Opie's practice spans studio portraiture, documentary photography, and environmental studies, consistently exploring themes of social, political, and personal identity. A highlight is her seminal series "Being and Having" , which features intimate portraits of her LGBTQ+ friends, styled with the compositional authority of historical painters like Hans Holbein the Younger to challenge traditional notions of who deserves visibility in art.

In a March 11, 2026, PinkNews interview, Opie reflected on the radical nature of the exhibition for a butch lesbian artist in a venue rooted in aristocratic portraiture. She emphasized how her portraits elevate everyday LGBTQ+ individuals—friends, activists, and community members—beyond celebrity or nobility, fostering a broader understanding of identity through being seen. "I would like to thank the National Portrait Gallery for this incredible honor of presenting my work in London. My hope is that the audience will leave the exhibition with a broader understanding of what portraiture can achieve – that in our culture of creating portraits of known nobility and a kind of celebrity, that everyone begins to understand identity through being seen," Opie stated.

The show traces Opie's evolution, including documentation of queer communities in Los Angeles, American political events like Barack Obama's inauguration and LGBTQ+ rights protests, and personal scenes of family and self-portraiture. Her measured, documentary-style approach resists spectacle, building layered narratives of civic and personal life that connect private experiences to broader social history. Installed in dialogue, the portraits juxtapose artists, children, and strangers, prompting visitors to reconsider historical exclusions in portraiture, particularly for marginalized LGBTQ+ people.

Opie has described portraiture as inherently political, a tool to record shifting cultural contours and affirm belonging for queer communities. In a livestreamed conversation at the gallery, she introduced the exhibition, underscoring its role in expanding representation. For transgender people, lesbians, gay men, and other LGBTQ+ individuals historically sidelined in fine art, Opie's work offers affirming visibility in a prestigious institution.

The exhibition runs at the National Portrait Gallery, St Martin’s Place, London, until May 31, 2026, before touring to the National Galleries of Scotland at the Royal Scottish Academy in Edinburgh during summer 2026. This presentation positions Opie's photography as a bridge between historical portrait traditions and contemporary debates on identity politics, making it a significant moment for LGBTQ+ art in the UK.

Opie's commitment to community shines through series like those documenting LGBTQ+ protests and intimate friendships, reinforcing the exhibition's message of radical inclusion. By ennobling queer subjects in a space once reserved for elites, the show challenges ongoing barriers to representation for butch, lesbian, and broader LGBTQ+ artists. Visitors have the opportunity to engage with these themes through Opie's precise, human-centered lens, which continues to influence global conversations on visibility and belonging.

Minnelli describes being "quickly swept up in a passionate romance" that became "amour fou," a French term for a self-destructive obsession. She writes that the affair was "the worst-kept secret on the set," with both parties soon turning to cocaine use on and off set. "Marty became a heavier and heavier user of cocaine," Minnelli recounts. "It seemed that it was no longer recreational for either of us. It was day and night." At the time, Minnelli was married to her second husband, producer Jack Haley Jr., whose father had played the Tin Man in "The Wizard of Oz" alongside Garland; Scorsese was wed to writer Julia Cameron, whom he divorced that year.

The production of "New York, New York" faced significant challenges, running over budget from $9 million with an additional $2 million in costs and taking 22 weeks instead of the planned 14; it ultimately flopped critically and commercially, recouping $16.4 million. Minnelli portrays the affair as a "runaway train," stating, "Nothing good could come of it." Tensions escalated post-filming when Scorsese publicly confronted Minnelli in Greenwich Village over her affair with Russian dancer Mikhail Baryshnikov, screaming, "How can you do this to me?" in front of Haley. Minnelli and Haley divorced in 1979.

The relationship extended into professional territory when Minnelli hired Scorsese to direct her Broadway musical "The Act", but out-of-town reviews were scathing, and she ultimately fired him, a decision she said "damn near killed me and broke my heart." Minnelli notes Scorsese was "exhausted" from "a steady diet of hostility and substances," leading to a hospitalization that prompted him to quit drugs and alcohol, paving the way for his later successes like "Goodfellas". In 2014, at the Academy Awards, Scorsese turned away when Minnelli approached, with her reflecting, "Not all of the bad feelings have healed. Very sad."

For LGBTQ+ communities, Minnelli holds iconic status as a gay ally and performer whose mother, Judy Garland, is a enduring figure in queer culture; her candid memoir underscores the entertainment industry's historical struggles with addiction and infidelity, themes resonant in LGBTQ+ narratives of resilience amid personal turmoil. The revelations, drawn from Minnelli's firsthand account, offer insight into the human costs of fame without endorsing or sensationalizing the events.

Noticing a man in a cowboy hat with a substantial stack of chips, Handler approached him and asked, “Hey, buddy, can I borrow $1,000? I’m gonna start winning right away.” The man promptly agreed. After winning back her losses, Handler repaid the $1,000 and jokingly gave him an extra thousand as "interest" before reclaiming it, quipping that he didn’t actually deserve it.

The following day, Handler’s friend Terrence—who had observed the chemistry between them—shared her phone number with the man. This led to a text exchange where Handler "tested" him by sharing her upcoming Antarctica travel itinerary; he immediately booked a ticket to meet her there for their first official date. While Handler affectionately refers to her partner as "Cowboy," she has declined to disclose his full legal identity.

She described the romance as ongoing, stating, “I’m still going strong with this guy. It’s hot, and a woman like me needs a big move like that.”

This disclosure coincides with Handler’s return to her monthly comedy residency at The Chelsea theatre, which she launched in September 2024 as the venue’s first female comic resident headliner, following an approach by Live Nation Las Vegas. She emphasized that the story remains personal and off-limits for her stand-up routine, reserving it for interviews: “That’s a personal story. I don’t talk about it on the stage, only to reporters.”

Handler’s candidness about her romantic life aligns with her history of openness in her comedy and media appearances, often blending personal anecdotes with humor. Beyond the residency, she is launching her High and Mighty U.S. tour and developing a Hulu series titled Townhouse. The story has garnered attention across entertainment outlets, highlighting Handler’s spontaneous approach to relationships amid her busy professional schedule.

'Washed Up' follows Morwenna, an aspiring artist struggling in Cornwall, who encounters Inga, a selkie—a mythical being from Celtic folklore capable of shapeshifting between human and seal forms—leading to a romantic meet-cute on a beach. Daly, in a recent interview, describes the film as a "delightful debut" romantic comedy infused with mythology, drawing on selkie legends to explore sapphic love and self-discovery.

The film is scheduled for screenings on March 25 at 8:50 pm and March 28 at 12:45 pm during the festival. Daly's conversation with Diva magazine, published on March 11, 2026, delves into her creative process, highlighting how Cornish mythology inspired the narrative's blend of romance and fantasy. She notes the film's focus on a sapphic relationship, aligning with BFI Flare's mission to platform queer voices in cinema.

BFI Flare 2026 emphasizes diverse LGBTQ+ perspectives, with 'Washed Up' standing out for its affirming portrayal of lesbian romance through a mythological lens. The festival's programme also includes works like Paloma Schneideman's contributions, but Daly's film has drawn attention for its charming depiction of queer love amid supernatural elements. Independent queer media outlets have praised the selection for amplifying sapphic stories in cinema.

Daly's project emerges amid a growing interest in folklore-infused queer narratives, resonating with LGBTQ+ audiences seeking representation beyond mainstream tropes. The film's Cornwall setting evokes selkie tales traditionally exploring themes of freedom, identity, and forbidden desire—mirroring experiences of many lesbian and queer women navigating societal expectations. BFI Flare, organized by the British Film Institute, continues to foster such stories, providing a platform for emerging transgender people, lesbian filmmakers, and other LGBTQ+ creators.

This event underscores the vitality of LGBTQ+ independent film, with 'Washed Up' exemplifying how mythology can illuminate sapphic relationships. Festival-goers and online audiences anticipate its reception, as coverage from Diva magazine and others highlights its potential impact on queer cinema discourse. The programme's reveal on March 11, 2026, marks a key moment for visibility of such affirming narratives.

The 48-year-old digital imaging technician moved from Indiana to Georgia in 2017 as studios — lured by generous tax credits — turned Atlanta into the “Hollywood of the South,” the backdrop for hundreds of productions like “The Hunger Games,” “Stranger Things” and more than a dozen Marvel blockbusters.

Ratledge said the work was grueling — 70-hour weeks were normal — but the $72-an-hour pay was transformative. “I paid off three years of back taxes in one year, just from the money I made,” says Ratledge, who worked on the Netflix movie “Red Notice,” as well as shows like TBS’ “Miracle Workers” and Starz’s “P-Valley.”

Those times are long gone: Ratledge has worked just four days on set since May 2024.

Instead, he's been working part-time at the front desk of a local tennis center and stringing rackets on the side, trying somehow to support his family of four on $15 an hour without health insurance. His wife, a cancer survivor, has started cleaning houses a few days a week, and they've downsized their rental home. But their $2,000-a-month income hardly even covers their rent, a shortfall that has left Ratledge in debt and deeply depressed.

“All I want for Christmas is for my film career back,” Ratledge wrote on Instagram in December.

Georgia’s boom goes bust

After hitting a peak of $4.4 billion in 2022, spending on film and TV production in Georgia has tumbled, reaching just $2.3 billion in the last fiscal year, as total productions dropped from 412 in 2022 to 245 last year. The decline accelerated after the 2023 writers and actors strikes halted productions for months, dealing a blow to an industry still recovering from COVID-19 shutdowns.

“We saw a lot of productions start looking overseas, knowing that they wouldn’t have another work stoppage,” said Lee Thomas, the deputy commissioner of the Georgia Film Office. “We knew that it would be like a reset to the industry ... but it certainly was a bigger, harder fall than we anticipated — and longer.”

Marvel has left Georgia’s market — its last movie filmed there was 2025's “Thunderbolts” — and shifted its massive productions to the United Kingdom, where labor and production costs are cheaper. Streamers like Netflix are also increasingly filming abroad, while producing fewer shows in general. Other states, including California and Texas, have upped incentives to compete with Georgia’s tax credits, which can cover up to 30% of production costs.

Local industry Facebook groups are filled with complaints about a lack of work, with some people griping about well-established veterans taking up the few jobs available, said Monique Younger, an Atlanta costume supervisor. Younger says her work is less than half what it once was, making her “feel a little bit useless.”

Jen Farris, an Atlanta native and longtime location scout, said she used to reject offers because she had too much work. Now, she’s navigating two- or three-month gaps in between projects, forcing her to “watch her pennies.”

“You just pray that you have nested away enough to float a little bit,” she said.

Training crews for an uncertain future

Despite the bleak landscape, Shadowbox Studios, one of metro Atlanta’s largest soundstage operators, is betting on the area's future and has urged local filmmakers and industry leaders to rethink what’s possible.

Shadowbox has been pitching its mammoth spaces to everyone from indie filmmakers to content creators and esports organizers. But it also wants to make sure the city's crew base remains robust.

Atlanta has for years served as the country’s “antidote” to Hollywood blockbusters moving overseas, said Shadowbox COO Mike Mosallam, pointing to the city’s experienced crews, comparatively lower production costs, extensive soundstage space and diverse landscapes. Keeping that talent pipeline strong is key to keeping more productions from leaving, he said.

In November, Shadowbox hosted about 25 Black college students for Backlot Academy, a program launched in 2022 to diversify the ranks of professions where personal connections often determine who gets hired.

Veteran crew members taught the participants how to decipher call sheets, use walkie-talkie lingo and survive 12-hour days on their feet. Participants could enroll for free in a multiweek digital course on the ins and outs of production and get mentorship as they try to book their first gig.

Trainee Julian Williams grew up in Atlanta and watched his city become a playground for Hollywood. One of the “Alvin and the Chipmunks” movies was even filmed on his street. Now a 24-year-old digital media student at Georgia Piedmont Technical College, Williams is determined to break into the industry as a production assistant, with the hope of one day becoming an assistant director.

He's prepared to follow his film dreams wherever they lead, but for now, he’s betting on Atlanta and its collaborative film community.

“People are genuinely helpful and willing to share what they know,” Williams said.

Among those helping Williams and the other trainees was Joseph Jones, a Backlot alumnus who credits Shadowbox with helping him embark on a rewarding career as a production assistant. “It changed my life,” said Jones, 53, who spent years working in hotels but always knew he wanted to work on films.

But Shadowbox officials aren't downplaying reality: The industry is down, especially in Atlanta. On the day of the training, just one of Shadowbox's nine soundstages was booked for a production, said Jeremiah Cullen, director of sales.

Cullen said Shadowbox has been forced to adapt, cutting deals to meet filmmakers' budgets while frequently calling former clients to see how they can fit their needs.

“Hey, we miss you on the lot,” he tells them. “You got anything cooking?”

Searching for a reset

Ratledge grew up loving movies, too, especially when, as a 9-year-old, he saw his rural Indiana town of Milan immortalized in 1986's “Hoosiers.” He has continued to reach out to his network, but he's ready to move on.

Ratledge said he isn’t looking for a miracle — just one steady TV job that would give him breathing room to stabilize his finances and figure out his next move. A five- or six-month series, he said, would allow him to restore his health insurance, file for bankruptcy and “hit the reset button.”

“I don’t think I’m any different than the people who worked in Detroit when the auto industry collapsed in the '70s and everything went overseas,” he said.

It's a concern even President Donald Trump has weighed in on, calling last year for tariffs aimed at keeping film production in the U.S. — a plan that experts have called vague and impractical.

Thomas, of the Georgia Film Office, said that business is up significantly from the last fiscal year. She partially credits the rebound to a new state law that allows Georgia's tax incentives to apply to more types of productions, including short-form vertical videos and free ad-supported streaming channels like Tubi.

Some Atlanta veterans still see a path forward, including Farris, the location scout. She said too many talented, creative people are in Atlanta for it all to simply fade away.

“People moved their families here. They’re raising children here. This wasn’t just about film,” she said. “It changed our landscape — it brought in brilliant new minds. Artists. Creators. And I really believe Georgia will find a way to foster an entirely new wave of artistic possibility.”

The boundary-breaking Colombian performer has spent the last year on her first global tour since 2018, where she has made history: Nearly 20 years after her first concert in Mexico City 's Zócalo, the capital's main square, Shakira returned earlier this month to break the plaza’s attendance record with about 400,000 fans showing up to see her.

It's impressive for any artist and one that certainly backs up her reputation as the Queen of Latin Music. Across her three-decade-plus career, Shakira has set records and challenged genre lines: from 1991, when she signed a deal with Sony Music Colombia at just 13 years old and released her debut album “Magia” — to breakthrough albums like 1998's “Dónde Están los Ladrones?” and 2001's “Laundry Service” — all the way to her most recent, 2024's “Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran.”

But this year is different.

“I'm being able to make so many of my dreams, as an artist, come true on this tour,” she told The Associated Press over the phone on Tuesday. “It's everything I ever dreamt about.”

That's not all: In February, it was announced that she is a 2026 nominee for induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame — a logical selection for an artist lauded for her ability to bridge Latin music with rock and pop.

If she were to be inducted, she would join a small class of Latinos who have done so. She would become the first artist from Colombia, as well as the first Latina born and raised in Latin America, to enter the Rock Hall.

In an interview with the AP, Shakira discusses her history-making Mexico City show, her Rock & Roll Hall of Fame nomination, her next big goal and more.

This interview has been edited for clarity and brevity.

AP: Your Zócalo concert was massive. What was going through your mind?

SHAKIRA: That's such a unique moment in time. After playing 13 stadium concerts in Mexico City, I never thought I was gonna have so many people gathering at Zócalo to watch my show one more time. It was just absolutely incredible. And one of those experiences that are unforgettable and that I wish my parents could have seen. That was just really, really, truly magical.

The love and friendship story that I have with Mexico is just uncanny, you know? Nothing compares to it, and it’s given me so much. My Mexican fans have given me so much of love and support since the beginning of my career. It was quite incredible also to be able to perform “Dónde Estás Corazón,” which was (my) first song that ever played on Mexican radio, like outside my country, you know? And so that was like a full circle moment.

AP: You're also headed to the Pyramids of Giza for the first time in nearly 20 years.

SHAKIRA: It was just one of the most unforgettable performances of my life, and I just wanted it to happen again with this show, with this tour, which to me is the tour of my life. … I actually feel like I’m just starting my career. It’s a weird feeling because it’s been 30 years, but I feel at the threshold of a new beginning and that is all because my audience has been so emotive and so loyal as well. I’ve had a blast really performing in every country, every city where we’ve been. And the next thing is going to be Copacabana (Beach in Rio de Janeiro) as well.

We’re gonna have probably two million people on the beach, so that’s gonna be pretty crazy, I’m sure.

AP: When I think of the beginning of your career, I think of your rock records. And this year, it was announced that you're a nominee for Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction.

SHAKIRA: I feel really humbled and excited at the same time. It's incredible to be nominated for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and a little bit surreal as well. You know, I've experimented with different genres in my career, but I started out as a rock artist and continued to make rock. My last album, “Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran,” there are rock tunes like “Tiempo Sin Verte” or “Cómo Dónde y Cuándo” and every album there are rock tunes because that’s an intricate part of my artistic persona. And everything that I listen to is rock music. So, to be nominated, for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, knowing that there are so many incredible icons of rock music that I adore, that inspired me, like The Rolling Stones (are in there) … to me, it is just a privilege and really an amazing moment in my career.

I don’t know what’s going on. But this year, like, all my wishes are coming true and I think this nomination is one of those things that you probably fantasize about sometime in your career but try not to get too fixated on it. Being nominated is a huge deal for me and my fans who followed my rock career.

AP: What does it mean for your community — for Latinos, for Colombians?

SHAKIRA: I feel very proud as a Latina. I feel like, “Oh damn, I don’t know how many Latinos are there, or Latinas, or at least Colombians.” I think it might be the first time for a Latino woman, someone born and raised in Latin America, you now, but who is loved and has been devoted to rock ‘n’ roll since I was, I don’t know, 15. Yeah.

I've been listening to rock music and that’s how I started my career as well. So yeah, it’s just pretty surreal, I gotta say. But I'm very happy for my community as well. I'm happy to feel that I’m representing a part of my community there.

AP: You've said your dreams have come true this year. What's left on the list?

SHAKIRA: I don’t know what’s going on! But this year, all of those dreams I had way, way back, now they’re coming true. So, I’m going to just ask for more. I’ve always thought it would be pretty crazy to sing at the Eiffel Tower or the Champs-Élysées in Paris. That would be like the ultimate concert as well. But you know, I can’t complain. Being in Copacabana this year and the (Giza) Pyramids in Egypt and in Zócalo, that fills my heart. I feel so accomplished as an artist this year, but I’m also so pumped. I really am in love with making music and performing that music, and it’s brought so much joy to my life again, after the difficulties that I’ve been through and bitter moments that I had to endure — like every human being who goes through hardship.

The producers behind the 98th Academy Awards have set out to celebrate not just the song, but the cultural phenomenon of the film itself. That logic is why the only other nominated song that will get a moment on the broadcast is “I Lied to You,” from “Sinners,” a blockbuster hit and the most-nominated film of all time.

“We have two really unique stories that are going to be celebrated on the stage,” said Oscars executive producer and showrunner Raj Kapoor. “They’re bigger than just the songs. They’re really about filmmaking and craft.”

Miles Caton and Raphael Saadiq will be on hand for the “Sinners” moment, which aims to explore the role music plays in the film with the help of Misty Copeland, blues musicians Eric Gales, Buddy Guy and Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, actors Jayme Lawson and Li Jun Li as well as Brittany Howard, Bobby Rush, Shaboozey and Alice Smith. Kapoor said filmmaker Ryan Coogler has also been involved in putting it together.

Conan O'Brien is ‘bursting with ideas’

Kapoor and executive producer Katy Mullan, who won Emmys for their work on the 96th Oscars, have been toiling for months putting together Sunday’s show, which will see the return of host Conan O’Brien.

“His humor, his tone, his reverence to the art form? He really cares about making this a true celebration,” Mullan said. “We’ve been in tears of laugher … There are so many great moments that he’s going to bring to the show.”

One of the themes of the show this year is the human touch, Kapoor said, from the set design to the packages.

“It’s really the story of how we feel this connection and how this heartbeat of cinema is unmistakably human,” Kapoor said. “Hopefully the entire show and how Conan makes you feel and all of it is like it’s all touched by human hands and human creativity.”

A spotlight on the new casting award

The show is bringing back its “fab five” treatment, first used to spotlight the acting nominees in 2024, then costume and cinematography in 2025. This year, it’ll be for the new casting award.

“Because it’s a new award, we are going to celebrate that with a moment where we not only have incredible stars talking about the nominees, but also giving us context and some insight into what casting directors do,” Mullan said. “We’re going see a lot of stars that people love on that stage talking about the fabulous nominees this year.”

Should a ‘BAFTA moment’ happen

The people who produce the Oscars know firsthand how live broadcasts can lead to unexpected moments, good and bad. Just a few weeks ago, the global discourse turned to the British Academy Film Awards, not because of any big speeches or performances but because of a racial slur shouted by a Tourette syndrome campaigner while “Sinners” stars Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo were presenting an award.

While the Oscars producers didn’t go into specific details about how they would have handled that situation, after incidents from the slap to the best picture envelope mistake, they stressed that they feel prepared to address any manner of issues on the show.

“We have really strong protocols in place to address issues on our show, any kind of issues,” Mullan said. “We do a lot planning to make sure that those are in place. We work with the network and with the academy to make sure that we are as prepped as we can be to go into the show and have those protocols and that everybody understands them.”

Stars and surprises

As always, the producers want to keep an element of surprise. There have been lots of starry presenters announced, including Gwyneth Paltrow, Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Javier Bardem, Maya Rudolph, Anne Hathaway, Will Arnett and Priyanka Chopra Jonas, but they hope to keep even more under wraps until the show.

“If you saw the list of people that are going to be on the stage, it is literally jaw-dropping. And there’s people that have not been on the stage in an extremely long time,” Kapoor said. “I think our show is going to constantly, throughout the entire evening, have those moments that absolutely surprise and delight.”

During the second half of Angel City's home match against the Utah Royals last May 9, King sat on the field in the 74th minute, appearing dazed. Then everything went black.

The 20-year-old's heart had stopped.

Trainers rushed to King’s side and she was given CPR. Fans and fellow players were shaken as she was treated on the field for some 11 minutes before she was rushed away. Once at the hospital, King underwent surgery to repair an anomalous left coronary artery, a rare congenital defect that had previously gone undetected.

Ten months later, King is preparing for the National Women's Soccer League season.

"I for sure have gone through ups and downs, but for the most part, I just am grateful that I’m able to play again," she said. “I feel like that comes from my perspective of life just completely changing. I feel like sometimes when you do something over and over again, you get comfortable and not necessarily complacent, but you take things for granted of being able to just go out there and do what you love every day. And for a second I thought that that was taken from me.”

While King was hospitalized, there was a controversy brewing. The NWSL Players Association was among those that said Angel City's match should have been suspended after King’s collapse. Instead, the game was continued with some 12 minutes of stoppage time.

The league said later the match should have been suspended.

Another player, Racing Louisville's Savannah DeMelo, collapsed during a game later in the season against the Reign in Seattle and the remainder of that match was postponed. NWSL Commissioner Jessica Berman said the league learned from those experiences and new procedures were put in place to determine the best course of action when such incidents arise.

Long recovery, and a new mission

King spent the summer at home watching her teammates on television and relearning to do the things that had once come naturally to her.

She had six weeks of physical therapy to get back on her feet, then went into a cardiac rehabilitation process. Three days a week for three months she exercised while doctors closely monitored her heart. By September she was able to do limited training with her team.

As she worked her way back, she was also hatching a plan.

Through King's leadership, all 16 NWSL teams gave their players, coaches and staff training this year on hands-only cardiopulmonary resuscitation and use of an automatic external defibrillator (AED). The NWSL is the only professional sports league in the nation to implement CPR training at that scale.

Through her foundation, Savy King of Hearts, King wants to amplify the message that “you can be a hero with just two hands.” Her partner in the initiative, the American Heart Association, says hands-only CPR can double and even triple survival chances.

"All credit goes to Savy. She's remarkable,” Berman said. “She sent me a note shortly after she had gone through the main parts of her recovery and came to us with this idea. And it was clearly a no-brainer for us to support it. What an amazing opportunity for her to turn something that was really scary for her, for her teammates, for the league, and turn it into a positive.”

Her foundation is also bringing AEDs to communities that don’t have them and she’s putting on soccer camps that include CPR training for the kids and their parents.

Comeback kid

A Southern California native, King's mother, Karrie King, was a professional biathlete. King herself ran track in high school before playing at North Carolina under coach Anson Dorrance for a season.

She was the second-overall pick in the 2024 NWSL draft by expansion Bay FC and played 18 games for the club. She was traded to Angel City in February 2025 and had started in all eight games for the team before she collapsed.

She also featured on several U.S. soccer youth national teams, and was invited to senior team coach Emma Hayes' Futures Camp in January 2025.

This Valentine's Day, she was removed from Angel City's season-ending injury list and appeared in two of the Los Angeles-based team's preseason matches. Angel City opens the regular season on Sunday at home against the Chicago Stars.

King said there are no restrictions on her and she does not need special monitoring or tests. She has no fear about continuing her playing career.

"You don’t always have to let what happens to you define you and how you decide to go about your life in the future. Because I can very easily just stop playing and be like, 'Yeah, this is scary. I’m going to stop.' But I have so much that I want to accomplish in my life, and I didn’t want that to be the reason that I just stopped altogether, especially if there’s a chance that I could keep going and continue to inspire young girls that go through the same thing.”

The 30-something Evy Babic (Nina Kiri) lives with her dying, comatose mother (Michèle Duquet). The movie never leaves their small, two-story home. Upstairs, Evy’s mother lies wordlessly in a bed. Downstairs, Evy, at 3 a.m. puts on headphones, sits in front of a microphone and calls up her paranormal podcast co-host Justin (Adam DiMarco’s voice) to talk “all things creepy.”

It’s a testament to Tuason’s evident filmmaking talent that, with these bare bones, “Undertone” swells into a gripping and unsettling experience. This is a movie that summons many of its scares with a sudden boost in audio levels, the thunderous tick of a clock or the scream of … a tea kettle. It's even rated “R” not for bloodcurdling violence or satanic ghouls but, simply, “language.”

It’s these subtle qualities that make “Undertone” a spare but deftly dense film and Tuason a filmmaker to watch. It’s the movie’s disappointing second half, though, that breaks its quiet spell. After conjuring a tapestry of tension through narrative drips, as well as literal ones, Tuason throws in the whole kitchen sink, drowning out “Undertone” with a cacophony of genre cliches. Ancient Christian lore is invoked, as are children’s lullabies, and the riveting nuance of “Undertone” slips away in all the feedback.

“I want it to be over,” Evy tells Justin. “Is that a bad thing to say?”

Evy’s mother hasn’t eaten in two days, and her emotional exhaustion is clear when she first connects with her London-based co-host. You might here be wondering if the movie digs into this guilt, but “Undertone” is better at leaving carefully placed clues than following through on them.

For the episode they begin taping, Justin tells Evy that an anonymous e-mailer has sent a mysterious message with 10 audio files. They begin listening to them one by one, while recording. In them, a married and pregnant couple, Jessa and Mike, are trying an experiment. Mike, who’s doing the recording, says that Jessa talks in her sleep. In fact, it turns out she sings (“London Bridge Is Falling Down”), and it doesn't get better from there.

Our experience of this, and the eerie subsequent recordings, is entirely aural. While “Undertone” is far from the first horror film to grasp the power of sound design, it's cunning in its deployment of a found-footage tale that unspools through the ears.

This has to do with the recordings, themselves, but it's also due to the vulnerable place they put Evy. Some of the best moments in Tauson’s film play on our anxiety for her, as she listens in the darkened night. As the unfolding story grows closer to her, we feel like someone, at any moment, is going to emerge from a shadow while Evy, unaware sits isolated by headphones. Call it noise-canceling horror.

One idea that “Undertone” plays is something Justin mentions: audio pareidolia, the term for when the brain imposes words or patterns out of random, disorganized sounds. As they investigate the recordings, Evy and Justin are often playing them backward. Their interpretations become ours. The movie, itself, is a jumble of auditory clues that may or may mean something.

I’d rather “Undertone” stayed on this track, but, as if fretful of being too minimalistic, Tauson piles on more layers. Evy finds out she’s pregnant and isn’t sure she wants to keep it. We can tell from all the Catholic accouterment around the house, Evy’s mother, if conscious, might have a strong opinion on this choice. The dark origins of the children’s songs, too, relate to mothers and children.

But for a highly contemporary movie centered around podcasting, “Undertone” morphs into a quite old-fashioned thrill ride, full of Catholic idols and creaky doors and light bulbs that go in and out. Kiri is exceptional in carrying a film in which she’s the only talking, present actor. But that a movie so threadbare manages to feel like too much is both the film’s accomplishment and its failure.

“Undertone,” an A24 release, opens in theaters Thursday. It's rated R by the Motion Picture Association for language. Running time: 94 minutes. Two and half stars out of four.