4 Winter Olympians Who Have Unique Side Hustles at Home

Ashley Macey
Feb 20, 2018

Ever since the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang kicked off with an electric Opening Ceremony, we’ve been glued to our televisions watching decorated athletes crush world records and claim their Olympic glory. But while these competitors are known for their outstanding athletic performances, most Olympians still need to make a living outside of the sports world. Sure, all US athletes can apply for sponsorships, endorsements, and earn a medal bonus from the US Olympic committee for each medal won ($25,000 for gold, $15,000 for silver, and $10,000 for bronze), but the reality is the road to the Olympics is expensive, and some Olympians chose to help fund their Olympic dreams by starting a side hustle — including these four athletes competing in PyeongChang.

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Next up on my #ittakesavillage series is Tschana, my conditioning coach. I started working with T in 2010 after my third Olympics. I had always been athletic, but never really committed to a fitness program full time. We did some baseline fitness tests and when I asked her what my results were, she replied, “you must be really mentally strong.” 😂 That’s like telling someone they have a nice personality or inner beauty. I could have been offended, or thought of it an opportunity. I thought that working out could be an untapped resource. — I told her I would give her four years and I would work my tail off, it’s now been eight. My work with her has been the backbone of the later part of my career. From 2010-2014 my win percentage went up to 86% and I was the only person on the US snowboard team who did not require any surgeries during that time frame. She has made me durable and contributed a great deal to my longevity. — I will never forget the time she threw half a cord of wood off my deck just so I could throw it back up to the second story for a workout. When I land flatter than flat and don’t fall, I always thank T after. I secretly love when she assigns me 60 pull ups a day, just to see if I can do it. Someday I will miss the jokes about me getting kicked off the team if I don’t get a new PR. — I will never beat her in a foot race and no one has ever made working out so fun. She has pioneered what the ideal training program for a halfpipe snowboarder should be and she constantly pushes me to dig deeper and be better than I ever thought I could be. She knows how to deal with my insecurities and combat my doubt with truth and affirmations. I am convinced that T is the best conditioning coach out there, but more than anything she has become a good friend. T, thanks for all the pull ups and thank you for your friendship. #ittakesavillage

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1. Kelly Clark: Kelly Clark is an Olympic beast — she’s a decorated American snowboarder (she’s won gold and bronze medals for Team USA), she’s currently competing in her fifth Olympics in PyeongChang, and she’s widely recognized as one of the greatest female snowboarders in history. But when Clark isn’t hitting the slopes, you’ll most likely find her creating her own original furniture with her company Sparrow Creative Co. “A few years back I was furnishing my home, and as I looked at furniture, I didn’t love much of it,” says Clark. “It was generic and it cost a lot for what it was. I thought I could make something more original. So I started making furniture and I ended up loving it. I have made outdoor couches, dining tables, entertainment centers, side tables, coffee tables, and headboards.”

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Huggin it out after practice 🤗

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2. Evan Bates: Ice Dancing pair Evan Bates and Madison Chock are already stealing hearts in PyeongChang as both a romantic couple and a pair to watch on the ice. During Bates’ sparse off-time when he’s not training, he loves jamming out on the guitar. But this musically gifted skater does more than strum chords; he actually makes guitars. “I spent my free time one summer in my friend Hugh Bray’s woodshop,” says Bates. “He helped me make this vintage custom telecaster. We started at the beginning of the summer with a slab of basswood. After about six months of work, the guitar was finished. In the process, I learned a ton about woodworking and craftsmanship. I can’t thank him enough for showing me the ropes of making my first guitar. We’re already talking about making another one!” We’d totally buy a guitar handmade by a decorated Olympian!

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Dear Universe💫! It's official! @leica_camera & I designed a special edition Leica Q "snow" together! 300 will be made and available from march/18 📸: by @mrdavidavid

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3. Iouri Podladtchikov: Russian-born Swiss snowboarder Iouri Podladtchikov is an incredible athlete who won the gold medal for the halfpipe in the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. Unfortunately, Podladtchikov took a hard fall in the men’s superpipe event during the X Games just a few weeks ago, and despite traveling to South Korea for the 2018 Olympic Games, he decided to forego his spot in the competition, as his brain needed time to recover from the bruises he sustained in early February. When Podladtchikov isn’t performing mind-blowing tricks on the mountain, he’s taking incredible photos for his photography side hustle. In fact, he recently partnered with Leica to design a new version of their popular Leica Q camera which was just released earlier this week. Featuring a stunning pure white trim in premium real leather, there are only 300 cameras available in the entire world. “As a brand ambassador, it’s a fascinating feeling to have inspired a special edition of a camera, but I also see it as an enormous responsibility,” says Podladtchikov. As someone who has already published two photography books and plans to open his own studio soon, Podladtchikov was quick to dispel the rumors that he chose the white frame solely because it resembled snow: “White — for me, that also means ‘carte blanche’ — it’s up to you. It’s time to get creative,” Podladtchikov says. We’re sold!

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My gorgeous number one fan made it to South Korea

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4. Joey Mantia: After competing in the Olympics once before in Sochi, Mantia is back for the 2018 Winter Games as a speed skater for Team USA. Despite being vocally disappointed with his eighth-place finish in the 1500 meters, this young champ still has three more chances to medal in this year’s Olympics. When Mantia is home, you’ll most likely find him sipping a cup of java at a coffee shop on the University of Utah campus called Coffee Lab, in which Joey is an investor and co-owner. “Fun fact: I never drank coffee at all until I owned a third wave coffee shop,” Mantia writes on Instagram. “Now I can’t live without it.” Here’s hoping all that caffeine fuels this deserving Olympian to a gold medal.

Do you have a side hustle? Share it with us on Twitter @BritandCo.

(Featured photos via David Ramos/Getty)

4 Ways Watching The Paris Olympics IRL Is Totally Different Than On TV

There's a mixture of anticipation and excitement as you approach any arena, whether you're going to a sports game, a concert, or any kind of performance. However, knowing that you're about to watch an Olympic event with your own eyes is something else entirely.

By some stroke of random luck, I've had the opportunity to spend the summer in Paris during the 2024 Olympics. Okay, my French grandmother needed some grandaughterly help, but still — I'm here! And what are the odds she would need that THIS summer of all summers?

Initially, I had no intention of attending the Olympics, and was rather peeved that the city would become a chaotic mess with all the tourists and infrastructure being built to host this worldwide celebration. But when the opportunity arose for me to attend beach volleyball at the Eiffel Tower Stadium (and for only $30, no less!), I just couldn't pass it up.

As a former high school volleyball player, I marched into the stadium more excited than ever. The sun was shining, the vibes were high, and the views were breathtaking.

Morgan Legret

Once we sat down, the game started almost immediately. I kept thinking to myself how intimate the stadium felt. I mean, I’m at arguably one of the most important sports competitions in the world, and my college football stadium is bigger than this. As a result, you can’t help but feel grateful to be there.

For beach volleyball, you get to see two games. We started off by watching Ana Patricia Silva Ramos and Eduarda Santos Lisboa from Brazil and Taliqua Clancy and Mariafe Artacho from Australia. In each of the three sets, the first team to reach 21 points wins. The first set went to Brazil, Australia took the lead in the second set, and ultimately won the game in the last set. As I watched them, I was sweating my butt off in the stands, thinking to myself how hot the athletes must be.

Morgan Legret

Between points, or when the players took breaks for water and shade, there were two main 'hype men' or MCs who really got the crowd going. We did the wave, we danced, we waved our flags, and just all around celebrated our respective countries. It was so beautiful to watch everyone being so prideful and patriotic, regardless of whether or not their team was on the field. We even got a visit from Phryge (the 2024 Olympic mascot and my favorite part, personally), who made his appearance as the crowd roared for the little red hat.

Morgan Legret

The second game was Spain vs. Switzerland. I was very excited for this because I have some skin in the game — my grandma is half Spanish and I have a lot of friends from there, so I rooted for España in solidarity! Liliana Fernandez and Paula Soria of Spain faced off against Swiss players Nina Brunner and Tanja Huberli. I was on the edge of my seat the entire game, but ultimately Switzerland took home the win in the first two sets.

This experience is something I will carry with me for the rest of my life. I feel extremely lucky to have witnessed such solidarity in a world of uncertainty and division. Not to mention, the incredible athleticism and sportsmanship displayed by these women (go girlbosses!) and what they're doing for their respective countries.

It is really true what they say: nothing compares to the real thing. Here are three ways watching the Olympics IRL are so different than watching it on TV.

Photo by Claudio Villa/Getty Images

1. Phryge is even cuter than pictures can do justice

If you're wondering what exactly Phryge, the Olympic mascot, really is — you're not alone. According to the Associated Press, it's been top of mind for a ton of Olympic-goers. And while it may look strange to some, it's actually a personified version of the "bonnet phrygien," a hat often worn to represent the revolutionary efforts in 1780s France. Regardless of the history, though, he was just adorable — basically the cute, less sassy younger sibling to the Duolingo owl.

2. The hype men are way better than commercial breaks

Instead of ads for cars and Coca-cola, when there are breaks in the games, hype me take the stage! They encourage group activities like the wave and other dances while the athletes towel off and grab some water. I honestly had such a good time while they kept us activated and excited!

Photo by Lars Baron/Getty Images

3. The games are way more intimate than the TV can show

There's something that feels so larger-than-life about the Olympics — and they really are in terms of the energy and excitement. But when it comes to the actual stadium, the entire experience felt intimate. Like I said before, the whole space felt smaller than some high school stadiums, so everyone was close to the action. Meanwhile, when I've watched other matches at home, I felt so detached and far away from it all...almost like it was this abstract thing that was happening, but wasn't particularly concrete.

4. Seeing the camaraderie amongst every country was electric

Even though everyone's specific teams and countries weren't necessarily represented in the matches at hand, the entire crowd pridefully waved their countries flags and cheered on the athletes in front of them alike. It was so incredibly different than being at home where you cheer with your friends and family, likely only watching specific events and usually for the same team. I adored seeing how it didn't matter where you were from or what the match was — everyone was happy to be here and cheer for the Olympics of it all.

BRB while I plot my way into the 2028 L.A. Olympics!

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Hold Up, Did Rebecca Yarros' First 'Onxy Storm' Excerpt Just Tease Violet Sorrengail's True Identity?

Fans of Fourth Wing are on pins and needles because Rebecca Yarros just announced she's finished writing the third book in the Empyrean series! It's us, we're fans — along with over half of BookTok.

We can't believe we're getting closer to reading more about Violet Sorrengail's journey, but we know you have a ton of burning questions about the release date for Book No. 3.

We may not have all the answers, but we've done a little digging to share as much as we can because who doesn't want to know what Rebecca Yarros has been up to?

I'm new to the Empyrean series. Are "Fourth Wing" and "Iron Flame" really worth reading?

Amazon

I'm not going to lie to you. The editorial team, including myself, are extremely biased about Fourth Wingand Iron Flame. From my perspective, I think these are great books for anyone who had the pleasure of growing up during the great Harry Potter era and moved on to watchingGame of Thrones and House of Dragons.

Did she announce the name of book no. 3?

Rebecca Yarros/Instagram

YES! Book No. 3 is titled Oynx Storm.

Knowing what we do about the manifestation of Violet's powers, I think this could hint she's going to play an even larger role in the series. According to a fan theory shared on TikTok(via Empyrean Riders), it's believed that Violet and Xaden Riorson are actually gods. Stay with me here.

Empyrean Riders noted that Violet's last name means heavenly and that she's able to control time thanks to her connection to the young dragon Andarna (I love her so much!). That sounds pretty god-like to me.

And when asked which two Taylor Swift songs describe Onyx Storm, Rebecca Yarros chose "Who's Afraid of Little Old Me?" from The Tortured Poets Department and "So It Goes..." from Reputation. "Who's Afraid of Little Old Me?" is one of Taylor's most powerful songs and definitely translates the idea that Violet's powers are going to be stronger than ever, while "So It Goes..." is equal parts suspense and seduction, and is TOTALLY about "all the pieces fall right into place" to get together with the right person.

There's so much more to unpack so I suggest grabbing a yummy snack while you fall down the rabbit hole. All I'm sure of is that Onyx Storm is going to leave our emotions in shambles just like Fourth Wing and Iron Flame did.

When did Rebecca Yarros announce she's done writing book no. 3 in the series?

Rebecca Yarros/Instagram

On June 17, Rebecca Yarros shared this image of her laptop to indicate she'd finished the third book in the Empyrean series.

She wrote, "(Pic from one of the very many locations in which this book was written)," towards the end of the caption before adding a few relevant hashtags to it.

When will Onxy Storm be available for purchase?

Rebecca Yarros/Instagram

Rebecca Yarros exclusively told Good Morning America that fans can expect the book to hit shelves January 21, 2025! That gives us a little over six months to prepare our emotions for what's sure to be a storm of a book.

She said, "There will be politics, new adventures, old enemies and of course, dragons." There's no way she could forget the dragons because I'd willingly riot over them. They deserve to have their stories told forever.

As luck would have it, Cosmopolitan received an exciting first look at what's to come in Onyx Storm. The excerpt begins with Violet realizing the Venin have found their way into Basgiath War College and are wreaking havoc. Alongside Rhiannon, Sawyer, and Ridoc, she races to stop the Venin from releasing Jack Barlowe from his prison cell.

However, Violet's shocked when she discovered one of the "dark wielders" has a long silver braid that closely resembles her own. Before she can fully react, the woman disappears. According to Screen Rant, there are possible theories about why Violet saw her and what this means for her growing power.

Towards the end of the excerpt, Violet discovers the Venin want to capture her too. Also, Xaden makes his long-awaited appearance and it's clear their playful banter in the face of danger hasn't changed. That he hasn't fully changed into the Venin Violet's used to seeing.

I officially can't wait to read the rest of the book in January!

Has Rebecca Yarros revealed the cover for Onyx Storm?

Today/Bree Archer, Elizabeth Turner Stokes for Entangled Publishing

Onyx Storm

Yes!

TODAY received an exclusive look at the cover for Onyx Storm and it doesn't disappoint! Unlike its predecessors, it appears Rebecca Yarros is hinting that darker events will take place.

Fans of the Empyrean series aren't the only ones who are excited to see what fate has in store for our favorite characters though. In a statement to TODAY, Rebecca revealed how elated she is to be working on the series again. "It's amazing to be back with these characters again. She also said, ""I can't wait for readers to see what Violet, Xaden, and the rest of the quadrant have in store for them in Onyx Storm!"

Are you excited for the release of Onyx Storm? Follow us on Facebook for more entertainment news!

Brit + Co may at times use affiliate links to promote products sold by others, but always offers genuine editorial recommendations.

This post has been updated.

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Simone Biles And Suni Lee Stack The Podium — Plus 9 Other Jaw-Dropping 2024 Olympic Moments

From beach volleyball under the Eiffel Tower to surfing in Tahiti, the Paris Olympics have blown my mind thus far. I'm always super into Olympic season because sportsmanship, community, and pride for your country are such beautiful things to witness and celebrate collectively. I'm currently in Paris and have even been able to see a couple of events myself — and I gotta tell you, it's incredible to watch live. History is made left and right, every single day — especially when it comes to Team USA!

While the games continue, here are all the incredible moments we've seen so far!

Screengrab by IOC via Getty Images

Two Words: Celine Dion

After her shocking documentary came out, Celine Dion made a triumphant return to performing during the opening ceremony for the 2024 Paris Olympics. Dion's very rare Stiff Person Syndrome made many wonder if the superstar would be able to sing again, and this performance put those rumors to rest. She blew us all away with her stunning vocal performance of "Hymn A L'Amour" — can anyone pass some tissues? 😭

Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images

Simone Biles Made An Epic Comeback — And Won Gold With Her Team

Team USA Women's Gymnastics is back and better than ever baby! After a devastating experience in Tokyo, Simone Biles made an epic comeback with this insane floor routine, starting off with an intro I could not deem more appropriate to Taylor Swift's "Are You Ready For It?" And boy were we! Not only did Biles start off her Paris games with a bang, but she did with such elegance and ease. We are so happy to have her back!

Alongside the amazing performances from Suni Lee, Jordan Chiles, and Jade Carey, the team took home the gold medal!

Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images

Women In Fencing Make History

Another incredible win for Team USA, and another historical moment for women! Lee Kiefer won two back-to-back gold medals this week in foil fencing. Her teammate, Lauren Scruggs took home the silver metal and became the first Black fencer to ever win an Olympic medal! Not only is this an incredible moment for the country, but for humankind. This is also the first time the United States has dominated the fencing podium since 1904! History was definitely made, to say the least!

Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

Team USA Proves Rugby Isn't Just For Boys

They have the beauty, the brains, and now they have the BRONZE! The USA Women's Rugby Team is bringing home their first ever Olympic win in history. Rugby is notoriously an intense contact sport — it's fast, it's rough, and often more associated with a male demographic. But this team is showing everyone how truly amazing women sports are. And hey, they got Jason Kelce as a superfan, so you should be too!

Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images

True Meaning Of Teammates

Team USA swimmers Torri Huske and Gretchen Walsh both bring home medals after they competed side-by-side in the 100 meter butterfly. Though Walsh was the previous record holder, she congratulated Huske on the Gold as they both celebrated their momentous win, wrapped together around the American flag. We couldn't be happier for these amazing Olympic swimming medalists!

Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images

One Trick Pony Brings Home The Win With The Men's Gymnastics Team

Stephen Nedoroscik, also known as "Clark Kent" on Tik Tok waited all day to perform his pommel horse routine. Before he began his routine, he took off his glasses — which was a little concerning for spectators — and started his routine. We all quickly realized that he was no joke. He seemingly came out of nowhere and snatched the bronze medal with the rest of Team USA. Now, he's a media phenomenon, and we can't get enough of him!

PS: This is Team USA's first medal since 2008 for men's team gymnastics — so exciting!

Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images

Cook'N Bacon Are So In Sync

Synchronized diving has been one of my fave Olympic sports to watch since I was a kid! It's so mesmerizing and obviously incredibly impressive. I am so happy for Sarah Bacon and Kassidy Cook (affectionately known as "Cook'N Bacon") for brining home the silver medal! This is an amazing achievement for them both, but especially for Team USA who hasn't been on the diving podium since 2012. Wow!

Photo by Tim de Waele/Getty Images

Batten Biked To Silver

Haley Batten took home the silver medal for women's mountain biking race — the best finish for Team USA ever! Her wheel literally broke in the middle of the race, and she still managed to medal. So while the win was incredible to begin with, the fact that she persevered and overcame the odds makes it that much more amazing!

Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images

Ledecky Lead The Pack

We already knew Katie Ledecky was incredible, but she only further cemented her jaw-dropping skills during the women's 1500 meter freestyle final! In the longest swimming event at the Olympics, Ledecky consistently lead the pack throughout, and finished over 10 seconds before her silver medal counterpart. She's currently tied with Dara Torres, Natalie Coughlin and Jenny Thompson for the most medals won by a female swimmer — and she doesn't plan on slowing down anytime soon, setting her sights on the 2028 Olympics according to ESPN! We can't wait to see what she does next!

Photo by Naomi Baker/Getty Images

Simone And Suni Stack The Podium

After dominating the team finals, Team USA brought home more hardware for women's gymnastics in the individual competition! Suni Lee faced fierce competition in the battle for bronze, needing to nail her final rotation on her floor routine, and did she ever! Lee scored a 13.666, cementing her spot on the podium.

Afterwards, Biles was neck-in-neck for the gold medal against Brazilian gymnast Rebecca Andrade. Andrade gave an incredible performance, definitely earning a lot of pride for Brazil, but at the end of the day Biles upped the ante with what Laurie Hernandez described as one of the hardest routines out there. Earning a 15.066, Biles won the gold medal — the first time an American gymnast has won two gold medals in the individual competition since 1968 according to Today!

Looking to stay in-the-know on all things Olympics? Be sure to follow us on Tiktok!

Header image via Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

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WHICH Movie Had Kate Winslet "Sh—ing" Herself?!

Kate Winslet is THE Hollywood actress to me. Not only has she starred in box office smashes like Titanic and Avatar: Way of Water, but she's proven her acting chops in breakout indie flicks and provided mothers and daughters everywhere with eternal Christmas movie nights thanks to The Holiday. But the actress' consistently viral kindness, her dedication to embracing her natural beauty, and her sophistication don't mean she always feels confident. Kate Winslet just spilled on the one movie from her career that had her "sh—ing" herself, and I just had to dive in.

Here's what Kate Winslet had to say about her scariest movie experience ever.

  • Kate Winslet made a name for herself with Titanic, Sense & Sensibility, and The Holiday.
  • However those movies aren't the film she wants fans to ask about!
  • The actress spills on the movies she's proud of, and the one job that had her "sh—ing myself."

Talking to Vanity Fair for her newest film Lee, Kate Winslet revealed one project she wishes fans asked about more is Iris. The 2001 film stars Kate as a young Iris Murdoch against Judi Dench's older counterpart. And for Kate, nothing was more terrifying than working with such a wonderful actress.

"People don’t really ask me about Iris. It’s such a delicate film," she says. "It was the first thing I had done after having my daughter. Going to work with a baby, I’m playing Iris Murdoch, looking to Judi Dench’s older Iris Murdoch — I was sh—ting myself."

Considering how nervous I get when I meet my heroes, I can only imagine what it was like to meet Dame Judi Dench. Talk about a dream! Another film Kate loves is Revolutionary Road, and not just because she got to reunite with Leonardo DiCaprio.

"The thing that people say is, 'You got to work with Leo again.' Then they go off on the whole Leo tangent, which I totally understand," she says of the film, which follows an ambitious couple who find themselves trapped in the reality of 1950s suburbia. "But Revolutionary Road — f—king hell, it just knocked us all sideways. Unbelievably difficult material. I was very proud of that film and what Leo and I were able to create as Frank and April. It was so brutal."

The process for getting Lee into the world sounds equally brutal, considering Kate started working on it over a decade ago. As producer, Kate tells Vanity Fair she doesn't mind the fact she's done more for the film than if she only had an acting credit. "That has felt very necessary for this film. But it’s also just really important to me," she says. "It’s important to me that people know that it’s out there and might feel compelled to go and see it."

Because it turns out, commercial success or stardom on its own doesn't actually help your movie get made! "It doesn’t matter who you are," she says. "No one’s going to go, 'Oh, I’ll just back that pony because she was in Titanic.' It doesn’t happen that way, and I never expected that. That’s really important to say."

"I've gotten older and I’ve learned more and felt more confident in myself about whether or not I could actually do it," she adds. "It’s not something I would’ve done had I not felt so passionately about the subject, and Lee was just—she wouldn’t let me go."

Let us know your favorite Kate Winslet movies in the comments, and since we've officially entered cozy season, check out Why The Holiday Movie Ending Is The Most Important Scene while you're at it!

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Here's A New Look At Florence Pugh's Return As Yelena Belova

Marvel movies are known for their heroes and their hopeful outlook on the world. But in 2025, we're getting a brand new team: the Thunderbolts. This team is made up of antiheroes and former villains, and it's sure to be the wackiest and strangest, as well as one of the most memorable, superhero movies we've seen in recent years.

Keep reading for the latest news on Thunderbolts* before it hits theaters in 2025.

Marvel Studios/YouTube

Thunderbolts* comes out this May, and the cast just showed off some brand new footage at the D23 convention — and thanks to the new 'Celebrating 85 Years' spot, we have the first look too!

We get a look at Bucky Barnes, The Red Guardian, John Walker, and Ghost. Plus, Yelena Belova, of course. This heartbreaking detail about Yelena's new look connects Florence Pugh's Yelena to Scarlett Johansson's Natashaand I'm WEEPING.

Marvel Studios/Walt Disney Studios

And at D23 Brazil, we got a brand new look at my new favorite team. "There’s something in this film, in terms of superpowers and superheroes, that shows that our superpowers lie in how ‘broken’ we are," David Harbour said at the event. "As if our superpowers came from our relationships.”

What is the plot of Thunderbolts?

Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Disney

Thunderbolts* Plot

Consider Thunderbolts* to be The Avengers' edgy younger sibling. The movie follows Yelena Belova (who we know off the bat is a "depressed assassin" thanks to a Marvel Studios press release). She's joined by Bucky Barnes, The Red Guardian, and John Walker. Based on a leak, it looks like we'll see this group of misfits team up against Valentina Allegra de Fontaine after she sends them on a deadly mission.

Thunderbolts* Release Date

Jesse Grant/Disney

Thunderbolts* Release Date

Thunderbolts* hits theaters May 2, 2025.

Who's on the Thunderbolts team?

Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Disney

Thunderbolts* Cast

Thunderbolts* stars Florence Pugh, Geraldine Viswanathan, Lewis Pullman, Hannah John-Kamen, Wyatt Russell, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Sebastian Stan, and David Harbour.

This is a huge cast, and Viswanathan just revealed how crazy the first day of filming was. “My first day didn’t feel real," she tells Vanity Fair. "I felt this extra pressure of, ‘Know your lines, babe. You can’t really play around like you usually do.’"

Historically, sci-fi fans haven't been kind to actresses in their favorite projects (remember when Star Wars fans bullied Kelly Marie Tran off social media?). But Viswanathan is already thinking ahead. “If it’s overwhelming, I’ll log off. But I like discourse around pop culture,” she says. “[Thunderbolts*] felt a little bit edgier and fresher, more existential and dark.”

Jesse Grant/Disney

The rest of the cast also enjoyed working together. “Everyone is going to f—kin’ love me! It’s really, really, really fun to be with a group of actors that you have a good time with," Wyatt Russell says at Comic Con (via Variety), while David Harbour adds, “Florence Pugh [is] just electric to work with. There’s warmth and humor, but there’s also a lot of pathos.”

“This is why we can't stop laughing together, because we genuinely just had such a wonderful time with each other and we've loved working with one another," Pugh tells People. “I feel like this is something that we've never seen before from Marvel...it's a very open and honest and truthful idea. And I'm just really excited for people to watch it.”

Are you excited for this brand new chapter in the MCU? I really feel like Thunderbolts* will usher in a whole new generation of fans and I, for one, CANNOT WAIT! Let us know your thoughts on Facebook.

Lead images via Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Disney

This post has been updated.

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