About Pop Culture Planet

Blast off into the world of entertainment with Pop Culture Planet!

Pop Culture Planet is an entertainment outlet founded by journalist Kristen Maldonado. It was inspired by the lack of diversity in the industry and serves as a place to cover the world of entertainment while shining a light on representation and inclusion. Alongside the outlet is the video podcast of the same name that dives into analytical pop culture discussions and interviews with diverse voices in the entertainment space.

Kristen Maldonado is an entertainment journalist, TV and film critic, on-camera host, writer, producer, and social media and digital content strategist with a proven history of creating impactful and engaging content that connects with fans on a personal level. You can find her binge-watching your next favorite TV show, interviewing talent, and championing representation in all forms. Kristen is also a Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic, a member of the Critics Choice Association, Latino Entertainment Journalists Association, CherryPicks, and Television Academy, and a two-time Shorty Award winner. She has been seen on New York Live, NY1, The List TV, MTV, and Glamour and had her work featured on CinemaBlend, Looper, ComicBook.com, Rotten Tomatoes, Den of Geek, Good Morning America, Insider, Total Film, and more.

Get in touch →

“Kristen has the kind of drive, ambition and fast turnaround skills that make other creators look like they’re napping on the job.”

Den of Geek

“A notable queen of deep dives.”

Den of Geek

“Growing up, my parents taught me that in order to be successful I’d have to work harder than anyone else. So to me, being a Latina has always meant being a hustler.”

Viva La Mujer

“Maldonado’s inspiring journey shows how having the ability to self-start can help creatives build a legendary career—one that begins by pulling the trigger themselves.”

WNW Magazine

Pull Quotes

 

What People Are Saying

‘Moana 2’ First Reviews: A See-Worthy Adventure, If Not As Epic

— Rotten Tomatoes

First ‘Moana 2’ Reactions Reveal If The Disney Sequel Is Worthy Of Its Predecessor

— MovieWeb

‘Red One’ first reviews are in and Dwayne Johnson fans should stop reading now

— MEAWW

Dwayne Johnson’s Christmas Action Film Makes The Naughty List With Rotten Tomatoes Score

— CBR

“On The Naughty List:” ‘Red One’ Social Media Reactions Are Divided For Dwayne Johnson and Chris Evans Christmas Movie

— ScreenRant

The Rock and Chris Evans’ ‘Red One’ Finally Screened, And Critics Are Going Down Separate Chimneys: “On The Naughty List For 2024”

— CinemaBlend

Early reactions for the Dwayne Johnson and Chris Evans Christmas movie ‘Red One’ drop online

— JoBlo

‘Red One’ First Reactions Reveal Whether Dwayne Johnson and Chris Evans Have Been Naughty or Nice

— Movie Web

‘Red One:’ The First Reactions To Dwayne Johnson and Chris Evans’ New Christmas Movie Are In

— Comic Book Movie

‘Red One’ First Reactions Are… Probably Not As Bad As You’d Expect!

— Sci-Fi & Fantasy Gazette

Netflix’s new #1 movie is a teen sci-fi fantasy with a terrible Rotten Tomatoes score

— Games Radar

‘Stale’ Netflix dystopian movie crashes out with dire Rotten Tomatoes score

— Metro

7 Viral Moments From Last Night’s VMAs

— 98FM

The First Reactions To ‘Alien: Romulus’ Are In

— Gizmodo

‘Alien: Romulus’ Could Be Looking At $50M Debut; Critics Share First Social Media Reactions

— Comic Book Movie

‘Twisters’ Impresses Critics With High Rotten Tomatoes Score

— Times of India

‘Twisters’ Blows the Minds of Critics As Sequel Lands Rotten Tomatoes Score

— CBR

37 Coming-of-Age Movies Ranked By Cherry Score

— CherryPicks

Exclusive: ‘Rebel Moon - Part Two: The Scargiver’ cast interviews

— Black Film and TV

“Steamy, adrenaline rush, and an amazing film:” Zendaya Can Do Nothing Wrong, Early Reviews For ‘Challengers’ Guarantees Another Hit For the Euphoria Star

— Fandom Wire

Zendaya’s ‘Challengers:’ High Praises From Early Reviews Predict Another Blockbuster

— Project Casting

Reviews for ‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire’ Are Bad. Here Are Some Of The Worst Things Critics Have Said

— Digg

Meet Kristen Maldonado

— Bold Journey

How Movie Musicals Helped To Cement The Cultural Legacy of Black Girl Groups of the ‘60s

— Decider

‘Mean Girls’ Removed This Lindsay Lohan Joke From The Digital Release

— Bustle

‘Mean Girls’ line criticized by Lindsay Lohan removed from movie’s digital version

— USA Today

‘Mean Girls’ remake digital release removes Lindsay Lohan joke; Here’s why

— Mashable ME

‘Mean Girls’ Cuts “Fire Crotch” Joke From Digital Release After Lindsay Lohan Was “Hurt and Disappointed”

— Variety

‘Mean Girls’ Digital Release Cuts Joke from Theatrical Version That “Hurt” Lindsay Lohan

— People

New ‘Mean Girls’ Movie Ditches Joke That Upset Lindsay Lohan In Digital Version

— HuffPost UK

A ‘Mean Girls’ Movie Musical Line That Left Lindsay Lohan “Very Hurt and Disappointed” Has Been Removed

— LoveBScott

Megan Thee Stallion’s “fire crotch” joke removed from VOD version of ‘Mean Girls’… after Lindsay Lohan “was very hurt” by inclusion of 2006 taunt

— Daily Mail

Joke in ‘Mean Girls’ movie which left Lindsay Lohan “very hurt” omitted from the digital release

— Pink News

Megan Thee Stallion’s “Fire Crotch” Line Nixed From ‘Mean Girls’ On Digital

— TMZ

Lisa Frankenstein, Argylle, and Hazbin Hotel Finale with Kristen Maldonado

— Upscreen Pod

Will There Be A ‘Hazbin Hotel’ Season 2?

— Decider

Netflix’s ‘Griselda:’ Which characters are based on real people and which are not?

— BBC

Kristen Maldonado, Founder of Pop Culture Planet

— Viva La Mujer

Did You Know Gretchen Wieners in New ‘Mean Girls’ Adaptation is Latina?

— Remezcla

Pop culture guru discusses upcoming movies & TV shows

— Spectrum News NY1

‘The Way Home’ Cast Talks How The Time Travel Works And That Surprise Season 1 Finale Twist

— CinemaBlend

New ‘Mean Girls’ movie gets rave first reactions

— Digital Spy

Mean Girls’ Has Screened, And The First Reactions Are So Fetch

— CinemaBlend

What The Cast Of ‘Victorious’ Is Doing Today

— The List

‘Percy Jackson And The Olympians’ First Reactions Drop Online

— Disney Plus Informer

Wonka’ Gets Surprising Rotten Tomatoes Score

— CBR

Rotten Tomatoes ranks the BEST TV shows of 2023... so, how many have YOU seen?

— Daily Mail

Meet Kristen Maldonado

— CanvasRebel

One ‘Percy Jackson And The Olympians’ Scene Is Already Fixing One Of The Movies’ Biggest Mistakes

— Screen Rant

Now You See Me’ star drops truth bomb on threequel being green-lit

— Clutch Points

“I could finally wean myself off anti-depressants:” Jesse Eisenberg Pleads Filmmakers For ‘Now You See Me 3’

— Fandom Wire

Who is Damballa? The Voodoo god from ‘Chucky,’ explained

— We Got This Covered

‘The Marvels’ First Reactions: A Boisterous, Fast-Paced, Surprisingly Sweet Treat

— Motion Picture Association

‘The Marvels’ first reactions call the film “an MCU win” – with a shocking post-credits scene

— Total Film/Games Radar

‘The Marvels’ first reactions praise “astonishingly wacky” sequel as a “pleasant surprise”

— NME

‘The Marvels’ First Reactions Praise “Short and Sweet,” “Astonishingly Wacky” Film: “Exactly What a Comic Book Movie Should Be”

— Variety

‘The Marvels:’ First Reactions After the Premiere

— The Hollywood Reporter

New York City stars in new fall TV shows and films

— Spectrum News NY1

Best and worst Netflix shows that came out in 2023, so far

— Insider

‘Chucky’ is back for Season 3 — and he’s headed for the White House! Jennifer Tilly solidified as “horror icon”

— Gold Derby

The Creator’ Movie Reviews: Critics Share Strong First Reactions

— The Direct

What The Cast Of ‘Camp Rock’ Looks Like Today

— The List

The Creator’ Has Screened, And People Are Calling The A.I. Sci-Fi Thriller “Life-Changing

— CinemaBlend

‘The Creator’ First Reactions Revealed

— Yahoo News UK

‘The Creator’ First Reactions: A Stunning, Emotionally Resonant Original Sci-Fi Saga

— What’s On Disney Plus

‘The Creator’ First Reactions: A Stunning, Emotionally Resonant Original Sci-Fi Saga

— Motion Picture Association

‘The Creator’ First Reactions Revealed

— The Hollywood Reporter

First reactions for ‘The Creator

— World of Reel

The Creator’ Review: Early Reactions Hail John David Washington, Gemma Chan’s Film; Label Gareth Edwards Directorial As “Best Sci-Fi Film in Ages

— Latestly

Chucky’ Season 3: Release date, trailer, cast, plot & more

— Dexerto

A Haunting In Venice’ Reviews Roundup – Kenneth Branagh’s Best Yet!

— High On Cinema

So You Didn’t Get Hired After Your Internship. Don’t Fret.

— NBCU Academy

Where to Watch ‘Prom Pact’ in Canada (2023)

— TechDaily

Ahsoka’ TV Reviews: Critics Share First Reactions

— The Direct

Glowing Reviews For ‘Ahsoka’ Series: Rosario Dawson Shines In Action Sequences

— Wiki of Nerds

First ‘Ahsoka’ Reactions Are In and Point to a Problem for Some ‘Star Wars’ Fans

— Den of Geek

Prime Video's ‘Cruel Summer,’ Disney+'s ‘High School Musical’ among great shows to stream this weekend

— Stuff

What Are Critics And Fans Saying About ‘Blue Beetle?

— /FILM

New ‘Blue Beetle’ Reactions Love Latin Approach To DC Hero

— UPROXX

The Reason Behind Susannah's Nickname In ‘The Summer I Turned Pretty

— Distractify

The Inspirational Impact of Hilary Duff’s ‘Metamorphosis’ on Millennial Women

— Vigour Times

How Hilary Duff’s ‘Metamorphosis’ Changed The Lives Of Millennial Women Everywhere

— HuffPost

What Happened to Alexa Penavega’s Career After Starring in ‘Spy Kids?’

— We Got This Covered

Best TV of 2023: Ranked by Cherry Score

— CherryPicks

‘Zoey 102’ fans shocked over revival movie’s ‘biggest WTF moment’ that completely changes original Nickelodeon show

— The US Sun

3 of the Original ‘Zoey 101’ Cast Members Aren't in ‘Zoey 102’ — Here's Why

— POPSUGAR

Why Aren't Victoria Justice and Paul Butcher In ‘Zoey 102’ Reboot?

— HITC Entertainment

Mindy Kaling’s ‘Never Have I Ever’ Season 4 Gets Rave Reviews For Its Humor and Lead Actress Maitreyi Ramakrishnan

— Times Of India

Where to Watch ‘She-Hulk: Attorney at Law’ in Canada (2023)

— Tech Daily

Becoming An Icon — Lin-Manuel Miranda: Cheering For Me Now

— Sonoro Media

What Only True Fans Know About Hallmark Star Jake Epstein

— The List

Scream 6’s Ladder Scene Left The Cast With Bruises

— Looper

‘Zoey 102’ Cast: Who's In The Lineup?

— The US Sun

‘A Small Light’ — CherryPicks on the Red Carpet

— CherryPicks

Are Paul Mescal and Melissa Barrera Singing in ‘Carmen?

— POPSUGAR

Exploring Life & Business with Kristen Maldonado of Pop Culture Planet

— Nashville Voyager

The Curious Case of ‘Jury Duty’s Super Divisive Reviews

— The Latch

Why Ram From ‘Workin’ Moms’ Looks So Familiar

— Looper

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’ Reactions Paint A Very Clear Picture

— Den of Geek

First ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’ Reactions Say Trilogy Closes With a Thrilling, All-Time MCU Classic

— Motion Picture Association

‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’ Reactions Arrive Online

— The DisInsider

Early Reactions To ‘Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol.3’ Are A Mixed Bag

— Looper

‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3' First Reactions Revealed

— The Hollywood Reporter

YouTube Shorts hosts Content Day with cast of Freeform’s ‘Single Drunk Female

— YouTube Official Blog

‘Beef on Netflix:’ Early reviews praise dramedy show’s ‘layered storytelling’ and performances

— MEAWW

First ‘Scream VI’ Reactions Call It Intense, Gory, and Brilliant

— Collider

‘You’ Viewers Left Bored By Season 4 After It Dropped On Netflix

— Tyla

‘You’ First Reviews: Penn Badgley Shines In 'Comical' and 'Nail-biting' Season 4, Critics Say

— Rotten Tomatoes

Netflix's New Releases of 2023 (So Far) & What Critics Are Saying About Them

— Her Campus

Grammys 2023 Recap: Must-See Moments of Music’s Biggest Night

— New York Live

‘Infinity Pool’ Is Officially Certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes

— ComicBook.com

Disney's ‘Welcome to Chippendales,’ Netflix's ‘Warrior Nun’ among great shows to stream this weekend

— Stuff

Jenna Ortega of ‘Wednesday’ reveals her most macabre side

— eCartelera

Kelly Rowland ‘grateful’ unaired X Factor clip confirmed she was the mastermind behind Little Mix: ‘I put those girls together!’

— Metro

‘Wednesday:’ The first reviews unanimously praise Jenna Ortega, but differ on quality of the series

— eCartelera

What Rotten Tomatoes Reviews Are Saying About ‘A Christmas Story Christmas’

— Looper

‘Monster High: The Movie’ is getting a sequel in 2023

— E-Pipoca

Great Scott! The 2022 Olivier Award-Winning Best New Musical Will Open at Broadway's Winter Garden Theatre

— BacktotheFuture.com

Who plays Uncle Fester in Netflix's ‘Wednesday?’ Meet Fred Armisen

— Sportskeeda

Courtney Stodden Calls For A Boycott of Netflix’s ‘Blonde’

— Paper Magazine

Ana de Armas’ New Movie Attacked For Fetishizing Female Pain

— Giant Freakin Robot

“I've Never Seen My Experience Represented Like This Before:” Fans Are Sharing The Meaningful Impact ‘Heartbreak High’ Has Had On Them

— Buzzfeed

Liv Hill’s Favorite Part About Playing Catherine In ‘The Serpent King’ Hits Way Too Close To Home

— Looper

Podcast Showcase: Pop Culture Planet

— Global Comment

Squid Game’ makes historical and grand sweeps at the Emmys 2022

— Sportskeeda

Will Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens be in ‘High School Musical: The Musical: The Series’ Season 4?

— PopBuzz

A surprise new Netflix movie has made it to the top 10 most watched - but it has seriously mixed reviews

— Total Film/Games Radar

International audiences talk about 'Maika', continue to be firmly established in Vietnam

— Online Cinema World Magazine

‘Purple Hearts’ on Netflix: What is the romantic movie that promises to steal your tears about?

— La República

‘Ms. Marvel’ receives praise: ‘Iman Vellani is the new MCU superstar

— Manners.nl

Kristen Maldonado, MTV’s Senior Manager of Social Media & Established Film+TV Critic, Is Building a DIY Pop Culture Empire

— WMW Magazine

Seven Latinas On JLo's ‘Marry Me

— LatinaMedia.Co

South African thriller ‘Glasshouse’ met with rave reviews

— The South African

7 South African Gems to stream on Showmax in February

— Vamers

The Real-Life Partners Of The ‘Ginny & Georgia’ Cast

— The List

‘Gentefied’ canceled: Why this keeps happening to Latino-led shows

— Good Morning America

Early ‘Scream’ screening attendees say it’s a bloody good time

— We Got This Covered

Latinas Have Thoughts On ‘West Side Story’

— LatinaMedia.Co

20th Century Studios’ ‘West Side Story’ Features An Impressive Cast But Falls Short In Representation

— POCculture.com

Latinx Files: How a famous pianist picked a fight with reggaeton

— Los Angeles Times

New Netflix Original Comedy Movie Has 100% Rating On Rotten Tomatoes

— ComicBook.com

Easter Eggs You Missed In ‘Tick, Tick…Boom!’

— Looper

10 of the Best and 10 of the Worst TV Shows That Came Out This Year

— Insider

Acclaimed: The thrilling Netflix movie that has a 100% rating

— Observatório do Cinema

Gloria Calderón Kellett’s ‘With Love’ Releases First Photos of Romantic Comedy Series

— Remezcla

The Last Of Us’ Joel was the inspiration for ‘Midnight Mass’ Sheriff’s Look Confirms Actor

— MP1st

Seven Hispanic Critics Open Up About Movies That Made A Major Impact On Their Lives

— Rotten Tomatoes

Rotten Tomatoes Celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month

— Media Play News

JoJo Siwa Will Be Part Of ‘Dancing With The Stars’ First Same-Sex Pairing, And Twitter Is Here For It

— CinemaBlend

Toronto Film Fest Unveils Plans For Talent Development, Media Inclusion

— Shoot Online

These two Long Island friends are also ‘High School Musical’ castmates

— Newsday

Fans and Journalists React To First ‘In The Heights’ screenings

— Broadway World

3 Great Kids Movies That Celebrate Diversity

— The List TV

3 New Shows To Add To Your Watch List

— The List TV

3 Highly Anticipated TV Show Reboots

— The List TV

Quicksilver will still appear a lot in WandaVision, guarantees director

— E-Pipoca

Elizabeth Olsen tackles the issue of how she achieved her success

— E-Pipoca

WandaVision: Easter Egg could be another clue to Agnes' identity

— E-Pipoca

Six Latinas On ‘Fate: The Winx Saga’

— LatinaMedia.Co

The Chilling Adventures Of Sabrina: Netflix discloses errors in Parts 3 and 4

— E-Pipoca

10 of the Best and 10 of the Worst TV Shows That Came Out In 2020

— Insider

Check out first impressions of ‘Love and Monsters’

— SpinOFF

30 Million Latinas On ‘Selena: The Series’

— LatinaMedia.Co

Why Shonda Rhimes’ New Show ‘Bridgerton’ Is Being Compared To ‘Gossip Girl’

— International Business Times

What Five Latinas Have To Say About ‘Julie and the Phantoms’

— LatinaMedia.Co

What Four Latina Critics Have To Say About ‘Cursed’

— LatinaMedia.Co

The Best Geek TV Deep Dives on YouTube

— Den Of Geek

Did ABC's Little Mermaid Live Sink or Swim? People on Twitter Had Some Hilarious Thoughts

— POPSUGAR