Hotel Altercation Bodyguard Breaks Silence, FKA Twigs Sues Shia, Disney's AI Pivot

Bodyguard Claims Responsibility for Chappell Roan Hotel Altercation

A security incident in Brazil has put veteran bodyguard Pascal Duvier in the spotlight after a confrontation that left the stepdaughter of footballer Jorginho in tears. Catherine Harding, known as Cat Cavelli, says a security professional “berated and scolded” her and her young daughter during a breakfast encounter with pop star Chappell Roan. Early reports suggested the outburst came from someone on Roan’s team, but Duvier has now said he was working for an unnamed third party and had no professional connection to the singer.

In a statement on Instagram responding to what he called “false accusations” of defamation, Duvier insisted his reaction was a “judgment call” driven by elevated security concerns at the venue. Representatives for Chappell Roan have stressed that she was unaware of what happened, clearly distancing her from the incident. Even so, Harding has continued to speak out about the “aggressive tone” used toward her daughter, turning the episode into a broader flashpoint over how private security teams deal with members of the public in busy, celebrity-heavy settings.

FKA twigs Files New Lawsuit to Block Shia LaBeouf’s "Unlawful" NDA

FKA twigs has returned to court against her former partner Shia LaBeouf, filing a legal complaint to block what her team describes as an "unlawful" nondisclosure agreement. The British artist, born Tahliah Barnett, alleges that LaBeouf is attempting to use the settlement from their 2020 sexual battery and assault case, which concluded in July 2025, to silence her. The move follows claims from LaBeouf’s team that Barnett violated their agreement during a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, where she discussed her desire to support other survivors and stated she did not feel "safe."

Represented by attorney Matthew Rosengart, Barnett argues that California’s STAND Act protects a survivor's right to disclose factual information regarding sexual misconduct, regardless of settlement terms. While LaBeouf’s counsel has reportedly attempted to argue the act's specific wording regarding "sexual battery" versus "sexual assault," Rosengart maintains the law covers both. This latest filing seeks to ensure that survivors are not "bullied or silenced" by restrictive legal provisions, positioning the case as a vital defense for victims of domestic and sexual violence who may lack the resources to challenge similar NDAs.

ICYMI:

• Rachel Zegler has revealed that she has been cast in an unnamed musical film; “I wish I could tell you what it is, but I can’t.” 

• Zendaya has said that she is planning on taking a short break after having five projects set for release this year. 

Disney Scraps $1 Billion OpenAI Deal as Sora App Shuts Down

In a plot twist that has Hollywood doing a double-take, the blockbuster partnership between Disney and OpenAI has officially hit the cutting room floor. Just months after pledging a massive $1 billion investment to bring iconic characters into the AI fold, Disney is pulling the plug as OpenAI announces the sudden shutdown of its standalone Sora video app. While Sam Altman’s crew isn't abandoning AI video entirely, likely folding the tech into the main ChatGPT interface, the dedicated Sora platform has officially been relegated to a footnote in tech history.

The fallout leaves Disney’s ambitious plans to integrate generative AI directly into Disney+ in a state of total limbo. The deal, which originally aimed to let fans interact with licensed IP in "shocking and awing" new ways, became a lightning rod for controversy over creator rights and actor likenesses almost immediately after launch. In a carefully worded statement, Disney noted they respect OpenAI’s shift in priorities but are already eyeing other AI giants to find a partner that better respects IP. For now, the House of Mouse is back on the market, and the era of the standalone Sora app has ended before it even truly began.

POP FACT: On this day in 1969, Mariah Carey was born.

Transgender Women Banned from Olympic Events

The IOC, under new President Kirsty Coventry, has introduced a universal SRY gene-screening requirement to determine eligibility for women’s events, replacing federation-level rules with a single biological standard that effectively bans transgender women from female Olympic competition. Framed as a move to protect fairness based on “scientific evidence” about male sex development and aligning with recent U.S. executive orders ahead of the 2028 LA Games, the policy has drawn intense backlash from advocacy and human rights groups, who call mandatory genetic testing a humiliating invasion of privacy and a dramatic reversal of the IOC’s more inclusive 2021 Fairness Framework. Organizations such as the Sport & Rights Alliance, Human Rights Watch, ILGA World, and Athlete Ally argue that the rule unjustly polices women’s bodies, lacks evidence that trans women dominate elite sport, and crushes the aspirations of transgender youth, while Olympic silver medalist Francine Niyonsaba warns it will entrench institutionalized discrimination, particularly against women of color from the Global South.

ICYMI:

• Cardi B brought out her children, Kulture and Wave, on stage in New York.

• The English Wikipedia has banned the use of AI to generate or rewrite article text. 

• Twitter/X has released a ‘dislike button’ which allows users to privately give feedback on what is wrong with someone’s post.

Best New Track: “I Know You’re Hurting” by RAYE

Like we said last week — RAYE isn’t guessing her way through this. The album “THIS MUSIC MAY CONTAIN HOPE” is here and it’s loud, cinematic and deeply narrative. We unfold in widescreen.

She opens with a spoken interlude — “Girl Under The Grey Cloud” — which starts off all Paris scenery, then gets kind of eerie like a low-key Twilight Zone moment. It’s full-on-world-building.

We’re going to tell you now our favorite is “I Know You’re Hurting.” RAYE moves through softer hues here, the sky still overcast but not permanent. The instrumentation flips it from a song into something you kind of move through.

It’s also hard to ignore “Lifeboat,” with those “I’m not giving up yet” lines running through it. And then the monologue just lingers a bit.

So, free time this weekend? Press play on the album.

—Dawson Therre

— Katie Macbeth

Subscribe to the newsletter to discover new releases through Pop Base weekly and to find out what songs we declare the best of the week.