Which famous people have visited Hotel du Pont in Delaware?
Athletes, world leaders, actors and other famous people have visited the Hotel du Pont in Wilmington over the years.
Fans of the intense first-responder series “9-1-1 Nashville” on ABC will have an extra reason to tune in when Season 2 starts, thanks to the addition of Delaware star actor Ryan Phillippe.
The New Castle native is cast in the role of a detective from New York who’s no stranger to drama. Season 2 is slated to premiere in late September or in early October, according to TV Insider.
Phillippe hasn’t been messing around this year, as he starred in the two-part action thriller “One Mile,” released in two parts: “Chapter One” and “Chapter Two” across streaming platforms including Prime Video and Apple TV.
Here are six facts to know about the 51-year-old Phillippe, including some things that might surprise long-time supporters.
There’s a legendary photo of rapper Post Malone and Phillippe standing in front of a beer-pong table in a backstage location at Firefly Music Festival, which Phillippe posted to Instagram on June 24, 2019. Posty headlined the festival June 23. That year was precious because it marked the last pre-pandemic Firefly, an event that’s been dark since late 2022.
“Post-show beer pong – the family and i had such a great time at #firefly,” Phillippe posted on IG. “i highly recommend the festival & am proud of my home state for how killer it is.”
While Phillippe first got attention for his role as Billy on the daytime soap “One Life to Live” (1992-1993), his breakout role would come a few years later when he starred as Barry Cox in the horror film “I Know What You Did Last Summer” (1997). The film followed a group of friends (including Cox) who were haunted by a hook-wielding villain seeking revenge.
The cast featured Jennifer Love Hewitt, Sarah Michelle Gellar and Freddie Prinze Jr. The fame from that film put Phillippe on the map and it led to major films and TV shows like “Cruel Intentions” (1999) and “Crash” (2004) and the USA Network TV series “Shooter” (2016-2018).
The actor attended high school at New Castle Baptist Academy in New Castle. He also graduated from the modeling and acting school Barbizon in Wilmington.
In 2017, Phillippe visited Eminem’s Shade 45 studio, where he was a guest on the “Sway in the Morning” radio show, hosted by Sway Calloway and co-host Heather B.
Phillippe, who is a big rap fan, dropped a freestyle on the radio show, much like actor Shia LeBeouf, who made waves when he rapped on the show.
In the Delaware actor’s freestyle, he name-dropped his movies “Cruel Intentions” and “I Know What You Did Last Summer” with some sexually themed bars, before choosing to switch gears:
I’m tryna keep it clean ‘Cuz I’m a father and a daddy if you know what I mean A poly-mather machine I can still get inspired Like when an actor gets on Sway and starts spittin’ some fire like Shia Shia was nice, man LeBeouf was a beast And there will be do disrespect ‘cuz I don’t want no LeBeef
Not everyone can say that they hosted both “SNL” and the WWE’s “Monday Night Raw,” but Phillippe made it happen. He was on a tear and both episodes aired in 2010.
The Delaware native is a single dad with three children. His first two kids are Ava and Deacon, a son and daughter he shares with his ex-wife, Reese Witherspoon.
Phillippe and Witherspoon, who both appeared in the 1999 film “Cruel Intentions,” married that same year, and their relationship lasted nearly a decade before they divorced.
Phillippe’s third child is his daughter, Kai, born in 2011. Her mother is Phillipe’s ex-girlfriend and actor Alexis Knapp.
If you have an interesting story idea, email lifestyle reporter Andre Lamar at alamar@gannett.com. Consider signing up for his weekly newsletter, DO Delaware, at delawareonline.com/newsletters
Acting on the advice of Delaware Thoroughbred Racing Commission (DTRC) veterinarians and stewards, Delaware Park canceled the remainder of today’s live racing card following the fourth race due to the heat index. Live racing is scheduled to resume with a special live racing card on Tuesday, July 21.
This press release has not been edited by BloodHorse. If there are any questions please contact the organization that produced the release.
Saturday, July 18, 2026 10:24AM
NEWARK, Del. (WPVI) — Delaware State Police are investigating after four people were shot outside a Waffle House restaurant.
Police arrived to the scene, along the 1400 block of Pulaski Highway just after 1a.m. They found dozens of shell casings.
Police sources said four people, two men and two women, were hit. Two are in serious condition, two are stable.
The investigation is active and ongoing. Action News has reached out to police for more information on suspects or a motive.
Copyright © 2026 WPVI-TV. All Rights Reserved.
Photo: data from the livewildfiremap.com website. Image created with AI on 7/17.
Delaware residents are being urged to limit strenuous outdoor activity Friday as smoke from Canadian wildfires pushes fine-particle pollution into the unhealthy range across the First State.
The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control forecast a Code Red Air Quality Action Day for particulate matter Friday, July 17. The state projected a fine-particle Air Quality Index of 186, a level considered unhealthy for everyone.
The smoke is expected to begin gradually clearing Saturday afternoon and evening as winds shift and scattered thunderstorms help mix cleaner air into the region. However, dense smoke may remain trapped near the ground Saturday morning, keeping conditions unhealthy for sensitive groups during the first half of the day.
DNREC forecasts a PM2.5 index of 102 for Saturday, placing air quality in the Code Orange category, or unhealthy for sensitive groups. Conditions are expected to improve to moderate Sunday and Monday, although thin smoke and haze could remain over Delaware.
New Castle County is expected to experience the greatest impact from the wildfire smoke, particularly in Wilmington, Newark and Bear, where fine-particle pollution may remain concentrated near the ground. Kent County, including Dover and Smyrna, is expected to see a moderate impact. Conditions in Sussex County may range from light to moderate depending on wind direction, with Milford, Georgetown and Laurel likely to experience less severe smoke than northern Delaware.
The primary concern is PM2.5, microscopic particles with diameters of 2.5 micrometers or smaller. The particles are produced when trees and other organic materials burn and can travel hundreds or thousands of miles from the original fire.
Because the particles are so small, they can enter the lungs and, in some cases, affect the cardiovascular system. The smoke also contains gases and other pollutants, but federal health officials consider fine-particle pollution the greatest immediate health concern during most wildfire-smoke events.
Light northerly winds carried the dense smoke into Delaware. A temperature inversion — a layer of warmer air above cooler surface air — also helped trap the pollution close to the ground, allowing smoke concentrations to build during the morning.
Saturday’s approaching warm front is expected to turn winds toward the south and southwest. Thunderstorms may also help disperse the smoke. A cold front Sunday could carry a thinner plume back into Delaware, while light winds Monday may allow some haze to linger.
Code Red means some members of the general public may experience health effects, while people in sensitive groups face a greater chance of more serious symptoms.
Those at higher risk include:
Children are more vulnerable because their lungs are still developing, they are often more active outdoors and they inhale more air relative to their body weight. Older adults are more likely to have existing heart or lung conditions that can be aggravated by smoke.
Wildfire smoke can cause burning or watery eyes, a runny nose, throat irritation, coughing, headaches and fatigue.
More concerning symptoms include wheezing, chest tightness, shortness of breath, an irregular heartbeat or becoming unusually winded during light activity. People with asthma may need their rescue inhalers more frequently, while those with heart disease may face an increased risk of serious cardiovascular problems.
Anyone experiencing severe chest pain, significant difficulty breathing, confusion, fainting or signs of a heart attack or stroke should seek immediate medical assistance.
Residents can lower their exposure by moving exercise and other strenuous activities indoors, keeping windows and doors closed and running air conditioning on a recirculation setting.
Portable air cleaners or high-efficiency heating and cooling filters may help reduce smoke particles indoors. People who must spend extended periods outside may consider a properly fitted N95 respirator, although masks do not eliminate all exposure and are less effective when they do not seal tightly against the face.
Healthy adults are generally less likely to experience serious problems from a brief smoke event, but federal health officials advise everyone to reduce exposure when the air reaches Code Red.
Delaware LIVE collaborates with a network of professional journalists to cover a diverse range of stories across various fields. Staff Writers include experienced journalists and young professionals. If you have questions, please feel free to contact [email protected] or our publisher, George D. Rotsch, at [email protected]
Minnesota access to Osceola, Wis., bridge to be closed for 30 days starting Monday
Our Mississippi Magazine announces new class of ‘Most Influential African Americans’ statewide
New Missouri law requires child support if drunk driver kills a parent
Montana Lottery Powerball, Lotto America results for July 18, 2026
Nebraska flag football announces home facilities
Nevada’s Off-The-Beaten-Path Living Ghost Town Has A Museum, Historic Cemetery, And Mountain Views – Islands
New Hampshire sweeps twin state soccer games
Best and worst places to retire in New Jersey. Here’s where
