The Actor Awards Announces Presenters Timothée Chalamet, Chase Infiniti, and More

ELLE is officially partnering with The Actor Awards Presented by SAG-AFTRA, formerly known as the Screen Actors Guild Awards, for the upcoming ceremony.

Jacob Elordi Will Present at the 2026 Actor Awards Gareth Cattermole - Getty Images" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />

This builds on an existing relationship, following ELLE and The Actor Awards' co-hosting ofThe Actors Nightin December. The glitzy gathering brought together Hollywood's buzziest talent in the weeks leading up to nominations, which wereannouncedon January 7.

The collaboration speaks to a broader celebration of performance alongside style, artistry, and influence, both on- and off-screen. "ELLE has a long history with Hollywood, and we have always championed both emerging talent and established stars," says editor-in-chief Nina Garcia. "Our vision of fashion is forever intertwined with what we see on-screen, so I'm thrilled that ELLE is joining The Actor Awards as its first-ever fashion partner. We're excited to bring our distinct editorial point of view to an event that celebrates creativity, craft, and the power of storytelling."

The partnership will debut at the 32nd annual Actor Awards, presented by SAG-AFTRA, which will stream live globally. Below, find out everything to know about the ceremony and ELLE's role in supporting this year's show.

When is the 2026 Actor Awards?

The Actor Awards will take place at the Shrine Auditorium and Expo Hall in Los Angeles on Sunday, March 1, 2026, at 8 P.M. ET / 5 P.M. PT. Red carpet arrivals will begin at 5 P.M. ET / 2 P.M. PT.

Where will the event stream?

For the third consecutive year, The Actor Awards will stream live exclusively on Netflix. The ceremony will be available on the platform globally, allowing audiences around the world to tune in.

Who will be honored at the 2026 Actor Awards?

This year's Actor Awards will recognize impactful on-screen performances, with nominees including Michael B. Jordan (Sinners),Teyana Taylor(One Battle After Another), Timothée Chalamet (Marty Supreme), and the casts ofThe Pitt,Frankenstein,The Studio, andAbbott Elementary, among others.

Harrison Ford will also be presented with the SAG-AFTRA Life Achievement Award in honor of his decades-long career and contributions to Hollywood.

Who will host the ceremony and present the awards?

Kristen Bell will host.

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Deadlinereported on February 27 that Sterling K. Brown, Lisa Kudrow, Chase Infiniti, Timothee Chalamet, and Wunmi Mosaku will present at the Actor Awards.The Wrapalso confirmed on February 27 that Jacob Elordi, Damson Idris, Yerin Ha, and Samuel L. Jackson will present at the ceremony.

How is ELLE involved in the 2026 Actor Awards?

As part of its exclusive partnership with The Actor Awards, ELLE will collaborate across several of the show's most meaningful moments to deliver bespoke content. We will play a central role on the red carpet, shaping coverage that highlights what nominees and presenters are wearing, as well as how their personal style connects to performance and cultural impact.

Our involvement also extends beyond the broadcast itself. During show week, ELLE and The Actor Awards will collaborate on Actors Rising, an event spotlighting the next generation of performers making their mark. Following the live ceremony, ELLE will host the Official Post-Awards Gala at the Shrine, bringing together winners, nominees, presenters, and industry leaders to close out the night in celebration.

"As The Actor Awards continue to evolve for a global audience, partnering with ELLE allows us to elevate fashion as a central part of the show's creative expression," says Jon Brockett, the showrunner and executive producer of The Actor Awards. "It's an opportunity to align the red carpet, the show, and the culture around it into a single, cohesive moment."

What is the red carpet dress code?

For the first time in the ceremony's history, The Actor Awards will have an official red carpet dress code set by ELLE. The theme, "Reimagining Hollywood Glamour From the '20s and '30s," draws inspiration from an era defined by cinematic elegance and bold expression.

The dress code aligns with the overall creative vision of this year's show and invites attendees to reexamine classic ideas of glamour reimagined for a modern red carpet. Expect sensual gowns, dramatic silhouettes, and fluid, boundary-pushing designs, all inspired by the timeless Art Deco spirit that defined early Hollywood.

This story has been updated.

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byJastin

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3/02/2026 01:12:00 PM

The Actor Awards Announces Presenters Timothée Chalamet, Chase Infiniti, and More

ELLE is officially partnering with The Actor Awards Presented by SAG-AFTRA, formerly known as the Screen Actors Guild Aw...

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'SNL' takes on BAFTAs incident, mocks J.K. Rowling's trans 'obsession'

In a sketch that didn't make it to air, "Saturday Night Live" tackled the controversy surroundinglast week's BAFTAs, while also mockingJ.K. Rowlingand other controversial figures.

The sketch show on Sunday, March 1 posted a sketch to its YouTube channel that was cut for time on this weekend's episode, hosted byConnor Storrie. The sketch addressed anincident at the Feb. 22 British Academy Film Awardswhere Tourette Syndrome advocate John Davidson involuntarily shouted a racial slur while two Black actors, Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo from "Sinners," were on stage.

The premise of the "SNL" sketch was that the BAFTAs incident inspired a series of scandal-ridden celebrities to reveal that they, too, suffer from Tourette's and that it was the reason for controversial things they have said and done. First up was Mel Gibson (Andrew Dismukes), who declared that Tourette's "explains a lot of the things I've said or yelled through the years."

Other celebrities depicted as claiming to have Tourette's included Jill Zarin, Louis C.K., Bill Cosby, Ye and Armie Hammer. Storrie portrayed Hammer, who in the sketch claimed that cannibalism is a side effect of Tourette's. "Since it's Tourette's, I guess I have to be forgiven, if not celebrated," he said.

Delroy Lindoaddresses racial slur aimed at him and Michael B. Jordan

Ashley Padilla also played "Harry Potter" authorJ.K. Rowling, who has drawn controversy in recent years for heroutspoken views against the transgender community.

"Tourette's isn't just blurting out an offensive word," Padilla as Rowling said. "It can be yearslong obsession with something like trans rights, and a deep anger that someone who is born with a wand in their pants would want that wand removed and replaced with a Horcrux. But now you know, it was all the Tourette's fault, and not a bet I made with Bill Belichick to see who could destroy their legacy faster."

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Host Alan Cumming explained during the BAFTAs that guests may notice "some strong language in the background" while Davidson was in attendance for "I Swear," a movie about his life that received multiple BAFTA nominations. But the BBC and the BAFTAs received criticism for not removing the racial slur, which Davidson shouted while Jordan and Lindo were presenting, from the broadcast, even though the ceremony aired on a two-hour delay.

Lindoaddressed the incidenton Feb. 28 at the NAACP Image Awards, saying he appreciates "all the support and love we have been shown in the aftermath of what happened last weekend," and calling it a "classic case of something that could be very negative becoming very positive." Davidsonpreviously told Varietyhe "felt a wave of shame and embarrassment" over the involuntary tic but stressed there was "zero" intent behind it. "What you're hearing is a symptom — not my character, not my thought, not my belief," he told Variety.

'SNL' takeson Iran attacks and Khamenei killing in cold open

Davidson has Tourette's with Coprolalia, which involves involuntary outbursts of obscene words or socially inappropriate and derogatory remarks, according to theTourette Association of America. The majority of people with Tourette syndrome do not have Coprolalia, with a prevalence of 10-33% of people, according to the National Library of Medicine.

"SNL" also addressed the BAFTAs incident during "Weekend Update," with anchor Michael Che joking, "Today is the last day of Black History Month, sponsored by Tourette's."

Contributing: Taijuan Moorman, Pamela Avila and KiMi Robinson

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:'SNL' Tourette's sketch addresses BAFTAs racial slur incident

byJastin

in

3/02/2026 11:12:00 AM

'SNL' takes on BAFTAs incident, mocks J.K. Rowling's trans 'obsession'

In a sketch that didn't make it to air, "Saturday Night Live" tackled the controversy surroundinglast week...

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Connor Storrie Makes “SNL” Debut with Help from “Heated Rivalry” Costar Hudson Williams and Team USA Hockey Players

Connor Storrie made his Saturday Night Live hosting debut on Feb. 28

NEED TO KNOW

• His Heated Rivalry costar Hudson Williams made various appearances throughout the episode

• Team USA hockey players Megan Keller and Hilary Knight from the women's team, plus brothers Quinn Hughes and Jack Hughes from the men's team, also appeared during the opening monologue, poking fun at post-2026 Winter Olympics controversy with President Donald Trump

Live from Studio 8H — it'sConnor Storrie!

The actor, 26, made hisSaturday Night Livehosting debut on Feb. 28, when he was joined byMumford & Sonsas the musical guest.

Storrie was supported by hisHeated RivalrycostarHudson Williams, who appeared inone sketchandhelped introduce a Mumford & Sons performance. Williams, 25, was also by Storrie's side as the episode ended.

Team USA hockey players also made cameos during theopening monologue, withMegan KellerandHilary Knightfrom the women's team appearing, as well as brothersQuinn HughesandJack Hughesfrom the men's team.

Both teams scored gold medals during their2026 Winter Olympicshockey matches, and the group poked fun at the controversy surrounding PresidentDonald Trumpfor how he responded to each win.

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

Storrie stars as Ilya Rozanov and Williams portrays Shane Hollander inHeated Rivarly, the LGBTQ+ romance-hockey drama adapted from author Rachel Reid'snovelof the same name from her popular seriesGame Changers.

The actors play two of the biggest stars in the National Hockey League (NHL) who navigate an intense rivalry on the ice — and a steamy connection outside of the rink.

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

Storrie and Williams, as well as fellow costarsFrançois ArnaudandRobbie G.K., were thrust into international fame whenHeated Rivarlybegan streaming on HBO Max in late 2025.

Show creatorJacob Tierneysaid on the Feb. 26 episode ofCBS Morningsthat season 2 of the show will "start shooting in August," and a spokesperson for the streaming service Crave toldEntertainment Weekly, "We are aiming for a spring 2027 premiere."

Saturday Night Liveairs weekends on NBC. Season 1 ofHeated Rivalryis available to stream on HBO Max.

Read the original article onPeople

byJastin

in

3/02/2026 09:12:00 AM

Connor Storrie Makes “SNL” Debut with Help from “Heated Rivalry” Costar Hudson Williams and Team USA Hockey Players

Connor Storrie made his Saturday Night Live hosting debut on Feb. 28 NEED TO KNOW His Heated Rivalry costar...

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Shia LaBeouf says 'gay people are scary to me' while claiming homophobia led to arrest

Shia LaBeouf is attributing his arrest in New Orleans last week to his fear of "big gay people."

In aninterview with YouTuber Andrew Callaghanreleased on Saturday, the 39-year-old actor shared what he said led to hisarrest amid the city's Mardi Gras celebrations.

"When I'm standing by myself and three gays are next to me touching my leg, I get scared," he said. "I'm sorry. If that's homophobic, then I'm that. Yeah."

"I'll be honest with you, big gay people are scary to me," LaBeouf added.

A representative for LaBeouf did not immediately return a request for comment.

The actor, best known for his starring role in "Transformers" and the Disney Channel's "Even Stevens," was arrested in New Orleans last week and accused of hitting two people outside of a Royal Street business amid the celebrations, according to police.

"LaBeouf then reportedly assaulted another person — punching him in the nose," police said in a statement last week. "LaBeouf was again held down until police arrived."

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It is unclear what exactly led to the incident.

But in the interview with Callaghan, the actor appeared to suggest he had an altercation with a gay person or was annoyed by gay people's presence near him.

"I'm good with gay — be gay over there, though," he said. "Don't be gay in my lap."

"That's why. I was drunk and it's Mardi Gras. So everything I'm saying is nonsense," he added.

LaBeouf was arrested upon his release from the hospital that day for treatment "of unknown injuries." He was charged with two counts of simple battery, according authorities.

Last week's was not his first run-in with the law, nor were his latest comments his first bigoted remarks.

LaBeouf was arrested in 2017 on suspicion of public drunkenness,The Associated Press reported. LaBeouf made racist remarks to police upon his arrest, the AP reported. The actor later apologized, citing his addiction as a struggle, and the public drunkenness allegations were dropped.

He was sued in 2020 by his ex-partner, British singer FKA Twigs, who accused him choking her and knowingly giving her a sexually transmitted disease. The case was settled out of court last year.

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3/02/2026 05:12:00 AM

Shia LaBeouf says 'gay people are scary to me' while claiming homophobia led to arrest

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Susan Sarandon says she's been blacklisted from Hollywood for recent Gaza remarks

Susan Sarandon says she hasn't been working in America because her agents "fired" her "for marching and speaking out about Gaza."

Key Points

• The actress explained that she "couldn't do any major film" or "anything connected with Hollywood."

• The Thelma & Louise star has primarily been working in Europe for the past few years.

Susan Sarandonsays that advocating for the people of Gaza has drastically impacted her career trajectory.

TheThelma & Louiseactress spoke candidly about struggling to find work in the American film industry during apress conferencein Barcelona on Friday ahead of the 40th Goya Awards.

"I was fired by my agency specifically for marching and speaking out about Gaza — for asking for a ceasefire — and it became impossible for me to even be on television," Sarandon said. "I don't know lately if it's changed, [but] I couldn't do any major film, anything connected with Hollywood."

United Talent Agencydropped Sarandon as a clientin November 2023 after she spoke at a pro-Palestine rally and drew controversy for suggesting that Jewish Americans are "getting a taste of what it is like to be Muslim in this country, so often subjected to violence."

She laterapologized for the statement, writing, "I deeply regret diminishing this reality and hurting people with this comment. It was my intent to show solidarity in the struggle against bigotry of all kinds, and I am sorry I failed to do so."

Entertainment Weeklyhas reached out to UTA for comment.

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At the press conference, Sarandon said that since 2023 she has been able to act only in Europe. "I found agents ultimately in England and in Italy, and I have worked there," she said. "I just did a film in Italy, and I did a play at the Old Vic for a number of months."

TheRocky Horror Picture Showactress added that she has faced challenges getting cast in those countries, too. "This Italian director that just hired me, he was told not to hire me," she said. "So that's still recently. He didn't listen, but they had that conversation. So right now, I kind of specialize in tiny films with directors who have never directed and are independent films, and films that are in Europe or in Italy. So that's the main reason I haven't been working as much."

Sarandon also applauded Spain and its government for raisingobjections to Israel's actions in Gaza, noting how different the country's attitude has been compared to that of the United States.

"In a place where you feel repression and censorship, to see Spain and to see the president and what he says, and the support that he's giving about Gaza, and to have actors like Javier Bardem come forward with such a strong voice is so important to us in the United States," she said. "When you turn on the TV and you see how strong Spain is and how clear that you are morally about these issues, it makes you feel less alone, and it makes you feel that there is hope because of you all. You just don't hear that on television in the United States."

Get your daily dose of entertainment news, celebrity updates, and what to watch with ourEW Dispatch newsletter.

Sarandon has appeared in a handful of films released by major American studios since being dropped by her agents, including Netflix'sThe Six Triple EightandNonnas. However, those projects began production before November 2023.

Read the original article onEntertainment Weekly

byJastin

in

3/02/2026 05:12:00 AM

Susan Sarandon says she's been blacklisted from Hollywood for recent Gaza remarks

Susan Sarandon says she hasn't been working in America because her agents "fired" her "for marching a...

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'Scream 7' star Isabel May reveals Neve Campbell's touching 'maternal act'

Taking on Ghostface is one thing, but with "Scream 7,"Isabel Maywas confronted by an even greater fear.

May, the 25-year-old "1883" breakout who plays the daughter ofNeve Campbell's Sidney Prescottin the slasher franchise's latest outing (now in theaters), tells USA TODAY she was "barely getting by" after coming down with a "horrible stomach flu and a sinus infection" during the shoot. She "panicked" over the notion that she might disrupt filming by being unable to work.

"The most horrifying thing to me is the prospect of slowing down a production in any capacity," she says.

One morning, it got so bad that she "literally couldn't get out of bed," she recalls. "I called our second [assistant director] and I told her, and I was kind of devastated." Her onscreen mother, though, stepped in to save the day. Campbell, who is also a producer on "Scream 7," immediately called May and told her, "Don't worry about it. I've got you." The schedule was quickly rearranged so Campbell would shoot some of her own coverage that day, and May wouldn't be needed.

"I always want to be an absolute professional and make sure everyone's happy with the work that I'm contributing," May says. "It's my greatest fear to be a problem. That she made me not feel like I was, and recognized that I was a human — it was very much a maternal act from Neve."

"Scream 7" is filled with such acts, as the meta horror franchise turns focus to the strained relationship between legendary "final girl" Sidney Prescott and her 17-year-old daughter, Tatum (May). After Sidney went into hiding and started a quiet life with her husband Mark (Joel McHale) and kids, her peace is disrupted when yet another killer donning the Ghostface mask arrives.

May, who was born four years after the first "Scream" came out, had never seen any of the films when director Kevin Williamson reached out to set up a Zoom meeting. Quickly, she "panicked" and binged the entire franchise. "I thought I'd be quizzed or something by him," she says.

She later did get a quiz in a sense: After May read a "Scream 7" script where the end was redacted, Williamson asked her to guess Ghostface's identity. "I guessed accurately," she notes.

Who is Isabel May? Meet the '1883' breakout going toe to toe with Ghostface

May traces her acting journey back to age 4, when she told adults that she wanted "to make movies" when she grew up. But her passion for storytelling initially manifested itself as a love for reading.

"It was my way of getting out of conversation because I didn't really like conversing with people too much," she says. When a teacher advised her parents to get her involved in something more social, it led her to acting.

The "Scream 7" cast showed out for the global premiere at Paramount Pictures Studios on Feb. 25, 2026, in Los Angeles.

See the stars on the black carpet, beginning here, from left, with Joel McHale, Skeet Ulrich, Celeste O'Connor, Ethan Embry, Jimmy Tatro, Mckenna Grace, Scott Foley, Anna Camp, Matthew Lillard, Sam Rechner, Timothy Simons, Courteney Cox, David Arquette, Isabel May, Victor Turpin, Neve Campbell, Jasmin Savoy Brown and Mason Gooding.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Courteney Cox

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Matthew Lillard and Skeet Ulrich

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Neve Campbell

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Timothy Simons

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> David Arquette

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Scott Foley

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Celeste O'Connor

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Joel McHale

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Anna Camp

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Jasmin Savoy Brown

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Skeet Ulrich

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Courteney Cox, Neve Campbell, Isabel May, and Anna Camp

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />

See Courteney Cox, Neve Campbell, David Arquette at 'Scream 7' premiere

The "Scream 7" cast showed out for the global premiere at Paramount Pictures Studios on Feb. 25, 2026, in Los Angeles.See the stars on the black carpet, beginning here, from left, with Joel McHale, Skeet Ulrich, Celeste O'Connor, Ethan Embry, Jimmy Tatro, Mckenna Grace, Scott Foley, Anna Camp, Matthew Lillard, Sam Rechner, Timothy Simons, Courteney Cox, David Arquette, Isabel May, Victor Turpin, Neve Campbell, Jasmin Savoy Brown and Mason Gooding.

After three years of auditions, at age 15, May told her parents she wanted to "commit to this thing that I love to do permanently," and they allowed her to leave school and transition to an online education. What followed was a "nerve-racking six months of complete and utter isolation," during which May had "no friends" and was singularly focused on getting her first job.

"My mother had all the faith in the world," May remembers. "My father was nervous for me, but didn't want to be. And I think I straddled between both of those feelings."

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'Scream 7'Matthew Lillard's shock return, Mark Consuelos, and everything else we know

But May "just kept working and had faith in myself," and it paid off when she booked that first gig: a starring role on the Netflix sitcom "Alexa & Katie," which ran from 2018 to 2020. Later, her performance as Elsa Dutton on the "Yellowstone" prequel "1883" put her on the map. But May says coming off the show, she went through a period where she "very much doubted" herself.

"After ['1883'], I thought the world was my oyster, and it wasn't. I didn't know how to navigate at all," she says, noting she got caught up in letting "other people tell me what was the right thing to do, rather than trust my intuition." Now, though, "All the decisions I'm making are very much my own."

Isabel May reveals best advice she got from Neve Campbell

It was "1883" that landed May on "Scream" creator Williamson's radar and made him think of her for Sidney's daughter. Before filming, May met Campbell for dinner, and as someone who knows well what May was about to go through, the "Party of Five" star had some helpful advice. First, she urged May to appreciate that horror fans are a uniquely devoted group.

"It wasn't a warning so much as just, 'Be prepared for that. It's a huge privilege,'" May says.

What was even more helpful, though, was Campbell's insight into why fans love horror so much.

Neve Campbellreflects on 'Scream' pay dispute, 'Scream 7' return

"A lot of folks that are in communities where they feel like they're disenfranchised or separate from society and are not embraced by the rest of the world, they found comfort in these films," May says.

"That's why Kevin Williamson wrote this as a young queer man. He wrote Sidney as a reflection of how he felt, being chased by something and trying to escape it. That's such a beautiful concept and idea, and I suddenly had a totally different approach to why I was doing it and who I was connecting with."

But the "Scream 7" shoot was no walk in the park. A creepy scene where Tatum hides from Ghostface in a cramped space behind a wall required May to get over some deep-seated claustrophobia. "I got stuck in an elevator one time. I've never been the same since," she says. May also still wound up working while ill; a chase sequence where Ghostface comes after Tatum was shot while May was feeling unwell, but she could at least manage to stand up.

"This is my positive spin: It helped me get into character," she says, laughing. "I felt terrible. I needed to feel terrible. It was great! It was very useful."

Next up from May are a series of movies featuring stars includingCynthia Erivo,David CorenswetandJennifer Lopez. After that, coming off a slate of roles in genres from Westerns to horror, May is "itching" to star in a good old-fashioned drama.

"Anything I haven't done, I want to do," she says. "Anything I haven't done in a while, I want to revisit, and just continue to seek out things that I'm definitely not the prototype for."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:'Scream 7' cast — Meet Isabel May, star behind Sidney's daughter Tatum

byJastin

in

3/02/2026 03:12:00 AM

'Scream 7' star Isabel May reveals Neve Campbell's touching 'maternal act'

Taking on Ghostface is one thing, but with "Scream 7,"Isabel Maywas confronted by an even greater fear. ...

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Can you have a gun if you smoke a lot of pot? Supreme Court to decide

WASHINGTON − The Trump administration, which has ardently backed gun rights, will nonetheless try to convince theSupreme Courton March 2 that frequent pot smokerscan be imprisonedfor having a gun.

The Justice Department will make that argument even as the administration ismoving to reclassifymarijuana to a less dangerous category of drugs – and as cannabis is legal in some form in the majority of states.

That's just one of the noteworthy aspects of thecase, the second involving the constitutional right to bear arms that the justices are deciding this year.

Their rulings could clarify the legal test for gun regulations the court created in recent years that has led to a spike in challenges to gun rules. It's also caused much confusion in lower courts as they try to apply the test.

But the justices could sidestep the Second Amendment aspect and decide that the federal law prohibiting an "unlawful user" of a controlled substance from having a firearm is problematic for other reasons. That might limit the reach of the ban to anyone "addicted" to marijuana or any other drug considered dangerous enough to be regulated by the government, rather than also covering the estimated tens of millions of Americans who recreationally use pot and other drugs.

Here's what you need to know.

What is the case about?

The government is defending its prosecution of Ali Danial Hemani, a dual citizen of the United States and Pakistan whom the FBI had been monitoring because of his alleged connection to Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard. The government has designated the guard a global terrorist group.

During a 2022 search of his Texas home, Hemani told the agents he had a Glock 9mm pistol and also said he used marijuana "about every other day."

Although the government tried to detain Hemani on more serious allegations of criminal activity, he was charged only with having a gun while being an unlawful user of marijuana. That's a felony, punishable by up to 15 years in prison.

How did the lower court rule?

The New Orleans-based 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said that the gun ban can't be applied to Hemani under theSupreme Court's landmark 2022 ruling that gunprohibitions must be grounded in history that is"consistent with our tradition of gun regulation."

While history and tradition support "some limits on apresentlyintoxicated person's right to carry a weapon," the appeals courtsaid, "they do not support disarming a sober person based solely on past substance usage."

Why is the Trump administration defending the law?

In theother gun rights casethe Supreme Court is considering this term, the Justice Department opposes Hawaii's restrictive rules for guns in public places.

"As I said soon after taking office, the Second Amendment is not a second-class right," Attorney GeneralPam Bondiwrote on Xafter filing a Supreme Court brief challenging Hawaii's law. "My Justice Department will continue to be the most pro-Second Amendment Justice Department in history."

More:Supreme Court skeptical of Hawaii gun law, nicknamed 'Vampire Rule'

But Hemani's case, the government argues, "presents narrow circumstances" where the government can meet the "rigorous burden" imposed when limiting gun rights.

"A person regains his ability to possess arms as soon as he stops habitually using drugs," lawyers for the Justice Department wrote in a filing.

The Brady gun control advocacy group was on the opposite side of the Hawaii case but backs the Justice Department's defense of the federal ban on drug users having guns.

"We have major disagreements with the Trump administration on gun violence prevention," said Douglas Letter, the group's chief legal officer. "That doesn't mean they're always wrong."

Is Trump trying to declassify marijuana?

PresidentDonald Trumphasdirected the Justice Departmentto work on reclassifying marijuana as a less dangerous substance.

"The policy of the United States, it appears, is that cannabis may be useful medicine for some patriotic Americans − while also being the spark that twists ordinary people into maniacs who are primed to attack the police," the libertarian Cato Institute and the Rason Foundation wrote in afilingsupporting Hemani.

The Justice Departmenttoldthe Supreme Court that the purpose of the reclassification is to "facilitate medical marijuana and CBD research" while also continuing to restrict the sale of products that pose serious health risks.

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Still, Heather Trela at the Rockefeller Institute of Government, a public policy think tank, said the pending rescheduling "does potentially weaken the federal government's argument of the inherent dangers of cannabis use."

If there are medical uses for a controlled substance, the justices might question whether there's a difference between prohibiting gun ownership for those who smoke pot recreationally versus those who use it medicinally, Trelawrote in a previewof the oral arguments.

How often is the law used?

The goverment says it regularly charges more than 300 people each year with having a gun while being either an unlawful user of a controlled substance or a drug addict. The Justice Department said that provision "plays an integral role" in a set of rules designed to keep firearms out of the hands of dangerous or irresponsible people. The Gun Control Act of 1968 was passed in response to the assassinations of President Robert F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King, Jr.

But the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers says the provision of the act at issue is being used less for public safety reasons and primarily as a tool for selective prosecutions, leverage in plea bargains or "as a means of incarcerating otherwise law-abiding citizens when the government's primary theory falls short."

Hemani's case, the association said in a afiling, makes their point. The government couldn't make its preferred charges stick, so the law at issue provided an easy fallback "because both drug use and firearm ownership are ubiquitous features of American life."

How might the case affect gun rules generally?

In its landmark 2022 decisionstriking down New York's lawrequiring residents to have a good reason to obtain a license to carry a handgun, the Supreme Court created a new "historical tradition" test for firearm rules.

That forced a reassessment of perhaps thousands of Second Amendment rights cases around the country, said Eric Ruben, a law professor at Southern Methodist University.

In a 2024 decision upholding a lawbanning domestic abusers from owning guns, the court tried to clarify how close a modern law has to be with a historical one for it to be constitutional.

But the lower courts are still "all over the place in terms of what you're supposed to be analogizing to," Ruben said.

Adam Winkler, a UCLA School of Law professor, said the confusion has opened the door for judges to impose their own preferences. Judges appointed by Democrat presidents are upholding gun laws even when there's weak historical evidence while Republican-appointed judges are striking down laws for lack of a historical "twin" – even though the Supreme Court has said that's not the standard, Winkler said.

"What we've seen is a lot of judicial activism in this space," he said. "The Supreme Court has not provided much helpful guidance."

Could the court avoid ruling on the Second Amendment?

It's possible, however, that the justices could decide Hemani's case without clarifying their constitutionality test for gun rules.

"This case has been billed as the Court's next big Second Amendment battle," Joel Johnson, a former Justice Department attorney who teaches at Pepperdine Caruso School of Law, wrote in afilingsupporting Hemani. "But it need not be."

Both Johnson and Hemani's lawyers argue that the "unlawful user" provision of the statute should fall because it's impermissibly vague. The law doesn't say, for example, how much pot you have to smoke, how often and how recently to be barred from having a gun.

"It's simply impossible for an ordinary person to understand what is prohibited," said Brandon Buskey, director of the ACLU's Criminal Law Reform Project. The ACLU is one of the legal groups representing Hemani.

"I think the government position is really confusing the idea of drug use with drug abuse," Buskey said.

The Justice Department says someone has to be an "habitual" user to be banned from having a gun. But that's different from what the government has said in the past and is still undefined, Hemani's lawyers argue.

While the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives long interpreted the law to be triggered by a single drug-possession conviction or failed drug test within the past year, it now wants the test to be a "pattern of ongoing use."

That issue makes it hard to predict how consequential the case could be for further refining when gun regulations can pass constitutional muster, said Winkler, author of "Gunfight: The Battle over the Right to Bear Arms in America."

"I don't know if the court will find the vagueness off-ramp attractive," Winkler said. "It's possible that the court could rule on vagueness and thus not have any impact on the Second Amendment doctrine whatsoever."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Can you have a gun if you smoke a lot of pot? Supreme Court to decide

byJastin

in

3/02/2026 12:42:00 AM

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