A guide to every “Yellowstone” spinoff, including “Marshals” starring Luke Grimes

Taylor Sheridan's sweepingYellowstoneuniverse is still king of the hill, ruling cable and streaming like it's just another day on the ranch. Fans can't seem to quit the Dutton family, happily tagging along through every generation of backstabbing and horseback riding in the rugged Western saga.

If you thought the final six episodes of season 5 would be the end all ofYellowstone, think again. Even without Kevin Costner's John Dutton III in the mix, Sheridan is keeping the story alive with a stampede of prequels and spinoffs.

The Duttons story stretches across decades, from the late 19th century to present day. And with so many new shows popping up (some not even about the family) it's easy to lose track.

From star-studded prequels like1923to the action-packed spinoffMarshals, here's your guide to the ever-expandingYellowstonefranchise.

1883(2021–2022)

This prequel set in 1883 dives into the origins of how the Dutton family wound up in Montana. The miniseries focuses on former American Civil War Confederate captain James Dutton (Tim McGraw)and his family: wife Margaret (Faith Hill), their daughter Elsa (Isabel May), and their young son John (Audie Rick).

The family travels from Tennessee to Texas for a shot at prosperity during the westward expansion movement in America. James meets rough-and-ready cowboy Shea Brennan (Sam Elliott) upon arrival in Fort Worth and joins his wagon train heading West. The 10-episode series chronicles the perilous journey the Duttons face through the Old West and the Great Plains to find a new place to call home.

Where to watch1883: Paramount+

1923(2022–2025)

Jumping ahead a few decades, a new generation of Duttons rise in James' older brother Jacob Dutton (Harrison Ford) and his Irish-immigrant wife, Cara (Helen Mirren). A drought, the Great Depression, and Prohibition of the 1920s are just a few of the challenges the Duttons tackle to safeguard Yellowstone Ranch, as the grizzled Jacob fights to uphold the sanctity of their family as patriarch.

1923rode off into the sunset with its second and final season in 2025. Reflecting on the finale, Brandon Sklenar, who played Jacob and Cara's nephew Spencer Dutton, toldEntertainment Weeklyhe was "anticipating something epic and brutally tragic, and it did not disappoint."

Where to watch1923: Paramount+

Marshals(2026)

In May 2025, CBS officially ordered aYellowstonespinoff starringLuke Grimesas Kayce Dutton. Set a year after the finale of the flagship show, the series follows Kayce as he joins the U.S. Marshals. According to the synopsis, he use his cowboy skills and Navy SEAL training to help "bring range justice to Montana, where he and his teammates must balance family, duty and the high psychological cost that comes with serving as the last line of defense in the region's war on violence."

"I realized we're not just trying to juice a stone and get a paycheck, there really is a story to tell," Grimes said inEW's February 2026 cover story. "This guy used to be a SEAL, and we never explored that."

SeveralYellowstonevets join Kayce, with Gil Birmingham, Mo Brings Plenty, and Brecken Merrill all returning for the spinoff. There are also several newcormers, played by Ash Santos (Mayor of Kingstown), Arielle Kebbel (The Vampire Diaries), Tatanka Means (Killers of the Flower Moon), and Logan Marshall-Green (Upgrade).

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Where to watchMarshals: CBS andParamount+

The Dutton Ranch(TBD)

Kayce isnt the only Dutton child getting their own spinoff, asKelly Reillyis set to reprise her role as Beth Dutton onThe Dutton Ranch.

LikeMarshals, this new spinoff picks up right after theYellowstoneseries finale, with Beth and her husband Rip (Cole Hauser) finally savoring "the peace they sought, fought, and nearly died for with their 7,000-acre Dutton Ranch."

"With tough times and stiff competition, Beth and Rip do what they must to survive, all while ensuring Carter becomes the man he's supposed to be," the synopsis reads.

Alongside Reilly, Hauser, and Finn Little as Carter, the cast ofThe Dutton Ranchalso includes Oscar nomineesAnnette BeningandEd Harris.

The Dutton Ranchis expected to premiere on Paramount+.

1944(TBD)

In Nov. 2023, Paramount Network announced the development ofa newYellowstonespinoff,1944. Although the plot of the series has not been revealed, you can expect it to follow the lives of the Dutton family during World War II, in a year that would see D-Day as the U.S. and the Western Allies invade northern France. Who's running the ranch? What challenges do they face in wartime America? The setting is ripe for drama.

1944is expected to premiere on Paramount+.

6666(TBD)

Another upcoming spinoff,6666will take us out of the Montana ranch and ontoFour Sixes ranchin West Texas in a non-Dutton-focused tale set during the time when the Comanches still ruled the territory. At the Four Sixes ranch, some of the world's finest horses, livestock, and — of course — cowboys are made.

While no further details have been revealed about the series, it will surely be refreshing to see a new western landscape and an ensemble of Texas homeowners take on the world. AfterYellowstonecowboy-wannabe Jimmy (Jefferson White) moved down there in season 4, there is speculation that he could be part of the series.

6666is expected to premiere on Paramount Network.

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byAsher Jeferson

in

February 28, 2026

A guide to every “Yellowstone” spinoff, including “Marshals” starring Luke Grimes

Taylor Sheridan's sweepingYellowstoneuniverse is still king of the hill, ruling cable and streaming like it's ju...

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Lil Jon's son's cause of death confirmed after body pulled from pond

The cause of death forLil Jon's son, Nathan Smith, has been revealed after the 27-year-old's body was recovered from a pond near his home in Georgia on Feb. 6.

The Fulton County Medical Examiner's confirmed that Smith's cause of death was "drowning in the setting of psilocybin use,"PeopleandE! Newsreported, citing an autopsy report.

The autopsy also stated that Smith's blood had tested positive for "a pharmacologically active hallucinogenic compound of psilocybin — hallucinogenic mushrooms," according to E! News and People.

USA TODAY has reached out to the Fulton County Medical Examiner.

Smith, who went by the stage name DJ Young Slade, was found dead after running out of his home without his phone on Feb. 3 around 6 a.m, according toa missing persons report. The Milton Police Department in Milton, Georgia, said at the time that he "may be disoriented and in need of assistance."

After police confirmed his death on Feb. 6,Lil Jon shared a statementsaying he and Smith's mother, Nicole Smith, were "extremely heartbroken" and "devastated."

"Nathan was the kindest human being you would ever meet. He was immensely caring, thoughtful, polite, passionate, and warmhearted."

"He loved his family and the friends in his life to the fullest. He was an amazingly talented young man; a music producer, an artist and engineer, and graduate of NYU," the statement continued. "We loved Nathan with all of our hearts and are incredibly proud of him. He was loved and appreciated, and in our last times together we're comforted in knowing that we expressed that very sentiment to him."

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Lil Jon and Nicole Smith married in 2004 and later separated in 2022. The rapper is also a father to daughter Nahara, whom he shares with girlfriend Jamila Sozahdah.

DJ Young Slade attends the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards at UBS Arena on Sept. 11, 2024, in Elmont, New York.

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Lil Jon's son found dead at 27. Revisit his career as DJ Young Slade.

DJ Young Slade attends the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards at UBS Arena on Sept. 11, 2024, in Elmont, New York.

Who was DJ Young Slade?

Nathan Smith was a DJ and musician, just like his father, Lil Jon.

"Lade released this when he graduated from college. He was so happy to express his art n do it himself. I was so proud of him for doing it all on his own," Lil Jon wrote on Instagram promotinga song called "Move Thru Fire."

Under the stage name DJ Young Slade, Smith aimed to follow in his father's footsteps while also paving his own lane. In March 2025, he dropped anew single titled "Feels"that premiered on MTV.

"It's dope to appreciate my dad, show respect, and just look at all the things he's done, and it's nice to get the torch passed down and do my own thing," Smith toldThe Quintessential Gentlemanfollowing the release of the track in March. "Because it's like it comes from him, but also I'm definitely taking it and making it my own."

Lil Jon previously said his son started DJing at age 11 and graduated from the Scratch DJ Academy in Los Angeles at age 12, according toPeople. As a teenager, he DJed at various LA clubs before making his own music.

"It's literally in your kid's genes to do what you do," he said, per People. "It is in their genes. It is in their DNA. We pass everything we get and we learn down to our children. So he was destined to be in the music business and do music."

Contributing: Anika Reed and Anna Kaufman

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Lil Jon's son Nathan Smith's cause of death confirmed

byAsher Jeferson

in

February 28, 2026

Lil Jon's son's cause of death confirmed after body pulled from pond

The cause of death forLil Jon's son, Nathan Smith, has been revealed after the 27-year-old's body was recovered ...

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Phil Collins Could Make History If Selected For Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 2026 Class

Phil Collinshas been announced as one of the nominees for this year's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame class, and if selected, his induction could go down in history.

The 75-year-old drummer and singer was named among a list of 17 total artists who are up for induction at the2026 Rock and Roll Hall of Fameceremony, but it wouldn't be Collins' first time getting inducted.

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Collins was previously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2010 as part of the British rock band Genesis. This time, Collins is nominated as a solo artist, and if selected, he would become the fourth drummer to ever be inducted twice.

He would join the ranks ofMatt Cameron, who was inducted withPearl Jamin 2017 and Soundgarden in 2025, as well asRingo Starr, inducted as a member of The Beatles in 1988 and for Musical Excellence as a solo artist in 2015, plusDave Grohl, who first received the honor as the drummer for Nirvana in 2014 and later with Foo Fighters in 2021.

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In addition to Collins, this year's list of nominees is full of several other impressive acts, including The Black Crowes,Jeff Buckley,Mariah Carey,Melissa Etheridge,Lauryn Hill,Billy Idol, INXS, Iron Maiden, Joy Division/New Order, New Edition, Oasis,P!nk, Sade,Shakira,Luther VandrossandWu-Tang Clan.

Many of Collins' fans insist that it's about time he was nominated for his solo career, with several usersonlineinsisting that he should have been inducted for the second time years ago.

How likely is Phil Collins to be selected for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2026?Here's what early odds predict.

In addition to over 1,200 industry experts who vote for the final Hall of Fame inductees, fans can alsocast daily votesthat are collected to form a single fan ballot with tallies for the top 5 most voted-for artists.

The final inductees for 2026 are expected to be announced in April.

Related: Kelly Clarkson Covers 'One of the Best' Phil Collins Songs in 'Brilliant' Kellyoke Performance

This story was originally published byParadeon Feb 27, 2026, where it first appeared in theNewssection. Add Parade as aPreferred Source by clicking here.

byAsher Jeferson

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February 28, 2026

Phil Collins Could Make History If Selected For Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 2026 Class

Phil Collinshas been announced as one of the nominees for this year's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame class, and if selec...

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This week's “RuPaul's Drag Race” special guest died 1 month before episode aired

Though the annualRuPaul's Drag RaceRusical challenge typically leads to gleeful fans each season, this year's installment was tinged with sadness, as it featured a special guest (and Emmy-nominated member of theDrag Racefamily) who died one month before Friday's episode aired.

This week's season 18 edition (which was filmed in 2025) featured the queens preparing to star inFannie, a Rusical spoof of the classicAnniestage production. Mid-way through the episode, the queens took to the Main Stage to record vocals for the project, where they joined songwriter Leland andlate producer Gabe Lopezto make music together.

Lopez died in January 2026, with his mother, Connie Howard, announcing on social media that her son died days earlier.

Howard called Lopez "loving, kind, talented," in her tribute, and added that he died following a "brief but intense battle with lymphoma."

TheMayo Clinicdescribes lymphoma as a form of cancer that primarily impacts the lymphatic system, and can damage "part of the body's germ-fighting immune system" in the process.

In astatement shared to social mediaat the time,Drag Raceproduction company World of Wonder honored Lopez.

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"We are heartbroken to learn of the passing of Gabe Lopez. Gabe was a unique combination of musical brilliance, kindness and sharp wit. His impact — throughRuPaul's Drag Race& beyond — is immeasurable," the statement read. "We mourn a great talent and a greater friend. His melodies play on in all of us."

RuPaul's Drag Racefranchise stars also paid tribute to Lopez earlier this year, after the artist received an Emmy nod for his behind-the-scenes work mixing sound for the show's"Wigloose: The Rusical!" 2023 musical episodebased on the Kevin Bacon movieFootloose.

"Devastating to hear, sending so much love- he was a true gem," wroteDrag Race UK vs. the Worldseason 1 winner Blu Hydrangea, while season 2,All Stars 1, andAll Stars 6contestantPandora Boxxcommented with a tear-filled emoji and a heartbreak emoji under Howard's announcement.

Oscar-nominated songwriterDiane Warrenalso expressed sadness over Lopez's loss, writing, "Oh no this is horrible and heartbreaking shocking news. Sending love to You."

In addition to his work withDrag Race —including theDrag Racespin-off competition seriesQueen of the Universeand TV filmThe Bitch Who Stole Christmas— Lopez launched projects with pop star Belinda Carlisle, and further contributed behind-the-scenes toMonster High: The Movie,The Other Two,and theLas Culturistas Culture Awardsbroadcast.

Read the original article onEntertainment Weekly

byAsher Jeferson

in

February 28, 2026

This week's “RuPaul's Drag Race” special guest died 1 month before episode aired

Though the annualRuPaul's Drag RaceRusical challenge typically leads to gleeful fans each season, this year's in...

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“Bridgerton” Star Yerin Ha Opens Up About Representing the Asian Community in Netflix Hit: 'We Deserve These Spaces' (Exclusive)

Bridgerton star Yerin Ha opens up about representing the Asian community as Sophie in the fourth season of the Netflix drama

NEED TO KNOW

• "We deserve these roles and spaces," Ha told PEOPLE at the Lunar New Year Gold Celebration on Wednesday, Feb. 12

• Bridgerton season 4 is available to stream on Netflix

Bridgerton'sYerin Hais speaking out about the importance of Asian representation.

Ha, 28, shared what it means to her to represent the Asian community in Netflix's beloved drama while speaking exclusively to PEOPLE at the Lunar New Year Gold Celebration hosted by Gold House in New York City on Wednesday, Feb. 12. TheBridgertonstar plays Sophie Baek, a maid who attends a masquerade ball and catches the eye of Benedict Bridgerton, in theseries fourth season.

"It's been really, really amazing and beautiful," Ha shares of being a part of the series' latest season. "I've been really caught up with a press tour, it has been really positive."

"I just feel so proud that I get to be the face of that and keep advocating for change and knowing that we deserve these roles and spaces," she adds.

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE's free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

The fourth season ofBridgertonsees Sophie navigate class disparities and identity as her character falls in love with the wealthy Benedict, played byLuke Thompson. After meeting Sophie at the masquerade ball as the Lady in Silver, Benedict sets out on a quest to find the mystery woman.

For the Australian actress, working on the show has been filled with fun memories. "We just have fun every day," Ha says. "It was always a laugh on set, and everyone's a good time and a good chat."

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In an October 2024 interview withShondaland, Ha revealed the moment she discovered she landed the lead role in season 4. While she was having breakfast with her mom at a cafe in Korea, she received a phone call.

"She came out crying, and then after the phone call, she was like, 'We gotta go home. I think I have indigestion,' and so we left," Ha said. "It was really beautiful to kind of, I guess share that moment with her."

However, when Ha readAn Offer from a Gentleman, the book inJulia Quinn's series that follows Benedict's love story, the nerves set in. In her JanuaryInStylecover story, the actress revealed that the intimacy scenes between Benedict and Sophie made her nervous.

"Being a woman in this industry, it's a massive thing. People think that they have the right to talk about your body, how you look, and your external appearance," Ha said. "I've dealt with body image and that shame for a very, very long time — and I'm still working through it."

She continued, "But what's been really nice about Sophie is she's taught me a lot about self-love and self-acceptance. I'm still working on accepting myself for my entirety and being happy with who I am. In a world where we strive for perfection, what does that look like?"

Bridgertonseason 4 is available to stream on Netflix.

Read the original article onPeople

byAsher Jeferson

in

February 28, 2026

“Bridgerton” Star Yerin Ha Opens Up About Representing the Asian Community in Netflix Hit: 'We Deserve These Spaces' (Exclusive)

Bridgerton star Yerin Ha opens up about representing the Asian community as Sophie in the fourth season of the Netflix ...

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Did Carolyn Bessette Really Resist JFK Jr.'s Proposal? The True Story Behind Their Engagement

Episode 5 of Love Story: JFK Jr. and Carolyn Bessette includes the political heir's proposal to the Calvin Klein associate

NEED TO KNOW

• The on-screen proposal had both similarities and differences to their real-life engagement

• In real life, JFK Jr. popped the question in 1995 on Martha's Vineyard

John F. Kennedy Jr.'s proposal toCarolyn Bessettewas anything but ordinary.

The political heir and theCalvin Kleinassociate's engagement played out on-screen inepisode 5ofLove Story: JFK Jr. and Carolyn Bessette, titled "Battery Park." In the limited series, JFK Jr. popped the question following a weekend at the Kennedy Compound in Hyannis Port, Mass. But, Bessette said no, telling him they still have to talk about how their lives will "fit together."

Bessette's hesitation led to the couple getting into an infamous public fight in a New York City park on-screen — whichdid happen in real life, but not because of the engagement. As history shows, she eventually said yes to JFK Jr.'s proposal and the pairtied the knoton Sept. 21, 1996.

Here's everything to know about JFK Jr.'s real-life proposal to Carolyn Bessette.

JFK Jr. proposed on Martha's Vineyard in 1995

JFK Jr.proposed to Bessette on Martha's Vineyardafter the Fourth of July weekend in 1995.

As JFK Jr.'s former assistant RoseMarie Terenzio wrote in her 2024 bookJFK Jr.: An Intimate Oral Biography— co-written by PEOPLE editor-at-large Liz McNeil — he popped the question while taking Bessette out on a boat.

Terenzio recalled Bessette telling her, "He said, 'When you go fishing, it's always better with a partner. Will you be my partner?' "

He gave Bessette two rings — but it wasn't his mother's toi et moi

In the series, JFK Jr. proposes to Bessette with his late motherJackie Kennedy'sring. But in real life,Bessette's engagement ringwas insteadinspiredby Jackie's "swimming ring."

According to McNeil and Terenzio's book, JFK Jr. gave Bessette two rings, including his mother's "swimming ring," which Jackie wore when she didn't wear her real wedding sparkler.

JFK Jr. had asked the late diamond magnateMaurice Tempelsmanto create a version of the emerald-and-sapphire "swimming ring." Bessette's ring was in the same style, but with diamonds and sapphires around a band, per the book.

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Bessette resisted the proposal for about three weeks

As seen in the show, Bessette did resist JFK Jr.'s proposal in real life. According to Elizabeth Beller's 2024 bookOnce Upon a Time: The Captivating Life of Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy, Bessette responded to his question by saying, "I'll think about it."

In June 2017, a close friend of JFK Jr.'s told PEOPLE that Bessette held the proposal off for "about three weeks," which made him "all the more intent on marrying her." But, she did eventually say yes.

The couple kept their engagement secret and JFK Jr. denied it when it began spreading in the media

After JFK Jr. and Bessette got engaged, the couple kept it a secret, as their relationship wasn't officially on the media's radar yet, per McNeil and Terenzio's book. Terenzio wrote that the Calvin Klein associate was trying to avoid being "under a microscope" once the news got out.

However, theNew York Postpublished an enlarged photo of Bessette's hand with the engagement ring ahead of Labor Day weekend. As the speculation began spreading in the press, JFK Jr. initially thought it was best to ignore it.

However, with theGeorgemagazine press conference happening the following weekend, he and his business partner were concerned that the conversations around the potential engagement would overshadow their launch of the publication. So, they decided to issue a denial statement which Terenzio read at the press conference.

"Once again, John Kennedy seems to be bearing the brunt of a slow news day," she said, per her and McNeil's book. "The stories circulating regarding an engagement are untrue. He is not engaged."

JFK Jr.'s friendSasha Chermayeffwrote in McNeil and Terenzio's book that the public denial was the first sign for Bessette that "this is what life with him is going to be about."

"It's going to be about whatever looks good for him and his world, and I just have whatever role I'm given," Chermayeff added.

Although Bessette was hurt by JFK Jr.'s public denial of the engagement, the couple moved forward and got married in September 1996 in a private ceremony in Georgia.

For more on the lives of John F. Kennedy Jr and Carolyn Bessette Kennedy, pick up PEOPLE's special edition, available now on newsstands andhere.

Read the original article onPeople

byAsher Jeferson

in

February 28, 2026

Did Carolyn Bessette Really Resist JFK Jr.'s Proposal? The True Story Behind Their Engagement

Episode 5 of Love Story: JFK Jr. and Carolyn Bessette includes the political heir's proposal to the Calvin Klein ass...

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Vatican removes salty white film coating Michelangelo's 'The Last Judgment'

VATICAN CITY (AP) —Michelangelo's "The Last Judgement"is getting a facial, with restorers removing a chalky white film of salt that has accumulated over the Renaissance masterpiece since its last major renovation three decades ago.

Vatican The Last Judgement

The Vatican on Saturday gave the media a sneak peak to the cleaning operation, which is taking place on a floor-to-ceiling scaffolding that has obscured the imposing fresco of heaven and hell that dominates the front of the chapel.

The cleaning operation is expected to be completed by Easter, in the first week of April. The public can continue to visit in the meantime, but will have to settle for a reproduction of "The Last Judgment" superimposed on a screen that covers the scaffolding.

Vatican Museum officials on Saturday described a simple but important cleaning operation to remove the white film of salt that has accumulated on the fresco thanks to the nearly 25,000 people who pass through the Vatican Museums each day.

"This salt is created because, above all, when we sweat, we emit lactic acid, and unfortunately lactic acid reacts with the calcium carbonate present on the wall," said Fabio Moresi, in charge of the scientific research team at the Vatican Museums that is overseeing the cleaning.

Climate change also has a role to play, since the visitors who do come tend to sweat more, creating even more humidity that reacts with the fresco, he said.

Vatican Museums chief Barbara Jatta described the film as a "cataract" that is easy enough to remove: Restorers dip sheets of Japanese rice paper into distilled water and apply them to the fresco, and carefully wipe away the salt film.

Viewed up close on Saturday on the scaffolding, the difference between before and after is remarkable: Sections of the fresco that haven't been cleaned look as if they are coated in a chalky dust; the cleaned sections show the vibrant colors and detail of the original. On the figure of Jesus, for example, at the center of the fresco, a privileged visitor can see how Michelangelo painted his hair and the wounds of his crucifixion.

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The Sistine Chapelis named after Pope Sixtus IV, an art patron who oversaw the construction of the main papal chapel in the 15th century.

But it was a later pontiff, Pope Julius II, who commissioned Michelangelo to paint the famous ceiling, the "Creation of Adam" showing God's outstretched hand, between 1508 and 1512. A later pontiff, Pope Clement VII, commissioned Michelangelo in 1533 to return to paint "The Last Judgment."

The other frescos of the Sistine Chapel, where Pope Leo XIV was elected in May, undergo yearly cleaning with restorers working at night on cherry-pickers that can be removed each morning before the public arrives.

But such machines can't access all of "The Last Judgement," since the fresco is located behind the altar, which is itself raised up marble steps. That logistical impediment required the mounting of a fixed scaffolding to access the full fresco to clean it.

The Sistine Chapel underwent a complete restoration between 1979 and 1999, when centuries of smoke, grime and wax buildup was removed. The Vatican has left small patches of the pre-restored fresco intact to show the difference, which are now visible on the upper floors of the scaffolding and show a nearly blackened wall.

Rather than radically reduce the number of visitors who can access the Sistine Chapel, the Vatican is studying ways to address humidity levels, through filtration systems and other technologies, so that the salty film doesn't form again.

Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP'scollaborationwith The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

byAsher Jeferson

in

February 28, 2026

Vatican removes salty white film coating Michelangelo's 'The Last Judgment'

VATICAN CITY (AP) —Michelangelo's "The Last Judgement"is getting a facial, with restorers removing a chalk...

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Robert Picardo 'Thought It Was a Mistake' When He Was Asked to Return to “Star Trek” Universe“ ”25 Years Later (Exclusive)

Robert Picardo reprises his Star Trek: Voyager role as The Doctor in the new live-action Starfleet Academy series

NEED TO KNOW

• The new series is set 1,000 years after the actor was last part of the franchise

• Picardo tells PEOPLE that returning to the Star Trek universe was "very unexpected"

Robert Picardo admits that, 25 years after he last played the holographic Doctor onStar Trek: Voyager, he was stunned when he got the call to return to the beloved sci-fi franchise for the new series,Star Trek: Starfleet Academy.

"I would say [it was] very unexpected — I thought it was a mistake!" Picardo tells PEOPLE exclusively.

The 72-year-old reveals that after he reprised his role as The Doctor — in voice only — for a 2024 episode of the animated, kid-skewing seriesStar Trek: Prodigy, his animation agent got word that a different set of producers in the franchise wanted to meet with him. Picardo assumed it was for another voice role or cameo until he learned more about the gig in a follow-up call.

"They called back and said, 'No, it's live-action,'" he recalls. "And then I wasreallyconfused! And then my agent, my theatrical agent, [said], 'Yeah, they want to talk to you about being in the newStar Trekseries.' "

"Those first three or four weeks waiting for that meeting were really the strangest, that part of knowing they're interested but not knowing what it was," he says. "And then they laid out the idea they had for the character and how he would fit in and what he would be doing in the future: teaching cadets at a newly reopened Starfleet Academy."

Picardo had originally played the fan-favorite character — an increasingly self-aware, independent and somewhat egotistical Emergency Medical Hologram who provided a fresh lens on both humanity and technology while snarkily treating the crew of the starshipVoyager— for seven seasons between 1995 and 2001. However, with the new role, he wouldn't just be picking up The Doctor a quarter-century later; he was also thrown an unexpected acting challenge as the 2026 series was set nearly 1,000 years in the future.

"It's mind-blowing," he confesses. "I said to them, 'Wait a minute, you mean I have 800 years of digital memory — perfect clarity — so that an event that happened 792 years and 112 days and this many hours and minutes, that moment was not only recorded in here, but it was as clear as something that happened yesterday?' [They said], 'Yep, that's what it means.' I said, 'Alright, I'll start trying to wrap my mind around that now!' "

What struck him most about taking a quantum leap forward in time was how it would affect The Doctor's worldview. "Working side by side with 32 generations of organic colleagues growing old and dying around you, how does that influence your desire to form personal relationships?" he questions.

"I thought that on the surface, he would seem the same, at the same pace, the same attitude, the same snarkiness when he didn't feel he was being respected, the same 'I like feeling that I'm the smartest intelligence in the room,' all of those things," Picardo tells PEOPLE. "But that, when push came to shove, he wasn't very interested in going deeper with any individual. I wasn't excited to be your pal, you know what I mean? Because what's the end game for me?"

"So there was this kind of push-pull between being like The Doctor once he had grown more human-like, but with the sort of careful delineation of how far he wanted to go beyond cordiality in his relationships," he adds.

That emotional distance has been challenged on the new Paramount+ series by young SAM (Kerrice Brooks), another photonic being enrolled in Starfleet Academy, who longs for mentorship from The Doctor, who finally lowers his defenses.

"The Doctor, I think, likes feeling unique, but also a protege who is giving him more attention and interest that he clearly wants to return," Picardo explains. "He's both intrigued and annoyed by her."

AsStarfleet Academyhas been streaming new episodes each week, Picardo has been enjoying watching the always-passionate fanbase debate the various merits of the show — a phenomenon he's been long accustomed to.

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"It takes every newStar Trekshow two years or so to kind of hit its stride," he says. "And until then, people complain about what kind of female Captain Janeway should be. 'Do we really need a female captain in the mid-90s?' I mean, we were 25 years ahead ofDoctor Who,having the first female doctor! 25 years! And of course, Kate [Mulgrew] really won over all of the initial critics to the idea of taking this traditionally male role. And since then, of course, we've had Captain Michael Burnham, we've had Michelle Yeoh's character, [Captain Georgiou] and now Holly Hunter."

"I've been really lucky to be in shows that are led by women —China Beach,even before that, the Vietnam drama I was in where the point of view character was an Army nurse played by Dana Delaney," he adds. "So I feel like I've had this special luck to be on shows where women, female characters, really carried the show or were the dynamos behind the show."

Playing the holographic character has also given Picardo a unique perspective on a current, much-buzzed-about topic: AI.

"Obviously, we were ahead of the game onStar Trekwhen we did all of those episodes about core fears of artificial intelligence, when The Doctor's program was hijacked by another entity and his core programming of serving and being a healer was taken over so that he could now be threatening and even lethal," he says. "All of those things that have been very much in the public imagination the last three years, we were dealing with 30 years ago."

Picardo recalls once receiving a call from someone getting a PhD at Harvard, specializing in researching medical applications for AI, wanting to interview him for a book. "I said, 'You know, I'm only an actor,'" he recalls.

But the physician explained that, as a young viewer ofVoyager, he was captivated by the concept of an Emergency Medical Hologram programmed with the entirety of medical knowledge.

"But then he said, 'Watching your journey on the show, I came to realize that the knowledge is not enough. You need the human interface, you need the bedside manner. You need to mediate the information to a patient in order to have that bond and give them, so they have trust in you,'" Picardo says. "It is interesting for me as a bystander, as an actor who played this artificial intelligence physician, to now see so many of these concerns play out now and feel like, if only because of my role, I've been thinking about them for decades."

He's also been keenly aware of the rate at which technology advances. "Star Trekhas always been in the game of dreaming up something and then science tries to catch up with that dream because of all the young minds that were watching it at the time and because it just seemed impossibly cool if we could do that," he says. "I remember my little computer on my desk in Sickbay when we premiered seemed so impossibly small. And then, within a year and a half of our premiere, it was too big! PowerBooks came out and suddenly it was like, 'No, this looks like a joke.' "

"Star Trekis a great predictor, I think, of technologies, and it also encourages us to want to develop the science and engineering to accomplish them," he says.

As a result, inspired by the originalTrekseries' actress Nichelle Nichols' recruitment of women and minorities into the space program in the '70s and '80s, Picardo has "tried to take on that mantle with my relationship with the Planetary Society for more than 25 years," supporting funding for NASA's space science budget and sitting on its executive board.

It's just one aspect of the way being a part ofStar Trekhas impacted him, he says. "It changes your life in so many other ways through the people you meet who likeStar Trekor have been inspired byStar Trekas young people and grown into these amazing people that you meet and they giveyousome credit!" he tells PEOPLE.

"I mean, to sit on stage with five men who walked on the moon, just to be up there with them because, at least to the audience, we were connected somehow," he marvels. "So that connection between imagining what our future in space is and actually encouraging the work to be done now in order to get there is something that I have treasured in my life."

Read the original article onPeople

byAsher Jeferson

in

February 28, 2026

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