July brought wedding bells for Taylor Swift and an apology for Connecticut from Noah Kahan
Here is Connecticut’s celebrity news and gossip in July:
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Connecticut Swifties flock to NYC as Taylor Swift marries Travis Kelce
July was an enchanted month for Taylor Swift. The pop mega-star tied the knot with Kansas City Chiefs star Travis Kelce on July 3, putting a bow on both their whirlwind three-year romance and her multidecade quest for love, shared with fans through some of the defining ballads of the past 20 years
The couple married, Swift’s publicist confirmed, with the singer’s brother Austin as her man of honor and Kelce’s brother Jason as his best man. Actor Adam Sandler officiated
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A few Connecticut residents braved the triple-digit heat in hopes of catching a glimpse of their icon, including Kiersten Mahurin of Stamford and Sebastian Celis of New Haven. “We love her. She’s great, she’s a great human being and we’re happy for her,” Mahurin said. The guest list included actors Hugh Grant, Ethan Hawke and Jason Sudeikis, Chiefs running back Kareem Hunt and Seattle Seahawks receiver Cooper Kupp, according to the Associated Press.
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Taylor Swift, Gordon Ramsay and Noah Kahan led CT’s July buzz
July brought wedding bells for Taylor Swift and an apology for Connecticut from Noah Kahan.
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Norwalk Oyster Festival announces Lita Ford, Parmalee lineup
The organizers of the Norwalk Oyster Festival announced its music lineup, including a glam rock trailblazer and a Van Halen tribute group.
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Gordon Ramsay spotted dining at Mystic eatery
Gordon Ramsay is clearly a fan of one Mystic restaurant
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The celebrity chef, who was in town filming his cooking competition show, “Hell’s Kitchen,” at Foxwoods Resort Casino, was spotted at Red36 in Mystic during the week of July 6 with his wife, Tana Ramsay. Ramsay previously visited the restaurant in 2024
“@red36ct loves @gordongram! Thank you Gordon Ramsay and @tanaramsay for lunching with us! Come see us again soon,” the restaurant posted on Instagram. While filming previous seasons, Ramsay has also visited Oyster Club and The Shipwright’s Daughter in Mystic and Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana and Sally’s Apizza in New Haven.
Richard Gere spotted filming new movie in New York City
Courtesy of Chichi Ubina
Actor and former New Canaan resident Richard Gere was seen filming Edward Zwick’s new romantic drama, “Asymmetry,” in New York City on July 15
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Gere and actress Diana Silvers were photographed on the set in uptown Manhattan
The film is based on author Lisa Halliday’s critically acclaimed 2018 novel of the same name and also stars Silvers.
Scarlett Johansson movie films in White Plains
Filming of a new movie with the codename “Ghost” took place at several city locations in White Plains, New York, in early July
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Filming began July 1 outside the Westchester County Government’s Michaelian Office Building
The Apple thriller stars Scarlett Johansson, Laurence Fishburne, Diane Lane, John Leguizamo and Chiwetel Ejiofor.
‘Connecticut I love you’: Noah Kahan apologizes after making dig at state
After once again poking fun at Connecticut at a July 8 show at Fenway Park, Noah Kahan apologized to the Constitution State
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During the performance — his second of four Fenway Park shows on his ongoing Great Divide Tour — Kahan said, “I am everything I am because of Boston, New Hampshire, Vermont. We’re going to play some songs about Boston, New Hampshire, Maine and Vermont though. Sorry, Connecticut.”
The next day, Kahan wrote on X, “Connecticut I love you and you’re included my dad just made that joke my entire childhood and it’s wove itself into the fabric of my sense of humor. I’m sorry.” Kahan also apologized to Connecticut during his 2024 Soundside performance after saying the state “doesn’t count” as part of New England.
Dan Hurley gets star-struck meeting Hakeem Olajuwon, reunites with Kemba Walker
Dan Hurley arrived at Nike’s Peach Jam tournament as one of the most recognizable figures scouting the next generation of basketball players competing in the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League’s main event. But for a brief moment, the UConn men’s basketball coach was star-struck while chatting with NBA icon Hakeem Olajuwon on July 17
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The Hall of Fame center was watching his son, Malik, a 6-foot-4 shooting guard in the class of 2027
Olajuwon was not the only NBA great Hurley encountered on the recruiting circuit. Hurley and assistant coach Kimani Young met former UConn star Kemba Walker at an EYBL event on July 11. Walker currently works with the Charlotte Hornets as a coach and recently opened a sports academy in North Carolina.
Tina Charles launches 78-0 Hazy IPA in New Haven
Tina Charles, Geno Auriemma and Jen Rizzotti — three prominent members of a UConn women’s basketball family that spans generations — gathered inside East Rock Brewing Company on July 17. They hugged. They clinked glasses in cheers. They sipped a bright yellow, citrusy India pale ale
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Charles is in the beer business now, which, to her, means she is in the storytelling business, too. 78 Brewing Co. is her newest venture, and the 78-0 Hazy IPA is its flagship beverage, made with East Rock. Its name recognizes the consecutive 39-0 national championship seasons during Charles’ final two years at UConn, and she will share revenue with her teammates and the UConn Foundation
“My last few years at UConn, my teammates and I were able to achieve an incredible feat,” Charles told an invite-only crowd of about 125. “I always wanted to do something with that number.” The 6.5% alcohol beer is less sour than a typical IPA. “It’s crushable,” Charles said. “It’s approachable.”
Stanley Cup makes a stop at Milford brewery
Fresh off helping the Carolina Hurricanes win the Stanley Cup, defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere brought hockey’s most famous trophy to Dockside Brewery in Milford on July 18 for a private celebration with family, friends and several teammates
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“I never thought the Stanley Cup would be at the restaurant until I saw them take it off the bus,” Dockside manager Tom Hanley said. While the gathering was private, some employees were able to pose for photos with the cup and drink from it. “They let us touch it and drink out of it, which was very cool,” Hanley said
Connecticut played a pivotal role in Gostisbehere’s hockey journey. He transferred to South Kent School during high school and signed his first two NHL contracts at Dockside. His wife, Gina Gostisbehere, is a Milford native, and the couple has spent many off-seasons at the brewery.
Denis Leary’s former Connecticut estate lists for $3.6 million
Once the Connecticut escape of Denis Leary, the property at 268 South St. in Roxbury was on the market for $3.6 million in July
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The 6,190-square-foot Colonial, which dates to 1850, was formerly owned by the actor and his wife, writer Ann Leary. It has five bedrooms, four full bathrooms and one half bathroom, as well as an eat-in kitchen, dining room, great room, family room, sunroom with wet bar, library, office, media room and recreational room
The 41-acre property has a spring-fed pond, meadows, mature trees, perennial gardens, a gunite pool, a four-stall horse barn, riding ring, fenced pastures and wooded trails. “It’s kind of like a picture-postcard kind of a place, but it was a real family house,” Leary told The Wall Street Journal in 2016.
Patrick Ball, Colman Domingo among Emmy nominees with Connecticut ties
The 2026 Emmy nominations were announced July 8, featuring several actors with Connecticut ties
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“The Pitt” actor Patrick Ball, who received a Certificate in Drama from Yale University’s David Geffen School of Drama, was nominated for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series. Colman Domingo, a former Yale School of Drama faculty member, earned two nominations for “The Four Seasons” and “Euphoria.”
Other nominees with Connecticut ties included Claire Danes, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Allison Janney, Bradley Whitford, Jamie Lee Curtis and Michael J. Fox.
Connecticut’s Craig Melvin targeted in alleged hate crime inside NBC ‘Today’ studio
A New York man broke into the “Today” show studio on July 16 and accosted host Craig Melvin, yelling racial slurs at him before being arrested, police said. Melvin, a longtime Westport resident, was physically unharmed and hosted the NBC morning show as usual the next day
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In a statement, NBC News acknowledged a “security incident” and said there was no physical altercation or injuries. “NBC and TODAY take the safety and security of our employees, talent, staff and guests extremely seriously,” a spokesperson said
Melvin also addressed the incident on social media, writing that he was “doing just fine” and thanking his fans for their support.
