'Heated Rivalry' star Hudson Williams joins Connor Storrie on 'SNL'

Things are getting "heated" on "Saturday Night Live."

"Heated Rivalry" star Connor Storriemade his "SNL" hosting debut onthe sketch show's Feb. 28 episode, and he wasn't alone: His costar on the wildly popular hockey romance series,Hudson Williams, was also in the building.

Williams appeared early in the episode in a sketch where a couple argues after a surprise proposal in front of the Rockefeller Center ice skating rink, only for the man to become distracted by a group of guys gleefully skating around behind them. Williams skated into the sketch and hugged Storrie, drawing cheers from the "SNL" studio audience. "Sorry I'm late, fellas, but I have a serious question: Who's ready to skate their butts off?" Williams asked.

'SNL' cold open:James Austin Johnson's President Donald Trump defends Iran attacks

Later, Williams helped Storrie introduce musical guest Mumford & Sons, and he joined Storrie on stage as the host said goodnight at the end of the episode.

Williams and Storrie star on "Heated Rivalry" as two hockey players who become entangled in a secret, steamy relationship, despite being rivals in the sport. The show has become a sensation since debuting on HBO Max last year, skyrocketing both Williams and Storrie to fame.

In his monologue, Storrie joked that, "Some of you may have seen literally all of me" on "Heated Rivalry," which is filled with graphic sex scenes.

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"It's a show that has taught a lot of people about hockey, and it's taught a lot of straight women that their sexuality is actually gay guy," he said.

See 'Heated Rivalry' stars:Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie in photos

On a more serious note, Storrie noted he has "only technically been a professional actor for like six months now" and was working as a waiter before landing "Heated Rivalry." He said he has been "preparing for this for my entire life since I was a 12 year-old obsessed with acting."

'Heated Rivalry' stars in the spotlight:Meet Connor Storrie and Hudson Wiliams

"I really did not know if this would ever to happen to me, and when I got the call that I was going to be on 'SNL,' I honestly cried," he also said.

The Feb. 28 episode marked the "SNL" hosting debut for Storrie. The actor's busy weekend will continue on March 1, when he's scheduled to be a presenter at the Actor Awards in Los Angeles.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Connor Storrie 'SNL' features Hudson Williams 'Heated Rivalry' cameo

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in Celebrities, Lifestyle, Politics, ShowBiz, Sports

February 28, 2026

'Heated Rivalry' star Hudson Williams joins Connor Storrie on 'SNL'

Things are getting "heated" on "Saturday Night Live." "Heated Rivalry" star Conno...

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A look at Middle East figures killed by Israel in recent years

BEIRUT (AP) — Israel has killed multiple senior officials with Iran's armed proxies like Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon since theHamas-led attackon Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.

Now Iran's Supreme LeaderAyatollah Ali Khameneiis dead, following a major attack by Israel and the United States, Iranian state television and the state-run IRNA news agency said Sunday without elaborating on a cause. PresidentDonald Trumppreviously announced the death, saying it gave Iranians their "greatest chance" to "take back" their country.

The compound of the 86-year-old Khamenei was among the first targets in the attack coordinated by the U.S. and Israel. Iran's network of proxies in the region, along with its military assets and regional influence, have been weakened in the past two years, including by last year's 12-day war with Israel.

From Gaza to Lebanon to Iran, Israel has killed leaders withHamas,Hezbollahand theHouthisin Yemen, along withIranian military leaders. Here are some of them:

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei

Khamenei had tried to avert attacks as the U.S. built up its military presence in the region in recent weeks to pressure Tehran over its nuclear program. He allowed Iran to enternegotiations with the U.S., but Saturday's attacks came two days after the latest talks.

Iranian officials on Saturday did not mention his status. Meanwhile, Israel said it killed the commander of Iran's Revolutionary Guard and the defense minister.

Khamenei ascended to power in 1989, taking over from Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, leader of the Islamic Revolution. Aside from the pressure on Iran's nuclear program and armed proxies, Khamenei faced severe economic troubles and discontent that led to nationwide protests weeks ago. He responded with the bloodiest crackdown of his rule.

Saleh Arouri

The deputy political head of Hamas and a founder of the group's military wing,Saleh Arouriwas killed Jan. 2, 2024, in a drone strike in a southern suburb of Beirut. Accused of masterminding attacks against Israel in the West Bank, Arouri was in Israel's sights for years, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu threatened to kill him even before Hamas carried out the Oct. 7 attack.

Mohammed Deif

An Israeli airstrike on a compound on the outskirts of Khan Younis in southern Gaza killed the head of Hamas' military wing,Mohammed Deif, on July 13, 2024. More than 90 other people, including displaced civilians in nearby tents, also died. Deif was believed to be one of the masterminds of the Oct. 7 attack and a founder of the Qassam Brigades, Hamas' military wing. He led suicide bombing campaigns against Israeli civilians and built up a formidable arsenal of rockets used to strike into Israel. For years, he topped Israel's most-wanted list.

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Fouad Shukur

An Israeli airstrike on a southern suburb of Beirut killed Hezbollah's top military commanderFouad Shukur, on July 30, 2024. The secretive Shukur was in charge of Hezbollah's forces in southern Lebanon and was a top official in its missile program. Shukur, who was a member of Hezbollah's top military body, the Jihadi Council, was accused by the United States of planning and carrying out the truck bombing of a Marine Corps barracks in Beirut that killed 241 American service members. He was the first high-ranking Hezbollah leader to be killed.

Ismail Haniyeh

On July 31, 2024, just hours after the strike that killed Shukur, Hamas' top political leader,Ismail Haniyeh, was killed in a predawn strike in the Iranian capital of Tehran. Israel had pledged to kill the 62-year-old Haniyeh and other Hamas leaders over the Oct. 7 attack. The strike came just after Haniyeh attended the inauguration of Iran's new president.

Hassan Nasrallah

Israeli airstrikes on Beirut's southern suburbs killed Hezbollah's longtime leader and one of its founders,Hassan Nasrallah, on Sept. 27, 2024. An astute strategist, the 64-year-old Nasrallah reshaped Hezbollah into an archenemy of Israel, cementing alliances with Shiite religious leaders in Iran and Palestinian militant groups such as Hamas. Under his leadership, Hezbollah fought wars against Israel and sided with President Bashar Assad during the conflict in neighboring Syria.

Nabil Kaouk

The deputy head of Hezbollah's Central Council,Nabil Kaouk, was killed in an Israeli airstrike south of Beirut a day after Nasrallah. He joined the militant group in its early days in the 1980s. Kaouk also served as Hezbollah's military commander in south Lebanon from 1995 until 2010. He made several media appearances and gave speeches to supporters, including at funerals for Hezbollah militants. He was seen as a potential successor to Nasrallah.

Hashem Safieddine

Israeli airstrikes on a Beirut suburb killed Hezbollah's new leader,Hashem Safieddine, on Oct. 3, 2024, days after he replaced his predecessor, Hassan Nasrallah. A familiar face in Lebanon and a leader with close ties to Iran, he was a member of the group's decision-making Shura Council and its Jihad Council, which acts as its military command. He also headed its Executive Council, which runs schools and social programs. Safieddine was a maternal cousin of Nasrallah.

Yahya Sinwar

Yahya Sinwar, Hamas' leader in the Gaza Strip, who masterminded the Oct. 7 attack on Israel, was killed by Israeli troops on Oct. 16, 2024. Israel had vowed to kill Sinwar since the attack on southern Israel that triggered the ongoing war, but his death finally came about in a chance encounter. Israeli soldiers killed him inside a building in the southern city of Rafah in the Gaza Strip, not knowing his identity until after his body was found.

Mohammad Sinwar

Mohammed Sinwar, believed to be the head of Hamas' armed wing, was killed by an Israeli strike on May 13, 2025, in the Gaza Strip. He was the younger brother of Yahya Sinwar.

Hossein Salami

A wave of Israeli strikes on different parts of Iran killed several top officials with Iran's military and the main paramilitary force on June 13, 2025. Among the high-level military officials killed wasGen. Hossein Salami, the head of Iran's Revolutionary Guard.

Ahmed Al-Rahawi

The prime minister of the Houthi rebel-controlled government,Ahmed al-Rahawi, died in Israeli airstrikes on Yemen's capital of Sanaa on Aug. 28, 2025. He was the most senior Houthi official to be killed since an Israeli-U.S. campaign against the militant group started earlier this year.

Abu Obeida

Israel said one of its airstrikes in Gaza on Aug. 30, 2025, killed the longtime spokesperson for Hamas' armed wing, whom it identified as Hudahaifa Kahlout. Israel had said that Kahlout, who was better known by his nom de guerre,Abu Obeida, was behind the release of videos showing hostages as well as footage of the Hamas-led attack that sparked the war.

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in Celebrities, Lifestyle, Politics, ShowBiz, Sports

February 28, 2026

A look at Middle East figures killed by Israel in recent years

BEIRUT (AP) — Israel has killed multiple senior officials with Iran's armed proxies like Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah ...

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Death toll rises to 22 after cargo plane carrying money crashes near Bolivia’s capital

LA PAZ, Bolivia (AP) — The death toll rose to 22 on Saturday from thecrash of a military planecarrying 18 tons of new banknotes a day earlier near Bolivia's capital, damaging about a dozen vehicles and scattering bills on the ground, a police commander said Saturday.

Another 29 people were injured, mostly passengers traveling on public transportation where the plane crashed. Among the dead are 12 men, including one crew member, six women and four children, police commander Mirko Sokol said.

Forensic investigators were still recovering remains from the wreckage Saturday. The injured were taken to clinics in the city of El Alto, near La Paz, where the airport is located.

Defense Minister Marcelo Salinas said Friday that the Hercules C-130 plane was transporting newly printed Bolivian currency from the eastern city of Santa Cruz when it "landed and veered off the runway" at an airport in El Alto, a city adjacent to La Paz, before ending up in a nearby field. Firefighters managed to put out the flames that engulfed the aircraft.

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Images on social media showed debris from the aircraft, destroyed cars and bodies scattered on the road. According to fire chief, Pavel Tovar, at least 15 vehicles were damaged.

The plane belonging to the Bolivian air force, was transporting money to La Paz and images on social media showed people rushing to collect the bills scattered at the crash site, while more than 500 soldiers and 100 police officers tried to disperse them, according to official reports.

To avoid more looting, police and military personnel burned the cash boxes in the presence of Central Bank President David Espinoza, who said the bills "have no legal value because they never entered circulation," without clarifying.

Espinoza did not specify the amount of money being transported, but he said the banknotes had arrived in Santa Cruz from abroad.

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in Celebrities, Lifestyle, Politics, ShowBiz, Sports

February 28, 2026

Death toll rises to 22 after cargo plane carrying money crashes near Bolivia’s capital

LA PAZ, Bolivia (AP) — The death toll rose to 22 on Saturday from thecrash of a military planecarrying 18 tons of new ban...

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US and Israel clash with Iran at emergency Security Council meeting. UN chief condemns attacks

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The United States and Israel clashed with Iran at an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council on Saturday where the U.N. chief and many countries urged a halt totheir attacksand a return to negotiations to prevent the conflict from spreading further into the region and beyond.

Secretary-General António Guterres told the council that everything must be done to prevent an escalation. "The alternative," he warned, "is a potential wider conflict with grave consequences for civilians and regional stability."

Guterres said the U.S. and Israeli airstrikes violated international law, including the U.N. Charter. He also condemned Iran's retaliatory attacks for violating the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Mike Waltz, insisted the U.S. military action was lawful.

"Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon," he told the council. "That principle is not a matter of politics. It's a matter of global security. And to that end, the United States is taking lawful actions."

Israel's U.N. Ambassador Danny Danon defended the airstrikes as necessary to stop an existential threat.

"We are stopping extremism before it becomes unstoppable," he said. "We will ensure that no radical regime armed with nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles can threaten our people or the entire world."

Amir Saeid Iravani, Iran's ambassador to the U.N., told the council that the airstrikes have killed and injured hundreds of Iranian civilians, which he called a war crime and a crime against humanity.

He blasted the U.N. and the Security Council, its most powerful body, for not heeding Tehran's warnings about the "warmongering statements" by the U.S. in recent weeks and urged the council to act now.

"The issue before the council is straightforward: whether any member state may, including a permanent member of this council, through the use of force, coercion or aggression, determine the political future or system of another state or impose control over its affairs," Iravani said.

During his speech, the Iranian diplomat did not mention or comment on President Donald Trump's statement that Supreme Leader AyatollahAli Khameneiwas killed in the strikes, although Iranian state media later confirmed his death. The assassination of the second leader of the Islamic Republic, who had no designated successor, raised the prospects of a protracted conflict given Iranian threats of retaliation.

Iranian and US ambassadors have tense back-and-forth

In a rare exchange, the U.S. and Iranian ambassadors traded warnings and direct rebuffs toward the end of the emergency session as military aggression between their countries risked spilling into a regional war.

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After Waltz responded to Iranian claims that the U.S. had violated international law, Iravani asked to speak again to issue a warning: "I advise to the representative of the United States to be polite. It will be better for yourself and the country you represent."

Waltz responded immediately, saying, "This representative sits here, in this body, representing a regime that has killed tens of thousands of its own people, and imprisoned many more, simply for wanting freedom from your entire tyranny."

Other Security Council members speak up

Russia's ambassador condemned the U.S.-Israeli airstrikes, while China's ambassador was more measured in his criticism.

"We demand that the United States and Israel immediately cease their aggressive actions," Russian U.N. Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia said. "We insist on the immediate resumption of political and diplomatic settlement efforts … based on international law, mutual respect and a balance of interests."

China's U.N. Ambassador Fu Cong said China was very concerned by "the sudden escalation of regional tensions" and supported Russia's call for a return to diplomatic negotiations.

The permanent observer of the 22-nation Arab League, Maged Abdelaziz, suggested Israel was being hypocritical in justifying its military attack by saying it was intended to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. Abdelaziz, a former Egyptian ambassador to the U.N., noted that Israel has refused to subject its own nuclear facilities to inspection by the U.N. nuclear watchdog.

The emergency meeting was called by five council members: Bahrain, which is the Arab representative on the council, France, Russia, China and Colombia,.

In a joint statement, the leaders of Britain and France — both veto-wielding members of the council — along with Germany's chancellor called for a resumption of U.S.-Iranian talks on Tehran's nuclear program. The three countries, part of the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran, have led efforts to reach a negotiated solution. Trump pulled the U.S. out of the deal in 2018.

The three European leaders strongly condemned Iranian airstrikes in the region — not the U.S.-Israeli airstrikes — and urged Iran's leaders to seek a negotiated solution, saying: "Ultimately, the Iranian people must be allowed to determine their future."

The Security Council meeting is taking place on the last day of the United Kingdom's presidency and a day before the United States takes over the rotating presidency for the month of March.

Amiri reported from Atlanta.

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in Celebrities, Lifestyle, Politics, ShowBiz, Sports

February 28, 2026

US and Israel clash with Iran at emergency Security Council meeting. UN chief condemns attacks

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The United States and Israel clashed with Iran at an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council...

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With sniper rifle photos, Kim Jong Un intensifies spotlight on his daughter, a potential successor

North Korea on Saturday released pictures showing leader Kim Jong Un and his teenage daughter at a rifle range, the latest propaganda images to promote the child touted as a potential successor.

State media KCNA said Kim and his daughter – along with Kim Jong Un's powerful sister Kim Yo Jong and other officials – fired the rifles after the North Korean leader gifted them to military leaders to salute their service to the reclusive state's ruling party.

One of the images – which was flagged during a CNN check as being potentially AI-manipulated – showed the girl,believed to be named Kim Ju Ae and in her early teens, firing a sniper rifle.

In all, North Korea released 27 pictures of the event.

CNN checked four of the photos for signs of manipulation. Only the picture of Kim Ju Ae firing the rifle showed possible use of AI.

Kim specially prepared the gifts of the "new generation sniper's rifle" for the key leaders, calling it "a really wonderful weapon," the KCNA report said.

The shooting-range event came after the conclusion of a congress of the Korean Workers' Party, a largely rubber-stamp political gathering of the nation's elite, where Kim's leadership was reaffirmed by unanimous vote.

At the assembly, Kim Yo Jong was promoted to director of a party department after years in a deputy role, solidifying her standing in the inner circle. Several senior party and military posts were reshuffled, elevating younger loyalists.

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But much of the attention was on Kim's daughter.

Kim Ju Ae stood with her father on the grandstand as he reviewed some14,000 troops goosestepping through Kim Il Sung Square, named after her great-grandfather, in the capital of Pyongyang.

She has also been at her father's side for previous missile tests and other ruling-party events, fueling speculation that she will be the fourth-generation successor to the Kim family dynasty that has ruled North Korea since before the Korean War started in 1950.

In February South Korea's spy agency said it believes the dictator has "entered the stage of nominating her as successor."

There has been no official confirmation from North Korea on the daughter's role, but the image of her purportedly firing the sniper rifle on Friday brought even more attention to her.

"By emphasizing that Kim Ju Ae knows how to fire a rifle, North Korea is hinting that she is undergoing succession training," Yang Mu-jin, a distinguished professor at the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul,told the Chosun Daily newspaper.

Other images appeared to show Kim Ju Ae, wearing a leather jacket, observing through binoculars as her father took a shot, and helping present the rifles to others at the event.

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in Celebrities, Lifestyle, Politics, ShowBiz, Sports

February 28, 2026

With sniper rifle photos, Kim Jong Un intensifies spotlight on his daughter, a potential successor

North Korea on Saturday released pictures showing leader Kim Jong Un and his teenage daughter at a rifle range, the lates...

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What US bases did Iran target? Were any Americans killed?

No American servicemembers were killed or wounded in awave of attacksIran launched at U.S. bases across the Middle East in retaliation for the U.S.-Israeli missile strikes on the country on Feb. 28, the U.S. military announced hours later.

The military "successfully defended" against hundreds of Iranian missiles and drones, and there were "no reports of U.S. casualties or combat-related injuries," U.S. Central Command said in a Feb. 28statementposted to X. "Damage to U.S. installations was minimal and has not impacted operations," the statement said.

There are between 30,000 and 40,000 U.S. troops in the region on any given day, Capt. Tim Hawkins, a spokesperson for Central Command,previously told USA TODAY.

A service center for the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet, which is headquartered in Bahrain, wasattackedwith missiles, according to the country's communication center.Videoverified by multiple news outlets showed the moment a missile struck near the naval base, leaving a billowing cloud of smoke.

The United States attacked Iran roughly an hour after midnight on Feb. 28, hitting targets to "dismantle the Iranian regime's security apparatus," including the command and control facilities for its Revolutionary Guard Corps, "air defense capabilities, missile and drone launch sites, and military airfields," according to the statement.

Dozens killed at girls' school in Iran amid US-Israeli strikes, state media reports

PresidentDonald Trumphas for monthsthreatened to attack Irana second time, ordering the largest buildup of U.S. troops and military assets in the region since the Iraq War began more than a decade ago. The U.S. military previously dropped penetrating bombs on Iranian nuclear facilities in June.

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In the aftermath of the U.S. attack, Iran launched attacks at U.S. allies where American troops are stationed across the region, including Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Jordan, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. Videos posted to social media and media outlets showed missiles smashing into urban areas and high0rise buildings.

Videos on X also showed a missile taken down over Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, the forward headquarters for U.S. Central Command. Qatar's Defense Ministrysaidmissiles fired at the base were intercepted.

Three members of Kuwait's armed forces suffered minor injuries from falling shrapnel after Ali Al-Salem Air Base, whichhoststhe 386th Air Expeditionary Wing, came under attack, according to the country'sdefense ministry.

Erbil, a city in Iraq that is home to a U.S. air base, was also hit by missiles, the Iraqi government said in astatement. Witnesses in Al Dhafra, the site of a U.S. air base south of the Emirati capital of Abu Dhabi, also heard explosions, Reutersreported.

Jordan, the home of Muwaffaq al Salti Air Base, which hosts the Air Force's 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing, also intercepted missiles, according to newsreports.

The same could not be said in Iran. According to state media, more than 200 people were killed and more than 700 injured across Iran in the attack, including40 at a girls' schoolin the country's south.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:What US bases did Iran target? Were any Americans killed?

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in Celebrities, Lifestyle, Politics, ShowBiz, Sports

February 28, 2026

What US bases did Iran target? Were any Americans killed?

No American servicemembers were killed or wounded in awave of attacksIran launched at U.S. bases across the Middle East i...

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“Bridgerton”'s Michelle Mao Reveals How She Manifested Her Role and Handled Fan Reaction to Her ‘Antagonist’ Character (Exclusive)

Michelle Mao joined Bridgerton season 4 as Rosamund Li, stepsister to Sophie (Yerin Ha)

NEED TO KNOW

• Mao tells PEOPLE how "manifesting" helped her land the role and opens up about how she's handled the fan response to her character

• "[Playing] one of the main antagonists of the season comes with its own territory of navigating the online discourse," she says

JoiningBridgertonseason 4 was both a dream come true and a product of manifestation for Michelle Mao.

The 27-year-old actress playsRosamund Liin the latest installment of the hit Netflix series, a mean stepsister to Sophie Baek (Yerin Ha), and the apple of the eye to her mother, Lady Araminta Gun's (Katie Leung).

In part 1, which premiered on Jan. 29, fans were introduced to the season's heroine, Sophie, who caught the eye of Benedict Bridgerton's (Luke Thompson) when she snuck into a ball uninvited. Sophie worked as a maid in Araminta's household despiteher birthright as the Earl of Penwood's daughter.

For Mao, the response to her debut has been two-fold. "It's been mostly positive," she tells PEOPLE. "I've been having such a good time being a part of this hype train and getting to see all of the memes and the videos and the jokes." But playing "one of the main antagonists of the season comes with its own territory of navigating the online discourse and bearing the brunt, I guess, of the very real and very valid frustrations that the viewers have."

"It's the first time people are meeting me, and so navigating that has been its own little journey," she says. "And I'm getting better at not letting it get to me and just holding onto the idea that it just means you did a good job as an actor, which is a good thing. I played my part really well."

She says that Netflix prepared her for what was to come. "They're super aware of that whole wider phenomenon that happens with the show, and they offer support to all the actors, and especially characters that are a little bit more susceptible to that."

During her first Zoom with showrunner Jess Brownell, Mao remembers that Brownell said, "I've been the target before," and "she did mention we have resources."

"We're all so familiar with how it works. [Fans] love really passionately, but then also when they get frustrated with things, it can also make itself known in a very overwhelming way," Mao says. "And I remember at the time, thinking, 'It's not going to happen to me. I was like, 'No, I'm sure I'll be fine.' "

She's been leaning on her costar, Leung, 38, who has her own experience with fierce fandom (Leung first appeared theHarry Potterfranchise in the 2005 movie,Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire). "I did talk to Katie. She gave me a lot of advice, and she, also being one of the main antagonists of the season, also got her fair share of passionate responses, so I feel really blessed that I'm not going through it alone."

"Honestly, I think it's been great for me, because I think growing up, I was always such a people-pleaser, almost to an extent that was anxious for me," Mao continues. "And having Rosamund be kind of the first role that I'm in that breaks into public discourse a little bit, I think, was kind of like baptism by fire. It's like exposure therapy for me, where I'm like, 'Wow, I feel so free portraying this character that is unlikable, and she's meant to be unlikable.' "

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Regardless of the complicated fan response, theZistar says joining the cast of the hit regency series is "such a fairy tale thing for me."

"I was such a fan ofBridgertonfrom COVID, when it came out — it's all we had. And I remember watching it and just thinking, 'Whoa.' It honestly, quite literally, was the first time I realized, maybe there is a chance that I could do a period piece." It inspired her so much that she "rented out a period dress and I shot a little video for my [audition] reel, because I was like, 'You never know when that will come in handy.'"

"I have this thing about manifesting," Mao says.

The show not only fulfilled her dream of starring in a period piece, but she was also part of a new wave of cultural conversations thatBridgertonintroduced this season, as Rosamund, Araminta and Posy (Isabella Wei) speak Cantonese on the show. "It was everything for me," Mao says. "To speak Cantonese on the show and see all the little details in the interior decor that they have for the Penwoods reflect my culture, it was kind of surreal."

"If I could go back in time to COVID and be like, 'By the way, you're going to be on this show,' she would have lost her mind."

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE'sfree daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

With part 2 now streaming on Netflix, Mao says it's "bittersweet that whole era is coming to an end," but she's ready for what's next. "I feel really acutely, I think, whatBridgertonhas done for me, because ever since bookingBridgerton, I've been working at a frequency that has never happened before in my entire career, and really it feels like such a blessing and it's so exciting."

"I really just have to keep in mind that what's happening right now is the momentum thatBridgertongives you. It's not something to be taken for granted. And it is such a blessing to be working — and it is also such a blessing forBridgertonto not be your end point, but be your launching pad."

Bridgertonseason 4 is now streaming on Netflix.

Read the original article onPeople

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in Celebrities, Lifestyle, Politics, ShowBiz, Sports

February 28, 2026

“Bridgerton”'s Michelle Mao Reveals How She Manifested Her Role and Handled Fan Reaction to Her ‘Antagonist’ Character (Exclusive)

Michelle Mao joined Bridgerton season 4 as Rosamund Li, stepsister to Sophie (Yerin Ha) NEED TO KNOW Mao tell...

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Winter is ending, but the polar vortex is still in March's forecast

Hello spring?

The weather forecast is looking promising for warmer weather as the calendar turns to March. In the East, a dramatic warm-up is in the forecast, and theClimate Prediction Center's outlook for March 6 to 12 shows warmth spreading across much of the nation, including the beleaguered Northeast.

But awinter weather boogieman may still be lurking.

"We are not completely done from an influence from the polar vortex," said AccuWeather meteorologist Paul Pastelok in an e-mail to USA TODAY.

The infamous weather pattern is actually partly influencing our weather as February ends. And it may again throughout the month of March, forecasters told USA TODAY.

Meanwhile, Sunday, March 1, is the first day of meteorological spring, which is the three months when meteorologists expect the weather to feel more like spring (even if it sometimes takes the calendar a few weeks to catch up).

Polar vortex helped shape multiple cold weather outbreaks

The polar vortexmade its biggest headlines of the winterin late January and early February, as it was a significant factor in the Arctic air that flooded south into the eastern United States, helping produce record cold and memorable snowstorms.

As meteorologists predicted multiple cold snaps this winter, the polar vortex was often one of the many forces at play. After the dust settled, experts found only one example (in late January and early February) where sudden stratospheric warming (and the polar vortex disruption that causes) was the primary cause of freezing weather in the United States.

But disruptions of another phenomenon, the Arctic Oscillation, contributed to frigid temperatures as well.

Experts, including Laura Ciasto, a meteorologist withNOAA's Climate Prediction Center, tend to describe cold outbreaks as a dance between multiple weather forces.

"It's been an active winter for both the stratospheric polar vortex and the Arctic Oscillation (AO)," Ciasto told USA TODAY in an e-mail.

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The polar vortex has become a popular point of discussion in winter weather, in part because of its catchy name. But meteorologists note it's a complex and confounding climate force that acts in mysterious ways.

For one thing, a weaker polar vortex tends to send cold air to the United States, as it fails to contain cold air way above the Arctic. (For another: Meteorologists will distinguish between a stratospheric and tropospheric polar vortex, based on where the cold air is in the atmosphere.)

A Nor'easter winter storm buried streets, cars and neighborhoods across the Northeast. At least 49 locations reported more than 24 inches of snow by 1:30 p.m. on Monday.
Matt Powers shovels a Jersey City sidewalk, Monday, February 23, 2026 after more than a foot of snow had blanketed the area.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Almost a foot of snow covers cars and a home on Main Street in Marshfield, Mass. on Feb. 23, 2026.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />

Snow up to your eyeballs! Photos show how deep the wintry blanket got

ANor'easter winter stormburied streets, cars and neighborhoods across the Northeast. At least 49 locations reported more than 24 inches of snow by 1:30 p.m. on Monday.Matt Powers shovels a Jersey City sidewalk, Monday, February 23, 2026 after more than a foot of snow had blanketed the area.

Polar vortex changes may shape the forecast again for March

Pastelok said a "lobe" of the vortex is extending into eastern North America and is influencing the cold, snow and ice into early March in the Great Lakes, Northeast and Mid-Atlantic, although the polar vortex isn't the only weather system at play.

A polar vortex expert,MIT's Judah Cohen, told USA TODAY that "another sudden stratospheric warming looks all but inevitable and this time it would be a polar vortex split. This looks to take place at the end of the first week of March."

(Sudden stratospheric warming is a rapid warming high above the Arctic that disrupts the polar vortex — and can set the stage for major winter weather shifts weeks later down here in the United States.)

Cohen said the warmth could be replaced later in the month by more cold. "I would expect a milder period in the eastern US until close to the spring equinox," Cohen said. "Then I think eventually colder weather arrives to the eastern US related to the polar vortex split in late March or early April that could hang around for a while."

We still need to watch the storm track in late March, Pastelok noted. "Perhaps (there will be) a late winter storm anywhere from the upper Midwest to the interior Northeast."

Cold weather might impact the West this time

This time, the impacts from the split vortex would be for colder and stormier weather in western North America in early March, Pastelok said. Conversely, for many areas in the eastern U.S., temperatures will run above average from March 5-15. "This will lead to rapid snow melt and ice jams in U.S. from the Ohio Valley to the Northeast that can cause flooding."

Cohen agreed with Pastelok, saying that "ironically even though everyone gets most excited about a polar vortex split (that it will cause more severe winter weather) I think the only guarantee is that it will likely bring a milder period to the eastern U.S. that could be multiple weeks. Instead, it probably favors colder, stormier weather in the Western U.S."

Doyle Rice is a national correspondent for USA TODAY, focusing on weather and climate.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:The polar vortex isn't done. It's still in the March 2026 forecast.

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