ENTERTAINMENT NEWS
Yes, Blake Lively Welcomed a Baby as Ryan Reynolds Played Marvin Gaye's "Let's Get It On." When it's time to give birth, don't forget to breathe, push and blast one very special song. While Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds have managed to keep much of their family life private, the Gossip Girl alumna recently dropped a small but significant deal regarding one smooth birth. In a new video posted onto Michael Kors' YouTube page, the fashion designer and Blake played an innocent game of Fact or Fiction. While all the questions and answers were pretty darn funny, there is one part that got fans smiling from ear to ear. "My husband played 'Let's Get It On' when I was in labor," Blake shared with Michael. So is it so true or so false? True! "My doctor was laughing so hard that I thought she was going to drop our baby," she joked to Michael who guessed correctly. Ryan would also confirm the news during a recent appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. "It was like steak knives came out of her eyes," the actor joked. "Like, 'Are you f--king s--tting me right now?' Real bad, yeah. But she was a mercenary. I think I just caught her right in the middle of a contraction." Ultimately, that wasn't the only hilarious confession Blake shared with the world-famous designer. When the topic of first kisses was brought up, Blake revealed that her initial smooch happened when she was a teenager. "I was 16 and it was on camera," she shared. "My first kiss was in a movie. I was just so terrified." And out of all the Hollywood stars she grew up with, there was one late-night host that really got the actress captivated. "I had a crush on David Letterman," she shared. "He had my dad's sense of humor." Today, the mother-of-two loves her life with husband Ryan and their children. As for Ryan, he's also equally grateful for the family life he enjoys each and every day. "I want to thank my wife, Blake, who is sitting right there who is everything to me. You are the best thing that has ever happened to me," Ryan shared when celebrating his Hollywood Walk of Fame star. "You make everything better -- absolutely everything in my life better. You've given us two of the most incredible children that I could ever hope to have. You've made me the father of my dreams when I thought I only had fun uncle potential." (Eonline)
Michael Buble's Wife Luisana Lopilato Speaks Out About Son Noah's Cancer Battle: "Thank God, My Son Is Well." Michael Buble's wife, Luisana Lopilato, confirmed that their son, Noah, is doing well after being diagnosed with cancer. Speaking at a press conference after returning to Argentina following her son's treatment in Los Angeles, Lopilato gushed about her 3-year-old son's bravery and praised his team of doctors. "Thank God, my son is well. When things like those that happened to us occur, your take on life changes," she said. "It happened to us. Now I value life much more, the now and the today. I would like to thank people for their support, for the prayers they said, for their love, and I want them to know that they reached us and that it helped us a lot to come through this." Lopilato admitted Noah's cancer-free news came very recently, and that she and her family were still "sensitive" about it, but they did find solace in their fans' prayers. "But the love is daily, when people stop me in the street," she continued. "It's wonderful to know that you're accompanied in life and that people love you." Buble and his family returned to Buenos Aires last month knowing their son was in good health, but his journey is far from over. "My son's recovery is a long process as you all know and he has to continue with check-ups," she shared. "But we are very happy. We are looking forward to thinking about the future, to seeing our children grow. Seeing Noah grow and being happy gave me the strength to return and finish this film." Lopilato and Buble put all of their professional obligations, including appearances and hosting gigs, on hold so they could be by their son's side at all times. The Canadian crooner was set to host The Brit Awards but dropped out at the last minute. "My faith in the fact God had a miracle helped me. I became strong so my son would get better. I transmitted that to all my friends and family," she continued. "As a family we were always very united and we fought this together. We did everything we could for our son, so he would come through this." The couple revealed their son's cancer diagnosis in a Facebook post in November. He then began four months of chemotherapy treatments. (Eonline)
Janet Jackson Spotted for the First Time Since Split From Wissam Al Mana. Janet Jackson is carrying on with her life. Following news of her split from Wissam Al Mana over the weekend, the Grammy winner was spotted for the first time while shopping in London on Monday. According to eyewitnesses, after her assistants returned some flowers to one shop, the star stepped into an artificial plant store for an hour and later perused sofas at a furniture shop. As a source told E! News, she was shopping for a light-colored sofa and had her eye on a grey piece. The 50-year-old performer was sporting a cap, baggy cape, relaxed pants and sneakers during the outing. The first-time mom wore her curly hair up in a ponytail as she emerged onto the street. Prior to the sighting, news broke of her separation from her husband of five years over the weekend. She and the Qatari businessman welcomed their first child together, a son named Eissa Al Mana, in early January. "Janet had a stress free healthy delivery and is resting comfortably," a statement from her rep read at the time. However, as a source told People, they called it quits not long after they welcomed their son. "They separated shortly after the baby was born," the source told the magazine. "The cultural differences between her and Wissam became even more obvious [after Eissa arrived]. They come from very different worlds." According to a report from The Mail on Sunday, Jackson plans to continue living in London with her baby. "They're both busy people but determined to be good parents, even if they're apart," a source told the newspaper. "It's amicable and Eissa will stay with his mother, who is basing herself in London." (Eonline)
Katy Perry Just Hilariously Weighed In on Those Ryan Phillippe Dating Rumors. Say what?! It was only a matter of time before Katy Perry weighed in on those pesky Ryan Phillippe dating rumors, and that time is now. The "Chained to the Rhythm" singer took to Twitter to reply to the actor's previous message from this weekend. Need a quick refresher? That's why we're here. Phillippe posted the following on social media to calm his fans' curiosity and to end the sudden increase in media attention after tabloids reported that he and Perry were flirting during Elton John's birthday bash. "I am not dating Katy Perry," he tweeted in all caps. "Barely know her. Please stop flying helicopters over my house. She is not here. Thx." And when responding to a fan who said that they wished they were linked romantically to Perry, the actor added, "don't mind 'people' thinking that. don't want low flying pervs hovering periodically." And earlier this afternoon, the Grammy Award winner finally chimed in regarding Phillippe's tweets with a tweet that's quintessentially Perry: "Can you let me out of this basement pls?" Cue the golf claps. She added, "Hi, @RyanPhillippe, nice to meet you. Sorry about that. Carry on." Phillippe was last romantically linked to fiancee Paulina Slagter, but called it quits on their five-year relationship last November. He co-parents two children, 17-year-old Ava and 13-year-old Deacon, with ex-wife Reese Witherspoon. Meanwhile, Perry split from Orlando Bloom in late February after less than a year together. (Eonline)
Are Brad Pitt and Sienna Miller dating? Brad Pitt was spotted doing some 'serious flirting' with Sienna Miller, the star of his new film. Hellooooo blonds! Rumors have been circulating about Brad Pitt and Sienna Miller for a couple of years now, and recently the pair set tongues wagging after a dinner to celebrate their new film. Miller is starring in The Lost City of Z, made by Pitt's production company Plan B. According to a restaurant spotter, they had dinner with friends on Wednesday which saw Pitt doing some 'serious flirting' with Miller. A source for Page Six says that they were "heavily enjoying each other's company," and "they were talking to each other all night." There had been reports of Miller and Pitt flirting on the set of the film in 2015, before his split from Angelina Jolie, but Sienna Miller said that was categorically untrue. "So this is the truth about that: Brad Pitt is producing the movie that I just wrapped, but I didn't see him. He's not been to the set," Miller said at the time. "You know, he's the producer of the film and I've met him twice. It's insane." (British Glamour)
Billie Lourd and Taylor Lautner are packing on the heat! The two lovebirds continued their PDA-filled vacation on Sunday, sharing hugs and kisses while at the beach in the Caribbean on Sunday. Lourd, 24, couldn't seem to keep her hands off her 25-year-old boyfriend as they swam through the ocean waves and took a stroll along the beach in St. Maarten, Dutch West Indies. The Scream Queens costars began their relationship shortly before the deaths of Lourd's mother Carrie Fisher and grandmother Debbie Reynolds in December. The Twilight actor has been a source of strength and comfort for Lourd. Lautner sported a baseball cap, grey T-shirt and maroon swimming trunks. His girlfriend opted for striped maroon shorts over a black and white striped one-piece bathing suit. On Saturday, Lautner posted a photo on his Instagram account from an aerial perspective of where the couple was enjoying some downtime, captioned: "#nofilter #blaseontheoutsideblessedontheinside #hashtagthief." The two were joined on their vacation by Lourd's dad, CAA co-chairman Bryan Lourd, and her stepdad, Bruce Bozzi. Bozzi also posted a photo on Instagram, capturing their family in a snapshot wearing face masks and writing, "The family that masks together lasts together! Hello 4/3/17 #fresh #relax @praisethelourd." (People)
Karrueche Tran and Quavo from Migos are definitely the real deal, but their relationship isn't real romantic just yet. Sources connected to both of them tell us Quavo's been hanging with Chris Brown's ex-GF for a few months, and while it started in the friend zone ... they've gotten much closer lately. They've juggled their schedules to wedge in a few dates. That includes this past weekend in Biloxi where they rode off together following Migos' concert. We're told neither's calling it "exclusive" at this point -- they're just enjoying each other's company. Sounds a lot like happily banging ... to us, anyway. (TMZ)
John Stamos and Bob Saget Recall Getting Roasted by Don Rickles: "It's Been the Highlight of My Life." "He was worried about Bob," Stamos quipped. "He really wanted me to find a girl," he added about himself. "He said, 'Stop dating teenagers,'" Saget jumped in. Of course, the ribbing was all done with love. "When he was mean to you, it was like a privilege. It was like a gift," Saget explained. "For every mean thing he said in his whole career, he said two nice things for that," Stamos continued. Fortunately, Stamos revealed Rickles did get his wish. "I finally met a beautiful woman who I'm madly in love with and Don got to meet her and approved her and was just crazy about her," Stamos added. The pals also remembered all the times they would sneak Rickles food. Despite his wife's caution -- the comic was diabetic -- Stamos would sneak him cookies under the table and Saget would make sure he had the hot dogs at Craig's. "John Stamos and Bob Saget -- between the cookies and hot dogs -- killed Don Rickles," Kimmel joked. Amid all of the laughter, there were a few tears. "I just love this guy," Saget said as his eyes welled up. "It's been the highlight of my life to spend time with him," Stamos added. As Saget concluded, "That's the truth." (Eonline)
Paris Jackson is deeply concerned her little brother, Blanket, is essentially living alone without the guardian Michael Jackson wanted in the event he died. Multiple Jackson family sources tell us, Paris is especially upset with her aunt Rebbie, whom she believes has been lording over her grandmother ... keeping her away from all of Michael Jackson's kids. Everyone we've spoken with says Paris loves her grandma and is worried Rebbie and several other siblings of Michael's have intentionally put a wall up to control the matriarch. Paris has complained Blanket is a 15-year-old boy essentially living by himself in Katherine's Calabasas home. Katherine has not been back to her home since January -- she was in London for 2 months and then returned to L.A. but she's staying at Rebbie's -- and Paris feels her little brother is living without real family. We're told TJ Jackson and his wife split duties and at least one of them will stay at Katherine's home to supervise Blanket, but Paris thinks that's not good enough. Our sources also say Katherine has not spoken to Paris, Prince, Blanket or TJ since she went to London, and Paris blames Rebbie, Randy and some of her other aunts and uncles for. Paris believes some of her aunts and uncles are trying to control Katherine for financial motives. The good news ... Blanket, we're told, is getting almost all A's at his private school and has become extremely social ... a big change from when he was almost painfully introverted. (TMZ)
Stephen Belafonte not only wants joint custody of Madison, his 5-year-old daughter with Mel B, he also wants the legal right to maintain a relationship with the daughter Mel B had with Eddie Murphy ... TMZ has learned. Mel B now wants sole custody of Madison, which sets up a custody fight. But now sources connected with Belafonte tell us he will ask a judge for visitation rights for 10-year-old Angel. Belafonte believes he's been the father in her life from birth ... he married Mel B 2 months after she was born. Belafonte says Murphy has been a marginal presence in Angel's life, and he's been the stepdad. Under California law, a stepparent can get "reasonable visitation" if it's in the best interests of the child. In a letter Belafonte's lawyer wrote to Mel B's lawyer on March 31, he staked his claim. The lawyer wrote, "Stephen would like to schedule a meeting as soon as possible to discuss the resolution of temporary issues including his ability to see Madison and Angel, whom we would appreciate continuing to have contact with." We're told Belafonte's lawyers will raise the issue as the divorce proceeds, but under law he could not ask for stepfather visitation in his divorce response. Our sources say Mel B will strongly oppose Belafonte's move to get visitation rights for Angel. (TMZ)
THE OTHER STUFF . . .
Mark Hamill and Daisy Ridley Announce Star Wars Force for Change Charity Campaign. It's a Star Wars announcement "40 years in the making." Mark Hamill and Daisy Ridley appeared on Good Morning America Tuesday to promote Force for Change's OMAZE initiative, benefitting UNICEF and the Starlight Children's Foundation. This week, fans can enter to win an overnight stay at Skywalker Ranch. Other prizes include the chance to appear in the new Han Solo movie and a trip to L.A. for the world premiere of Star Wars: The Last Jedi. Flights and 4-star accommodations for winners and guests are included. Launched in 2014, Force for Change -- Disney and Lucasfilm's charitable initiative -- aims to "empower people to come together to make a positive impact on the world around them." Hamill and Ridley's taped Good Morning America appearance came days before the Star Wars Celebration kicks off in Orlando. The three-day event will include panel presentations from Star Wars: The Last Jedi director Rian Johnson and Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy, among others. In addition, Riz Ahmed, Hayden Christensen, Anthony Daniels, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Felicity Jones, Angus MacInnes, Peter Mayhew, Ian McDiarmid, Ray Park, Freddie Prinze Jr., Alan Tudyk, Forest Whitaker, Billy Dee Williams and more will sign autographs. Warwick Davis will host a special 90-minute presentation, 40 Years of Star Wars, at 11 a.m. Thursday. The discussion with Kennedy and others will be live-streamed from the Galaxy Stage. Star Wars: The Last Jedi will debut in theaters Dec. 15. In addition to Daniels, Hamill and Ridley, returning cast members from Star Wars: The Force Awakens include John Boyega, Gwendoline Christie, Adam Driver, Carrie Fisher, Domhnall Gleeson, Oscar Isaac, Lupita Nyong'o and Andy Serkis. Newcomers include Benicio Del Toro, Laura Dern and Kelly Marie Tran. (Eonline)
How Kate Middleton Has Been Helping Pippa Middleton Plan Her Dream Wedding. It's finally hitting us: Pippa Middleton's wedding day is coming very soon. By no means are we talking tomorrow or next week. But in case you missed the big news, the bride-to-be and James Matthews officially announced that their ceremony will take place May 20 at St Mark's Church in Englefield. The royal family including Prince Harry, Prince William and Pippa's sister Kate Middleton will attend the ceremony. And while that may be a gift in itself, fans will be delighted to hear that Kate is helping out in more ways than one before vows are exchanged. For starters, Kate and Prince William are more than happy to have their son Prince George serve as a page boy while Princess Charlotte will participate as a bridesmaid. While reports have surfaced claiming Kate will be the maid of honor, nothing has been confirmed. In fact, other outlets say she doesn't want to steal her sister's thunder. Just last week, the Duchess of Cambridge traveled to Pippa's house in West London to hang out and discuss future events. Vanity Fair also reported that Kate and William recently grabbed dinner with Pippa, James and James' parents. In between all of the planning and preparing, Kate is also making sure her sister has some fun and enjoys her engagement. While Prince William enjoyed a boys-only ski trip in March, Kate hit the slopes in Meribel, France with her sister. According to The Sun, the trip was a bachelorette party in honor of the bride-to-be and the two groups even shared the same jet on the way to their individual party locations. With just a few weeks to go before the big wedding day, interest is only expected to rise for this ceremony. Fortunately for Pippa, her sister has already experienced a similar romantic day that was watched all around the world. Everything is going to turn out great, Pippa. (Eonline)
A New York Times writer and Pulitzer finalist allegedly nearly killed her best friend in a car crash, by swerving down the wrong side of the road in Scotland, leading to a head-on collision. Sarah Maslin Nir -- who wrote a controversial expose alleging exploitation in New York nail salons, which led to protests -- was behind the wheel in the September 2015 smash that left her close friend Leah Epstein seriously injured, according to a lawsuit first reported by Heat Street. Epstein, who suffered a fractured spine, damaged lungs and perforated bowels, is seeking $4.75 million from the Times because Nir was working on a story about the trip for the travel section, according to the suit. The papers, filed in Manhattan Supreme Court, said horseback-riding instructor Epstein was in the back seat and wearing a seat belt when the car "turned into the right lane .?.?. and into oncoming traffic, before colliding head-on with another motor vehicle." Another source said Nir had swerved to avoid another car in the middle of the road, turned to the right and crashed. No charges were filed against her. Epstein -- an owner of Ithilien Stables in New Jersey who was on the trip so Nir could write about horseback riding in Scotland -- required multiple abdominal surgeries, several blood transfusions and was unable to work. Epstein has since recovered; she and Nir remain close friends and are planning a return trip to Scotland. The lawsuit argues that Nir was acting as an employee for the Times, which should pay out, because the paper paid for flights, hotel accommodations and rental car. Lawyers for the Times deny "allegations of negligence [and] liability." A rep for the paper said: "The company has no first-hand knowledge of the facts. As in any accident case, discovery will determine whether the complaint is accurate or not." Nir suffered a broken hand, wrist and foot, but tweeted about her nail expose days later, saying, "If only I wasn't in Scotland!" The story accused salons of exploiting manicurists, exposing them to toxins, and led to new national regulations. (Page Six)
Family makes everything so much better. Chris Pratt praised wife Anna Faris on Instagram Monday for joining him on his press tour in Tokyo, Japan for his upcoming Marvel sequel Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. They were joined by their 4-year-old son, Jack. "Thank you for the support honey!" Pratt, 37, wrote. "You look so beautiful. These press tours can be such a whirlwind. I'm grateful to have you and the boy with me on this one." Even though he was on a mega press tour full of press and interviews, real life didn't stop for the Jurassic World actor, as he also described his son waking him up at 3 a.m. "I was just awakened by a square kick to the back as little man climbed into bed and then must have had a karate dream or something and now I can't sleep," he continued. "I'm on insta instead. All you dads and moms know what I'm talking about." The actor also made jokes when writing about meeting fans in costume while in Japan, as well as saying he'd "been crying a lot on this tour." "Because, you know... they just can't get my latte right," he joked. "And I try to tell them 'Peruvian breast milk!' How hard is that?" Pratt guest-starred on Faris' CBS sitcom Mom in January, playing a charming horseback riding instructor Nick, whom Christy (Faris), decided to pursue. Things quickly turned romantic for the two characters, with them going for a literal roll in the hay -- having sex on barrels of hay in the horse stable. "We have a sex scene, like a sexy scene," Pratt told Entertainment Tonight. "We've been rehearsing that for 10 years." (People)
Katy Perry Just Cut Her Hair Even Shorter. Katy Perry shocked her fans and followers (in the best way) when she chopped her hair off into a bleached, wispy feather cut last month...and now she's taken it just a step further. The pop star debuted a super short pixie on her Instagram Monday, writing, "fifth element flow." In the photo, she dons a black jacket with a hood that just shows just the top half of her head. We can see she's opted for a more closely buzzed 'do, still maintaining the bleached hue. Perry tagged her hair stylist Chris McMillan as well as celebrity colorist Justin Anderson. Meanwhile, the singer first chopped off her hair at the beginning of March, following close after her split from Orlando Bloom. She revealed the inspiration behind the new 'do was none other than Scarlett Johansson. Speaking with Ryan Seacrest at the iHeartRadio Music Awards shortly after chopping it off, she said, "I saw Scarlett Johansson and she had the same cut and I was like, 'That's one of the most beautiful women in the world. I can do that, too and look maybe half as good.' So I went there." And she's had absolutely no regrets ever since. She continued, "I'm really accepting of myself, and I've done a little work in that area and it's really paying off because I'm having fun and feeling free. I feel the most authentic I've ever been." (Eonline)
Italian motor-home-mogul-turned-DJ Gianluca Vacchi has moved to Miami. Vacchi -- estimated to be worth about $400 million thanks to a company that makes homes on wheels -- has gained 8.5 million Instagram followers from viral videos he posts of his wild exploits and his friendship with Zac Efron (including pictures of the pair riding horses shirtless, Putin-style). He was spotted rolling up to Ora nightclub with a fleet of Rolls-Royces and Ferraris, where he took to the decks, "ripped his shirt off and sprayed the crowd with a tank of CO2." (Page Six)
After his Cavaliers were stunned by the Hawks as the regular NBA season winds down, -- LeBron James jetted to Miami to blow off steam before he faces his old squad, the Heat. Spies said James was at the Fontainebleau's popular LIV Sunday party with teammates J.R. Smith, Iman Shumpert and Tristan Thompson. "Every time a song by Future came on, James insisted his whole group get on their feet and dance," a spy said. "The DJ started playing more Future songs throughout the evening." (Page Six)
Kendra Wilkinson-Baskett Goes on Instagram Rant During Family Vacation: "This World Is More F--ked Up Than I Thought." Kendra Wilkinson-Baskett can't escape the Internet trolls during her spring break. As the reality star continued her tropical vacation with family and friends in Hawaii, Kendra found herself going off on a few not-so-cool Instagram followers. "Wow by my last post I just exposed all you sick f--ks. Sexualizing a child is NOT ok. Even I you said, what are you thinking posting that? YOU are just as bad as a pedo," Kendra wrote to her 2.3 million followers. "All you people living in your cages, sit the f--k down and re think life. Oh wait life is already over for you. So we should be living in a cage because of sick f--ks who think of children that way??? So they run our lives now." She added, "Man, this world is more f--ked up than I thought. I'll go ahead and go back to my vacation." After the last post was deleted, fans aren't exactly positive what Kendra is referring to. Some followers, however, are speculating that a fan criticized the mother for having her daughter hang out by the ocean without a bathing suit top. Despite the few but vocal critics, Kendra continued to share several photos of who she was vacationing with including best friend Jessica Hall and Hank Baskett. "Time to get lei'd," she joked on Instagram while posing with her husband by the ocean blue water. The sunny vacation comes as Kendra prepares to have Marriage Boot Camp: Reality Stars Family Edition premiere. In the new season, the former Girls Next Door star will work on the estranged relationship with her mother. "The decision to do family boot camp with my mom was the toughest decision of my life," Kendra shared with E! News last week. "It really truly was." As to whether or not the pair will mend their relationship or end it for good, we have to watch when the show premieres April 28. (Eonline)
Phil Collins' third ex-wife and back-for-more-girlfriend Orianne Collins settled her bitter divorce with businessman Charles Fouad Mejjati on Friday. She tells us in a statement, "We have amicably resolved our disputes in the best interest of our family and desire to move forward in a peaceful manner and to otherwise jointly raise our son. We both desire to put this chapter of our lives behind us and for others to respect our desire for privacy." Orianne claimed in court papers that Mejjati made her sign papers giving him their multimillion-dollar Miami home and primary custody of their son while she was under the influence of painkillers from a surgical procedure. Mejjati's lawyer at the time told People magazine that the allegations were "wholly unfounded" and filed a motion saying she "abandoned" the marriage to get back together with Phil. Astonishingly, Orianne and the English crooner reunited nearly 10 years after they divorced. "Life with Phil is wonderful," she tells us. The "Two Hearts" couple is living in Jennifer Lopez's former beach mansion, which Phil bought. Orianne got $46.76 million in her divorce from him in 2008. They have two children together, Matthew, 12, and Nicholas, 15. A lawyer for Mejjati did not respond to requests for comment. (Page Six)
Music
Steve Perry Says First Solo Album in 23 Years Inspired by Personal Tragedy. Former Journey singer Steve Perry bummed out a lot of fans when he didn't perform with his old band at last week's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony. But the singer revealed in an ABC Radio interview that he's prepping new music and that his first solo album in 23 years was inspired by a personal tragedy. "I have been gone...I kind of went my 'Separate Way,'" Perry said in a not-so-subtle reference to his old band's 1983 hit and his 1998 split with the group. "And I had all kinds of reasons that were important to me to do so. [And] though I've been gone...the fans have always been in my heart." The silence, which has lasted since his second solo album, For the Love of Strange Medicine, was released way back in 1994, will end soon with a "cathartic" new collection of songs due later this year inspired by a difficult period in his life. "I met someone and I feel in love with this person," he told ABC Radio. "And I lost this person to breast cancer four years ago." Perry explained that in the midst of the difficult period, "I had written some songs, and before I met her I had sketched some. And so about a year ago, I started recording... Basically the record is an emotional expression, and a reason to make one. It's been a real cathartic experience going back to that emotional place that I thought I would never go back to. And we really have been doing our very best to capture what I think are some timeless songs." There is no announced release date, or title, for the album. (Billboard)
Tupac fans will have a brand new place to pay their respects when a bigger than life, $500,000 statue of him is erected in Georgia. Jim Burnett owns the amphitheater formerly known as the Tupac Amaru Shakur Center for the Arts, and tells us he's installing a new 'Pac monument to replace the old one the rapper's family took when they sold the Center in 2015. Burnett's hired artist Nijel Binns -- who's done statues of Michael Jackson and Shirley Temple -- to lead the project. Binns says he's creating a 7-foot bronze statue based on a 13-inch clay model, which he estimates will cost more than half a million bucks to complete. They're planning to unveil the new statue in September, around the 21st anniversary of Tupac's death. We'll say this ... the new one's way more gangsta than the OG. (TMZ)
The Chainsmokers, Camila Cabello, Ariana Grande & More Celebrate Billboard Music Awards Nominations The Billboard Music Awards nominations were announced Monday morning (April 10), and the all-star nominees were thrilled to receive nods. Major artists, including leading nominees The Chainsmokers, plus Camila Cabello, Luke Bryan and more, took to Twitter to express their excitement. (Billboard)
The Chainsmokers' 'Memories' Album Set for No. 1 Debut on Billboard 200. Plus: Pentatonix aiming for its seventh top 10 album with "PTX, Vol. IV- Classics." The Chainsmokers' new album Memories... Do Not Open, is aiming to debut atop next week's Billboard 200 chart, according to industry forecasters. Sources suggest the set -- which will mark the duo's first No. 1 -- could earn over 200,000 equivalent album units in the week ending April 13, with perhaps 150,000 to 160,000 in traditional album sales. Memories was released on April 7 through Disruptor/Columbia Records. The Billboard 200 chart ranks the most popular albums of the week based on multi-metric consumption, which includes traditional album sales, track equivalent albums (TEA) and streaming equivalent albums (SEA). The top 10 of the new April 29-dated Billboard 200 chart (where Memories will likely debut at No. 1) is scheduled to be revealed on Billboard's websites on Sunday, April 16. The hefty amount of the sales of Memories will be driven by a successful concert ticket/album bundle sale redemption promotion with the duo's tour, which kicks off April 13 in Miami. The ticket/album offer was also included with select dates of the act's residency at the XS Nightclub and Encore Beach Club in Las Vegas. Memories is The Chainsmokers' first full-length album, after releasing two EPs: 2016's Collage, which peaked at No. 6 on the Billboard 200; and Bouquet, which hit No. 31 in January 2016, following its release the previous year. Drake's More Life, which is currently in its third straight week at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 (dated April 22), will likely fall to the No. 2 slot in its fourth week, behind The Chainsmokers. Following The Chainsmokers, the chart's next biggest debut will likely come from Pentatonix, as the vocal group's PTX, Vol. IV-Classics, could start in the top five with around 50,000 units (most of which will be in traditional album sales). The a cappella quintet previously hit the top 10 with A Pentatonix Christmas (No. 1 in January), its self-titled album (No. 1; 2015), That's Christmas to Me (No. 2; 2014), PTX: Vol. III (No. 5; 2014), PTX: Vol. II (No. 10; 2013) and Tomas (No. 7; 2013). (Billboard)
Sam Smith & Timbaland Working on New Music. Sam Smith has been noticeably absent from the public spotlight for the past year, but a new Instagram post with Timbaland suggests new music may be on the way. Over the weekend, the legendary producer shared a photo with Smith in the studio, saying, "It was a pleasure working this man." There's no info on what the two were working on but one can assume a follow up to Smith's 2014 debut In the Lonely Hour should be on its way before too much longer now, with this possible team up further feeding anticipation. (Billboard)
The famed producer behind Madonna's "Vogue" says he's getting the short end of the stick -- to the tune of half a million bucks -- because the record label's out for payback. Shep Pettibone, producer extraordinaire -- who's worked with Madge, Janet Jackson, Paula Abdul and a ton of other artists -- says WB Music Corp owes him a ton of back royalties for the 1990 mega hit. It appears everything was fine up until 2012 ... when Shep and WB were sued for allegedly jacking "Vogue" from someone else. In his lawsuit, Shep says they both came out victorious in that case, but the label spent a ton on lawyers -- more than $700k, according to docs. The mega producer says WB's been withholding royalties since then to cover that massive legal bill. Translation: we forked out the dough to defend your song ... now you owe us. Shep ain't buyin' that theory though, and says his contract with the label doesn't give them the right to hold back his "Vogue" dollars. He believes he's been screwed out of as much as $500k, and wants a judge to force WB Music to hand over the loot. (TMZ)
Ed Sheeran settles lawsuit over "copied" hit Photograph. He was accused of copying a Matt Cardle track... Ed Sheeran has finally struck a deal, ending the $20 million copyright infringement claim over his hit 'Photograph'. Songwriters Martin Harrington and Thomas Leonard sued the singer in June 2016 for copying their track 'Amazing' "note-for-note". It was released by X Factor winner Matt Cardle in 2012. Monday, an order signed by a judge in court said the case had been dismissed after an agreement had been reached between both parties. Details of the settlement have not been released. Following the accusations last year, Matt quickly came out in support of Ed on Twitter, saying, "Please read news articles closely. This is not my lawsuit. I think Ed Sheeran is a genius and 100 percent deserves all his success." However, it's undeniable that the chorus' sound almost identical. Take a listen for yourself... Harrington and Leonard were represented in the case by Richard Busch, the same attorney who won the 'Blurred Lines' copyright infringement case for Marvin Gaye's family. "The chorus sections of 'Amazing' and the infringing 'Photograph' share 39 identical notes - meaning the notes are identical in pitch, rhythmic duration, and placement in the measure," said the writers' court notes. "The songs' similarities reach the very essence of the work. The similarities go beyond substantial, which is itself sufficient to establish copyright infringement, and are in fact striking. The similarity of words, vocal style, vocal melody, melody, and rhythm are clear indicators, among other things, that 'Photograph' copies 'Amazing'." Earlier this year, Ed was also forced to credit TLC's songwriters on his number one hit 'Shape of You', after he was accused of copying their lyrics from the classic 90s track 'No Scrubs'. Ed has never spoken publicly about the lawsuits, but as his new album Divide has totally dominated the charts in recent weeks, we think he'll be handling it ok. (British Glamour)
The guys in Five Finger Death Punch claim they're being held hostage by their "sinking ship" of a record label ... and they need a judge to rescue the band before it gets dragged under. The heavy metal rockers destroy the label, Prospect Park, in a new lawsuit ... saying 5FDP is probably the only profitable band on the roster. The band accused Prospect Park of cooking up a bogus lawsuit last year to keep the band recording ... while it shopped the label. The band says PP is drowning in debt and is more like "Prospect Dark" these days. Gotta love the delicious wordplay, right? Remember, the label sued the guys last year, demanding they get back in the studio, pronto ... to finish an unreleased album. 5FDP wants a judge to sign their walking papers, and to make the label fork over a mil in damages. Prospect Park tells us the real issue is the band still hasn't delivered the album "required under the recording contract and expected by their fans." (TMZ)
Movies
Michelle Rodriguez: It Wasn't Easy Filming Fate of the Furious Without Paul Walker, But It Was Important. The Fate of the Furious is the first film in the Fast and the Furious franchise without Paul Walker, and everyone is feeling it...especially Michelle Rodriguez. The actress chatted with E! News' Maria Menounos at the premiere of the series' latest sequel over the weekend and admitted the movie was difficult without Walker, who died in a car accident in 2013. However, she knew they had to do it. "Not easy," she described of the filming process without her late co-star. "I think that's a big reason why we went dark on this one and why it's not all fun and games... But at the end of the day, the big picture of it all is that this has become a global monster that's kind of letting in the 99-percent through the backdoor into Hollywood that never really created anything for them in the action-movie realm." She continued, "Nobody else is spending $300, $250 million on a multicultural audience outside of Sci-Fi. So we have a responsibility, and we have to keep it up." However, she did note, "It was hard to move on without him. He is the essence of why we were excited to come on-board because he kept that childhood excitement about that realm and following through in what we were doing. He's a big part of the family, but at the end of the day, we have a big responsibility, and it's a global one so we gotta keep on trucking." Meanwhile, though the latest Fast movie is certainly not the same without Walker, it does see some newcomers, including Helen Mirren, Charlize Theron and Scott Eastwood. In fact, when Eastwood first signed on in April 2016, he shared an emotional post in honor of his late friend. "It's hard to put into words how excited I am for the next Fast & Furious," Scott wrote in Instagram. "To me, the series is so much more than just a franchise. It's a legacy. These great actors who have been in it together for so long have become a family. I absolutely can't wait to join it." At the end of the post, Eastwood noted how he relates to the Fast family's ever-present loss over Walker's death on a personal level. "Paul was a close friend of mine," he wrote. "We surfed together, traveled together, and he was a huge role model and influencing figure in my life when I was younger. He still is. He was an older brother to me. For me to be able to add to the F&F story, Paul's story, and the FAST family is like a dream come true." (Eonline)
Don Cheadle Tackling Story of Wall Street's First Black Millionaire. Cheadle is reteaming with his 'Miles Ahead' scribe Steven Bargeman as he plans to star in and produce the adaptation of Shane White's biography 'Prince of Darkness.' Don Cheadle has acquired the film and TV rights to Prince of Darkness by Shane White, with plans to adapt the 2015 book as a starring vehicle. Steven Bargeman, who worked with Cheadle on the Miles Davis biopic Miles Ahead, is reteaming with the actor and will pen the script for the drama. Cheadle will produce and star. Prince of Darkness: The Untold Story of Jeremiah G. Hamilton, Wall Street's First Black Millionaire sheds light on the obscure story of Hamilton, who was mentioned in an obituary for Cornelius Vanderbilt as the tycoon's true rival. White's book details the rise of Hamilton as he is chased out of Haiti and becomes a broker and land agent in 19th century New York, his success prickling both white and black society. He broke many taboos of the times, including marrying a white woman and owning stock in rail companies on whose trains he wasn't legally allowed to ride. When Hamilton died, obits at the time called him the richest black man in America. The book has been awarded the Society of Historians of the Early American Republic's best book prize and the 2016 New York City Book Award. Cheadle may be best known for playing hero James Rhodes, aka War Machine, in the Marvel Iron Man and Captain America movies. He also is the Golden Globe-winning star of House of Lies, which ran five seasons on Showtime. Both Cheadle and Bargeman are repped by UTA. White is repped by UTA and the Strotman Agency. (Hollywood Reporter)
Cannes: Sandrine Kimberling to Head Golden Camera Jury. The French actress will oversee the jury that hands out the prize for the best first film. French actress Sandrine Kimberling will oversee this year's Cannes Film Festival Golden Camera jury, or Camera d'Or. Organizers said Tuesday that she will serve as president of the jury that selects the best first film from across the official selections of the film festival. The two-time Cesar award winner has a diverse career, starring in family comedies such as 9 Month Stretch, but began her career in dramas, such as Maiden's Cannes jury prize winner Polisse and Andre Techine's Being 17. Kiberlain was a member of the Cannes main competition jury in 2001. The Camera d'Or is given to the best first film across the festival's Official Selection and Un Certain Regard sections, as well as the official sidebars of the Critics' Week and Directors' Fortnight. The prize is awarded during the main ceremony on the closing night of the festival. The Camera d'Or has produced several directors who have become Cannes regulars, including Jim Jarmusch, Pascale Ferran and Naomi Kawase. Last year's winner, Houda Benyamina's Divines, went on to a Golden Globe nomination for best foreign-language film and won a slew of prizes and France's Lumiere and Cesar awards. Pedro Almodovar will head up the main Cannes jury this year, while Palme d'Or winner Cristian Mungiu will head up the student and short films jury. This year's Cannes film festival runs May 17-28. (Hollywood Reporter)
'The Fate of the Furious' Sets Chinese Ticket Presales Record. 'Furious 7,' the most recent film in the franchise, earned a historic $390 million in China in 2015 and remains Hollywood's biggest release there ever. Universal's The Fate of the Furious doesn't open in China until Friday, the same day it gets released in North America and many other major markets around the world. But the much anticipated eighth installment in the car chase franchise is already revving its engines mightily. The movie, directed F. Gary Gray and once again starring regulars Vin Diesel and Dwayne Johnson, has smashed China's all-time ticket presales record, data from Beijing-based box office tracker Ent Group shows. As of Tuesday, the film had earned $18.1 million (RMB 125 million) in advanced ticketing revenue, well beyond prior record holder Journey to the West: The Demons Strike Back, a local blockbuster produced by Stephen Chow, which notched RMB 101 million ($14.6 million at current exchange rates) in pre-sales in January (the film went on to earn $240 million). Fast 8's presales kicked off on April 2. The film has also hit a new all-time high for advanced Imax sales in China, pulling in $2.4 million (RMB 16.5 million) so far, unseating prior record holder Captain America: Civil War, which took approximately RMB 10 million ($1.4 million at current rates) in Imax presales last year, according to leading local movie site Mtime. Expectations for the Fate of the Furious in China are running understandably high. Furious 7, the preceding film in the franchise, became a historic box-office success upon its release in the country in 2015. Directed by James Wan and the last in the series to co-star the late Paul Walker, the film set a still unbroken local opening-day record of $68.8 million. It went on to become the biggest imported title ever in the Chinese market, earning $390 million -- almost $40 million more than the blockbuster pulled in from North America. Whether the new film can scale those heights remains an open question. After expanding by an average of 35 percent each year for a decade, the Chinese box office has experienced a prolonged slump over the past twelve months. Total box office grew just 3.7 percent in 2016, and the last $200 million-plus Hollywood release was Legendary's Warcraft ($220.8 million) last July. The strong presales are an unequivocally good sign for Universal and its Beijing-based slate financing partner Perfect World Pictures, though. Universal declined to comment directly on the advanced sales numbers, but a spokesperson in their Beijing office offered, "What we can say now is we are excited about all of the signs, and really look forward to seeing the performance in the market soon." Jason Statham, Michelle Rodriguez, Ludacris, Tyrese Gibson and Kurt Russell are returning for Fast 8, while Charlize Theron joins the Furious family in a villain role and Scott Eastwood is also among the cast's new faces. (Hollywood Reporter)
TV
Carpool Karaoke Is Heading to Primetime With New CBS Late Late Show Special. Carpool Karaoke is going primetime -- again. The Late Late Show Carpool Karaoke Primetime Special 2017 is coming to CBS on Monday, May 22. In addition to Carpool Karaoke segments, including an all-new installment with a celebrity yet to be announced, the special will feature Toddlerography and James Corden's favorite Late Late Show moments. This is the second primetime special for The Late Late Show with James Corden. Last year's installment, which featured Jennifer Lopez sitting in the passenger seat for a Carpool Karaoke ride, won an Emmy for Outstanding Variety Special. Could the May special debut Ed Sheeran's Carpool Karaoke segment that was filmed back in February? Recent Carpool Karaoke participants include Bruno Mars, Lady Gaga, Madonna, Britney Spears, Michelle Obama and Selena Gomez. The segment is becoming a show. Carpool Karaoke: The Series will be a 16-episode series on Apple Music and feature other famous faces behind the wheel with guests. Pairings include, but are not limited to: Will Smith and Corden, Michael Strahan and Jeff Gordon, Ariana Grande and Seth MacFarlane, John Cena and Shaquille O'Neal, and Billy Eichner and Metallica. Blake Shelton, Alicia Keys and John Legend are also set to appear in Carpool Karaoke: The Series. Adele's Carpool Karaoke segment is the most-watched late night clip on YouTube with more than 154 million views. Tell us: Whom do you want to see get in the passenger seat for the special? The Late Late Show Carpool Karaoke Primetime Special 2017 airs Monday, May 22 at 10 p.m. on CBS. (Eonline)
Orange Is the New Black's Intense Season 5 Premiere Sneak Peek Ends With a Bang. Your first look at Orange Is the New Black season five is here. Prepare yourselves, you may not find the answers you're looking for here. In the minute-long video, things pick up right where they left off in season four: Daya (Dascha Polanco) has a gun to CO Humphrey's (Michael Torpey), surrounded by a riled up factions of prisoners. Everybody's telling her to do it, to kill him. "We are laying low and we're staying out of trouble," Piper (Taylor Schilling) says to Alex (Laura Prepon) as they arrive on the scene. "That's right, we see trouble, we turn around and walk the other way. We are out of the business," Alex agrees. And then they discover the riot. "If this is a real riot, do you think this is a step forward or backwards for equality?" Piper wonders. "I need you to be quiet," Daya yells. But the crowd isn't letting up. Bang. Does Daya pull the trigger? You'll have to watch on Friday, June 9 when all episodes premiere. Season five will take place over the span of just three days. And don't forget, OITNB has been renewed through season seven. "I think the stakes are higher in this season than they have been in a while just by virtue of the compressed time and seeing people in compressed circumstance really raises the stakes. It's exciting to watch, I think for all of us," Schilling told E! News. Laverne Cox told us the new season was "really, really good." "What I can tell you is that I was just as excited as all the fans were to see what happens next. When I read it, it was incredible, when we shot it, it was... intense. It's really, really intense. It manages... as intense as it all is, it still manages to have an irreverence and a spin that is funny and thoughtful." All episodes drop on Friday, June 9 on Netflix. (Eonline)
Rashad Jennings Just Drove Dancing with the Stars to Tears As He Danced for His Father. NFL running back Rashad Jennings may have just become the one to watch on Dancing with the Stars. For Monday night's theme of most memorable year, he recalled his rough relationship with his father. "My dad was closed off when I was younger. Any time you would try to get closer to him, he would turn to alcohol," Jennings said in the package before the dance. "His idea of love was to provide financially. He provided, and faded away." Then, Jennings had a full scholarship to college and was being considered by NFL scouts when he got a phone call that his dad was going to have to have a leg amputated due to diabetes and a stroke he had suffered. Jennings immediately decided to go home and take care of his parents, even if it meant giving up his own dream. So, Rashad and his partner Emma Slater danced a beautiful contemporary routine to Katy Perry's "Unconditionally," and it was by far this season's best dance yet. But even as emotional as the dance itself was, that was nothing compared to the hug shared between Rashad and his parents, who were watching from the audience, at the end of the routine. "I wasn't watching dance. I was watching two great artists painting one of the most beautiful works of art expressed through dance," judge Bruno Tonioli said. Carrie Ann Inaba called Rashad a born dancer, and Julianne Hough said, through tears, that she had no words for what she was feeling. All the judges gave the dance a 10, except for Len Goodman. Len gave it a nine, but that's high praise for the notoriously critical Len, so it's basically a 10 anyway. Seems safe to say Rashad won't be going home any time soon. Dancing with the Stars airs Mondays at 8 p.m. on ABC. (Eonline)
Why Erika Jayne Is Not Backing Down on Dancing With the Stars. Erika Jayne found herself in jeopardy on Dancing With the Stars, but she's not letting that shake her. "Hey, we're back next week," she told E! News after her performance. Erika and professional partner Gleb Savchenko danced the cha cha to Madonna's "Express Yourself" for Most Memorable Year week. She selected 1989 when she moved to New York to make it in show business. "I had a good a good time. I'm not going to lie. I had a great time, I enjoyed myself," "We all express ourselves. Don't you express yourself every day?" The couple received a 30 out of 40 from the judges and it was Mr. T. and Kym Herjavec who were sent home during week four of the competition. "Listen, Mr. T is a very cool guy. Of course we went up to him and said we'll be missing him," she said. Despite the bottom two placement, Erika and Gleb said they're back next week -- so is the sexiness they get criticized for, they are dancing the rumba after all -- and giving it their all. "We're going to come out strong with a new dance," Gleb said. "We're going to work hard to deliver." "We're not backing down," Erika said. Dancing With the Stars airs Mondays, 8 p.m. on ABC. (Eonline)
Erika Girardi's son, Tommy, is an incredibly important part of her life -- but he won't be supporting her in the audience at Dancing with the Stars. "He watches on TV and supports me at home. He's my biggest cheerleader but he will not be attending," the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star told reporters of Tommy after Monday's episode of DWTS. Girardi declined to say why her son would not be in attendance ("That's between us," she explained), but that's perhaps not surprising given the fact that Tommy, a cop, has also not appeared on RHOBH even though he lives with his mother and stepfather, Thomas. "That's something between my family and myself," she says of her relationship with her son. "It's my choice to reveal certain parts of my life and keep others very private." But Tommy is not the only family member rooting Girardi on from their mansion. Thomas is also an armchair cheerleader. "He's at home cheering and he's happy for me," Girardi says of Thomas. "He has the biggest smile and the biggest twinkle in his eye. He couldn't be sweeter." Dancing with the Stars airs Mondays (8 p.m. ET) on ABC. (People)
Michael Buble's Wife Luisana Lopilato Speaks Out About Son Noah's Cancer Battle: "Thank God, My Son Is Well." Michael Buble's wife, Luisana Lopilato, confirmed that their son, Noah, is doing well after being diagnosed with cancer. Speaking at a press conference after returning to Argentina following her son's treatment in Los Angeles, Lopilato gushed about her 3-year-old son's bravery and praised his team of doctors. "Thank God, my son is well. When things like those that happened to us occur, your take on life changes," she said. "It happened to us. Now I value life much more, the now and the today. I would like to thank people for their support, for the prayers they said, for their love, and I want them to know that they reached us and that it helped us a lot to come through this." Lopilato admitted Noah's cancer-free news came very recently, and that she and her family were still "sensitive" about it, but they did find solace in their fans' prayers. "But the love is daily, when people stop me in the street," she continued. "It's wonderful to know that you're accompanied in life and that people love you." Buble and his family returned to Buenos Aires last month knowing their son was in good health, but his journey is far from over. "My son's recovery is a long process as you all know and he has to continue with check-ups," she shared. "But we are very happy. We are looking forward to thinking about the future, to seeing our children grow. Seeing Noah grow and being happy gave me the strength to return and finish this film." Lopilato and Buble put all of their professional obligations, including appearances and hosting gigs, on hold so they could be by their son's side at all times. The Canadian crooner was set to host The Brit Awards but dropped out at the last minute. "My faith in the fact God had a miracle helped me. I became strong so my son would get better. I transmitted that to all my friends and family," she continued. "As a family we were always very united and we fought this together. We did everything we could for our son, so he would come through this." The couple revealed their son's cancer diagnosis in a Facebook post in November. He then began four months of chemotherapy treatments. (Eonline)
Janet Jackson Spotted for the First Time Since Split From Wissam Al Mana. Janet Jackson is carrying on with her life. Following news of her split from Wissam Al Mana over the weekend, the Grammy winner was spotted for the first time while shopping in London on Monday. According to eyewitnesses, after her assistants returned some flowers to one shop, the star stepped into an artificial plant store for an hour and later perused sofas at a furniture shop. As a source told E! News, she was shopping for a light-colored sofa and had her eye on a grey piece. The 50-year-old performer was sporting a cap, baggy cape, relaxed pants and sneakers during the outing. The first-time mom wore her curly hair up in a ponytail as she emerged onto the street. Prior to the sighting, news broke of her separation from her husband of five years over the weekend. She and the Qatari businessman welcomed their first child together, a son named Eissa Al Mana, in early January. "Janet had a stress free healthy delivery and is resting comfortably," a statement from her rep read at the time. However, as a source told People, they called it quits not long after they welcomed their son. "They separated shortly after the baby was born," the source told the magazine. "The cultural differences between her and Wissam became even more obvious [after Eissa arrived]. They come from very different worlds." According to a report from The Mail on Sunday, Jackson plans to continue living in London with her baby. "They're both busy people but determined to be good parents, even if they're apart," a source told the newspaper. "It's amicable and Eissa will stay with his mother, who is basing herself in London." (Eonline)
Katy Perry Just Hilariously Weighed In on Those Ryan Phillippe Dating Rumors. Say what?! It was only a matter of time before Katy Perry weighed in on those pesky Ryan Phillippe dating rumors, and that time is now. The "Chained to the Rhythm" singer took to Twitter to reply to the actor's previous message from this weekend. Need a quick refresher? That's why we're here. Phillippe posted the following on social media to calm his fans' curiosity and to end the sudden increase in media attention after tabloids reported that he and Perry were flirting during Elton John's birthday bash. "I am not dating Katy Perry," he tweeted in all caps. "Barely know her. Please stop flying helicopters over my house. She is not here. Thx." And when responding to a fan who said that they wished they were linked romantically to Perry, the actor added, "don't mind 'people' thinking that. don't want low flying pervs hovering periodically." And earlier this afternoon, the Grammy Award winner finally chimed in regarding Phillippe's tweets with a tweet that's quintessentially Perry: "Can you let me out of this basement pls?" Cue the golf claps. She added, "Hi, @RyanPhillippe, nice to meet you. Sorry about that. Carry on." Phillippe was last romantically linked to fiancee Paulina Slagter, but called it quits on their five-year relationship last November. He co-parents two children, 17-year-old Ava and 13-year-old Deacon, with ex-wife Reese Witherspoon. Meanwhile, Perry split from Orlando Bloom in late February after less than a year together. (Eonline)
Are Brad Pitt and Sienna Miller dating? Brad Pitt was spotted doing some 'serious flirting' with Sienna Miller, the star of his new film. Hellooooo blonds! Rumors have been circulating about Brad Pitt and Sienna Miller for a couple of years now, and recently the pair set tongues wagging after a dinner to celebrate their new film. Miller is starring in The Lost City of Z, made by Pitt's production company Plan B. According to a restaurant spotter, they had dinner with friends on Wednesday which saw Pitt doing some 'serious flirting' with Miller. A source for Page Six says that they were "heavily enjoying each other's company," and "they were talking to each other all night." There had been reports of Miller and Pitt flirting on the set of the film in 2015, before his split from Angelina Jolie, but Sienna Miller said that was categorically untrue. "So this is the truth about that: Brad Pitt is producing the movie that I just wrapped, but I didn't see him. He's not been to the set," Miller said at the time. "You know, he's the producer of the film and I've met him twice. It's insane." (British Glamour)
Billie Lourd and Taylor Lautner are packing on the heat! The two lovebirds continued their PDA-filled vacation on Sunday, sharing hugs and kisses while at the beach in the Caribbean on Sunday. Lourd, 24, couldn't seem to keep her hands off her 25-year-old boyfriend as they swam through the ocean waves and took a stroll along the beach in St. Maarten, Dutch West Indies. The Scream Queens costars began their relationship shortly before the deaths of Lourd's mother Carrie Fisher and grandmother Debbie Reynolds in December. The Twilight actor has been a source of strength and comfort for Lourd. Lautner sported a baseball cap, grey T-shirt and maroon swimming trunks. His girlfriend opted for striped maroon shorts over a black and white striped one-piece bathing suit. On Saturday, Lautner posted a photo on his Instagram account from an aerial perspective of where the couple was enjoying some downtime, captioned: "#nofilter #blaseontheoutsideblessedontheinside #hashtagthief." The two were joined on their vacation by Lourd's dad, CAA co-chairman Bryan Lourd, and her stepdad, Bruce Bozzi. Bozzi also posted a photo on Instagram, capturing their family in a snapshot wearing face masks and writing, "The family that masks together lasts together! Hello 4/3/17 #fresh #relax @praisethelourd." (People)
Karrueche Tran and Quavo from Migos are definitely the real deal, but their relationship isn't real romantic just yet. Sources connected to both of them tell us Quavo's been hanging with Chris Brown's ex-GF for a few months, and while it started in the friend zone ... they've gotten much closer lately. They've juggled their schedules to wedge in a few dates. That includes this past weekend in Biloxi where they rode off together following Migos' concert. We're told neither's calling it "exclusive" at this point -- they're just enjoying each other's company. Sounds a lot like happily banging ... to us, anyway. (TMZ)
John Stamos and Bob Saget Recall Getting Roasted by Don Rickles: "It's Been the Highlight of My Life." "He was worried about Bob," Stamos quipped. "He really wanted me to find a girl," he added about himself. "He said, 'Stop dating teenagers,'" Saget jumped in. Of course, the ribbing was all done with love. "When he was mean to you, it was like a privilege. It was like a gift," Saget explained. "For every mean thing he said in his whole career, he said two nice things for that," Stamos continued. Fortunately, Stamos revealed Rickles did get his wish. "I finally met a beautiful woman who I'm madly in love with and Don got to meet her and approved her and was just crazy about her," Stamos added. The pals also remembered all the times they would sneak Rickles food. Despite his wife's caution -- the comic was diabetic -- Stamos would sneak him cookies under the table and Saget would make sure he had the hot dogs at Craig's. "John Stamos and Bob Saget -- between the cookies and hot dogs -- killed Don Rickles," Kimmel joked. Amid all of the laughter, there were a few tears. "I just love this guy," Saget said as his eyes welled up. "It's been the highlight of my life to spend time with him," Stamos added. As Saget concluded, "That's the truth." (Eonline)
Paris Jackson is deeply concerned her little brother, Blanket, is essentially living alone without the guardian Michael Jackson wanted in the event he died. Multiple Jackson family sources tell us, Paris is especially upset with her aunt Rebbie, whom she believes has been lording over her grandmother ... keeping her away from all of Michael Jackson's kids. Everyone we've spoken with says Paris loves her grandma and is worried Rebbie and several other siblings of Michael's have intentionally put a wall up to control the matriarch. Paris has complained Blanket is a 15-year-old boy essentially living by himself in Katherine's Calabasas home. Katherine has not been back to her home since January -- she was in London for 2 months and then returned to L.A. but she's staying at Rebbie's -- and Paris feels her little brother is living without real family. We're told TJ Jackson and his wife split duties and at least one of them will stay at Katherine's home to supervise Blanket, but Paris thinks that's not good enough. Our sources also say Katherine has not spoken to Paris, Prince, Blanket or TJ since she went to London, and Paris blames Rebbie, Randy and some of her other aunts and uncles for. Paris believes some of her aunts and uncles are trying to control Katherine for financial motives. The good news ... Blanket, we're told, is getting almost all A's at his private school and has become extremely social ... a big change from when he was almost painfully introverted. (TMZ)
Stephen Belafonte not only wants joint custody of Madison, his 5-year-old daughter with Mel B, he also wants the legal right to maintain a relationship with the daughter Mel B had with Eddie Murphy ... TMZ has learned. Mel B now wants sole custody of Madison, which sets up a custody fight. But now sources connected with Belafonte tell us he will ask a judge for visitation rights for 10-year-old Angel. Belafonte believes he's been the father in her life from birth ... he married Mel B 2 months after she was born. Belafonte says Murphy has been a marginal presence in Angel's life, and he's been the stepdad. Under California law, a stepparent can get "reasonable visitation" if it's in the best interests of the child. In a letter Belafonte's lawyer wrote to Mel B's lawyer on March 31, he staked his claim. The lawyer wrote, "Stephen would like to schedule a meeting as soon as possible to discuss the resolution of temporary issues including his ability to see Madison and Angel, whom we would appreciate continuing to have contact with." We're told Belafonte's lawyers will raise the issue as the divorce proceeds, but under law he could not ask for stepfather visitation in his divorce response. Our sources say Mel B will strongly oppose Belafonte's move to get visitation rights for Angel. (TMZ)
THE OTHER STUFF . . .
Mark Hamill and Daisy Ridley Announce Star Wars Force for Change Charity Campaign. It's a Star Wars announcement "40 years in the making." Mark Hamill and Daisy Ridley appeared on Good Morning America Tuesday to promote Force for Change's OMAZE initiative, benefitting UNICEF and the Starlight Children's Foundation. This week, fans can enter to win an overnight stay at Skywalker Ranch. Other prizes include the chance to appear in the new Han Solo movie and a trip to L.A. for the world premiere of Star Wars: The Last Jedi. Flights and 4-star accommodations for winners and guests are included. Launched in 2014, Force for Change -- Disney and Lucasfilm's charitable initiative -- aims to "empower people to come together to make a positive impact on the world around them." Hamill and Ridley's taped Good Morning America appearance came days before the Star Wars Celebration kicks off in Orlando. The three-day event will include panel presentations from Star Wars: The Last Jedi director Rian Johnson and Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy, among others. In addition, Riz Ahmed, Hayden Christensen, Anthony Daniels, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Felicity Jones, Angus MacInnes, Peter Mayhew, Ian McDiarmid, Ray Park, Freddie Prinze Jr., Alan Tudyk, Forest Whitaker, Billy Dee Williams and more will sign autographs. Warwick Davis will host a special 90-minute presentation, 40 Years of Star Wars, at 11 a.m. Thursday. The discussion with Kennedy and others will be live-streamed from the Galaxy Stage. Star Wars: The Last Jedi will debut in theaters Dec. 15. In addition to Daniels, Hamill and Ridley, returning cast members from Star Wars: The Force Awakens include John Boyega, Gwendoline Christie, Adam Driver, Carrie Fisher, Domhnall Gleeson, Oscar Isaac, Lupita Nyong'o and Andy Serkis. Newcomers include Benicio Del Toro, Laura Dern and Kelly Marie Tran. (Eonline)
How Kate Middleton Has Been Helping Pippa Middleton Plan Her Dream Wedding. It's finally hitting us: Pippa Middleton's wedding day is coming very soon. By no means are we talking tomorrow or next week. But in case you missed the big news, the bride-to-be and James Matthews officially announced that their ceremony will take place May 20 at St Mark's Church in Englefield. The royal family including Prince Harry, Prince William and Pippa's sister Kate Middleton will attend the ceremony. And while that may be a gift in itself, fans will be delighted to hear that Kate is helping out in more ways than one before vows are exchanged. For starters, Kate and Prince William are more than happy to have their son Prince George serve as a page boy while Princess Charlotte will participate as a bridesmaid. While reports have surfaced claiming Kate will be the maid of honor, nothing has been confirmed. In fact, other outlets say she doesn't want to steal her sister's thunder. Just last week, the Duchess of Cambridge traveled to Pippa's house in West London to hang out and discuss future events. Vanity Fair also reported that Kate and William recently grabbed dinner with Pippa, James and James' parents. In between all of the planning and preparing, Kate is also making sure her sister has some fun and enjoys her engagement. While Prince William enjoyed a boys-only ski trip in March, Kate hit the slopes in Meribel, France with her sister. According to The Sun, the trip was a bachelorette party in honor of the bride-to-be and the two groups even shared the same jet on the way to their individual party locations. With just a few weeks to go before the big wedding day, interest is only expected to rise for this ceremony. Fortunately for Pippa, her sister has already experienced a similar romantic day that was watched all around the world. Everything is going to turn out great, Pippa. (Eonline)
A New York Times writer and Pulitzer finalist allegedly nearly killed her best friend in a car crash, by swerving down the wrong side of the road in Scotland, leading to a head-on collision. Sarah Maslin Nir -- who wrote a controversial expose alleging exploitation in New York nail salons, which led to protests -- was behind the wheel in the September 2015 smash that left her close friend Leah Epstein seriously injured, according to a lawsuit first reported by Heat Street. Epstein, who suffered a fractured spine, damaged lungs and perforated bowels, is seeking $4.75 million from the Times because Nir was working on a story about the trip for the travel section, according to the suit. The papers, filed in Manhattan Supreme Court, said horseback-riding instructor Epstein was in the back seat and wearing a seat belt when the car "turned into the right lane .?.?. and into oncoming traffic, before colliding head-on with another motor vehicle." Another source said Nir had swerved to avoid another car in the middle of the road, turned to the right and crashed. No charges were filed against her. Epstein -- an owner of Ithilien Stables in New Jersey who was on the trip so Nir could write about horseback riding in Scotland -- required multiple abdominal surgeries, several blood transfusions and was unable to work. Epstein has since recovered; she and Nir remain close friends and are planning a return trip to Scotland. The lawsuit argues that Nir was acting as an employee for the Times, which should pay out, because the paper paid for flights, hotel accommodations and rental car. Lawyers for the Times deny "allegations of negligence [and] liability." A rep for the paper said: "The company has no first-hand knowledge of the facts. As in any accident case, discovery will determine whether the complaint is accurate or not." Nir suffered a broken hand, wrist and foot, but tweeted about her nail expose days later, saying, "If only I wasn't in Scotland!" The story accused salons of exploiting manicurists, exposing them to toxins, and led to new national regulations. (Page Six)
Family makes everything so much better. Chris Pratt praised wife Anna Faris on Instagram Monday for joining him on his press tour in Tokyo, Japan for his upcoming Marvel sequel Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. They were joined by their 4-year-old son, Jack. "Thank you for the support honey!" Pratt, 37, wrote. "You look so beautiful. These press tours can be such a whirlwind. I'm grateful to have you and the boy with me on this one." Even though he was on a mega press tour full of press and interviews, real life didn't stop for the Jurassic World actor, as he also described his son waking him up at 3 a.m. "I was just awakened by a square kick to the back as little man climbed into bed and then must have had a karate dream or something and now I can't sleep," he continued. "I'm on insta instead. All you dads and moms know what I'm talking about." The actor also made jokes when writing about meeting fans in costume while in Japan, as well as saying he'd "been crying a lot on this tour." "Because, you know... they just can't get my latte right," he joked. "And I try to tell them 'Peruvian breast milk!' How hard is that?" Pratt guest-starred on Faris' CBS sitcom Mom in January, playing a charming horseback riding instructor Nick, whom Christy (Faris), decided to pursue. Things quickly turned romantic for the two characters, with them going for a literal roll in the hay -- having sex on barrels of hay in the horse stable. "We have a sex scene, like a sexy scene," Pratt told Entertainment Tonight. "We've been rehearsing that for 10 years." (People)
Katy Perry Just Cut Her Hair Even Shorter. Katy Perry shocked her fans and followers (in the best way) when she chopped her hair off into a bleached, wispy feather cut last month...and now she's taken it just a step further. The pop star debuted a super short pixie on her Instagram Monday, writing, "fifth element flow." In the photo, she dons a black jacket with a hood that just shows just the top half of her head. We can see she's opted for a more closely buzzed 'do, still maintaining the bleached hue. Perry tagged her hair stylist Chris McMillan as well as celebrity colorist Justin Anderson. Meanwhile, the singer first chopped off her hair at the beginning of March, following close after her split from Orlando Bloom. She revealed the inspiration behind the new 'do was none other than Scarlett Johansson. Speaking with Ryan Seacrest at the iHeartRadio Music Awards shortly after chopping it off, she said, "I saw Scarlett Johansson and she had the same cut and I was like, 'That's one of the most beautiful women in the world. I can do that, too and look maybe half as good.' So I went there." And she's had absolutely no regrets ever since. She continued, "I'm really accepting of myself, and I've done a little work in that area and it's really paying off because I'm having fun and feeling free. I feel the most authentic I've ever been." (Eonline)
Italian motor-home-mogul-turned-DJ Gianluca Vacchi has moved to Miami. Vacchi -- estimated to be worth about $400 million thanks to a company that makes homes on wheels -- has gained 8.5 million Instagram followers from viral videos he posts of his wild exploits and his friendship with Zac Efron (including pictures of the pair riding horses shirtless, Putin-style). He was spotted rolling up to Ora nightclub with a fleet of Rolls-Royces and Ferraris, where he took to the decks, "ripped his shirt off and sprayed the crowd with a tank of CO2." (Page Six)
After his Cavaliers were stunned by the Hawks as the regular NBA season winds down, -- LeBron James jetted to Miami to blow off steam before he faces his old squad, the Heat. Spies said James was at the Fontainebleau's popular LIV Sunday party with teammates J.R. Smith, Iman Shumpert and Tristan Thompson. "Every time a song by Future came on, James insisted his whole group get on their feet and dance," a spy said. "The DJ started playing more Future songs throughout the evening." (Page Six)
Kendra Wilkinson-Baskett Goes on Instagram Rant During Family Vacation: "This World Is More F--ked Up Than I Thought." Kendra Wilkinson-Baskett can't escape the Internet trolls during her spring break. As the reality star continued her tropical vacation with family and friends in Hawaii, Kendra found herself going off on a few not-so-cool Instagram followers. "Wow by my last post I just exposed all you sick f--ks. Sexualizing a child is NOT ok. Even I you said, what are you thinking posting that? YOU are just as bad as a pedo," Kendra wrote to her 2.3 million followers. "All you people living in your cages, sit the f--k down and re think life. Oh wait life is already over for you. So we should be living in a cage because of sick f--ks who think of children that way??? So they run our lives now." She added, "Man, this world is more f--ked up than I thought. I'll go ahead and go back to my vacation." After the last post was deleted, fans aren't exactly positive what Kendra is referring to. Some followers, however, are speculating that a fan criticized the mother for having her daughter hang out by the ocean without a bathing suit top. Despite the few but vocal critics, Kendra continued to share several photos of who she was vacationing with including best friend Jessica Hall and Hank Baskett. "Time to get lei'd," she joked on Instagram while posing with her husband by the ocean blue water. The sunny vacation comes as Kendra prepares to have Marriage Boot Camp: Reality Stars Family Edition premiere. In the new season, the former Girls Next Door star will work on the estranged relationship with her mother. "The decision to do family boot camp with my mom was the toughest decision of my life," Kendra shared with E! News last week. "It really truly was." As to whether or not the pair will mend their relationship or end it for good, we have to watch when the show premieres April 28. (Eonline)
Phil Collins' third ex-wife and back-for-more-girlfriend Orianne Collins settled her bitter divorce with businessman Charles Fouad Mejjati on Friday. She tells us in a statement, "We have amicably resolved our disputes in the best interest of our family and desire to move forward in a peaceful manner and to otherwise jointly raise our son. We both desire to put this chapter of our lives behind us and for others to respect our desire for privacy." Orianne claimed in court papers that Mejjati made her sign papers giving him their multimillion-dollar Miami home and primary custody of their son while she was under the influence of painkillers from a surgical procedure. Mejjati's lawyer at the time told People magazine that the allegations were "wholly unfounded" and filed a motion saying she "abandoned" the marriage to get back together with Phil. Astonishingly, Orianne and the English crooner reunited nearly 10 years after they divorced. "Life with Phil is wonderful," she tells us. The "Two Hearts" couple is living in Jennifer Lopez's former beach mansion, which Phil bought. Orianne got $46.76 million in her divorce from him in 2008. They have two children together, Matthew, 12, and Nicholas, 15. A lawyer for Mejjati did not respond to requests for comment. (Page Six)
Music
Steve Perry Says First Solo Album in 23 Years Inspired by Personal Tragedy. Former Journey singer Steve Perry bummed out a lot of fans when he didn't perform with his old band at last week's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony. But the singer revealed in an ABC Radio interview that he's prepping new music and that his first solo album in 23 years was inspired by a personal tragedy. "I have been gone...I kind of went my 'Separate Way,'" Perry said in a not-so-subtle reference to his old band's 1983 hit and his 1998 split with the group. "And I had all kinds of reasons that were important to me to do so. [And] though I've been gone...the fans have always been in my heart." The silence, which has lasted since his second solo album, For the Love of Strange Medicine, was released way back in 1994, will end soon with a "cathartic" new collection of songs due later this year inspired by a difficult period in his life. "I met someone and I feel in love with this person," he told ABC Radio. "And I lost this person to breast cancer four years ago." Perry explained that in the midst of the difficult period, "I had written some songs, and before I met her I had sketched some. And so about a year ago, I started recording... Basically the record is an emotional expression, and a reason to make one. It's been a real cathartic experience going back to that emotional place that I thought I would never go back to. And we really have been doing our very best to capture what I think are some timeless songs." There is no announced release date, or title, for the album. (Billboard)
Tupac fans will have a brand new place to pay their respects when a bigger than life, $500,000 statue of him is erected in Georgia. Jim Burnett owns the amphitheater formerly known as the Tupac Amaru Shakur Center for the Arts, and tells us he's installing a new 'Pac monument to replace the old one the rapper's family took when they sold the Center in 2015. Burnett's hired artist Nijel Binns -- who's done statues of Michael Jackson and Shirley Temple -- to lead the project. Binns says he's creating a 7-foot bronze statue based on a 13-inch clay model, which he estimates will cost more than half a million bucks to complete. They're planning to unveil the new statue in September, around the 21st anniversary of Tupac's death. We'll say this ... the new one's way more gangsta than the OG. (TMZ)
The Chainsmokers, Camila Cabello, Ariana Grande & More Celebrate Billboard Music Awards Nominations The Billboard Music Awards nominations were announced Monday morning (April 10), and the all-star nominees were thrilled to receive nods. Major artists, including leading nominees The Chainsmokers, plus Camila Cabello, Luke Bryan and more, took to Twitter to express their excitement. (Billboard)
The Chainsmokers' 'Memories' Album Set for No. 1 Debut on Billboard 200. Plus: Pentatonix aiming for its seventh top 10 album with "PTX, Vol. IV- Classics." The Chainsmokers' new album Memories... Do Not Open, is aiming to debut atop next week's Billboard 200 chart, according to industry forecasters. Sources suggest the set -- which will mark the duo's first No. 1 -- could earn over 200,000 equivalent album units in the week ending April 13, with perhaps 150,000 to 160,000 in traditional album sales. Memories was released on April 7 through Disruptor/Columbia Records. The Billboard 200 chart ranks the most popular albums of the week based on multi-metric consumption, which includes traditional album sales, track equivalent albums (TEA) and streaming equivalent albums (SEA). The top 10 of the new April 29-dated Billboard 200 chart (where Memories will likely debut at No. 1) is scheduled to be revealed on Billboard's websites on Sunday, April 16. The hefty amount of the sales of Memories will be driven by a successful concert ticket/album bundle sale redemption promotion with the duo's tour, which kicks off April 13 in Miami. The ticket/album offer was also included with select dates of the act's residency at the XS Nightclub and Encore Beach Club in Las Vegas. Memories is The Chainsmokers' first full-length album, after releasing two EPs: 2016's Collage, which peaked at No. 6 on the Billboard 200; and Bouquet, which hit No. 31 in January 2016, following its release the previous year. Drake's More Life, which is currently in its third straight week at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 (dated April 22), will likely fall to the No. 2 slot in its fourth week, behind The Chainsmokers. Following The Chainsmokers, the chart's next biggest debut will likely come from Pentatonix, as the vocal group's PTX, Vol. IV-Classics, could start in the top five with around 50,000 units (most of which will be in traditional album sales). The a cappella quintet previously hit the top 10 with A Pentatonix Christmas (No. 1 in January), its self-titled album (No. 1; 2015), That's Christmas to Me (No. 2; 2014), PTX: Vol. III (No. 5; 2014), PTX: Vol. II (No. 10; 2013) and Tomas (No. 7; 2013). (Billboard)
Sam Smith & Timbaland Working on New Music. Sam Smith has been noticeably absent from the public spotlight for the past year, but a new Instagram post with Timbaland suggests new music may be on the way. Over the weekend, the legendary producer shared a photo with Smith in the studio, saying, "It was a pleasure working this man." There's no info on what the two were working on but one can assume a follow up to Smith's 2014 debut In the Lonely Hour should be on its way before too much longer now, with this possible team up further feeding anticipation. (Billboard)
The famed producer behind Madonna's "Vogue" says he's getting the short end of the stick -- to the tune of half a million bucks -- because the record label's out for payback. Shep Pettibone, producer extraordinaire -- who's worked with Madge, Janet Jackson, Paula Abdul and a ton of other artists -- says WB Music Corp owes him a ton of back royalties for the 1990 mega hit. It appears everything was fine up until 2012 ... when Shep and WB were sued for allegedly jacking "Vogue" from someone else. In his lawsuit, Shep says they both came out victorious in that case, but the label spent a ton on lawyers -- more than $700k, according to docs. The mega producer says WB's been withholding royalties since then to cover that massive legal bill. Translation: we forked out the dough to defend your song ... now you owe us. Shep ain't buyin' that theory though, and says his contract with the label doesn't give them the right to hold back his "Vogue" dollars. He believes he's been screwed out of as much as $500k, and wants a judge to force WB Music to hand over the loot. (TMZ)
Ed Sheeran settles lawsuit over "copied" hit Photograph. He was accused of copying a Matt Cardle track... Ed Sheeran has finally struck a deal, ending the $20 million copyright infringement claim over his hit 'Photograph'. Songwriters Martin Harrington and Thomas Leonard sued the singer in June 2016 for copying their track 'Amazing' "note-for-note". It was released by X Factor winner Matt Cardle in 2012. Monday, an order signed by a judge in court said the case had been dismissed after an agreement had been reached between both parties. Details of the settlement have not been released. Following the accusations last year, Matt quickly came out in support of Ed on Twitter, saying, "Please read news articles closely. This is not my lawsuit. I think Ed Sheeran is a genius and 100 percent deserves all his success." However, it's undeniable that the chorus' sound almost identical. Take a listen for yourself... Harrington and Leonard were represented in the case by Richard Busch, the same attorney who won the 'Blurred Lines' copyright infringement case for Marvin Gaye's family. "The chorus sections of 'Amazing' and the infringing 'Photograph' share 39 identical notes - meaning the notes are identical in pitch, rhythmic duration, and placement in the measure," said the writers' court notes. "The songs' similarities reach the very essence of the work. The similarities go beyond substantial, which is itself sufficient to establish copyright infringement, and are in fact striking. The similarity of words, vocal style, vocal melody, melody, and rhythm are clear indicators, among other things, that 'Photograph' copies 'Amazing'." Earlier this year, Ed was also forced to credit TLC's songwriters on his number one hit 'Shape of You', after he was accused of copying their lyrics from the classic 90s track 'No Scrubs'. Ed has never spoken publicly about the lawsuits, but as his new album Divide has totally dominated the charts in recent weeks, we think he'll be handling it ok. (British Glamour)
The guys in Five Finger Death Punch claim they're being held hostage by their "sinking ship" of a record label ... and they need a judge to rescue the band before it gets dragged under. The heavy metal rockers destroy the label, Prospect Park, in a new lawsuit ... saying 5FDP is probably the only profitable band on the roster. The band accused Prospect Park of cooking up a bogus lawsuit last year to keep the band recording ... while it shopped the label. The band says PP is drowning in debt and is more like "Prospect Dark" these days. Gotta love the delicious wordplay, right? Remember, the label sued the guys last year, demanding they get back in the studio, pronto ... to finish an unreleased album. 5FDP wants a judge to sign their walking papers, and to make the label fork over a mil in damages. Prospect Park tells us the real issue is the band still hasn't delivered the album "required under the recording contract and expected by their fans." (TMZ)
Movies
Michelle Rodriguez: It Wasn't Easy Filming Fate of the Furious Without Paul Walker, But It Was Important. The Fate of the Furious is the first film in the Fast and the Furious franchise without Paul Walker, and everyone is feeling it...especially Michelle Rodriguez. The actress chatted with E! News' Maria Menounos at the premiere of the series' latest sequel over the weekend and admitted the movie was difficult without Walker, who died in a car accident in 2013. However, she knew they had to do it. "Not easy," she described of the filming process without her late co-star. "I think that's a big reason why we went dark on this one and why it's not all fun and games... But at the end of the day, the big picture of it all is that this has become a global monster that's kind of letting in the 99-percent through the backdoor into Hollywood that never really created anything for them in the action-movie realm." She continued, "Nobody else is spending $300, $250 million on a multicultural audience outside of Sci-Fi. So we have a responsibility, and we have to keep it up." However, she did note, "It was hard to move on without him. He is the essence of why we were excited to come on-board because he kept that childhood excitement about that realm and following through in what we were doing. He's a big part of the family, but at the end of the day, we have a big responsibility, and it's a global one so we gotta keep on trucking." Meanwhile, though the latest Fast movie is certainly not the same without Walker, it does see some newcomers, including Helen Mirren, Charlize Theron and Scott Eastwood. In fact, when Eastwood first signed on in April 2016, he shared an emotional post in honor of his late friend. "It's hard to put into words how excited I am for the next Fast & Furious," Scott wrote in Instagram. "To me, the series is so much more than just a franchise. It's a legacy. These great actors who have been in it together for so long have become a family. I absolutely can't wait to join it." At the end of the post, Eastwood noted how he relates to the Fast family's ever-present loss over Walker's death on a personal level. "Paul was a close friend of mine," he wrote. "We surfed together, traveled together, and he was a huge role model and influencing figure in my life when I was younger. He still is. He was an older brother to me. For me to be able to add to the F&F story, Paul's story, and the FAST family is like a dream come true." (Eonline)
Don Cheadle Tackling Story of Wall Street's First Black Millionaire. Cheadle is reteaming with his 'Miles Ahead' scribe Steven Bargeman as he plans to star in and produce the adaptation of Shane White's biography 'Prince of Darkness.' Don Cheadle has acquired the film and TV rights to Prince of Darkness by Shane White, with plans to adapt the 2015 book as a starring vehicle. Steven Bargeman, who worked with Cheadle on the Miles Davis biopic Miles Ahead, is reteaming with the actor and will pen the script for the drama. Cheadle will produce and star. Prince of Darkness: The Untold Story of Jeremiah G. Hamilton, Wall Street's First Black Millionaire sheds light on the obscure story of Hamilton, who was mentioned in an obituary for Cornelius Vanderbilt as the tycoon's true rival. White's book details the rise of Hamilton as he is chased out of Haiti and becomes a broker and land agent in 19th century New York, his success prickling both white and black society. He broke many taboos of the times, including marrying a white woman and owning stock in rail companies on whose trains he wasn't legally allowed to ride. When Hamilton died, obits at the time called him the richest black man in America. The book has been awarded the Society of Historians of the Early American Republic's best book prize and the 2016 New York City Book Award. Cheadle may be best known for playing hero James Rhodes, aka War Machine, in the Marvel Iron Man and Captain America movies. He also is the Golden Globe-winning star of House of Lies, which ran five seasons on Showtime. Both Cheadle and Bargeman are repped by UTA. White is repped by UTA and the Strotman Agency. (Hollywood Reporter)
Cannes: Sandrine Kimberling to Head Golden Camera Jury. The French actress will oversee the jury that hands out the prize for the best first film. French actress Sandrine Kimberling will oversee this year's Cannes Film Festival Golden Camera jury, or Camera d'Or. Organizers said Tuesday that she will serve as president of the jury that selects the best first film from across the official selections of the film festival. The two-time Cesar award winner has a diverse career, starring in family comedies such as 9 Month Stretch, but began her career in dramas, such as Maiden's Cannes jury prize winner Polisse and Andre Techine's Being 17. Kiberlain was a member of the Cannes main competition jury in 2001. The Camera d'Or is given to the best first film across the festival's Official Selection and Un Certain Regard sections, as well as the official sidebars of the Critics' Week and Directors' Fortnight. The prize is awarded during the main ceremony on the closing night of the festival. The Camera d'Or has produced several directors who have become Cannes regulars, including Jim Jarmusch, Pascale Ferran and Naomi Kawase. Last year's winner, Houda Benyamina's Divines, went on to a Golden Globe nomination for best foreign-language film and won a slew of prizes and France's Lumiere and Cesar awards. Pedro Almodovar will head up the main Cannes jury this year, while Palme d'Or winner Cristian Mungiu will head up the student and short films jury. This year's Cannes film festival runs May 17-28. (Hollywood Reporter)
'The Fate of the Furious' Sets Chinese Ticket Presales Record. 'Furious 7,' the most recent film in the franchise, earned a historic $390 million in China in 2015 and remains Hollywood's biggest release there ever. Universal's The Fate of the Furious doesn't open in China until Friday, the same day it gets released in North America and many other major markets around the world. But the much anticipated eighth installment in the car chase franchise is already revving its engines mightily. The movie, directed F. Gary Gray and once again starring regulars Vin Diesel and Dwayne Johnson, has smashed China's all-time ticket presales record, data from Beijing-based box office tracker Ent Group shows. As of Tuesday, the film had earned $18.1 million (RMB 125 million) in advanced ticketing revenue, well beyond prior record holder Journey to the West: The Demons Strike Back, a local blockbuster produced by Stephen Chow, which notched RMB 101 million ($14.6 million at current exchange rates) in pre-sales in January (the film went on to earn $240 million). Fast 8's presales kicked off on April 2. The film has also hit a new all-time high for advanced Imax sales in China, pulling in $2.4 million (RMB 16.5 million) so far, unseating prior record holder Captain America: Civil War, which took approximately RMB 10 million ($1.4 million at current rates) in Imax presales last year, according to leading local movie site Mtime. Expectations for the Fate of the Furious in China are running understandably high. Furious 7, the preceding film in the franchise, became a historic box-office success upon its release in the country in 2015. Directed by James Wan and the last in the series to co-star the late Paul Walker, the film set a still unbroken local opening-day record of $68.8 million. It went on to become the biggest imported title ever in the Chinese market, earning $390 million -- almost $40 million more than the blockbuster pulled in from North America. Whether the new film can scale those heights remains an open question. After expanding by an average of 35 percent each year for a decade, the Chinese box office has experienced a prolonged slump over the past twelve months. Total box office grew just 3.7 percent in 2016, and the last $200 million-plus Hollywood release was Legendary's Warcraft ($220.8 million) last July. The strong presales are an unequivocally good sign for Universal and its Beijing-based slate financing partner Perfect World Pictures, though. Universal declined to comment directly on the advanced sales numbers, but a spokesperson in their Beijing office offered, "What we can say now is we are excited about all of the signs, and really look forward to seeing the performance in the market soon." Jason Statham, Michelle Rodriguez, Ludacris, Tyrese Gibson and Kurt Russell are returning for Fast 8, while Charlize Theron joins the Furious family in a villain role and Scott Eastwood is also among the cast's new faces. (Hollywood Reporter)
TV
Carpool Karaoke Is Heading to Primetime With New CBS Late Late Show Special. Carpool Karaoke is going primetime -- again. The Late Late Show Carpool Karaoke Primetime Special 2017 is coming to CBS on Monday, May 22. In addition to Carpool Karaoke segments, including an all-new installment with a celebrity yet to be announced, the special will feature Toddlerography and James Corden's favorite Late Late Show moments. This is the second primetime special for The Late Late Show with James Corden. Last year's installment, which featured Jennifer Lopez sitting in the passenger seat for a Carpool Karaoke ride, won an Emmy for Outstanding Variety Special. Could the May special debut Ed Sheeran's Carpool Karaoke segment that was filmed back in February? Recent Carpool Karaoke participants include Bruno Mars, Lady Gaga, Madonna, Britney Spears, Michelle Obama and Selena Gomez. The segment is becoming a show. Carpool Karaoke: The Series will be a 16-episode series on Apple Music and feature other famous faces behind the wheel with guests. Pairings include, but are not limited to: Will Smith and Corden, Michael Strahan and Jeff Gordon, Ariana Grande and Seth MacFarlane, John Cena and Shaquille O'Neal, and Billy Eichner and Metallica. Blake Shelton, Alicia Keys and John Legend are also set to appear in Carpool Karaoke: The Series. Adele's Carpool Karaoke segment is the most-watched late night clip on YouTube with more than 154 million views. Tell us: Whom do you want to see get in the passenger seat for the special? The Late Late Show Carpool Karaoke Primetime Special 2017 airs Monday, May 22 at 10 p.m. on CBS. (Eonline)
Orange Is the New Black's Intense Season 5 Premiere Sneak Peek Ends With a Bang. Your first look at Orange Is the New Black season five is here. Prepare yourselves, you may not find the answers you're looking for here. In the minute-long video, things pick up right where they left off in season four: Daya (Dascha Polanco) has a gun to CO Humphrey's (Michael Torpey), surrounded by a riled up factions of prisoners. Everybody's telling her to do it, to kill him. "We are laying low and we're staying out of trouble," Piper (Taylor Schilling) says to Alex (Laura Prepon) as they arrive on the scene. "That's right, we see trouble, we turn around and walk the other way. We are out of the business," Alex agrees. And then they discover the riot. "If this is a real riot, do you think this is a step forward or backwards for equality?" Piper wonders. "I need you to be quiet," Daya yells. But the crowd isn't letting up. Bang. Does Daya pull the trigger? You'll have to watch on Friday, June 9 when all episodes premiere. Season five will take place over the span of just three days. And don't forget, OITNB has been renewed through season seven. "I think the stakes are higher in this season than they have been in a while just by virtue of the compressed time and seeing people in compressed circumstance really raises the stakes. It's exciting to watch, I think for all of us," Schilling told E! News. Laverne Cox told us the new season was "really, really good." "What I can tell you is that I was just as excited as all the fans were to see what happens next. When I read it, it was incredible, when we shot it, it was... intense. It's really, really intense. It manages... as intense as it all is, it still manages to have an irreverence and a spin that is funny and thoughtful." All episodes drop on Friday, June 9 on Netflix. (Eonline)
Rashad Jennings Just Drove Dancing with the Stars to Tears As He Danced for His Father. NFL running back Rashad Jennings may have just become the one to watch on Dancing with the Stars. For Monday night's theme of most memorable year, he recalled his rough relationship with his father. "My dad was closed off when I was younger. Any time you would try to get closer to him, he would turn to alcohol," Jennings said in the package before the dance. "His idea of love was to provide financially. He provided, and faded away." Then, Jennings had a full scholarship to college and was being considered by NFL scouts when he got a phone call that his dad was going to have to have a leg amputated due to diabetes and a stroke he had suffered. Jennings immediately decided to go home and take care of his parents, even if it meant giving up his own dream. So, Rashad and his partner Emma Slater danced a beautiful contemporary routine to Katy Perry's "Unconditionally," and it was by far this season's best dance yet. But even as emotional as the dance itself was, that was nothing compared to the hug shared between Rashad and his parents, who were watching from the audience, at the end of the routine. "I wasn't watching dance. I was watching two great artists painting one of the most beautiful works of art expressed through dance," judge Bruno Tonioli said. Carrie Ann Inaba called Rashad a born dancer, and Julianne Hough said, through tears, that she had no words for what she was feeling. All the judges gave the dance a 10, except for Len Goodman. Len gave it a nine, but that's high praise for the notoriously critical Len, so it's basically a 10 anyway. Seems safe to say Rashad won't be going home any time soon. Dancing with the Stars airs Mondays at 8 p.m. on ABC. (Eonline)
Why Erika Jayne Is Not Backing Down on Dancing With the Stars. Erika Jayne found herself in jeopardy on Dancing With the Stars, but she's not letting that shake her. "Hey, we're back next week," she told E! News after her performance. Erika and professional partner Gleb Savchenko danced the cha cha to Madonna's "Express Yourself" for Most Memorable Year week. She selected 1989 when she moved to New York to make it in show business. "I had a good a good time. I'm not going to lie. I had a great time, I enjoyed myself," "We all express ourselves. Don't you express yourself every day?" The couple received a 30 out of 40 from the judges and it was Mr. T. and Kym Herjavec who were sent home during week four of the competition. "Listen, Mr. T is a very cool guy. Of course we went up to him and said we'll be missing him," she said. Despite the bottom two placement, Erika and Gleb said they're back next week -- so is the sexiness they get criticized for, they are dancing the rumba after all -- and giving it their all. "We're going to come out strong with a new dance," Gleb said. "We're going to work hard to deliver." "We're not backing down," Erika said. Dancing With the Stars airs Mondays, 8 p.m. on ABC. (Eonline)
Erika Girardi's son, Tommy, is an incredibly important part of her life -- but he won't be supporting her in the audience at Dancing with the Stars. "He watches on TV and supports me at home. He's my biggest cheerleader but he will not be attending," the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star told reporters of Tommy after Monday's episode of DWTS. Girardi declined to say why her son would not be in attendance ("That's between us," she explained), but that's perhaps not surprising given the fact that Tommy, a cop, has also not appeared on RHOBH even though he lives with his mother and stepfather, Thomas. "That's something between my family and myself," she says of her relationship with her son. "It's my choice to reveal certain parts of my life and keep others very private." But Tommy is not the only family member rooting Girardi on from their mansion. Thomas is also an armchair cheerleader. "He's at home cheering and he's happy for me," Girardi says of Thomas. "He has the biggest smile and the biggest twinkle in his eye. He couldn't be sweeter." Dancing with the Stars airs Mondays (8 p.m. ET) on ABC. (People)
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