ENTERTAINMENT NEWS

Where Is Dave Franco's Wedding Ring? The Answer Is Surprisingly Simple. It's no longer a secret Dave Franco is a married man, but if you looked at his hand these days, something is still missing. While the LEGO Ninjago Movie star managed to keep his wedding to fellow actress Alison Brie under the radar until this month, one sign of his nuptials is still hidden -- but not intentionally. When E! News caught up with the actor at CinemaCon, Franco revealed why he wasn't sporting his wedding band. "It was too small," he dished to E!'s Marc Malkin. "My finger's fatter than I thought." "We're getting it redone," he assured Malkin. "Don't act like it's not going to come. It's coming eventually." Meanwhile, Malkin also managed to tease the actor for successfully evading questions about his mystery nuptials, reminding Franco that he said to ignore his brother James Franco's clues. "I said, 'Your brother James said it's going to happen early this year,'" Malkin reminded him of their conversation at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival. "What did I say?" Franco quipped. "Don't believe anything he says," Malkin retorted. Instead, Brie's rep confirmed to E! News that nuptials had taken place after the fact, though no other details were released. Meanwhile, in a previous interview, Dave had hinted at eloping. While this wedding continues to be one of Hollywood's greatest mysteries, we do know that married life is treating the star well. "It's great," Dave told E! News. "Only positive things to say." Congratulations Mr. and Mrs.! (Eonline)

Romance Rewind: A Look Back at Miranda Lambert and Anderson East's Love a Year After Going Public at the ACMs. Mama's not suffering from a broken heart this year. It's been nearly a year since Miranda Lambert and Anderson East made their debut as a couple on the Academy of Country Music Awards red carpet, and with the 2017 ceremony coming this Sunday, April 2nd, it's only fitting we take a look back at how their love has evolved since then. First, let's rewind to when Miranda had a very public and surprising split from fellow country star Blake Shelton in July, 2015. At the time, they were considered country music royalty, right up there with Tim McGraw and Faith Hill. And perhaps it was that same fame and excessive attention surrounding their relationship that led Miranda to make the conscious decision to keep her romance with singer Anderson East on the low for months. The Platinum singer was first rumored to be dating Anderson in December, 2015, just months after she and Blake announced their divorce. It wasn't until New Year's Day, 2016, when she took to Instagram to post a photo of her and her new beau together for the first time. In the shot, the two are squeezed together in a chair and all wrapped up in a cozy blanket. The picture was a clear sign that this wasn't just a regular friendship or an overnight romance - Miranda basically confirmed she was happy in love again. After her lovved up New Year's post, it was a slow burn for fans who wanted more pics of Miranda and Anderson together. She acknowledged their relationship in several posts throughout January by only tagging him in photos (including an adorable one in which she gushed over his new song), but none of the shots featured the two of them together. That is until February, when she crashed her boyfriend's concert to sing classic Mariah Carey tune "Always Be My Baby". Their romance really heated up in April, first with the big red carpet reveal at the ACMs, and then later that month, when the couple took their love to the stage again. This time around they joined forces at pal Chris Stapleton's concert in Los Angeles, where Anderson and Chris took the lead on the Temptations classic, "My Girl", while Miranda and Chris' wife Morgane sang backup vocals. Since then, Miranda and Anderson have posed on a few more red carpets arm-in-arm and posted sweet Instagram photos about each other, but their public displays of affection seem to be far less public than when she was with her ex-husband. In fact, Miranda previously told Entertainment Weekly that she doesn't want to put her entire life on social media on display for everyone to see. She admitted she prefers to keep her relationships - whether platonic or not - out of the public eye, and especially wouldn't want to know the same intimate details of people she looks up to. "I really believe in leaving some mystery," she confessed. "I don't need to know what everybody's doing all the time - especially with heroes of mine." Enjoy these few and far between snaps while you can, shippers. Now, a little after a year of dating, E! News has learned that Miranda and Anderson are stronger than ever - to the extent that they've even discussed tying the knot and starting a family together. "Miranda and Anderson are doing good. They try to keep their relationship private and out of the public's way. They are definitely gonna get married," the source told E! News exclusively. "They have discussed marriage and kids that they both want in the near future. She has learned many things about what she wants and needs after her breakup and Anderson fulfills it all." With the ACMs on Sunday, we wouldn't be surprised if we see these two more in love than ever, especially given it's the anniversary of their first big outing. Miranda may be up for five awards (and could win her eighth consecutive title of Female Vocalist of the Year), but no matter what happens or how many trophies she goes home with, it's clear she's already won. (Eonline)

Vanna White Reveals Playboy Regrets and Wheel of Fortune Dress Secrets. Vanna White is baring nearly all again. For nearly 35 years, she has donned thousands of dresses while spinning and pointing at letters on Wheel of Fortune. But at one point in her career as hostess, she thought for sure photos showing her with a very different look would cost her her job. In a candid interview with Fox News that was posted Wednesday, the now 60-year-old star recalled feeling embarrassed about appearing on a 1987 cover of Playboy, which shows her posing with part of her butt exposed, as well as in an accompanying lingerie pictorial for the nude magazine. "Here's the thing. When I first moved to Hollywood, I was too embarrassed to ask my dad for rent money," she said. "I was young and I wanted to do it on my own. So, I did these lingerie shots and from the moment I said I would do them, I thought, 'I shouldn't be doing this, but I'm not going to ask my dad for money, so I'm just going to do it!' Once I got Wheel of Fortune and some fame, Hugh Hefner then bought those pictures. He's the one who put me on the cover of the magazine." "I didn't do it for Playboy," she said. "I did not want them on there, but it happened. I was very thankful that I had such support behind me. I remember going on [The Tonight Show With] Johnny Carson and saying, 'I'm so sorry, this is what happened.' And this is a lesson that applies today: Never do anything that you don't want to do. Listen to your instincts and follow it. I said, 'I made a mistake, I'm sorry and I just hope I don't lose my job over it.' Fortunately, I didn't. I could have, you know? It was a great lesson to learn, but what can I say? I did something I shouldn't have done." White has talked about her Playboy regrets before. "[Hugh] was my friend and he said, 'Vanna, we are going to put you on the cover.' I said, 'Hef, if you put me on the cover, my career could be ruined,' and they did it anyway," White said on The Wendy Williams Show in 2016. "I don't talk to him, no. I feel bad, it was a long time ago, but that really hurt my feelings and thanks to everyone out there who was on my side. They didn't fire me and everybody was very supportive and it was a great lesson. Don't ever do anything that you think is wrong, listen to that little voice inside of you 'cause I wish I wouldn't have done it, and I did it, so remember that." White joined Wheel of Fortune alongside host and "work husband" Pat Sajak in 1982. Since then, she's worn more than 6,500 dresses on the game show. "Never the same one twice," White told Fox News. "Nor do I get to keep them. They have to go back to the designer, but I certainly enjoy wearing them." "I've gone through all the big styles, [including] the big shoulder pads," she said. "You name it, I've done it. My favorite dresses happen to be the comfortable ones. A lot of them are so skintight and don't budge. I feel like I'm wearing a corset and I'm walking for 30 minutes in five inch heels. It looks great, but it can be uncomfortable. I still do it, it's part of my job. But if I had the choice, I would prefer stretchy gowns. And I honestly love the cocktail length." White had told Williams she has fittings every two weeks and films 12 shows over two days per week when the show is in production, totaling about 34 filming days a year. White told Fox News she enjoys her job very much. "I don't want to retire," she said. "I hope to continue doing it for as long as I can." (Eonline)

Mischa Barton Talks "Revenge Porn" Drama and Recent Hospitalization. Mischa Barton isn't having a very good year. In late January, the 31-year-old actress was hospitalized at L.A.'s Cedars-Sinai Hospital Jan. 26 after a neighbor called 911 to report she was behaving erratically. "I think it was complete hallucination," Barton says on Dr. Phil, airing Sept. 3. "I have no idea what I was talking about." Barton, in her first sit-down interview since the incident, said she experienced auditory and visual hallucinations. "Before I blacked out and don't remember anything, it was more auditory and visual -- but more visual, like specks of light and stuff like that," she tells Dr. Phil McGraw. "There's also blackout parts earlier in the night, and then I'll remember my friend saying, 'Please lay down and then it'll be gone again.' And the whole thing outside is just blackouts." After her hospitalization ended -- and video footage of her blackout surfaced online -- Barton released a statement to People. "I voluntarily went to get professional help, and I was informed by their staff that I had been given GHB," the former star of The O.C. said, referring to the depressant commonly referred to as the "date rape" drug. "After an overnight stay, I am home and doing well...This is a lesson to all young women out there, be aware of your surroundings." Barton later moved out of the apartment where the incident occurred. The actress kept a low profile for a month, but in mid-March, Barton made headlines for yet another reason. During a press conference with her lawyer Lisa Bloom, Barton announced she is taking legal action to block the sale and release of an intimate video she claims was secretly recorded by an ex-boyfriend. As she tells McGraw, it feels like "complete emotional blackmail." "I couldn't believe it because I had loved this person and I didn't think it was possible," the actress explains, calling it a "sinister" thing to do. "There's no way that it wasn't premeditated." Two weeks ago, E! News confirmed the case is under review with the L.A.P.D. Barton also obtained an emergency restraining order against two ex-boyfriends, whom she has not named publicly, over the "revenge porn." Speaking to reporters, Barton said, "I've been through an incredibly hard and trying time. This is a painful situation and my absolute worst fear was realized when I learned that someone I thought I love and trusted was filming my most intimate and private moments without my consent, with hidden cameras. And then I learned something even worse -- that someone is trying to sell these videos and make them public." "I came forward to fight this not only for myself, but for all the women out there. I want to protect them from the pain and humiliation that I have had to go through. No woman should have to go through this and I am beyond grateful to Lisa Bloom, the Bloom Firm and to all of my friends who have helped me through this horrific experience," Barton said while reading a prepared statement. "It's a very hard thing to do but I'm glad I'm finally standing up for myself." Barton's Dr. Phil episode airs Monday, Apr. 3 (check local listings). (Eonline)

How Jennifer Hudson Has Maintained Her Weight Loss for 7 Years (Hint: It Has Nothing to Do With Exercise). Jennifer Hudson dropped jaws when she revealed her 80-pound weight loss in 2010, and she only continues to do so every time she steps out. The singer and The Voice U.K. judge has maintained her slim figure over the years, crediting Weight Watchers for helping her get there. But how has she kept it off all this time? Many of you might be excited to hear that exercise has almost nothing to do with it. Rather, it's all about what she puts in her body. Hudson sat down for an interview with ITV's Lorraine and revealed her secret for keeping up her healthy bod. "I don't really have time to do much [exercising]," she explained. "So I just watch what I eat." She continued, "I'm very careful and cautious of what I'm eating. I just try to place those meals throughout the day -- like, 'OK, eat here, don't eat there.' If it's early in the morning, 'OK, I would still be asleep right now, So I'm not going to eat.'" Other than maintaining her healthy lifestyle, Hudson has been busy filming her upcoming Netflix movie Sandy Wexler and judging The Voice U.K. all the while raising her 7-year-old son, David Daniel Otunga Jr. In fact, as she continues her time on the judging panel for the show, she's found a "home" in Britain. "I do miss the States a little bit, but I've made a good little home here," she said. "And my son likes it here as well, so that's the plus!" Speaking of homes, she also dished about the award "trap wall" she built in her Chicago home where she keeps her Oscars, Grammys, Golden Globes (and the list goes on and on). "I have an award wall in my home, and it sits in the center," she described. "And then that award wall opens and goes into my futuristic office. But all the awards sit up on that trap wall... I had it built." Not too shabby, J.Hud! (Eonline)

Ben Affleck Surprises CinemaCon With First Official Appearance Since Rehab Admission. Ben Affleck is back on the red carpet. Two weeks after the A-lister revealed he recently sought professional treatment for alcohol addiction, Affleck made a surprise appearance at CinemaCon on Wednesday evening in Las Vegas. The event marks the actor's first official event since going public with his health struggles, and he appeared in good spirits while joining the cast of Justice League. The father of three posed for photos at the Warner Bros. presentation with co-stars Jason Momoa, Ezra Miller, Ray Fisher and Henry Cavill. Ben looked sharp in a navy blue suit with a green accent tie. As for the actor's personal life, it seems as if he's getting back into the swing of things at home. Ben recently treated his 5-year-old son Sam to a magical day at Disneyland, where as a source revealed to E! News, the pair "had a special VIP Disneyland chaperone who helped them get to the front of the line." A separate insider shared that Ben's sobriety remains a main priority in his life, explaining, "He's moving in a healthy, balanced direction." The source described Affleck's emotional Facebook post in which he addressed completing a stay in rehab as a "step, but it's a progressive process. He's in a good place." Great to see you back, Batman! (Eonline)

Maksim Chmerkovskiy Undergoes Surgery Following Dancing With the Stars Calf Injury. Maksim Chmerkovskiy is quick stepping his way into the hospital. Following a calf injury sustained during rehearsal for Dancing With the Stars, the ballroom pro snapped a photo of himself in a hospital gown and bed on Tuesday. "Gettin' un-broken..." he captioned the photo along with a shoutout to Seeds Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine, an office out of Ohio that also treated the dancer's fiancee Peta Murgatroyd before Season 21. While her ankle injury ultimately prevented her from competing alongside famous partner Andy Grammer, both stars are hopeful Chmerkovskiy will be back to center stage soon. "Please rest assured that I'm taking this thing very seriously and, although I don't have a concrete return date, I'll give it my all!" the star wrote on Instagram to his devoted and concerned fans. "I promise to work harder than ever and get my ass back to the ballroom as soon as humanly possible!" In the meantime, his celebrity partner, Glee alum Heather Morris, has been competing alongside pro Alan Bersten. During Week 2, they scored 30 out of 40 for their jive and were voted safe for this upcoming week, when they will be partnered together again for a tango. While Chmerkovskiy is bummed to have to sit out for now, the dancer tipped his hat to his colleague. "HUGE (but not that huge) Thank You to @alanbersten for stepping in at the last second and doing a great job!" Chmerkovskiy wrote on social media. Now, as the dancer continues his recovery, he has a few cheerleaders at home, including his infant son, Shai. "Wishing Daddy a speedy recovery from La La Land," his mom wrote on Instagram with a photo of the tot. "We love you and can't wait to get you back Kisses from Shai XO." (Eonline)

Val Kilmer Jokes He's a "Pervert" After Cate Blanchett Twitter Spree. Val Kilmer learned Twitter could be a brutal place the hard way. The 57-year-old actor recently went on a Twitter spree about his love for A-list actress Cate Blanchett, and many were immediately weirded out by the ordeal. Kilmer made an appearance at Irvine Improv in California Wednesday night to introduce a special screening of his one-man play, Citizen Twain, and an audience member asked him with whom he loved to work. "I can't say Cate Blanchett," he joked. "I wrote nice things about Cate Blanchett on Twitter and now I'm a pervert." He added, "I don't know why loving an actor that's so talented is creepy, but I guess I'm creepy." Kilmer also said he really didn't understand the Internet's intense reaction to his tweets. "It makes no sense. I didn't say anything weird," he said. "I write about all my friends. There's no story. Nothing weird." While his demeanor remained upbeat throughout the evening, Kilmer, who has struggled with throat problems but shared he did not have throat cancer, struggled with his speech throughout the evening, according to People. Kilmer admitted on Facebook that he was in speech therapy, and when an attendee asked him about his health Wednesday, he replied he was "doing great." Many speculated about the status of Kilmer's health, but only after Michael Douglas claimed Kilmer had throat cancer did the Batman Forever star open up about what was going on with his throat. "I love Michael Douglas but he is misinformed," he responded on Facebook. "The last time I spoke to him was almost two years ago, when I asked him for a referral for a specialist to get a diagnosis for a lump in my throat, which prevented me from continuing a tour of my play CITIZEN TWAIN. I ended up using a team at UCLA and have no cancer whatsoever. I still have a swollen tongue and am rehabbing steadily." It's great to hear his health is on the mend! (Eonline)

Abby Lee Miller Addresses Her Dance Moms Exit: Lifetime Destroyed My Livelihood. Abby Lee Miller is breaking ties with the reality TV show that made her a household name. E! News' Catt Sadler spoke to the Dance Moms star about her sudden resignation from the Lifetime program, where she addressed the dramatic series of events that catalyzed her final decision. She alleges that during a dance competition held last Sunday, producers betrayed their relationship by embarrassing her in front of more than 50 of her students from the Abby Lee Dance Company. "Lifetime and Collins Avenue [Productions] and everybody they employ has zero respect for me, zero respect for my business," she shared, visibly emotional. Miller then continued, "[A producer] had some lunatic woman, who I've never seen before, never met, never saw her kid dance, come and chase me through the audience. This woman wants to be on the TV show. She's doing everything this man tells her to do, which I think is sick, in front of everybody." This incident, paired with Abby's contentious relationship with her "high-profile, celebrity kids" and their families caused her to reflect, "I cannot believe that he realizes this is my clientele and he would do this to me." Miller continued, "It just got bigger and bigger and louder and louder, and I thought, 'Oh, my god. This is destroying my livelihood, which is my studio business.' The TV show can end at any minute. They've been very clear telling me that in my contract." On the topic of Cheryl Burke, who E! News previously reported was recruited to join Dance Moms after Abby's exit, she didn't mince words. "If she had to go what I go through every day, I would be flipping thrilled that somebody else in the entertainment industry who has the career that she has had on Dancing With the Stars, with the costume makers on Dancing With the Stars, with the producers on Dancing With the Stars, and then had to step down to this? Oh, honey," Miller quipped. Abby Lee is under the impression Burke will not endure the same turmoil she did, telling us, "I think they will treat her differently. I think everybody will be on their toes. I think that Lifetime will pour a ton of money into advertising because they want to prove that I was nothing and I was nobody and they saved me." (Eonline)

The moms of "Dance Moms" are absolutely thrilled with their new host, Cheryl Burke, and equally excited to throw dirt on Abby Lee Miller's metaphorical grave. The longtime "Dancing with the Stars" pro showed up at 8 Count Dance Academy in L.A. to start working with her new students. She played it coy when paps compared her to Abby. The moms, on the other hand, couldn't wait to blab about ditching Abby and upgrading -- in their eyes -- to Cheryl. Damn. Body's not even cold. (TMZ)

Robin Thicke and Paula Patton are on the verge of reaching a settlement in their custody war over 6-year-old son Julian, and their new peace treaty has come close to normalizing the family. Sources familiar with the situation tell us, Paula has agreed to give Robin significant time with their son. We're told both Robin and Paula saw the light and realized their battle was taking an emotional toll on Julian, so they agreed to work toward a settlement. There's a catch. The L.A. County Dept. of Children and Family Services has an open case after Julian complained to teachers at his school Robin was using excessive corporal punishment ... something Robin has denied. As we reported, Julian had become fearful of Robin, but in the last few weeks they have been spending an increasing amount of time together -- especially since Paula has been out of town filming -- and we're told the boy is now "comfortable" with his dad. We're told the settlement should be signed in about a week. The deal was supposed to be sealed last weekend, but some issues popped up they're still hashing out, but we're told they won't torpedo the settlement. As for Robin and Paula ... the divorce is in the process of becoming finalized. (TMZ)

Katherine Jackson hopped a flight from London to L.A. to make sure she's in court for her elder abuse case against Trent Jackson ... TMZ has learned. Sources connected to the Jacksons tell us Katherine jetted back because the judge has said her lawsuit against Trent -- her nephew and longtime caretaker -- would be thrown out of court if she wasn't present to testify. A hearing is scheduled for Wednesday afternoon. We're told Trent believes Katherine jetted back, ending her nearly 2 month stay with Janet Jackson, because Jermaine Jackson and other siblings are in her ear ... pumping her up to go full bore against Trent in court. However, sources connected to Trent tell us he's ready and willing to walk away, literally, if that's what Katherine wants -- even though he's done nothing but care for her for years. That's the odd twist. If he's prepared to wave the white flag, why go to war in court? We're told Trent thinks some of Katherine's children are pushing her to go forward because they believe it will help them gain control of the estate. Doesn't really make sense, but something's clearly up for Katherine to rush back to L.A. for court. (TMZ)

A friend of Keshia Knight Pulliam's estranged husband says Ed Hartwell's girlfriend made an ominous request about something to "cause a miscarriage" during Keshia's pregnancy. The friend, Damia Ward-Henley, made the revelation in new court docs filed by Keshia in her divorce case. Damia describes herself as a friend of Ed and Tonya Carroll ... who she says Ed started dating while he was still married to Keshia. According to the docs, Damia says Tonya found out Keshia was pregnant in June 2016, and was very upset because she wanted Ed to leave Keshia. In the docs, Damia says Tonya told her "she wanted to get something that would cause someone to have a miscarriage." Damia says she shot down the request and told Tonya and Ed to break off their adulterous relationship. Keshia also filed docs saying she's worried Ed -- an ex-NFL player -- is unfit to care for their 2-month-old daughter because she's seen him take OxyContin. She says Ed testified in a lawsuit with the NFL that he's suffering severe physical and mental problems, and needs to take many drugs to cope. She wants a court-appointed guardian to evaluate his parental fitness. (TMZ)

Blac Chyna's on the attack against Tyga because she thinks baby daddy #1 is teaming up with #2 -- Rob Kardashian -- to spread lies about her. Sources close to the family tell TMZ ... Chyna went off after she heard Tyga's telling people she wants to kiss, make up and get back together with him -- a news flash that came from Rob. We're told Chyna got pissed because she hardly talks to Tyga, and had only reached out to him recently to demand he pay King's nannies -- even though they'd normally do that on their own. Other sources tell us Tyga misinterpreted the call from Chyna, and thought she wanted to talk about more than co-parenting ... something he shared with his new bff, Rob. We're told the guys have gotten tight ever since BC and Rob broke up. The problem's obvious -- Rob and Tyga talk ABOUT Chyna, but Rob's also talking TO Chyna about all of it ... according to our sources. Y'know the saying: Loose lips sink relationships with baby mamas. (TMZ)

Mischa Barton is ripping the ex-bf behind the sex tape that's being shopped around, and says he's more interested in destroying her emotionally than financially. Mischa went on 'Dr. Phil' and revealed the exact moment she found out about the tape. As she's said ... the guy responsible is someone she used to love, but she told Phil she desperately tried to distance herself from him after finding out about the secret recording. It didn't work. The episode airs Monday, and Mischa will also talk about that bizarre incident in her backyard, where she claimed she was slipped "a cocktail of drugs." (TMZ)

The Mindy Project's Adam Pally Arrested for Misdemeanor Drug Possession in New York City. Adam Pally has found himself in a legal situation. E! News can confirm The Mindy Project and Making History star was arrested Tuesday night in New York City for criminal possession of a controlled substance and criminal possession of marijuana. They are both misdemeanor charges. According to New York police, the actor was smoking marijuana from an e-cigarette in public view. When officers searched Adam, they found the actor was in possession of a small amount of cocaine. Adam's rep has not responded to E! News' request for comment. Police say Adam was arrested, taken to jail, processed and was later released. He was given a desk appearance ticket and has a court date for this June. Fans know Adam for his funny roles as Peter Prentice in The Mindy Project and Max Blum in Happy Endings. He currently stars in the Fox comedy Making History. As to why he left The Mindy Project, the actor recently expressed how much he loved doing the show. At the same time, he wanted to explore other parts of the industry. "You know, I loved my time on The Mindy Project so much... I loved every second, and I'm indebted to Mindy Kaling for my career, really," he shared with the A.V. Club. "She really breathed the second life into my career. At the time it was over, I had done five years straight of 22 episodes of network television, and I was a little burnt, and I wanted to do indie movies. And so I went and I did, and Mindy was totally fine with it. Which, not a lot of bosses would be." TMZ was first to report the news. (Eonline)

THE OTHER STUFF . . .

Jennifer Lawrence's New Dior Ad Campaign Would Make Katniss Everdeen Proud. Is this Jennifer Lawrence's most personal Dior campaign yet? The Oscar winner, who kicks ass as rebel leader Katniss Everdeen in The Hunger Games films and as Mystique in the X-Men movies and has spoken out about equality for women, channels her feminist persona in ads for the luxury brand's fall 2017 line. Actually, she just straight spells it out. In a few photos, she wears a white T-shirt with the words "We Should All Be Feminists," paired with dark jeans and handbags. Other photos show Lawrence wearing a dark blazer and sporting other white Dior shirts. In addition to being political, the photos also showcase the most casual and personal looks Lawrence has sported in a Dior campaign since she became a celebrity spokesmodel for the luxury brand in 2012. The actress has appeared in numerous ads for Dior apparel, accessories and makeup and has often worn Dior dresses on red carpets, including at the Oscars. She signed a new three-year deal with Dior for $15 million in 2014. The new Dior campaign "captures Jennifer Lawrence just as she is," according to a company statement. "In a series of black and white photographs, the actress and house muse appears both elegant and relaxed, unposed and without artifice," the statement reads. "The clothes she wears correspond to her own personal style as a young woman of today." (Eonline)

Stop What You're Doing and Watch LeAnn Rimes and Anthony Anderson Sing About...Breast Exams! LeAnn Rimes and Anthony Anderson are making us laugh -- and sing -- for a very good cause. The singer and the Black-ish star have teamed up for a new Stand Up To Cancer PSA that features them singing "Treasured Chest," a very catchy song about...breast exams! And only E! News has the exclusive first look at their video. "Mammography's like photography but just for your breasts," they croon in the country-inspired ballad. "For the best shot they'll need them compressed -- squeeze! -- between two plates, then they'll snap some x-rays." The SU2C and Rally Health musical campaign promotes the importance of proactive screenings and early detection in the fight against breast cancer and colorectal cancer. The PSAs encourage people to visit GetScreenedNow.org to take a pledge to get screened. "I'm honored to help Stand Up To Cancer and Rally increase awareness about the importance of breast cancer screenings," Rimes says. "It's important to know your risks for cancer, especially breast cancer, which is the second leading cause of cancer deaths for U.S. women. By taking the pledge, you are also taking a step toward prevention and early detection -- which are both key in the fight against cancer." Anderson said, "Breast cancer has taken too many of our mothers, sisters, grandmothers and friends, and I'm proud to join Stand Up To Cancer and Rally to help change that statistic. By getting screened early on, women can take charge of their health and take preventive actions against cancer." (Eonline)

James Van Der Beek Survives Painfully Awkward TV Interview. Kudos to James Van Der Beek for keeping it together during an excruciating interview with British morning show This Morning. Co-hosts Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby introduced the actor in a way that made it seem like he hadn't been on TV since Dawson's Creek, launching what went on to be a very uncomfortable live interview. "What happened to the main man himself, Mr. James Van Der Beek?" Schofield asked, rhetorically. "He's here now, and that's what he looks like." This Morning displayed a photo of Van Der Beek from more than 20 years ago, and the actor looked less than pleased about it. "I have been on television the last 20 years, just to let you know," Van Der Beek noted. "We know that, but it worked better as a link," Schofield quipped. "You have been very busy! When we were looking back at the information on Dawson's Creek, you played a 15 year old, but you were 20, weren't you?" Visibly miffed, Van Der Beek, who was there to promote his new series Sky One's Carters Get Rich, responded, "From what I remember. It was a long time ago." The co-hosts continued with their line of questioning about the hit teen drama, and Van Der Beek answered cordially despite the awkward turn it had taken. "At a certain point it became easier to do it and then let it go after that," Van Der Beek said after admitting he's never seen the series in full, adding, "It changed my life, it was a huge opportunity." Viewers called out the co-hosts on Twitter. "Great job on being dicks, what a demeaning start to an interview! no wonder he felt awkward @vanderjames," wrote one viewer. "Ooh harsh intro," noted another. Others thought Van Der Beek was in the wrong. "Very awkward interview. How @hollywills and @Schofe remain so upbeat when dealing with his rudeness. I need tips," wrote one fan. "How arrogant was @vanderjames on @thismorning came across so bitter he hasn't done as well as others off @dawsonscreek So rude! #getoverit," tweeted another. (Eonline)

Dan Taberski, creator of the Missing Richard Simmons podcast, did his best to make sure the fitness guru heard the podcast dedicated to him. "I wanted to make sure that Richard was hearing the podcast, because that was a big part of this," Taberski said on Katie Couric's podcast, which aired Thursday. Unsure if Simmons would even know how to listen to a podcast online, Taberski decided to deliver the episodes straight to his door. "Sometimes I think of Richard Simmons like my grandmother, like I'm not quite sure if he knows how the internet works," he said. "So it was literally just putting what we had done into a boom box and putting it on his stoop, and to get his reaction so that we would know that he had heard it." Taberski isn't sure if Simmons received the boom box, but says his housekeeper Teresa Reveles definitely saw it. "I put it over the fence, which is super easy to do because it's right there on the street, and then we left," he said. "And as we're driving away, I saw Teresa, the housekeeper, come pick it up. So we're like, 'Great, mission accomplished.'" Taberski left a note along with the boom box inviting Simmons to speak with him the next day. While Simmons did not show up at the appointed time, the whole experience did provide Taberski with some closure. "Inside was a note saying, 'We'll be back at 9 o'clock, if you want to talk to me... I don't know if you're getting any of my messages [... ] We'll wait 10 minutes. If you come out then, then we'll be waiting for you and we can talk. If not, this is it, we're done,'" recalled Taberski. "And he didn't come out." Simmons' manager previously told PEOPLE that the 68-year-old -- who has not been seen in public since 2014 -- did not want the attention the podcast was bringing. "Dan said to me, 'People just want to have a chance to thank him and congratulate him and let him sort of have a final send-off.' But he doesn't require that!" Simmons' manager, Michael Catalano, said. "You can't force it on someone. He's not asking for a curtain call." (People)

Move Over, Burger Babes! Carl's Jr. Has a New Muse, and There's Not a Bikini-Clad Girl in Sight. Maybe sex doesn't sell after all? Carl's Jr., known far and wide for their ad campaigns starring scantily-clad women lusting over their burgers, is back with a new message: "Food, not boobs." In their latest commercial released Wednesday, the fast-food chain pokes fun at their typically risque shtick with a fictional father-son narrative pitting past against future. Enter ruggedly handsome Nashville star Charles Esten, cast as Carl Hardee Sr., who storms into Carl's Jr. headquarters to take back what he founded years ago from his son, Carl Hardee Jr. The office is overrun with, you guessed it, bikinis, Jacuzzi's, a mechanical bull and general debauchery. But thanks to Carl Hardee Sr., not for long! So what gives? Carl's Jr is revamping with the new tagline, "Pioneers of the great American burger." No longer will foodies see celebs like Kate Upton, Audrina Patridge, Emily Ratajkowski, Heidi Klum, Padma Lakshmi, Hayden Panettiere, Nina Agdal and Charlotte McKinney wearing next-to nothing and chowing down in their ads. Instead, expect far less skin and way more close-ups on fresh ingredients. (Eonline)

On the heels of her horrible, headline-making divorce from Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie has set her sights on the famed, and very private, Cecil B. DeMille estate, which is up for sale for just under $25 million. The historic home of filmmaker DeMille, in a private community in Los Feliz, Calif., was owned by the "founding father of US cinema" for around 40 years until his death in 1959. The fully restored Beaux Arts mansion was built in 1913. It has six bedrooms and 10 bathrooms, is set on 2.1 elevated acres in the prestigious gated Laughlin Park and has been described as "classic Old Hollywood." A source tells Page Six that Jolie "wants to make this her new home," but reps for the actress and the listing broker did not return calls to Page Six on Wednesday night. After filing for divorce, Pitt and Jolie put many of their shared homes up for sale, including Chateau Miraval in the south of France and their New Orleans mansion. Pitt originally bought the former couple's Hollywood Hills home in 1994 and has spent over 20 years renovating and expanding it. His production company, Plan B, reportedly is based at the compound. Other sources say that despite her interest in the DeMille house, which will likely become her LA base, she'll continue globe-trotting with her brood and working on humanitarian causes. Meanwhile, Jolie and Pitt have made peace, he recently visited their six kids in Cambodia while she was filming "First They Killed My Father." (Page Six)

George Clooney talks Amal Clooney pregnancy while she goes off to give epic speech. He spoke about potential names... Amal and George Clooney are expecting *twins*, and now the happy father-to-be has opened up more about the pregnancy... On the red carpet at CinemaCon, George opened up about Amal and their exciting news. "She is doing really great. She is amazing," he said. "I don't have anything to do. There is nothing I can do to help, but make tea and stuff." Later at the event, he said: "I don't know how you fully digest [having twins], but I'm excited. It will be fun." The interview came as human rights lawyer Amal headed off to Chatham House in London to give a speech about war crimes in Syria and Iraq. Leading a speech at the meet, Amal told The Guardian she was looking to safeguard evidence about Islamic State war crimes and to urge leaders to hold them accountable for "the worst crimes of our generation." George - who co-owns a tequila brands called Casamigos - also confirmed some news about the baby names, or rather the BANNED baby names. "My wife says I can't name them Casa and Amigos. That's the one thing I'm not allowed to do," George said. "It was just a thought," he continued. "I mean, you know, it's a family business!" When the exciting baby news was first confirmed in February, the future baby-daddy spoke out about his feelings about it. On a French TV show, Rencontres de Cinema, George was asked how he was feeling, and he was all smiles, saying: "We are really happy and really excited. It's going to be an adventure. We've sort of embraced it all... with arms wide open." (British Glamour)

Maverick Carter, the guy who helped LeBron James score a fortune with Nike, nearly got his own loot jacked in a burglary ... TMZ Sports has learned. LBJ's honcho of all business deals has a crib in the Hollywood Hills, naturally, and got an unwanted visitor on March 22. According to law enforcement sources ... Maverick heard a sound outside his home around 2:30 AM and flipped on his exterior lights. He didn't see anything, but called police anyway ... just to be sure. We're told LAPD officers didn't find any signs of a break-in and left -- but in the morning, Maverick reviewed his surveillance video, and BAM ... there he was. Clear as day, Maverick could see a man in a black ski mask skulking around his property and trying to open doors. The attempted robber bolted when the lights came on. We're told police have seen the video and are investigating ... and Maverick narrowly avoids joining Emmy Rossum, Nick Young, Jaime Pressly, Alanis Morissette and Kendall Jenner ... on the list of celeb burglary victims. (TMZ)

Ashlee Allen followed Abby Lee Miller's lead and left "Dance Moms" -- but for a totally different reason ... she wasn't down with the show trying to sex things up with the kids. We spoke to the now-former dance mom, and she told us -- first and foremost -- the Lifetime show will never be the same without Abby at the helm. Then she lays it on us ... "Dance Moms" producers have apparently been pushing for sexier dance routines, which Ashlee says was too much for her and her teen daughter, Brynn. Abby didn't mention anything about this specifically in her public bow out this week. Instead, she cited "being manipulated, disrespected, and used - day in and day out" by male showrunners. There's footage of the dance number that set Ashlee off ... and it's pretty racy for 14, 15 and 16-year-olds. We've reached out to "Dance Moms" brass ... so far, no word back. (TMZ)

This is next level! Elon Musk -- the billionaire founder of Tesla and SpaceX – has launched a new "medical research" company called Neuralink with the intention of exploring technology to connect computers to the human brain. What a time to be alive! The Wall Street Journal says this will be done through "neural lace" technology AKA the implanting of tiny electrodes into the brain that allow people to have direct computing capabilities. Crazzzy! Not too much information is out there about the process, but Musk tweeted on Tuesday: Long Neuralink piece coming out on @waitbutwhy in about a week. Difficult to dedicate the time, but existential risk is too high not to. -- Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 28, 2017 (Perez Hilton)

Music

Lana Del Rey announces new album Lust for Life. And there's a teaser trailer to go with it. Lana Del Rey has announced that she is releasing a new record, Lust for Life. This is the first album she's released since 2015's Honeymoon. Writing on her Facebook page, the 31-year-old has promised fans it's "coming soon" alongside a video trailer of her album. Ditching the Americana nostalgic image she became famed for, the visual trailer is dark and witchy. She talks about the troubled times the world finds itself in (presumably referring to Trump's election amongst other things) and how that has influenced her. "When I'm in the middle of making a record, especially now when the world is in the middle of such a tumultuous period, I find I really need to take the space for myself far away from real life, to consider what my contribution to the world should be in these dark times." I guess we'll just have to listen to the new album to find out, hey? (British Glamour)

Luke Bryan & Dierks Bentley Team Up for Classic Rendition of Merle Haggard's 'Ramblin' Fever' on 'Late Show'. The two country crooners will serve as hosts of this year's ACM Awards on April 2. Before Luke Bryan and Dierks Bentley suit up to host the Academy of Country Music Awards on Sunday (April 2), the singers paid tribute to their country roots with a joint cover of Merle Haggard's "Ramblin' Fever" on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. Appropriately clad in flannel and denim, Bryan and Bentley strummed their guitars and brought their best country twang to pay tribute to the late country legend Wednesday night (March 29). As proven by their harmonies, the country stars were totally in sync on stage -- something that will serve them well when the ACMs take place just a few days after their Late Show performance. For the second year in a row, Bentley and Bryan will partner up to host the ACM Awards, which brings Nashville's biggest names to Las Vegas. This year's show will be Bryan's fifth ACM hosting gig, while Bentley's return marks his second go around. The pair sat down with Colbert prior to their performance to give a preview of what they have in store for their joint hosting spot this year, giving Colbert some advice for his own hosting job at the Emmys in September. "Drinking beforehand, lots," Bentley joked. (Billboard)

Katy Perry, Major Lazer, Solange & More to Play Glastonbury 2017. If you thought the 2017 Glastonbury Festival was already stacked thanks to headliners Ed Sheeran, Radiohead and Foo Fighters, wait until you see who else they have lined up for this year. The likes of Katy Perry, Major Lazer and Solange are just a few of the big-ticket artists who were announced in the first wave of acts for the U.K. fest Thursday morning (March 30). Also joining the bill are Lorde, The xx, Barry Gibb, Run the Jewels, Father John Misty, The Flaming Lips, Haim, Alt-J, Stormzy, Clean Bandit, Anderson .Paak, Glass Animals, George Ezra... the impressive list goes on, with even more to be announced in the near future. Glastonbury Festival will take place at Worthy Farm in Pilton, Somerset, England, from June 21-25. Tickets for this year's event are sold out (and have been since October), but for more information on the festival, visit Glastonbury's official website. (Billboard)

Little Mix Go Country in Sassy 'No More Sad Songs' Video, Feat. Machine Gun Kelly. Little Mix just released a music video for "No More Sad Songs," featuring rapper Machine, and it's giving us serious Coyote Ugly vibes. The clip takes place at a country bar, complete with a mechanical bull, chaps and cowboy hats. The girls even show off their line-dancing skills and get on the bar to hose water all over the cheering crowd. It's certainly a bit on the sassy side, but the fun aligns with the forget-the-drama attitude of the song. "No More Sad Songs" is the third single from the group's 2016 album Glory Days. They've had three singles on the Billboard Hot 100 since they formed in 2011 on the U.K. version of The X Factor: "Black Magic," "Wings" and, most recently, "Shout Out To My Ex." In February, "Shout Out to My Ex" won a BRIT Award for British single. (Billboard)

Movies

Kirstie Alley auditioned for Glenn Close's iconic "I'm not going to be ignored" stalker role in "Fatal Attraction" -- but while Alley didn't land the role, she contributed a key part to the film. In the new book, "Leading Lady: Sherry Lansing and the Making of a Hollywood Groundbreaker," ex-Paramount CEO Lansing recalls Alley read for the role but, "Her [then] husband [Parker Stevenson] had been stalked by a woman who camped outside their house and made their lives hell. Kirstie had saved a tape of the woman's calls and gave it to [director] Adrian [Lyne]. You could hear the woman crying as she begged to be part of this man's life. Adrian ended up using it verbatim." When Close was tipped for the part, co-star Michael Douglas reveals in the book, "There was a debate about her sexiness. They gave me the most beautiful wife [Anne Archer] .?.?. and the whole thing was: How could you leave this gorgeous woman for Glenn Close?" But Close changed her look for the audition. "My hair was long," she says. "I finally said, 'F?-?-?k this,' and I let it go all crazy." Douglas adds, "She just knocked it out of the park. She already had the Medusa hair. It was a Glenn you'd never seen before." (Page Six)

This is how Frozen was supposed to end. And it would have been a real game changer... It's been almost four years since Disney's Frozen hit the box office and became the most successful animation of all time. And now, it has been revealed that the Oscar winning film's famous ending wasn't actually meant to happen. Frozen's producer, Peter Del Vecho, dropped the bombshell in a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly explaining that the film's creative team hit a writer's block just as they received an ultimatum from Disney's animation chief, Ed Catmull. "He called and said, 'If you can make that ending pay off and if we can really feel it, I think we'll have a successful film. And if you don't ... we'll have nothing.'... So that really put the pressure on to make that work," said Del Vecho. "So when we started off, Anna and Elsa were not sisters. They weren't even royal," he continued - a fact previously revealed by Bell who is the voice of Anna in the film. In the film's original draft, "Anna was not a princess. Elsa was a self-proclaimed Snow Queen, but she was a villain and pure evil -- much more like the Hans Christian Andersen tale," the producer explained. "We started out with an evil female villain and an innocent female heroine and the ending involved a big epic battle with snow monsters that Elsa had created as her army." So, Elsa was meant to be a super villain who was scorned after being left at the altar by the guy she was in love with ( because she clearly couldn't let it go), while Anna was a pure-hearted heroine and the final act's original story was meant to go down like this: The evil snow queen (Elsa) creates and unleashes an army of snow monsters upon the heroes as Kristoff - the mountaineer with the reindeer Sven whom develops a crush on Anna along the way - has 'a Han Solo moment' and comes to Anna's aid. To halt Elsa's attacking snow monsters in their cold tracks, Prince Hans intentionally causes a massive avalanche, despite the fact that Anna, Elsa and all of Arendelle could perish in the icy extinction-level event. Despite Frozen going through many different drafts, all of the earliest iterations opened with the following prophecy: "A ruler with a frozen heart will bring destruction to the kingdom of Arendelle." The twist is that this prophecy is actually not about Elsa, but about Hans -- he's the one with a metaphorical frozen heart because he's an unfeeling sociopath. Elsa's heart is then unfrozen allowing her to love again. Yep, we know. Game changer! And quite frankly, it just wasn't good enough for the creators... "The problem was that we felt like we had seen it before," admitted Del Vecho. "It wasn't satisfying. We had no emotional connection to Elsa -- we didn't care about her because she had spent the whole movie being the villain. We weren't drawn in. The characters weren't relatable." Eventually, making them related led the team to the idea of Elsa living in fear of her powers. "What if she's afraid of who she is? And afraid of hurting the ones she loves? Now we had a character in Anna who was all about love and Elsa who was all about fear. That led to making Elsa a much more dimensional sympathetic character, and instead of the traditional good vs. evil theme we had one that we felt was more relatable: Love vs. fear, and the premise of the movie became that love is stronger than fear." (British Glamour)

Tycoon Alexander Mamut Acquires Russia's Largest Cinema Chain. Mamut is reportedly considering another acquisition in what would be the largest consolidation every in the Russian industry. Russian tycoon Alexander Mamut has acquired the country's largest cinema chain Cinema Park and is reportedly in negotiations to buy another theater group in what would be the biggest consolidation ever in the Russian movie industry. A representative for Mamut's investment company, A&NN Investments, was quoted by the Russian business daily Kommersant as saying that the Cinema Park deal has been closed. According to the report, Mamut is also closing in on another major Russian cinema chain, Formula Kino. The deal would create a super-player in the industry that has been a rather tight race so far. Cinema Park, Russia's largest cinema chain, runs 39 theaters mostly located outside Moscow and St Petersburg and accounts for 7.5 percent of the market. Formula Kino, the sector's No. 2 company, has 35 theaters and a 5.9 percent market share. Mamut owns Moscow's main art-house movie theater Pioner and recently rented the city's iconic cinema Khudozhestvenny in exchange for its major renovation estimated to cost about 1 billion rubles ($17.6 million). Mamut also owns the media group Rambler & Co and book publisher Azbuka-Atticus. (Hollywood Reporter)

Academy President Cheryl Boone Isaacs Honored With Pioneer of the Year Award at CinemaCon. "I wanted to make sure our entire industry saw the value in diversity and inclusion," Boone Isaacs said of her time as Academy president. President of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Cheryl Boone Isaacs was honored with the Pioneer of the Year award at a gala event during CinemaCon in Las Vegas on Wednesday night. The event, hosted by the Will Rogers Motion Picture Pioneers Foundation, highlighted the marketing and PR exec's accomplishments in her field and as the president of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). As the 35th president of AMPAS, Boone Isaacs is the first African American to hold the title and only the third woman. Boone Isaacs, who is nearing the end of her fourth and final term as Academy president, was credited for her work in making the Academy membership more diverse in the wake of #OscarsSoWhite, and for dealing with the challenges of this year's Oscars and the best picture mix-up. David Oyelowo presented Boone Isaacs with the honor, saying: "To people who are underrepresented, to have someone like you to look up to-I know when you're no longer President of the Academy, we're going to miss you." He said he first met Boone Isaacs after he starred in the awards contender Selma. "It was around that time of the controversy, otherwise known as OscarsSoWhite, that I met Cheryl," he said. "It was then I realized there was no better person than Cheryl to help push change." Boone Isaacs started the initiative A2020 that aims to make the Oscars more inclusive over the next five years. The latest class of Academy members, 683 new invitations, was made up of 46 percent female and 41 percent people of color. When Boone Isaacs took the stage to accept her award, she spoke about her ambitions to change the industry. "As Academy president, I wanted to make sure our entire industry saw the value in diversity and inclusion," she said. "Yes, it's a personal thing to me as a woman and a woman of color. But it should be personal to everyone." "We're not growing if we're not gaining new perspective. We're all stronger, our art is more alive, our industry more innovative when we are awakened to fresh perspective," she added. "I believe we all have a responsibility to open our industry to reflect the complete mosaic and diversity of our country and the world." Boone Isaacs previously worked as a publicity and marketing executive in the industry, working at Columbia Pictures, Paramount and New Line. She orchestrated campaigns for several Oscar nominated films and winners including Forrest Gump, Braveheart and The King's Speech. "No matter what the cynics say, no matter how many people say something can't be done, no matter how many people say something's impossible, keep aiming high," she added. (Hollywood Reporter)

'Justice League': Zack Snyder Brings Banter-Heavy Footage to CinemaCon. The DC teamup hits theaters Nov. 17. The Justice League cast (minus Gal Gadot) united at CinemaCon to show off some new footage. Director Zack Snyder came to the stage with Batman (Ben Affleck), Superman (Henry Cavill), Aquaman (Jason Momoa) -- plus The Flash (Ezra Miller), who provided a piggyback ride to Cyborg (Ray Fisher). The stars came out after a sizzle reel that showed off new footage, as well as an expanded version of the full trailer from last week. Here's a little about the new look at the movie: Alfred (Jeremy Irons) tells Bruce Wayne that his employer has been working like there is no tomorrow trying to assemble the team. Soon, we're in a Wayne warehouse, where Bruce is working on a giant vehicle. Bruce remarks that he spent $1 million on the security for that building, to which Wonder Woman (Gadot) answers he got his money's worth, because it took him almost a minute to disable it. Bruce explains the vehicle he's working on his a troop carrier (it seemed reminiscent of something from the Batman v Superman nightmare dream sequence.) Later in the footage, Batman and Barry Allen/The Flash are standing on a roof (out of costume) and they see the Batsignal in the sky. "Oh awesome. It's the Batsignal! That's your signal," Barry tells Bruce, before apologizing for speaking too loudly about it. "That means we have to go now. That's so cool." After the footage, the Justice League trotted out to say hello to the crowd. "Justice League is a culmination of a journey that for me has been seven years," said Snyder. "I'm a huge fan of these characters and this is a dream come true to bring them all together in this single film." The actors didn't speak during the brief hello, with Snyder offering the explanation that they are "too awesome." Elsewhere in the DC Expanded Universe, the panel offered looks at Aquaman and Wonder Woman. Earlier during the Warner Bros panel, there was also new look at the next Lego project. Clips from The Lego Nijango Movie included Lloyd (voiced by Dave Franco) asking his mother (Olivia Munn) how she met dad, the evil war Lord Garmadon (Justin Theroux). They meet when he's a junior exec and she works in public relations, and the romance, set to the classic "Take My Breath Away" from Top Gun, ends with the pair married and riding off on a motorcycle. From Warner Animation Group, the voice cast also includes Jackie Chan as Sensei Wu. It's slated to debut Sept. 22. Justice League hits theaters Nov. 17. (Hollywood Reporter)

TV

Game of Thrones's Official Season 7 Trailer Is Finally Here. The long walk to season seven has begun, Game of Thrones fans! HBO just released a new trailer for the highly-anticipated seventh season of the hit series and it features three of our favorite characters doing, well, a lot of walking. The clip highlights three of the leaders gearing up to do some major battle for the Iron Throne -- Jon Snow (Kit Harington), Daenerys (Emilia Clarke) and the Mad Queen herself, Cersei (Lena Heady) -- as they travel the halls of their respective kingdoms to take their place on their own thrones. The final shot is a stark reminder (no pun intended) that the real war ahead is one that just might prove to unite all these feuding factions. As Cersei exhales, her breath visible in the fresh winter air, the camera pulls out to reveal the crystal blue eye of the Night King. And he doesn't care who sits on the Iron Throne. The truncated season -- down from the usual 10 episodes to seven -- will be returning to HBO a bit later than usual this year, as the network's wonky melting ice date reveal announced. The show's penultimate season will hit the pay cable network in July. Joining the fray this season are fresh faces Jim Broadbent, Ed Sheeran and NY Mets pitcher Noah "Thor" Snydergaard. While the latter two are expected to only have brief cameos, Broadbent will play a crucial role in the season. "I'm a maester, an archmaester," he told Screen Crush. "I'm an old professor character." The actor also revealed that he'd be in five of the season's seven episodes. "I did sort of one major scene in each episode," he said, adding that he shared his scenes with Sam (John Bradley) And as if we weren't excited enough about the new episode, Maisie Williams' tweets have promised the finale will be one for the ages. "Just finished reading season 7. S -- t gets REAL," she tweeted. "I'd start preparing yourselves now... Scratch that, nothing will prepare you for this." Game of Thrones returns for season seven on Sunday, July 16 on HBO. (Eonline)

Why Ellen Pompeo Couldn't Say No to Directing Grey's ANATOMY. 13 seasons into her run as the star of Grey's Anatomy, Ellen Pompeo is finally adding another title to her actor-producer hyphenate: Director. The actress stepped behind the camera for the first time this year, and the fruits of her labor debuted Thursday night with the moving Maggie-centric episode that chronicles the young thoracic surgeon's quest to cure her adoptive mom after learning just how sick she truly is. While directing wasn't always part of Pompeo's plan, when the offer to craft an hour of the show that made her a star came her way, she had no choice but to say yes. Eventually. "The directing came about because Ms. Debbie Allen, she'd been after me to direct for a while. And I kept saying no," Pompeo admitted in a featurette released by ABC. "But Debbie doesn't take no for an answer and my boss [Shonda Rhimes] wrote a book called The Year of Yes, and those two things combined make it pretty hard to say no to people around here." As Allen, who not only recurs as Dr. Catherine Avery, but also serves an executive producer, puts it, the decision to get Pompeo behind the camera was a no-brainer. "Ellen Pompeo as an actor has always been so generous, has always been so good about story," she said. "And I could see that she had this nurturing quality and she has a vision, so I asked her if she would direct." While the mechanics of directing were a bit of a learning curve for Pompeo, she didn't let that stand in the way of realizing her vision for the episode. "We talked about just the basics of acting and capturing it on film. She knows the lingo of actors. The lingo of the camera is new to her," Allen explained. "I just love the command she is taking. She knows what she wants. If she doesn't know how to explain it to you, she'll figure it out." After being on the receiving end of Pompeo's direction in her spotlight episode, Kelly McCreary sang the praises of her co-star. "Ellen is really in her element as a director," she said. "She has vision in spades." The experience was such a natural fit, there's already talk of Pompeo calling the shots on another episode next season -- if her day job doesn't get in the way, that is. "We're already talking about next season," Allen said. "She's like, 'Debbie, I think I want to do two!' I'm like, 'Calm down, honey. Calm down because we need you in front of the camera.'" Grey's Anatomy airs Thursdays at 8 p.m. on ABC. (Eonline)

How 13 Reasons Why's Kate Walsh Got Into the Mindset of a Grieving Mother. 13 Reasons Why is not your typical teen drama. And Kate Walsh is not your typical mom in the atypical 13 Reasons Why. Netflix's latest offering follows the tale of Hannah Baker (Katherine Langford), a high schooler who kills herself with no explanation, devastating her parents (played by Walsh and Smash's Brian D'Arcy James). But, naturally there's a twist, and Hannah left 13 reasons why she killed herself on 13 tapes for her peers in high school to discover. Each episode of the series is a tape explaining how the other students and their actions affected Hannah. To get into the role of grieving mother, Walsh dove right in. "I spoke to two parents that had a child that died by suicide and I spoke to a psychiatrist, who deals with family therapists, but particularly with families that lost someone in the family to suicide, so it was really helpful to talk to people from both areas and to get as specific as I could," Walsh told E! News during a recent interview. But then she let all that information go. "You want to do–obviously -- the most honest and honorable job you can to those who have had to deal with that kind of tragedy, but at the same time I wanted to really kind of come at it from my own place and honor what [creator Brian Yorkey] had written in the script," Walsh explained. The series is a heavy one, not quite an easy binge, and not quite easy to film. Walsh said she would go back and forth between filming in Northern California and Los Angeles and was able to let everything go when not on set. It's a show -- and Walsh's performance -- that will stick with you. And speaking of Walsh's memorably roles, is there any chance she'd return to the role of Dr. Addison Montgomery on Grey's Anatomy? "I don't know," she said with a laugh. "It's always a possibility, I guess, for a very, very, very special episode." Check out 13 Reasons Why when it drops on Netflix on Friday, March 31. (Eonline)

Kevin James and Leah Remini Just Became King and Queen of the TV Reunion Game. Just call these two King and Queen of the reunion game. Less than a week after news broke that Leah Remini would be joining Kevin James for the season finale of Kevin Can Wait, the Hollywood stars came together to prepare for an unforgettable episode. In several Instagram shots, fans were quickly reminded that the King of Queens stars still have the chemistry and humor that made their project so successful. "Having a blast on the set of @KevinCanWaitCBS!" Leah teased on social media Wednesday evening. "I can't wait for you to see what @kevinjames and I are working on! #KevinCanWait". The actress also shared an unscripted moment from the actual set where Kevin thought he was posing for a picture. In actuality, Leah had cameras already rolling. "Day one, Kevvy thinks he was taking a still photo #KevinCanWait #KevinCanWait," she joked online. So what exactly brought these two stars back together after their beloved sitcom went off the air in 2007? E! News confirmed that the pair will star in the two-part finale of Kevin Can Wait that includes Kevin's character coming out of retirement to reprise his undercover assignment in an ongoing police investigation. Along the way, he will join fellow cop Vanessa Cellucci (Leah) where they will pose as husband and wife. All in a day's work, right? Ever since King of Queens came to an end after nine successful seasons, Leah has worked on a variety of TV shows including The Exes, Leah Remini: It's All Relative and Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath. As for Kevin, he scored several roles on the big screen such as Zookeeper, Paul Blart: Mall Cop and I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry. Kevin Can Wait airs Mondays at 8 p.m. on CBS. And watch the two-part finale May 1 and 8. (Eonline)

Black Lightning Looks Super Cool in First Look at the CW's Newest DC Superhero. Get ready to be struck by some seriously cool lightning! The CW has released the first image of its newest superhero, Black Lightning, played by Heart of Dixie's Cress Williams, and it's hard not to get excited by both the picture and the premise of the pilot. Jefferson Pierce (Williams) is the dad of two daughters who used to save the world as the superhero black lightning. He has since hung up the suit, but now that one daughter is hell-bent on justice and the other is a star student being recruited by a local gang, he puts the suit back on and gets pulled into the fight. In the comics, Pierce is an athlete and former high school principal, and as Black Lightning, he has the power of electrokinesis, meaning he can generate and control his own electricity. "I knew way too much about the world as a young boy growing up in Richmond, California," executive producer, writer, and director Salim Akil said in a statement. "I was no stranger to violence, death, hopelessness, or the feeling that no one cared about what was happening in my life. Comics were a great way for me to escape. I was about 13 when Black Lightning was created, and finally there was a black super hero that gave a damn about our neighborhood and our lives." "Resurrecting him at a time in our society when a sense of hope is lacking, Black Lightning will be that hope," the statement continued. "And in updating the suit, it will signal to a new generation that it's time to harness and release our power, and become our own super heroes." The pilot, which is currently filming in Atlanta, is also executive produced by Greg Berlanti, Mara Brock Akil, and Sarah Schechter. The suit was designed by award-winning costume designer Laura Jean Shannon. (Eonline)

Charo Threatens to Quit Dancing With the Stars After Being Scored "Very Unfairly" by the Judges. If you thought Charo was passionate on the Dancing With the Stars ballroom floor, you haven't seen anything yet. E! News has learned that the fiery flamenco guitarist is threatening to give up her mirrorball trophy dreams and walk away from the competition altogether. "Charo was super upset this week about her scoring and she feels like she's being treated and scored very unfairly," our source told us. "She is seriously upset." In the two weeks of competition, Charo has earned a 21 and a 25 out of 40 from the judges, and she saw herself nearly eliminated at the end of week two when she was the last dancer revealed to be safe. Chris Kattan was ultimately eliminated. It was after that brush with elimination that the star took her complaints to producers. "She was telling producers that she doesn't like how they're underscoring her and she feels like she's been treated so badly so she was threatening to quit," our source continued. The producers were ultimately able to walk her back off the ledge, but we hear the threat still stands "unless they started scoring her performances more fairly." Our sources tell us that the question of fairness remains a sensitive subject among the cast. Between Heather Morris' dance background, Len Goodman's rather harsh critiques during Monday night's taping, and questions about who else among the stars has previous dance experience, we're told tensions are high. When E! News spoke with Charo and her partner Keo Motsepe immediately after she was spared from elimination, she didn't hold back about her disappointment over how the night went -- and not just for herself. "I was very upset that they kicked out Chris," she said. "I was about to make a deal. I go, and he stays. But I don't think the rules allow that. He tried very hard and it's so beautiful. Also, I was very upset that they gave [better scores] to Mr. T." A rep for Charo tells E! News, "Charo loves ABC and DWTS and she appreciates the opportunity afforded to her to be a part of the show." Request for comment from ABC was not immediately returned. Dancing With the Stars airs Mondays at 8 p.m. on ABC. (Eonline)

NBC Makes Jennifer Lopez's 'Bye Bye Birdie' Less Sexist for TV. "Having Rosie be Albert's secretary whom he's having an affair with is sexist and old-fashioned," explains Harvey Fierstein of J.Lo's character. NBC is giving the book and lyrics for Bye Bye Birdie a fine-tuning before the musical becomes the network's next live song-and-dance event in December. The original 1960 Tony-winning Broadway musical -- which inspired the 1963 film -- centers on a songwriter-agent Albert and his sweetheart secretary Rosie, who aim to stage a final publicity stunt for their hip-thrusting musician before he's drafted into the Army. However, Albert and Rosie -- the latter played by Jennifer Lopez, who is also exec producing -- won't be industry folks in the live staging, says Harvey Fierstein, who has finished adapting the book. "I want to be true to the time it takes place but at the same time, having Rosie be Albert's secretary whom he's having an affair with is a little sexist and old-fashioned. I didn't see any reason for that," he tells The Hollywood Reporter. "So I changed that. I made them both high school teachers." "He's the English teacher who writes a song, and she's the music teacher who says, 'I've got a great kid with a great voice,'" he continues. "He ends up being Conrad Birdie, who's supposed to only take one summer off to promote the record but turns into a star. It's been eight years and Rosie just wants to go back to their real lives. It really makes a lot more sense that way." Fierstein, currently starring in the off-Broadway play Gently Down the Stream, previously made similar modern updates to The Wiz and Hairspray for NBC. "I have great respect for Michael Stewart, who wrote the original book," he reassures. "I spoke to his sister and made sure she knew the changes I was going to make and I would hope Michael would be happy with, had he lived into our time." Also among the Bye Bye Birdie tweaks: The beloved opener "An English Teacher" will be repurposed with slightly changed lyrics, and many scenes and songs are reordered to accommodate the commercial-friendly format. For example, the musical will close with the climatic Ed Sullivan Show performance, which originally appears at the end of the stage show's first act. Further adjustments will also accommodate Lopez's wish for the airing to highlight Rosie's struggles as a Puerto Rican woman about to hit middle age and in a relationship with a man afraid of commitment, as seen in the original musical's book but lost in the 1963 film. Adds Fierstein, "Then, you know, Jennifer Lopez knows what she wants out of performing." (Hollywood Reporter)

Former 'Bake Off' Host Sue Perkins to Present BAFTA TV Awards. Perkins left the BBC's hit baking show last year after rival broadcaster Channel 4 bought the rights, an incident known as "Bakexit." Sue Perkins may have ditched the apron and left the U.K.'s most popular TV show, but the former host of The Great British Bake Off has been handed the top gig for the annual celebration of all things small screen, the Virgin BAFTA TV Awards. Perkins, a regular face on U.K. TV, will present the awards on May 14 at London's Festival Hall, where shows such as The Crown, The Night Manager and Planet Earth II are expected to feature prominently. "I am thrilled to be hosting the Virgin TV British Academy Television Awards this year," said Perkins. "Not only is it one of the highlights of the television calendar, it's also a superbly fun night and an opportunity to celebrate the incredible British talent we have behind our very best TV programs." Perkins hosted The Great British Bake Off for five seasons alongside longtime collaborator Mel Giedroyc, but said she wouldn't be returning when rival broadcaster Channel 4 infamously snatched the rights in 2016, a controversial deal swiftly labeled #Bakexit in the U.K. press. (Hollywood Reporter)

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