分类： entertainment

Popular Swedish pop artist Zara Larsson has become the latest high-profile musician to publicly rebuke the Trump White House for the unauthorized use of her work in political social media content, calling out the administration for pairing her track *Midnight Sun* with footage of immigration enforcement raids in what she describes as a dehumanizing and divisive messaging push.

The short-form video posted to the White House’s TikTok account spliced together raw footage of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents and other law enforcement officers detaining undocumented individuals, showing suspects being handcuffed and loaded into transport vehicles. The White House cleverly reworked a lyric from Larsson’s track to caption the clip: “never ending deportations,” a direct play on the song’s original line “never-ending midnight sun.” Though the White House has since removed Larsson’s audio from the post, the video itself remains visible on the administration’s official TikTok feed.

Larsson responded quickly to the unauthorized use, posting a three-minute reaction video to her own social media channels that had amassed more than 4.2 million views as of recent counts. In the clip, she shared a clip of the original White House post before cutting to a selfie-style response where she held an L-shaped hand gesture against her forehead in a clear sign of criticism.

“That is so dehumanizing,” Larsson told her followers in the video. “These people in this video — they’re real people. The vast majority of these people who are undocumented are regular people with jobs and they’re just trying to have a better future. It’s so crazy how everything is so memefied and so ‘ha-ha-ha,’” she added. The artist also noted that her original lyrics for *Midnight Sun* were written to celebrate the connection between people and the natural world, making the White House’s repurposing of the track to promote hardline immigration policies even more inappropriate. She accused the administration of using her work to deepen political division in the country.

This is not the first time Larsson has clashed with the Trump administration over unauthorized use of her music. Earlier in 2026, she publicly condemned a campaign video featuring Donald Trump dancing that was set to her hit track *Lush Life*. Larsson is far from alone in pushing back against the White House’s social media practices: a growing number of top music artists have demanded the administration remove their work from political content, with multiple high-profile incidents forcing the White House to take down audio from past posts.

Earlier this year, Taylor Swift’s *August* was removed from a Trump administration reel after the artist’s team intervened, while Olivia Rodrigo had one of her tracks pulled from a White House video after she publicly condemned its use for what she called “hateful propaganda.” Singers Ariana Grande and Sabrina Carpenter have also issued separate public warnings demanding the Trump administration stop using their music in political social media content.

The BBC has reached out to the White House to request comment on Larsson’s accusations, with no official response issued as of yet.

Ed Sheeran’s worldwide Loop Tour has entered full damage control mode after a rapidly escalating controversy over the removal of pro-Palestinian opening act Macklemore has dragged the pop superstar and his fanbase into the center of the fraught geopolitical debate over the Israel-Gaza conflict.

The crisis erupted earlier this week after event organizers removed Macklemore from the tour’s lineup, following the rapper’s on-stage public statement calling for freedom for Palestine. In an unprecedented show of solidarity, every remaining supporting act on the tour has stepped down in the wake of Macklemore’s ousting, leaving the tour without its full advertised roster ahead of upcoming shows across North America, Mexico and South America.

As Sheeran prepares to take the stage for his first performance since the controversy spiraled, ticket-holders across the United States remain deeply divided over how to respond to the unfolding crisis. A range of fans interviewed by the BBC shared conflicting perspectives, from calls for boycotts and refunds to steadfast support for the pop star’s neutral stance.

Damien Given, a fan from Northern Ireland holding tickets to Sheeran’s upcoming Philadelphia show, says he remains torn over whether to attend. He accuses Sheeran of acting disingenuously, pointing out that the artist openly expressed support for Ukraine following Russia’s 2022 invasion, contradicting his current claim that concerts should not become platforms for political debate. Given also criticized Sheeran for a lack of transparency around the decision to remove Macklemore, calling the rapper’s treatment unfair. Despite his frustration, Given says he is leaning toward attending the show due to a deeply personal emotional connection to Sheeran’s music: *Thinking Out Loud*, one of the star’s biggest hits, was the first dance at his wedding to his late wife Kellie, who passed away from ALS in 2024 four years after her diagnosis.

Other fans have struck a more sympathetic tone toward Sheeran, framing the situation as an unwinnable conflict no matter what decision he made. Longtime fan Patti Ann, who plans to attend Sheeran’s October show in Atlanta, says she fully supports the star’s response. She agrees that concert venues are not appropriate spaces for political discussion, noting that Sheeran remains bound by contractual and financial obligations to venue operators that he cannot easily exit. “Believe what you want, just don’t press it on me,” Ann said of the political tensions playing out on the tour.

Backlash has come from all sides of the debate, however. Jewish-American fan Matt Jaye from Florida was outraged by Macklemore’s pro-Palestinian comments and initially requested a refund from Ticketmaster for his November Tampa show, a request that was denied. While he welcomed Macklemore’s removal from the lineup, he argues that Sheeran still bears responsibility for allowing the protest to happen in the first place. If Sheeran claims to be strictly apolitical, Jaye says, he should hold all supporting acts on his tour to that same standard. Jaye added that he believes Sheeran owes an apology to the Jewish community for making a segment of his audience feel deeply uncomfortable.

For some other ticket-holders, the primary concern centers on whether their scheduled shows will go ahead as planned. Heather Park, a 49-year-old fan attending a show this weekend, says she is worried the ongoing controversy could lead to last-minute cancellations. While she argues that Macklemore’s removal was unfair and a violation of free speech, Park says she prefers to separate the political drama from the music, noting that Macklemore was always just a bonus to her main goal of seeing Ed Sheeran perform. “I still like the music,” she confirmed.

In the days since the controversy broke out, calls for a widespread boycott of the tour have spread across social media, and secondary market ticket prices for all remaining shows have dropped as demand softens. For his part, Sheeran has released a public statement responding to the backlash, saying that he has been “appalled by the conflict between Israel and Palestine” but has no intention of entering the ongoing political debate around the crisis. The pop star emphasized that concert-goers attend his shows to experience music, not engage with political discussion, and pushed back against claims he was personally responsible for Macklemore being dropped from the lineup. Many fans, however, have criticized that response as evasive, leaving the tour in crisis mode as it navigates competing pressures from all sides of the charged conflict.

A brewing controversy surrounding Ed Sheeran’s North American Loop Tour has erupted into a major industry debate over free speech and the Israel-Gaza conflict, after all scheduled supporting acts resigned in solidarity with ousted opening act Macklemore.

The conflict traces back to earlier this month, when pro-Palestinian rapper Macklemore, born Benjamin Haggerty, delivered politically charged sets at two of Sheeran’s concerts in New Jersey. During the performances, he publicly called for a free Palestine and shared on-stage visuals showing widespread destruction in the Gaza Strip. The remarks quickly drew pushback from Robert Kraft, the 85-year-old Jewish billionaire owner of the New England Patriots and Gillette Stadium, located near Boston, Massachusetts.

Kraft, who also owns the sports and events conglomerate Kraft Group, confirmed on Monday that he had removed Macklemore from the upcoming Gillette Stadium stop of Sheeran’s tour, accusing the Grammy-winning artist of spreading hate speech and harboring a history of antisemitic rhetoric—claims that Macklemore has outright denied. Kraft further argued that the rapper only shared one-sided information about the ongoing conflict and ignored the violent actions of Hamas. In a follow-up statement, Kraft noted that he has long backed initiatives that connect young Israelis and Palestinians to build economic opportunity and cross-community relationships, saying “I have dedicated much of my life to building bridges between all people. I believe deeply that all lives are worth protecting.”

In the wake of Macklemore’s removal, Ed Sheeran quickly distanced himself from the decision, telling reporters that the choice to cut the rapper from the line-up was made exclusively by venue promoters, and that he would not engage in public debate over the Gaza conflict. However, just days after the announcement, all remaining supporting acts on the U.S. leg of the tour stepped down in solidarity. The departing acts include Finneas, brother and producer for global pop star Billie Eilish, Irish singer-songwriter Aaron Rowe, Danish pop group Lukas Graham, and Irish folk band Beoga, who have toured with Sheeran as on-stage collaborators for years. In a joint statement, the artists argued that Macklemore’s removal sets a dangerous precedent that creates a chilling effect on freedom of expression in the live music industry.

The controversy quickly escalated on Wednesday, when Macklemore announced he would donate his full $1 million in net earnings from the Loop Tour to six Palestinian humanitarian organizations. The rapper used his social media platforms to throw down a public challenge to Kraft, calling on the billionaire to match the $1 million contribution to support relief efforts in the region. “This is a manmade injustice, and I believe it requires immediate political change,” he wrote, adding that the donation would refocus the conversation on the Palestinian people suffering from the ongoing conflict.

Shortly after Macklemore’s challenge, Kraft released a new statement revealing that Ed Sheeran had personally contacted him earlier that day, before the rapper’s public callout, to request that Kraft commit $2 million to match a donation of the same size from Sheeran, with all funds going to alleviate the worsening humanitarian crisis in the Israel-Gaza region. Kraft did not specify exactly which organizations would receive the funding. Sheeran also plans to reach out to other venue owners across the country to coordinate broader collective action, with the stated goal of continuing to work toward cross-community dialogue. The billionaire also denied Macklemore’s claim that he has lobbied other stadium operators to ban the rapper from future events at their venues, and reaffirmed his own longstanding support for humanitarian programs that create opportunity for Palestinian people.

As of this reporting, widespread speculation has emerged online about whether the entire U.S. leg of Sheeran’s tour will be canceled following the mass resignation of all supporting acts, though no official announcement about the tour’s status has been released from Sheeran’s team or event promoters.

The future of Ed Sheeran’s highly anticipated United States tour has been thrown into serious question following a sudden wave of departures that has sent shockwaves through the live music industry. In an unexpected turn of events, every member of Sheeran’s touring backing band and all scheduled opening support acts have confirmed their withdrawal from the upcoming run of shows, leaving fans and industry observers scrambling to understand what comes next for the global superstar’s tour.

The mass exit, which was not accompanied by an official public statement from either the departing performers or Sheeran’s team explaining the underlying motivations for the decision, has sparked widespread speculation across social media and entertainment outlets. Ticket holders who have already purchased access to the shows have taken to online platforms to share their concerns, with many asking whether the entire tour will be scrapped entirely, or if Sheeran will move forward with a last-minute reshuffle of his touring lineup to salvage the schedule.

Industry insiders note that a full withdrawal of all support acts and backing personnel is an extremely rare occurrence in major arena touring, adding another layer of uncertainty to the situation. While Sheeran has not yet issued a public response to the departures as of this reporting, fans around the world are waiting anxiously for an update on whether the tour will proceed as planned, be rescheduled, or be canceled outright. The situation remains fluid, with no clear timeline for an official announcement from the singer’s camp.

The 2026 Emmy Awards became a night of shared grief and heartfelt celebration as the entertainment industry came together to honor a roster of legendary figures who passed away over the past year, with moving tributes that left many audience members in tears.

One of the most anticipated moments of the annual in memoriam segment came from three stars who shared some of Catherine O’Hara’s most beloved career moments, as they gathered to pay tribute to the Emmy-winning actress, who died in January 2026 at the age of 71. O’Hara built a decades-long career defined by iconic roles: as Kevin McCallister’s frazzled, well-meaning mother in the 1990s *Home Alone* film franchise, and as the wildly eccentric, quick-witted Moira Rose in the groundbreaking comedy series *Schitt’s Creek*, where she starred alongside Dan Levy and Annie Murphy as members of the Rose family.

Macaulay Culkin, who played O’Hara’s forgotten son Kevin across the *Home Alone* films, opened the tribute with a mix of gentle humor and deep affection. Joking about the core plot point that kicked off the first two *Home Alone* movies, he told the crowd: “She may have forgotten me… twice! But we will always remember her.” Going beyond the on-screen dynamic, Culkin spoke to the maternal warmth O’Hara extended off-camera, saying: “There are all kinds of words I could use to Catherine. She was encouraging. She was warm. She was funny, but the word that I think of is mom… She was, she was my mom. She was our mom. Like a good mom, she always showed up when I asked her to.”

Murphy, who brought O’Hara’s on-screen daughter Alexis Rose to life, reflected on the outpouring of public love that followed O’Hara’s death, with fans repeatedly quoting the star’s most iconic lines from her decades of work. “These are only very few of the interactions I’ve been lucky enough to have that remind me how profoundly Catherine has impacted the world, and it’s because she brought us joy,” she said. Dan Levy, who co-created *Schitt’s Creek* and played O’Hara’s son Johnny Rose, added a simple, lasting takeaway for the audience: “Always say yes to any opportunity to revel in the presence of greatness.”

Against a backdrop of a large portrait of a smiling O’Hara, the tribute moved even seasoned comedy stars Martin Short and Steve Martin, who were seen wiping away tears from their seats in the audience. Following the trio’s remarks, folk singer Noah Kahan took the stage to deliver a haunting, tender performance of “Bridge Over Troubled Water” as the segment continued.

Next, Oscar-winning actress Jamie Lee Curtis stepped forward to honor celebrated actor-director Rob Reiner, who was killed alongside his wife in December 2025. Reiner, who built a legendary career spanning acting, directing, and writing, leaves behind a catalog of beloved films including *When Harry Met Sally*, *This Is Spinal Tap*, *Stand By Me*, *Misery*, and *A Few Good Men*. Just one week before the Emmy Awards, Reiner was posthumously awarded an Emmy for his guest-starring role on the hit series *The Bear*, a win that set a new record: the 48-year gap between Reiner’s first and most recent Emmy victories surpassed the previous record held by his father, comedy legend Carl Reiner. Calling Reiner a “cherished legend” and “our beloved meathead” — a nod to his breakout role as Michael Stivic on *All in the Family* — Curtis opened her remarks by also acknowledging the recent passing of *Cheers* co-creator James Burrows, a close friend of Reiner’s.

The segment also included remembrances for a number of other stars lost in recent months. *Heroes* and *Nashville* lead actress Hayden Panettiere, who died just one month prior to the ceremony, was honored alongside *Rocky Horror Show* icon Tim Curry and *Dawson’s Creek* actor James Van Der Beek.

Beyond the core in memoriam block, tributes to late icons were woven throughout the night’s broadcast. To mark the 50th anniversary of *Charlie’s Angels*, original co-stars Kate Jackson, Cheryl Ladd, and Jaclyn Smith took the stage together to present the award for Outstanding Drama Series, and paused to pay tribute to their co-star Farrah Fawcett, who died in 2009. Jackson told the audience: “Fawcett ‘was the shiniest angel of all, and she was loved by millions of people all over the world. And she still is today. And they’ll never forget her and neither will we. And I’m sure you won’t either.’”

Buffy the Vampire Slayer alums Sarah Michelle Gellar and David Boreanaz also took a moment to acknowledge the multiple losses their cast has suffered in recent years, including co-stars Nicholas Brendon, Anthony Head, and Michelle Trachtenberg. “David and I would like to acknowledge that it has been a tough two years for our beloved cast and crew, and we feel very lucky to have known and worked with such amazing people,” Gellar said.

In another standout tribute outside the formal in memoriam segment, two-time Oscar-winning actress Sally Field led a remembrance of country music legend and Emmy winner Dolly Parton, who died last month. Field, who starred opposite Parton in the iconic 1989 film *Steel Magnolias*, described Parton as “genuine, humble, supportive and blisteringly funny.” Highlighting Parton’s far-reaching impact beyond entertainment, Field added: “She was a humanitarian whose contribution has made a profound difference across our country. God bless you Dolly Parton my friend, I am not the only one on earth who will love you for ever and ever.” Following Field’s remarks, country superstar Reba McEntire took the stage to perform a special musical tribute in Parton’s honor.

Los Angeles played host to the glitziest night in television on Monday, as the 2026 Primetime Emmy Awards gathered A-list stars from across the globe to celebrate the year’s most outstanding small-screen achievements. Unlike typical ceremonies, this year’s event split honors across two installments: most technical and craft awards were distributed during the earlier Creative Arts Emmys earlier this month, leaving only the most high-profile, fan-favorite categories for the main primetime telecast.

The night delivered no shortage of historic milestones and memorable moments, headlined by Welsh actor Matthew Rhys who cemented his place in Emmy history with an unprecedented double win. Rhys took home the award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series for his work on the hit comedy *Widow’s Bay*, and followed that win with a second trophy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series for his performance in *The Beast In Me* – a rare dual acting victory that has not been seen in the awards show’s decades-long history.

*Widow’s Bay* dominated the comedy category overall, taking home the night’s top prize for Outstanding Comedy Series in addition to Rhys’ lead acting win. British performer Kate O’Flynn claimed the award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for her role on the show, while Stephen Root won Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series, and the series also picked up honors for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series (Katie Dippold) and Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series (Hiro Murai).

In the drama series division, medical drama *The Pitt* emerged as the leading nominee and claimed the coveted Outstanding Drama Series award. Noah Wyle took home the Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series trophy for his leading turn on the series, while Rhea Seehorn of *Pluribus* won Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series. Vince Gilligan also picked up the award for Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series for *Pluribus*, while the directing honor went to Saul Metzstein for Slow Horses. Allison Janney claimed Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for *The Diplomat*, and Tom Pelphrey took home the supporting actor prize for *Task*.

Limited and anthology series honors went to *DTF St Louis*, which claimed the night’s top award in the category. Sally Field won Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series for *Remarkably Bright Creatures*, joining Rhys as an acting honoree in the section.

Outside scripted categories, the reality competition award went to fan-favorite *The Traitors*, beating out established hits including *RuPaul’s Drag Race* and *Survivor*. In the variety series category, *The Late Show with Stephen Colbert* retained its spot at the top, taking home the Emmy for Outstanding Variety Series.

The ceremony was preceded by a packed red carpet that saw dozens of television’s biggest names pose for photos and speak to reporters, bringing high fashion and star power to the Los Angeles event. From unexpected upsets to historic firsts, the 2026 Emmys cemented its reputation as a celebration of the diverse, groundbreaking storytelling that defines modern television.

Hollywood’s biggest night for television, the 2026 Emmy Awards, delivered a star-studded, history-making event filled with viral moments, emotional wins, and unexpected backstage charm, drawing A-listers from television, film, sports and music to downtown Los Angeles’ Peacock Theater.

This year’s ceremony marked a landmark for female representation: Law & Order: SVU star Mariska Hargitay took on hosting duties, becoming the first woman to emcee the event in 15 years. Hargitay kicked off the night with a playful, star-studded opening, reworking Joan Jett’s iconic *I Love Rock & Roll* into a love letter to television that name-checked dozens of the evening’s nominees. The host wove in surprise cameos throughout the show, leaning into her own pop culture connections: NBA star Jalen Brunson, a nod to Hargitay’s well-known support for the New York Knicks, made an on-stage appearance, while a viral pre-recorded comedy skit followed Hargitay and her SVU castmates as they “investigated” whether pop superstar Taylor Swift would make an appearance. The sketch ended with a surprise cameo from Swift herself, joined by her cat Olivia Benson — named for Hargitay’s long-running SVU character — bringing the audience to its feet.

Beyond the main stage, the Emmys’ sprawling behind-the-scenes footprint stretched across the downtown LA district surrounding the Peacock Theater, which sits directly across from the Crypto.com Arena. Nearby streets were closed to traffic and onlookers as black car convoys ferried celebrities to the venue, with dozens of security staff and publicists posted throughout the secured zone. Adjacent to the theater, the JW Marriott’s grand ballrooms were converted into a multi-zone press and after-event space, where castmates reunited for the first time since wrapping production long before the ceremony began. Contrary to the traditional idea of a backstage, winners walk a winding, covered pedestrian path from the Peacock Theater stage to this adjacent space, where they pose for official photos, speak to press across print, digital and broadcast outlets, and stop to have their newly won golden Emmy statuettes engraved. Dozens of unengraved golden statues lined display tables in the engraving zone, where onlooking press could snap photos and admire the iconic trophies up close.

The night’s biggest breakout success was Apple TV+’s underdog supernatural comedy *Widow’s Bay*, which dominated the award tally: the sleeper hit earned six primary Emmy wins on ceremony night, adding to eight additional wins at the earlier Creative Arts Emmys. The cast and crew credited their surprise success to organic word-of-mouth from fans, rather than big-budget marketing. “All the people online talking about it, or viewers, or people just tweeting about it, truly like it. That really got the word to spread, and we’re so grateful,” said series creator Katie Dippold, with lead star Matthew Rhys joking that the earliest fans were “predominantly our parents.”

Rhys, a Welsh actor, made Emmy history himself on Monday: he became the first performer ever to win two Outstanding Lead Actor awards in the same year, taking home prizes for his work on both *Widow’s Bay* and the psychological thriller *The Beast In Me*. Rhys declined to speak to reporters backstage until he learned that *Widow’s Bay* director Hiro Murai had won his own directing award — which Murai ultimately did. When he finally took the mic, he called on the BBC for the first question, still stunned by his historic win. “At the moment, I genuinely can’t quite believe what’s just happened,” he said, teasing his friendly rivalry with partner Keri Russell, who was nominated for an Emmy for her leading role in *The Diplomat*. “I bet a lot of money on myself. The kids ran a book. It’s going to be a rough week for her. I’m sorry. I don’t know if I am,” he joked, before adding that Russell is “always the class act” and “always really the winner.”

*Widow’s Bay* breakout Kate O’Flynn, who won her first Emmy for her role as the awkward, charming Patricia, said she was “completely gobsmacked” by her win, noting that audiences connected with her character’s relatable mix of awkwardness, bravery and humor. O’Flynn shared that she was shocked to see “an army” of fans dress as Patricia at this year’s DragonCon, and joked she was excited to see more cosplays for Halloween. U.S. actress Jean Smart also made history with her own win, joining Rhys in cementing the 2026 ceremony as a record-breaking night for the awards.

Another upset win came for Allison Janney, who took home Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for her role as U.S. President Grace Penn in *The Diplomat*. The category was heavily favored to go to a star from the hit medical drama *The Pitt*, and Janney told reporters she was “genuinely shocked” by her victory. “We really didn’t think it was going to go my way. So I felt just excited and relaxed, because I was 100% sure I wasn’t gonna win,” she said, describing her shock when her name was called, captured on camera with her hands flying to her face in disbelief.

One of the most talked-about red carpet moments of the night came from *Hacks* star Megan Stalter, nominated for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy, who turned heads with a bold costume: she covered her body in gold body paint, added angel wings, and carried an oversized replica of the atom held by the official Emmy statuette, dressing as an actual Emmy award. Stalter joked to reporters that the look was a last-minute project with her stylist, and that her co-star Paul W. Downs airbrushed the gold paint on himself.

Backstage moments also brought plenty of lighthearted banter from other nominees. Arlan Ruf, star of HBO’s dark true crime comedy *DTF St Louis*, joked that the show’s biggest fanbase is made up of his friends’ mothers, noting that the series’ dating-app murder premise resonates with the large female audience for true crime content. “I don’t know a lot of my friends are watching it,” he said cheekily, “their mums are.”

From historic firsts to surprise viral moments, the 2026 Emmy Awards delivered a memorable night that celebrated both underdog breakout hits and long-beloved Hollywood talent, reminding audiences why television remains a beloved cultural touchstone.