‘Downton Abbey’ Star Allen Leech Is Engaged to Actress Jessica Blair Herman

Desiree O
Feb 15, 2018

While we patiently await more news about a possible Downton Abbey movie (*fingers crossed*), one of the series’ stars has just announced an exciting IRL romantic development: Allen Leech revealed that he’s engaged to actress Jessica Blair Herman.

The bride and groom-to-be, who have been dating since 2016, took to Instagram to share the big news with fans. “Happy Valentine’s Day @jessicablairherman,” Leech, AKA Downton‘s Tom Branson, wrote alongside a photo with Herman. “First one as a fiancé! Thank you for saying yes and for making me the happiest.”

He also clarified that he didn’t actually pop the question on Valentine’s Day, adding, “(And no I didn’t do it today. It’s been a while.) xx”

The pic he posted shows the lovebirds posing against a scenic outdoor backdrop, with the actress’ hand on Leech’s chest so we get a clear view of her engagement ring. It appears to be a single center stone on a delicate band.

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Happy Valentine’s Day @jessicablairherman First one as a fiancé! Thank you for saying yes and for making me the happiest. ❤️ (And no I didn’t do it today. It’s been a while.) xx

A post shared by Allen Leech (@therealleech) on

Herman, whom you might have seen on American Crime Story, Fresh Off the Boat, or Modern Family, also shared a photo on her own account, of Leech giving her a kiss on the temple. “The day you proposed was one of the best days but every day with you is my favorite,” she captioned the image. “I love you! Happy Valentine’s Day @therealleech!”

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The day you proposed was one of the best days but every day with you is my favorite. I love you! Happy Valentine’s Day @therealleech! ❤️

A post shared by Jessica Blair Herman (@jessicablairherman) on

Fans are thrilled by the news and have been leaving their well wishes in the comments of both posts.

We’ll add ours, too: Congratulations to the happy couple!

Who was your favorite actor or actress on Downton Abbey? Let us know @BritandCo!

(photo via Rachel Murray/Getty Images for Brooks Brothers)

‘Survivor’ Stars Joe Anglim and Sierra Dawn Thomas Are Engaged!

Reality TV love stories don’t always start on dating shows! Survivor stars Joe Anglim and Sierra Dawn Thomas announced their engagement on Tuesday, April 9, in a pair of adorable posts on Instagram.

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Yes #forever. @sierra_dawn_ 💖💯

A post shared by Joe Anglim (@janglim21) on

“Yes #forever. @sierra_dawn_,” Anglim wrote on Instagram, alongside a photo of him on bended knee and kissing his new fiancee’s left hand as he shows off the diamond ring. Thomas also shared a picture of the ring, a teardrop-shaped sparkler, writing, “Forever and ever, amen.”

The Survivor costars first met in 2014 when they both competed on Survivor: Worlds Apart in Nicaragua. They didn’t date right away, though — in fact, Thomas voted Anglim off during their stint together. Things turned romantic last year, and the bride-to-be told People that the proposal was a total surprise.

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Thankful for this amazing woman, my bright light @sierra_dawn_ , both our immediate families along with all my extended framily, friends, fans and community. Thankful to God for all the blessings of 2018 that he continues to shower us all with his grace and love. Appreciation for a year of ups and downs but always loving and cherishing all the things in the journey to help remind us of all that warms and brightens our hearts! A new awareness, focus and appreciation for the darkness that keeps the light shining even stronger and brighter. Happy new year to you all and may 2019 bring us all closer to finding those people places and things that bring light joy peace and true happiness. Let’s illuminate the world and shine bright with every new day. #happy #newyear #newopportunities #newchapter #smile #bright

A post shared by Joe Anglim (@janglim21) on

“He was explaining his love for me, and I would say, ‘yeah, baby. I love you too!'” Thomas said. According to People, they were on their way back to Utah from Anglim’s sister’s wedding in Arizona over the weekend when they stopped to camp for the night.

“We found the perfect swinging chair facing the mountains and the most beautiful sunset,” Thomas divulged. “But then he got off the swing, reached into his coat, and got on one knee. It finally hit me what he was doing. I started crying, and he started crying! We were both crying.”

Congrats to the happy couple!

RELATED: The Biggest Celebrity Engagements of 2019 (So Far)

(Photo via Timothy Kuratek/CBS Entertainment)

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Upgrade Your Thanksgiving With A Crescent-Roll Cornucopia

This edible crescent-roll cornucopia is our way of making a normal cheese boardmore festive — and definitely more fun — during the holiday season. Our go-to this time of year is a massive cheese plate that can stand alone and be the main attraction, or the starter for a larger meal. Press on for the surprisingly easy steps to braid a breaded cornucopia.

Chris Andre

Materials + Tools:

  • 1 roll of tin foil
  • 2 packages of crescent rolls
  • 1 egg (for egg wash before cornucopia goes into the oven), optional

Chris Andre

Instructions:

Start by sculpting tin foil into the shape of a cornucopia (it looks like a cone with an upturned tail). Pro tip: Lightly pack tin foil so it's easier to remove later from your baked cornucopia. Crescent rolls should be buttery enough that this shouldn't be difficult.

Chris Andre

Your tin foil mold should look a little something like this.

Chris Andre

Pop open the crescent rolls and cut the triangles into strips. Pinch together the ends of strips to make strips longer.

Chris Andre

Braid crescent roll strips. You can make these as fancy as you want. Not a braiding pro? Skip this step and leave those strips alone.

Chris Andre

Wrap tin foil cornucopia with braids/strips. Make sure you cover all the tin foil. Leave a little wiggle room at the opening of the cornucopia, so that when you’re done baking you can pull some of that tin foil out.

Chris Andre

Use any extra dough to cover the bottom of your cornucopia. Pinch the sides and anchor those braids/strips in.

Chris Andre

Brush on egg wash before placing your cornucopia in the oven. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 minutes. Take out of oven and cover spots of cornucopia that are already golden brown with extra tin foil. Bake for another 20 minutes at 250 degrees Fahrenheit.

Chris Andre

Let it cool down until it’s easy to handle. Remove tin foil.

Chris Andre

Place cornucopia in corner of your cheese plate. Arrange cheese on your serving tray.

Chris Andre

Add crackers — we like to have two or three options.

Chris Andre

Don’t forget to fill up your cornucopia. It's called "the horn of plenty" for a reason. Fill with fresh fruit like grapes, apples, and pears.

Chris Andre

Add nuts like walnuts and pistachios to fill in any empty spaces. Garnish with fresh herbs like rosemary and sage to finish it off.

Chris Andre

Voilà! Invite over your friends, open a bottle of wine, and dig in!

Chris Andre

A cornucopia cheese board will become your new favorite holiday tradition.

Show us your crescent-roll cornucopias on Instagram and check out our baking classes (and our Easy Thanksgiving Desserts piece) for more holiday food inspo!

DIY Production and Styling: Paris Fried

Paris Fried: Paris loves any excuse to celebrate and throw a themed party. She loves experimenting in the kitchen and has a terrible sweet tooth. When she's not crafting in her studio, she's at the farmers' market buying seasonal produce or at her favorite local theater watching double features.

This post has been updated.

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Issa Rae’s ‘Insecure’ Costars Had the Cutest Reaction to Her Rumored Engagement to Louis Diame

It looks like wedding bells may soon be ringing for Issa Rae, as the Insecure star and creator is reportedly engaged to longtime boyfriend Louis Diame. Rae herself has not confirmed the engagement, but her costars couldn’t resist gushing over the couple on the red carpet at the NAACP Image Awards this past weekend.

“The reaction was all the same, like, ‘You out here in these streets getting married, boo!?'” Yvonne Orji, who plays Rae’s on-screen best friend Molly, told ET. “That was the reaction. We’re very excited for her.”

Jay Ellis, who plays Rae’s on-and-off boyfriend Lawrence on the hit HBO comedy, revealed that the engagement news spread slowly among the show’s cast. “We all found out in different ways because we’re all on different text chains,” he said. “We talk at different times, so we all found out at different times in different ways.”

Rumors first surfaced that the pair were engaged after Rae appeared on the cover of Essence magazine wearing a sparkling diamond ring. The actress has not yet commented, preferring to keep her personal life out of the spotlight.

During an appearance on The View on Monday, April 1, the Little star was asked point blank about the ring but brushed off the questions with a laugh. “I’ve got a lot of rings on my finger,” she quipped. “I wear jewelry, you know?”

RELATED: Issa Rae Is Challenging What Hollywood Thinks is Relatable

(Photo via Paras Griffin/Getty Images for BET + Paras Griffin/Getty Images for NAACP)

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Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade FINALLY Has This Character Balloon — How To Watch.

It's not Thanksgiving without the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade (or appetizers, but that's a different conversation). The iconic event has been around since 1924, and this year's 98th parade is sure to be full of amazing surprises. (In case you're wondering, the parade shut down for two years during World War II, hence the 98th anniversary!). We'll see appearances from the Rockettes and the Wicked cast, and tons of show-stopping balloons. My personal fave? Charlie Brown's Snoopy!

Here's everything you need to know about this year's parade, including how to stream it at home and the acts to pay attention to.

The latest news on the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

  • The 98th Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade takes place November 28, 2024 at 8:30 AM.
  • The parade lasts three and a half hours, moving from the Upper West Side to Macy's on 34th Street.
  • Performers include The Outsiders, stars from Wicked, and The Rockettes.

Where can I stream the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade 2024?

Cara Howe/NBC

The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade is coming to NBC on Thanksgiving Day, November 28, 2024 from 8:30 AM to 12 PM in every time zone. You can stream the program on Peacock. There's also a Spanish version on Telemundo!

They'll have a repeat of the parade starting at 2 PM EST.

Who's hosting the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade this year?

Beloved Today Show hosts Hoda Kotb, Savannah Guthrie, and Al Roker will host the iconic parade.

Who is performing at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade 2024?

There are tons of acts appearing in the parade this year, from A-listers to Broadway casts. Here's a list of performers and appearances!

  • The Rockettes
  • Jennifer Hudson
  • Kylie Minogue
  • Billy Porter
  • Death Becomes Her cast
  • Hell’s Kitchen cast
  • The Outsiders cast
  • Bishop Briggs
  • Kylie Cantrall
  • Chlöe
  • Dan + Shay
  • Dasha
  • Jimmy Fallon & The Roots
  • Coco Jones
  • Walker Hayes
  • Loud Luxury
  • Ariana Madix
  • Joey McIntyre
  • Idina Menzel
  • Natti Natasha
  • T-Pain
  • Rachel Platten
  • Lea Salonga
  • The Temptations
  • The War and Treaty
  • Alex Warren
  • Sebastián Yatra
  • Charli D’Amelio
  • NYC Ballet Principal Dancers Tiler Peck and Roman Mejia
  • Jonathan Bennett
  • Liza Colón-Zayas
  • Cynthia Erivo
  • Cole Escola
  • Tom Kenny
  • Ginna Claire Mason
  • And Santa Claus of course!

What's the parade route?

Macy's

The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade makes a 2.5-mile trek alongside Central Park, starting at West 77th Street, circling round Columbus Circle, and ending in front of Macy's on 34th street.

What balloons will be in the parade?

There will be some fan favorite balloons returning to the parade this year, in addition to a new appearance by Minnie Mouse! Spider-Man, Snoopy, Ronald McDonald, the Pillsbury Doughboy are just a few balloons that we'll see.

Will you be watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade this year? Let us know what you're most excited to see on Facebook!

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Ohana! Here's When You Can Finally Watch The Live-Action 'Lilo And Stitch.'

Disney continues to keep your childhood alive because alongside several other remakes of beloved titles, a live-action remake of the 2002's Lilo and Stitch is now also in the works. While filming was supposed to begin in April 2023, a costume trailer fire delayed it until May. Thankfully, it looks like the production recovered — and that we'll be seeing Lilo, Stitch, and Scrump soon. Check out the rest of Disney's upcoming live-action remakes for more news!

Here's everything we know about the live-action Lilo and Stitch coming in 2025!

Watch the Lilo & Stitch teaser now!

Whoever decided to make the iconic Disney castle a sandcastle? Genius. Stitch has always been one of my favorite Disney characters and this new live-action version definitely has just as much chaos as the OG.

Who is playing Lilo in the live-action movie?

Maia Kealoha/Instagram

Lilo & Stitch Cast

Lilo will be played by Maia Kealoha. The adorable character was voiced by Daveigh Chase in the original 2002 movie, and by Dakota Fanning in the sequel.

Who else is in the Lilo and Stitch cast?

Sydney Agudong/Instagram

In Lilo and Stitch, we'll see Sydney Agudong as Nani, Amy Hill as Tūtū, Kaipo Dudoit as David, Courtney B. Vance as Cobra Bubbles, and Tia Carrere (the original voice of Nani!!) as Mrs. Kekoa. We'll also have Chris Sanders as the voice of Stitch, Billy Magnussen voicing Pleakley, and Zach Galifianakis voicing Jumba.

When is the live-action Lilo and Stitch coming out?

Walt Disney Studios

Lilo & Stitch Release Date

We'll see the brand new movie on May 23, 2025. The PERFECT early summer flick.

Where are they filming the live-action Lilo & Stitch?

Jess Loiterton/Pexels

The new Lilo & Stitch is filmed in Oahu. The original animated film takes place on Kauai, but we'll have to wait and see if they change the story's setting for the live-action remake.

Is there a live-action Lilo and Stitch coming out?

Walt Disney Studios

Yes! According to The Hollywood Reporter, the remake of the animated film will be done with both live-action and CGI. Dan Lin and Jonathan Eirich, who worked on the live-action Aladdin, are producing, and up-and-coming screenwriter Mike Van Waes, who has previously worked primarily in horror, wrote the script.

The live-action Lilo and Stitch remake is the latest in a long list of classic titles Disney is reimagining for modern audiences. Are you excited about Disney’s latest remake? Let us know @BritandCo and check out the latest news on Disney's Snow White.

This post has been updated.

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