ENTERTAINMENT NEWS

Backstreet Boys' AJ McLean Welcomes Daughter Lyric. March Madness means something different to the McLeans. Backstreet Boys singer AJ McLean and his wife, hair and makeup artist Rochelle McLean, have welcomed their second daughter, who joins 4-year-old sister Ava McLean. The newborn's arrival comes weeks after her dad's band began their Las Vegas residency at The AXIS at Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino. "God willing she doesn't go into labor while I'm doing the show," AJ told E! News on March 2. "But if she does, I'll be on the first flight out right after the encore!" AJ's comments turned out to be prophetic, as he his wife went into labor during Saturday's show. The couple's daughter, Lyric Dean McLean, was born Sunday at 5:10 p.m. in L.A., weighing 8 lbs., 3 oz. and measuring 22 inches. "I was told by someone very dear to me that having a child will change you forever, and that was beyond true with Ava," AJ told People, which broke the news Monday. "We decided to try one more time because even though Ava is so independent, the idea of having a sister or brother for her became more and more important to us." "Despite the fact that I'm an only child (and all jokes aside) turned out OK, my wife is one of four and that showed me there's something beyond special about having siblings. Now, seeing the excitement and anticipation that Ava has about being a big sister is truly amazing, and the best feeling in the world. She's been practicing for months with her dolls, and with some of my wife's friends' babies," AJ said. "Having two baby girls is a dream come true and we couldn't be any more proud or excited to welcome Lyric Dean McLean into the world and into our family." The McLeans announced Rochell's second pregnancy in September. AJ's daughters are part of a much larger family, of course. Brian Littrell, 42, has one son, Baylee Littrell, 14; Kevin Richardson, 45, has two sons, Mason Richardson, 9, and Maxwell Richardson, 3; Howie Dorough, 43, has two sons, James Dorough, 7, and Holden Dorough, 4; and Nick Carter, 37, has one son, Odin Carter, 10 months. "Two girls for me, it's karma, but it's good karma," AJ, 39, joked to E! News' Carisa Culiner during a group interview. "I have the only girls -- and they all have boys -- but I wouldn't change it for anything." The McLeans announced Rochell's second pregnancy in September. AJ's daughters are part of a much larger family, of course. Brian Littrell, 42, has one son, Baylee Littrell, 14; Kevin Richardson, 45, has two sons, Mason Richardson, 9, and Maxwell Richardson, 3; Howie Dorough, 43, has two sons, James Dorough, 7, and Holden Dorough, 4; and Nick Carter, 37, has one son, Odin Carter, 10 months. "Two girls for me, it's karma, but it's good karma," AJ, 39, joked to E! News' Carisa Culiner during a group interview. "I have the only girls -- and they all have boys -- but I wouldn't change it for anything." AJ will not be going on paternity leave, as Backstreet Boys: Larger Than Life runs through July 1. (Eonline)

Eric Trump and Wife Lara Trump Are Expecting Their First Child. Congratulations are in order! Eric Trump and Lara Trump are expecting their first child in September, a baby boy. "We found out on my birthday, which was pretty cool," Eric, 33, tells People. Lara, who is in her second trimester, says she's feeling good after a rough couple of months. "I was exhausted in the beginning," she says. "It surprised me, because I'm a very active person, and until the fatigue hit, I didn't believe it would actually happen to me." She adds, "It really affected me. But I'm feeling really good now." This will be President Donald Trump's ninth grandchild. The couple haven't decided on a moniker for their baby boy, but they're working on it. "We really loved the name Charlie, but we'd already named our dog that, so it's out," says Eric. Adds Lara, "We sort of screwed ourselves over there." Not only will their son have plenty of cousins to hang out with, Eric and Lara will also be able to get in some good practice with their nieces and nephews. Congratulations to the growing family! (Eonline)

Dylan Dreyer Returns to Today After Maternity Leave Ends. Welcome back, Dylan Dreyer! The meteorologist returned to the Today show Monday morning after departing for maternity leave in December. Dylan gave birth to baby boy Calvin Bradley Fichera on Dec. 17. 2016, but Monday was her first official work day since welcoming Calvin, so naturally it was a tough morning for the morning show star. So she would have an easier time acclimating, the Today show co-anchors decided to FaceTime Dreyer's husband, Brian Fichera, and check in to see how he was doing with Calvin. Matt Lauer, Savanna Guthrie and Dylan called when Brian was giving Calvin a bottle, but that didn't stop him from gushing about his wife and her mothering skills. "Unbelievable," Brian responded when Matt asked him what type of mom she is. "I can't believe the strength in what she does it just blows me away every day. I can't believe she's back to work and what she's doing. She's just the perfect mother, and we're so lucky to have her as our rock." Cue the tears from Dylan, her colleagues and the viewers. "It's amazing how all of a sudden we just became this team," Dylan added. The two of us had never changed a diaper before. We didn't know anything going into parenthood and he and I have just figured it out." Shortly after welcoming her adorable baby boy, Dylan made an appearance on the Today show via video call. She opened up about the experience of childbirth, and didn't hold back when it came to the gritty details. "I pushed for about 3 hours, and he was a big guy and he didn't quite fit, so he got stuck," she said. "We ended up doing a C-section anyway." Dylan wasn't exaggerating. After her water broke late Friday night, Calvin didn't arrive into the world until Saturday morning mid-snowstorm. The bundle of joy weighed in at 8 pounds and 3 ounces. (Eonline)

Jennifer Lopez Gushes About Marc Anthony, Avoids Talk of Alex Rodriguez. Jennifer Lopez is down to talk about her ex, but she's not opening up about her current romance Alex Rodriguez just yet. The Shades of Blue star appeared on Live! With Kelly Monday morning and opened up about her "awesome" co-parenting relationship with ex-husband Marc Anthony. "You know, I got to tell you, you and Marc Anthony have, like, this, like, not-together-couple thing down pat, like, down," host Kelly Ripa noted. "We're like, best friends, you know?" Lopez added, noting that they're working on a Spanish-language album together. "And, you know, at first, I was like, 'Like, we're good, like, with the kids and everything, but if we start working together... Like, is that gonna be like -- are we gonna start going at each other again?' And it was -- it was, it's been awesome. Honestly, I think it's even helped our relationship." J.Lo and Anthony share twins Max and Emme together, and the new collaboration has only improved the family dynamic. "It's made things even better. Yeah, we're just in a really great place, and it's great," she continued. "And the kids, they get to spend time with the two of us more together and see us working together, and it's just good for them. It's good for us. It was just good for the whole family." Because the "Ain't Your Mama" songstress was so upbeat about her ex, who also has a new girlfriend, Ripa joked, "Would you ever consider remarrying each other?" "Oh, no! No," Lopez answered quickly. The conversation remained on her ex-husband and their adorable twins, who since turning nine have developed new skills and talents. A topic that didn't make headlines during the interview, however, was her blossoming romance with the retired New York Yankees player. The couple first went on a getaway vacation to a private club in the Bahamas and then made their way to Miami, where they hit up a gym together. Lopez then supported her new flame at a Yankees spring training game against the Baltimore Orioles. She also spent time with A-Rod's sister, Susy Dunand, who shared photos of their hangout on Instagram. (Eonline)

Zayn Malik Talks Overcoming an Eating Disorder and Anxiety: Plus, Intimate Details About His Relationship With Gigi Hadid. Zayn Malik is not the man he used to be. The English singer-songwriter sat down with The Sunday Times Style magazine to discuss how he conquered crippling personal demons that contributed to his departure from One Direction in 2015. "I now have no problem with anxiety," Malik explained. "It was something I was dealing with in the band." Zayn has spoken about struggling with an eating disorder before, a confession he believes helped bring attention to the stigma surrounding mental illness and body image. Zayn continued, "People saw strength in that, and they didn't seem to expect it from a guy, but they expect it from a female, which to me is crazy. We're all human. People are often afraid to admit difficulties, but I don't believe that there should be a struggle with anything that's the truth." He clarified, "It wasn't specifically an eating disorder," but rather a "control thing" that helped him divert from his life with 1D that he described as "so regimented and controlled." "It was the one area where I could say, 'No, I'm not eating that," Malik explained. "Once I got over the control, the eating just came back into place, super naturally... I came back to the U.K. and spent some time with my mum and got some TLC, and she cooked me food and I got back in touch, mentally, with a lot of the things I'd lost." Now Zayn's personal life is much more stable, thanks in part to his year and half-long romance with Gigi Hadid. The 24-year-old, who was previously engaged to Little Mix's Perrie Edwards, revealed the supermodel has been living with Malik in his Bel Air home "this past year" and she's met his family. "I've never took her to [my hometown] Bradford, not yet. She's met my family in London a few times, though," he told the publication. Another adorable Zigi tidbit he couldn't help but share? Nicknames: "I call her Gee, she calls me Zee. There's some other nicknames too, but I'll keep those private." Aww! The "Like I Would" singer also dropped some insight into how he keeps things fresh in the romance department. While Gigi was in France for Paris Fashion Week in early March, Zayn worked up a plan to surprise his girlfriend. "She didn't know I was coming," he said. "I went up to the suite to knock on the door... But my number had changed to European on her phone, so it wasn't much of a surprise in the end. She played along with it, though." Of his time in the City of Light, he added, "It's been amazing spending time here with my girlfriend." (Eonline)

Katy Perry tried to pray her 'gay away' in Jesus camps. Katy Perry revealed on Saturday night that she's done more than just kiss girls. The pop star was honored at the Human Rights Campaign Gala in Los Angeles where she revealed she explored her sexuality as a teenager. "How was I going to reconcile that with a gospel singing girl raised in youth groups that were pro-conversion camps?" Perry, 32, shared while accepting the National Equality Award, according to E! News. "What I did know was I was curious and even then I knew sexuality wasn't as black and white as this dress," she said. "And honestly, I haven't always gotten it right but in 2008 when that song came out I knew that I started a conversation and a lot of the world seemed curious enough to sing along, too." Because of her religious upbringing -- both of her parents are pastors -- she spent much time praying "the gay away in my Jesus camps." Her perspective on sexuality shifted after she made the leap from Gospel music to the mainstream. "I found my gift and my gift introduced me to people outside my bubble and my bubble started to burst," Perry said. "These people were nothing like I had been taught to fear. They were the most free, strong, kind and inclusive people I have ever met." (PageSix)

Kehlani's Missing Cousin Found After Singer Asks Twitter for Help. Kehlani is thanking her fans for assistance in locating a missing family member. The R&B singer shared an urgent message to Twitter on Saturday evening, asking her social media followers to spread the word about a cousin who had gone missing that same day. "My cousin Lexus is missing... she has a severe mental disorder, don't approach her she may be scared and run, please call the police," Kehlani tweeted alongside an official missing persons flyer from the Vallejo Police Department in Northern California. According to authorities Lexus Dupaty left her residence between 5:00 and 8:15 p.m. and described her as "being an extreme introvert" who had run away on a prior occasion. Less than 24 hours later, Kehlani returned to social media to share the good news about her cousin's disappearance. "THANK YOU SO MUCH GUYS MY COUSIN HAS BEEN FOUND THANKS TO SOMEONE SEEING THE POST AND CALLING THE AUTHORITIES THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!!!" the 21-year-old tweeted. She elaborated in a separate post shared to Instagram, "MY COUSIN HAS BEEN FOUND THANKS TO A WOMAN WHO SAW THE POST AND SAW HER AT A PARK, SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR EVERYTHING YOU GUYS MADE THIS HAPPEN!!" Kehlani released her debut studio album, SweetSexySavage, earlier this year. (Eonline)

Modern Family's Rico Rodriguez Mourns Death of His Father Roy Rodriguez: "I Miss You Daddy." Rico Rodriguez is mourning the loss of his father, Roy Rodriguez, who passed away suddenly last weekend at age 52. The 18-year-old Modern Family star posted on his Instagram page Sunday a photo of the two drinking milkshakes. "This has been the toughest week of my life," he wrote. "My Dad was the most-kind hearted, loving, hard-working, determined, and funny man I have ever known. He was like a super hero, he had the ability to get the best out of you day in and day out." "I'm gonna miss your hugs," he said. "I'm gonna miss your advice. I'm gonna miss your smile, and I'm gonna miss your laugh. I know you're looking down at us right now giving us the green light to move forward. I miss you Daddy. I'll love you forever - Your youngest." "I love you," Sofia Vergara, who plays Rico's mother on Modern Family, tweeted to the actor. Roy was laid to rest at a funeral Saturday. In addition to Rico, he is survived by the actor's mother and his wife Diane, children Raini, who is also an actress, Ray and Roy Jr. and 10 grandchildren. The family patriarch is also survived by his mother, his stepfather and five siblings. Roy owned and operated Rodriguez Tire Service in Bryan, Texas and was a car enthusiast, serving as founder and president of La Compania Car Club of Bryan, according to his obituary. It also states that at age 47, he got his first tattoo -- portraits on his arm of his entire family, including his wife, kids, grandchildren and parents. Roy "made it a priority to thank God for the good things he had in life, ensuring that his children appreciated Him, as well," his obituary states. "In essence, Roy laughed and loved his way through life, making the most of each moment he was given." (Eonline)

Mike Aktari, who appeared in the Style Network reality show Jerseylicious from 2010 to 2013, died on Monday in his hometown of Westbury, New York. He was 28. Police sources told TMZ no foul play is suspected in the personal trainer's death and toxicology reports are pending. Aktari was best known for being the boyfriend of Olivia Blois Sharpe, 29, a makeup artist who worked at the Gatsby Salon, which the reality series centered around. Tension between Blois Sharpe and Aktari's ex-girlfriend who also worked at the salon as a stylist, Tracy DiMarco, was a major source of a drama in the show. Although Aktari and Blois Sharpe were no longer dating at the time of his death, she shared two emotional tributes to him on Instagram. "My heart has never hurt this hard," she captioned a collage of photos featuring the former couple Tuesday. "I wouldn't trade those three years we spent together for the world. You showed me never ending love and loyalty. You accepted me as my crazy goofy self and loved it. You looked at me the way no one ever has. You had the most wonderful heart. I wish I made more of an attempt to get together to catch up when you asked. I'll always love you Milad." On Wednesday, the makeup artist shared another snap with Atkari that she calls one of her "favorite photos" together. "Our time here is so valuable and limited. If there is someone who has a part of your heart, no matter what has transpired in the past, no matter what the situation might be.. LET THEM KNOW how much they mean to you," Blois Sharpe advised her followers. "Milad takes a piece of my heart with him." Jerseylicious ended when the Style Network was discontinued in 2013. (People)

THE OTHER STUFF . . .

Harrison Ford and Other Stars Honor Muhammad Ali's Legacy at Annual Celebrity Fight Night. For more than two decades, family, friends, and loved ones of the late Muhammad Ali have celebrated Ali's legacy together at Celebrity Fight Night, an annual event founded by Jimmy Walker to raise money for the Muhammad Ali Parkinson Center in hopes of finding a cure for the disease. Reba McEntire, a good friend of Ali returned for her twelfth year as emcee and presented Harrison Ford and Italian fashion designer Stefano Ricci with the 2017 Muhammad Ali Celebrity Fight Night Awards, awards given to those who best represent the qualities associated with the Champ and his fight to find a cure. One of the highlights of the evening an insider revealed, was hearing Ali's grandson speak to the audience about his grandfather's legacy, and carrying on his work in the fight against Parkinson's disease. As well as the silent auction where we're told you could win a private dinner with Sharon Stone, John Travolta, and wife Kelly Preston, as well as attending the premiere of Blade Runner 2049 with Mr. Ford himself. This years' event also announced establishment of the Lonnie Ali Legacy Care Program established alongside Celebrity Fight Night and the Muhammad Ali Parkinson Center to provide the same kind of palliative care that Muhammad Ali received along with new innovative programs for patients and their caregivers. (Eonline)

Tom Brady's Stolen Super Bowl Jersey Reportedly Found on Foreign Soil. Tom Brady's stolen Super Bowl jersey reportedly has been found. FOX Sports' Jay Glazer reported Monday morning that the FBI and NFL security believe they have located the missing Super Bowl LI jersey on foreign soil and believe it will be returned. As for why the FBI is involved, Glazer reported the organization joined the search efforts once the piece of clothing was found abroad. Houston police considered the theft a felony given the hefty value of Brady's jersey, which could be worth up to $500,000 at a memorabilia auction. That this was Brady's fifth Super Bowl win didn't make a difference; the New England Patriots quarterback was distraught post-game. "Did someone take my jersey," the MVP was seen asking a colleague in the locker room, captured on video by Yahoo! Sports. "I absolutely, 100 percent put it in my bag." Despite all his efforts, Brady could not find the shirt. "If anyone sees on eBay, a jersey for sale... " Brady quipped. The next day Lieutenant Governor of Texas Dan Patrick issued a statement asking whoever stole the jersey to return it. "In Texas we place a very high value on hospitality and football. Tom Brady's jersey has great historical value and is already being called 'the most valuable NFL collectable ever.' It will likely go into the Hall of Fame one day. It is important that history does not record that it was stolen in Texas. I've called Colonel Steve McCraw to ask that the Texas Rangers work with the Houston Police Department on this case," Patrick said. "I'm a Texans and Cowboys fan first, but the unquestionable success of the Super Bowl in Houston last night was a big win for our entire state and I don't want anything to mar that victory. Whoever took this jersey should turn it in. The Texas Rangers are on the trail." (Eonline)

The Bachelor Meets DWTS! Nick Viall & Vanessa Grimaldi Step Out for Double Date With Peta Murgatroyd & Maks Chmerkovskiy. Who said you can't mix business with pleasure?! Nick Viall took a break from rehearsing for Monday night's season premiere of Dancing With the Stars for a dinner date with fiancee Vanessa Grimaldi, DWTS partner Peta Murgatroyd and her hubby, Maksim Chmerkovskiy. The fab foursome was all smiles as they stepped out Saturday night to grab a bite to eat at The Church Key in West Hollywood. The Bachelor star grasped his leading lady's hand tightly, who glowed in lace-up leather pants and slouchy sweater while Peta and Maks followed closely behind. The professional dancing duo looked just as stylish, Murgatroyd in a navy blue, silk dress and Chmerkovskiy in a sporty black and white look. Vanessa and Nick's latest outing comes only days after the newly engaged reality TV stars buddied up with fellow Bachelor Nation couple Ben Higgins and Lauren Bushnell for a night out on the town. Viall, whose romantic proposal aired last week during the season finale of The Bachelor, has been busy preparing for the ABC competition series. He has Grimaldi's full support of his dancing endeavors, and she recently stopped by a rehearsal to meet Peta's newborn son. The results? One must-see photo opp. Shortly after Nick and Vanessa went public with their relationship, they stopped by E! News to put an end to rumors that their romance had fizzled out after the cameras stopped rolling. "In any relationship you have the fear that it might not work out," Vanessa shared with E! News' Carissa Culiner. "The great thing we have is the openness and the communication and the willingness to understand each other." Nick added, "We're not going to compare ourselves to the ones that have been most successful and we're not going to compare ourselves to the ones that lasted a very short amount of time. We'll see what happens and we're very optimistic." Those smiles don't lie! Dancing With the Stars airs Monday night at 8 p.m. on ABC. (Eonline)

Selena Gomez and The Weeknd Go on Romantic Aquarium Date in Toronto. Selena Gomez and The Weeknd's relationship is going swimmingly. The two recently began a trip to his hometown of Toronto in what marked the latest of several international trips together. They visited Ripley's Aquarium of Canada over the weekend, according to eyewitnesses, which of course allowed for some adorable and artistic photos. The Weeknd, whose real name is Abel Tesfaye, posted on his Instagram Stories feed a Boomerang video of what appeared to be his girl sitting on his shoulders at they watch jellyfish swim in a massive tank, as well as a clip of her looking at it while sitting down on her own. The Weeknd also posted a photo of himself there on his regular Instagram feed. "JUST SAW THE WEEKEND AND SELENA GOMEZ DOWNTOWN YOOOOOOOO WTF," the witness said on Twitter, later adding that she spotted the two at the aquarium. She posted Snapchat photos of what appeared to be the two getting into an SUV. Another witness shared a similar video. Days ago, Selena and The Weeknd had a VIP movie night in the city and were also spotted having dinner at the Japanese restaurant Blowfish. A source told E! News exclusively the two made a reservation for 7 pm and dined in a private booth in a secluded area for about an hour and a half. They each ordered a signature cocktail and ordered "quite a bit" of food. Selena and The Weeknd were also seen having lunch together at the Thompson Diner at the Thompson hotel earlier during their trip. The two went public with their relationship in January, when they were photographed kissing outside of a restaurant in Los Angeles, but have not commented about it publicly or attended official events together. They have, however, spent time together in Italy, Paris, Zurich and Amsterdam. "They both didn't expect this to go as fast as it has but its fine by them," a source told E! News last week. "They are both happy and have a great connection, physically and mentally." (Eonline)

Huma Abedin's hanging out with the president -- not the one she was hoping to be with, but a day at Disneyland with Tony Goldwyn from "Scandal" is a damn good plan B. Hillary Clinton's right-hand woman hit Disney with the TV prez, her son and one of his daughters. Tony got closer to Huma and HRC during the campaign. He spoke at the DNC, and Hill and Huma visited the set of "Scandal" ... so yeah, he's a big supporter. Can't imagine what they talked about all day. Your candidate just lost the election! What are you gonna do? WE'RE GOING TO DISNEYLAND!! (TMZ)

Best foot forward! Behati Prinsloo and her daughter Dusty are twinning in the model's latest adorable Instagram photo in which they're both wearing ankle bracelets. The Namibian beauty, 27, shared the close-up photo of their legs and feet on Sunday, March 19, and simply captioned the shot, "Like mother like daughter." The day before her casual poolside jewelry shoot, Prinsloo wished her husband, Adam Levine, a happy 38th birthday with a series of social media messages. She called him "THE LOVE OF MY LIFE" and shared a playful image of the Maroon 5 rocker smoking a cigar and casually slinging his arm around her. The pair welcomed Dusty Rose in September 2016, but she only made her public debut in February when they brought her to Levine's Hollywood Walk of Fame Ceremony. In his speech he thanked his family. "I have a daughter. I have the most beautiful wife in the entire world. I am one of the luckiest people who's ever lived and it has nothing to do with me," he said. "It has to do with the people who love me the most." Despite Dusty being just six-months-old Prinsloo has hinted she's ready for baby number 2. She posted a photo in recent weeks cuddling a friend's newborn and captioned it: "Ugh so in love with baby Kate. We need another one @adamlevine lol." (US Weekly)

The world is his oyster! Hilary Duff posted a heartfelt message to Instagram on Saturday, March 18, wishing her five-year-old son, Luca, a happy birthday ahead of his Ghostbusters themed party. The mom-of-one took the opportunity to tell him just how much he's loved, in a post dedicated to his mini milestone. "Hey kid," she wrote alongside a sunset photo of the son she shares with her ex-husband, retired hockey players, Mike Comrie, 36. "The past 5 years have been the BEST, hardest, most blessed years of my life. I love you so much. The world is yours my love ...I hope you take it. Happy Birthday Luca Cruz." The Youngers star, 29, then threw him a party on Sunday, complete with face painting and even a visit from an Oscar Mayer Wiener food truck. Duff shared several videos and photos to Snapchat as they partied in the yard of her Los Angeles home. Although she adores being a mommy, she admits being a divorced, single mom "sucks." "Some of my friends tell me, 'God, it must be so nice, you get a break from your kid because you share him,'" she said in an interview in Redbook's March 2017 issue. "I'm divorced, and it sucks. Well, it did suck for a while; now it's just normal. But it's true, I do get a break. I had Luca by myself for a few weeks, no help, when Mike was on the road, and when he got home I was like, 'He's yours! Bye!'" The couple split in 2014 after nearly four years of marriage, but Duff is now dating music producer Matthew Koma. (US Weekly)

Tristan Thompson's got his very own cheerleaders. On Sunday night, Khloe Kardashian attended the Cleveland Cavaliers game to cheer on her beau as his team went up against the Los Angeles Lakers, ultimately beating them 125-120. She was joined by her sister Kourtney and mom Kris Jenner, and the three women sat courtside at the Staples Center. Kardashian, 32, and Thompson, 26, have been dating since last fall and the Keeping Up with the Kardashians star has been spending much of her time with the NBA star, regularly flying out to support him in Cleveland, spending holidays with him and enjoying romantic date nights. Last week, she threw him a lavish gold-themed birthday party in Cleveland, and later took to Instagram to share a sweet photo of the two. To the happiest of birthdays my love! To the first of many more together!" she wrote. "May God continue to bless you in all of your days! And may we forever look at one another like this." Keeping Up with the Kardashians airs Sundays (9 p.m. ET) on E! (People)

After reliving her horrific Paris heist on Sunday's emotional episode of Keeping Up with the Kardashians, Kim Kardashian West took to Twitter to reflect on the incident -- but one tweet in particular came as a surprise. The reality star shared an unprecedented group photo of 23 photographers -- the better part of Paris' working paparazzi -- captioning it with red and blue heart emojis and a French flag. "To Kim & the Kardashians, we don't love you because we need you -- we need you because we love you," reads the note on the image. "All the very best, your favorite French paps." As it turns out, the photographers had privately sent the picture to Kardashian West, 36, directly following the October incident in which she was held at gunpoint by masked men who stole millions of dollars' worth of jewelry from her (including a $4 million ring) at the No Address Hotel during Paris Fashion Week. Speaking exclusively to PEOPLE, one of the photographers who coordinated the photo reveals that it was "done spontaneously." "Kim left Paris on the Monday, Oct. 3, and we all felt badly for her," he says. "The photo was taken on Thursday evening. We thought we should do something collectively to let her know we support her. It was just something we felt we wanted to do -- something that we had to do." "I thought of it and mentioned it to a few others," he continues, explaining that the rest of the group enthusiastically agreed. According to the photographer, even some of those who generally never have their picture taken because they prefer to work anonymously are included in the shot. "We did it to tell Kim how sorry we were," he adds. "She didn't deserve this incredibly sad event in her life." Most of those pictured have been photographing Kardashian West and her husband Kanye West for over five years -- "some even longer," explains the photographer. "Frankly, we love her. She's always been very giving to photographers, one of the nicest celebrities there is to work with," he says. "It's always been a great pleasure for us when she's in town." The show of support, he suggests, is proof of the unique working relationship that has evolved between Kardashian West and the paparazzi. The pack of men and women on motorcycles who have followed her over the years have developed an unusually strong affection for the star, and often found themselves providing protection for her in crowds. Indeed, prior to the robbery, some members of the paparazzi had even alerted, and the photographers have also assisted police in the investigation. "We think it's a good sign that she posted this photo [on Twitter]," the photographer tells PEOPLE. "We sent it to her privately in October, and hopefully the fact that she has put it online now is a sign that she is healing. She needed time. We hope she'll eventually find a way to come back to Paris." (People)

Ezekiel Elliott had his good time temporarily ruined again this week ... only now it was by the U.S. Coast Guard during a rager yacht party in Miami. Ezekiel was partying with friends and a gaggle of chicks Saturday on a yacht called No Rules II, when a Coast Guard cruiser pulled up. We're told the yacht had docked minutes before. Eyewitnesses tell us 2 guards boarded the yacht and conducted a 20-minute search on-board. We're told once the search was complete, the guards went back to their vessel and took off. Unclear what they were looking for, or why they approached Ezekiel and co. A rep for the Coast Guard tells us they're checking ... but he believes it was probably a safety check to make sure the boat and the guests were in compliance with maritime safety protocol. Also important to note ... the yacht did not belong to Ezekiel. Sources tell us it belongs to a guy who rents 'em out to celebs and other rich folks. Ezekiel was just there for the ride. Either way, it's been a bad week for the star NFL player. You'll recall ... he caught a lot of heat for forcefully exposing a woman's breast during a St. Paddy's parade. Now this. (TMZ)

Music

Why Adele Scolded a Security Guard at Her Melbourne Concert. Adele is not only your go-to singer when you've had your heart broken, she's your protector when a pesky security guard tries to get you to sit down at one of her concerts. The 28-year-old has been performing all over the world over the last few months, with her most recent stop in Australia. The concerts down-under have brought nothing but greatness (as per usual), but they've also come complete with some hilarious moments from the singer. For example, during her Melbourne show over the weekend, she chastised a security guard for trying to make people in the crowd sit down. A fan in the audience caught the moment on camera in which Adele can be heard saying, "Excuse me sir, I know you work here but can you please stop telling people to sit down? This is a music show, if people can't see then they can stand up." She continued, "And if you're moaning about people dancing, then what the f--k did you come to a show for? If I see one more person being told to sit down, then I swear to God... " You heard her, folks! Meanwhile, this is just the latest of her awesome moments down under. Last week, she let the cat out of the bag that she has a secret Twitter account for rogue tweeting, and she showed up on stage with a t-shirt gun to rally her crowd. Not to mention, she's also continued her tradition of bringing couples on-stage to get engaged. Needless to say, her tour has been quite the success. (Eonline)

Wife: Glen Campbell can no longer play guitar. Glen Campbell's wife says Alzheimer's disease has robbed the 80-year-old singer's ability to play guitar. But Kim Campbell tells The Tennessean that her husband occasionally breaks into a solo air guitar routine, which she says is "kind of fun." Glen Campbell was diagnosed with the brain-ravaging disease in 2011 and went on a world tour afterward. The singer known for such hits as "Rhinestone Cowboy," "Wichita Lineman" and "Southern Nights" was moved to a long-term care facility in 2014. Kim Campbell says he continues to sing, although the words are gibberish and "it's not a melody that we recognize, but you can tell that it's a happy song and he has a song in his heart," so that brings her great comfort. (PageSix)

Is Kanye returning to music after 'nervous breakdown'? Kanye West might finally be well enough to return to music after he allegedly suffered a nervous breakdown at the end of 2016. "He seems to be really well. He's got plans to put another album out and tour again, but he's managing his workload and taking it slower," a source close to the rapper told us. MTV News published a story last week suggesting he would return with a surprise album after a staffer received a mysterious package. MTV later updated the article with a denial from "Kanye's team" and eventually removed the story. "The last place he would send a mysterious package is MTV News. He would send it to f?-?-?king Vogue," our source said. But another source added, "He's been in the studio. He'll likely release something soon." (PageSix)

Tupac used 3 sheets of notebook paper to write out the lyrics of "Dear Mama" ... that's $25k per sheet for whoever wants to be the proud new owner. The handwritten lyrics of the 1995 hit song are up for sale at MomentsInTime.com for $75,000. We're told the sheets came from the studio where Tupac recorded the track -- the site acquired them from a private collector in Poland. The lyrics are what you'd expect if you know the song, except for a couple notes 'Pac jotted down on the side -- the names of rappers he may have been thinking about featuring ... and a much more graphic note on the last page. (TMZ)

Lance Bass Join BSB On Stage in Las Vegas. The boy band nation rejoiced on Saturday night (March 18) when the stars aligned and *NSYNC's Lance Bass joined the Backstreet Boys onstage for one of their Las Vegas residency shows. The supergroup got together for a duet on BSB's iconic "Shape of My Heart," which the Boys shared on their official Twitter account. The clip shows Bass huddling and high-fiving with BSB members Howie Dorough, Brian Littrell, Nick Carter, A.J. McLean and Kevin Richardson as they share smile sand hugs all around. We really showed @LanceBass the shape of our hearts tonight. Thanks for coming by #BSBVegas, brother! pic.twitter.com/nnSbUZuIsG -- backstreetboys (@backstreetboys) March 19. The Boys kicked off their 26-date Larger Than Life residency at Planet Hollywood's AXIS Theater earlier this month with a hit-packed show touching on such beloved smashes as "Quit Playin' Games (With My Heart)," "I'll Never Break Your Heart," "Larger Than Life," "Show Me the Meaning of Being Lonely" and "I Want it That Way." (Billboard)

New Music: Father John Misty Releases 'Generic Pop Song' Trio, Returns to Twitter. Father John Misty became alive on the internet Sunday morning (March 19), getting back on his twitter after about a six-month absence. He answered a slew of questions thrown at him before returning to tend to his "squash farm." (Our favorite bit? He calls music journalism his hobby.) More notably, three new tracks appeared on his Soundcloud, another teaser in the lead-up to his next LP release, Pure Comedy. Here, FJM embodies a deconstructionist pop prankster, coming now for our taste in Top 40. An exercise in radio-ready production tropes and the well-worn sentiments of faith, displaced personhood, and love, each of these tracks sounds like something straight from any Clear Channel affiliate. But with that side-eye we've become used to from FJM, the tracks are painfully cloying. Is this Tillman's ploy to become a producer for Katy Perry, or just another proof-of-concept, elaborate troll? Either way, listen to "Generic Pop Song" variations #16, #9, and #3 below. Pure Comedy comes out April 7, on Sub Pop/Bella Union. (Billboard)

Calvin Harris' Behind The Scenes Video of 'Slide' Recording Sessions. Calvin Harris took fans behind the scenes on his collaboration with Frank Ocean and Migos' Quavo and Offset for "Slide," sharing a video where he breaks down the song's beat and creation. Entitled "How I made Slide," the clip opens with Harris at a piano, before moving on to a close-up of him plucking an electric guitar, playing a synth, Rhodes piano, plucking a bass and slowly layering each bit as he adds Oceans' vocals, double and tripling them to eerie effect. The two-minute process is a fascinating glimpse at the creative process of a one-man band. (Billboard)

Ed Sheeran Reigns Supreme on Australia's Charts. Ed Sheeran's reign continues in Australia, where he locks-up top spot on both main charts for a second week and dominates the top 50 singles survey. On the ARIA Singles Chart, Sheeran collects 14 spots in the top 50 and three inside the top 10, led by double-platinum certified "Shape Of You" (Asylum/Warner) which enters its 10th consecutive week at the top. It's a streak not seen since LMFAO's"Party Rock Anthem" ran away with the title for 10 weeks in April-June 2011. The English singer and songwriter's "Castle on the Hill" stands tall at No. 2 (also for a 10th) week, ahead of The Chainsmokers & Coldplay's "Something Just Like This" (Columbia/Sony), Lorde's "Green Light" (Universal) and Kygo & Selena Gomez' "It Ain't Me" (Sony). The week's best debut comes from Stargate, whose single "Waterfall" (RCA/Sony), with guests vocals from Pink and Sia, starts at No. 19. It's the first time the Norwegian production team has appeared on the chart under their own name. Meanwhile, Lorde scoops her sixths top 50 with "Liability" which opens at No. 42 just a week after the New Zealander's comeback track "Green Light" bowed at No. 4. On the ARIA Albums Chart, Sheeran's latest set Divide (Warner) conquers for the second week, while his previous albums Multiply and Plus hold at No. 4 and No. 8, respectively. As the sun sets on her tour Down Under, Adele enjoys another strong showing on the national albums chart as her nine-times platinum 25 (XL/Inertia) is unmoved from No. 2 and the 15-times platinum 21 improves 5-4. The Trolls (RCA/Sony) soundtrack also rises one position to No. 5, just ahead of the Beauty and the Beast (Walt Disney/Universal) soundtrack, which has the week's best debut at No. 6.The Shins' fifth and latest studio set Heartworms starts at No. 16 to give the U.S. indie-pop outfit a third top 50 in Australia. (Billboard)

Adele Completes Australia Tour With Record-Breaking Weekend. Venue records tumbled, lovers united and a bouncer got a blast as Adele's first tour of Australia wrapped Sunday (March 19) in Melbourne. First, the numbers. The final destination on her five-city, eight-show trek gave Adele the perfect send-off as she completed a record-busting weekend. The singer set a new benchmark for Melbourne's Etihad Stadium when 77,300 fans came through the gate Sunday night, besting the record she set the previous night by roughly 2,000. Live Nation has yet to publish top box office counts across Adele's Live 2017 jaunt Down Under, which now enters the final straight with three shows at Mt Smart Stadium in Auckland, New Zealand (this Thursday, Saturday and Sunday). Those record crowds took home some golden memories which, thanks to the wonders of technology, were captured and shared on social media for the rest of the world to gawp at. In one special moment on Sunday, Adele played matchmaker for a marriage proposal between Chris and Wade. Wade dropped to one knee and popped the big question. And in another highlight, Adele gave a tongue lashing to a security guard who was behaving like a killjoy. "Excuse me sir, I know you work here but could you stop telling people to sit down? This is a music show," Adele explained. "If people can't see they can stand up. If you're moaning about people dancing, what the f--- have you come to a show for? If I see one more person get told to sit down, I swear to God... " (Billboard)

Drake's New Music Has Some BLATANT J.Lo References! It seems like Drake isn't quite over Jennifer Lopez! Over the weekend, the Hotline Bling rapper released his new playlist, titled More Life, on OVO Sound Radio -- which gave fans almost two dozen brand new songs. So it's no surprise that Drizzy's former flame got a shout out on more than ONE of his new tracks! In fact, the Degrassi alum made a blatant reference to Jenny From The Block in his playlist's opening song. During the single Free Smoke, the 30-year-old raps: "I drunk text J.Lo / Old number, so it bounce back." Oh snap! We wonder why Jennifer felt the need to change her number?? Nonetheless, that wasn't the only reference Drake made about the Ain't Your Mama singer. For his song, named Teenage Fever, the Grammy winner sampled Lopez's 1999 debut single, If You Had My Love. Well, well! Sadly, the mother-of-two was MIA from Drake's new playlist as he replaced her vocals on Get It Together with those of British singer Jorja Smith. Perhaps Drake's a bit bitter about Jennifer's budding romance with Alex Rodriguez?? We mean, the industry vet did jump into a new romance only a month after her split from the Canadian-born hitmaker. Still, Drake and J.Lo reportedly already filmed a prom-themed music video for Get It Together... it seems pretty petty to leave her off the playlist. But, who are we to judge! What do YOU think? Is Drake still pinning for Jennifer?? (Perez Hilton)

Movies

This is how much Beauty and The Beast made in its opening weekend. Kerching! ?? ?? ??Disney's Beauty and the Beast broke the box office this weekend with a magical £18.4M. The movie was the 5th highest grossing three day opening of all-time and the highest grossing three day opening weekend for a PG movie. The Saturday box office of £7.9m was the second highest grossing Saturday ever, only behind Star Wars: The Force Awakens. It was also the biggest March opening weekend of all-time and #1 opening of 2017 to date. Emma Watson & Dan Stevens talk Beauty and The Beast wrap party danmoves At the US box office the film has taken $170m-making it the #7 debut of all time, the #1 March debut ever, and the #1 PG movie debut of all time (surpassing Finding Dory). It's also the highest US debut ever for a Disney Live Action title. It's the seventh Disney release to open over $150M. Saturday's gross of $62.7M marks the #4 Saturday of all time. As well as the 'gay storyline' which made headlines, the tricky subject of Stockholm syndrome was also mentioned previous to the film's release. Emma reveals that she wrestled with the idea that she'd be portraying a victim in Disney's live-action musical. "It's something I really grappled with at the beginning: the Stockholm syndrome question. That's where a prisoner will take on the characteristics of and fall in love with the captor," Watson confessed to Entertainment Weekly. "She has none of the characteristics of someone with Stockholm syndrome because she keeps her independence; she keeps that freedom of thought," the 26-year-old said. "I also think there is a very intentional switch where, in my mind, Belle decides to stay. She's giving him hell. There is no sense of 'I need to kill this guy with kindness.' Or any sense that she deserves this. In fact, she gives as good as she gets. He bangs on the door, she bangs back. There's this defiance that 'you think I'm going to come and eat dinner with you and I'm your prisoner -- absolutely not.'" Talking about her character's relationship with the Beast, she said: "The other beautiful thing about the love story is that they form a friendship first. There is this genuine sharing, and the love builds out of that, which in many ways is more meaningful than a lot of love stories, where it was love at first sight. They are having no illusions about who the other one is," she says. "They have seen the worst of one another, and they also bring out the best." The movie is out now... (British Glamour)

Luc Besson's 'Valerian' Won't Screen in Cannes. The director tells THR that a trip to the Croisette was never on the cards for his big-budget sci-fi epic despite chatter that it could debut there. Anyone hoping to catch Luc Besson's big-budget Valerian at Cannes this year is going to be left disappointed. The hotly anticipated sci-fi epic, starring Cara Delevingne and Dane DeHaan, had been among the major titles tipped to make a Croisette appearance, but Besson has revealed to The Hollywood Reporter that it was never on the cards. "I'm finishing the film end of May, beginning of June," the director said, speaking on the sidelines of the Empire Awards in London, where he won the inspiration award. "We never even thought about Cannes, because we're releasing in July. I opened Cannes with The Fifth Element, but usually when you do that you open right after, the day after, and May to July is way too far. Even if we were ready we wouldn't go." Comparing The Fifth Element to Valerian, Besson said that his 1997 hit had 188 special-effects shots, while his latest film has 2,734. "I'm so happy that I'm a much better director now. I was a young director then, it was more than 20 years ago. I know my job much better, my relations with actors and everything," he added. "I'm so thrilled that I did Valerian now. I know much more, but I'm not too old." (Hollywood Reporter)

'Power Rangers' Breaks Ground With First Gay Big-Screen Superhero. The character is "questioning a lot about who she is," says director Dean Israelite. [Warning: This story contains minor spoilers for the Power Rangers movie] Power Rangers is breaking down a barrier no superhero has movie before. The Lionsgate reboot of the '90s children's TV show is the first big-budget superhero movie to feature an LGBT protagonist. During Power Rangers' second act, there's a scene in which the titular heroes learn that the Yellow Ranger Trini (Becky G) is coming to terms with her sexual orientation, with one character assuming she's having "boyfriend problems," and soon realizing that perhaps she's actually having "girlfriend problems." It's a small moment, but one director Dean Israelite calls "pivotal" for the entire film. "For Trini, really she's questioning a lot about who she is," Israelite tells The Hollywood Reporter. "She hasn't fully figured it out yet. I think what's great about that scene and what that scene propels for the rest of the movie is, 'That's OK.' The movie is saying, 'That's OK,' and all of the kids have to own who they are and find their tribe." Becky G in 'Power Rangers' (inset: director Dean Israelite) LGBT representation in superhero films has trailed that of comic books, where heroes and villains such as DC'sWonder Woman, Catwoman, Batwoman and Harley Quinn, as well as Marvel's Ice Man, are among high-profile examples of LGBT characters. But so far, when these characters have been translated to the big screen, they have been portrayed as straight. X-Men's Northstar, the first openly gay character from either DC or Marvel, was introduced in the comics in 1992. The TV side has been more progressive, with The CW's Supergirl featuring a prominent lesbian storyline this season. Supergirl, which is from openly gay producer Greg Berlanti, joins fellow Berlanti CW shows Legends of Tomorrow and Arrow in featuring LGBT characters. Original Blue Ranger actor David Yost, who is openly gay and left the 1990s Power Rangers series after facing harassment over his sexual orientation, praised the new film for its inclusiveness. "They really stepped up to the plate," says Yost. "I think so many people in the LGBTQI community are going to be excited to see that representation." In the original Power Rangers series, the Yellow Ranger was played by the late actress Thuy Trang, who is credited as the character for 81 episodes from 1993-94 on Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. The original character was portrayed as straight. Power Rangers comes on the heels of Disney's Beauty and the Beast live-action remake, in which Josh Gad plays Disney's first-ever gay character, LeFou. In the sci-fi movie world, last year's Star Trek Beyond revealed that Sulu (played by John Cho in the rebooted Star Trek movie universe), was gay. The original version of the character, played by George Takei, was straight. Power Rangers opens Friday. (Hollywood Reporter)

'Dark Days' Promises "Revelations About the Past, Present and Future" of DC. 'The Forge' will launch an event storyline this June. Dark days are coming to DC's comic book universe -- literally. This summer, best-selling Batman writer Scott Snyder will lead an all-star team of creators, including DC Entertainment co-publisher Jim Lee, for two special issues intended to reveal a mystery at the heart of DC's comic book universe, launching an event storyline called Dark Days. The two issues -- June's Dark Days: The Forge and the following month's Dark Days: The Casting -- will see Snyder team with fan-favorite Detective Comics writer James Tynion IV, with Lee joined on artistic chores by Andy Kubert and John Romita Jr. "Dark Days posits a mystery that traces all the way back to when I started on Batman," Snyder said in a statement provided by DC. "I've hinted at them over the years with Easter eggs and clues. This is a mystery that literally begins at the dawn of man and spans generations of heroes and villains and ultimately leads to huge revelations about the past, present and future of the cosmology of DC." The storyline has already been teased in Tynion IV's Detective Comics run, with the recent 950th issue including a prelude giving a rundown of Batman's placement of agents throughout the DC universe -- something that seems even more pressing given the focus on Batman in Lee's cover for The Forgetonigh: More details about Dark Days will be released in coming weeks. (Billboard)

'Fantastic Beasts' and 'Rogue One' Win Big at U.K.'s Empire Awards. 'I Daniel Blake' won two awards, including best British film presented by The Hollywood Reporter. A year may have almost passed since Cannes 2016, but the awards for Palme d'Or winner I, Daniel Blake keep rolling in. Ken Loach's drama about the U.K.'s failing benefits system added to its growing tally of honors by scooping two more at the Empire Awards in London on Sunday night. The film won best newcomer for actor Dave Johns, who joked about his age (61), together with best British film, which was presented by The Hollywood Reporter. Actress Hayley Squires read out a text message from Loach, who, she said, was "probably doing something European." The director pointed out that the film had been attacked by Conservative Party ministers who claimed that it was "fictitious" but then admitted to not having seen it. The biggest winner of the night was Harry Potter spinoff Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, which won four awards, including best actor for Eddie Redmayne. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story earned three awards, including best actress for Felicity Jones and best director for Gareth Edwards. Elsewhere, Anya Taylor-Joy won best female newcomer for The Witch, which also snared the best horror award. The Greasy Strangler won best comedy, Bourne best thriller, A Monster Calls best sci-fi/fantasy, Deadpool best screenplay, Finding Dory best animated film, La La Land best soundtrack, Doctor Strange best visual effects and Inner Workings best short film. Among the major names in attendance were Tom Hiddleston, who was awarded Empire's hero award, presented to him by his The Night Manager co-star Hugh Laurie. Luc Besson earned the Empire inspiration award; arguably the biggest cheer of the night was reserved for Patrick Stewart, recipient of the Empire Legend award, handed to him by his close friend Ian McKellen. (Hollywood Reporter)

TV

Penelope Cruz Is Donatella Versace on FX's Versace: American Crime Story. Penelope Cruz is Donatella Versace. E! News has confirmed the Oscar winner will play the key role in Versace: American Crime Story, the third installment of Ryan Murphy's American Crime Story anthology series on FX. Production on the third season is set to begin in April and air in 2018. Katrina: American Crime Story will be the second season following the hit first season The People v. O.J. Simpson. Murphy, Nina Jacobson and Brad Simpson are executive producers on Versace: American Crime Story. Cruz won the Oscar for Vicky Cristina Barcelona in 2009. Escobar and Murder of the Orient Express are her latest film projects. Her TV work has been limited. She appeared in Serie rose and Framed in the 1990s and voiced a character on Sesame Street in 2013-2014. Murphy's American Crime Story franchise has attracted a bevy of A-list talent. The first season had John Travolta, Cuba Gooding Jr., Sarah Paulson, David Schwimmer, Sterling K. Brown and Connie Britton among its cast. Season two, which has not begun filming yet and will tell the story of Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath in New Orleans, has Annette Bening and Matthew Broderick already on board. Both Lady Gaga and Paulson were rumored to be up for the role of Donatella Versace, but Murphy hinted it would be played by an Oscar winner. Season three of American Crime Story is based on the book Vulgar Favors by Maureen Orth. The series will chronicle the murder of Gianni Versace by Andrew Cunanan in 1997. Look for more casting announcements as production gets into gear. (Eonline)

This Is Us Cast Has Plenty to Say to Fans After the Season 1 Finale. If you found yourself sort of disappointed by This Is Us' first season finale, you weren't alone. Many fans were expecting answers to the many questions raised throughout the season, specifically when it comes to how Jack (Milo Ventimiglia) died, and how Rebecca (Mandy Moore) and Miguel (Jon Huertas) eventually got together. Instead, we got a brutal hour of Jack and Rebecca falling apart, mixed with flashbacks of the first time they met (which involved Jack being so distracted by Rebecca's beautiful singing voice that he forgot to rob a bar). It was emotional and beautiful, just like every other episode, but it wasn't quite the answer-filled finale that many fans had been hoping for. "That bummed me out," Moore (who also posted on Instagram about the backlash) told E! News before she and the rest of the cast hit the stage for PaleyFest. "I'm really proud of the work we did and proud of the episode, and anytime anybody asked me, I said, you're not going to find out how Jack dies. I don't know why people are so fixated on that!" Her TV husband agrees. "It's one of those things where sure, it might have been leading in that direction, but at the same time, if you know anything about this show, you can't expect anything," Ventimiglia said. "Anything that you believe is going to happen may not happen, but you have to understand that what we're telling, the stories we're telling are still gonna hit home, and you're going to discover more about this family that you fell in love with." While we may have to wait quite a while, answers are coming, Chris Sullivan promised. "Oh, you want answers? Well guess what! We're picked up for two more seasons! You're going to get all kinds of answers, we're going to ask a bunch more questions, and it's all going to work out." If only we didn't have to wait until the fall for season two. This Is Us will return for a second season on NBC. (Eonline)

Meet Julia, Sesame Street's First Muppet With Autism. Sesame Street will soon introduce viewers to a Julia, new Muppet who has autism. CBS' 60 Minutes was on set when Abby Cadabby and Elmo introduced Julia to Big Bird, who became confused when Julia didn't acknowledge him. Eventually, the four Muppets decided to play tag together. "Julia's so excited that she's jumping up and down. That's a thing that can be typical of some kids with autism," said Christine Ferraro, who has been a writer on Sesame Street for 25 years. "Then it turns into a game where they're all jumping like her. So, it was a very easy way to show that with a very slight accommodation they can meet her where she is." Bringing Julia to the small screen was no easy feat, of course. "I think the big discussion right at the start was, 'How do we do this? How do we talk about autism?'" Ferraro told Lesley Stahl. "It's tricky because autism is not one thing, because it is different for every single person who has autism. There is an expression that goes, 'If you've met one person with autism, you've met one person with autism.'" The focus on autism began as social impact projects, which included an online animated storybook about a girl named Julia. They became so popular that Rollie Krewson was asked to create a Muppet for Julia, whose design required more consideration than previous puppets. "When she gets upset, she flaps her hands, so she has two separate sets of arms," he said. "...They would switch on set." Stacey Gordon, whose son is on the autism spectrum, was cast as Julia's puppeteer. According to Gordon, Julia is more than just a new character on a children's TV show. "It means that our kids are important enough to be seen in society. Having Julia on the show and seeing all of the characters treat her with compassion -- and like her -- it's huge," she explained. "It's important for kids without autism to see what autism can look like. Had my son's friends been exposed to his behaviors through something that they had seen on TV before they experienced them in the classroom, they might not have been frightened. They might not have been worried when he cried. They would have known that he plays in a different way and that that's OK." Jeanette Betancourt, senior vice president for U.S. social impact at parent company Sesame Workshop, has been helping to develop the character for about three years. "Basically, in terms of vulnerable families, we're looking at families who may have particular stressors in their lives that are impacting their young children," she said on NPR's Morning Edition Monday, "whether it's economic or social emotional stresses or differences that they're handling at the time." Julia will appear in two episodes in Sesame Street's current season (airing on CBS and HBO), and her screen time will increase in future seasons. "I would love her to be not Julia, the kid on Sesame Street who has autism," Ferraro said on 60 Minutes. "I would like her to be just Julia." (Eonline)

"Anxiety For Weeks!" The Arrangement's Josh Henderson & Christine Evangelista Dish on Filming Naked Photo Scene. "We laughed, we cried!" There were a lot of scandalous moments on Sunday's episode of The Arrangement! On the show, nude photos of Megan Morrison (Christine Evangelista) were leaked online. And if that wasn't enough for Megan to deal with, the photos were leaked in the middle of a party she and boyfriend Kyle West (Josh Henderson) were throwing at his house. The leak also happened right after Megan's deal closed for Kyle's movie, The Kill Plan. The studio had already been hesitant to agree to let Megan do the movie and then after the photos leaked, it was revealed that the studio can fire Megan by saying she broke the morality clause in her contract. "The rumor is you leaked the photos yourself as a publicity grab," Megan's agent Leslie (Autumn Reeser) told her. Megan was so upset by the leak and the rumors, Kyle decided to get her out of L.A. and the two escaped to a little cabin in the woods. And while there, the two decided to take the situation into their own hands and stripped down for a nude photo together. Kyle and Megan then posted the photo online and he explained afterword that the "morality clause is dead" because if the studio wants to fire her, they have to fire him too. But after a talk with Terence (Michael Vartan), Kyle decided it's a good idea to have another well-known actress replace Megan in the movie because throwing her into a franchise at the beginning of her career isn't in her "best interest." Kyle explained to a pissed off Megan that he didn't want to set her up to fail and to have everyone think she's just in the movie because she's his girlfriend. Then, at the end of the episode, us viewers learned that Megan's BFF Hope (Katharine Isabelle) actually leaked Megan's original nude photo. Talk about betrayal! So what was it like filming this episode? (Eonline)

Shots Fired! The Walking Dead Cast Previews the Roller Coaster Road to the Season 7 Finale Now That War With Negan Has Begun. Well, it looks like The Waking Dead's war has officially begun. With just one episode to go before the sure-to-be massive season seven finale, fans of the AMC zombie thriller saw what can only be described as the first shots in the epic battle between Rick (Andrew Lincoln), Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) and their respective armies that has been looming ever since Glenn and Abraham had their fateful run-ins with Lucille. With Sasha (Sonequa Martin-Green) firmly behind enemy lines the Sanctuary, guns blazing on her suicide mission to avenge Abe's death, and Rosita (Christian Serratos) and Daryl (Norman Reedus) right outside, ready to back her up, there's no going back now. All we can say is that Rick had better get his many disparate allies all on the same page -- and quick. With such little time left in the season and our minds running wild with theories about what's to come, E! News grilled the cast on the red carpet ahead of the show's PaleyFest event, where they offered up some insight into how this season's big conclusion compares to last year's deadly cliffhanger. "Now that we've gotten a chance to really get to know Negan and what makes him tick, I think the fans are going to really get to see this clashing of the two men that they've been waiting for all season," Ross Marquand, who stars as Aaron, told us. "Rick and Negan have been doing this dance of trying to figure out how they could live together diplomatically, and it just hasn't been working out. And now they're going to see a different side of Rick and the gang." "Last year's was just relentlessly brutal. And then you had the cliffhanger as well. This year's is more exciting in a different way," Jesus himself, Tom Payne, teased. "It has moments when you want to jump up and cheer, but also really sad moments. It's a mixture of all different things. It's a whole roller coaster. But then the resolution at the end is very strong." For more from the cast, including Lauren Cohan's somewhat confounding promise of a hopeful road to the finale that somehow also includes brutality. Are you looking forward to Rick and the gang getting their crap together and bringing the fight to Negan? Do you think they can pull out a win? The Walking Dead airs Sundays at 9 p.m. on AMC. (Eonline)

Celebrity Sex Drama 'National Treasure' Sells Wide. Robbie Coltrane, Julie Walters and Andrea Riseborough star in the Channel 4/Hulu drama about a celebrity accused of a decades-old rape. International networks have pounced on National Treasure, a critically acclaimed British limited series starring Robbie Coltrane, Julie Walters and Andrea Riseborough. The four-part drama, which aired on Channel 4 in the U.K. and premiered in the U.S. on Hulu this month, has sold across most of Europe, as well as Australia and Canada. Coltrane stars as an aging, beloved British comedian -- a "national treasure" -- who is arrested and accused of a rape dating back to the 1990s. Walters plays his wife, Riseborough their daughter. Written by Jack Thorne (This Is England) and executive produced by George Faber (Shameless) and George Ormond (War and Peace) for Brit production house The Forge, National Treasure focuses on both the investigation into the alleged crime and the impact the arrest, trial and verdict have on the family. All3media International, which is handling international sales for the series, has signed deals with ABC for Australia and New Zealand, with Super Channel for Canada. In Europe, public broadcasters NRK in Norway, YLE in Finland, Ireland's RUV and HRT in Croatia acquired National Treasure, with Comunidad Filmin taking rights for the series in Spain. National Treasure was a ratings hit for Channel 4, drawing an average of 3 million, or 14.8 percent of the national audience, on its Tuesday night slot, more than doubling the broadcaster's average. (Hollywood Reporter)