wore a silky black slip dress from Fleur du Mal, which basically doubles as both lingerie and formalwear. Retailing for $595, the dress features a mini plunge neckline with a torn-up lace trim, and sheer panels with embroidered lace at her sides that exposed her midriff.
Embracing the luxe lingerie vibe of the dress, Jenner went completely barefoot and bling-free, letting the dress and her natural wet hair take center stage without distracting accessories.
Kendall’s Campaign
Jenner’s newest offering fits with the rest of her FWRD campaign, released in January, where she models elevated takes on the naked fashion trend.
In one of the campaign photos, she wore a skin-tight LBD from Christopher Esber, featuring a sheer top half resembling a T-shirt, with Jenner going braless and freeing the nip, that descends into an opaque skirt with an hourglass silhouette. She paired the look with statement gold earrings, featuring oversized shell pendant and several dangling chains.
Jenner also went braless in another image, where she combined the corporate sleaze and quiet luxury inspirations into one seamless look. She draped a classic black double-breasted blazer from The Row over her shoulders, opting not to wear a top underneath.
Instead, she simply paired it with matching trousers from Courrèges, putting a spicy twist on a boardroom-friendly pantsuit.
PSA: Gigi Hadid Finally Made A Runway Appearance At Paris Fashion Week
For almost a month, fashion fans have been waiting for the industry’s buzziest supermodels to grace the runways this Fall/Winter 2025 season. While there have been some exciting faces on the catwalk — in London, Florence Pugh walked for Harris Reed, and Naomi Campbell served her signature strut at Burberry; in Milan, Doechii made her runway debut at Dsquared² — many of the usual suspects were notably missing… until now.
Schiaparelli mounted its show in Paris on Thursday, March 6, and as expected, it drew a star-studded front row, Doja Cat and Doechii included. The runway, too, had a familiar import: Gigi Hadid.
Gigi’s Shearling Suiting
Each season, at least one supermodel walks the Schiaparelli show. Kendall Jenner has been a constant for the past couple of years, sashaying down both couture and ready-to-wear runways. This season, however, the 818 Tequila was absent. In her stead was Hadid, another member of fashion’s finest, and her ensemble was nothing short of perfection.
The newly silver-haired star opened the show in a hyper-glamorous update to the suiting trend. She wore a black blazer with an oversized shearling collar that was decadent and so, so posh. It was cinched on the waist with a double-strap belt bearing a massive gold keyhole buckle, the brand’s signature imagery.
Corpcore, aka elevated office attire, has been gaining popularity among the stars. The likes of Hailey Bieber and Cynthia Erivo have shown up to red carpets and other events in boxy suits with neckties, while Beyoncé and Jennifer Lawrence have embraced corp sleaze, a more risqué, skin-baring take.
For a coordinated look, she wore high-waisted cowboy pants in the same fabric. Further leaning into the rancher theme, Hadid completed the look with Western-style ankle boots and a black bag adorned with gilded cowboy belt buckles.
Her Other Paris Look
Fashion girls’ spidey senses tingled when Hadid attended the Grand Diner du Louvre dinner earlier this week. After all, Hadid in Paris during fashion month practically means a runway sighting.
Out of the runway, however, she still stole the show in a glorious asymmetrical off-the-shoulder number custom-made by Jeremy Scott. It was a patchwork of three embroidered fabrics: one with long rectangular silver beading, another with a gold-and-silver bedazzled harlequin-like pattern, and the last with gold crystals encrusted in a diamond motif. Scott explained it was created “out of [three] beaded gowns [he] had previously designed” kept in the archives.
On the runway or off, she never misses.
The Harry Potter TV Show Reportedly Casts Key Hogwarts Professors
Nearly 25 years after viewers were first introduced to Harry, Ron, and Hermione’s magical on-screen world, a new cast will soon be stepping into their cloaks.
Since HBO’s Harry Potter series was officially announced in 2023, fans have wondered who would play the Hogwarts students and professors. Now, there are finally some answers.
Here’s everything that has been reported so far about the Harry Potter TV show cast, its release timeline, and more.
The New Harry Potter Cast Is Taking Shape
While the main Harry Potter trio has not yet been announced, there have been several reports about Hogwarts professors.
Most notably, John Lithgow recently told ScreenRant that he’d been offered — and accepted — the role of Albus Dumbledore, the headmaster of the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
“It was not an easy decision because it’s going to define me for the last chapter of my life, I’m afraid. But I’m very excited,” Lithgow said. “Some wonderful people are turning their attention back to Harry Potter. That’s why it’s been such a hard decision. I’ll be about 87 years old at the wrap party, but I’ve said yes.”
HBO did not officially announce Lithgow as Dumbledore, but Deadline reports that the Shrek star will be playing the powerful wizard. The outlet also says that Janet McTeer is in negotiations to play Professor McGonagall, while Paapa Essiedu is “closing his deal” to play Professor Snape.
Last year, Essiedu told Bustle he wants to “be brave” when choosing future projects. Playwright Lucy Prebble — who wrote The Effect, which Essiedu starred in — said she has a “hankering to see him do villainy,” which the enigmatic Snape can be capable of.
Of course, you likely won’t be meeting several beloved characters for some time. “There are interesting people raising their hands to be the featured adult actors that come on in later seasons, like the Sirius Blacks of the world,” Sarah Aubrey, who helms IP for HBO, recently told The Hollywood Reporter.
While nostalgic fans may be hoping to see familiar faces, Aubrey said that the show doesn’t plan to “repeat” original actors from the films.
“It’s always a little nerve-wracking because people so associate those roles with certain actors, but I also think because it’s going to be eight hours of TV [per season], we’re going to immerse them in a different actor’s performance,” she explained.
When Does The Harry Potter Series Premiere?
There’s a reason for the recent casting buzz. According to Deadline, the new Harry Potter series will begin filming this summer.
The outlet added that HBO executive Casey Bloys shared on an earning call that the series should premiere in late 2026 or early 2027, and will run for “10 consecutive years.”
Kylie Jenner Wore A Bodysuit That Was Basically Lingerie
Kylie Jenner is booked and busy. When she’s not attending awards shows to support her boyfriend, Timothée Chalamet, she’s tirelessly working on her entrepreneurial endeavors, consistently launching new products, and modeling in its campaigns. After dropping several capsule collections for her ready-to-wear label, Khy, staggered over months, she’s now focused on expanding her fragrance empire under Kylie Cosmetics. And one thing about Jenner: Whether she’s promoting clothes, canned cocktails, or her beauty products, she’s always embracing her spicy sartorial DNA.
Kylie’s Lingerie-Only Look
On Friday, March 7, the beauty mogul dropped her second perfume, Cosmic 2.0, a reimagined iteration of her OG fragrance, which launched a year ago. Naturally, she starred in the corresponding campaign, because who can endorse her wares better than she?
In it, Jenner clutched a giant replica of the new Cosmic bottle, which was longer than her entire torso. The bottle’s metallic silver sheen stood out against her wardrobe choice. She wore nothing but a sleeveless bodysuit with a décolletage-baring sweetheart neckline. The cinched inky number was practically lingerie, like the one-piece satin options Old Hollywood stars used to wear. Yes, even in underwear, Jenner somehow still managed to bring on the glam.
She Wore Matching Earrings, Too
If the bottle was supersized in the first photo, it was completely downsized in another — small enough to be worn as earrings. Instead of holding a replica of the product, Jenner tacked miniature ones onto her lobes, proving that the bottle is so chic, it’s essentially jewelry.
