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“Little Fires Everywhere”: Episodes 1-3 Recap

BY KIMBERLY JONES

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Little Fires Everywhere is based on a novel written by Celeste Ng that follows the lives of residents in the suburbs of Shaker Heights, Ohio in the 90s. Bill and Elena Richardson (Reese Witherspoon and Joshua Jackson) are longtime residents of the community and are the parents of 4 teenagers who are all on the path to self-discovery. The Richardson’s have a tight family unit and are doing their best to raise healthy, ambitious, generous and well-rounded children. Elena is having a hard time with her younger daughter Izzy (Megan Stott) who is clearly going through a rebellious stage so the two of them are in constant disagreement.

Elena is a suburban upper-class mom who is pretty uptight and wants control of her family and her image. She seems to have the Richardson kids’ lives already planned out for their successful future. Elena is a perfectionist, a quality that doesn’t really work in her favor with her kids because she’s judgmental and intimidating. The family inherited a rental property and that is when she meets single mother Mia Warren (Kerry Washington) and her intelligent teenage daughter Pearl Warren (Lexi Underwood). Mia a traveling artist and her daughter have been living in their car and responded to an ad for Elena’s rental. Upon their first meeting, Mia has her guard up with Elena and there is tension between the two. Mia is put off by Elena’s invasive and privileged tone during their first conversation.

Little Fires Everywhere — “Seeds and All” – Episode 102 – (Photo by: Erin Simkin/Hulu)

Elena seems totally unaware of how uncomfortable and unwelcome this makes Mia. Despite their
bumpy start the Warren’s move into the rental property. Pearl immediately adapts to her new environment after she meets Moody, one of Richardson’s sons (Gavin Lewis). The two teenagers are attracted to each other and start spending a lot of time together. Hanging out with the Richardsons somewhat opens Pearl’s eyes to a whole new world. Although there are racial and economic differences between their two worlds, the teenagers still develop a friendship. Pearl also learns that she and Elena have a common interest – writing and journalism. Mia doesn’t approve of Pearl’s friendly relationships with the Richardsons but doesn’t express this to her daughter immediately.

The series takes a deep dive into classism and racism. For instance, Pearl, after spending more time with the Richardsons, realizes just how underprivileged her life has been. She has had to constantly move around. Because of her mother, she has never really had a nice stable place to live, she has never met her father and her school counselor won’t consider placing her in the correct math class at her new school because of her race. Instead of taking her mother Mia’s advice on standing up to her counselor, Pearl asks Elena for help to get enrolled in the correct math class. After a quick conversation with the counselor, Elena (much thanks to her race and status) easily gets Pearl in. When Mia starts working for the Richardsons as their “house manager”, Pearl seems to be surprised, ashamed and uncomfortable that her black mom is now working for this white family that she is trying to build new relationships with. This only further magnifies the differences between the two families. After Mia becomes Elena’s house manager, the two of them get to know each other a little better. Mia, however, is still very guarded with the new family and keeps her distance.

Little Fires Everywhere (Photo by: Hulu)

At the end of the three-episode premiere, Mia remains a mystery. Even in her relationship with her daughter Pearl, she is keeping a secret. Pearl has never met her father and her mother refuses to identify him. This is extremely frustrating for Pearl and leaves audiences wondering what exactly is Mia hiding?

Mia is not the only one with secrets. Each character is hiding something and those secrets have yet to come to light. The suspense of how the stories unfold makes the audience crave more. Little Fires Everywhere is a captivating, stimulating drama with an amazing cast that keeps audiences on the edge of their seats. New episodes are available every Wednesday on Hulu.

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Ryan Coogler Confirms Denzel Washington Will Star in ‘Black Panther 3’

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Black Panther 3

Ryan Coogler, the acclaimed director of Black Panther and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, has confirmed that Hollywood legend Denzel Washington will join the cast of Black Panther 3. This announcement came during Coogler’s appearance on the 7PM in Brooklyn with Carmelo Anthony podcast, where he revealed that he has written a role specifically for the two-time Oscar winner, whom he regards as “the greatest living actor.”

Washington first hinted at his involvement in the Marvel project during a November 2024 interview on the Today show in Australia, generating excitement among fans. Coogler, who has long admired Washington, expressed his enthusiasm about their upcoming collaboration, noting their close relationship and Washington’s cultural significance. “Denzel is family at this point,” he said in the interview.

Black Panther
Ryan Coogler and Chadwick Boseman/ Black Panther

Although Marvel Studios has not officially announced Black Panther 3, the franchise’s success, having grossed over $2 billion globally from its first two films, makes a third installment a logical step. The film is still in early development, and while there is no confirmed release date, Coogler hinted that it’s “not long” away, potentially targeting a 2028 release following Avengers: Secret Wars.

Speculation about Washington’s role is abundant, with fans suggesting he could portray a new Wakandan character, a historical figure like Bashenga, or even a multiverse variant of T’Challa or T’Chaka. The emotional connection to the late Chadwick Boseman, who credited Washington’s mentorship for his career, adds significant weight to this casting choice.

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Here Is Why Halle Berry Declined Van Hunt’s Proposal After 5 Years Of Dating

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Halle Berry

Halle Berry and Van Hunt went public with their relationship in September 2020. After five years of dating, Hunt, a Grammy-winning musician, proposed to the Oscar-winning actress, but Berry has not yet accepted.

Berry’s decision to decline Hunt’s proposal, at least for now, stems primarily from her history with marriage. The actress has been married three times previously—to former MLB player David Justice (1993–1997), singer Eric Benét (2001–2005), and actor Olivier Martinez (2013–2016). She also shares a daughter, Nahla, 17, with ex-boyfriend Gabriel Aubry, and a son, Maceo, 11, with Martinez. Hunt has been married once and has a teenage son, Drake.

Halle Berry and Van Hunt
Halle Berry and Van Hunt at 2023 Oscars

During the Today interview, Berry explained, “Well, I’ve been married three times. Van has been married once, and so no, we don’t feel like we have to get married to validate our love in any way. We don’t.”

While Berry has not accepted Hunt’s proposal, she has not ruled out marriage entirely. In the same interview, she expressed that she believes Hunt is the right partner for her, stating, “I think we will get married just because, out of the people I’ve been married to, this is the person I should have married.” She added that any future marriage would be a choice made out of desire for expression, not obligation, and hinted at a potential wedding “soon.”

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Batwoman’s Javicia Leslie Gets Engaged in Napa Valley

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Batwoman

Batwoman‘s star Javicia Leslie is engaged!

The 37-year-old shared the exciting news via Instagram earlier today with a caption that reads, “An answered prayer.”

According to his bio, Leslie’s now-fiancé, Nana-Yaw Asamoah, is a New York native and a sports and entertainment executive. He currently serves as the Chief Commercial Officer of AMB Sports and Entertainment.

While the couple’s romantic relationship has not been public until now, Leslie has been open about being bisexual. In fact, she is the first Black and queer woman to play the aforementioned DC’s superhero.

During an interview on E! News’ Daily Pop, the actress shared that her role in the CW series inspired her to come out to her mom.  “For me, I never felt like I had to hide anything,” Leslie said. “That wasn’t really where I was coming from. I just hadn’t had a conversation, so I just wanted to talk to my mom about it because I was living my life. I just wanted to be able to talk to her so she didn’t have to be told through the media.”

Batwoman's Javicia Leslie
Javicia Leslie as Batwoman/ CW

According to the shared Instagram post, Asamoah proposed to Leslie in Napa Valley, at what appears to be a winery, in front of a beautiful mountain backdrop. Friends, family, and fans flooded the comment section with congratulations and best wishes to the couple. We are joining in as well!

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