Sydney Sweeney Is Now Scooter Braun’s ‘Wife’ but There’s a Catch — Source

Scooter Braunreportedly desires to marrySydney Sweeney. The businessman has allegedly been telling the "Euphoria" star quite frequently that she will be his "wife." Things between the Hollywood actor, who has recently launched her new lingerie brand, Syrn, and the former record executive have reportedly become "super-serious." The alleged "committed couple" has been living together full-time now.

Sydney Sweeney and Scooter Braun are 'living together,' per source

Sydney Sweeney and her alleged boyfriend, Scooter Braun, are reportedly "serious" about each other and have begun "living together" full-time. As reported byStarmagazine, a source told them that the alleged "committed couple" will reportedly get married and have babies in the future. The person also mentioned that the businessman has already started calling the "Anyone but You" actor his "wife."

Per the news outlet, the insider told them that Braun tells Sweeney "all the time, and in front of people, that she's going to be his wife and have his baby." The person continued, "When he first started saying it, she'd laugh it off." The insider then explained, "But not anymore." After that, the source claimed that the Hollywood star now "gets giddy." They added, "It's obvious she's fallen hard for him, too."

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The source further said to the news outlet that "No one expected it to last long," while referring to Sydney Sweeney and Scooter Braun's alleged romantic relationship. The insider then explained that Sweeney "was telling everyone that she wasn't going to date anyone seriously." They added, "For at least a year after her break-up." The Hollywood star was reportedly previously in a relationship with Jonathan Davino.

The insider also claimed, "Scooter got her to change her mind." They continued, "He's a very convincing guy." The source added, "He knows he has a prize. It's a little more confounding as to why Sydney is so taken with him. But she definitely is."

The postSydney Sweeney Is Now Scooter Braun's 'Wife' but There's a Catch — Sourceappeared first onReality Tea.

byAlex Forten

in

March 01, 2026

Sydney Sweeney Is Now Scooter Braun’s ‘Wife’ but There’s a Catch — Source

Scooter Braunreportedly desires to marrySydney Sweeney. The businessman has allegedly been telling the "Euphoria" star quite freq...

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Blow after blow to the power of Iran and its proxy militias set the stage for US-Israel attacks

As Israel unleashed a sweeping military response to the brutal Oct. 7, 2023, assault by Hamas, it aimedpunch after punch at the power of Iran, the militant group's longtime sponsor, and its other proxies and allies in the region.

Lebanon Iran US Israel

The result has been a rapid and systematic degradation of Iran's clout across the Middle East over the past 2½ years, a seismic change that led directly tothis weekend's devastating attacks on Iranby the United States and Israel.

"Certainly the Oct. 7 events were a turning point in this long conflict between Iran and Israel," said Mehrzad Boroujerdi, an expert on Iranian politics at the Missouri University of Science and Technology. "I think it provided Israel with the argument or justification to deliver a strong blow."

The most devastating hit so far came this weekend when PresidentDonald Trumpand Israeli leaders launched a wave of attacks on Iran,killing Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khameneiand inflicting widespread destruction. But the war, while still in its early stages, is part of a much longer continuum of events that have severely weakened Iran, Hezbollah and other proxy militias, and upended political balance in the region.

"It's a very bloody, a very violent but transformative moment that the Middle East is going through," said Renad Mansour, a senior research fellow focused on the Middle East at Chatham House, a British think tank. "We don't know where this will end up."

The war in Gaza was the wellspring

The damage to Iran's power radiated fromthe war in Gaza, where Israeli forces followed Hamas after militants killed 1,200 people and took 251 hostages during the Oct. 7 attacks. Israel has since killed more than 72,000 Palestinians in Gaza, nearly half of them women and children, according to the Health Ministry, which is under Gaza's Hamas government and which does not distinguish between militants and civilians.

The conflict quickly expanded, though, to include other groups in the Iran-sponsored Axis of Resistance.

In Lebanon, the powerful militant group Hezbollah had long been considered Iran's first line of defense in case of a war with Israel. It was believed to have some 150,000 rockets and missiles, and the group's former leader,Hassan Nasrallahonce boasted of having100,000 fighters.

After Oct. 7, the group launched rockets across the border to Israel, seeking to aid its ally Hamas. That drew Israeli airstrikes and shelling and the exchanges escalated into full-scale war in the fall of 2024.

Israel inflicted heavy damage on Hezbollah, killing Nasrallah and other top leaders and destroying much of the militant group's arsenal, before a U.S.-negotiated ceasefire nominally halted that conflict last November. Israel continues to occupy parts of southern Lebanon and to carry outnear-daily airstrikes.

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Hezbollah was further weakened when rebels overthrew the regime of key ally Syrian PresidentBashar Assad, cutting off a major supply route for Iranian weapons.

Yemen'sHouthi rebels, also sponsored by Iran, joined the expanding conflict, firing rockets at vessels in the Red Sea and targeting Israel. U.S. warships and the Israeli military returned fire.

Israel left the status quo behind

As the conflict expanded, leaders of Iran and its proxies failed to recognize that Israel had abandoned the long-tense status quo and was trying to engineer a fundamental shift, Mansour said.

The toll on Iran escalated last June when Israel launched a surprise offensive aimed at decimating Tehran'srapidly advancing nuclear programwhile Iran and the U.S. were in negotiations for a nuclear deal. The 12-day war that followed saw bombing attacks of Iran's energy industry and Defense Ministry headquarters.

Iran's weakened proxy groups largely stayed on the sidelines as their sponsor came under direct attack last year. So far in the new war, they've done much the same.

"It's very much about survival" for Hezbollah and the other Iran-backed groups, Mansour said. He noted that over time the Axis had become less driven by top-down orders from Iran, and the groups have become more autonomous. "And survival to them is based on calculations that aren't necessarily about Iran's survival."

Since Israel and the U.S. launched a barrage of strikes on Iran Saturday, Tehran's allies and proxies in the region have had a minimal role in the response.

Hezbollah appeared to change that early Monday, even though the group has been under great pressure by Lebanese officials not to enter the fray in defense of Iran out of fear of another damaging war in Lebanon.

Hezbollah issued statements condemning the U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran and mourning the death of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Then it hinted it might get involved. Early Monday, it did, firing missiles across the border. Israel promptly retaliated with strikes on the southern suburbs of Beirut. It was the first time in more than a year that Hezbollah has claimed a strike against Israel.

Hezbollah said in a statement that the strikes were carried out in retaliation for the killing of Khamenei and for "repeated Israeli aggressions."

How might other proxy groups react?

How other proxy groups could react to Khamenei's death remains to be seen. Charles Lister, a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute, said Israel's actions since 2023 may give such groups pause."Previous bouts of conflict since Oct. 7 appear to have underlined the existential risk associated with making yourself a target," Lister said in an email responding to questions from The Associated Press.In Iraq, a coalition of Iran-backed militias calling itself the Islamic Resistance in Iraq has claimed several drone strikes targeting U.S. bases in Irbil, the capital of the semiautonomous Kurdish region in the country's north. The extent of damage caused by the attacks is not clear. But the Kurdish region has seen widespread power outages after a key gas field that supplies much of the region's electricity stopped operations, citing security concerns.Two officials with different Iran-backed militias in Iraq told the AP that a meeting took place two months ago between Iranian officials and allied Iraqi militias to make plans for a response in case Iran was attacked, including distributing tasks among the Iraqi armed groups.The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to comment publicly. One of the officials said it was decided that the response would target U.S. forces and interests in Iraq's semiautonomous northern Kurdish region and in neighboring Jordan.There's often a misconception that Iran issues orders to its proxy militant groups and they all fall in line, Boroujerdi said. But independent decisions the groups have made so far to stay clear of the conflict are a sign of the overall weakening of Iran's network."The dominoes started to fall with the October 7 events," Boroujerdi said. "Just take note of everything that has changed since then in terms of the balance of power."___Associated Press writer Qassim Abdul-Zahra in Baghdad contributed to this report.

How other proxy groups could react to Khamenei's death remains to be seen. Charles Lister, a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute, said Israel's actions since 2023 may give such groups pause.

"Previous bouts of conflict since Oct. 7 appear to have underlined the existential risk associated with making yourself a target," Lister said in an email responding to questions from The Associated Press.

In Iraq, a coalition of Iran-backed militias calling itself the Islamic Resistance in Iraq has claimed several drone strikes targeting U.S. bases in Irbil, the capital of the semiautonomous Kurdish region in the country's north. The extent of damage caused by the attacks is not clear. But the Kurdish region has seen widespread power outages after a key gas field that supplies much of the region's electricity stopped operations, citing security concerns.

Two officials with different Iran-backed militias in Iraq told the AP that a meeting took place two months ago between Iranian officials and allied Iraqi militias to make plans for a response in case Iran was attacked, including distributing tasks among the Iraqi armed groups.

The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to comment publicly. One of the officials said it was decided that the response would target U.S. forces and interests in Iraq's semiautonomous northern Kurdish region and in neighboring Jordan.

There's often a misconception that Iran issues orders to its proxy militant groups and they all fall in line, Boroujerdi said. But independent decisions the groups have made so far to stay clear of the conflict are a sign of the overall weakening of Iran's network.

"The dominoes started to fall with the October 7 events," Boroujerdi said. "Just take note of everything that has changed since then in terms of the balance of power."

Associated Press writer Qassim Abdul-Zahra in Baghdad contributed to this report.

byAlex Forten

in

March 01, 2026

Blow after blow to the power of Iran and its proxy militias set the stage for US-Israel attacks

As Israel unleashed a sweeping military response to the brutal Oct. 7, 2023, assault by Hamas, it aimedpunch after punch ...

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The Latest: Iranian-backed militias join fight as war on Iran widens

Iran fired missiles at Israel and Arab states Monday and the war expanded to include militias Tehran backs in the Middle East with an attack by Hezbollah on Israel, which struck back against the group in Lebanon and with the United States pounded targets in Iran.

APTOPIX Emirates Iran US Israel

As the American and Israeli airstrikes kept hitting the country, top Iranian security official Ali Larijani said on X: "We will not negotiate with the United States."

Trump, who a day earlier had encouraged Iranians to "take over" their government, signaled Sunday that he was open to dialogue with Iran's new leadership.

Meanwhile, Iran's foreign minister suggested earlier that military units were acting independently from any central government control after being pressed about attacks on Gulf Arab nations that have served as intermediaries for Tehran in the past.

More than 200 people have been killed since the start of the strikes thatkilledIran's Supreme LeaderAyatollah Ali Khameneiand other senior leaders, Iranian leaders have said.

Here is the latest:

Fire and smoke rise from inside US Embassy compound in Kuwait

Fire and smoke rose from inside the U.S. Embassy compound in Kuwait after an Iranian attack on the small Mideast nation on Monday.

Video obtained by The Associated Press showed the smoke with an alarm wailing.

The United States had earlier issued an urgent warning to Americans there to take cover and remain indoors.

It said: "Do not come to the Embassy," without elaborating.

Qatar Airways flights remain suspended

Qatar Airways said its flights remain suspended, with its next update planned for Tuesday morning.

Iran state media shows footage of damage at Tehran hospital

Iranian state media published footage showing damage at the Gandhi Hospital in Tehran.

Several loud explosions heard in Irbil, the capital of northern Iraq's Kurdish region

Associated Press journalists heard several loud explosions Monday morning in Irbil, the capital city of Iraq's semiautonomous region of Kurdistan.

WHO calls for protection of civilians and health care facilities

The World Health Organization called for the sparing of civilians and health care facilities in the Middle East amid a regional conflict triggered by Israeli-US strikes on Iran over the weekend.

"The protection of civilians and health care must be absolute," Hanan Balkhy, regional dietitian at WHO wrote on social media.

"All parties must … ensure medical facilities remain protected."

Lebanese government holds emergency meeting

Lebanon's government is holding an emergency meeting after Hezbollah's attack on Israel triggered Israeli airstrikes in different parts of the country.

The meeting started Monday morning and is being attended by the army chief, Gen. Rudolph Haikal.

The state-run National News Agency reported that the Cabinet will discuss the volatile situation and the measures it plans to take.

Smoke seen over Kuwaiti neighborhood home to the US Embassy

A witness said he saw smoke over a Kuwait neighborhood home to the U.S. Embassy as Americans had been urged to stay away.

Ayman Moawad, an Egyptian worker living near the U.S. Embassy in Kuwait, told The Associated Press that he saw smoke over the area.

However, he didn't know if it was specifically the embassy hit in an ongoing Iranian attack targeting the small Mideast nation.

The U.S. earlier issued an urgent warning to Americans there to take cover and remain indoors.

It said: "Do not come to the Embassy," without elaborating.

Strike hits Iranian state TV, witnesses say

Strikes across Iran continued into Monday, with one apparently taking Iranian state television off air.

Witnesses said an attack in northern Tehran's Niavaran neighborhood struck one of the transmitters used for Iranian state TV.

Since then, its satellite signals have dropped.

State media had said hospitals and residential areas had been hit in strikes by the Americans and Israelis.

Iran has not offered any details on its materiel losses.

UAE closes stock exchanges

The United Arab Emirates is shutting the country's main stock exchanges for the start of the trading week as the regional war intensifies.

The country's Capital Market Authority said the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange and Dubai Financial Market would be closed Monday and Tuesday.

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It says it will closely monitor the regional situation and take any further steps as necessary.

Another market, the Nasdaq Dubai, also said it was halting trading both days.

Dubai is the Gulf's main business hub, though the Emirati capital Abu Dhabi is also an important regional financial center and home to some of the world's biggest sovereign wealth funds.

The benchmark index for the Saudi Exchange, the region's largest stock market, fell 2.2% on Sunday.

US issues urgent warning to Americans in Kuwait

As Kuwait faced an ongoing attack, the U.S. issued an urgent warning to Americans there to take cover and remain indoors.

It said: "Do not come to the Embassy," without elaborating.

Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon kill at least 31 people

Israeli airstrikes on Lebanon after Hezbollah attacked it have killed at least 31 people, Lebanon's Health Ministry said Monday.

The Hezbollah attack and the Israeli retaliatory strikes expand the ongoing war gripping the Mideast after the U.S. and Israel launched an airstrike campaign targeting Iran.

The Health Ministry said that the strikes also wounded 149 people.

It said about two-thirds of those killed were in southern Lebanon.

Cyprus president says drone caused 'minor material damage'

Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides said a Shaheed-type drone caused "minor material damage" to military installations inside the U.K.'s RAF Akrotiri air base on the island's southern coast.

Christodoulides said in a brief national address that the drone struck just past midnight Monday.

He said all relevant authorities have been put on alert and that he has called a meeting of the country's national security council to take stock of the situation.

He added that he's in contact with other European leaders.

"I want to be clear: our homeland is not participating in any way, nor is its intention to take part in any military operation," Christodoulides said in his address.

He said Cyprus remains focused on the humanitarian role that it plays in the region and that it seeks to be "part of the solution and not the problem," adding that his primary concern remains the safety and security of the country and its people.

Airstrikes reported in Iran

Overnight, airstrikes were reported across Iran.

Elsewhere, explosions were heard in Dubai on Monday.

In Bahrain, the Interior Ministry said sirens sounded across the country as it urged residents to "head to the nearest safe place."

And in Kuwait, authorities said debris fell on its Ahmadi oil refinery, slightly injuring two workers there.

The state-run KUNA news agency said earlier that Kuwait's forces had thwarted a drone attack early Monday.

Top Iranian security official says Iran 'will not negotiate' with US

A top Iranian security official on Monday said: "We will not negotiate with the United States."

Ali Larijani made the statement on X, responding to a report from Qatar's Al Jazeera news network.

The comment comes as an American and Israeli airstrike campaign continues to target Iran.

Iran and its militia allies have expanded their attacks over the killing of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Pentagon to brief media on Iran strikes

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, are planning to hold a press conference Monday morning about the military operation against Iran.

The Pentagon announced the 8 a.m. EST media briefing on social media Sunday night.

On Tuesday, Hegseth and Caine will join U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and CIA Director John Ratcliffe in briefing the full membership of Congress on the strikes, the White House said.

Rubio also was slated to brief Hill leadership Monday.

Hezbollah attacks on Israel 'expose our country to risks,' Lebanon's president says

In a statement Monday, President Joseph Aoun said Hezbollah's rocket launches from Lebanon "target all the efforts and endeavors exerted by the Lebanese state to keep Lebanon away from the dangerous military confrontations taking place in the region."

He added that while Israeli strikes on Lebanon are condemned, "persisting in using Lebanon once again as a platform for proxy wars in which we have no involvement will expose our country to risks once more."

byAlex Forten

in

March 01, 2026

The Latest: Iranian-backed militias join fight as war on Iran widens

Iran fired missiles at Israel and Arab states Monday and the war expanded to include militias Tehran backs in the Middle ...

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Clippers beat the Pelicans 137-117 to end a 3-game losing streak

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Kawhi Leonard scored 23 points and the Los Angeles Clippers beat the New Orleans Pelicans 137-117 on Sunday night to end a three-game losing streak.

Pelicans Clippers Basketball

Tenth in the Western Conference, the Clippers improved to 28-31. The Pelicans are 13th in the West at 19-43.

New Orleans star Zion Williamson sat out after injuring his right ankle at Utah on Saturday night. He had played a career-high 35 straight games.

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Los Angeles never trailed. It led 43-32 after a quarter and had a 76-70 advantage at the half. It was 107-94 after three, and the Clippers stretched the margin to 26 in the fourth.

Jordan Miller added 19 points for Los Angeles. Derrick Jones Jr. had 17, Brook Lopez 16 and John Collins 15.

While Leonard went 1 of 7 from 3-point range, the Clippers were 17 of 36 overall. Lopez was 4 for 6, and Jones and Kobe Sanders were each 3 for 4.

Jeremiah Fears led New Orleans with 28 points, hitting 5 of 6 3-pointers. Derik Queen scored 19 points, Dejounte Murray had 17, and Trey Murphy III added 16 after missing five games because of a right shoulder injury.

Up next

Pelicans: At Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday night.Clippers: At Golden State on Monday night.___AP NBA:https://apnews.com/hub/nba

Pelicans: At Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday night.

Clippers: At Golden State on Monday night.

AP NBA:https://apnews.com/hub/nba

byAlex Forten

in

March 01, 2026

Clippers beat the Pelicans 137-117 to end a 3-game losing streak

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Kawhi Leonard scored 23 points and the Los Angeles Clippers beat the New Orleans Pelicans 137-11...

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Gauthier scores 2 goals and Ducks edge Flames 3-2 in shootout for 8th straight home win

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Cutter Gauthier scored twice in regulation, Leo Carlsson and Mason McTavish both converted in the shootout, and the Anaheim Ducks beat the Calgary Flames 3-2 on Sunday.

Flames Ducks Hockey

Lukas Dostal made 32 saves and denied Matvei Gridin on the final shot of the tiebreaker to seal Anaheim's eighth straight win at home. The Ducks improved to 14-3 in games that have gone to overtime.

McTavish slid the puck through Devin Cooley's legs for the shootout winner. Joel Farabee and Yegor Sharangovich scored for the Flames in regulation, and Cooley stopped 34 shots.

Gauthier tied it 2-all with 9:19 left in the third period when he rifled a shot from the right circle past Cooley's left skate for his team-leading 28th goal. Beckett Sennecke and Jackson LaCombe assisted.

Calgary forward Morgan Frost took an interference penalty with 24.6 seconds remaining in overtime, but the Ducks were unable to score with a brief 4-on-3 advantage.

Anaheim tied it at 1 with 8:46 left in the second on a trick shot of sorts by Gauthier, who corralled his own rebound behind the Calgary net and flicked a shot off the back of Cooley's left shoulder. The puck popped into the air, came down, caromed off Cooley's back and in.

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But the Flames went ahead with 3:50 to go in the period when Sharangovich took a pass from Kevin Bahl and snapped a shot from the top of the left circle over Dostal's blocker for a power-play goal.

Calgary took a 1-0 lead at 9:41 of the first on Farabee's backhand tip-in from the front of the crease. Ryan Lomberg assisted with a precision pass from the top of the left circle.

Anaheim coach Joel Quenneville, who last week joined Scotty Bowman as the only NHL coaches to win 1,000 games, was honored during a pregame ceremony.

Up next

Ducks: Host the Colorado Avalanche on Tuesday night.

Flames: Host the Dallas Stars on Tuesday night.

AP NHL:https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

byAlex Forten

in

March 01, 2026

Gauthier scores 2 goals and Ducks edge Flames 3-2 in shootout for 8th straight home win

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Cutter Gauthier scored twice in regulation, Leo Carlsson and Mason McTavish both converted in the ...

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War widens to include Iranian-backed militias as Israeli and American planes pound Iran

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iran and Iranian-backed militias fired missiles at Israel and Arab states and Israel and the United States pounded targets in Iran as the war expanded Monday with statements of defiance and warningsof more U.S. casualties.

Iraq Iran US Israel

As the American and Israeli airstrikes continued, top Iranian security official Ali Larijani vowed defiantly on X that "we will not negotiate with the United States."

In Iraq, a pro-Iranian militia claimed a drone attack targeting U.S. troops at the Baghdad airport, the day after it said it fired at a U.S. base in Irbil in the north, and Cyprus said a drone attack targeted a British base on the Mediterranean island nation.

Israel and the U.S. bombed Iranian missile sites and targeted its navy, claiming to have destroyed its headquarters and multiple warships. More than 200 people have been killed since the start of the strikes, according to Iranian leaders.

As the bombardment continued, Hezbollah said it fired missiles from Lebanon into Israel early Monday in response to the killing ofIranian Supreme Leader Ali Khameneiand "repeated Israeli aggressions," the first attack the militant group has claimed in more than a year. There were no reports of injuries or damage, and Israel said that it had intercepted one projectile while several fell in open areas.

Israel retaliated with strikes on Beirut, and urged civilians in nearly 50 villages in eastern and southern Lebanon to evacuate ahead of more possible attacks, sending people fleeing.

Iran has been firing missiles at Israel and Arab states in a counteroffensive since the joint America-Israeli attack Saturday that killedKhameneiand many top Iranian officials.

Gulf states have warned that they could retaliate against Iran after strikes that hit key sites and killed at least five civilians, and U.S. President Donald Trump promised Washington would "avenge" the deaths of three American troops who were killed in Kuwait.

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"Sadly, there will likely be more before it ends," Trump said. "That's the way it is."

Trump has urged Iranians to "take over" their government and, while he has also signaled he would be open to dialogue with new leadership there following the death of Khamenei, suggested Sunday there was no end in sight to the military operations.

"Combat operations continue at this time in full-force, and they will continue until all of our objectives are achieved," he said in a video message. "We have very strong objectives," he added, without elaborating.

The U.S. military saidB-2 stealth bombersstruck Iran's ballistic missile facilities with 2,000-pound bombs. Trump said on social media that nine Iranian warships had been sunk and that the Iranian navy's headquarters had been "largely destroyed."

In an indication the conflict could draw in other nations, Britain, France and Germany said they were ready to work with the U.S. to help stop Iran's attacks, and a group of Gulf Arab countries said it reserved the right to respond to Iranian strikes.

The weekend attacks were the second combined strikes in eight months from the U.S. and Israel against Iran. In the 12-day war last June, Israeli and American strikesgreatly weakenedIran's air defenses, military leadership and nuclear program. But the killing of Khamenei, who ruled Iran for more than three decades, creates a leadership vacuum, increasing the risk of regional instability.

Rising reported from Bangkok and Abou AlJoud from Beirut.

byAlex Forten

in

March 01, 2026

War widens to include Iranian-backed militias as Israeli and American planes pound Iran

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iran and Iranian-backed militias fired missiles at Israel and Arab states and Israel a...

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Sarah Paulson Introduces Actor Awards In Memoriam Segment Featuring Her Late Friend Diane Keaton

Sarah Paulson introduced the "In Memoriam" segment at the 2026 Actor Awards on Sunday, March 1

NEED TO KNOW

• Among those honored was Paulson's close friend Diane Keaton, who died on Oct. 11 at age 79

• The ceremony also paid tribute to other late stars such as Catherine O'Hara, James Van Der Beek and Eric Dane

Sarah Paulsonis paying tribute those we have lost in the past year.

On Sunday, March 1, theAll's Fairactress, 51, introduced the "In Memoriam" segment at the 2026 Actor Awards at the Shrine Auditorium and Expo Hall in Los Angeles.

"Actors make up a family of souls bonded by a challenging pursuit, by valuing our creative spirit and often brought close by our mutual support and affection," Paulsen began. "I am proud to be in the family of actors in this room and all over the world. It is a tremendous privilege to work and to share such rich times with so many gifted people."

"This year, we have lost some true giants — our teachers, our co-workers, our inspirations and our friends," she continued. "All of us have been lifted by them. We are happier, wiser, made just a bit more expansive by their shared spirit, and we must remember how lucky we are to have been changed by them, and we have been."

Among the stars honored at the ceremony wereCatherine O'Hara,James Van Der BeekandEric Dane, as well as Paulson's close friendDiane Keaton.

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Keatondiedon Oct. 11 at age 79 followinga bacterial pneumonia infection.

Paulson, 51, previously remembered Keaton at the Los Angeles premiere for her new Hulu seriesAll's Fairback in October. At the time, she toldAccess Hollywoodthat Keaton was "a very dear friend of mine, so it's not something I'm able to talk about yet."

"I'm not able to talk about it. But all I can say, and I have been saying tonight, which is important to me to communicate, is that what you thought she was as a performer, she was even more spectacular as a human being," she said.

Paulson added, "I was the luckiest person in the world to have had her in my life the way that I did." The pair starred alongside each other in the 1999 movieThe Other Sister.Keaton played Paulson's onscreen mother in the film, which led to a decades-long friendship.

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In December, duringThe Hollywood Reporter's Women in Entertainment gala in Los Angeles, Paulson paid tribute to Keaton while appearing on stage alongsideGoldie Hawn. "I want to tell you how much crummier the world is without you in it," Paulson said of Keaton, reciting an email she wished she could send. "I want to tell you how the world lost its mind with grief the day you died."

O'Haradied on Jan. 30at 71, which her rep later confirmed following"a brief illness." In February, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health confirmed theSchitt's Creekalum diedafter suffering from a pulmonary embolism, according to a death certificate. Rectal cancer was listed as the underlying cause of the embolism.

At the 2026 Actor Awards, O'Hara earned a posthumous win for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series for her role as Patty Leigh inThe Studio,which the show's star and creatorSeth Rogentearfully accepted on her behalf.

"I obviously have been reflecting on the time I was fortunate enough to spend with her and working with her, and something that I've just been marveling at over the last few weeks was was really her ability to be generous and kind and gracious, while never, ever minimizing her own talents and her own ability to contribute to the work that we were doing," he said in part.

"So I guess I'll just leave you with this," Rogen went on to conclude, "if you have people in your lives that don't know her work, if there are kids in your lives or just people who are out of touch or stupid or something, just show them O'Hara dancing to Harry Belafonte inBeetlejuice. Show them O'Hara hurting her knee inBest in Showand doing that amazing thing where she hobbles around and tells the people, as they are laughing, that that's Catherine O'Hara."

Van Der Beek, known for his beloved role onDawson's Creek,diedon Feb. 11 at 48, two years after he first revealed his stage 3 colorectal cancer diagnosis in an exclusive interview with PEOPLE in November 2024. His wife,Kimberly Van Der Beek,shared the news of his death via Instagramlast month.

"Our beloved James David Van Der Beek passed peacefully this morning," Kimberly wrote. "He met his final days with courage, faith, and grace. There is much to share regarding his wishes, love for humanity and the sacredness of time. Those days will come. For now we ask for peaceful privacy as we grieve our loving husband, father, son, brother, and friend."

Just 10 months after publicly announcing his diagnosis withamyotrophic lateral sclerosis(ALS), aka Lou Gehrig's disease, Dane diedon Thursday, Feb. 19.

TheGrey's Anatomyactor spent "his final days surrounded by dear friends, his devoted wife [Rebecca Gayheart], and his two beautiful daughters,Billieand Georgia, who were the center of his world," his family said in a statement at the time.

See PEOPLE's full coverageof the 32nd annual Actor Awards Sunday, March 1 as they air live on Netflix.

Read the original article onPeople

byAlex Forten

in

March 01, 2026

Sarah Paulson Introduces Actor Awards In Memoriam Segment Featuring Her Late Friend Diane Keaton

Sarah Paulson introduced the "In Memoriam" segment at the 2026 Actor Awards on Sunday, March 1 NEED T...

Read More