Teyana Taylor Reveals Her Biggest Thanksgiving No-No

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Teyana Taylor’s Thanksgiving dinner is a labor of love.

The actress from One Battle After Another shared that she’s planning to cook a homemade meal for her family and friends for Thanksgiving on November 27th, and she prefers to do all the cooking herself instead of ordering in or hiring help.

You know, I’ve decided I’m officially done with Thanksgiving caterers! I was telling someone at the ELLE Women in Hollywood event recently, and I just can’t bring myself to do it anymore. From now on, it’s all me in the kitchen – I’m taking back the holiday!

The 34-year-old, celebrated at the event with stars like Jennifer Aniston, Emily Blunt, and Hailee Steinfeld, explained that she likes to be very involved in the holiday because it helps her fully enjoy it.

She clarified that she wasn’t criticizing others, but for her, cooking and spending time with family is special. It’s a chance to connect, share laughs, and make new memories together.

Teyana’s dinner guests are in for something special! She’s currently taking culinary classes to become an even better cook.

I’m handling all the cooking this year,” she said. “I’m making turkey, ham, cranberry sauce, collard greens, candied yams, and baked macaroni and cheese – the whole spread!”

Teyana Taylor is also preparing a special meal for her daughters, 9-year-old Iman (nicknamed Junie) and 5-year-old Rue Rose, who she shares with her ex-husband, Iman Shumpert.

My children really enjoy Cajun pasta, so I always end up making it. We try to cook a variety of different dishes at home.

Beyond enjoying the holidays, Teyana is celebrating a major achievement: her album, Escape Room, received a Grammy nomination for Best R&B Album. This is the first time she’s been nominated for a Grammy, although the announcement came during a difficult time.

Oh my gosh, when I found out, it was the most surreal thing! I had a Korean face mask on, one of those really good ones that makes your face totally immobile, you know? So I couldn’t even show how excited I was, which was hilarious, honestly. I was completely frozen! Then my grandma – Nana – started praying, and she went into speaking in tongues, and I swear, I was so overwhelmed with joy that my mask literally fell off my face from the tears! It was the most amazing, ridiculous moment ever.

You know, when it comes down to it, the simple things really are enough. For me, being able to connect with my family – to share everything, the joys and the sorrows, the laughter and the tears – that’s what truly matters. It’s a reminder that happiness isn’t about grand gestures, but about those genuine, heartfelt connections.

I’m loving seeing Teyana enjoying Thanksgiving with her family! And if you’re like me and want to really get into the cozy fall mood, here are some amazing movies and TV episodes to check out – they’re perfect for the season.

Everyone remembers the hilarious Thanksgiving episodes from the classic NBC sitcom. Over its ten seasons, the show created ten amazing holiday installments. It’s tough to choose the best one – we actually ranked them all! – but here are three we highly recommend.

The fifth season’s standout episode, “The One With All the Thanksgivings,” is remembered for its charming flashbacks and the very first time Chandler and Monica tell each other “I love you”—complete with Monica hilariously sporting a turkey on her head!

After that, we recommend watching season six’s “The One Where Ross Got High” – it really showcases the group’s fantastic chemistry. Then, don’t miss season eight’s “The One With the Rumor,” famous for Brad Pitt’s memorable guest appearance as a former high school classmate who co-founded the “I Hate Rachel Club.” (Seriously, if Brad Pitt can be friendly with ex-wife Jennifer Aniston, we can definitely mention his episode!) You can stream the show on HBO Max.

Fans could always rely on How I Met Your Mother (HIMYM) for memorable Thanksgiving episodes, and the show consistently delivered. But the standout is arguably season three’s “Slapsgiving,” featuring the third – and many fans’ favorite – slap in the hilarious bet between Marshall and Barney. Who can forget singing, “Ya just got slapped!”? (You can stream it on Hulu and Disney+.)

Need a cozy post-Thanksgiving activity? Watch Lorelai and Rory Gilmore’s hilarious attempt to attend four Thanksgiving dinners in one day in the Gilmore Girls episode “A Deep-Fried Korean Thanksgiving”! It’s the perfect way to enjoy the spirit of the holiday (and maybe relate to the leftovers!). You can find it on Netflix.

Get ready to feel all the emotions with ‘Pilgrim Rick’ from the NBC show This Is Us! This Thanksgiving-themed episode, from the first season, explains how the family’s tradition of the Pilgrim Rick hat began. We see a flashback to a surprising holiday when the Pearsons were stuck at a motel. The episode cleverly connects the past to the present, showing how Jack’s death still affects his children, known as the Big Three.

Look, I’m a huge fan, and even I knew things were going to get interesting! Poor Randall—he discovers a really shocking secret about Rebecca, something she kept hidden his whole life. Honestly, can you even have a Thanksgiving without some kind of family drama popping up? You can catch all the chaos on Hulu, by the way.

Like many shows, Gossip Girl made Thanksgiving a yearly tradition, starting with the memorable episode “Blair Waldorf Must Pie!” This episode, from the first season, featured flashbacks to Serena’s earlier life, the surprising revelation that Serena and Dan could be siblings, and, importantly, a look into Blair’s battle with an eating disorder.

Season two isn’t worth watching, but season three’s episode, “The Treasure of Serena Madre,” is enjoyable. It features a hilariously uncomfortable family dinner where Serena has to interact with her lover’s wife, Maureen. (And Aaron Tveit is great as the unsettling Congressman Trip!) As usual, Serena manages to make Thanksgiving a disaster. (You can find it on HBO Max.)

We absolutely had to include “Bangsiving”! This classic episode features Schmidt making the loft crew each bring a date for someone else to their holiday dinner. (Available on Hulu)

Get ready for a wave of nostalgia with season two’s “Thanks For the Memories”! This episode revisits the original interns of the popular ABC series. We see George facing an awkward turkey hunt, Izzie attempting a grand holiday feast, and Meredith, Cristina, and Alex seeking refuge at the hospital. Expect plenty of classic Meredith and Derek relationship drama, plus a throwback Fall Out Boy song. It’s a delightful trip back to 2005! (Available to stream on Hulu and Disney+).

“It’s a sham, but it’s a sham with yams. A yam sham.”

If you’re planning just one Thanksgiving-themed TV episode to watch, make it “Pangs” from Buffy the Vampire Slayer‘s fourth season. Buffy goes all-out to create the perfect Thanksgiving for her friends, even though she’s not a great cook and still has Slayer duties to handle. Things quickly fall apart when Xander accidentally unleashes an angry Native American spirit, leading to a rather unfortunate incident involving Spike and some darts. Plus, the episode ends with a shocking reveal! (Available on Hulu)

Everyone remembers the show’s Chrismukkah celebrations, but the characters from The O.C. also had some memorable Thanksgivings.

The first season’s holiday episode, “The Homecoming,” sees Ryan traveling back to Chino with Marissa to help his brother, who is in prison. This trip unfortunately introduced Theresa, a character who would later cause Ryan and Marissa to break up, much to the disappointment of many viewers.

Everyone loves a little drama, and Seth found himself right in the middle of a love triangle! He invited both Summer and Anna over, hoping to keep them from finding out about each other. It wasn’t a great idea, Seth! (Available on: HBO Max)

If you’re looking for a particularly touching holiday episode, check out this Emmy winner. It centers on Denise, Dev’s best friend, and uses flashbacks to show Lena Waithe’s character accepting who she is and navigating her family relationships. You can stream it on Netflix.

Nora Ephron’s charming and delightful take on New York’s Upper East Side makes this romantic comedy a must-watch. Interestingly, the famous scene with Tom Hanks assisting Meg Ryan at Zabar’s was filmed on Thanksgiving Day! Who could forget Sara Ramirez’s memorable line, “Happy Thanksgiving back”? (Available to buy or rent on Apple TV+)

This is the ultimate Thanksgiving comedy, and it’s still incredibly funny! Steve Martin and John Candy deliver unforgettable performances that continue to make audiences laugh decades later. You can watch it on Paramount+.

You’ll be kicking yourself for not discovering this fantastic movie sooner! Starring Holly Hunter, Robert Downey Jr., Dylan McDermott, and a young Claire Danes, this 1995 film was directed by Jodie Foster and perfectly captures the strange experience of returning home for the holidays. It’s that feeling of instantly slipping back into old family dynamics and habits, something you truly understand only when you’ve lived away from home. (Available to stream on Paramount+)

Before you disagree, let us explain why we’re including the 1993 comedy as a Halloween movie. It features a Thanksgiving play performed by kids at summer camp – a bizarre choice, we admit! But the scene with Wednesday and Pugsley Addams definitely gives us spooky vibes, so here we are.

Wednesday puts a darkly comedic and violent spin on the story of Pocahontas. The episode also features a hilariously twisted song called “Turkey Day,” where Pugsley, in a turkey costume, sings a morbidly funny line about being delicious because he’s already ‘good and dead!’ You can watch it on Paramount+.

Goodbye, Dawson’s Creek! Katie Holmes received a lot of praise for her role in this 2003 independent film, which follows a young woman who invites her family from a small town to visit her New York City apartment. Predictably, things don’t go smoothly. Patricia Clarkson is fantastic as the mother, and earned an Oscar nomination for her performance. And for those who remember it, Sisqo (of “The Thong Song” fame) also makes an appearance! You can stream it on Tubi.

Freeform really delivered with this sweet and funny romantic comedy that takes a bit of an unexpected turn! It’s great that the story starts with a freshman, played wonderfully by Olivia Holt, coming home for the first time. The setup is perfect for some drama, especially when we find out a ‘turkey drop’ means getting dumped by your high school sweetheart over Thanksgiving. And things get even more interesting with the arrival of her brother’s attractive best friend. You can watch it on Hulu.

This romantic comedy, starring Emma Roberts and Luke Bracey, playfully covers almost every holiday imaginable. The story follows two people who agree to be platonic dates for an entire year. While it touches on many celebrations, it definitely includes Thanksgiving, and it’s seriously hilarious. You can watch it on Netflix.

Imagine four families – Vietnamese, Latino, Jewish, and African American – each with their unique customs, all living together! This 2000 film, starring Kyra Sedgwick and Julianna Margulies, is full of heightened emotions and family dynamics. (Available to stream on Prime Video)

It’s hard to think of anything more definitively millennial than a 2020 Netflix movie about flawed friends and a chaotic Friendsgiving, featuring Malin Akerman and Kat Dennings. You can stream it on Hulu or Paramount+.

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2025-11-27 16:18