Suzette Charles Criticizes Miss America 42 Years After Inheriting Crown from Vanessa Williams Due to Nude Photo Scandal

Suzette Charles was crowned Miss America 1984 about 10 months after she placed as the runner-up at the pageant, coming in just behind winner Vanessa Williams

NEED TO KNOW

• After Williams was forced to resign following a nude photo scandal, Charles inherited the crown, becoming the second Black woman to be named Miss America (also after Williams, who became the first Black winner)

• In an interview with The Guardian over 40 years later, Charles condemned the organization's response to Williams' scandal and criticized the pageant system more broadly

Suzette Charlesis looking at pageantry with a more critical eye, over 40 years after she held the coveted title of Miss America.

The singer and actress, 63, placed as the runner-up at Miss America in 1984, finishing just behindVanessa Williams, who made history as the first Black woman to wear the sash. Williams, now 63, wasforced to resign after her nude photos— which she had taken years prior and under the promise of anonymity — were sold and published inPenthousemagazine without her consent. Charles then inherited the crown, making her the second Black woman to be named Miss America.

Decades later, the former contestant looked back on her journey to the national stage in an interview withThe Guardian. It started after she won Miss New Jersey at the state level. She remembered feeling "shocked" that she lost: "I thought my performance was stellar," Charles told the outlet.

Speaking toThe Guardianfor the profile published on Friday, May 15, Charles criticized Miss America officials for their response to the scandal, knocking the pageant organization for punishing Williams "so many months later."

Charles described her crowning as "a bittersweet acceptance," and she expressed disapproval with the storied contest more broadly.

“The initial plan was to empower women, but we're in a different phase," she said in the interview. "I think it's probably time to say goodbye.”

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Williams spoke to PEOPLE about her fall from Miss America glory in 2024, about eight years after she returned to the pageant to serve as the head judge for the Miss America 2016 pageant.

“There was a tremendous amount of onus, pressure, shame, judgment,” Williams said, thinking back on the scandal that dominated the world's news cycle for weeks. “I took all that on as a 21-year-old. It was global. You can fail quietly, but that was a worldwide fail.”

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To mark her appearance on the judging panel, then-CEO of Miss America Sam Haskell issued a public apology to Williams.

“I have been a close friend to this beautiful and talented lady for 32 years,” he said. “You have lived your life in grace and dignity and never was it more evident than during the events of 1984 when you resigned.

Haskell continued, “Though none of us currently in the organization were involved then on behalf of today's organization I want to apologize to you and to your mother Ms. Helen Williams. I want to apologize for anything that was said or done that made you feel any less the Miss America you are and the Miss America you always will be.”

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May 15, 2026

Suzette Charles Criticizes Miss America 42 Years After Inheriting Crown from Vanessa Williams Due to Nude Photo Scandal

Suzette Charles was crowned Miss America 1984 about 10 months after she placed as the runner-up at the pageant, coming in just behind w...

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Court Ruling on Marquess of Bath's Son, Born Via Surrogacy, Could Have Major Implications for the Royal Family

A landmark court ruling could change the future of the British aristocracy and the royal family

NEED TO KNOW

• A High Court ruling last week determined that the Marquess of Bath's younger son can potentially inherit part of his father's fortune despite being born via surrogacy

• Previously, inheritance was determined by the historical definition of a legitimate child, which was written prior to significant advances in modern fertility technology

A landmark court ruling could change the future of the British aristocracy and, ultimately,the royal family.

Last week, a High Court ruling determined that the younger son of Ceawlin Thynn, the 8th Marquess of Bath, and his wife,Emma, Marchioness of Bath, can one day inherit part of his father's fortune, despite being born by surrogate.

Lord and Lady Bath, 51 and 40, respectively, share two sons, John, 11, and Henry, 9. During her pregnancy with John, the Marchioness developed hypophysitis — a rare inflammatory condition affecting the pituitary gland that can lead to serious hormonal complications and, in severe cases, become life-threatening. So, when the couple decided to expand their family, they welcomed their second son, Henry, via an American surrogate carrying their biological child.

However, because Henry is believed to be the first known member of the British aristocracy born via surrogate, questions were raised about his status under longstanding inheritance rules. Traditionally, succession rights were determined using an older legal definition of a “legitimate” child — language embedded in historic family trusts and laws that were last substantially updated in the 1970s, before major advances in fertility treatment and surrogacy.

In his ruling, Justice Matthews stated that it would be "unfair" to treat Henry as though he were not his father's son, according toThe Daily Mail.

"Henry is the son of Lord and Lady Bath. Not only is he treated by them and will be treated by the world in general as a child of Lord and Lady Bath's marriage, but he is also their genetic child," the justice added.

Though Henry is still young, Justice Matthews said the family took on the court case now to avoid problems with U.S. taxes and ensure the possibility that Lord Bath's son can become his beneficiary in the future.

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"A decision can then be taken at a later stage, in the light of appropriate advice, whether to exercise the power to add him," he added.

This isn't the first time Lord and Lady Bath have made aristocratic history. In 2020, Emma, previously Viscountess Weymouth, became Britain's first Black marchioness when her husband inherited the title upon the death of his father.

The daughter of a Nigerian oil tycoon and a British mother, Emma has found fame on reality television, mostly recently joining Bravo'sLadies of London: The New Reign,which premiered in March. She alsomade her Met Gala debutearlier this month, stepping out alongside celebrity pal Serena Williams.

The Baths' court ruling marks one of the first significant shifts in precedent to British succession in more than a decade. The decision is now being viewed as a potentially significant moment for Britain’s hereditary system more broadly, with legal observers noting it could eventually shape how aristocratic succession — and even royal inheritance rules — are interpreted in a modern era of assisted reproduction.

The last major decision that shifted the fates of the royal family in such a way came in 2013 when Parliament passed theSuccession to the Crown Act 2013, meaning that birth order now determines who will become the next king or queen of the U.K., regardless of sex.

Previously, the British monarchy had operated under male-preference primogeniture, meaning that female siblings fell behind their male siblings in the line of succession, regardless of birth order. It affects all royals born after Oct. 28, 2011, and alsoremoved the disqualificationplaced on those arising from marriage to a Roman Catholic.

In 2013,Princess Charlottebecame the first female member of the British royal family to hold her place in the line of succession even after her little brother,Prince Louis, was born.

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May 14, 2026

Court Ruling on Marquess of Bath's Son, Born Via Surrogacy, Could Have Major Implications for the Royal Family

A landmark court ruling could change the future of the British aristocracy and the royal family NEED TO KNOW A Hig...

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Hayden Panettiere’s ex-boyfriend reacts to her memoir, reveals domestic abuse story he asked to be cut out (but it wasn’t)

Hayden Panettiere's ex-boyfriend, Brian Hickerson, reacts to her new memoir, which details domestic abuse in their relationship.

Key Points

• Hickerson reveals the one story he asked her to cut from the book, in which he threatened to throw a phone at her.

• Hickerson also says he spoke with Panettiere "yesterday" and thinks about marrying her one day.

Hayden Panettiereis revealing all in her new memoir,This Is Me: A Reckoning, including the"brutal"chapter of her life with boyfriend Brian Hickerson.

The two dated on and off from 2018 to 2022, during which Hickerson was arrested multiple times for domestic abuse. In 2021, he was sentenced to45 days in jailand four years probation andordered to stay awayfrom the actress for five years.

Panettiere details the “traumatic” relationship in her book, which Hickerson admits is a tough read but important.

"The domestic violence stuff, I think it's like page 272, my chapter. Everybody should read it," he toldTMZin a new interview.

There is one story he wishes would not have been printed, however.

"I was drunk," he recalled to TMZ. "Hayden was standing across the room and I had a phone in my hand and I said, 'Uh, Hayden,' I said, 'I'll give you 10 seconds to run as fast as you can before I throw it at you.'"

Hickerson didn't offer up much contrition for the way he treated the actress. In fact, he defended himself to TMZ, saying, "People do this all the time, you know."

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Panettiere publicly revealing what went on in their relationship is "more important for abusers" to read, added Hickerson. "My biggest thing about domestic violence is I don't think it is taught early enough in life. Never in my life did I ever get taught what domestic violence was, right? Maybe if I did at an early age, maybe I wouldn't have done what I did. We don't know."

Hickerson reserved his criticism for Panettiere's estranged mother, Leslie, whom he calls, "by far one of the worst people I've ever met in my life... She's terrible."

Hickerson also revealed he's now in AA after being in "such a dark place" with drugs and alcohol — and the leader of his group is none other thanShia LaBeouf.

"The man saved my life," Hickerson said of the actor, who was justarrestedin February 2026 for an alleged physical altercation outside a New Orleans bar. "I am a very big Christian and so is Shia and we both love Jesus."

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As for himself and Panettiere, Hickerson claimed the two last spoke "yesterday" and that he holds out hope he'll marry her one day. "She probably don't think the same way," he admitted. "We probably wouldn't be good together."

Watch Brian Hickerson’s full interview with TMZ below.

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Hayden Panettiere’s ex-boyfriend reacts to her memoir, reveals domestic abuse story he asked to be cut out (but it wasn’t)

Hayden Panettiere's ex-boyfriend, Brian Hickerson, reacts to her new memoir, which details domestic abuse in their relationship. ...

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Demi Moore Found the Chicest Way Around the Cannes Naked Dressing Ban

"Hearst Magazines and AOL may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links."

THE RUNDOWN

• Demi Moore attended the La Vie d’une Femme screening at the Cannes Film Festival in a semi-sheer Gucci gown.

• The design toyed with the festival’s naked dressing ban, which came into effect in 2025.

• Moore is part of the festival’s jury this year.

It’s only the second day of the2026 Cannes Film Festival, but Demi Moore is making a considerable splash on the Croisette with her fashion choices. For her latest appearance, the actress winked at the festival’s controversial“naked dressing” ban—in the most elegant way possible.

Moore arrived at theLa Vie d’une Femme(or “A Woman’s Life”) screening today in a lavender number by Demna for Gucci. The gown sat off her shoulders and clung to her figure with a ruched corset bodice. The dress’s skirt not only wound around Moore’s legs with a considerable slit to match, but it also was semi-sheer in fabrication—details that pushed ever so slightly against the event’s directive.

To test the waters even further, her gown had a long, winding train that trailed behind her, another element that the festival outright banned last year. Perhaps she might consider trying anaked shoenext?

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Moore is a member of this year’s jury, which might give her some leeway to bend the rules. (Although in 2025, Halle Berry was open about having to rework her wardrobe following the festival’s last-minute decision last year.)

Regardless of the intricacies of the festival’s dress code, Moore and her stylist Brad Goreski are embracing classic movie-star glamour. At the festival’s opening ceremony, the actress looked statuesque in a gilded Jacquemus gown paired with jaw-dropping Chopard jewels.

At the jury photo call earlier in the day, she tapped into thepolka dot trendwith aplayful, multi-color dress by Jacquemus.

As a member of the Cannes jury—a body that includes the likes of Ruth Negga, Chloé Zhao, and Stellan Skarsgård this year—Moore is scheduled to be a constant at the festival’s various premieres and events over the next two weeks. Fashion-wise, surely the best is yet to come.

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May 14, 2026

Demi Moore Found the Chicest Way Around the Cannes Naked Dressing Ban

"Hearst Magazines and AOL may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links." THE RUNDOWN Demi...

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Marshawn Kneeland’s Pregnant Girlfriend Shares Glimpse Into Baby Shower 6 Months After NFL Player's Death

Catalina Mancera, the pregnant girlfriend of late Dallas Cowboys player Marshawn Kneeland, shared photos from her baby shower on Instagram

NEED TO KNOW

• The celebration featured blue-and-white decor, “Baby Kneeland” cookies and loved ones supporting Mancera during what she called a “hard season”

• Kneeland died in November 2025 at age 24

Six months after the death of Dallas Cowboys defensive endMarshawn Kneeland, his pregnant girlfriendCatalina Mancerais sharing a glimpse into a joyful milestone as she prepares to welcome their baby.

On Monday, May 11, Mancera posted photos from herbaby shower on Instagram, offering followers a look at the blue-and-white celebration held in honor of “Baby Kneeland.”

The carousel included photos of Mancera wearing a floor-length white gown while showing off her baby bump, along with images of baby blue cookies decorated with the words “Baby Kneeland,” as well as snapshots with family and friends and photos of the shower’s decor.

“Words can’t explain how thankful I am for the people God has placed in my life,” Mancera wrote in the caption. “In such a hard season, the love and support surrounding me has made everything feel a little brighter.”

“I’m so grateful for everyone who came out to celebrate me and baby, and even those who couldn’t make it but still showed love from afar,” she continued. “I also want to thank my family for throwing me such a beautiful shower in Michigan. I want to thank both of our families for all the love they’ve poured into me during this time. I’ll never forget the kindness, prayers, and support that have carried me through all of this 🤍”

Kneelanddied on Nov. 5, 2025, at age 24. The Cowboys announced his death in a statement shared with PEOPLE on Nov. 6.

“It is with extreme sadness that the Dallas Cowboys share that Marshawn Kneeland tragically passed away this morning," the team said in the statement. "Marshawn was a beloved teammate and member of our organization. Our thoughts and prayers regarding Marshawn are with his girlfriend Catalina and his family."

His agent, Jonathan Perzley, also confirmed the newsin a statementshared by NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, saying he was “shattered to confirm that my client and dearest friend Marshawn Kneeland passed away last night.”

Perzley said the second-year player died just 48 hours after a standout performance during the Cowboys’Monday Night Footballgame against the Arizona Cardinals, during which Kneeland recovered a blocked punt in the second quarter and scored a touchdown.

Later that same day,PEOPLE reportedthat Kneeland died from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound after leading Texas DPS troopers on a chase north of Dallas, according to authorities.

Just one week after Kneeland’s death, Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer confirmed that Mancera was pregnant during aNov. 12 press conference.

“We want to make sure she’s taken care of and the baby is taken care of for the rest of their lives,” Schottenheimer said during the press conference.

The organization also created theMarshawn Kneeland Memorial Fundto financially support Mancera and the couple’s unborn child.

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According to the fund’s website, “The Marshawn Kneeland Memorial Fund is dedicated to preserving Marshawn’s legacy and extending his impact through direct support for his surviving partner and unborn heir.”

Though Kneeland largely kept his personal life private, Mancera had shared photos with the late NFL player on social media dating back to at least 2022, including several posts supporting him during his second season with the Cowboys.

In aFacebook postshared on Nov. 10 following his death,Mancera posteda photo of herself and Kneeland alongside a heartfelt tribute.

“my sweet baby, words could never express how broken I feel, you’re my everything. I’ll love you forever my beautiful angel,” she wrote, adding a white heart emoji.

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On Nov. 15,Mancera shared another Facebook postthanking supporters while asking for help gathering photos of Kneeland.

“Hi everyone, I just wanted to take a moment to say thank you for all the love, prayers, and messages that have been sent my way,” she wrote. “Your support has meant more to me than I can put into words during such a painful time.”

“As I continue honoring Marshawn’s memory, I’m trying to gather as many photos and memories of him as possible,” Mancera continued. “If you have any pictures of Marshawn whether they’re recent, old, funny, or meaningful. I would truly appreciate it if you could share them with me.”

“Every photo helps me hold onto a piece of him and the beautiful impact he had on all of us,” she added.

Mancera concluded the post by once again thanking those who had supported her following Kneeland’s death.

“Thank you again for your kindness, your prayers, and for keeping my sweet baby in your hearts,” she wrote. “It brings me comfort knowing how deeply he was loved.”

If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health challenges, emotional distress, substance use problems, or just needs to talk, call or text 988, or chat at988lifeline.org24/7.

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Marshawn Kneeland’s Pregnant Girlfriend Shares Glimpse Into Baby Shower 6 Months After NFL Player's Death

Catalina Mancera, the pregnant girlfriend of late Dallas Cowboys player Marshawn Kneeland, shared photos from her baby shower on Instag...

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Marco Perego, Husband of Zoe Saldaña, Achieves Historic Feat at Cannes Film Festival

Marco Perego is the first producer to have three films premiere in Cannes' main competition in one year

NEED TO KNOW

• His films include Minotaur, Fjord, and Paper Tiger, plus Butterfly Jam in the Directors' Fortnight section

• Perego, a former soccer player and painter, debuted as a writer-director with 2023's The Absence of Eden starring Zoe Saldaña

Fans may knowMarco PeregoasZoe Saldaña's husband, but the Italian artist is making an impression as he embarks on a new career path as a film producer.

Perego, who has beenmarriedto Saldaña, 47, since 2013, is going down inCannes Film Festivalhistory as the first producer to ever have three movies premiere in the festival's main competition, perThe Hollywood Reporter. AsTHRnoted in a report on Thursday, May 14, those three movies are among the most anticipated films opening at this year's festival, includingMinotaur, from Russian filmmaker Andrey Zvyagintsev, Sebastian Stan's new movieFjordandPaper Tiger, which stars Scarlett Johansson, Miles Teller and Adam Driver.

The outlet also noted that Perego is a producer on Barry Keoghan, Riley Keough and Harry Melling's new movieButterfly Jam, which premiered separately in the Directors' Fortnight section at Cannes this year.

Perego is a former soccer player and a painter. He made his debut as a writer-director with the 2023 movieThe Absence of Eden, which starred Saldaña, 47.

The coupleshare three sons: twins Cy and Bowie, 11, and Zen, 9.

"Growing up in a small place in Italy, my father and my mother showed me films all the time. I was very curious — it can be a great voice for all these different places around the world, where you can talk about social commentary, or just tell a story about the human condition," Perego toldTHR, when asked how he achieved the Cannes producing record. "The first question I asked myself was: Where is the space to support that? We set up a company called Leaf Entertainment. I asked my partner Michael [Cerenzie], 'What do you think about starting to really produce auteurs?' I was very lucky to be part of this very strong community of all these great filmmakers."

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"There is a necessity culturally to really help and protect the voice of these great auteurs, now more than ever," he added.

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Saldaña and Perego began dating in 2013 and married that same year. Perego eventook Saldaña's last namewhen they married, and the couple consider themselvespartners in love, life and art.

Saldaña notably shouted out Perego when she won a BAFTA Award in February 2025 for her performance in the movieEmilia Pérez. "My husband, you are God's favorite and I hate it — but you are so beautiful!" she said at the time.

TheOscar-winning actressmost recently appeared on the big screen when she reprised her role in theAvatarfranchise as Neytiri in last year'sFire and Ash. Aside from Perego's work as a producer, he is working on a new movie as a director titledPetrichorthat stars Isabella Rossellini and Valeria Golino, whichDeadlinereported in February.

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Marco Perego, Husband of Zoe Saldaña, Achieves Historic Feat at Cannes Film Festival

Marco Perego is the first producer to have three films premiere in Cannes' main competition in one year NEED TO KNOW ...

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Gen Z think being 10 minutes late to work is OK. I can’t stand it

Explaining Miranda Priestly’s schedule to the new intern in the originalDevil Wears Prada, Nigel – the art director – says: “She’s always 15 minutes early… Which means you’re already late.”

A punchy line, but hardly an original thought. “If you’re on time, you’re late” is an age-old mantra used by dragon bosses since (just before) the beginning of time. But apparently Gen Znever got the memo.

According to research compiled by Meeting Canary – an online meeting company – almost half of those aged between 16 to 26 believe that being five to 10 minutes late to work is “basically” being on time.

This is unlikely to surprise anyone. After all, what is punctuality about? It’s about respect, about acknowledging that there is a hierarchy in professional life. That some people and things are actually more important than you (as mind-blowing as that is): than your recent break-up,your pronouns, your food and gender whimsies, your wildly fluctuating mental health.

It’s also about mental rigour – discipline. Another word that’s likely to furrow Gen Z brows. Maybe there isn’t always a cast-iron reason why you have to be at your desk at 9am rather than 9.17am. Maybe you can get away with arriving late and leaving early, just keep skimming and skiving on everyone else’s dime. Or maybe your boss is also Gen Z, and you happen to know that she’s taking a “duvet day” with herJellycat plushies. But what if, as a point of personal pride, you decide you’ll be there by 9am regardless?

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Pride is definitely worth trying, in my experience. Combined with discipline, it may even leave you feeling better than a couple of hours’ bed-rotting and doom-scrolling on TikTok.

Far more surprising than Gen Z lateness was how forgiving millennials were of this generational flaw. But while around 40 per cent of them said they would overlook colleagues running 10 minutes behind schedule, this dropped to just 26 per cent for Gen X and 20 per cent for baby boomers.

I’m Gen X and I consider myself to be pretty laid back in most respects, but lateness? That sends me off the dial. Because it’s my time you’re stealing, and I care about that more than anything else.

A fortnight ago, I waited patiently for a shop near Marylebone Station to open so that I could buy my parents some chocolates before boarding the train. Inside was a blonde in her early 20s, enjoying a conversation on her mobile phone.

Now, having established her age, I didn’t expect her to let me in a second earlier than the designated 9am opening time (even though if that had been me, and I could see a customer waiting outside, I might have forced myself to open the door at 8.58am). But when 9am came and went, still she didn’t open the door – still she laughed and joked on her iTeat?

It was 9.07am by the time the blonde sloth finished her call and dragged herself to the door. And at seeing the fury on my face, she looked confused. After all, in her world she was pretty much bang on time.

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May 13, 2026

Gen Z think being 10 minutes late to work is OK. I can’t stand it

Explaining Miranda Priestly’s schedule to the new intern in the originalDevil Wears Prada, Nigel – the art director – says: “She’s alwa...

Read More