28/04/2026

LYFE TUESDAY | APR 28, 2026

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Gen Z vs Millennials in Beef season two

W HILE the first season of the TV series Beef sprang from a road-rage incident experienced by show creator Lee Sung Jin, the second season was inspired by something more intimate – a heated debate between a romantic couple in their home, which he overheard. When Lee told Netflix executives about the argument he had heard between the couple, he said, “Netflix was like, ‘There it is. We can sense that you’re passionate about this direction.’” Lee told Reuters when he described the domestic argument to his friends, he was struck by the differing reactions. Younger peers, he said, perceived the exchange as a potential case of domestic violence, while older ones viewed it as a familiar – and even routine – conflict between partners. “I think what inspired me was not the actual incident, but hearing people’s reactions to it,” Lee said. Those contrasting perspectives helped shape the new season of Beef , a dark comedy known for examining the complexity of relationships. “There’s a show there about juxtaposing the different stages of o Hit Netflix series dives headfirst into generational conflict

Baby en route for S’porean actors Brian Ng, Natasha Cheng The couple appreciates the well wishes and support from fans, friends and the media as they look forward to this new chapter together.

SINGAPOREAN actor Brian Ng and his wife Natasha Cheng are expecting their first child, with the baby due around September this year. While Ng has kept relatively private about this new chapter, the couple shared they are excited and grateful to be welcoming this milestone in their lives. They are delighted to finally share the joyful news with the public and those who have supported them in their journey. Sharing his thoughts on the pregnancy, Ng said: “I was excited, of course – very, very happy. We found out during the Christmas season last year, so it felt like the best Christmas present I could ever receive.

That said, especially in the first trimester, I felt more worried than anything else. I was concerned for the baby and my wife – wondering how she was feeling, whether she was eating enough and just all the usual worries that come with those early months. But overall, more excitement than anything else. I’m really looking forward to this new chapter of my life.” Ng is busy filming a Channel 5 series and two Channel 8 series, which are set to air later this year. In addition, his first international microdrama project Romance by the Sea is slated for release in the second half of the year, marking another exciting milestone in his career.

Director Jake Schreier, Lee and cast members Mikaela Hoover, William Fichtner, Isaac, Melton, Mulligan, Seoyeon Jang and Matthew Kim. love against each other,” Lee said.

and Ashley witness a volatile altercation between Josh and Lindsay, setting off a spiral of manipulation and rivalry at the country club Josh manages. “It (the couple’s altercation) needed to feel real – enough to be something that could be held over us. Not just how it looked, but how it sounded and what we said to each other,” Mulligan said of filming the scene with Isaac. Generation Z typically refers to people born between 1997 and 2012, while people born between 1981 and 1996 are considered Millennials. Like its debut season, Beef continues to explore class, gender and race inequities, along with emotional control and interpersonal conflict. “You feel like you’re inside the characters’ minds. You either relate, judge or think ‘I’ve been there too.’ That’s what makes it such a juicy experience to watch,” Melton said. For Isaac, the series captures the reckoning faced by couples when the life they imagined slips out of reach – a reality shared by every relationship in Beef . “All these possibilities start to collapse. It can feel claustrophobic, because we’re told anything is possible. You have to let go,” he said.

The first season of Beef , which won Golden Globe Awards in three categories, starred Steven Yeun and Ali Wong. Season two of the Netflix series follows a Gen Z couple, Austin and Ashley, played by Charles Melton and Cailee Spaeny. They become entangled in the unravelling marriage of their boss Josh, a Millennial, and his wife Lindsay. They are played by Oscar Isaac and Carey Mulligan, respectively. Their worlds collide after Austin

Cast members Oscar Isaac and Carey Mulligan attend a premiere for season two of Beef . – PICS BY REUTERS

The couple is expecting their baby to be delivered this September.

Black Swan star Natalie Portman confirmed pregnant with third child

ACTOR Natalie Portman is expecting her third child with her partner, French music producer Tanguy Destable, her representative confirmed to Reuters recently. “I’m just very grateful. I know it’s such a privilege and a miracle. Tanguy and I are very excited,” the Oscar winning actor told Harper’s Bazaar , where she revealed the news. Portman, 44, said her perspective on pregnancy has long been shaped by her upbringing as the daughter of a fertility doctor.

Academy Award, a Bafta and two Golden Globe wins. One of Portman’s most anticipated upcoming films is the 2026 dark absurdist comedy The Gallerist , directed by Cathy Yan and starring Portman alongside Jenna Ortega, Sterling K. Brown and Catherine Zeta-Jones. The film follows a gallerist, played by Portman, who is driven by desperation and comes up with a scheme to sell a dead man at the renowned modern art show, Art Basel Miami.

“I grew up hearing about how hard it is to get pregnant. I have so many people I love who have had such a hard time,” she told the magazine. Portman said she has more energy than she expected, noting she is cherishing each moment because it will likely be her last pregnancy. Portman shares two children – son Aleph and daughter Amalia – with her former husband, choreographer Benjamin Millepied. The Black Swan and Thor star has many accolades, including an

Portman is expecting a third child, her first with current partner Destable. – REUTERSPIC