Kyra Sedgwick, longtime actress and now first-time director, is busy working on a film with her daughter, Sosie, and her husband, Kevin Bacon. After years of working on-camera, she’s now in the chair behind the camera while her husband and daughter Sosie act for the big screen in a Lifetime Original Movie.

More: Everyone is a little bit sexually fluid, including you

The film is called Story of a Girl, about a high school girl whose hook-up video goes viral, and what sex means to modern women versus how sex for modern women is perceived. It’s as important a topic as ever these days, as women are fighting for their bodily rights on a daily basis while this administration continues to threaten them. The movie deals with family, relationships, physical and emotional consent, and having a choice about your sex life.

ELLE.com spoke with Sedgwick about what the film means to her and why she chose to go forward with this project.

“I think the overwhelming feeling about wanting to make this film is, I want to talk about how f*cking hard it is to be a girl and a woman,” she started. “I think there’s just a lot of competing messaging that we’re getting, and I think that, specifically, in terms of sexuality, there are really confusing messages… If a girl has sex early, it’s like, ‘Oh my God.’ If a boy has sex early, it’s ‘Good for you!’”

More: 22 sexuality terms you don't know but probably should

Sedgwick also talked about what the film means to her in terms of her role as a mother to 25-year-old Sosie, and what it’s like to discuss sex casually with a daughter.

“I think, from what I witness in [Sosie’s] generation, there’s this idea that the guys were supposed to get off and the women weren’t,” she says, as bluntly as if she was really having the discussion with her daughter. “I think that we need to talk more with our girls about their own sexual desires, and that they should be met, and they need to be met by yourself as well as others… When we submerge natural human desires and tendencies, then we’re really in trouble.”

More: Being an escort makes me feel powerful & confident

What could be a very awkward conversation turns into an empowering movement for young women, who might feel it isn’t OK to be interested in sex. But Sedgwick and her daughter are here to prove otherwise and break the silence about female sexuality.

You can read the full interview on ELLE.com, and see the film Story of a Girl on July 23 on Lifetime.

Since she wasn’t badass enough, actress Emilia Clarke, aka Daenerys on HBO’s hit series Game of Thrones, is the coolest looking Mother of Dragons in the biz. The show recently released clips detailing the process behind all the CGI that makes the show as gorey and magical and cool as possible. And the behind the scenes make it even cooler.

The clip interviews Sam Conway, the show’s special effects supervisor, where he talks about the details of what goes into the CGI-heavy show. “The special effects as a department brings to a production the chaos and mayhem,” says Conway. “We handle gas, we handle water, we handle wind, we handle smoke, we handle pyrotechnics, we handle engineering, blood, snot...” he laughs. “Ya know. Everything. Everything you can possibly imagine is our trade.”

More: Can't get enough of Game of Thrones? Good news, there's a concert

So when writers and producers asked for dragons, they got a combination of a bunch of those things - fire, smoke, wind, and definitely chaos and mayhem. But there is also quite a lot of technology that goes into it as well, and the video shows just that.

Image: Uproxx

Seeing Daenerys ride dragons on the show is one thing that takes your breath away, but seeing Emilia Clarke’s intensity and poise while riding the pre-CGI dragon is masterful. She also does a great job working with even the silliest of pre-CGI moments, like having to pet one of her baby dragons, whose head is just a ball of green string.

So, to those who say, “Acting isn’t that hard,” I dare you to keep your cool while you’re basically barely strapped onto a mechanical bull and rehearsing lines that have to be believable all at the same time. Yeah, good luck.

In conclusion, Emilia Clarke deserves awards on awards on awards, and maybe a real dragon of her own.

Beloved cast members and O.G.’s of Criminal Minds, Kirsten Vangsness and A.J. Cook, recently completed a hold out on their contracts for the show. After their co-stars Joe Matenga and Matthew Gray Gubler signed their contracts for the fall, the two female actresses held out for salary parity, and they just won.

More: Criminal Minds: the cast then and now

The two leading ladies waited until an agreement was made that they each make the same as their male co-stars, much like the final two seasons of Friends where each cast member of the main six was making $1 million an episode. You would think that after that, TV would understand that gender doesn’t matter when everyone is doing the same work. But the world doesn’t even understand that yet, let alone the TV industry, so one step at a time, I guess.

More: All signs are pointing to Criminal Minds' demise

At least Criminal Minds is moving in the right direction. Heading into season 13, Vangsness and Cook will work for the same salary as their peers. Casting tends to be a very political business, especially in long-standing shows, and especially on large networks like CBS. It can get messy, like last season when Damon Gupton was let go from the show after less than a whole season. But messy shouldn’t mean inefficient, and for two women who have been series regulars for almost 13 years, there’s no excuse not to treat them better than the politics.

More: Thomas Gibson's on-set Criminal Minds freak out actually explains a lot

Deadline reports that in 2013, the two held out for the same salary parity issue with the show, but “back then, Vangsness and Cook eventually reached new agreements, securing salary increases but not able to achieve parity… This time, they were willing to walk for the cause.”

Good for you, ladies! Just the kind of Equal Pay feel-good story I like to hear. Season 13 of Criminal Minds starts this fall on CBS.

Warning: spoilers ahead

The last time we saw the women of Litchfield, they were coming to terms with the death of fellow inmate Poussey Washington at the hands of one of the correctional officers. Now, Season 5 of Netflix’s Orange Is the New Black picks up where we left off, showing the women — and prison staff — expressing various forms of grief.

More: OITNB Season 5: "[SPOILER] Gets a Backstory" (Finally!) & Other Scoops

During the initial mourning period in the last episode of Season 4, where the women were forced to eat breakfast outside because Poussey’s body was still under a sheet in the cafeteria, her closest friends sat in a pavilion in the yard processing her murder. Other inmates came over with offerings of juice and commissary casseroles — unsure of what else they could or should do — to mixed reactions.

Now in Season 5, the grieving process continues. Soso, Poussey’s girlfriend, is devastated and turns to Poussey’s stash of homemade prison hooch buried outside the library to dull the pain. Taystee, Poussey’s best friend, does break down and cry on a few occasions, but is mostly shown grieving through anger and trying to take action to get justice for her friend. Another character, Red — who serves as a matriarch for a portion of the prison population — assigns tasks to each of her friends in order to keep them busy and their minds occupied.

But Poussey’s murder transcends a fictional TV prison and has had an impact on viewers too. Caroline Madden, a therapist based in California, said the plotline at the end of Season 4 of OITNB has affected many of her patients — from the unexpected tragic death of Poussey to the reaction of Correctional Officer Bayley, who killed her.

More: OITNB's Season 5 Trailer Gets Political & Induces Goose Bumps

And it's not just Poussey's death that viewers are reacting to. It's also how the show handles the complexities of grief.

Dr. Dion Metzger, a psychiatrist practicing in Georgia, tells SheKnows that OITNB is “showing one of the most accurate (and thorough) representations of grief [she has] seen in a series” and that she’s impressed by the way they show grief as multifaceted rather than just “the typical angle of intense hopelessness and crying.”

According to Metzger, Taystee's anger is accurate, and Red’s strategy of staying busy is very common — especially in women who have lost a husband — as they “completely submerge themselves in any duties to keep their mind occupied and distracted from the grief.” In addition, Soso's “deepened sadness with a transition to emotional numbing and social withdrawal” is another realistic portrayal of grief.

Symptoms of grief can also include problems sleeping, trouble concentrating and diminished appetite, she adds.

“This series does an excellent job in showing that not everybody grieves the same way nor is there a time limit on grief,” Metzger explains. “It is a unique process for each individual.”

But the way OITNB shows grief isn’t just accurate, Metzger says. It can also be comforting to viewers, as it can make them realize they’re not alone in how they process grief, whether that’s anger, distraction or sadness. It can also be encouraging for the audience to watch the characters heal from this tragedy.

The show also offers a glimpse into the dynamics of relationships within prison and how they affect people’s handling of grief.

More: OITNB Season 5 Hackers Might Find Themselves in Orange Jumpsuits Very Soon

Bruce Cameron, a licensed counselor who worked as a therapist in a women’s federal prison for six years, calls the show’s portrayal of grief “realistic enough,” clarifying that different cultural backgrounds will heavily influence people’s responses to grief.

Part of Cameron’s job at the prison was to notify the inmates about deaths. The inmates would start crying when they saw him walk the yard knowing bad news may be in store for them, making him no stranger to dealing with deaths in prison.

If there is one thing Cameron wants viewers to take away from the way grief was handled on the most recent season of OITNB, it’s that relationships inside a women’s prison are extremely intense. Because part of your punishment is being taken away from your family, losing someone you became close with in prison is taken particularly hard.

“You hang onto whatever and whoever you can,” Cameron says. “Loss in prison is more intense than when you have others with you in society.”

Why do adults start book clubs (and no, we're not talking about wine)? Time to be with friends, to socialize and to talk about a common experience, i.e., the book that everyone was (*ahem*) supposed to read. Book clubs for kids aren't so different. Kids want to spend time together too. However, not all kids are likely to put sitting around discussing literature at the top of their "fun things to do" list. Here are some suggestions for starting a kids' book club for any age group.

More: Summer reading list: Age-by-age guide to fun reads

Skip the wine, but stock up on snacks

Kids love to graze, and lots of different handheld foods will keep them anchored long enough to get them started with the book. Ignore the "no talking with your mouth full" rule, and you might just snag them.

Pro tip: Try to keep snacks low-mess to minimize the likely destruction of books (especially if they're borrowed).

Be thoughtful in your scheduling & location

Try to choose a time and place that will be manageable for as many as possible. If three kids have ballet or tutoring on Monday and Wednesday, take pity on them (and their parents) and aim for Tuesday or Thursday instead. Similarly, if you’re organizing the group but your house is far removed from everyone else’s or it’s just not big enough to hold everyone and another parent offers to help by hosting, accept the offer.

Pro tip: Never schedule for Sunday evening. Ever. Everyone is stressed about the upcoming week and will be thinking about homework that is undone or lunches that are unpacked. Just don’t do it to yourself. Which leads us to…

More: 11 awesome summer reads for tweens and teens

Involve other parents

Older kids might not initially appreciate the idea of this, but give it a try anyway. Sometimes books provide a much-appreciated neutral ground for communicating. For younger kids, it’s a golden opportunity for some high-grade quality parent interaction (remember, everyone puts away their devices!) and a chance to build a shared love of reading.

Pro tip: Having other adults on hand will also help you with crowd-control and keeping the group running smoothly. If two kids decide they’re mad at each other and the gathering is threatening to go off the rails, it’s great to have another grown-up on hand to intervene.

Think about your readers before choosing your first book

What do they have in common? What do all (or most) of them enjoy? If they know each other from soccer, find a soccer-related book for your first pick. If they all love Star Wars, choose a similarly written book or one of the many books specifically about that world. You can also do a quick poll of what they’ve read previously and enjoyed — so, if everyone enjoyed Wonder, then you could suggest Auggie & Me, then base your first pick on that.

Pro tip: Consider diverse reading levels — go for a lower level than a higher one for your first book. More advanced readers will be willing to read an easier book and come back for more, but less accomplished readers who get frustrated with a harder book will be unlikely to want to try again.

More: 21 summer crafts for when it's just too hot to play outside

Plan on something more than just book-talking

For younger kids in particular, an extended period of sitting around talking is likely to lead to restlessness (and for all ages, the expectation of time without tech may be an unaccustomed challenge). Build in at least one break (see the first suggestion) and at least one activity that might relate to the book. A Star Wars book could include a lightsaber battle; a book like Katherine Paterson’s Bridge to Terabithia, which talks about the love of running and drawing shared by the two main characters, could have a relay race (for a group that really needs physical activity) or a drawing time (for one that has fewer wiggles to get out).

Pro tip: For younger kids, such as those still reading picture books, find a common theme with two or three books and then build an activity from those.

Go with the flow

This is probably the most critical element of all. You might have the most Martha Stewart kids book club ever, but if the participants don’t relax and have fun, it’s all for naught. Use plastic or melamine plates and cups; don’t serve anything that’s going to leave a horrible stain; accept that not all the books you choose will be hits. Sometimes, it’s more interesting to talk about why you didn’t like a book or what you think could have been changed to make it more enjoyable. Kids relish the chance to be experts, and when they feel that their opinions matter, it’s far likelier that they’ll explore and develop new ones.

Pro tip: Let them say what they think, even if (or especially if) you disagree. It might make you see the book in a whole new light!

Open relationships are usually defined as those in which two people agree that one or both partners can pursue sexual relationships outside the primary committed partnership. Since both people are aware, an open relationship is not considered cheating. But that doesn’t mean open relationships don’t come with plenty of ups and downs.

To find out what it’s really like to be in an open relationship, we talked to women who are or were in them. Here’s what they have to say about what led them to it and some of the pros and cons of being open.

Long-distance love

“Crazy travel schedules and long months apart led to our open relationship. At times, it’s hard to avoid getting jealous, and it can be challenging to sustain communication across the miles and time zones. Missing each other doesn’t help, either. When one of us gets back to home base and we're together for the first time in a long time, we spend a night discussing everything: who we've been with, how many partners, how long, was it serious at the time, whether the other person knew about our relationship and finally, are we able to put it behind us and move forward and never bring it up again, even if we have a scuffle? What works with our open relationship is experiencing different partners without guilt. Another good part is that the open communication leads to communication about everything.” — Sloane, 45, Los Angeles, California, has been in an open relationship for four years

Seeing other women

“My husband knew when we started dating that I was bisexual, but I fell in love with him and he was the one I chose as my life partner. We’ve been married for two years, and despite him being my husband, we’ve had an understanding that I can see other women outside the marriage. We don’t see it as cheating because he knows it’s a part of who I am and a part that doesn’t get satisfied within our marriage. Some of the challenges that have come up are that at times, he can feel neglected since he doesn’t see anyone else. Even though we agree that I put him and the relationship first, he can get jealous. Many may wonder how our open relationship could possibly make our marriage strong, but it does. Everyone’s needs are always met, which I think makes us both happier.” — Valerya, 29, New York, New York

Bisexual boundaries

“My husband and I have been married almost three years. We were both raised Mormon and we met while attending BYU. My husband is bisexual, but almost exclusively dated women before we got married. Because of our conservative upbringings, we felt there were some formative experiences we missed as young people. Neither one of us had much opportunity to explore our sexualities. One day, my husband was confiding in me that he wished he had felt freer as a teenager and young adult to explore his interest in men. I felt this sincere regret on his behalf, and before I knew it, I was telling him he had my blessing to explore his sexuality outside our marriage.

"Opening our marriage felt so incredibly right and natural, but we are not without our challenges. I don't feel comfortable telling others about the dynamic of my marriage. And of course you have to consider the fact that maybe your partner finds a lot of opportunities outside your marriage. Assuming that an open relationship means no rules would be a huge danger. You have to trust each other, but part of that trust is establishing boundaries. For me, opening our relationship has deepened my commitment to my husband, and it has helped me confront my insecurities. Somehow, seeing that my husband has the option to be with anyone he wants but still chooses to make a life with me has helped me realize how much he loves me.” — Jillian, 35, Portland, Maine

More: 7 Reasons Alpha Women Have Better Relationships

Just about sex

“We just opened our marriage up to dating other people three months ago, and so far, so good. We got married right out of college, and while we do still love each other, there is that sexual aspect that died years ago. And trust me, we’ve tried everything from marriage and sex therapy to scheduled date nights, and nothing seemed to bring that spark back. For us, the other partners are just about sex. Right now, it feels like we work better as friends and partners trying to raise our two kids, although to be honest, I’m starting to get a little jealous. I worry that he might fall in love with someone else even though we agreed it was just to satisfy our sexual urges. We are also careful about what we say in front of the children. They’re still pretty young. In time, we may tell them if we’re still open. We decided not to share details about who we were meeting and what we were doing with each other, but would be transparent if one of us had questions." — Santita, 36, Chicago, Illinois

From open to over

“Attempting an open relationship was the worst thing for my relationship. I was the one who convinced my boyfriend of eight years that we should try it. We were both very into our careers at the time, and it was very hard for both of us to prioritize our relationship. Since we knew we couldn’t put as much into the relationship as we could when we first started dating, we agreed that we would be together, but allowed to see other people at the same time. We thought it would ensure all our needs were being met and we wouldn’t be disappointing one another. Looking back, we should’ve just broken up and saved ourselves all the trouble.

"Even though I talked him into it, I was the one who got so jealous, I couldn’t take it. I found myself spending more time interrogating him about the girls he was seeing than I ever did working on our own relationship. I had a single one-night stand, and I felt awful about it. He, meanwhile, slept with at least six other girls. After only seven months of attempting an open relationship, we decided it would be best if we split up. I haven’t heard from him since then. That was over a year ago.” — Bianca, 30, Miami, Florida

More: 8 Things No One Tells You About Sex After Childbirth

Filling a temporary void

“I was in a short-term open relationship with my husband of 17 years for four years. He’s an engineer and when he got promoted, he started traveling often for long stints of time. He was the one who suggested the concept because he knew how hard it was for me to be alone all the time. We don’t have kids, so I would often get bored and lonely, missing that companionship. We agreed that I could 'hang out' with other men as long as there was no actual sex. We called it 'hanging out' rather than dating because I wasn’t looking for a new relationship, just male companionship.

"It was weird at first, going out with another man, and I kept feeling like I was going behind my husband’s back. A few times, I ran into friends while out with someone I was casually seeing. I often had to lie to them about who the other man was because my husband and I didn’t tell any friends or family about our agreement. Regardless of the social taboo, an open relationship helped fill a void and I completely stopped seeing others when his travel stopped. I really think an open relationship can work and help couples, but it depends on their personalities and the strength of the relationship. Make sure both of you are 100 percent OK with it, or I could see how jealously could easily destroy the relationship.” — Marilyn, 53, Long Island, New York

London has been having one hell of a month. First, multiple terror attacks rocked the city, including one at Ariana Grande's concert in Manchester. Then, one of the deadliest fires the city has ever seen struck Grenfell Tower, a 24-story apartment building home to an estimated 600 people in 120 public housing units. At this time,17 people have been confirmed dead with dozens still hospitalized.

More: Creating the Ultimate Mixtape for Adele, Because HBD

Victims of the fire and supporters alike have been gathered near the building since the fire to hold public vigils, and on Wednesday, a famous face joined the crowd of Grenfell Tower vigil-goers: Adele. She didn't advertise that she was there; she and her husband, Simon Konecki, simply walked into the crowd and started asking what she could do to help. No one would have known about her selfless act were it not for all the others in the crowd who documented it on social media.

More: Celeb Quotes About What Anxiety and Panic Attacks Really Feel Like

More: Adele Just Pulled Off a Secret Wedding — & These 15 Other Celeb Couples Did Too

Onlookers say Adele and Konecki were "offering [their] support to everyone affected by the tragedy." For others who want to support victims of the fire, there's a fundraising effort organized by the Kensington & Chelsea Foundation.

While giving your daughter a name that has a nice ring to it is important, it might even be more important to give baby girl a name that has real depth. After all, she's going to be stuck with it for a lifetime — so it might as well have some meaning, right?

Since we know that selecting a baby name can be a beast — and finding a name that falls nicely on the ears and has some significance is a tall order — we're helping you narrow things down by providing a list of names that are both aesthetically pleasing and meaningful.

From classic to trendy, you'll find a baby girl name that means something to you.

• Sophia: Wise
• Emma: Whole or complete
• Olivia: Olive, symbol of peace
• Isabella: Devoted to God
• Hannah: Favor or grace
• Mia: A wished for child
• Chloe: Fresh blooming
• Madison: Gift of God
• Violet: Flower
• Victoria: Victory or triumphant
• Darlene: Tenderly loved
• Kalila: Dearly loved
• Milada: My love
• Grania: Love
• Kennocha: Lovely
• Cheryl: Dear one, darling
• Cher: Dear one, darling
• Aphrodite: Goddess of love
• Theophilia: Loved by God
• Cara: Beloved
• Vida: Dearly loved
• Carina: Beloved
• Amada: Beloved
• Amara: Beloved
• Amia: Beloved
• Amor: Love
• Davina: Cherished
• Vida: Dearly loved

More: All-American Baby Girl Names for Your Little Patriot

• Farrah: Happy
• Caroline: Song of happiness
• Felicity: Happy
• Gwyneth: Happiness, blessed
• Carolina: Song of happiness
• Luana: Content, happy
• Allegra: Joyful
• Halona: Of happy fortune
• Joy: Happy
• Makenna: Happy one
• Trixie: Happy
• Beatrix: She who brings happiness

Originally published February 2011. Updated June 2017.

Next Up: More baby girl names with great meanings

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• Lana: Peaceful
• Jolie: Cheerful
• Rosaleen: Little rose
• Elle: Beautiful fairy
• Ellie: Shining light
• Norah: Light
• Lily: Purity
• Mabel: My beautiful one
• Karishma: Miracle
• Alazne: Miracle
• Karamat: Miracle
• Divya: Divine
• Daniella: Feminine form of Daniel, who miraculously survived the den of lions in the Old Testament

More: Spiritual Baby Girl Names That Celebrate Your Faith

• Abigail: Old Testament name meaning "father's joy"
• Bethany: Biblical name meaning "the house of song"
• Charity: New Testament name meaning "love, faith and hope"
• Elizabeth: Hebrew name meaning "the oath or fullness of God"
• Faith: Greek name meaning "faithful"
• Judith: Latin name meaning "praised"
• Mary: Biblical name meaning "wished-for child"
• Naomi: Hebrew name meaning "beautiful; agreeable"
• Phoebe: American name meaning "the shining one"
• Tabitha: Biblical name from the Old Testament meaning "gazelle, beauty, grace"
• Alisha: Protected by God
• Amity: Friendship, harmony
• Nadia: Hope
• Angelica: Angelic
• Irene: Peace
• Linnea: Flower
• Orianna: Golden

Yes, we love classic baby boy names, but we're also totally into the saying "out with the old and in with the new" when it comes clothing, housewares and tons of other aspects of our lives — so why should naming our babies be any different? Traditional names will always hold a place in our hearts, but it's time to usher in a new era of super cool names.

These names have unique twists that will give any little man some serious swagger.

Underrated and unique boy names

These names are super underrated, which is what we like! Is one of these cool guy names what you are looking for?

• Thorn
• Enzo
• Rhys
• Brooks
• Ryland
• Orion
• Zayden
• Reid
• Beckett
• Jamison
• Finn
• Quinton
• Brees
• Nixon
• Smith
• Lincoln
• Porter
• August
• Topher
• Waldo
• Zane

Tough boy names

We love these tough guy names because they have a confident air to them, which often happens when you add the letter “Z” or “X” to a baby name (such as Axel or Zander). Names like Hercules or King, however, would make it seem like you are trying too hard, while names like Rocco or Gunner stand out on their own as tough names. Check out our picks below:

• Jax
• Damon
• Dexter
• Axel
• Cason
• Titus
• Kace
• Maximus
• Ryker
• Harley
• Ajax
• Zander
• Zeke
• Zenon
• Phoenix
• Rocco
• Jett
• Gunner
• Pierce
• Cadmus
• Blaze
• Hunt
• Racer

Next Up: Boy names with cool meanings

Originally published February 2016. Updated June 2017.

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Boy names with cool meanings

Some parents are looking for a baby boy name that also has a great meaning. We have rounded up names that have it all. These names sound cool and have some depth.

• Bryant: Celtic name meaning “strong”
• Chasin: Hebrew name meaning “strong”
• Kemen: Spanish name meaning “strong”
• Donovan: Celtic name meaning “strong fighter”
• Griffin: Welsh name meaning “strong in faith”
• Felix: Latin name meaning “lucky”
• Faust: Italian name meaning “lucky”
• Chance: English name meaning “good fortune”
• Frederik: German name meaning “leader”
• Brendan: Gaelic name meaning “brave”
• Farrell: Celtic name meaning “brave”
• Hardwin: English name meaning “brave friend”
• Baldwyn: German name meaning “brave friend”
• Sebastian: Greek name meaning "revered"
• Dustin: English name meaning "valiant"
• Neron: Spanish name meaning "strong"

Celebrity boy names

Celebrities always seem to have their fingers on the pulse of cool and unique baby names. Many recent celebrity baby boys have been given names that have a classic or old-fashioned sound to them. For inspiration, check out the following:

• Ace: Singer and actress Jessica Simpson
• Cruz: Singer Victoria Beckham and athlete David Beckham
• Magnus: Actress Elizabeth Banks
• Saint: Rocker Pete Wentz
• Apollo: Singer Gwen Stefani
• Milan: Singer Shakira and Gerard Pique
• Mason: Reality star Kourtney Kardashian
• Axl: Fergie and Josh Duamel
• Milo: Actress Alyssa Milano
• Duke: E! News host Giuliana Rancic
• Camden: Actress Vanessa Lachey
• Oliver: Actress Ginnifer Goodwin
• Jaxon: Laguna Beach alum Kristin Cavallari
• Otis: Actress Olivia Wilde and Jason Sudeikis
• Kase: Singer Jewel
• Marcelo: Actress Ali Landry
• Colt: John Rich of the band Big & Rich
• Xander: Actress January Jones
• Arlo: Actress Toni Collette
• Milo: Actress Alyssa Milano
• Felix: Actress Elizabeth Banks
• Max: Actress Cynthia Nixon
• Leo: Actress Penelope Cruz
• Flynn: Actor Orlando Bloom

Any actor knows that during their career, they will likely be called upon to play some unsavory characters. In fact, most actors revel in the challenge — it gives them a chance to get outside their comfort zones and stretch their creative boundaries. As Skinhead Helen on Orange Is the New Black, Francesca Curran understands getting uncomfortable for the sake of her art.

Suffice it to say that, in real life, Curran is nothing like her white supremacist character. When we had a chance to chat with the rising star, we quickly discovered how effortlessly lovely and warm she is as a human being — the antithesis of Helen.

More: OITNB Season 5: [SPOILER] Gets a Backstory (Finally!) & Other Scoops

Despite her controversial character, Curran has earned praise from devoted OITNB fans. She has also, though, garnered an unlikely and unsolicited fan club: the distinctive subset of society she portrays through Skinhead Helen.

When Season 4 — the first season viewers see Helen — dropped in June of 2016, Curran recalls her brother telling her to check out Twitter. Her page was exploding with feedback from OITNB fans, but Curran told SheKnows she wasn't prepared for a certain kind of fan mail she received.

"I got a message from a guy who was like, 'I'm so glad we finally have some representation. You do a great job of portraying our people; you're like a new sister to me. Thank you for giving us a voice,'" Curran shared, recounting the feedback she received from a white supremacist. "I got goose bumps all over my body and was like, 'Noooooo!'"

While Curran realizes that being a part of OITNB warrants a certain level of fandom whether your character is one of the good guys or one of the bad guys, she says hearing from people who truly embody the prejudice of Skinhead Helen was jarring.

"Obviously, we have the fan following who is like, ‘Ah, Skinhead Helen is funny! We love when you do the videos dancing.’ But when you get a message from an actual white supremacist thanking you for giving their people a voice? I felt uncomfortable," she said.

Given that Season 5 just dropped, Curran probably won't hear the end of it anytime soon. In fact, she has already noticed an uptick in the unwanted hero-worship, possibly due to the intensified negative race relations in the country over the last year.

"I did get a message the other day from a woman who has my face tattoos from the show — the exact stars — and it was another thank you note," Curran said. "It was like, 'Thank you so much; you're such an inspiration. I feel like I've been able to express myself since seeing you on the show. You're bringing attention to the group.' And I'm like, 'OK, then. Thank you, but no thank you!"

More: The Quintessential Guide to Summer TV

To counter any notion that she might share the same ideologies as Helen, Curran goes the extra mile outside of filming to contradict her character.

She shared, "I think it is easy, and I do this with my favorite shows, to really start to hate the villain. But this is acting, and you have to separate the character from the actor. So I've been working really hard to show people, even though sometimes it's a little personal. In doing that, I think I've shut down some of those comments from, like, the real deal."

And although it's unsurprising that playing a white supremacist would make any civilized member of society feel uncomfortable, what was surprising for Curran was just how accessible this demographic is in real life.

"One of the most startling things for me was to do research on white supremacy and find how easy it actually is to locate these people. To me, that was really, really baffling. This talk of white supremacists, nationalists, neo-Nazis... it’s kind of hush-hush. We don’t talk about it, this horrible thing. But it is kind of becoming, I hate to say it, more of a reality now," she said.

"You can literally message these groups — you can message these forces basically — and say, ‘Hey, I would like to meet up with you,’ and they set it up," Curran continued. "They have street parades. Certain groups will have meetings once a week in the exact same location. I just thought it was so secret, so under the radar, but these people are so loud and proud."

That surface-level accessibility was merely one of the many things about playing this type of character that made Curran's skin crawl.

"One of the things that really frightened me is their hate of gay people, of transgender people. It’s so strong. It really is kind of how they live their everyday life; it’s just so much hate. Going into it, I was a little ignorant to the subject, because it always kind of frightened me — especially to do research on it. I think it feels comfortable to close our eyes to the things we don’t want to see," she said.

In bringing this character to the screen, though, Curran realized that Helen's hatred (and the hatred of others like her) is rooted in their own discomfort with anything different.

"That’s actually something that was really interesting to me: All of the hate stems from fear. That actually informed a lot of my acting decisions too, because once I realized that, I realized that these people are just afraid of what they don’t know. They’re afraid of black people. They’re afraid of Hispanic people. They’re afraid of transgender people. And so I think that’s the thing that disturbs me the most."

More: OITNB New Season 5 Trailer Gets Political & Induces Goose Bumps

On a lighter note, that wasn't the only revelation Curran had while creating the Skinhead Helen persona.

"Toward the end of my research, I started to think, 'My computer is probably so flagged by the FBI,'" My husband was like, 'Do you realize the amount of research you're doing? Like, where to meet white supremacists?'"

"I thought, 'Oh my God, they're probably wondering why this girl is searching for all of this stuff.' But at least I have a decent excuse!" she said, laughing.

It's fair to say that interviewing the cast of Rough Night was going to be anything but boring or stale. From the moment SheKnows sat down to play "Who's most likely to..." with both the women and the men of Rough Night, all bets were off. Did you know that the Rough Night cast would never call Kate McKinnon to help get rid of a dead body? Yeah, me neither.

More: Scarlett Johansson Wants to Get a Guy's Grandma Drunk Just for the LOLs

But before we dive into the hijinks, let's get a quick refresh of what Rough Night is about. In one of the few female-led movies of 2017, the women of Rough Night — Scarlett Johansson, Ilana Glazer, Zoë Kravitz, Jillian Bell and Kate McKinnon — make a splash as a group of college friends reuniting for the bachelorette weekend trip of a lifetime in Miami. As the women come together to celebrate the upcoming nuptials of their friend, Jess (Johansson), things go from expectedly hedonistic to accidentally murderous after Alice (Jillian Bell) jumps on a male stripper and accidentally kills him. The night quickly goes from fun to frantic as the women try to figure out how to best dispose of the dead body. Oy vey.

More: Broad City Will Bleep President Trump's Name for the Greater Good

One of the funniest moments from SheKnows' time with the Rough Night cast was when the men acknowledged that Glazer would be most likely to have a threesome on the beach in order to save her friends. The women, however, though that Kravitz would do the threesome deed, which Kravitz herself agreed with, saying, "I don't want to stereotype myself, but..." Amazing.

More: A Lot Happened Behind the Scenes of Ghostbusters, According to the Cast

Another fantastic revelation from the interview? Probably that Glazer would ask Johansson to help her hide a dead body, saying "I do appreciate her access," which is most likely a reference to the fact that Johansson's A-list status means she can get some top-quality assistance with a dead body. Gotta keep those friends in high places, girlfriend.

It should come as no surprise that the Rough Night cast gave SheKnows some off-the-wall and hilarious responses to our admittedly wild questions, but who knew they would be this dang good?

London isn't letting a spate of terror attacks keep it down — though having Prince Harry on hand probably doesn't hurt.

More: Prince Harry Kissed this 97-Year-Old Widow, & It's Adorable

Earlier this week, Prince Harry visited Borough Market to help the London landmark reopen after the June 3 terrorist attack that killed eight and wounded 48 others. The market reopened on Wednesday, 11 days after the attack took place both in the market and on the nearby London Bridge.

More: The Queen Reportedly Grants Prince Harry Permission to Wed

During his Wednesday visit, Harry toured the popular tourist destination, alongside security officer Ganga Garbuja, who was one of the first people to respond to the scene of the attack and helped lead several people to safety. The pair visited traders at the market; there, Prince Harry reportedly spoke to them about how their businesses were affected by the 10 days the market was shut down.

Harry bought some donuts and produce from some of the vendors, including Bread Ahead, whose employees helped hide visitors to the market at the time of the attack.

More: Meghan Markle Was Super Stealthy at Pippa Middleton's Wedding

The attack on Borough Market and the London Bridge was the second in London in a matter of days. It came just after a suicide bomber detonated an explosive device in the lobby of a Manchester arena just after Ariana Grande finished a concert. London is also reeling after this week's fire at a public housing project, which has killed 17 people so far.

If this were any other day, we’d be incredibly ticked off that our alarms didn’t wake us up on time, or super-heated that our commute to work was delayed to no end and that the weather has been replaying on a gloomy and rainy loop for what feels like an eternity. But nope, not today — because it’s officially June, and that means nothing can stop our beauty-obsessed selves from reveling in the godsend that is Sephora’s brand-freaking-new arrivals.

More: The 13 Best Colored Mascaras That Literally Anyone Can Wear

Yep, clear out your shopping cart and scrap that wish list you’ve been building on for months, ‘cause Sephora’s June arrivals have officially hit, and they’re so damn good (looking at you, silky K-beauty primers and violet-infused sheet masks) that even your shittiest of shitty days will be made. But before you get overwhelmed by the heaps of new products, we went through and narrowed it down to the top seven hair, makeup and skin care products that you need, like, today — all for under $20. Shop all seven of our picks below, and make sure you check back next month for July’s newness.

Touch In Sol No Poreblem Primer

Touch In Sol No Poreblem Primer (Sephora, $18)

Origins Flower Fusion Violet nourishing sheet mask

Origins Flower Fusion Violet nourishing sheet mask (Sephora, $7)

BareMinerals Statement Matte liquid lip color

BareMinerals Statement Matte liquid lip color (Sephora, $18)

Sephora Collection Moisturizing & Refreshing Body Jelly

Sephora Collection Moisturizing & Refreshing Body Jelly (Sephora, $17)

Verb Sea Texture Cream

Verb Sea Texture Cream (Sephora, $14)

Glamglow Poutmud Wet Lip Balm Treatment

Glamglow Poutmud Wet Lip Balm Treatment (Sephora, $19)

Fresh Moisturizing Hand Cream

Fresh Moisturizing Hand Cream (Sephora, $14)

Originally posted on StyleCaster.

Is there anywhere better to get a sizzling, crispy hash brown at 4 p.m. or a 10-piece order of chicken nuggets at 2 a.m. on your way home from a night out? McDonald's is such a part of the fabric of most cities and towns in the U.S., it's hard to imagine the brand needing to innovate in any significant way.

But McDonald's has actually had slipping sales for a few years now for one simple reason. Millennials, even though they love eating out, just aren't into the typical greasy fast food as much as older generations. Now, McDonald's is taking a page out of a healthier chain's (*cough, cough* Chipotle's) book, and they're offering pico guacamole on three new menu items.

More: McDonald’s "secret menu" may really exist, manager tells Reddit

Pico guacamole is — you guessed it — mashed Hass avocados mixed with pico de gallo. As part of the chain's new Signature Crafted Recipes menu, they're serving up pico guacamole on the Artisan Grilled Chicken sandwich, the Pico Guacamole Buttermilk Crispy Chicken sandwich and a classic quarter-pound burger topped with the green goodness. The kicker: It's at no extra cost.

More: Something important is missing from McDonald's mozzarella sticks

As anyone who has ever been on Instagram can tell you, millennials are pretty much obsessed with avocados. There are avocado bun burgers and avocado cocktails — we're basically all avocado-obsessed. McDonald's new sandwiches are tapping into that collective hunger, proving that they too can compete with chains like Chipotle (which, last I checked, was still charging extra for their guacamole).

Avocado shortage, be damned — this is just further proof that guacamole should be put on anything and everything.

Somehow, a Target run gets a significant markup simply because the products you’re buying are marketed for women. A pink razor is more expensive than a blue one, but gets the job done in the same exact way. There’s no sense in that. Here’s how you can work around the heftier price tags.

Razors

People have been calling it the “pink tax.” Too often, the female version of something is more expensive than the male version. They’ve found examples with shampoos, jeans and kids’ toys. But one of the most widely used examples is razors. Some of them, usually disposables, are pretty much the same thing in pink or blue plastic. Yet, the pink one costs more.

Instead, just use razors meant for men. There are very slight differences between the two, mainly related to the angle of the head of the razor. But they both do the job. Many women have said they like using guys’ razors better. As long as the razor works well for you, that’s all that matters.

More: Reusable sanitary pads are becoming a thing

Tampons & pads

Feminine products are not cheap, though they’re pretty much essential. Depending on how many you use during a normal period, you could be spending $125 or more a year just on period products. Just think about how much that adds up over the amount of time you’ll have a period.

Instead of the usual pads, tampons and panty liners, try a menstrual cup. The small cup usually costs between $20 and $40 and you can buy it easily online. While it’s recommended that you get a new one every year, consumers usually change it out once every five years. Even if you do get a new one each year, that’s still around $100 a year you could be saving.

Face masks

Face masks are currently one of the biggest trends on social media right now. Check out Instagram and you’ll probably see at least one of your favorite celebs posted a face mask selfie. But as with most beauty products, these things can get pretty pricey, especially if you want to get the fancy name-brand ones. Some of them can be loaded with chemicals too. Do you really want to pay to slather chemicals on your face?

Luckily, there are a lot of DIY face mask options that you can make with ingredients that are probably in your fridge or pantry right now. Things like oatmeal, honey and yogurt are all important base ingredients in many of them, and they’re much better for your skin than chemicals. Purchasing those three items combined is probably cheaper than a good face mask. And having those three means you have the base products for a ton of face masks, not just one.

Maternity clothes

There’s no getting around it. At some point in your pregnancy, you’re going to have to purchase some maternity clothes. Everything gets bigger and you don’t want to stretch out all of your old stuff. But do you really want to buy a whole new wardrobe that you might never wear again?

It’s time to get thrifty. Check out garage sales, thrift stores and those yard sale pages on Facebook for used maternity clothes. There’s a good chance they’ll be in pretty great shape and almost like-new quality. If you have a friend or family member that was recently pregnant, see if they have any clothes they want to get off their hands.

With the rest of your body getting bigger, your boobs definitely will too. Instead of buying regular bras for your pregnancy, get nursing bras instead. There are a ton of different types so you can definitely still find something stylish and comfortable. And you can get more wear out of them by using them throughout your baby’s nursing cycle instead of just while you’re pregnant.

More: How to find inexpensive maternity clothes

Makeup

If you’re buying makeup, you probably want it to work well and look awesome. But some of the must-have products everyone talks about are insanely pricey. Who wants to spend a small fortune just on some blending sponges and mascara?

Luckily, the internet is full of people finding cheaper alternatives that work as well as the name-brand stuff. Before you bite the bullet and buy that $30 blush you’ve had your eye on, do some intense Googling to see if someone has found a comparable alternative that’s cheaper. And let’s face it; no one is really going to be able to tell that you bought a cheaper version of makeup once it’s on your face.

As far as the health of your skin goes, we wouldn’t necessarily recommend all of those inexpensive brands, as some of them sacrifice the quality of the product for the dollar value. Do your research and cross-reference which brands come up as the least pricey with the brands that come up as healthy options for your skin. Makeup options that are both inexpensive and healthy are out there — we promise! You can also try making your own makeup and skin care products!

Being a woman doesn’t have to bankrupt you. Shop smart and save on being a lady.

By Kate Harveston

Originally published on HelloFlo.

Here's a celebrity trend we fully endorse: stars going undercover and busking on the street.

More: Noah Cyrus Doesn't Want to Be Compared to Her Sister Miley Anymore

It's not a new concept — Erykah Badu did it as a social experiment once. A Washington Post reporter won a Pulitzer for doing it with a world-class violinist. However, this week, it's trending once again — and with vigor! — because a handful of stars donned costumes to play music in the street for unsuspecting passers-by.

First, there was Harry Potter star Tom Felton, who strummed on a guitar and sang some soft acoustic ballads on the streets of Prague's Old Town. In the video he posted on Instagram, you can clearly see people passing by none the wiser. That's not too surprising — it's been a few years since he played Draco Malfoy, and he doesn't really look like the character anymore.

More: Demi Lovato's Support of Miley Cyrus' Sobriety Is Good for the Sisterhood

Miley Cyrus and Jimmy Fallon had less luck. They both put on wigs and costumes to perform in a New York City subway as part of a bit for Fallon's show. From the video, it's hard to tell if people knew exactly who they were, but it was clear the crowd knew something was up because enough people gathered around for their rendition of Dolly Parton's "Jolene" that the entire platform was blocked.

Definitely watch that full video, because the moment when Fallon and Cyrus rip off their costumes and perform "Party in the USA" is delightful.

More: Miley Cyrus' Emotional Comeback Brought All the Feels to the BBMAs

And celebs, keep doing this so we can all catch one, OK? Thanks.

Remember that little media blitz a couple years ago, when the whole internet lit up because it thought Rebel Wilson lied about her age?

More: Rebel Wilson, We Want to See You Nude, and Let Us Tell You Why

Turns out that wasn't true at all. And Wilson brought a defamation suit against the media company that made it up, and just won the case.

An all-female jury in Australia took two days to reach a verdict in favor of Wilson against Bauer Media after a three-week trial. Wilson and her legal team were fighting claims made by the company that she lied about her age, name and upbringing, and that she lost two movie roles because of the scandal.

On Wednesday night, she posed with her legal team for a photo she posted to Instagram, thanking them for their hard work on the case and her fans for their support through it all.

More: Rebel Wilson Strikes Back at the Kardashians' Superficiality

"Just crushed my defamation case in Australia," Wilson wrote. "Thank you to all my family, friends and supporters! I had to take a stand. I had to stand up to a bully, a media organization Bauer Media Group who maliciously took me down in May 2015 with a series of grubby and completely false articles."

She continued, "Far too often tabloid magazines and the 'journalists' who work for them don't abide by professional ethics. Far too often their conduct can only be described as disgraceful and disgusting! I'm glad that the lovely ladies of the jury have agreed with me. Their unanimous and overwhelming verdict has sent a clear message. I love my job as an actress and as an entertainer and I look forward to rebuilding my career now that the record has been set straight. Thank you so much everybody!"

No damages have been set yet for the case, but Wilson doesn't seem too worried about that.

"For me the main thing is to set the record straight," she told reporters after the verdict.

More: Rebel Wilson Raises Awareness After Sharing her Scary Encounter in a Club

Don't mess with Rebel Wilson, y'all.

"You're going to hate me in about three seconds," my obstetrician said before he began counting down from three, his hands positioned over my stomach. On two, he and the nurses that were holding me down began pushing. The room filled with my screams as they began to manually push the blood from my abdomen.

At least, that’s how my husband tells the story to the nurse by my bedside. She has been popping in and out of the delivery room for the past hour to check on my vitals and monitor my contractions. He's telling her the story of what happened last time I was in a delivery room. The time that giving birth almost killed me.

In December 2014, I had my first child, a beautiful baby girl. I was pregnant for 41 long weeks and due to a medical necessity (gestational diabetes), I was induced. An induction is a lengthy process. When you are induced as a first-time mom, it can be even lengthier. My doctor's original estimation was that it would be at least 36 hours before I was holding my baby, with true labor at least 18 hours away yet.

At 5.30 p.m., I was given a suppository, a menu for the cafeteria to order dinner and strict instructions to get some rest. I was in for a long couple of days. At 6.30 p.m., after checking and rechecking my vitals, the labor and delivery nurse laughed and quietly told me that I was in labor. Again I was advised to get some rest, but who can sleep knowing that in a few short hours, you are going to meet the person you’ve waited your entire life for?

For a while, everything went perfectly. My water broke on its own. I didn’t require any additional drugs. My labor had begun in earnest of its own accord, the suppository falling out when my water broke. Time seemed to both speed up and slow down while I waited for permission to push. I was anxious and excited, but I wasn’t afraid. Suddenly the room filled up and once more my obstetrician was with me, only this time he was wearing a gown and a mask. "It’s time," he said with a smile that touched his eyes.

I pushed for three long, hard hours before it began to seem like something might be wrong. An oxygen mask was slipped on my face as the nurse told my doctor that the baby and I were in distress. "The baby is posterior," said the doctor. "Call the NICU!" And then, "Get the vacuum!" With one last big push, my daughter entered the world, and she did so without a sound.

She was blue and lifeless, the umbilical cord wrapped twice around her neck. She was quickly untangled and passed off to the NICU team. My mother followed her and watched as the doctors and nurses worked to resuscitate her while my husband remained by my side.

I remember my mother's face appearing from behind my doctor’s shoulder. With tears in her eyes, she told me my baby girl was OK, she was breathing, and she and my husband changed places. I could hear him talking about names and who she looked like. One of the NICU nurses asked for his phone and took pictures of him in front of our daughter as they continued to use a face mask and bag to pump oxygen into her tiny lungs.

More: 30 beautifully raw photos that capture the reality of childbirth

It would be a little while longer before I would see her face for the first time. My husband held her up to me as I was sewn back together. She was perfect and well worth the lifetime of waiting. The room had cleared out and we were alone as a family for the first time ever.

Then came the pain, followed by confusion, and finally help. Nurses rushed back into the room followed shortly by my doctor. I was hemorrhaging. My uterus was filing with blood and they had to drain it and stop the bleeding.

So it was on two that my doctor pushed, and my husband’s story had begun. He and I took turns telling her about how it would be almost a week before I was released from the hospital. How I required injections of clotting agents and blood transfusions. My veins collapsed and I fainted while trying to get from my bed to my wheel chair. We were telling her because we were sure it was all going to happen again.

At 2 a.m. on the morning of April 20, I woke up to go to the bathroom. An hour later, I was in labor. This time, I was afraid.

"I have to tell you something,” I said to my husband as we drove to the hospital. "On the desktop of my computer there is a file with your name on it…" He kept his eyes on the road as I told him everything it contained: our mortgage, our banking information, my wishes for burial if something should happen to me.

He already knew all of it. We had spent the past nine months discussing it and planning. It took a bit of the air out of the pregnancy. With our first, we talked endlessly about names. This time, we discussed what would happen to our toddler if I needed another extended hospital stay. Last time, I excitedly packed everything I could possibly want into my hospital bag. This time, there were just advanced directives tucked alongside nursing tops. At night as we lay in bed, we used to imagine what the delivery would be like. This time, with our toddler sleeping soundly between us, I quietly reminded him that I was an organ donor.

And then, at approximately 9:45 a.m. on April 20, our second daughter was born. She came into this world pink and screaming and so full of life.

She was perfect, and so was I.

Is it just me, or is it really flipping hard to believe North West is already four years old? You guys, she'll be in kindergarten next year.

It's true, though — Nori turned four today. And the Kardashian family has obviously been celebrating her all day. Luckily, they've been doing it in one way we can all appreciate and enjoy: by posting a bunch of adorable photos of Nori on social media.

More: 27 Ridiculously Cute Photos of North West & Her Equally-Adorable Cousins

Kim Kardashian West took to her app to share a video montage of North and a set of adorbs North-themed Kimojis. BRB gotta download these ASAP.

North's aunt Kylie Jenner shared a sweet shot of the tot in her ballet slippers, writing, "happy birthday to this cutie," next to a purple heart emoji.

More: This Just In – North West Is a Genius at Snapchat

And proud grandma Kris Jenner went all out, sharing a whole photo collage of the cutie.

"Happy birthday to our beautiful, funny, smart little love bug, North," she wrote. "You bring so much light to our lives and I am blessed beyond words to have you as my granddaughter. It brings me so much joy to watch you grow up to be sweet and kind and loving... I love you so much my precious angel girl."

More: Kim and Kanye West Are Launching a Kids' Line Designed by North West

We're sure the adorable photos are just beginning to flood in and we are here for them. Happy birthday to big girl North West! We're so excited to continue watching her grow up.

Look, we could eat sweets all day every day, but as the temperatures start to soar, a big ol' hunk of chocolate cake starts to sound less and less appetizing. When summer hits, all desserts are definitely not created equal.

Since we love to spend summery nights in the warm breeze, light desserts are totally in order. Seasonal fruits and lightened-up baked goods can completely satisfy our sweet tooth without feeling heavy — but finding the right recipes can be tricky. We found the perfect refreshing swaps for you.

1. Fresh fruit kebabs

Summer is a great time to take advantage of all the delicious fruits that are in season. For a healthy and peak-of-season flavorful dessert, skewer up some tasty fresh fruit kebabs. Big, juicy chunks of pineapple, mango, banana, grapes, strawberries, blueberries... are you drooling yet?

2. Greek yogurt cheesecake

Traditional cheescake gets a makeover in this delectable summer treat. There is nothing like the light, fluffy goodness of cheesecake layered with fruit. This recipe will make you dance with delight.

More: 3 Recipes That Turn Seasonal Fruit Into Perfect Summer Desserts

3. Fruit pizza

Let's face it: Pizza is always a winner no matter what's on top. And if you haven't tried a fruit pizza yet, you are in for a mouthwatering surprise. Whip up this skinny dessert with your favorite homemade pizza crust. (Or if you are in a rush, a store-bought crust will work in a pinch.) After it's cooked, spread on a thin layer of Neufchâtel cheese mixed with just a dollop of the sweetener of your choice. Pile on as many fresh berries as you can handle, dust with powdered sugar, and voilà! You've died and gone to pizza heaven.

4. Chocolate-covered strawberries

Have you heard the good news about dark chocolate? It's a superfood. Which makes chocolate covered strawberries healthy. The cherry on top? This recipe is super easy to make and feels really fancy.

Next up: Chocolate almond banana pops

Originally published June 2011. Updated June 2017.

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5. Chocolate almond banana pops

And while we are still in chocolate heaven, try dipping a few bananas in for a cool, refreshing treat. Pop a stick in one end, dip in Greek yogurt, and then roll in crushed almonds, drizzle with chocolate, and keep in the freezer until frozen. Everyone in the family will bow down when they taste this healthy alternative to ice cream.

6. Fresh fruit crumble

Fruit crumbles are a delicious and healthy dessert your whole family will adore. Use whatever fruit is in season locally, and you won't even have to add any additional sweetener to this healthy dessert.

More: Dangerously Easy (& Delicious) 2-Ingredient Desserts

7. Death by chocolate brownies

Are you surprised to find brownies on this list? If so, you probably haven't heard of the secret to lightening up your favorite brownie recipe. It may sound strange, but baby food prunes or applesauce can be swapped in for butter or oil in almost any brownie recipe for a lighter version of this decadent dessert. Serve warm over a scoop of frozen yogurt or low-fat ice cream. Shhhh… no one will even know the difference.

What's your favorite summer dessert?