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Joanna "JoJo" Levesque was set to join Chess on Broadway June 23 but the show will now close June 21

NEED TO KNOW

• PEOPLE first reported Levesque's casting, the actress and singer calling the opportunity “incredible” and crediting Lea Michele for recommending her for the role

• The revival, which earned five Tony nominations, will end after more than 250 performances since opening in October 2025

Joanna “JoJo” Levesqueis speaking out after producers for the Broadway revival ofChessannounced it would close before she ever had the chance to take the stage.

The Grammy-winning singer and actress, 35, reacted on Instagram after news broke on Tuesday, May 26 that the buzzy revival will play its final performance June 21 at the Imperial Theatre in New York City — just two days before Levesque had been set to begin performances as Florence Vassy.

The abrupt ending means the “Leave (Get Out)” singer will no longer join the production.

“Was supposed to start first day of rehearsals TODAY,” Levesque commented from her official account. “So bummed. All my love to the company.”

PEOPLE exclusively revealed Levesque's casting in March. The multi-hyphenate talent, 35, was set to succeedLea Michelein the role beginning June 23 alongsideAaron TveitandNicholas Christopher.

At the time, Levesque called the opportunity “incredible” and said she immediately connected with the production after seeing it on Broadway.

“As soon as I got to see this production of the show, I couldn't stop getting chills,” she said. “It feels incredibly right, and it is definitely going to be a challenge, but something that I'm excited for.”

The “Too Little Too Late” singer was especially eager to reunite with Tveit after the pair previously shared the stage during her run inMoulin Rouge! The Musical, which marked her Broadway debut in 2023. “He is such an amazing scene partner, so generous, and just such a wonderful friend offstage,” she said at the time. “And Nicholas Christopher, incredible. I was not familiar, but when I heard him sing… It's really something else. I think these are two of the best male voices I've heard live, maybe ever.”

Levesque had also shared that Michele personally recommended her for the role after deciding to depart the production.

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“[Lea] was super kind, embraced me and said that she had actually brought up my name [to producers], which I didn't know,” Levesque explained. “So when they were looking for somebody to take over for her, she was like, ‘What about JoJo?' And that was a beautiful thing to hear.”

Chess' closing came as a shock not just to Levesque but to many Broadway fans.

The production — which will wrap its run after more than 250 performances, having begun performances in October 2025 — has been one of the season's most buzzed-about shows. Earlier this month, it earned five 2026 Tony Award nominations, thoughit notably missed out on a nod for Best Revival of a Musical. Michele was also absent from the Best Leading Actress in a Musical category despite strong reviews for her performance.

Directed by Michael Mayer, the revival marked the first Broadway staging ofChessin nearly 40 years. Featuring a score by Tim Rice, Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus of ABBA fame, the Cold War-set musical follows the romantic and political fallout surrounding a tense international chess tournament.

The revival's sudden closing marks another bittersweet chapter in the complicated Broadway history ofChess, which has long been considered one of musical theater's most beloved cult favorites.

After debuting as a 1984 concept album featuring songs like “One Night in Bangkok,” “Anthem” and “I Know Him So Well,” the musical became a hit in London's West End in 1986 before struggling during its original Broadway run two years later. Despite closing after just two months in 1988, the show developed a devoted fanbase through concert productions, regional stagings and decades of revival attempts.

In a statement announcing the closing, producers Tom Hulce, Robert Ahrens and The Shubert Organization said it had been “an enormous privilege” to bring the musical back to Broadway.

“We are immensely proud of the extraordinary work this cast and creative team have done in reimaginingChessfor a new generation of theatergoers while honoring the passionate fans who have championed this musical for nearly four decades,” the producers said.

Tickets for the final performances ofChessare on sale now.

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Gwyneth Paltrow says adjusting to life as an empty nester has been emotionally challenging but rewarding

NEED TO KNOW

• Her daughter Apple Martin, 22, recently graduated from Vanderbilt and will appear in a Nancy Meyers movie

• Son Moses Martin is currently a sophomore at Brown University and is pursuing music with his band People I've Met and is signed to Interscope Records

Gwyneth Paltrowis keeping it real with how she's handling life as an empty nester.

The 53-year-old Goop founder got candid during an interview on theTodayshow on Wednesday, May 27, calling the experience of seeing her kids go off into the world “really hard.”

“I really struggled when they all went and then I thought, ‘Okay, I'm all good,' ” she admitted. “And then in September again, I kind of fell off a cliff for the second time. But now I feel like, it's what you want to happen. It's what you hope will happen that they will go off to their next phase of life and find their people.”

Paltrow shares daughterApple Martin, 22, and sonMoses Martin,20, with her ex-husband, Coldplay frontmanChris Martin.

“But it's hard as a mother. You have to reorient around what's ... because you're so focused on the kids and their schedules and their emotional health,” she explained.

Apple graduated from Vanderbilt University earlier this month and has already has a film role lined up in anupcoming Nancy Meyers movie.

“I'm really proud of her. It's really thrilling,” Paltrow said of her eldest child.

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As for Moses, he is a sophomore at Brown University, but is also pursuing his budding music career.

“He signed to Interscope Records. He's in an amazing band, they're called People I've Met, and he's such a nice boy,” Paltrow said, grinning.

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As for the Oscar winner's advice for her kids about entering the entertainment industry, Paltrow kept it simple.

“It's hard. It's a difficult road, but it's worth pursuing if it's their absolute truth,” she said, before adding, “[Do] not read anything about themselves.”

This isn't the first time Paltrow has gotten candid about her struggles with being an empty nester. In 2024, she answered a fan's question about her kids leaving home on her Instagram Stories.

"Thank you for asking,"the actress replied in a video at the time."It's very different. I have waves of grief and sadness."

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Jordyn Woods opened up about the strategy behind her outfits for New York Knicks games when she attends in support of her fiancé, Karl-Anthony Towns

NEED TO KNOW

• The model explained to Vogue why she doesn't switch up her looks, especially amid the Knicks' winning streak in pursuit of the 2026 NBA Championship title

• She and Towns announced their engagement in December 2025

Jordyn Woodsis superstitious when it comes to her style.

The fiancée of New York Knicks starKarl-Anthony Townsopened up about her game-day routine as her partner's team continues its epic run to the NBA Championship Finals and revealed the strategic reason she doesn't drastically switch up her looks.

"Once playoffs start, everything becomes part of the ritual if we keep winning,” Woods, 28, toldVogueafter Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals, where Towns, 30, and the Knicks won 109–93 over the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Understandably, Woods — who announced herengagement to Towns at Christmaslast year — doesn't foresee herself swapping out her "lucky" accessories anytime soon because they have consistently led to consecutive victories for the Knicks.

"We're nine wins in, and now I have my lucky Woods by Jordyn bag, my game-day GRWMs on TikTok, and a watch I refuse to take off. At this point, I'm not risking changing anything," she said. "I created a sample of the Tux Clutch Mini specifically for the playoffs."

"I wore it for Game 1 during one of my TikTok GRWMs, and ever since then we've kept winning, so now it's officially become the lucky bag," she added of her orange ostrich clutch.

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Woods even noted that fans will call her out if the Knicks lose because she wasn't wearing the bag.

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"It's gotten to the point where if people don't see me carrying it during a close game, they start blaming me for changing the routine. So let's just say the bag isn't leaving my side anytime soon," she revealed.

While her bag is a courtside staple, the rest of her outfits are pretty spontaneous. In fact, she tends to work best against the clock.

"My outfits are completely mood-based. Usually there's one piece I know I want to wear, and then I build the look around it," she told the outlet. "Most of the time I'm putting everything together an hour before I leave the house. Somehow the pressure always makes the look better."

Woods' game-day looks are fashion-forward, but they're also stylishly supportive of Towns. Whether it's incorporating the power forward's number into a garment or sporting his name on her sleeve, she's always repping custom clothing to games.

“My favorite pieces usually start as an idea in my head and come to life with the help of an incredible tailor who can execute the vision,” she shared. "I'll literally bring her a T-shirt or a pair of jeans and we'll start cutting, pinning, and rebuilding it from there."

She added, "I love the collaborative process of turning something simple into a one-of-one piece."

On Monday, May 25, the Knicks locked their spot in the 2026 NBA Finals after defeating the Cleveland Cavaliers 130–93. New York swept the Eastern Conference Finals 4-0, advancing to the championships for the first time since 1999.

Woods wore a classic Knicks bomber jacket, a white tank with Towns' No. 32 on it, denim jeans and orange sneakers. Shesmiled and posed with the basketball starafter the big win.

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