the surprise visit

The Surprise Visit (2022): What is the True Story Behind the Film?

As ‘The Surprise Visit’ unfolds, Annabelle and Casey grapple with their drug addiction, realizing the need for a fresh start as they anticipate becoming parents. Faced with financial challenges, the couple decides to overcome their substance abuse, driven by a desperate desire to provide a stable and nurturing environment for their unborn child. In a twist of fate, Casey discovers that Mrs. Dixon, his father’s employer, will be out of town for the weekend.

Faced with financial struggles and a desire for a fresh start, Casey proposes a risky plan to Annabelle—to commit a robbery as their final act of desperation. They intend to secure enough resources to embark on a new life for their unborn child, steering away from the challenges of their current circumstances. Directed by Nick Lyon, the story of the 2022 movie explores the lengths people go to when pushed to the brink and delves into the moral and ethical complexities surrounding their choices.

The Surprise Visit is Inspired by Real Events

The writers of ‘The Surprise Visit,’ Nathan Cowles, Andrew Fein, and Serah Henesey, drew inspiration from a true story connected to Serah Henesey’s husband, Nathan Cowles’ family homestead, which occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic. The tale reportedly revolves around the previous owner, also named Mrs. Dixon, who, after being widowed, left her property to visit her sister for the weekend. During her absence, the housekeeper, Eric Roberts, unknowingly shared the information with her drug-addicted son and his girlfriend about the vacant house.

Learning of their pregnancy, the couple attempted to rob the residence. However, the unexpected arrival of Mrs. Dixon’s daughter and son-in-law on the same night led to their apprehension, mirroring the film’s theme of desperate actions with unexpected consequences. ‘The Surprise Visit’ masterfully captures the raw and unforgiving realities of addiction, providing an unfiltered glimpse into the tumultuous lives of individuals ensnared in the clutches of substance abuse and economic hardship.

With a keen eye for authenticity, the film explores the complex relationship between addiction and poverty, exposing the vulnerabilities that drive individuals to make desperate and often misguided decisions. Annabelle and Casey’s journey becomes a reflection point for the societal challenges surrounding substance abuse, shedding light on the relentless cycle of struggle and the profound consequences it inflicts upon those entangled in its grip. Drug addiction in the country remains a pervasive issue that affects individuals, families, and communities across the nation.

The country grapples with a multifaceted crisis involving a range of substances, from opioids and stimulants to marijuana and alcohol. Contributing factors to the epidemic include the widespread availability of prescription painkillers, socioeconomic disparities, mental health challenges, and a lack of comprehensive addiction treatment resources. One of how the problem of addiction manifests itself is through a rise in criminal activities, and the movie has been able to bring this conversation to the forefront.

The film draws a significant dose of reality from its carefully chosen shooting locations. Much of the filming took place in a secluded area on the outskirts of Virginia, providing the actors and the creative team with an immersive environment. This isolation mirrored the experiences of the characters in the movie, creating not only a captivating cinematographic journey that enhances the horror elements but also an authenticity that resonates with the script and the overall backdrop of the film. The deliberate selection of these locations contributes to the film’s ability to evoke a genuine sense of despair and desperation.

Director Nick Lyon and actor Serah Henesey acknowledge the deliberate Hollywoodization of the true story that served as the inspiration for their film’s universe. While certain elements, such as character names, have been altered, and fictionalized events have been introduced in the latter part of the narrative, the makers proclaim that the movie successfully maintains a sense of believability. Despite these creative liberties, the film remains an entertaining watch, blending reality and fiction to craft a film that entertains the audience.

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The Surprise Visit (2022)

Though The Surprise Visit is hoping it can bank some interest on the fact that it’s “Based on a true story”, the fact that there’s no history attached to such a statement leaves Nick Lyon’s occasional thriller in the company of many other genre flicks that advertise similar sentiments in their best bid to add intrigue to an otherwise standard narrative.

The film centres itself around junkies and expecting parents Casey (Rob Riordan) and Annabelle (Jacqi Vene) who, upon learning of their impending parenthood, decide to give up their drug habits and make a play for the straight and narrow. It all sounds so reasonable, but this duo don’t exactly seem like the types to execute such a cookie cutter plan without resorting to some type of crime – especially Casey – so we are unsurprised when he hatches a plan to rob a neighbouring home in order to make a quick buck.

The neighbouring home being both occupied by residents who knew Casey as a young boy, as well as being the employ of his father (Eric Roberts) means there’s some emotional stakes tied to Casey’s decision, but, sadly, The Surprise Visit not adhering to any type of nuance or subtlety means we ultimately have little care for what happens to either party. Casey is just a terrible person, and no amount of emphasis on his drug habit is going to convince us otherwise. Annabelle is the most shrill of characters, and though she’s clearly heavily under the influence of both Casey and whatever substance she favours, there’s no emotional connection or understanding of her for us to care. And the victims here – Juliette (Serah Henesy) and Daniel (Johnny Santiago) – have little development that the only reason we muster any investment in them is that they simply aren’t Casey and Annabelle.

Ultimately, it’s only Roberts’ Hugh that we stand behind. The idea that he would have to choose between his son – and, by extension, his grandson – and the household that has treated him so kindly over the years is one that screenwriter Stephen Meier and story artists Henesy and Nathan Cowles don’t utilise to its full potential. Setting The Surprise Visit in the realms of the home invasion thriller makes sense, but even then it fails to deliver on any thrills or elaborate set-pieces, with so much of the brief 86 minute running time devoted to Casey and Annabelle bickering about how they navigate the situation they’ve found themselves in.

Whilst the film may have its share of unsavoury ingredients, director Lyons at least deserves props for working within such limited budget restraints and for wrapping the story up in a manner that I suspect most studio projects wouldn’t have opted for. Had some of the acting been more fine-tuned and a little more development been afforded to the characters, The Surprise Visit could have done enough to earn itself a welcome reception, but, as it stands, this is a houseguest best turned away.

The Surprise Visit is now screening in select theatres across the United States. An Australian release is yet to be determined.

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Tricia Hawn in True Story Robbery Thriller 'The Surprise Visit' Trailer

by Alex Billington January 10, 2022 Source: YouTube

"We have to do this now!" Vertical Ent. has released an official trailer for The Surprise Visit , a "based on a true story" robbery thriller from filmmaker Nick Lyon. This is arriving on VOD in a few weeks if anyone is curious. A robbery goes wrong, leaving two young drug addicts to make a difficult decision: to give up, or to do the unthinkable and kill. "The film is an American tragedy. I chose to tell The Surprise Visit in a gritty and realistic style that was complemented by deep and intense performances from the talented cast. Beyond the film's thriller veneer, it [also] delivers incredibly dramatic performances, that to this day still send chills through me," the director states. Starring Eric Roberts , Tricia Hawn , Rob Riordan , Jacqi Vene , and Serah Henesey . This looks pretty bad, and the shoddy performances seen here aren't helping much either.

Here's the official trailer (+ new poster) for Nick Lyon's The Surprise Visit , direct from YouTube :

When a young couple makes a surprise visit to Mom, they get an even bigger surprise themselves from an old family friend who plans to steal Mom’s valuable jewelry while she is out of town. But when the "easy peasy" robbery goes wrong, resulting in the accidental death of the daughter’s husband, it forces the two young drug addicts to make a difficult decision; to abandon ship, or do the unthinkable. The Surprise Visit is directed by American indie filmmaker Nick Lyon , director of many films including Fallen Angels , Rise of the Zombies , Bullet , Hercules Reborn , Isle of the Dead , The Boy the Dog and the Clown , and The Rebels of PT-218 . The screenplay is by Stephen Meier, from a story by Serah Henesey and Nathan Cowles. Vertical opens The Surprise Visit in select US theaters + on VOD starting January 14th, 2022 . Who's interested?

Find more posts: Indies , To Watch , Trailer

I guess the first bad choice they made is making this film...

shiboleth on Jan 10, 2022

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The surprise visit - movie review.

Sometimes there just isn’t an easy way out of a really bad situation.

Go ahead and get those happy thoughts out of your head.  The Surprise Visit is not based on a happy occasion.  Not at all.  This is a film full of many twists and violent turns as a routine robbery goes tits up and someone is murdered.  The fallout is drastic and unexpected, making this film a bit more interesting than the usual home invasion thriller.

Starring Academy Award Nominee Eric Roberts, Dopestick ’s Tricia Hawn, Rob Riordan, Jacqi Vene and Serah Henesey , director Nick Lyon ’s intense, gritty and suspenseful thriller begins when two strung-out drug addicts find out that they are going to be having a baby.  Uh oh.  

That’s not the SURPRISE at the center of this jewel heist, though. 

Annabelle ( Jaqui Vene ) and Casey ( Rob Riordan ) are trapped in their own personal hell of drug addiction.  They are currently living in a busted up Winnebego under a bridge somewhere near Middleton, Virginia and are struggling to pay their phone bill.  Money has never been much of a concern for them as long as there are drugs to be consumed, it seems.  Somehow, they make it work.  

But, with the sudden revelation that Annabelle is pregnant, they are both going to have to change their ways.  Can Casey do it?

At least that is the hope as he goes out in search of another chance or, depending on your viewpoint of his situation, another sucker to squeeze.  This hope is captured elegantly in the sweeping cinematography from Nate Haban.  Don’t worry, though.  When it is time for the film to go dark and desperate, Haban’s lens is there to ratchet up the tension.  This is edge of your seat entertainment, after all, as attempts to get ahold of some jewelry goes sideways.  

Based on a true story, The Surprise Visit takes a bit of a turn when Juliette ( Serah Henesy ), the rich woman’s daughter, takes her husband along with her to surprise her mother with a visit at the ranch the same weekend Casey plans to rob it.  

Except, as we have learned, Juliette’s mother isn’t there . . . which means the house that Casey and Annabelle want to rob WILL be inhabited.  I think you can see where this home invasion thriller is headed.  Blood will be had and, as accidental as it is, there will be stark consequences raining down in response to the events happening.  They will be swift and they will be final.  

But what will it mean for Casey and the life he had at the opening of the movie?  

Stephen Meier ’s adaptation, based on a story by Nathan Cowles and Serah Henesy , is both shocking and starkly realized due to the talent assembled.  Full of solid performances from the cast, The Surprise Visit is definitely a shocker, keeping us on our toes.  White the film doesn’t do anything new with the sub-genre, it definitely delivers when it comes to SHOCK and AWE as a chase through the woods ends rather unexpectedly and twists the sharp-edged truth like a knife into our own guts.

The Surprise Visit premieres in theaters and on demand January 14 from Vertical Entertainment .

MPAA Rating: unrated. Runtime: 86 mins Director : Nick Lyon Writer: Stephen Meier Cast: Eric Roberts; Jacqi Vene; Serah Henesey Genre : Thriller Tagline: Based on a True Story. Memorable Movie Quote: Distributor: Vertical Entertainment Official Site: Release Date: January 14, 2022 DVD/Blu-ray Release Date: Synopsis : When a young couple makes a surprise visit to Mom, they get an even bigger surprise themselves from an old family friend who plans to steal Mom’s valuable jewelry while she is out of town. But when the“easy peasy” robbery goes wrong, resulting in the accidental death of the daughter’s husband, it forces the two young drug addicts to make a difficult decision; to abandon ship, or do the unthinkable.

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‘The Surprise Visit’ Embellishes a True-Life Scary Story

By Eva Trieger

SOLANA BEACH, California — While some surprises are good and welcome, others, not so much.  In this horror/thriller based on a real story, The Surprise Visit  relates the story of an unplanned visit gone horribly awry. The story has factual historic roots, but co-producer, and actress, Serah Henessey told me that she and husband, Nathan Cowles, “Hollywoodized” it.  I was very happy to hear that as the film disturbed me very much and I was relieved to know that it was embellished and not a precise re-enactment.

Henessey has a fascinating and varied history in the entertainment business. She was born in Sydney, Australia, and trained in ballet until the age of 16. She also lived in Turkey where she expanded her repertoire by acting in a sitcom for four years that outperformed “Friends” in America!  This dancer/actor/ producer also does her own stunts and indulges in kick-boxing!

In a delightful phone interview, I became acquainted with Serah. She shared that her first theatrical role was in The Epic of Gilgamesh . Since that time she has done film and theater.  Her theater experiences are especially interesting, spanning virtually all genres, from action, sitcom, drama, horror, and comedy.

Recently Henessey has been seen in Saw franchise films, directed by Darren Bousman. These immersive films were done in downtown Los Angeles and were interactive. Audiences and actors fed off each other, creating a “mind-blowing” experience. Henessey has performed in Saw II through Spiral.

The actress told me that she loves doing period pieces and especially enjoys roles that require her to step back into the 17th-century era. She is a devotee of Shakespearean works and also loves performing plays from this time

The Surprise Visit is the embellishment of a break-in that went awry on Henessey’s husband’s family’s homestead. A previous owner, Mrs.Dixon, recently widowed, had decided to visit a sister for the weekend. Her groundskeeper (Erc Roberts) somehow shared this information with his son, a drug addict. The son and his girlfriend, who recently discovered they were pregnant, figured that they would rob the home in the absence of the owner to get some capital. They did not anticipate the surprise visit of Mrs. Dixon’s daughter and son-in-law.

The film depicts the desperation of the young couple of addicts and the fear and desperation of Mrs. Dixon’s daughter. All of the characters are sympathetic and the viewer experiences the fear, desperation, and will to survive on the part of each character.  While Juliet has grown up with means, a loving family, and privilege, she also just lost her father and watched the murder of her husband. The young addicts have no material goods, but a future and a baby on the way. The groundskeeper loves his son, Casey, but cannot condone his actions. The emotional roller coaster is inescapable.

One very interesting thing to note is that this film was made during the pandemic and Serah Henessey told me that they did not want to expose countless people to the virus, so the cast and crew were working overtime. As she observed the first day on the set as a producer, not as an actor, she felt great pride and gratitude to everyone who gave their all. Henessey cried, kvelling and humbled by the efforts of everyone.  She saw the blood, sweat, and tears they put into their efforts and she knew a “joyful kind of exhaustion.” The film is definitely worth seeing and encourages viewer to consider his own moral compass and guideposts.

Click here for the trailer: https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?tab=rm&ogbl#inbox/FMfcgzGllMLLkDDtDppxGZjgdjPGPlzp?projector=1

The film will be available after January 14, 2022.

* Eva Trieger is a Solana Beach-based freelance writer who specializes in coverage of the arts.  She may be contacted via [email protected]

The Surprise Visit

By Benjamin Franz | December 20, 2021

When a film claims to be “based on a true story,” unless there’s a primary document we can refer to, it’s very hard to know what is an actual event and what has been contrived to develop drama for the narrative’s benefit. Case in point is  The Surprise Visit , directed by Nick Lyon. This, by far, is the most interesting question concerning the film. Stephen Meier’s adaptation, based on a story by Nathan Cowles and Serah Henesy, presents the challenge of figuring out what in this scenario is real and what is not.

Juliette (Serah Henesy) plans to surprise her mother with a visit this weekend. When she arrives, Juliette learns from her mother’s gardener, Hugh ( Eric Roberts ), that her mother has left town to care for her aunt. Nevertheless, Juliette and her husband still choose to stay the weekend in her mother’s empty mansion. For me, this is the first moment the film enters the uncanny; I know of no one who would stay in their parent’s home without their expressed permission. This frankly odd decision leads to the traumatic events which unfold.

Converging as an equally rude surprise is Hugh’s son Casey (Rob Riordan) and his wife Annabelle (Jaqui Vene). They are junkies, expecting their first child, and Casey has decided the best way to secure a future for his wife and nascent child is to rob his father’s employer. They plan to take a cachet of jewelry. As can be expected, none of this goes according to plan.

“… junkies, expecting their first child …plan to take a cachet of jewelry.”

The Surprise Visit  culminates in a climactic and deadly game of hide and seek. Throughout this thriller, the cinematography by Nate Haban is spectacular. He captures the pastoral beauty of Middleton, Virginia, very effectively. This film’s action is very easy to follow, from a series of crane shots to smooth and non-shaky handheld camera work. This keeps audiences on edge the entire time.

Nick Lyon does a superb job directing the woodland chaos. A veteran of television series and movies, his directorial eye and hand are very clear in execution. I very much enjoyed the sense that literally anything could happen at any given moment. The cast wonderfully expresses the terror and stress that are inherent in this situation.

Riordan’s Casey and Henesey’s Juliette are the driving forces of the story. The terrible violence would not be possible without their strong and determined personalities clashing at this very unexpected and surprising turn of events. Their combined acting made the action strongly believable. The acts of brutality and accidental murder present in  The Surprise Visit  seemed the bad decisions of a junkie looking to escape a poor situation without witnesses. Juliette, conversely, is simply trying to survive. She made a bad call deciding to surprise her mother. Now, she must attempt to get out alive.

I would suggest if one wants to watch a violent spectacle set in pastoral Virginia, then  The Surprise Visit  is for you. Seek it out at your local art-house. It should be worth the visit.

The Surprise Visit ()

Directed: Nick Lyon

Written: Stephen Meier

Starring: Serah Henesey, Jaqui Vene, Rob Riordan, Eric Roberts, etc.

Movie score: 7/10

"…Lyon does a superb job..."

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Hey isn’t Eric Roberts having a hard enough time. He has to take a rolls like this I feel bad for the guy. He used to be a big cokehead. But then again who cares

Should not be allowed to say a movie is true when it isn’t. To me it’s just a plot to try and get people to watch the movie and u must be concerned that no one would watch it otherwise u would not have lied. Shame on you.

Did the girl kill Casey’s dad at the end?

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Director Nick Lyon (Shockwave, They Found Hell) delivers the third, ( The Gardener and The Commando being the other two), tale of what is supposed to be a simple break-in at an empty house turned into a violent home invasion in as many weeks. Unlike those two, however, The Surprise Visit is meant to be a suspense thriller rather than an action film.

I love that The Surprise Visit is based on a true story that explores the themes of class difference and how desperation can make people do things that they might not otherwise do. The film is an American tragedy Nick Lyon

Here the complications arise when Mrs. Dixon’s daughter Juliette (Serah Henesey, Annihilation Earth, Acts of Revenge) and her husband Daniel (Johnny Santiago, I See You) stop by for the surprise visit of the film’s title and decide to stay the night before returning home. When Casey ends up killing Daniel, Juliette has to try to escape before she meets the same fate.

Lyon and The Surprise Visit’s four credited writers, one of whom is star Serah Henesey, try to mix things up a bit. Annabelle and Casey have a motive that’s a bit above the usual pure greed we see in a film like this. And they do try to flee rather than fight, it isn’t until Daniel has Casey down and is threatening him with a fireplace poker that he puts up a fight.

But it’s still hard to make these would-be thieves into overly sympathetic figures, even before Casey’s death. And after it, the film becomes something we’ve seen a million times before. Juliette can identify them, and now the charges are murder rather than merely breaking and entering, so she has to be eliminated. To his credit, Lyon does manage to make The Surprise Visit interesting despite its overly familiar plot. He especially does a good job with the chase through the woods that makes up the film’s final act. He even managed to catch me well off guard at one point

As you can tell from the quote I took from the film’s press kit, the makers of The Surprise Visit also wanted to say something about poverty and income equality in America. Unfortunately having the poor represented by a pair of drug addicts probably doesn’t make the statement they intended. Indeed, it only reinforces the attitude of “It’s their own fault that they’re poor.” most frequently spouted by those who were born into families who were anything but poor.

While ultimately short on surprises, The Surprise Visit is a mildly enjoyable thriller with a couple of surprises. It’s more suited to an evening’s watch on VOD than a trip to the theatre to see, but between now and the end of the February dumping season, that’s about all we can hope for.

Vertical Entertainment will release The Surprise Visit in select US theatres and on VOD on January 14th.

Where to watch The Surprise Visit

Share your love, related posts, confessions of a haunting… (2021) review, repeat (2021) review, late night with the devil (2023) review, 9 thoughts on “the surprise visit (2022) review”.

Funny how seeing Eric Roberts billed often seems like a movie’s seal of ineptitude nowadays. I can’t really fault him for being a bad actor though; he always manages to grab my attention somehow with his instantly recognizable delivery. And even though he’s pretty much brucewillissed now, he survived the industry for more than 40 years – no small feat.

I think Roberts may have been Willis’ inspiration for handling his career.

Though, as you say, Roberts at least acts in whatever he turns up in.

At the end of the movie…did the pregnant girl kill the grandfather (Eric Roberts)? The movie just ended abruptly after she said “No witnesses…” and Eric Roberts says “What?” Thanks for any info! 🙂

It is fairly abrupt, but I don’t think she did.

I have same question? How could she just run away with costume jewelry? Maybe it was real?

The more I think about it, the ending is so abrupt I wonder if the final scene was real or if she went insane and the final scene was all in her mind.

Very DUMB..DUMB to go after those 2 kids..Never leave your. Protected Position as you are in control period!

Did Annabelle kill Hugh as well after she said, “No witnesses”?

I originally didn’t think so, but you’re the second person to ask here, and I’ve seen it in a couple of threads on the film elsewhere.

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Ryan Reynolds makes a surprise visit to 'The View' — in the audience, with his superfan mom

Live TV is always unpredictable — and so is Ryan Reynolds.

"The View" moderator Whoopi Goldberg, 68, was commenting on the crowd during the show Monday when she noted, “Sometimes you look up and you go, ‘Oh, this is really great.’ And then you look over and you go, ‘Oh snap, there’s Ryan Reynolds!’”

There he was indeed, waving from the audience with his mom, Tammy.

“My mom is here visiting her grandkids," the actor explained from his seat. "And yesterday she said, ‘It’s my dream to go to "The View."’ And I said, well — first off, I try to do what she says, because you don’t know what she’s capable of. Unspeakable violence, my whole life.”

So, per his mother's request, Reynolds "made a call," telling the studio that he was Blake Lively's husband and asking to come to a taping. "And here we are!"

“By the way," the "Deadpool" actor said, watching from the audience "is way less stressful than up there."

Tammy Reynolds told the hosts that she watches the show "every day" and they exclaimed that she was welcome on "any time."

Comedian Jo Koy was Monday's guest on the show and also was shocked to see a familiar face in the audience.

"Oh my God!" he said as the mother and son waved to him from the crowd. "I know her! Vancouver! She came to my show!"

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times .

See Savannah Guthrie's Son Adorably Crash the Today Show Set With Surprise Visit

Today cohost savanna guthrie got the ultimate treat when her 7-year-old son charley surprised his mom at work. see the heart-melting mother-son moment..

This mother-son moment is sure to make your day.

Savannah Guthrie got the sweetest surprise June 13 when her 7-year-old son  Charley crashed the Today show set.

The longtime morning news anchor shared an adorable gallery of Instagram photos showing Charley—whom she shares with husband Michael Feldman in addition to daughter Vale , 9—running on set and giving Guthrie a big hug as cohosts Hoda Kotb and Craig Melvin watched the tender moment with giant smiles on their faces. Guthrie captioned the post, "Made my day."

In a separate Instagram video , Charley sits in his mom's chair behind the news desk before joining Guthrie in the 30 Rockefeller Plaza while taping a segment surrounded by cheering fans.

"The best surprise!" the 52-year-old reacted in the caption. "School's out and Charley made a special guest appearance in Studio 1A. The sweetest morning!"

Charley is no stranger to making appearances on the Today set.

Last month, Guthrie's youngest FaceTimed his mom live on TV because he wanted to see the United States Navy Band Northeast's performance on the May 23 episode.

"Savannah's son is on FaceTime," Hoda announced to viewers, adding, "You can't blame him, the music is incredible."

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Guthrie then showed Charley on her iPhone screen grinning from ear to ear. However, she noted of the candid on-air moment, "I was telling him, ‘Shhh we're on the air!'"

She later joked of the sweet moment on Instagram, "When you're a live TV news anchor but also a mom."

Keep reading to see more sweet moments between the Today cohosts and their kids. Today airs weekday mornings on NBC.

"Another Halloween in the books," wrote the host as she celebrated the day with her daughter Haley Joy. 

The anchor and his son posed for this selfie to prank fans! 

The anchor and his wife welcomed their fourth child, Goldie Patricia Daly!

The weather forecaster posted a selfie with his son, Nicholas, before dropping him off at summer camp for four weeks of counselor training.

"Happy Father's Day to all you dads! You never forget the day your little girl applies her first submission hold," joked  the TV host in an adorable post of his two kids Lucie and George.

The weather anchor brought baby Calvin to work on the Fourth of July  writing on her Instagram, "Holidays when you work in news = bring your kid to work day!" 

Boo! In 2017, the TV personality posted this adorable pic of her little pumpkin, Haley.

The co-anchor celebrated a blissful Mother's Day with her glowing kids  writing , "Dreams come true."

Two peas in a pod! Hoda  posted this sweet pic of her daughter cuddling up to her own mom on Mother's Day.

"Is this heaven? No, it's Wyoming," wrote the television star about a scenic photo of her two kids frolicking in the mountains.

As a  Today show anchor and mother of two, the west coast star does it all. After marrying husband Joe Rhodes in 1998, she now has two boys: Joseph Stockton Rhodes and Luke Hudson Rhodes.  She posted a good-looking family photo from Ojai, Calif. in July  writing , "#ojaimagicalsky even if it was over 100 degrees!"

Get ready for summer! The weekend co-anchor shared this cute selfie of her three kids—Clara, Kayin and Uche—on the way to their last day of school. Jones reflected , "Sometimes I look at my kiddos on the train and think about how *different* their childhood is from mine. I swear I saw cows on my way to elementary school on a regular basis -back in Kansas. Life is an adventure."

At the 2018 TIME 100 Gala in New York City in April, the talk-show host and her husband Douglas Brunt were surely one of the most stunning couples of the evening. Kelly keeps the lives of her three young children—Edward, Yardley, and Thatcher— relatively quiet, but she and her novelist husband make plenty of their own public appearances as a cute duo.

"We could start a @todayshow tball team. DNA and the dancing proves it—we all love a good party!" Jenna Bush Hager wrote on Instagram after celebrating her kid's birthday with Dylan Dreyer and Savannah Guthrie.

The host adopted a baby girl named Haley Joy in February 2017.

Hoda's co-host is a loving mommy to her own two children, Cassidy Gifford and Cody Gifford , with her late husband, Frank Gifford .

The TV personality is a mommy to two little ones,  Vale Guthrie Feldman and Charles Max Feldman , with her husband Mike Feldman . She welcomed Charles into the world in December 2016.

Here's a sweet photo of her two kiddos cuddling up around Christmas time in 2016. Vale is 3-years-old.

The anchor and his wife, Deborah Roberts , are parents to Leila Roker ,19, and Nicholas Albert Roker , 15.

The anchor of Sunday Today has been married to his wife, Christina, since 2003. They're parents to two children,  George William Geist , 9, and Lucie Joy Geist , 11.

The 60-year-old daddy and his wife, Annette Roque , are parents to  Jack Matthew Lauer , 17, Romy Lauer , 14, and Thijs Lauer , 11.

The 45-year-old television host is married to Siri Pinter . They have three children together:  Jackson James Daly , 9,  Etta Jones Daly , 5, and London Rose Daly , 3.

The Weekend Today co-host and her hubby Brian Fichera are new parents to their baby boy, Calvin, who they welcomed into the world in December 2016.

(E! and NBC are both part of the NBCUniversal family)

Ryan Reynolds Makes Surprise Visit to ‘The View’ to Fulfill His Mom’s ‘Dream’ (VIDEO)

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The cohosts of  The View were stunned during Monday’s show when they spotted a very familiar figure seated in the crowd.

Whoopi Goldberg remarked, “You never know what’s going on here at The View . Sometimes you look up and you’re like, ‘Oh, this is really great.’ Then you look over and you’re like ‘Oh snap! There’s Ryan Reynolds !'”

Then, the camera cut to Reynolds, who was seated in the crowd alongside his mother.

When asked to explain his decision to drop in, Reynolds was more than happy to: “By the way, this is way less stressful than up there,” Reynolds said to start, referencing his rather dramatic appearance on the show in 2011 alongside  The Change-Up  costar Jason Bateman, when his divorce from Scarlett Johansson was a topic of discussion. “My mom is here visiting her grandkids, and yesterday she said, ‘It’s my dream to go to The View .'”

'The View' Audience Erupted in Laughter Over This Trump Legal Notice

“First off, I try to do what she says because you don’t know what she’s capable of. Unspeakable violence. My whole life. So I didn’t want to taste the back of her hand,” Reynolds joked. “So I said, ‘Let’s go to The View . So I made a call, I told them, ‘I’m Blake [Lively]’s husband, I’d love to come to The View . Does that get us a little farther?’ And here we are. I think my mom thought she was gonna be on  The View .”

The cohosts then asked if she was a regular watcher of the show, and she answered in the affirmative, adding, “Every day. Right now, it’s being recorded.”

Navarro then joked, “Listen can we get a deal on mobile wireless?” as a nod to Reynold’s company Mint Mobile, and he shouted back, “It already is a deal!”

At the end of the aside, the cohosts welcomed both back to the show “anytime” and encouraged him to bring Lively along with next time, to which Reynolds said with a smile, “Done.”

Do we spy… @VancityReynolds in our audience!? 👀 He fulfilled his mom's dream and brought her to @TheView ! ❤️ pic.twitter.com/XB5T19XZaa — The View (@TheView) June 10, 2024

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Watertown students get high flying surprise

WATERTOWN, New York (WWNY) - There was a surprise guest at Ohio Street Elementary School in Watertown Friday, one that came from the sky.

It was a Fort Drum Apache helicopter. The visit happened during “Ohio Fun Day,” an end of the school year celebration.

The kids got to see the helicopter up close, learn about it and were able to see it land and take off. Principal Jessica Blair said students were ecstatic about the visit.

“The kids were thrilled when the helicopter was coming in and touching down, they were yelling, screaming, clapping, so excited,” Blair said.

Family members of students who work at Fort Drum helped make the helicopter surprise happen.

Copyright 2024 WWNY. All rights reserved.

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Savannah Guthrie’s Son Charley, 7, Surprises His Mom on Set in Adorable Today Appearance: ‘Made My Day’

The co-anchor shares Charley and her daughter Vale, 9, with her husband Michael Feldman

Savannah Guthrie/Instagram

School’s out, and Savannah Gunthrie ’s son Charley couldn’t wait to spend his free time with his mom.

On Thursday, June 13, the Today co-anchor, 52, got a huge surprise from her 7-year-old son Charley, as he ran into her arms on set. Guthrie shared several incredible photos of the surprise encounter on her Instagram .

In the first picture, Gunthrie and her co-hosts, Hoda Kotb and Craig Melvin , can be seen with their jaws dropped in shock as the little man runs onto the set. 

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

In more pictures, the mother-son duo are seen smiling and chatting on a couch behind the cameras, as well as standing outside in front of a large audience. “Made my day 💛,” she captioned the photos.

Guthrie and the Today account posted a joint Instagram Reel , showing off fun clips from their morning on set together. “Going from morning news mode to mom mode,” Guthrie wrote over the videos. 

“‘The best surprise!’ School’s out and Charley made a special guest appearance in Studio 1A. The sweetest morning!” they captioned the post. 

The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now !

Guthrie shares Charley and her daughter Vale, 9, with her husband Michael Feldman .

The family of four recently celebrated Vale’s graduation from elementary school. The proud mom posted several photos to her Instagram Stories of her daughter Vale from the special ceremony. In the first photo, Guthrie snapped a shot of the stage where the ceremony was taking place, writing "moving up to middle school" across the picture.

She also shared a photo of the graduate herself, wearing a light blue top and matching skirt. "When did this happen," Guthrie wrote on the photo of her daughter looking all grown up.

A third picture showed the proud mom with her son Charley as the two attended Vale's graduation, leaning into each other as Guthrie took a selfie. "All the feels," she wrote on the photo.

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Ryan Reynolds is setting the bar for mama’s boys everywhere.

The Golden Globe nominee surprised the hosts of The View as he and his mother, Tammy Reynolds, joined the live studio audience to watch the live recording of Monday’s episode.

“You never know what’s going on here at The View ,” mused moderator Whoopi Goldberg in the clip . “Sometimes you look up and you go, ‘Oh, this is really great.’ And then you look over and you go, ‘Oh snap, there’s Ryan Reynolds!'”

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“My mom is here visiting her grandkids,” he explained. “And yesterday, she said, ‘It’s my dream to go to The View .’ … First off, I try to do what she says because you don’t know what she’s capable of. Unspeakable violence, my whole life.”

View this post on Instagram A post shared by The View (@theviewabc)

“I didn’t want to taste the back of her hand, so I said, ‘Let’s go to The View .’ I made a call, I told them I’m Blake [Lively’s] husband,” Ryan joked.

The Deadpool & Wolverine star married Lively in 2012, a year after starring together in Green Lantern , and they share four kids.

He added, “I think my mom might have thought she was gonna be on The View , maybe? I’m not sure.”

Tammy got a laugh out of that before revealing she watches the show “every day” and that episode was “being recorded,” earning thanks and a round of applause. “You’re welcome any time, Mama Reynolds. You, as well,” said Alyssa Farah Griffin to Ryan and his mom.

Comedian Jo Koy also recognized Tammy as he made a guest appearance on the show. “I know her!” he exclaimed. “Vancouver! She came to my show.”

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When a bear paid a surprise visit to the Shawano County Library, book jokes started to stack up

"he was checking every bird feeder in town," said lt. mike musolff of the shawano police department..

SHAWANO - Did you hear the one about the bear that dropped by the  Shawano County Library on Monday afternoon?

Seems it got word out in the wild that this year’s theme for the summer reading program is “Adventure Begins at Your Library” (no, really) and decided to do his part.

“Really on theme,” said Nancy Bell, Shawano County Libary director. “It  really  does start here.”

A young black bear spotted making the rounds in Shawano for a good chunk of the day on Monday, likely in search of lunch, didn’t find it at the library, but its unexpected visit to the front entrance is the kind of stuff you could spin an entire storytime out of.

Bell was at a library board meeting at the Tigerton branch when she got a text message from the staff. “The bear! It’s here!” She knew it wasn’t a joke, because it came with a photo that showed the bear by the book return out front.

We interrupt this meeting agenda for breaking bear news.

The photo by Lt. Mike Musolff of the Shawano Police Department, which had been following the bear to make sure it was headed back out of town, captured the animal in a way that it looks like it’s casually leaving its neighborhood library just like a person would. All it was missing was maybe a Paddington Bear hat and a book bag.

“Just a brief stop here as he was wandering by,” Bell said.

When the library shared the photo on its Facebook page with a caption that read “We had a BEARy cute visitor today,” the real bear fun began. There are puns about "liBEARians." Someone shared a photo of the children’s book “Bears Don’t Read.” Maybe he was there to check out "Winnie-the-Pooh," someone else suggested.

“We’re all making jokes about if he was returning his books on time or if he was trying to avoid fines,” Bell said. “Or if someone was going to try to return their stuff and they said, ‘But there was a bear so I couldn’t.’”

Even Bell, who is relatively new to Shawano County bear sightings since becoming director in September, couldn’t resist sharing it on her own Facebook page: "Another thing they don’t teach you in library school ...”

'He was checking every bird feeder in town'

Musolff thinks the bear is likely a year old, one of last year’s cubs sent off to be on its own by its mom.

“Then he decided to go try to find where he could get some food, and he was checking every bird feeder in town,” he said. “He was getting followed around by cars everywhere. He was probably like, ‘This is ridiculous.’ But he stayed in town for the whole day.”

By mid-afternoon, the bear had traveled back out of the city, Musolff said. Bears often wander into town at night to forage for food "and all of sudden, it becomes daylight and there’s people everywhere and they’re like, ‘Wait a minute.’”

It’s best for people to just let bears be and they’ll leave on their own, he said. 

“The most important message is if there’s small cubs, stay away from them, because the mom’s not far behind and that will cause an issue. That’s when you really need to worry about these bears is when you get between the mom and the cubs,” he said. 

“In this situation, this one was all on his own. He walked within 10 feet of me and just looked at me like, ‘What?’ I said, ‘You need to get out of the city.’"

But not before his drama-free library moment has made a lot of people smile. 

“We are having a great time seeing how widespread news of the library bear is getting out there, watching the Facebook posts and interacting with people on it,” Bell said. 

Kendra Meinert is an entertainment and feature writer at the Green Bay Press-Gazette. Contact her at 920-431-8347 or [email protected] . Follow her on X @KendraMeinert .