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Olympics tap former Lucasfilm boss Kathleen Kennedy to lead opening and closing ceremonies

29 October 2026 at 15:25

It's wild to think that we're under two years away from the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, and with the clock ticking, organizers have been forced to call in the big guns for the opening and closing ceremonies.

And by big guns, I mean the Hollywood producer often credited with ruining "Star Wars."

According to The New York Post, organizers had to make a switch when their original choice to lead the ceremony charge, Peter Rice, took a job as Chief Content Officer at Netflix.

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While he'll stay on as an executive producer, Kennedy — who led Lucasfilm after George Lucas sold the company to Disney and rode off into the double Tatooine sunsets with his billions and flannel shirts — will cobble together a team of producers for both ceremonies.

The opening ceremony is set to take place on July 14 at the Los Angeles Coliseum and SoFi Stadium at the same time.

"This appointment reinforces LA28’s commitment to harness the unparalleled creativity, cultural influence and storytelling power of the entertainment capital of the world," a statement from organizers reads. "Ceremonies that are distinctly Los Angeles and leave a lasting impression on the global stage."

Okay. Kennedy is without a doubt a legend in Hollywood and produced massive movies like "E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial," "Back to the Future" and "Jurassic Park."

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But have they seen any of the Disney-era Star Wars movies (aside from "Rogue One," that one was pretty good)?!

In fact, OutKick's own Ian Miller has written at length about the many missteps Disney has made with the franchise under Kennedy's watch.

Kennedy was also ripped in a 2023 "South Park" special titled "South Park: Joining the Panderverse."

It's wild for an Olympics in a city packed with creative people to go with someone whose stock might be at its lowest after her time leading Lucasfilm.

If this was the '84, '96, or '02 Games, solid choice.

Post-"The Acolyte?" Not so much.

Of course, the opening and closing ceremonies aren't likely to taint the entire Games. Then again, I didn't think the sequel trilogy could taint "Star Wars" for me.

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And, well, here we are.

I moved back home at 40. My husband, toddler, and I now live in my mom's living room.

26 October 2026 at 14:02
Yaritza, her husband, and their son sit on a couch.
I moved back home at 40 and live in my mom's small apartment with my husband and our son.

Yaritza Betancourt

  • After my husband lost his job, we moved across the country and into my mom's one-bedroom apartment.
  • My husband, toddler, and I live in her living room, and it's not always easy sharing a small space.
  • However, the arrangement has come with lots of benefits and we've been able to get back on our feet.

7:30 p.m. marks the start of my son's bedtime routine.

First, I pull out our pillows and bedding from under the chaise sofa bed, which I share with my son.

Once our makeshift bed is set, I close the curtains separating it from the rest of the one-bedroom apartment. The tiny living room becomes our private oasis.

I can almost forget we're at my mom's place, sleeping on a convertible sofa she'd originally bought for our annual visits, while my 6-foot-3 husband sleeps on his own air mattress on the ground right next to us.

After my husband lost his job, moving in with my mom seemed like the right decision

Yaritza's young son pulls a small Bluey suitcase in the airport.
We booked one-way tickets to Logan Airport and never looked back.

Yaritza Betancourt

Squeezing into my mom's small Boston apartment was never the plan.

Right after I graduated from college, I had moved to California to chase my Hollywood dreams of becoming an actor. During my two decades of living on the West Coast, I met my husband, got married, and became a stay-at-home mom.

However, our lives were turned upside down in 2025 when my husband lost his job. For the first time, we really started thinking about moving to Boston, where I had grown up and my family still lived.

I figured it would give us more flexibility with childcare, and a fresh start in a new city might be what we needed.

When I called my mom to tell her about our plans, she was thrilled. She'd been telling us to move to Boston for years, and said we could stay with her in her one-bedroom apartment until we found a new place.

So, we booked one-way tickets to Logan Airport and moved in with my mom.

It's been challenging for all of us to share a one-bedroom apartment

Yaritza closes the curtains separating the living room from the rest of the apartment.
A curtain separates the living room from the rest of the apartment.

Yaritza Betancourt

Arriving in Boston was exciting, but the transition to sharing a one-bedroom apartment was trying — we took over the entire living room. The room became cluttered, with our clothes and suitcases spilling into the hallway.

My mom expressed concern about the mess, so we rented a nearby storage unit for most of our belongings. Still, though, the things we need daily seem to take up a lot of space.

Yaritza's son helps his dad open a storage unit.
We ended up renting a storage unit to help keep the clutter at bay.

Yaritza Betancourt

Sharing a one-bedroom apartment required an adjustment not just for us, but for her too.

For example, my son's early bedtime closes the living room off to my mom's nightly TV watching. Honestly, it still feels awkward to kick my mom out of her own living room because I have to put my toddler to sleep.

Yaritza's young son opens the sofa bed.
The chaise sofa turns into a bed.

Yaritza Betancourt

Plus, my mom is an early riser, often getting up at 6:30 a.m. to clean and run errands.

I can hear the sounds of domestic life filtering through the curtains that separate our "room" from the rest of the home. Cupboards opening, dishes being put away, and the smell of morning coffee lingering in the air like a wake-up call.

When tension rises because of our conflicting schedules and differing routines, I've learned to take a breather and step outside with my son to go for a walk or a drive. It often helps to ease the tension and remember this arrangement is only temporary.

However, it's also nice having my mom's support, and my son has gotten to know his abuela in ways that wouldn't have been possible from across the country. She watches him while I take a shower and go to in-person or Zoom job interviews.

Every night, while I'm getting the living room ready for bedtime, he goes into her room and cuddles up next to her while she watches TV.

Even though things aren't perfect, the arrangement is worth it

Yaritza's mother and son on a swing set.
My son gets to spend more time with his abuela.

Yaritza Betancourt

At first, being back at my mom's house after so many years of independence honestly made me feel like I somehow failed at life. By 40, I thought I'd have a successful career and a home of my own.

Now, though, it's been seven months since we arrived in Boston, and honestly? We're thriving. My husband found work, my son loves his preschool, and I've been able to focus on my career aspirations.

What I've learned through this whole process is that it's OK to lean on family when necessary, and even though we're still hoping to get our own place sooner rather than later, I know moving back to Boston was the right decision for me and my family.

Read the original article on Business Insider
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