The production’s producers confirmed the decision on Sunday, August 2, saying: “The producers of ‘Hadestown’ and Geno Segers have mutually agreed that Mr. Segers will no longer join the Broadway production. Additional casting will be announced shortly.”

The statement did not give a reason for the decision.

The announcement followed the resurfacing of videos and comments attributed to Segers that prompted online criticism, including criticism described by theater publications as opposition to transgender people and transgender rights.

The resurfaced videos

Playbill reported that Segers had posted videos discussing transgender people, pronoun usage and women’s participation in sports, while Variety reported that some of the resurfaced material had been viewed as anti-transgender and critical of pronoun usage.

Playbill reproduced remarks from one video in which Segers rejected the characterization of transgender people as oppressed, saying: “I don’t see transgenders people becoming oppressed or being oppressed.”

The wording in that quotation is reproduced as reported by Playbill; in general reporting, the affirming term is “transgender people.”

Playbill also reported that, in the same video, Segers discussed people identifying as “a canine” while addressing arguments about gender identity and discrimination.

Variety reported that Segers had also been accused of criticizing transgender athletes participating in women’s sports.

Playbill further reported that another video included statements about women’s working hours and workplace opportunity, describing the material as misogynistic as well as anti-LGBTQIA+.

The reports did not identify a public statement from Segers explaining the departure or responding to the producers’ announcement.

Social-media accounts and online response

Variety reported that Segers’ Instagram account had been made private and that videos had been removed from his YouTube channel after the controversy surfaced.

Playbill reported that some videos had either been made private or taken down, while reshared versions remained traceable online.

The reports described the reaction as immediate concern and criticism from theater fans online after Segers’ casting was announced.

USA TODAY reported that the controversy emerged shortly after the production announced its new principal cast, with Segers named to play Hades.

The producers’ statement characterized the separation as a mutual agreement and did not explicitly refer to the online backlash.

The September cast transition

The new principal cast of Hadestown is scheduled to begin its Broadway run on September 1 at the Walter Kerr Theatre.

The announced cast includes Kayko as Orpheus, Jasmin Savoy Brown as Eurydice, Norbert Leo Butz as Hermes and Amber Iman as Persephone.

Segers’ replacement as Hades had not been announced when the producers confirmed his departure.

The producers said additional casting would be announced “shortly.”

Segers’ career and the production

Before the planned Hadestown engagement, Segers’ stage credits included On the Town and The Lion King, while his television work included Banshee, Pair of Kings and Yellowstone.

USA TODAY also identified Segers with the Disney XD series Pair of Kings, the comedy series Perfect Harmony and voice work in projects including Fortnite and Thelma the Unicorn.

Written by Anaïs Mitchell, Hadestown combines the Greek myths of Orpheus and Eurydice with the story of Hades and Persephone through folk and jazz music.

The musical began its Broadway run in 2019 and won eight Tony Awards that year, including Best Musical.

Playbill reported that the Broadway production has had a visible relationship with gender-expansive casting, including roles identified in licensing information as available for nonbinary actors.

The production’s current Hermes, Tony Award winner and nonbinary actor J. Harrison Ghee, is scheduled to perform through August.

The timing places Segers’ departure before the announced September 1 cast transition and leaves the role of Hades awaiting new casting information.

The claim says Smith would play Harris Drover, a social-media manager for the Ottawa Centaurs, a character associated with the Game Changers novel Role Model.

The report did not come from an official casting announcement. PinkNews said it was based on an anonymous tip shared by DeuxMoi , which stated: “Heated Rivalry S2 casting news: Justice Smith will be playing Harris. Production started yesterday.”

PinkNews explicitly described the tip as unverified, while Instinct Magazine said that neither the production nor Smith had confirmed the casting.

What the three reports establish

The recent coverage establishes that the same casting claim circulated across multiple entertainment publications between July 29 and August 1, 2026.

The reports do not, however, independently verify that Smith has been hired. Instead, they trace the claim to the anonymous DeuxMoi submission and repeat the caveat that the information remains a rumor.

The Star Observer reported that production appeared to be approaching or beginning after Heated Rivalry leads Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams were photographed together in Toronto.

That sighting supports reports that the second season is moving into production activity, but it does not confirm Smith’s participation or the identity of every new cast member.

The character Harris Drover

In Reid’s Role Model, Harris Drover is the Ottawa Centaurs’ social-media manager and is connected to a romance with hockey player Troy Barrett.

The Star Observer described Harris as openly gay and characterized him as a contrasting presence to the more reserved Troy.

PinkNews reported that the second television season is expected to continue the story of Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov, the rival hockey players played by Williams and Storrie.

The publication also reported that the season will be based on The Long Game, the sixth novel in Reid’s series and a sequel to Heated Rivalry.

The Star Observer similarly connected the second season with Ottawa and the Role Model storyline, while reporting that filming was expected to take place across Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa.

Why the report remains unconfirmed

Smith’s reported involvement should not be treated as a confirmed casting decision. The available reporting identifies no statement from Smith, the show’s producers, its broadcasters or the relevant production company announcing him as Harris.

The wording of the original submission also creates uncertainty: it was anonymous, appeared on a celebrity-gossip account and provided no public evidence such as a casting notice, production statement or comment from the actor.

Instinct Magazine reported the allegation as an “unverified report” and cautioned that it remained a rumor.

The Star Observer also presented Smith’s involvement as a rumor rather than a confirmed addition to the cast.

Accordingly, the verifiable news is that a casting rumor has been widely reported, not that Smith has definitively joined the series.

Smith’s connection to LGBTQ+ screen roles

Smith is known for roles including Pokémon: Detective Pikachu Jurassic World Dominion, I Saw the TV Glow, The Voyeurs and the television series Generation.

PinkNews reported that Smith identifies as queer.

His possible casting would place a queer actor in a role written as an openly gay character, but the production has not confirmed that he will appear in the series.

For now, the status of the alleged casting is unchanged: Justice Smith is rumored to be under consideration or attached for Harris Drover, but no authoritative confirmation has been published.

The British designer was creative director at Christian Dior for nearly 15 years, the very pinnacle of the fashion world, before he made a series of antisemitic and racist comments in 2010 and 2011 that went viral, leading to his conviction in an antisemitism trial. Dropped by Dior, he spent several years involved in public and private efforts to rehabilitate.

He made a comeback in 2014 when he was hired by Paris fashion house Maison Margiela, where he remained for a decade.

Now, he'll become only the third living designer to be the subject of a solo show at the Costume Institute of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Long a red carpet favorite for his flamboyant, even fantastical style, Galliano and his creations should make for an intensely watched carpet at next May’s Met Gala — which every year launches the spring exhibit at the Costume Institute.

Not surprisingly, the museum is taking pains to emphasize that the exhibit will not shy away from the problematic aspects of Galliano’s history.

“Alongside Galliano’s extraordinary creative accomplishments, the exhibition will address the derogatory conduct that fundamentally altered his career and public reception,” said a statement issued by the museum on Friday. “In doing so, the exhibition will consider how artistic achievement should be understood alongside ethical accountability.”

The show’s main curator, Andrew Bolton, who curates nearly all the Met’s big fashion exhibits, noted that the exhibit “considers both how Galliano has remapped the world through fashion and how his conduct, its consequences, and changing cultural values have reshaped our understanding of his work.”

Even so, organizers had to tread carefully when planning the show. Preparation included meetings with Jewish community leaders in New York to gauge their feelings, the museum said, confirming a report in The New York Times. Those meetings included Bolton, Galliano and Anna Wintour, the Vogue editor who masterminds the Met Gala every year.

The show will be organized into three parts, the museum said.

The first, “Bearings," will “directly address the rupture caused by his antisemitic, racist, and anti-Asian conduct in 2010 and 2011, which resulted in his dismissal from Christian Dior and his eponymous label and his conviction by a Paris court for public insults based on race, religion, ethnicity, or origin," the museum said. It will also deal with his treatment for substance addiction and later public acknowledgment of his actions.

The second, “Horizons,” will examine the designer's sources of inspiration — such as history, geography, art, storytelling and performance. And the third, “Atlas of Transformation,” will focus on "Galliano’s creativity, craftsmanship, experimentation, and technical innovation," the museum said.

The 2024 documentary “High & Low — John Galliano” suggests Galliano was overworked and abusing alcohol and drugs when he made a series of antisemitic and racist comments in 2010 and 2011. A video of him saying “I love Hitler" in a bar went viral.

The Times quoted Jonathan Greenblatt, chief executive of the Anti-Defamation League, as saying of the planned show: “We believe John Galliano has genuinely worked through the issues that led to his antisemitic outburst years ago in Paris, and we have long since accepted his apology."

"His efforts to repair the damage his words caused and to learn from that incident should be applauded.”

The show, John Galliano: Horizons, will run from May 9, 2027, through Jan. 9, 2028.

Speaking with interviewer Josh Horowitz in an interview published July 30, Holland said discussions about the character’s future have been continuing since the completion of Spider-Man: No Way Home.

“There’s a whole plan that we have been working on for, I would say since we finished Spider-Man: No Way Home,” Holland said.

“It’s like laid out, it’s gonna change for sure, but I have a really clear vision to the passing on of the baton, and I think it’s really exciting,” he added.

A Future Beyond Peter Parker

Holland’s comments describe a future handoff as an ongoing creative objective rather than a confirmed casting decision.

Neither Holland nor the interview identified the performer who would eventually replace him, and the remarks did not establish a release date, film title or production timetable for that succession.

Holland said he becomes particularly enthusiastic when he discusses the subject in meetings about the character’s future.

“I know I get really excited when we have these meetings and chat about it,” Holland said.

“But that is the thing that I want to do most in this character,” he said.

The comments follow several interviews in which Holland has said he would like to support the person who eventually takes over a Spider-Man role.

ABC News reported on July 20 that Holland wanted to guide and mentor whoever wears the suit next, while also saying he did not want to “overstay my welcome.”

Miles Morales and the Broader Spider-Man Legacy

In a separate interview with the Associated Press published July 23, Holland expressed a desire to bring Miles Morales to the screen in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

“I definitely have a desire to bring Miles Morales to the screen,” Holland said in the interview.

He also said he wanted to “shepherd whoever the lucky young kid is that gets that job” in the same way Robert Downey Jr. supported Holland when he joined the Marvel franchise.

Miles Morales is a separate Spider-Man character from Peter Parker in Marvel’s comics, but Holland’s remarks did not confirm that Miles will become the next live-action Spider-Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

The Associated Press interview likewise did not announce a casting decision for Miles Morales or confirm that the character will inherit Holland’s specific role.

Holland has previously mentioned several possible directions for the Spider-Man legacy, including Miles Morales, Spider-Gwen and Spider-Woman.

“For whoever’s next, whether that’s Miles Morales, Spider-Gwen or Spider-Woman, I would be thrilled to help establish the next chapter,” Holland told Empire in comments reported by Variety.

Holland said at the time that he did not know what such involvement would look like, but that he would be satisfied if he could play a role similar to Downey’s mentorship of him.

No Immediate Departure Announced

The confirmation of a succession plan does not mean Holland is leaving the role immediately.

A report published July 28 said Holland told The Hollywood Reporter at the Los Angeles premiere of Spider-Man: Brand New Day that he would continue playing Spider-Man for “as long as they’ll have me.”

That statement places Holland’s comments about a future handoff alongside an expressed willingness to continue as Peter Parker while Marvel, Sony and audiences remain supportive.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day is scheduled to open in U.S. theaters on July 31, 2026.

The film is Holland’s fourth solo Spider-Man movie, according to coverage surrounding its release.

Holland’s latest comments therefore clarify the nature of his earlier statements: he is discussing an eventual transfer of the character’s legacy, not announcing that another actor has already been selected or that his tenure has a fixed end date.

The actor said the plan is already “laid out,” while acknowledging that it will change.

For now, the confirmed information is limited to Holland’s stated creative vision and his interest in helping establish a future Spider-Man performer.

No studio announcement has identified the next actor, confirmed Miles Morales’ introduction into the Marvel Cinematic Universe or set a date for Holland’s departure.

Murphy discussed the prospect with PEOPLE on the red carpet for the New York premiere of The Shards, his new FX limited series, on Monday, July 27.

Asked about returning to the world of Glee, Murphy said, “That show is interesting because it’s come back around.”

“So many young people now watch it,” he continued, adding, “Maybe we should revisit that show.”

Murphy went on to describe the idea as a possible “new incarnation” rather than confirming a conventional reboot featuring the original cast.

“My nostalgia and love for that show is enough that I’m like, ‘Well, maybe people would like to see a new incarnation of that in some capacity,’” Murphy said.

He added, “I love that show, and I loved what it became and what it meant to so many people.”

The comments amount to a public expression of interest, not an announcement of a project in development.

Murphy did not specify whether a potential return would be a reboot, a continuation, a reunion or a spinoff centered on new characters.

No network, streaming service or production timetable has been identified for a new Glee project.

A Series With a Lasting Cultural Footprint

Glee premiered on Fox in 2009 and concluded in 2015 after six seasons.

Murphy created the series with Brad Falchuk and Ian Brennan.

The show followed students at the fictional William McKinley High School who joined the school’s glee club, New Directions.

Its storylines combined musical performances with teenage relationships, family conflict, bullying, disability, race, religion and LGBTQ+ identity.

The Hollywood Reporter described the series as a musical dramedy with significant LGBTQ themes and cultural impact.

Among the show’s prominent LGBTQ+ characters were Kurt Hummel, a gay student navigating homophobia and family acceptance, and Santana Lopez, whose storyline included her realization that she was a lesbian.

The series also portrayed a same-gender relationship between Kurt and Blaine Anderson, a relationship that became one of the program’s central romantic storylines.

The Television Academy lists Glee as having won six Primetime Emmy Awards.

The show’s recognition included awards for acting, directing and original music and lyrics.

Streaming and a New Generation of Viewers

Murphy’s comments point to the continuing availability of Glee as one possible reason the series remains accessible to younger audiences.

After leaving Netflix, the series became available on Disney+ and Hulu in the United States beginning June 1, 2022.

The move placed the program on Disney-owned platforms during Pride Month, a period in which the services highlighted LGBTQ+ representation.

Entertainment Weekly reported that the show, which premiered more than 15 years ago, has attracted a new wave of fans.

The current discussion follows earlier comments from Falchuk, who said in 2024 that he would “never say no” to a *Glee* reboot.

Those remarks, like Murphy’s latest comments, did not announce an active revival or establish which members of the original creative team would participate.

The Timing of Murphy’s Comments

Murphy made the remarks while promoting The Shards, which adapts Bret Easton Ellis’ 2023 novel.

The series is set in 1980s Los Angeles and follows students at an elite preparatory school whose final year unfolds alongside the presence of a serial killer.

The Shards is scheduled to premiere on FX and Hulu on August 5, 2026.

The premiere placed Murphy in a media setting where questions about his earlier work naturally returned to *Glee* and its legacy.

Murphy’s wording leaves the creative direction open, but his reference to a “new incarnation” suggests that any future project could introduce a different group of young performers rather than simply reproduce the original series.

That interpretation remains unconfirmed because Murphy did not describe a format, cast, setting or story for a potential return.

What Has Been Confirmed—and What Has Not

The confirmed development is Murphy’s statement that he is considering whether Glee should be revisited in some capacity.

There is no confirmed title, order, cast announcement, broadcaster or release date for a new Glee production.

The original cast has not been announced as returning.

Murphy’s comments nevertheless mark the clearest recent indication that the show’s co-creator sees its renewed audience as a reason to reconsider the property.

For LGBTQ+ viewers who found visibility, community or recognition in the original series, a new version would also raise questions about how its representation might reflect the experiences of transgender people, queer youth and other communities today.

Murphy has not addressed those possible creative or representational choices.

For now, the prospect remains at the stage Murphy himself described: an idea prompted by nostalgia, affection for the original series and the perception that a younger audience is watching Glee anew.

Lead single “Hate That I Made You Love Me,” with its muted reception and slinky hook, offered a direct taste of the vibe shift to come. The track, which became Grande's 10th No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, is marked by subdued vocal delivery that comes alive with its bubbling, arpeggiated synths and soft-pop chorus courtesy of Grande and her producers — Ilya Salmanzadeh, whom she has worked with since 2018's “Sweetener,” and the Swedish enigma Max Martin. Upon first listen, it felt like a bit of a test: Could the artist known for outsinging her competition pull off an understated vocal performance? “I hate that I made you love me,” she sings — to whom is up for interpretation. “'Cause I barely tried.”

There is an ease and effortlessness to the stickiest moments, and that's true of the bulk of the 12 songs that make up “Petal.” Peppy production returns on “Oh Well,” distracting from its clear kiss-off in the lyrics. “Good things can replace dysfunction, obsession,” she sings. “Thanks, but I’ll see you right out / Good luck on your way to hell / Oh well!”

There is a variety of textures here, and they are cooler than ever before — nearing lackadaisical, but still retaining a lot of charm.

“Petal” possesses a kind of somber R&B swagger indebted to SZA's smoothness; “Freak” plays out like a waking dream, or maybe a nightmare — a breezy confessional with hazy vocal overdubs. There are none of her signature runs, no larger-than-life vocal moment. Grande has moved on, as she is entitled to do. But is her “Big Feelings” subtlety enough to keep loyalists engaged?

A raunchier, dynamic Grande reappears on the album's final and best third, particularly atop the blown-out bass on “Like I Do,” or on the line “The grass is way greener / Since I been beneath ya” on the slow burn “Never Get Over Me.” It floats in and out, allowing album standout “Bad Thing (Bunny Hop)” to hit with the rush of a crush — its intended purpose, with the song's blast of dream-pop guitars, The Weeknd -esque propulsion and butterflies-in-the-stomach lyricism with her characteristically creative enunciation. (An example: “Feeling like a teenager / I guess I really needed ya.”) It leads to the closer “Nowhere, Nobody,” with its retro vocal melody and vocoder effects.

In the press materials for “Petal,” Grande described the album as “Something that is full of life and growing through the cracks of something cold and hard and challenging.” There is some truth to it: Across these dozen songs are small joys, buried beneath atmospheric production and listless melodies. But there is also a freedom to pop's most elastic vocalist choosing to rein it in.

___

“Petal” by Ariana Grande

Three stars out of five.

On repeat: “Bad Thing (Bunny Hop)”

Skip it: “Freak”

For fans of: Florals, getting the last laugh, ballet flats

Yes, sure, it is a little strange to compare a very buttoned-up character in a mass-audience, PG-13-rated movie with one in a very R-rated movie who is often topless, in bondage or toting a sex object around as an accessory. But like Miranda, Erika, brought to vibrant life by Olivia Wilde, has a withering glare, a commanding presence and killer timing. In fact, it is difficult to imagine anyone else in the role — nor would you want to.

This playfully provocative comedy about sex and generational divides from New Queer Cinema pioneer Gregg Araki (in theaters Friday), really lives and dies on the plausibility of Erika Tracy. She could have very easily just been an eccentric cartoon. While “I Want Your Sex” takes nothing terribly seriously, you do have to buy the many outrageous things she says, and to care a bit about how and why she ends up floating naked, unconscious, face-down and likely dead, in her pool. If you are going to reference “Sunset Boulevard” you might as well go big, right?

The noirish mystery propelling the narrative isn’t even really the point. Instead, Araki, who shares writing credits with Karley Sciortino, wants to talk about sex and the well-documented lack thereof among members of Generation Z. But, you know, in a sharp, humorous and outlandish way.

In the spirit of going big, this is a movie that takes on Gen Z’s crisis of intimacy in the wildest and most inappropriate of ways: a sex-only, dom-sub relationship between an employer and her younger employee Elliot, played by Cooper Hoffman. It was all consensual, he stresses over and over again to the detectives (Johnny Knoxville and Margaret Cho) interviewing him. But it does also kind of ruin his life, at least for a little bit.

Elliot is quite awkward, perhaps the least likely candidate for someone like Erika to hand-select for this anything-but-straightforward arrangement. He lives with his best friend Apple (Chase Sui Wonders) and has a girlfriend, Minerva, (Charli xcx).

But no one seems to be having sex. When Elliot proposes a little celebration after scoring the job at Erika’s gallery, Minerva complains that they just did it 11 days ago.

But his imagination is active and, soon, with Erika, the fantasies become real. Of course, it is only a matter of time before things get messy — there’s blood, tears, betrayal and maybe even murder. It is also self-consciously garish, an over-the-top satire of the art world and the personalities who encompass it, but the world is never not compelling, with fun supporting performances from the likes of Daveed Diggs and Mason Gooding. Wonders is also terrific, a ball of neuroses and repression, envious of Elliot’s exploits.

I’m not sure it reaches any profound conclusion about its topic, nor is it really trying to.

“Sex is everything,” Erika says. “It’s also nothing.”

Perhaps it's just trying to remind everyone to lighten up.

But it is a terrific platform for Wilde, who as an actor Hollywood never quite knew how to use properly. Often, the movies just wanted her to be hot, ignoring her obvious intelligence and comedic prowess. Araki’s film figures out how to use all her qualities in wildly entertaining fashion. It would make a natural double feature with her own directorial effort, “The Invite,” which adds to the modern sex conversation but also shows another side to her talents and range. Wilde, it turns out, is a world-class comedienne who is, two decades into her career, coming into her own.

“I Want Your Sex,” a Magnolia Pictures release in theaters Friday, is rated R by the Motion Picture Association for “graphic nudity, strong sexual content and pervasive language.” Running time: 90 minutes. Three stars out of four.

The screenwriter made the comments on On the Marie Curie Couch, a podcast hosted by Jason Davidson that examines experiences connected with terminal illness, death and dying.

Davies said he and Smith had been together for 20 years and married in 2012. Smith died in September 2018 after living with glioblastoma multiforme, an aggressive form of brain cancer, for eight years.

“My greatest loss was my husband,” Davies said, according to WalesOnline. He described Smith as “a lovely man” and noted that the couple had spent 12 years together before cancer became part of their lives.

An unexpected diagnosis

Davies recalled that he was not present when Smith initially received his diagnosis because the appointment had been understood to be an ordinary hospital meeting. When Smith returned home, he told Davies that he had a brain tumour but could not remember the specific type.

Three days later, Smith found a piece of paper in his bag identifying the condition as glioblastoma multiforme, with the name written down by a nurse. Davies said he then researched the diagnosis and began to understand the seriousness of Smith’s illness.

According to Davies, Smith made a deliberate decision not to learn his prognosis. Davies said he privately asked a nurse whether Smith should be told how serious the diagnosis was.

The nurse told him that some patients choose not to know more about their illness, provided that someone close to them understands the medical situation. Davies said doctors had initially indicated that Smith might have between one year and 18 months to live, but that Smith ultimately lived for eight years after his diagnosis.

“It was amazing,” Davies said of the length of time Smith lived after receiving the prognosis.

The demands and meaning of caregiving

Davies spoke candidly about the physical and emotional demands of caring for Smith throughout his illness. He described caregiving as “hard work,” “exhausting” and “kind of enervating.”

Despite those demands, Davies said he would have continued caring for Smith for another 50 years “without a single complaint.” He also said he would “absolutely take that burden on” again and that he wished their life together could have continued.

Davies said the later years of Smith’s life are the memories that most often come to mind, even though the couple also shared holidays, restaurant meals and trips to New York. He explained that he can remember those happier experiences clearly, but that his thoughts most often return to the period of illness and caregiving.

Davies has previously spoken about taking time away from his writing career to care for Smith during his illness. His television work includes Doctor Who, Queer as Folk, It’s a Sin, A Very English Scandal and Tip Toe.

Support during Smith’s final weeks

Davies also paid tribute to the Marie Curie nurses who supported Smith during the final weeks of his life. He compared the nurses’ arrival at the couple’s home to “a saint visiting the house.”

Davies praised what he described as the nurses’ quiet and unobtrusive care, including their ability to enter the household’s routines and sit with Smith. Marie Curie provides end-of-life care for people with terminal illnesses in homes and hospices, while also funding palliative-care research and campaigning for improvements to end-of-life services in the United Kingdom.

Davies recalled holding Smith’s hand when he died at home, with Davies’s sister also present. He said being able to remain at home and hold Smith’s hand was “very important” to him.

“I’m really glad he was at home,” Davies said.

A continuing public conversation about grief

The podcast discussion adds to Davies’s earlier public reflections on how Smith’s death has shaped his personal life and creative work. In a 2023 interview with Radio Times, Davies said that returning to Doctor Who offered comfort because it connected him with a period when Smith was alive and knew about his work on the programme.

Davies said at that time that coping with Smith’s death had not become easier and that he did not expect it to do so. He also said that Smith continued to appear in elements of his writing, including stories involving hospitals and death.

In the new podcast discussion, Davies’s focus was not on a new diagnosis or medical finding, but on remembrance, the experience of caring for a partner and the significance of support at the end of life. His account places Smith’s death within a long relationship that included years of treatment, shared domestic life and decisions about how much medical information Smith wanted to receive.

On July 28, Clanton shared an Instagram story featuring an article about the backlash to Boy George’s song. In the accompanying text, Clanton wrote: “Y’know, I used to defend his performance in our show, but f*** it. He was a terrible performer and I was embarrassed to be in the show with him. Boy, Bye!”

Clanton later posted that when people asked him about Boy George, he had previously described the singer as “really nice,” before adding that “nice is different than good.” The phrase references a lyric from “I Know Things Now,” a song from Stephen Sondheim’s musical Into the Woods.

Clanton’s remarks were presented as his personal assessment of Boy George’s performance and were not accompanied by an independent evaluation of the singer’s work in the production.

The song at the center of the dispute

Boy George released We Will Dance Again, also titled Od Nirkod in Hebrew, on social-media platforms rather than through major streaming services. The track was posted on X and Instagram with the caption “Shalom.”

The reggae-influenced song opens with the lines: “You say genocide, I say war / When you’re attacked, that’s what the army’s for.” It also refers to the October 7, 2023, attack in southern Israel and criticizes people whom Boy George portrays as having “selective memory” about violence.

The lyrics describe people at the Nova music festival as having been murdered “for the crime of dancing.” Later, Boy George sings: “If you’re ever confused: I stand with the Jews.”

The song’s title echoes “We Will Dance Again,” a phrase used by survivors and supporters of those affected by the Nova festival attack as a symbol of resilience. The Jewish Telegraphic Agency reported that the attack killed hundreds of people and involved the abduction of dozens of others.

Boy George’s explanation of the production

Boy George said on Threads on July 28 that the song was created using artificial intelligence. “I call it ‘AI for good’,” he wrote, adding: “Truthfully, I would struggle to write this with a human!”

The disclosure added an artificial-intelligence issue to an existing political and humanitarian dispute over the song’s message. The reported criticism, however, focused primarily on the lyrics’ apparent defense of Israel’s military campaign and their rejection of descriptions of Israel’s conduct in Gaza as genocide.

The Guardian reported that Boy George characterized Israel’s actions as a legitimate military response rather than genocide. The singer also said that expressing support for Jewish people did not mean he lacked compassion for Palestinians or agreed with everything happening in Israel.

Reactions to the release

The song prompted criticism from musicians, activists and other public figures, with opponents accusing Boy George of denying or minimizing the allegations of genocide in Gaza. Those reactions reflect disagreement over how the October 7 attack, Israel’s military response and the humanitarian situation in Gaza should be represented in popular culture.

The Jewish Telegraphic Agency also reported supportive responses from pro-Israel voices. Stop the Hate UK, a British campaign opposing antisemitism, thanked Boy George for expressing support for Jewish communities. The official Nova Music Festival Instagram account responded to the announcement with the words “We will dance again.”

The United Nations independent Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and Israel has described Israel’s conduct in Gaza as genocide, a finding that Boy George’s lyrics reject. That finding is distinct from Boy George’s stated political position and from Clanton’s criticism of his performance.

The Broadway connection

Boy George and Clanton shared the stage in Moulin Rouge! The Musical, the theater adaptation of Baz Luhrmann’s film. The available reporting identifies Clanton’s comments as relating to their time in that production, but does not provide a detailed account of the pair’s working relationship or explain whether Clanton had previously voiced concerns about Boy George’s performance publicly.

Boy George has not been reported as responding directly to Clanton’s “terrible performer” remarks. The singer’s publicly reported responses have instead addressed the song’s political meaning and its use of artificial intelligence.

Clanton’s intervention therefore linked two separate controversies: the political message of Boy George’s new recording and an actor’s personal criticism of the singer’s performance in a major musical production. As of July 30, the reporting does not indicate that Moulin Rouge! The Musical or its producers had issued a public statement about Clanton’s comments.