Jack Alldridge Steps Into the Spotlight in Hulu’s Foster Dade — With Matt Bomer Adding Extra Heat

Hulu has officially set the internet humming by casting rising actor Jack Alldridge in the lead role of its upcoming pilot Foster Dade, an adaptation of Nash Jenkins’ moody and irresistibly queer-coded novel Foster Dade Explores the Cosmos.

It is the kind of casting announcement that immediately shifts a project from “interesting” to “add to watchlist right now,” and once fans saw the name Matt Bomer attached as well the excitement level went straight through the roof.

The story centers on Foster Dade, a lonely, anxious transfer student who arrives at an elite East Coast boarding school in 2008 and tumbles headfirst into a world of intoxicating privilege, messy relationships, and a scandal that will haunt the school for years.

In the novel that inspired the show, Foster is fragile, curious, determined to reinvent himself, and constantly orbiting questions of belonging, identity, sexuality, and the pressure to fit a shape cut out for someone else entirely.

That complicated emotional terrain makes Alldridge an especially intriguing pick because the Deadline article announcing his casting stressed how raw and layered the role will need to be.

Fans have already begun imagining what the series might look like with Alldridge navigating blog posts, playlists, heartbreak, and a slow slide into a very dark situation.

But then there is Matt Bomer, stepping into the role of Alex Tierney, the school’s brilliant, eccentric and dangerously charismatic literature teacher.

Producers have already described Tierney as “swoony,” the kind of teacher students fall half in love with simply because he treats books like religion and emotions like poetry.

They also made it clear that he becomes entangled in the school’s unfolding scandal, a detail that has sent queer audiences into speculation overdrive.

Because if there is one thing Bomer does beautifully it is morally complex men caught between desire, duty, vulnerability and the messy tangle of human attachment.

Pairing a newcomer like Alldridge with a seasoned, openly gay actor like Bomer suggests Hulu is aiming for something deeper and darker than a typical YA boarding school story.

The original novel blends mystery with a forensic look at class, masculinity, sexuality and the pressure cooker of early adulthood, and the TV version seems poised to honor that tone.

With filming underway in New York this week the grind of behind-the-scenes leaks, character teases and early fandom theories is guaranteed to begin soon.

And if the adaptation leans into the emotional sharpness and queer subtext of the source material Foster Dade could easily become one of Hulu’s most talked-about new dramas of the year.

So for now we watch, we wait, and we let our imaginations run wild about just how messy, sexy and scandalous this boarding-school mystery might become under the combined gaze of Jack Alldridge and Matt Bomer.

And honestly, with that casting, who could blame us.

📷 IG: @ jackalldridge / mattbomer

Madonna calls out Donald Trump for skipping World AIDS Day

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Madonna has never been shy about using her voice, and this week she trained it on Donald Trump after his administration chose not to publicly acknowledge World AIDS Day for the first time since the U.S. began marking it in 1988.

The pop icon posted an emotional message honoring the lives lost to HIV and the millions still affected, blasting the silence as absurd and unthinkable on a day designed to raise awareness and save lives.

Her statement landed alongside reporting that federal employees were told to refrain from publicly promoting World AIDS Day across government channels, which only amplified the sense that an important moment of remembrance was being erased.

For LGBTQ+ people and allies who grew up with Madonna as a frontline advocate during the darkest years of the crisis, the singer’s reaction felt less like celebrity outrage and more like a veteran returning to the barricades.

She reminded followers that this is not a theoretical debate but a human one, because countless families and friend groups carry names and faces that never left their hearts.

In classic Madonna fashion she refused to let anger sit by itself, turning it into a call to action and asking fans to honor the day with her and to keep pressure on leaders who are tempted to treat awareness as optional.

There is a reason World AIDS Day exists and has been observed annually since 1988, because visibility drives testing, testing drives treatment, and treatment drives down transmissions and stigma.

Even in 2025 the science is clear that people living with HIV who are on effective treatment and maintain an undetectable viral load do not transmit the virus sexually, and the path to that reality is paved with education, funding, and public attention.

When a government goes quiet on an awareness day it risks sending a message that the work is finished, which it is not, because new infections still happen and structural inequalities still shape who has access to care.

Madonna’s words also carry weight because she has backed them for decades, championing AIDS charities, memorializing friends, and normalizing compassion on the biggest stages in pop culture.

Love her or not, she knows how to shake people awake, and her timeline post did exactly that by asking what silence says to those who lost a partner at 23 or a best friend at 33.

Her critics will argue that a proclamation is symbolic, but symbols matter because they set the tone for budgets, for media coverage, and for whether schools and workplaces feel empowered to educate.

Her supporters counter that refusing to mark the day is not neutrality but a choice, and that a country that once led the global conversation should not retreat when the finish line is finally visible.

The bigger picture is that World AIDS Day is about remembering the past while protecting the present and shaping the future, and it only works when leaders, institutions, and communities pull in the same direction.

On that point Madonna is crystal clear, because remembrance without action is ceremony and action without remembrance is policy with no heart, and the day exists to marry both.

If you are looking for something practical to do, consider getting tested, learning about PrEP and U=U, supporting a local HIV service organization, or simply sharing accurate information that reduces stigma.

A single social post will not solve a public health challenge, but refusing to pretend the challenge no longer exists is the first step, and that is the line Madonna drew this week.

Whether you see her as an artist, an activist, or both, her message resonates because it asks leaders to show up, and it asks the rest of us to keep showing up too.

World AIDS Day is not a trend that comes and goes, it is a promise to remember and a promise to keep working until remembrance is no longer necessary, and that promise deserves more than silence.

Madonna’s final note to her fans was simple and pointed, because she will continue to honor the day and she hopes you will honor it with her, which is a challenge and an invitation rolled into one powerful sentence.

If you feel the same, turn that agreement into something tangible today, because the people we lost deserve it and the people living with HIV right now deserve it too.

📷 IG: @ madonna

Rob Jetten wraps up a wild month with cuddles, politics and a little bit of Gaga

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When Dutch politician Rob Jetten posted a cosy couch selfie with his boyfriend Nico and a Lady Gaga soundtrack, it felt like a deep breath at the end of a very loud month.

The 38-year-old D66 leader has spent the weeks since the Dutch election running from formation talks to late-night strategy meetings, all while being tipped as a serious contender to become the country’s first openly gay prime minister.

In his new Instagram recap, Jetten jokes that November “flew by” and then lists everything from marathon coalition days to family time and a housewarming party with a 70s theme.

Right at the top of his list is saying goodbye to the “old” D66 group in parliament, while happily noting that the full team is sticking around in the new Tweede Kamer.

He also points out something that has barely sunk in yet even for Dutch politics nerds, namely that he now leads the largest D66 faction ever to sit in parliament.

That alone would be enough to make most people collapse into a heap with a strong drink, but Jetten clearly prefers a cuddle on the sofa with Nico and their dog instead.

The “quality time after the campaign” line in his caption is a sweet shout-out to Argentine field hockey star Nicolás Keenan, whom he has been dating for several years and got engaged to in 2024.

Together they have quietly become one of Europe’s most visible queer political power couples, swapping between hockey pitches, campaign trails and visits to each other’s families in the Netherlands and Argentina.

Jetten’s list of November highlights also includes picking up the prestigious Thorbecke Prize, awarded for contributions to parliamentary democracy, which is not exactly a minor line item on anyone’s CV.

In typical Rob fashion he downplays the honour a bit, but it underlines how quickly he has moved from “rising star” to one of the central figures in Dutch and European progressive politics.

Another moment that stands out is his visit to Groningen after the recent earthquake, where he met residents and repeated that reopening the controversial gas fields is a red line for D66.

It is a reminder that behind the cute couple photos there is a politician who has built his brand on climate policy, social liberalism and a very hands-on style of listening to people on the ground.

Of course, it would not be a proper queer politician recap without at least one pop culture moment, so naturally Jetten squeezed in seeing Lady Gaga live and called the show “unbelievable.”

He even turns it into a conversation starter by asking followers which artist they would most love to see on stage, blending stan culture with civic engagement in a way only a millennial politician really can.

The rest of the post is pure life update material, from dropping in on his nephews after months of hectic work to celebrating his sister’s 70s-themed housewarming party.

For queer followers, there is something quietly powerful about seeing a leading national politician talk this openly about his boyfriend, his nieces and nephews and his own need for rest and joy.

Not that long ago, an openly gay party leader aiming for the top job would have been forced to keep his private life out of the spotlight or wrap it in carefully coded language.

Today Jetten can share a selfie where his partner is half asleep on his chest, caption it with political bullet points and Gaga lyrics, and watch thousands of likes roll in.

It is a small but meaningful snapshot of how far LGBTQ+ visibility in European politics has come, even while queer rights are under pressure in other parts of the world.

As the coalition talks grind on and the possibility of an openly gay Dutch prime minister inches from “headline” to “maybe,” that soft November photo might end up looking like the calm before a very historic storm.

For now though, it is simply Rob and Nico on the sofa, recharging for whatever comes next, reminding us that even the busiest political months should make room for love, family and a little bit of Gaga drama.

📷 IG: @ jettenrob

Swiss tennis cutie Mika Brunold proudly comes out as gay

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Switzerland just served up a brand new queer sports hero, and his name is Mika Brunold.

The 21 year old tennis pro has come out as gay in an emotional Instagram post that is quickly bouncing around queer sports fans’ feeds.

Brunold, who has already cracked the ATP top 300 and reached a career high ranking just inside the 290s this summer, used his coming out message to talk about authenticity on and off the court.

He wrote that years of training have taught him success is not just about forehands and fitness, but also about “discovering your personality and staying true to yourself,” which is exactly what this moment is all about.

Mika admits he has been thinking for a long time about how to share this part of himself, saying that hiding and pretending to be someone else was never truly an option for him.

That is why he finally told his followers, teammates and the tennis world “I’m gay,” turning what could have been a whisper into a very proud shout from center court.

In the post he explains that being gay is not only about loving the same gender, but also about dealing with fears most straight people never have to think about, like rejection, silence and feeling different.

He talks about the fear of not being accepted, the pressure to stay quiet and the weight of being the odd one out, before adding the line that hits hardest, “But I’ve grown, and I’m proud of who I am today.”

Mika’s coming out also arrives after a tough sporting moment, as he recently called his failed attempt to qualify for the Swiss Indoors “a bitter defeat,” narrowly missing the biggest win of his career.

Earlier this year he even shared screenshots of homophobic messages he received after a tight Challenger Tour loss, giving fans a rare look at the kind of abuse queer athletes are still dealing with online.

That context makes his decision to come out now feel even braver, because he is choosing visibility and vulnerability in a sport that still has very few openly gay male players.

He is only the second active male tennis pro to come out in the last year, following Brazilian player Joao Lucas Reis da Silva, which tells you just how lonely the men’s locker room can still be for queer guys.

Thankfully Mika is far from alone, and the comments section under his announcement is a rainbow wall of hearts, encouragement and fire emojis, including love from other out athletes and fans around the world.

On his Instagram Stories he admitted he is “overwhelmed” by all the sweet messages and is doing his best to reply to everyone, which is honestly the cutest kind of post match interview energy.

Brunold’s goal on court is to push his ranking into the top 200, but off court he has already smashed a much bigger milestone by showing young queer tennis fans that their dreams and their identity can exist in the same spotlight.

In his own words, he hopes that one day nobody will even need to “come out” at all, yet until that day arrives, voices like his are exactly what keeps the game moving toward a fairer, gayer future.

For now we will happily be courtside watching Mika chase those ranking points, rocking that amazing curly hair and living his truth with every swing of the racket.

📷 IG: @ mika_brunold

British Instagram Favorites Christopher Marshall And Jacob Maynard Are Engaged

Love is officially in the air for British sweethearts Christopher Marshall and Jacob Maynard who just announced their engagement after more than five years of quietly building one of the most charming and wholesome love stories on Instagram.

The couple shared the news from New York with a sweet caption saying they had finally “taken the hint” from everyone telling them to make it official which immediately sent their followers into a happy little frenzy.

For anyone who has followed these two over the years the engagement feels less like a surprise and more like the natural next step in a romance that has unfolded like the world’s softest slow-burn rom-com.

Marshall and Maynard first met in 2019 while working on a show together and although they were not sure whether it was the right time to start dating the chemistry between them clearly had a different opinion.

The pair ended up taking a trip to Southeast Asia not long after and that adventure turned into the kind of bonding experience that transforms a “maybe” into a “this is absolutely something.”

One month traveling together turned into two months which turned into three as they wandered beaches jungles and cities together discovering both new places and new feelings.

By the time they returned home they were already becoming inseparable and their Instagram feed slowly evolved into a beautifully curated scrapbook of their life together.

From shirtless beach days and poolside grins to Christmas trips in matching winter coats the couple has documented a relationship defined by warmth humor and more than a little undeniable chemistry.

Over the years they introduced each other to their families spent holidays together and supported one another’s creative careers including Maynard’s stage work and Marshall’s growing presence in lifestyle and fashion content.

Their engagement announcement was quickly met with a flood of love from followers including big-name LGBTQ+ creators like Jack Kinsey Toby’s Home and even Don Lemon who all dropped in with heartfelt congratulations.

The proposal itself was classic Chris-and-Jacob energy: tender playful and completely authentic to the way these two seem to navigate the world together.

They may not be traditional celebrities but they have become a beloved couple within the online LGBTQ+ community proving that representation comes not only from Hollywood but also from everyday lives shared generously and joyfully with the world.

Their engagement marks a beautiful new chapter and if their past five years are anything to go by their future together is looking bright loving and full of adventure.

So here’s to the newly engaged kings of soft romance and effortless style and to whatever gorgeous chapter comes next.

📷 IG: @ chrisandjacob