Saba Hamedy

Verified

Culture and Trends Editor, NBC News

Los Angeles

Arts and Entertainment, U.S.

As seen in: NBC News, CNN, CNN en Español, MSN, MSN Canada, MSN Singapore, Yahoo Entertainment, HuffPost, Yahoo Canada, Yahoo News, Yahoo Singapore and

Covers: Internet culture, entertainment/pop culture, film, movies, tv, awards shows, buzzy moments.

Doesn't Cover: science, beauty, health

I edit culture stories @nbcnews + teach @USCAnnenberg / @cspaworkshop. Follow me elsewhere: @ sbhamedy on Insta & threads. Working on a fiction book bc why not

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Saba Hamedy’s Biography

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I am the editor of the Culture & Trends team at NBC News Digital, which we launched in September 2021. What does our team write about? Well, if something’s trending on the internet, chances are we are covering it. Usually, we tackle a mix of quick hits (including pop culture news, like the Free Britney hearing), explainers (like, why is everyone talking about Elmo’s feud with a rock?) and thoughtful reported pieces (like, how the 'Cheer' family handled the Jerry Harris news in season two). We a…

Saba Hamedy’s Journalist Portfolio

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Local firms that rely on film industry fight to keep jobs here

As filming moves out of California, industry-dependent businesses have been forced to relocate to other state…

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Oscars 2014: 'Live With Kelly and Michael' keeps the party going

The Academy Awards celebration continues the next morning with the 'Live With Kelly and Michael After Oscar S…

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'Enlisted' knew it needed to enlist help to get military comedy right

Kevin Biegel and Mike Royce's Fox comedy pilot 'Enlisted' drew fire from military families on social media. T…

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Utah gay marriage ruling brings mixed emotions

Reactions to U.S. District Judge Robert J. Shelby's decision to strike down Utah's gay marriage ban.

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Obamacare lawsuit forces order of nuns into the public eye

Their protest of the healthcare law's so-called contraceptive mandate shines a spotlight on the modest Little…

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Navajo Nation struggles with same-sex marriage

The Navajo banned such unions in 2005, but some hope to change that — especially since New Mexico began permi…

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Articles

Kathy Hilton exits West Hollywood Pride role amid backlash from LGBTQ+ community Original

Jun 04, 2026 |

By Tony Lee , Saba Hamedy

| NBC News

June 4, 2026, 5:47 PM EDT Reality star Kathy Hilton will no longer serve as the West Hollywood Pride Parade’s Grand Marshal Icon, the city and Hilton announced in a joint statement Wednesday, following outrage from some LGBTQ+ community members. When the “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” alum was announced as WeHo’s pick in late May, many online questioned the choice, citing her purported MAGA leanings.

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Meet Hollywood’s new masters of horror: YouTubers Original

May 31, 2026 |

By Lauren Wilson , Greg Rosenstein , Saba Hamedy

| NBC News

May 31, 2026, 11:01 AM EDT First came “Iron Lung,” a video game adaptation self-financed and distributed by YouTuber Markiplier that stunned the box office with a massive haul. Three months later, “Obsession,” a low-budget project from 26-year-old YouTuber Curry Barker, pulled off the rare feat of growing its box office take by 39% in its second weekend in theaters.

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How an indie horror film became a box-office ‘Obsession'

May 25, 2026 |

By Saba Hamedy , Greg Rosenstein

| WNBC-TV (New York, NY)

Curry Barker, a 26-year-old YouTuber-turned-filmmaker, made his horror film “Obsession” in just 20 days on a mere $750,000 budget. Now, after its second weekend in theaters, the Focus Features-distributed movie is on track to earn more than 100 times that amount, with an expected $79.7 million haul at the global box office, according to Box Office Mojo, which tracks global theatrical totals. Of that projected total, $58.5 million came from North American theaters.