Shonda Rhimes has hinted that another Bridgerton spinoff could be in the works, and she already has a leading lady in mind: Violet Bridgerton.

Speaking on a recent episode of Craig Melvin’s Glass Half Full podcast, the executive producer was candid about the possibility following the success of 2023’s Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story. 

“I think definitely,” she said. “That’s an area that we’re excited about and know that that could be really rich and really mined well.”

And when it comes to who might anchor that story, Rhimes didn’t need long to answer. 

“I’ve always said that I thought if we were going to do something like that, Violet would be a great person to tell the story about, the Bridgerton mom,” she said. “Yeah, that’s a possibility.”

It’s a direction that feels timely. 

Season four of the Netflix series gave viewers more of Violet Bridgerton, played by Ruth Gemmell, as she began developing feelings for Lord Marcus Anderson, played by Daniel Francis, the brother of her close friend Lady Danbury. 

But the romance hit a wall when Violet decided she wasn’t ready to take the next step. 

The question of whether Violet’s story could sustain its own series is one that even Bridgerton author Julia Quinn has wrestled with. 

Quinn published the novella Violet in Bloom, which follows Violet’s life from childhood through her marriage to Edmund and his death, but has stopped short of writing a story that takes her beyond that point. 

On her website, she explained that she simply cannot imagine anyone good enough for Violet. “I just adore her,” she wrote plainly.

Whether the show goes where the books have not remains to be seen, but with Rhimes openly enthusiastic about the prospect, Violet Bridgerton’s story may not be over just yet.

The Kennedy Center’s board of directors voted on Monday to shut down operations for two years as President Trump calls for a major overhaul of the D.C.-based performing arts institution.

It’s the latest move by Mr. Trump to put his stamp on the Kennedy Center, drawing stiff criticism from congressional Democrats and performing artists. The center’s board — which includes many members handpicked by Mr. Trump — voted last year to rename it the Trump-Kennedy Center, leading to a wave of performance cancellations.

Mr. Trump has cited the need for repairs as a reason for the closure, which will take effect after this summer’s July 4 celebrations.

“We’re going to ensure it remains the finest performing arts facility of its kind anywhere in the world,” the president told reporters at the White House before the board met Monday.

The board also voted to install Matt Floca as CEO and executive director, replacing Trump ally Richard Grenell, who oversaw far-reaching changes at the venue. Mr. Trump praised Grenell on Monday, saying he had been a longtime friend, and wished Floca “good luck with everything.”

The Kennedy Center said the vote was unanimous, though Rep. Joyce Beatty didn’t cast a vote. The Ohio Democrat is an ex officio member of the board and sued to preclude the Trump administration from excluding her from Monday’s meeting. Over the weekend, a federal judge ruled she was entitled to participate in the meeting but didn’t require that the board allow her to vote.

Shortly after returning to office last year, Mr. Trump ousted the center’s previous leadership and replaced it with a hand-picked board of trustees that named him chairman. He also brought in Grenell, who served in a variety of capacities during Trump’s first term.

The center’s lineup has since included more Trump-friendly programming, including serving as the venue for the premiere of first lady Melania Trump’s documentary, “Melania.” The board also announced it had renamed the facility to include Mr. Trump’s name, a change scholars and lawmakers say must be initiated by Congress, and physically added the president’s name to the building’s facade.

The fallout from the arts community was swift and intense. Actor Issa Rae, musician Bela Fleck and author Louise Penny were among the numerous artists who withdrew from appearances since last year, while consultants such as musician Ben Folds and singer Renée Fleming resigned. Earlier this month, the executive director of the National Symphony Orchestra, Jean Davidson, left to head the Los Angeles-based Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts.

Grenell has called some of the artists who canceled their shows “far-left political activists” who “were booked by the previous far-left leadership.”

Without mentioning the abandoned performances, Mr. Trump said in February he would close the Kennedy Center to fix what he has described as a dilapidated building.

Ahead of the closure, Grenell warned staff about impending cuts that will leave “skeletal teams.”

Floca, Grenell’s successor, had been serving as vice president of operations. According to his LinkedIn page, he joined the Kennedy Center in January 2024, during the Biden administration.

A center press release from the time describes him as “an experienced facilities management professional with a construction management background and an appreciation for whole building design principles.”

Previous experience for Floca listed on LinkedIn includes a handful of positions with the District of Columbia government, among them associate director of sustainability and energy and director of facilities management. He graduated from Louisiana State University in 2009 with a Bachelor of Science degree in construction management.

The San Francisco 49ers continued their aggressive receiver room rebuild on Monday, agreeing to a one-year, $6 million deal with veteran wide receiver Christian Kirk.

The signing marks Kirk’s fourth NFL franchise in eight professional seasons and places him inside one of the most heavily renovated offenses in the league this spring.

Kirk, 29, arrives carrying a reputation built on a career-best 2022 season in Jacksonville, where he posted 84 receptions for 1,108 yards and eight touchdowns.

That performance earned him a four-year, $72 million contract at the time and briefly positioned him among the more productive receivers in the league.

Since then, however, his output has dropped considerably. Injuries to his hamstring, collarbone, groin and ankle have disrupted each of the last three seasons.

His 2025 campaign with Houston produced just 28 receptions for 239 yards in 13 appearances.

The postseason also reminded the league of what Kirk can do when healthy. In the wild-card round against Pittsburgh, he erupted for 144 yards and a touchdown on eight catches.

Kirk joins a receiver room that already includes newly signed Mike Evans, third-year pro Ricky Pearsall and Demarcus Robinson. 

With Jauan Jennings still unsigned, Brandon Aiyuk’s departure appearing inevitable, and Kendrick Bourne already gone, the 49ers are essentially constructing a new unit from the ground up.

Kirk slots in as the primary slot option for now, a role that carries real responsibility in Shanahan’s scheme.