The FIFA World Cup final brought out an award show/Met Gala list of celebrities, but not Cardi B, although she was still getting some football action because she was seen in Venice with Maduka Okoye … again!

Remember, Cardi and Maduka were the gossip and the drama at Paris Fashion Week earlier this month when they were seated next to each other at one of the shows and then seen flirting on a terrace where the vibes were definitely vibing – and still vibing.

Because they just turned up in Venice this weekend, seen out for dinner with a group of other people but, like, it would be a struggle to call this an accident or a coincidence.

In Paris, definitely, there was cosmic interference, the universe deciding to inject this chaos into the algorithm, just to f-ck with the gossip ecosystem by taking advantage of the fashion calendar. In Venice though? With no discernable excuse, after they clearly sparked in France, and they somehow end up watching fireworks together in Italy two weeks later – we can only assume that they’ve been making their own fireworks in the in-between, I will accept no other explanation. Cardi is getting dicked down good this summer, and we love to see it.

Back in New York, however, it’s less certain for another possible couple to enter the summer 2026 gossip chat: Austin Butler and Odessa A’Zion?

They were with Woody Harrelson, Chris Rock, and some other people watching the England vs France third place game on Saturday.

I’m seeing it… and I could see it. That wasn’t a one-off either because they arrived, also in a group that included Scott Eastwood and Tate McRae, at the World Cup final together yesterday.

Two hangs in two days doesn’t make for confirmation, but it’s a connection, and probably enough for a rumour. Which I am facilitating. This rumour should be reality. Austin and Odessa are good for gossip. The visuals are there. The energy is there. And while we’re at it we can start some new speculation about whether or not Odessa might join the cast of Miami Vice.

Speaking of Miami Vice – the other rumour is that Tom Cruise will be the villain in the movie. Joseph Kosinski is directing and we already know that he and Tom are close. Tom and MBJ are also friendly. It would be a huge get to have TC join the project but it also makes all the sense, with the way the movie is an 80s throwback, to have an icon of the 80s and one of the most enduring movie stars of the time and this time on the call sheet.

Tom was also at the World Cup, doing a corny speech to kick off the festivities before watching the match with the Beckhams and reuniting with Jin and meeting the other members of BTS. 

Tom’s had a pretty high-key few days. He also made headlines ahead of the weekend when he screened The Odyssey in New York and invited the theatre staff to watch with him who later shared that he kept saying how “f-cking sick” the movie was during the third act.

That is not nearly at batsh-t as his conversation with Kermit at the match yesterday. It’s so unhinged, like why it he trying to out-bro a frog?

Austin Butler, Odessa A'zion, Chris Rock, Woody Harrelson together in New York City, July 18, 2026/Tom Cruise speaks before the FIFA World Cup 2026 Final match between Spain and Argentina at New York New Jersey Stadium on July 19, 2026 in East Rutherford, New Jersey

Photo credits: Best Image/Backgrid, Niyi Fote/TheNews2/Cover Images/Instar Images

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