♪ this is "nightline." >> byron: tonight, plea for freedom. >> journalism is not a crime. >> we want our son back. >> an exclusive interview with parents of a journalist detained in russia, accused of spying. the latest in a spring of americans, including wnba star brittney griner, and paul whelan, held on what the u.s. says are false charges. we'll ever gershkovich make it home? >> president biden did say that

it's a personal matter for him. plus hair story. the swedish influencer and social media it girl -- >> i've been following her pages for quite a while, she's such an inspiration. the farrah fawcett-inspired look that sold out hair dryers. >> obviously it's a dyson. >> now aiming for global domination with a minimalistic fashion line that champions inclusivity and sustainability. >> the fashion world needs to be more inclusive than it is today. aretha franklin. ♪ you know we're riding on the freeway ♪ >> four-year legal battle over the singer's estate ends with a verdict in a detroit courtroom. (vo) for over 50 years purina cat chow has been helping cats feel at home. with trusted nutrition, no wonder it's the number one dry cat food in america. come home to cat chow.

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>> we want our son back. >> yes. >> reporter: the parents of evan gershkovich speaking out in their first broadcast interview since their son was jailed in russia over 100 days ago. how are you? >> holding. holding up. and that's the best that we can describe. >> reporter: the 31-year-old "wall street journal" reporter was detained by russian security services at a steak house restaurant in march while on a reporting trip held on charges of espionage. charges the u.s. and the "wall street journal" firmly deny. evan has pled not guilty. some reports say this is the first russian allegation of spying against a western journalist since the cold war. how about evan? what are you hearing from him these days? >> well, evan is writing letters. we have ongoing conversation. he tries to take care of himself. he meditates. he watches his diet. he exercises. he has a one-hour walk outside his cell. >> that's his exercise? >> yes.

>> i know in his letters home, he's maintained his sense of humor? >> yes. >> even teasing you about the breakfasts you used to serve? >> my cooking. >> he says the breakfasts in prison remind him of breakfasts at home. that didn't upset you? >> no, i thought it was funny. that i insisted on oatmeal, you know. that i thought it was very healthy. and now it's a laughing matter. >> reporter: etch van's parents were born in the former soviet union. they met in the u.s. in 1979, married, had two children. you raised evan and his sister, danielle, with a love of russian culture? is that fair? >> yes. and it was important to me to carry on the memory of my parents that they never met, their grandparents. my grandparents. and the sense of the culture. >> reporter: they've traveled back to moscow twice since evan's arrest and at a hearing were allowed to speak with him. >> we saw that video of you

speaking to him. what was he saying? >> joking immediately. he was teasing me about my story. i share a lot of stuff like that to make him laugh. >> when i see those stories about him joking about it, it makes me think that's a gift to both of you. >> oh, thank you. >> it definitely is. we saw him. if he wasn't in such strong spirits and joking and looking good, we wouldn't be able to stay as strong as we are. >> nothing that might even be taken as a sign of dissent is allowed in russia right now. >> reporter: evan has been reporting in russia since 2017. accredited by the russian foreign ministry to work as a journalist. >> he considered it both a privilege and responsibility, that he was accredited, that he was a foreign journalist, not a russian. he was one of few people who could report honestly what he saw. where a lot of people who were working there cannot say as much. >> were you worried for him,

ever try to talk him out of it? >> i was worried, but he was always -- especially the succession of articles about putin, about economy, came out. i got really, really worried. then he was always telling me, "mom, i'm accredited, i'm allowed to be here." but there was always in the back of my mind that he could run into trouble. >> you know you're limited in what you can talk about. but when you spoke with president biden, are you confident that the united states is doing everything it can? >> that's the only thing that we can rely on and be hopeful. president biden spoke to us, gave us a promise to do whatever it takes. he talked to us as a parent. and he told us he understands our pain. we also met secretary of state mr. blinken, as well. he showed us his card with the names of all wrongfully detained

americans around the world. evan's name was on that list as well. and he promised to us, he is not going to rest until all the names are crossed out from his card. >> president biden did say that it's a personal matter for him, because of his son. and we take a lot of comfort. >> that's got to make a difference, to hear the president of the united states say that. >> it does. >> you believed him? >> absolutely. >> reporter: evan isn't the only american being wrongfully detained in russia. paul whelan, a former u.s. marine and businessman, was convicted of espionage in 2020, currently serving a 16-year sentence. his brother told abc news the family still has faith he'll be released. >> i think you always have to keep hope. it would be impossible to continue, either as a family member or paul, if you gave up hope. >> reporter: hope and persistence helping two other american families. april 2022, former marine trevor

reed was released as part of a prisoner swap after being detained three years over an alleged altercation with police. the difference was absolutely overwhelming. and unfortunately, i underestimated how corrupt and how dedicated the russian government is to taking americans as hostages. >> reporter: then there's brittney griner, who made an emotional return to the court earlier this year. the wnba star held in a russian prison for nearly ten months on drug smuggling charges after she packed cannabis oil in her suitcase. after her return, griner called for evidence release, posting on instagram, "our hearts are filled with great concern for evan gershkovich and his family since evan's detainment in russia. we must do everything in our power to bring him and all americans home." earlier today on "good morning america," i asked secretary of state antony blinken about the u.s. government's progress.

what can you tell us now about the efforts to bring mr. gershkovich home? >> george, as you know, it's been more than 100 days since ev evan's been unjustly detained in russia. another american, paul whelan, unjustly detained for longer. one of my top priorities as secretary of state is to look out for americans everywhere, for their security, safety, especially those who are unjustly detained. i'm determined to get him home. >> reporter: evan is being held in prison until at least august 30th and could face 20 years in a penal colony if convicted. when you heard he was in leportovo prison, you were horrified? >> absolutely horrified. >> what did you know about it? >> about all those dissidents going in -- the name horrifies you. >> i look at this picture, and i see the headline of "100 days." what i see more than that is a young man who is so open and

curious to the world. what do you see? >> sometimes it's hard to see his face everywhere. sometimes it's heartwarming that he's not forgotten, that people talk about him, that people care. >> what's the first thing you're going to do when he comes home? >> i don't even know. i just wouldn't let him out. anywhere, for several days at least. >> our thanks to george. coming up, hair story. the swedish social media sensation building a multimillion-dollar brand for the tiktok generation. i'm jayson. i'm living with hiv and i'm on cabenuva. it helps keep me undetectable. for adults who are undetectable, cabenuva is the only complete, long-acting hiv treatment you can get every other month. cabenuva is two injections, given by my healthcare provider, every other month. it's really nice not to have to rush home and take a daily hiv pill.

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>> byron: she's the influencer with millions of followers and the signature hairdo. now taking her fashion brand of scandi-style meets mega-cool. a day in the life with matilda derff as she seeks to make it big in the u.s. >> fashion, one day you're in, next day you're out. >> reporter: in the heidi klum era of "project runway," the supermodel host and celebrity judges held her ticket to fame for fashion's next full personality. new style gets noticed. this year, clown couture debuting on the runway and the red carpet. stars like sam smith wearing inflatable latex. designers ever evolving, taking their style as far as the imagination can go. and breaking boundaries.

but many industry experts agree, the one constant season to season is fashion's waste and inherent exclusivity. >> you get invited to front row at fashion week in paris -- ♪ >> reporter: matilda derff is the vital young fashion influencer calling for inclusivity and sustainability. >> i think the fashion industry needs to be more inclusive than it is today. >> reporter: millions of her fans and followers agree. she's part of the movement of conscientious designers, paying attention to race, size, and shape in models. >> i think for me it's important to always make sure that, does this feel right for me? am i doing this for myself, am i doing it for the wrong reasons? >> hi, guys, it's may delta. >> reporter: she launched djerf avenue, pieces you'd find in your own closet. >> i'm a small-town girl at

heart. >> reporter: today the brand is worth $34.5 million. djerf started in stockholm and quickly expanded. >> the u.s. is our biggest market. it's an amazing team of six in new york. >> reporter: in new york, matilda, the 26-year-old from sweden, is a long way from home. but to many in gen-z, she's become a household name. >> it's not what i thought i would ever have. it's surreal. it's definitely surreal. >> before breakfast for some people, what would make you come out and stand in line to see matilda? >> honestly, i think she's a very influential person. >> i've been following for pages for quite a while now. she's such an inspiration. >> we were here at 8:00 a.m. >> reporter: her loyal followers are waiting to get into an event for matilda celebrating her collaboration with the jewelry

brand majuri. >> a line of fans what does that feel like? >> seeing people in real life after having connected with them through social media, it's so rewarding. >> then it looks like this. >> reporter: matilda is it girl of tiktok, instagram, and youtube. her relatability and quiet chic-ness might be what american audiences love about the young european. >> i talked to her for two minutes. she was the sweetest person ever. >> i think i came across her djerf avenue first. that fits into my style. >> reporter: djerf avenue style is minimalistic with basics like the breezy shirt and staples like the forever blazer. >> this is the first piece i got from her. it's a set with a scarf. it buttons up here. >> what is it about her clothes? is it the fact that you can interchange things? >> it's seeing that they can all go together. not just one statement, but a whole wardrobe. >> that's what the scandi fashion is about, having a small

wardrobe but having a good wardrobe. >> reporter: the tnd of the capsule wardrobe is the opposite of today's fast fashion that leads to millions of tons of apparel and footwear incinerated or put in landfills each year. matilda can't figure out why americans are eating up her brand. >> i feel like if i had the answer, i would have the secret recipe. people in the u.s. are intrigued about the scandinavian lifestyle. i'd guest guess maybe my approach to social media interests home here as well. >> reporter: when her laid-back social media persona took off, she was modeling. >> a lot of people thought i was from australia because that's where i was traveling. >> her popularity led t deals and the farrah fawc fawcett-esque hair has its own hashtag with over 119 million views on tiktok. >> obviously, it's with a dyson. >> reporter: the hair's

popularity, comment sections looking to buy the freel sold out dyson hair dry,er she reveals as her secret tool. she says authenticity is key. >> i've tried to be really transparent with everything, good or bad. >> reporter: she's opened up about serious mental health struggles, including an eating disorder, and her heartbreak after losing a pregnancy. >> i'm hoping by sharing my difficulties with mental health and with my eating disorder and my anxiety, i really hope that it does help someone. >> reporter: on djerf avenue clothing website, she says there's no retouching. >> we never retouch any bodies, we never retouch photos, we don't use filters. we don't even retouch the clothes. if a shirt is wrinkled, let it be wrinkles, that's what the shirt will look like when you own it. >> reporter: and representation matters. >> we have every size represented from extra extra small to triple extra large. >> reporter: she and her boyfriend are the faces of her company. together they've landed this

year's "forbes" europe 30 under 30 list. >> first i said, that's mine. then eventually it took a year but i gave him the title of ceo. >> reporter: despite her success -- >> our robes have been very popular. we got the news they're delayed. >> reporter: the business keeps her on her toes. >> i try to share my life in a way that feels true to me. i think that i don't give too much thought to it, i just kind of do it as i go. >> is she somebody you think you'd be friends with in real life? >> i hope so. >> i know, right? >> byron: our thanks to megan. if you're struggling with a mental health crisis, free, confidential help is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. call or next the national suicide and crisis lifeline at 988. coming up, aretha franklin. a jury reaches a verdict in the battle over the queen of soul's will. put it in check with rinvoq,

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visit freestylelibre.us/medicare to learn more. ♪ >> byron: finally tonight, five years after the death of aretha franklin, a detroit jury reaches a verdict in the estate battle that pitted the queen of soul's sons against each other. here's abc's erielle reshef. >> reporter: it was a four-year legal battle over aretha franklin's handwritten notes found in her couch, documents appearing to contain how her estate should be divided. tonight, after deliberating for nearly an hour, a michigan jury finding those scribbled notes, signed with a smiley face and dated 2014, could be considered her valid will. what's still unclear is if an earlier handwritten document in

2010 and found in a cabinet should be part of the consideration moving forward. initially the family thought that she hadn't left her final wishes. >> i think that it's a great thing. i think that she would be very happy and she's proud right now that her wishes have been met. >> reporter: are. >> reporter: since her death, two sons have been pitted against a third. what's still unclear is if notes from an earlier handwritten document in 2010 should be part of the consideration moving forward. months after her passing, both documents found by franklin's niece in the singer's home. giving franklin's sons equal rights to royalties. the most recent handwritten n notes will now give her youngest son and his grandchildren her home. over her decades-long career, franklin, known for being paid in cash, and late in her career, just three years before her death, a poignant performance at the kennedy center honors honoring carole king.

♪ ♪ i used to be so inspired ♪ . >> byron: our thanks to ariel. that's "nightline" this evening. see you back here same time tomorrow. thanks for the company, america. good night. in 99% of people over 50.