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The Grammy winner showed up to the 2026 BET Awards looking like a completely different woman than fans remember from just a few years ago. Her gown told one story. Her body told another. And by the end of the night, social media couldn’t decide which one to talk about first.

What she wore — and what it revealed about the last three years of her life — quickly became one of the most discussed moments of the entire award show. This piece features a visual timeline of her transformation.

Lizzo Steals the Spotlight at the 2026 BET Awards

The musical powerhouse commanded total attention from the cameras during her arrival on June 28. She stepped out in a chocolate-brown gown featuring sparkling sheer panels that skimmed the floor.

Her bold wardrobe choice perfectly highlighted her dramatic weight loss transformation. The stunning outfit allowed her to effortlessly dominate the room as she posed for the photographers.

The sheer elegance of the fabric draped beautifully as she moved through the crowd. Her undeniable presence is fully visible in the close-up shots from the star-studded evening.

Social Media Goes Wild

The internet immediately went into overdrive as soon as the images started circulating. A tidal wave of praise flooded across various social media platforms.

Among the first comments were simple but enthusiastic compliments, including “Best Dressed,” “Stunning 🔥🔥,” and “Stunning gown, she looks amazing.”

The overwhelming consensus was that the hitmaker had achieved a monumental style milestone. One amazed commentator declared it an iconic look before adding, “I can’t get my jaw off the floor.”

One fan wrote, “This is an iconic look @lizzobeeating lizzo Lioness 🦁 Queen 👑 Yass 👏🤩🧡♾️✨.” Another fan simply called her “The goddess” as the photos continued to go viral online.

She Had Debuted a New Silhouette in January

This sensational response echoes the intense online chatter from earlier in the year, when she first debuted her changing style. An earlier pink carpet appearance from this past January revealed a noticeably slimmer figure and a new approach to style that quickly set social media alight.

Lizzo made a striking entrance at Paris Hilton’s “Infinite Icon: A Visual Memoir” premiere in Los Angeles on Saturday, January 20, 2026. The 37-year-old singer wore a form-fitting, baby pink bandage mini dress with a wide scoop neckline and a daringly mid-thigh hemline, highlighting her legs and reshaped silhouette.

She completed the look with clear studded open-toe heels, a nude-pink manicure, and oversized rhinestone-encrusted hoop earrings. Her voluminous half-up ponytail fell in soft curls, paired with shimmer eyeshadow, long lashes, defined brows, and a glossy nude lip.

Her appearance set off a flurry of online reactions, with fans praising her transformation and others critiquing her outfit. One person wrote, “Wowww she’s a whole different person!”

A fan gushed, “I love it! At least her weight loss looks NATURAL and not Ozempic sick like!” Another chimed in, “She’s been beautiful… ✨️✨️big or small that face is a 10.” But not all comments were kind.

One person remarked, “She definitely looks good. But her dress should be longer, and she shouldn’t wear toe out shoes.” Another said, “If she wanted to lose weight, I’m happy for her but that mini is not flattering.”

Harshest of all were the ones focused on her feet, “Those k-nuckle cow feet though…..” and “Just don’t zoom in on her feet.” One observer concluded, “She looks uncomfortable. The dress needs to be longer. At least a smidgen below the knee.”

The Journey Behind the Transformation

While the world is celebrating these dazzling red carpet results now, this journey actually began long before this weekend. Back in November 2025, Lizzo opened up about her experiences in an intimate personal online essay reflecting on her life changes.

In the essay, Lizzo revealed that her weight loss actually began back in the fall of 2023, in the middle of one of the hardest periods of her life.

At the time, she had just been hit with a wave of lawsuits and public accusations tied to her work environment, and she described becoming “deeply suicidal.”

She wrote that she cut off loved ones, stopped trusting people, and sat in isolation because she felt powerless to defend herself publicly. In the past, she said, she would have coped by binge eating. That time, something was different.

“I didn’t care about my body,” she wrote. “I didn’t want to feel safe.” She blamed herself for what had happened, telling herself she shouldn’t have been so trusting. In her own words, she began to “rot.”

From Pilates to Purpose

The shift started small. Lizzo turned to Pilates, working exclusively with Black women instructors, treating the practice as physical therapy. She has said she cried during sessions. The weight loss that followed wasn’t dramatic at first, because it wasn’t yet intentional.

That changed the following winter, when she recorded a video declaring she wanted to lose weight on purpose. Therapy helped her understand why. She came to see her weight as something that had functioned like a shield, a comfort zone, even a kind of armor that had carried her through hard years.

So she reframed the process entirely. Every pound that came off wasn’t “lost.” It was “released.”

Addressing the Backlash Directly

Lizzo has never pretended her decision was purely medical, even though she’s acknowledged real benefits, including less strain on her joints and lower health risks tied to her weight. But she’s been clear that the deeper motivation was emotional, not physical.

She’s also explained why she went years without revealing exact numbers: she didn’t want fans holding themselves to a standard built around her body.

That changed only when she began sharing side-by-side photos documenting her results from lymphatic massage treatments, a move that drew its own wave of criticism from parts of the body-positive community she helped build.

Lizzo didn’t shy away from the contradiction. She’s said plainly that a woman should be allowed to change her body without having to justify it to anyone, fans included.

A Movement in Tension With Itself

The singer has been candid that her changing body put her in an uncomfortable position. As one of the first mainstream artists to popularize body positivity, she found herself accused of being “performative,” and at times, of secretly harboring fatphobia, despite years of work creating opportunities for plus-size models, dancers, and performers.

She’s also pointed to a broader shift she’s watched happen across the industry: plus-size models losing bookings, extended sizing disappearing from retailers, and a wave of formerly outspoken “big girls” quietly shrinking.

She’s said she still considers herself a big girl. “I am still a proud big girl. Objectively Big. Over 200 pounds. And I love myself as much as I’ve loved myself no matter what the scale says.”

For Lizzo, the BET Awards gown wasn’t just a fashion statement. It was the visible result of a process that started in crisis years ago and has, by her own account, turned into something closer to peace.

Her transformation follows years of candid conversations about food, fitness, and self-acceptance. More recently, Wynonna has focused on caring for herself in her 60s, and the difference has become increasingly visible.

Wynonna’s story with weight did not begin with her latest photos. She has been talking publicly about the subject for more than two decades, often describing it as something tied to deeper emotional struggles rather than simply a number on a scale.

In 2004, she opened up about her weight in a way she had rarely done before, even with her mother, Naomi Judd, and sister, Ashley Judd.

During an appearance documented by Oprah, Wynonna explained how difficult it was to expose that part of her life. “I’ve suffered in silence, I guess,” she said in 2004. “I’ve tried so hard not to complain.”

For Wynonna, that private struggle stood in contrast with the confidence she projected as a performer. She could walk onstage and feel victorious, yet her concerns about her weight remained with her when the performance ended.

Being open about those feelings required a different kind of vulnerability. “If I’m going to do this, I’ve got to be willing to be honest,” she said. “But the pain of not changing is much greater than the pain of changing.”

Her goal, however, was never to transform herself into someone else’s idea of the ideal body. During the family conversation, Ashley discussed being perceived as “the skinny sister,” raising the issue of how their different body types had shaped the way they were viewed.

Wynonna responded by defining success on her own terms.

“I’m never going to be a runway model,” she said. “I can sing my butt off, but I’m not going to walk the runway. To make peace with something is the key. It never was a competition with me. I want to be healthy.“

That distinction would become an important part of her story. Wynonna was not simply talking about becoming thinner. She was trying to change the way she approached her body, her habits, and her health.

At the time, she had spent three months working with Oprah Winfrey’s trainer, Bob Greene, and her own trainer, Dominick DaVito.

Her exercise routine was becoming more demanding. Dominick said Wynonna was doing cardio on her own and, for the first time in three years, had managed to jog for 30 straight minutes on a treadmill.

The work was producing measurable results. According to the report, Wynonna had lost 10 inches and dropped one clothing size. Six years later, she revealed another significant chapter in her weight-loss journey.

In 2010, People reported that Wynonna had lost 55 pounds and five dress sizes.

The numbers were substantial, but Wynonna described the emotional change behind them as more important. Instead of viewing her weight as the central issue, she had begun examining why she turned to food in the first place.

“My weight was a symptom and not the problem,” she said. “I used food to soothe and reward and I don’t do that anymore.”

Her approach included what the outlet described as brain state conditioning, which was intended to help her change the way she responded to stress and food.

She also made practical changes at home. Wynonna revamped her pantry and acknowledged that certain foods could be difficult for her to moderate. She said she rarely kept doughnuts around because she could eat an entire box.

Exercise became part of her everyday life as well. Wynonna took daily walks around her property in Leiper’s Fork, Tennessee. She pointed to a hill behind her home as a measure of her progress, saying she had reached the point where she could walk up it without becoming sick.

Her changing wardrobe offered another indication of how differently she felt about herself. Wynonna said old photographs of the Judds often showed her covering herself with turtlenecks and coats. Following her weight loss, she was choosing jeans and lower-cut tops and even enjoying shopping for lingerie.

The physical change came during a difficult period for her health. The outlet reported that doctors found blood clots in Wynonna’s lungs in March 2010 following surgery to repair her stomach muscles. Four months later, she was involved in a head-on collision while in Salt Lake City for a performance.

Those experiences, according to the report, strengthened her determination to pursue a healthier lifestyle. But Wynonna’s relationship with weight and self-care continued to evolve long after that documented 55-pound loss.

Her life changed dramatically again in 2022, when Naomi died on April 30.

Ashley announced their mother’s death in a statement on Instagram, writing, “Today we sisters experienced a tragedy. We lost our beautiful mother to the disease of mental illness. We are shattered. We are navigating profound grief and know that as we loved her, she was loved by her public. We are in unknown territory.”

The Country Music Hall of Fame records Naomi’s death as April 30, 2022. The next day, Wynonna and Ashley attended the ceremony formally inducting the Judds into the institution.

An official account of the ceremony described an evening shaped by celebration and mourning. Museum CEO Kyle Young said the sisters had asked organizers to proceed despite their heartbreak.

Weeks later, Wynonna publicly described the personal work she believed she needed to do as she moved through her grief.

In a May 2022 post, she wrote about the difficulty of accepting that Naomi had died by suicide.

“I DO know, that in order to be a healthier grandparent to my firstborn grandchild Kaliyah, {born 4/13, 2 weeks & 2 days before Mom left}, to break the cycle of addiction & family dysfunction, that I must continue to show up for myself {first} and do the personal healing work,” she wrote.

Wynonna said she was committed to taking the “next right thing,” keeping weekly appointments, and accepting support from others.

“I really DO know, that I’m not able to do this grieving thing all by myself, and that it’s okay to reach out for help,” she wrote.

Closer Weekly later reported on Wynonna’s approach to food and dieting, citing an unnamed source. “She’s done with yoyo dieting and just wants to enjoy her life, get some much-needed R&R and eat what she wants and not count calories,” the source claimed.

Wynonna offered her own perspective on her well-being in 2024, the year she turned 60. Rather than focusing on a target weight or clothing size, she spoke about staying mentally fit, continuing to perform, and becoming less critical of herself.

“For me, 60 means trying to stay mentally fit and getting out there and giving everything I’ve got and having fun,” she told Us Weekly. “I’m so tired of being hard on myself. I’m learning how to be content.”

Wynonna also shared a specific step she had taken as part of that effort. “I’m working on a bit of a makeover; I hired a trainer and got a new wardrobe,” she said.

Her focus extended beyond appearance. She said she was working “really hard” on her mental health and physical well-being while relying on grief counselors, her team, and a life coach.

Soon, followers began commenting on a change.

An August 2024 post prompted multiple reactions about Wynonna’s weight. “Tell me how you lost so much weight I’m struggling to lose mine,” one netizen wrote. Another focused on what mattered to them most: “You look healthy, that is what counts!”

Other users expressed concern. “You have lost too much weight,” one commenter wrote. Someone else remarked, “I love you Wy, you need some biscuits and gravy cause you a bone now baby!!!”

Another fan wanted to know what was behind the difference. “Wowza, Wy, you look great. So beautiful. I wanna look skinny like you are now. Share the secret please,“ the person wrote.

Years of photos document Wynonna before the latest change began generating widespread comments. Seen together, the earlier images establish the visual baseline for the transformation that followed.

Before

After

More recent photographs tell the other half of the story. After Wynonna revealed that she had hired a trainer and was working on her physical well-being, her public appearances began providing a noticeably different point of comparison with the earlier images.

The contrast becomes even more apparent in Wynonna’s most recent appearances.

2026

The latest look quickly became a talking point among her followers. On Facebook, one netizen responded, “You look AMAZING! How’d you get so thin?” Whatever you did, it looks beautiful.”

Another user offered a theory about what might have caused the change. “GLP-1 really getting her physically healthy. Congratulations,” the commenter wrote.

In another discussion, followers continued reacting to her appearance. “You look great with your weight loss always a very Beautiful lady,” one commenter wrote.

Another person framed the change as part of a broader personal transformation. “Nahhhh… it’s YOU!!!! You are definitely in your glowing up queen era and you are slaying it!!!” the user wrote. “Goddess!” someone else remarked.

Another person framed the change as part of a broader personal transformation.

“Nahhhh… it’s YOU!!!! You are definitely in your glowing up queen era and you are slaying it!!!” the user wrote. “Goddess!” someone else remarked.

The reactions mark the latest chapter in a transformation Wynonna has discussed publicly for more than two decades. While the photos show a visible change, her own comments have consistently placed health, mental well-being, and self-acceptance at the center of that journey.

The former child star who appeared on Disney Channel’s Jessie has grown from a familiar young face into a successful actress, writer, and producer with an expanding Hollywood career. From her early days in California to her personal journey and latest roles, recent photos reveal just how much she has changed over the years, leaving fans eager to see her transformation.

Long before she became a familiar face on television, the actress was already finding her feet onstage in Davis, California. Her journey began so early that she was performing with the Davis Musical Theatre Company before she had even started kindergarten.

From a California Stage to Hollywood at Just 10

Her first experiences included ensemble roles in stage productions such as Aladdin, Mulan, and The Jungle Book. Her interest in performing began after watching her older sister, Camille, onstage at the Davis Musical Theatre Company, where she started acting before kindergarten.

An early Davis Enterprise profile documented how her ambitions quickly expanded beyond theater. Her parents took turns driving her from Davis to Southern California for auditions, helping her pursue opportunities in television and film while balancing family life back home.

2012

2013

By the time she was 10, she had already landed a leading role in a television pilot called Sunny Time, appeared in a Nintendo commercial and a music video, and performed stand-up comedy at the Hollywood Improv. She was also gaining attention for her role in The Lil’ Dictator, a comedy produced by AwesomenessTV that spoofed Sacha Baron Cohen’s film The Dictator.

The web series made an early impression, with its first episode reportedly drawing 35,000 views on YouTube. Even Boston Celtics star Paul Pierce took notice, tweeting that the episode was “hilarious.”

However, the comedy also attracted criticism from viewers who objected to its stereotypical portrayals. The young performer and her family defended the production as satire, pointing out that they were Arab-American themselves.

Despite the occasional backlash, she remained enthusiastic about acting and understood that rejection was part of the business. As she explained in the Davis Enterprise profile, “You have to accept when you don’t get it, that something else will come up.” She added, “And the process is so fun. I love auditioning.”

Her parents made considerable sacrifices to help her pursue her ambitions, including arranging for her and her mother to stay in an apartment near Hollywood to reduce the frequent trips from Davis. Her father described their long drives to Los Angeles as valuable father-daughter time, comparing their experience to families traveling for their children’s sporting activities.

Her mother also emphasized the family’s commitment to supporting her dreams. “We are doing what any parents would do to support their children and help them reach their dreams,” Christine said.

The separation was challenging for the family, particularly because the young performer missed her father and older brother, Alex, who remained in Davis. Still, she found a sense of belonging among other young actors in Hollywood, especially after struggling to fit in at schools in Davis and Sacramento.

By then, she had already developed a determined approach to auditions and the uncertainties of the entertainment industry. Even as a fifth-grader, she was convinced she had found the place where she belonged. And Hollywood was only getting started with her.

2014

The Disney Years That Made Her Familiar to Viewers

Television soon gave her a much bigger platform. She landed a role on Disney Channel’s Jessie, the sitcom starring Debby Ryan as a young woman who becomes a nanny to four children in New York City.

At the time, audiences knew the performer professionally as J.J. Totah. Her work on the Disney series helped introduce her to younger viewers, while additional roles steadily expanded her résumé.

She went on to appear in productions including Back in the Game, 2 Broke Girls, and New Girl. In 2015, she also joined the sixth and final season of Glee, playing Myron Muskovitz, a character who brought her into the world of Ryan Murphy’s musical comedy-drama.

2015

2016

Another important step came with NBC’s Champions, created by Mindy Kaling and Charlie Grandy. Totah played Michael, a teenager sent to live with his estranged father, and the performance drew attention from critics and viewers alike. Her film work also included Other People, Spider-Man: Homecoming, and Disney’s Magic Camp.

What began as a childhood passion was turning into a substantial career, with the young performer taking on increasingly varied parts. But while the public was getting to know the person appearing on screen, Totah was working through a deeply personal journey that would eventually change how she introduced herself to the world.

2017

2018

The Personal Truth She Was Ready to Share

In August 2018, Totah published a deeply personal essay in TIME titled “My Name Is Josie Totah — and I’m Coming Out.” In it, she explained that she had long understood herself to be female and was ready to live openly as the person she knew herself to be.

“My pronouns are she, her, and hers. I identify as female, specifically as a transgender female,” she wrote. “And my name is Josie Totah.”

She explained that her feelings had begun in early childhood, long before she had the language to understand gender identity. “When I was five, long before I understood what the word gender meant, I would always tell my mother that I wished I were a girl,” she wrote.

After Becoming Josie — 2018

“Since I could speak in full sentences, I was like, ‘Give me a dress!’ I always knew on some level that I was female.” For years, however, she felt boxed in by the way others perceived her. Although she had been celebrated for her performances, she explained that people frequently described her as a gay boy, an identity that did not reflect how she understood herself.

“Acting has always been my passion. I’m grateful for roles I’ve gotten to play on shows like Champions, and I know I’m lucky to be able to do what I love,” she wrote. “But I also feel like I let myself be shoved into a box: J.J. Totah, gay boy.”

She described the pressure of being repeatedly labeled by interviewers and others in the entertainment industry, even as she struggled to express her identity publicly. She also admitted that she worried about how fans who had known her from Jessie would react.

Ultimately, she decided that continuing to hide herself was not healthy. “I know now, more than ever, that I’m finally ready to take this step toward becoming myself. I’m ready to be free,” she wrote. Her announcement was not presented as a sudden change of heart, but as the public expression of something she had understood about herself for years.

She also described the importance of having supportive parents, who helped her seek medical guidance after she told her mother she was transgender. In the essay, Totah recalled watching the docuseries I Am Jazz with her mother and recognizing aspects of her own experience in transgender television personality Jazz Jennings.

Learning more about transition helped her explain what she had been feeling, and her mother’s response was immediate and supportive. “My mother, who is immensely supportive and gracious, said, ‘Okay, let’s do it,'” Totah wrote.

2019

Three days later, she was meeting with her pediatrician, who referred her to a specialist. She subsequently began taking a hormone blocker, which she said eased the anxiety she had experienced about the physical changes associated with male puberty.

Totah also described the emotional toll of concealing her identity, including hiding clothes she wanted to wear and worrying about whether others would accept her. Being able to live openly, she explained, meant more than changing how the public addressed her. “When my friends and family call me Josie, it feels like I’m being seen,” she wrote.

Why Her Transformation Means More Than a New Look

For Totah, the transition to living openly as herself also meant reconsidering the roles she wanted to play. In her TIME essay, she described watching Lea Michele and other female performers on Glee wearing dresses and taking part in elaborate musical numbers while privately wishing she could experience that freedom herself.

She was excited about continuing her education and acting career without feeling compelled to present herself as someone she was not. She also hoped to pursue roles that reflected her identity, including both transgender and cisgender women.

That desire to tell more authentic stories would eventually become part of her work behind the camera, too. Her career was no longer just about getting cast in a role; she wanted to have a voice in how characters like her were written and portrayed.

In an interview with Refinery29, Totah explained that her family had known she was transgender since she was very young. However, growing up in the entertainment industry made expressing her identity outside her home difficult.

2021

She recalled keeping a separate closet filled with dresses, skirts, and kitten heels, which she had collected since childhood. “It was a walk-in, let me tell you, and I kept all my favorite looks in there. I had it since I was, like, five-years old. I’ve always had stuff,” she said.

Fashion became a way to explore her identity, although she often had to change clothes when visitors arrived. She also struggled with auditions that required her to dress and portray boys, despite wanting people to recognize her as a girl. “Fashion has always been a huge part of my life,” she said, “But, I couldn’t see myself outside of my closet.”

College, Sisterhood, and Finding Her Own Style

After graduating from high school, Totah enrolled at Chapman University in California, where she joined the Alpha Phi sorority. Although she initially felt apprehensive about Greek life, she later described joining the organization as one of the best decisions she had made as a young woman.

In her Refinery29 interview, she recalled worrying about whether she would find an accepting environment during the sorority recruitment process. She had heard rumors about one chapter being unwelcoming, but she decided to approach the experience with an open mind.

2022

“Ironically, I ended up falling in love with the sorority that everyone else thought was the worst option. They weren’t. They were the total opposite,” she said. Joining Alpha Phi gave her a community in which she felt supported and understood. She said that hearing from people who had found encouragement through her story had been particularly meaningful.

“Having people come to me and tell me that even though they can’t personally relate to my experience, how much I’ve helped them find light in their life, loving themselves, and accepting themselves — it’s just been such a wonderful experience. I’m so glad that I’ve found a home there,” she said.

The experience also gave her room to experiment with her personal style. She described fashion as an important part of her identity, with her tastes ranging from streetwear and platform sneakers to more polished outfits.

2023

She cited Givenchy and Gucci among her favorite designers, appreciating their gender-fluid designs and their work around diversity and inclusion. Her approach to fashion, she explained, depends on how she feels on a particular day.

“One week, I’m feeling streetwear — think: let’s go to a YG concert and have a good time. And then the next week, I’m a young, HR employee in her 30s who’s trying to make her way up, just got her first starter home; she’s wearing a blazer, she’s in a brown bootie — like, give her a break — ya know?”

Beyond college, Totah also received recognition for her advocacy, including the Human Rights Campaign’s Visibility Award and Upstander Award. Her experiences helped shape her commitment to representation, both through her public platform and the stories she would later help bring to television.

Her experience was not without difficult moments, but she has also spoken about the support she received from her family and the community she found among other LGBTQ+ people. In a conversation with E! News, she reflected on how hard it had been to feel restricted as a child.

“It was really difficult because I was being told, ‘You shouldn’t go outside with nail polish or with makeup unless you are ready to be fully out, and I just wanted to be myself,'” Totah told the outlet.

She described the frustration of being unable to express herself in seemingly small ways and the feeling of being trapped by other people’s expectations. Looking back, she has also spoken about the value of sharing her story with people who may be facing similar struggles.

“I’m so grateful I’m able to be someone who people can look up to,” she said. “It’s worth that risk and it’s worth all the experiences and [expletive] that I went through. Because I’m able to make people feel less alone by being myself and I’m so incredibly proud of that.”

The experience of seeing someone with a similar story also mattered to Totah. She later explained to Variety that watching Jazz Jennings helped her make sense of feelings she had struggled to articulate. “Meeting Jazz was just reaffirming, and so loving. She just felt like family,” Totah said.

From ‘Saved by the Bell’ to a Bigger Role Behind the Scenes

As Totah continued building her career, she took on one of her most recognizable roles in the reboot of Saved by the Bell. She played Lexi, a popular cheerleader at Bayside High, and earned a Critics’ Choice Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series.

But the role also gave her an opportunity to shape the story rather than simply perform it. Totah served as a producer on the series, with a particular interest in ensuring that her character’s gender identity was handled thoughtfully.

In an interview with Variety, she explained that she initially hesitated to accept the role unless she could have a meaningful say in how Lexi’s story was developed. She wanted representation behind the camera as well as on screen. “I didn’t feel comfortable doing a show that explored my character’s gender identity if representation didn’t exist,” she explained.

Her involvement extended beyond her own character. Totah described advocating for a more inclusive hair department and helping ensure that the show’s creative decisions reflected the experiences of its cast.

The work marked another step in her evolution from a child performer into a multifaceted creative professional. In addition to acting, she has pursued writing and producing, with a particular interest in complex queer women and stories that do not reduce characters to a single aspect of their identity.

2024

In an interview with V Magazine, she reflected on the lessons that come with spending so much of one’s life in front of a camera. She described acting as a skill that continues to develop with experience and encouraged young creatives to focus on their work rather than allow other people’s assumptions to define them.

“As far as identity goes, I would remember [that] this industry, or any industry that you’re in, it is [about] what you do, not who you are,” she said. She also described perseverance as essential to building a lasting career. For Totah, success has increasingly meant being able to pursue different interests while remaining true to herself.

The Actress Is Entering Another Busy Chapter

Totah’s recent projects show that she is continuing to move beyond the child-star label. She is set to lead the television adaptation of Stephen King’s Carrie, bringing a new interpretation to one of the author’s best-known stories.

She has also joined the cast of Faces of Death, a remake of the controversial horror film directed by Daniel Goldhaber. The project features Dacre Montgomery, Barbie Ferreira, and Charli XCX, placing Totah in another major production outside her earlier television work.

Meanwhile, she appeared in Apple TV+’s period drama The Buccaneers, based on Edith Wharton’s unfinished novel. She plays Mabel Elmsworth, a sharp-witted young woman navigating love, social expectations, and life in a reimagined 1870s England.

In her V Magazine interview, Totah teased an emotionally rewarding development for Mabel in the second season. “You can expect a fulfilling love story for Mabel that feels both full circle and open-ended,” she said.

The actress has also described her life in New York City, where she draws inspiration from her roommates, childhood friends, and the unpredictable energy of the city. Her interests now extend across performance, writing, producing, and shaping stories that give complicated women room to be themselves.

It is a considerable range for someone whose professional life began before kindergarten. Yet the career she has built suggests that her childhood fame was only the beginning.

2025

2026

Josie Totah’s Latest Photos Have Fans Talking

As her career continues to grow, Totah’s appearance has also become a subject of enthusiastic conversation among fans who have followed her journey. Her recent social media posts offer a glimpse of the confident woman she has become, far removed from the young performer many viewers remember from Disney Channel.

The reactions have been affectionate, with fans praising both her appearance and her talent. Under one of her TikTok videos, commenters shared their admiration in simple but enthusiastic terms.

One fan wrote, “She’s literally so pretty 😭.” Another commented, “Josie, you’re so incredibly beautiful and talented <33.” A third admirer added, “Josie gets cuter every year.”

The response continued around her Carrie premiere photos, where followers again focused on her striking appearance. One commenter wrote, “OMG so pretty.” Another said, “Looking unreal.” A third fan summed up the reaction with, “Stunning baby angel.”

The compliments reflect the enthusiasm surrounding Totah’s public appearances, but her story is about more than a visual transformation.

She has spent years developing a career that now includes leading roles, producing credits, and opportunities to help shape the stories Hollywood tells.

For viewers who remember her from Jessie, the photos offer a chance to see how much has changed since those early television days. And for Totah, the most significant transformation may be the freedom to be recognized on her own terms.

Christopher Nolan’s epic “The Odyssey” quickly became one of the year’s biggest cinematic events, with Matt Damon leading the cast as the legendary Greek king Odysseus.

While the film impressed audiences with its sweeping scale and ensemble cast, the actor’s striking physical transformation also captured plenty of attention, with photos and footage showcasing the muscular physique he developed for the demanding role.

Still, Damon made it clear that he did not deserve all the praise for the imposing appearance audiences saw on screen. While reflecting on the production during an appearance on the “Happy Sad Confused” podcast, the actor singled out one of the film’s unsung heroes — his female stunt double, Devyn Dalton.

Dalton, a seasoned stunt performer known for her work on shows such as “The Last of Us” and “Percy Jackson and the Olympians,” stood in for Damon during scenes that relied on forced perspective to create the towering Laestrygonians.

Explaining how those sequences came together, the Hollywood star recalled that the production cast stunt performers who were more than seven feet tall to portray the giants, while others under five feet tall were used to help create the visual illusion. Damon said:

“My double was a woman, a female stunt performer, who had the greatest arms I’ve ever seen. And then she came into the catering tent, it was the first time I met her. I went up and hugged her and […] and I thanked her for all the work she put in.”

The Oscar winner also revealed that some of the scenes audiences might assume feature him actually show Dalton instead. “There are those shots where you see these giants looming over me [and that’s her],” he explained.

The actor added, “So, it was almost 100% my arms in the movie, but you got to give it up where it’s due.” His comments quickly made their way across social media, where many praised Dalton’s impressive physique.

Several people focused on the practical filmmaking behind the scenes, with one person commenting, “The crazyiest [sic] thing to me is that she is over a foot shorter than him!”

Another shared, “It’s hard to get a stunt double in [sic] that height. 😌,” while someone else joked, “Maybe she should play Achilles in the new Odyssey movie.”

Others were simply amazed by Dalton’s muscular arms after seeing photos and videos of the stunt performer. “She really does have the greatest arms 🔥🔥,” one netizen typed, while another said, “Fierce 🔥 I would be terrified if I saw her coming after me in a ring.”

As much attention as Dalton’s remarkable physique has received, Damon still underwent an intense physical transformation of his own to convincingly portray the battle-hardened king.

The Hollywood star revealed that he slimmed down to 167 pounds for the role, returning to the weight he carried in high school. Rather than pursuing an extreme approach, however, he emphasized that the transformation was carefully managed. Damon explained:

“I didn’t change it in an unhealthy way. I think if I had done the opposite and put weight on, that would have been dangerous and it’s not something I’ll do anymore. I was happy to do it earlier in my life.”

Achieving the lean physique required more than simply shedding weight. The actor said he eliminated gluten from his diet, among other dietary changes, and adopted a disciplined lifestyle centered on physical fitness.

“It was more about just getting really, really physically fit, which just really involves changing your diet, just a whole lifestyle change,” he said. “You have to just be very, very intentional about everything you’re putting in your body.”

The preparation reflected the demanding nature of the production itself. Filmed across Iceland, Scotland, Greece, Italy, and Morocco, “The Odyssey” pushed its cast and crew to their limits as they brought the mythical world of gods, monsters, and epic voyages to life on an IMAX scale.

For Damon, the challenges extended far beyond his own performance. Watching everyone around him give everything they had became a source of motivation throughout the production.

“This movie was by far the hardest movie to the most challenging movie I’ve ever been a part of,” he shared, adding that those involved were “completely maxing out and straining against what they thought was possible.”

The demanding conditions created a sense of camaraderie that stayed with the actor long after filming wrapped. According to Damon, the experience often felt less like making a movie and more like embarking on an expedition, with everyone enduring the same harsh environments together. He recalled:

“It really felt more like an expedition than a movie. And if you were cold and wet, you just turned and you looked and Chris was just as cold and just as wet and going through it.”

Between Damon’s dramatic transformation and his willingness to spotlight Dalton’s contributions, “The Odyssey” has already given audiences plenty to talk about.

Readers can check out the photos and videos below to get a closer look at Dalton’s remarkable arms, along with Matt Damon’s own impressive physical transformation for the role.

Devyn Dalton

Matt Damon

The Oscar-winning actor has opened up about Jennifer Lopez’s overlooked performances and his hopes of working with Jennifer Garner, whose real-life history with him nearly complicated his latest film.

And while Affleck has nothing but praise for both women, his revelations show just how difficult it can be to keep Hollywood business separate from personal relationships.

Ben Affleck Defends Jennifer Lopez After Hollywood Awards Snubs

Affleck did not hold back when discussing Lopez’s acting career during an October 7 interview with Variety. The actor, who produced “Kiss of the Spider Woman,” starring Lopez, was asked why his former wife continues to miss out on major awards recognition.

Variety pointed to her performance in the film and her failure to secure an Oscar nomination for 2019’s “Hustlers,” despite the praise surrounding her work.

Affleck immediately acknowledged his personal connection to Lopez but made his admiration unmistakable. “I’m biased. I have an enormous amount of respect and admiration for what she can do.”

Why Affleck Believes Hollywood’s Biggest Awards Don’t Tell the Whole Story

Affleck went further, questioning whether awards truly reflect the quality of an actor’s performance.

He explained that commercial success does not always align with his personal taste and argued that awards are ultimately subjective, shaped by individual voters and their opinions.

The filmmaker admitted he does not always believe the right person takes home the right prize, suggesting that even Hollywood’s most prestigious honors are hardly definitive measures of talent.

His passionate defense of Lopez comes after the former couple endured a highly publicized breakup.

Affleck and Lopez married in 2022, but their relationship unraveled, with Lopez filing for divorce in August 2024, just two months after filming wrapped on “Kiss of the Spider Woman.”

Despite their troubled marriage, their professional relationship survived. Lopez starred in the musical film, while Affleck’s production company, Artists Equity, helped bring it to the screen.

Lopez later admitted she “barely” made it through filming but publicly credited Affleck and Artists Equity for helping make the project possible.

Affleck Breaks His Silence on the End of His Marriage to Lopez

The actor had previously defended his relationship with Lopez during a candid March 2025 interview with GQ. At the time, Affleck addressed the attention surrounding “The Greatest Love Story Never Told,” Lopez’s documentary chronicling the making of her album and film project “This Is Me… Now.”

He acknowledged that he and Lopez approached fame differently, describing himself as more private and reserved while praising his former wife’s ability to navigate celebrity. But Affleck pushed back against suggestions that their contrasting attitudes toward public life were responsible for their failed marriage.

He explained that he wanted his participation in the documentary to be honest and interesting and emphasized that he loved and supported Lopez at the time.

Concerned that his remarks might be interpreted as criticism, Affleck returned to the subject later in the interview, insisting he had “nothing but respect” for his ex-wife.

Yet Lopez is not the only former wife he spoke about during the Variety interview. Affleck also revealed how a promising Hollywood reunion with his first ex-wife nearly became reality before an unexpected casting shake-up changed everything.

Jennifer Garner Was Almost Cast in Affleck’s New Thriller

Affleck’s upcoming Netflix thriller “Animals” underwent a dramatic transformation before reaching its current form. Written by Connor O. McIntyre, Billy Ray, and Affleck, the film follows Los Angeles mayoral candidate Mark Kimball, whose son is kidnapped during a bitter political campaign.

As the desperate father faces a terrifying family crisis, secrets and betrayals threaten his already crumbling marriage and political ambitions. Affleck now directs and stars opposite Kerry Washington, marking the fifth time the Oscar-winning filmmaker has directed himself.

But the original cast looked very different. When the project was announced in January 2024, Affleck’s longtime friend and business partner Matt Damon was supposed to play Mark. And Affleck had a familiar face in mind to portray the character’s therapist wife: his ex-wife Jennifer Garner.

During a September interview with Entertainment Weekly, Affleck recalled believing Garner would be perfect for the role. The arrangement also offered a personal advantage.

Because Affleck and Garner share children, working on the same production could have helped them coordinate schedules and spend more time with their family. Professionally, he believed the role would allow Garner to reveal a side of her acting abilities audiences rarely saw.

Garner had recently returned as Elektra in 2024’s “Deadpool & Wolverine,” reprising the character she originally played alongside Affleck in 2003’s “Daredevil.” Her last leading film role had been in 2023’s “Family Switch.”

Affleck was convinced she could bring something fresh to “Animals.” But just two weeks before cameras were set to roll, the production came to an abrupt halt.

A Rival Kidnapping Thriller Threatened to Derail the Entire Movie

Affleck discovered that Spike Lee and Denzel Washington were developing another film centered on a kidnapping. That project was “Highest 2 Lowest,” the 2025 Apple and A24 thriller starring Washington as a music mogul whose son is abducted by a character played by A$AP Rocky.

The similarities immediately concerned Affleck. Although “Animals” was based on an original screenplay, he feared audiences might view it as a competing version of Lee’s movie.

The situation reminded him of 1998, when he starred in the asteroid disaster film “Armageddon” during the same year that another asteroid thriller, “Deep Impact,” hit theaters. Affleck initially considered postponing “Animals” to avoid another uncomfortable cinematic overlap.

Then came an even more unsettling discovery. Lee’s film was actually a remake of Akira Kurosawa’s 1963 classic “High and Low,” which Affleck admitted he had never seen. Learning about that connection “freaked” him out.

After discussing the situation with Damon and their producing partners, including Damon’s wife, Luciana Barroso, Affleck made the difficult decision to abandon the version they were preparing to shoot.

“We were two weeks from shooting, and I was like, ‘We’re not doing it,'” he told Entertainment Weekly. Affleck reasoned that making a successful movie was challenging enough without inviting further complications.

But when “Animals” finally returned to production, another obstacle awaited. Damon was no longer available.

Matt Damon’s Exit Created an Awkward Problem for Affleck and Garner

By the time “Animals” was ready to move forward, Damon had committed to “The Odyssey.” Affleck jokingly mocked his longtime friend’s decision, calling it a “lesser film” with a smaller director and role before teasing that Damon would regret the choice.

With his original leading man unavailable, Affleck needed a replacement. His solution was to take the role himself. But that seemingly straightforward decision created a deeply personal casting dilemma.

If Garner stayed, Affleck would find himself playing a husband opposite his real-life ex-wife, with their characters trapped in a deteriorating marriage. The potential for audiences to draw uncomfortable parallels with their actual relationship was impossible to overlook.

Affleck explained that he and Garner discussed the situation, and she ultimately decided against the pairing because viewers might struggle to separate the fictional couple from their real-life history.

During an appearance on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!”, Affleck revealed that Garner had initially been willing to join the movie before his decision to replace Damon changed the equation.

He described Garner and Damon as performers he knows, likes, and respects, explaining that his familiarity with them allows him to recognize opportunities to show audiences something unexpected. But once he became the leading man, Garner reconsidered.

“She was like, ‘Yeah. Great, but no, I’m not going to play your wife in a movie.’ Probably for the best. That lesson’s been learned,” he shared. Affleck praised her judgment, adding that Garner was “very wise in many ways.”

With Garner no longer attached, Affleck turned to Kerry Washington, an actress he had wanted to work with for years. Still, Garner’s departure did not mean he had abandoned the possibility of sharing the screen with her again.

Affleck Makes a Surprising Admission About Working With Garner Again

During his Variety interview, Affleck was asked directly about the casting decision that prevented his reunion with Garner. He agreed that their history could have overshadowed the story. “In a movie, the illusion has to be the thing,” he explained.

Then he made it clear that his hopes of collaborating with Garner were far from over. “And I still want to find something to do with her.” It was a sentiment he had expressed just a month earlier. Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, Affleck was equally enthusiastic about his former wife’s talent.

“She’s fabulous.” He described Garner as a good friend, expressed profound gratitude toward her, and emphasized their positive relationship. His desire to work with her had never disappeared. The problem was simply the prospect of portraying a troubled married couple when their own relationship was so familiar to audiences.

His remarks also echoed what he told GQ in 2025, when he praised Garner as a “really good co-parent and partner” and said they worked well together. Affleck has repeatedly made clear that he remains open to another collaboration, provided their personal history does not distract from the film itself.

Two Ex-Wives, Two Very Different Hollywood Relationships

Affleck’s latest revelations offer a striking look at how his relationships with Lopez and Garner have continued to shape his professional life long after their marriages ended.

With Lopez, he has already demonstrated that divorce does not necessarily mean the end of a creative partnership. His company helped produce “Kiss of the Spider Woman,” and Jennifer Lopez publicly acknowledged his role in bringing the project to life.

His praise also reinforces his earlier insistence that his comments about their personal differences should not be mistaken for bitterness or criticism. With Garner, however, the professional reunion remains unfinished business.

Affleck originally envisioned her starring opposite Damon in “Animals,” believing the role could showcase her range while allowing them to better coordinate their family responsibilities.

Yet despite the unexpected casting

On June 12, 2026, Sir David Beckham was honored with the 2,849th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6819 Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles. Victoria Beckham introduced him before the unveiling, and three of their four children were standing nearby, including Harper Beckham, who drew intense scrutiny online for her too-grown-up clothes.

But an even more significant moment happened during a secret whispered exchange between father and daughter that has now been decoded.

Harper’s Pink Dress Had a Very Victoria Beckham Explanation

Harper, 14, arrived in a sleek satin midi dress in baby pink, widely believed to be a version of her mother’s label’s Cami maxi slip dress, a silhouette Victoria has made a staple of her own wardrobe for years.

The dress featured delicate spaghetti straps and a clean, polished drape that Harper softened with a matching bubblegum-pink cardigan worn loosely over her shoulders. But she broke from the all-pink palette with a pair of strappy kitten heels in turquoise, covered in rhinestones.

Victoria chose a piece from her own Resort 2027 collection: a liquid jersey dress in lilac, long-sleeved, with a fitted silhouette and a high neckline. The cut drew from 1930s style but got a sharp contemporary edge through a thigh-high slit and an angular hemline, finished with aubergine pumps.

Together, they made a composed, coordinated impression. But it was Harper’s look that lit up the comments sections, and not always in the way a 14-year-old might hope.

The Comments About Harper’s Outfit That Got Brutally Honest

On Instagram, people didn’t hold back. “She’s only bloody 14! They dress her like a fully grown adult,” one person wrote.

“Victoria always has her in her silk nightdress,” said another, while a third added, “She’s still a baby really! It’s all a bit too much, too soon.” A fourth echoed the sentiment, “Lovely young girl .. But always in the silk nightdress.”

One commenter kept it lighter, writing, “She’s already doing the leg like mum 😅😅😅😅😅😅😅.” Meanwhile, Victoria’s own footwear drew a separate wave of commentary.

On Facebook, one person wrote, “Look at her toes 😱,” while another asked, “Why are her toes all mashed up in those sandals?” A third weighed in with a warning, “She’s going to have foot issues wearing shoes like that.”

Not everyone was focused on the criticism. “Harper is beautiful! Better looking than her brothers,” one commenter said.

What David Whispered to Harper Right Before the Photos

Before the family settled into formation for photographs, David moved down the line, pulling each of his kids into a hug and a kiss. When Harper stepped toward him, he took her face in both hands, and she reached up to grip his forearm as he kissed her forehead.

He told her something before she moved away. The moment was brief, warm, and entirely caught on camera.

According to The Mirror, lip-reading expert Nicola Hickling broke down the exchange and concluded that David told his daughter, “Don’t be embarrassed to kiss your dad.“

This is a reaction the expert described as consistent with “a typical teenage response to the attention and direction during the family photo opportunity.”

Victoria stepped in immediately after, telling Harper, “Make sure you stand correctly and adjust your dress,” before the two posed side by side.

The Celebration Brooklyn Skipped, and Harper’s Unanswered Visit

Only three of David and Victoria’s four children attended the ceremony: Cruz, 21, Romeo, 23, and Harper. Their eldest, Brooklyn Beckham, 27, was absent, as was his wife, Nicola Peltz Beckham.

The couple lives near the Hollywood landmark but did not show up for the event. Brooklyn’s estrangement from his family has been unfolding publicly for months, culminating in an 800-word statement released in January 2026.

David’s Walk of Fame star now joins the list of family milestones Brooklyn has missed, including his father’s 50th birthday celebrations the previous year.

In the hours before the ceremony, Harper was seen walking up to Brooklyn’s home. She was there for roughly 30 seconds, according to Hello! Magazine, before leaving without making contact. The couple, it turned out, were out of town in Miami.

The Real Reason David’s Mother Wasn’t Standing Next to Him

David’s mother, Sandra Georgina West, and his younger sister, Joanne Beckham, were also absent, and their reason was one of the most quietly heartbreaking parts of the entire day.

Rather than flying to Los Angeles, the two were back in England at the funeral of Jake Hall, a former cast member on the British reality series “The Only Way Is Essex,” who died last month at the age of 35. Jake had gone on to work in fashion after leaving the show, including a period in which he dressed David himself.

Sandra and Joanne were photographed in black alongside Jake’s ex-girlfriend, Chloe Lewis, and former “TOWIE” costars Lydia Bright, James Argent, and Tommy Mallet. The timing made their absence from Hollywood unavoidable.

David still named them in his speech. “My parents and my sisters, who always supported my dreams,” he said, before going on to thank Victoria, his “amazing wife for almost 30 years,” and their children, whom he called “the reason that I get out of the bed in the morning.”

The Debate Over Whether He Belongs There

Tom Cruise introduced David before the star’s unveiling, with James Corden and Eva Longoria also in attendance for the ceremony, which was held in the Sports Entertainment category.

The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce’s Walk of Fame producer, Ana Martinez, pointed to the timing as deliberate, noting that the honor comes as the United States prepares to host the FIFA World Cup, and that David’s role in raising soccer’s profile in America made the recognition particularly fitting.

The decision sparked immediate backlash online. Following Variety’s coverage of the ceremony on X, critics quickly questioned the honor. One user wondered why a British soccer player qualified for a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Another commenter went even further, pointing out that recipients or their supporters must fund the star themselves. They suggested that the athlete’s family likely footed the bill, noting his thin entertainment resume consists mostly of sports programs, a few minor TV cameos, and a self-produced documentary. In their view, the choice severely damages the prestige of the entire landmark.

A Career Worth Remembering Even in America

David’s actual résumé is not a short one. His career spanned 20 years across Manchester United, Real Madrid, AC Milan, LA Galaxy, Paris Saint-Germain, and six years as England captain, making him the first English footballer to win league titles in four different countries.

Since retiring from the sport in 2013, he co-founded the MLS club Inter Miami CF, which signed Lionel Messi in 2023 and won the MLS Cup in 2025.

His content studio, Studio 99, produced the Emmy-winning Netflix documentary series “Beckham,” among other projects.

He was knighted by King Charles III in September 2025 for his services to sports and charity. The Walk of Fame has existed since 1960 and draws millions of visitors every year.

Whether he deserves it or not, it’s a fact, and the soccer legend embraced it wholeheartedly and even tearfully.

David’s speech ended with his voice breaking. “Kids, I’m going to get emotional now,” he said. “I hope you bring my grandchildren here one day and tell them about a boy who dreamed big. To make you all proud is my greatest achievement. I’m so grateful for you all, thank you, and thank you so much for this honour, L.A., it means so much.”

The photos from the day tell their own story, from Harper’s rhinestone heels to Victoria’s angular hemline to the quiet moment a father held his teenage daughter’s face in his hands and asked her, gently, not to be embarrassed to love him back.

Hoda Kotb and former fiancé Joel Schiffman accompanied daughters Haley Joy Kotb, 9, and Hope Catherine Kotb, 7, back to school on September 8, 2026. The proud parents captured the milestone outside a place that carries enormous meaning for Hoda, but first, it was the girls’ appearance and one wonderfully dramatic pair of pants that demanded attention.

Their First-Day Outfits Made This Family Walk Extra Adorable

Hoda shared a trio of photos from the big morning, including two images of the family walking away from the camera. A third captured all four facing forward and smiling together before Haley began fourth grade and Hope headed into second.

Hoda could barely contain her disbelief over those new grade levels. “It’s here! First day of school💥. 4th and 2nd grade! Whaaaatttt?” she wrote. The girls looked so much older, but each brought a completely different personality to her school-day outfit.

Haley was sporty and confident in a short-sleeved midi T-shirt dress covered in hot-pink and dark-navy horizontal stripes. White athletic sneakers, matching crew socks, dark wire-rim glasses, and a light-colored backpack completed her comfortable first-day ensemble.

Meanwhile, Hope appeared ready to float into class in a tiered pale-pink floral maxi dress, then gave it a casual twist with a medium-wash denim jacket. Her white low-top sneakers and pink backpack made the outfit practical enough for school without losing any of its sweetness.

The parents joined in with two polished looks of their own. Joel wore a tailored charcoal-gray suit with a light-blue button-down shirt, leaving the collar open for a slightly more relaxed morning feel.

Hoda went in a much more playful direction with a cropped Broncos knit sweater featuring navy graphics and panels of pale blue and cream. She teamed it with tan loafers, a cream canvas tote, and ultra-wide pale denim trousers with an exposed button fly.

Those enormous jeans nearly swallowed her shoes, and naturally, the wonderfully exaggerated silhouette earned its own admirer. One person joked, “Those pants are the tallest pants I have ever seen.”

Yet Hoda’s trousers faced some stiff competition from the real scene-stealers. People viewing the first set of photos on Facebook could hardly process how quickly Haley and Hope had shot up.

“I can’t believe how tall and grown up your girls are! Beautiful family,” one person wrote. Another exclaimed, “The girls are so tall!”

And despite being adopted, one admirer declared, “Her daughters look just like her God you are amazing!!! 😻 [sic]” Someone else added, “The girls are getting so big. 🥰🥰🌷🌷”

The affection continued beneath a second post, where people observed, “Getting so tall [sic],” and “Look how grown they are.”

The excitement was understandable. The girls who once appeared beside Hoda as tiny preschoolers now looked poised and remarkably tall, confidently carrying their backpacks while their parents followed them toward another big year.

That Pretty Backdrop Was the Home Hoda Chose for Her Girls

The first-day photographs were taken outside Hoda’s house in the suburbs, where she has shared occasional glimpses of family life since moving in. The charming setting behind that school walk was no incidental background either, because the property was selected around the childhood she desperately wanted Haley and Hope to experience.

Hoda left her Manhattan apartment for Bronxville, New York, in 2024. According to Realtor.com, a trust linked to the television host paid the full asking price of $2.895 million for the four-bedroom, five-bathroom Colonial.

Built in 1952 and refreshed by local builders before the family arrived, the sunny residence covers approximately 4,000 square feet. Although Bronxville is only about a 30-minute drive from Midtown Manhattan, its leafy residential streets offered Hoda and the girls an entirely different daily rhythm.

Inside, the main floor flows between a chef’s kitchen, formal dining room, living area, and a family room flooded with natural light. A vaulted ceiling, skylight, and custom built-ins make that family space especially inviting.

The first level also contains a large en suite bedroom and another room previously used as a home office. Downstairs, a finished basement provides more living space and its own bathroom.

Hoda’s primary suite is especially generous at 764 square feet, with custom cabinetry and closets. The adjoining bathroom brings a little luxury into the family home through marble floor tiles with radiant heating, dual sinks, and a towel warmer.

The outdoor space may be the loveliest part for a mother determined to give her children more room. Set on one-third of an acre, the grounds feature a broad bluestone patio for outdoor meals, colorful flowers, and plenty of space for Haley and Hope to play.

Hoda had reportedly already begun entertaining there by the time details of the purchase emerged. Even better for those busy school mornings, the house sits within walking distance of the girls’ school, as well as local restaurants, shops, and the train.

She Dreamed of Bare Feet, Bicycle Rides, and Room to Grow

Leaving the city apartment where Hoda first brought both daughters home was emotional. She adopted Haley in 2017, and Hope in 2019, so the Manhattan property held the earliest memories of the family she once feared she might never have.

Still, Hoda had been picturing something bigger than additional square footage. Speaking to People in August 2024, shortly after celebrating her 60th birthday, she described the wonderfully free childhood she hoped the suburbs would give her daughters.

“I want my kids to feel grass on their feet, and play in the yard, and ride bikes down the street, and run up and down the stairs,” she said. “I just see that life for them in this perfect house in this beautiful little town where I know they’ll be able to blossom into beautiful, independent, strong women.”

The move was not quite complete when Hoda returned from covering the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. Painting had finished, and furniture was slowly arriving, although she laughingly admitted that deciding where everything belonged was not yet a priority.

“They’re like, ‘You have two couches, where do you want them?’ And I’m like, ‘I don’t know, put them wherever, I’ll get to it later!'” she recalled.

For Hoda, the transition represented what she called a “repotting phase.” Her old life had become familiar and comforting, but she believed her family needed fresh space to become stronger.

“It’s like my roots need a bigger pot,” she explained. “You know when you take a plant out of a pot, and it’s roots are all twisted and tight? And then you put it in a bigger pot with fresh new soil and it just grows bigger and stronger? That’s the journey I’m on right now.”

She acknowledged that leaving the apartment would hurt, but trusted the change. “But in the end, it’s going to be exactly what we need.”

Later that year, Hoda announced that she would step away from “Today” after 26 years with NBC, allowing her to spend more time with Haley and Hope. The house and career decision were deeply connected, each clearing room for the part of her life she treasures most.

Joel Has Remained Beside Them for the Milestones That Matter

Hoda and Joel ended their two-year engagement in January 2022, but they remained united in raising the girls. Seeing them together for the first day of school showed how naturally that commitment continues to fit into Haley and Hope’s lives.

Hoda previously told People that she and Joel had found a healthy rhythm, dividing weekends and adjusting their plans through open conversations. “He’s a great dad,” she said.

She also made clear that she held no bitterness about the relationship ending. “I don’t regret one day, not one minute, not one second of our time together because it brought me here,” Hoda added.

The television personality also credited Joel with giving her the courage to build the family she wanted.

And the girls have long understood that their family began through adoption. During a 2021 appearance on the “Me Becoming Mom” podcast, Hoda revealed the tender words she used to explain it:

“You didn’t come from Mommy’s tummy, you came from my heart.”

She even made the subject fun for them. Hoda told People, “I tell them how cool it is. I tell them that their cousin Ella was adopted and, you know, ‘All the cool kids were adopted’ — they get such a kick out of that.”

Years later, those once-little girls are in fourth and second grade, walking taller beside both parents and beginning another school year from the home Hoda imagined for them.