ENTERTAINMENT NEWS

Baby on the Way for Robert and Kym Johnson Herjavec. Time for Kym Johnson Herjavec to purchase some baby dance shoes! The Dancing with the Stars pro is pregnant, she confirmed on Instagram Monday with a too-cute ultrasound photo featuring her unborn child flashing a cheeky hand gesture. " 'It's a thumbs up" ????????,' " the mother-to-be wrote alongside the snap. While the little one on the way will be the first child for Kym, 41, her husband Robert Herjavec is already a dad to three children from a previous marriage. The parents-to-be and former DWTS partners fell in love during show rehearsals in 2015, and continued to date after they were eliminated in week 8. Kym and Robert, 55, wed in summer 2016, saying their "I dos" in front of family and friends (including DWTS alums Joey Fatone, Lance Bass and Donny Osmond) in Los Angeles. "I hope I can speak and that I'm not sobbing with happiness," Kym joked to PEOPLE three days before the star-studded ceremony. "I'm sure I'll be overcome with emotion." The spouses celebrated their first wedding anniversary in July, with Kym teasing PEOPLE Now about expanding her family with the Shark Tank star. "We're sort of just enjoying being married at the moment," said the owner of Beverly Hills, California-based dance studio The BOD. "But who knows!" Added Kym of her husband, "It feels like we've known each other forever. It's been almost three years since we met. He's just amazing. We're best friends, and it's just easy." (People)

Khloe Kardashian Wants to Give Birth in L.A. and Is Planning a 'Low-Key' Baby Shower. Khloe Kardashian is excitedly preparing for her baby's arrival. The mom-to-be, who is currently in Cleveland, Ohio, with NBA boyfriend Tristan Thompson, is already planning where to give birth, a Keeping Up with the Kardashians source tells PEOPLE. "Khloe wants to give birth in L.A. That's the plan right now," the source says. "For Christmas, Khloe wants to be with her family." Despite wanting to be close to mom Kris Jenner and her sisters for Christmas, the reality star may have to spend the holidays away from them if she wants to also be with Thompson. "Tristan has a game on Christmas Day, so they are still deciding if they will celebrate together, or apart," the source says. "Either way, they are spending New Year's together." However her holiday plans pan out, she will have time to celebrate her pregnancy with family soon with plans for her baby shower underway. "Khloe seems very happy," the source says. "She doesn't really talk about the baby. She hasn't had a baby shower yet, but has one scheduled." The source adds that Kardashian's sisters and mother are organizing the event, which she wants "to be low-key like Kylie's." On Monday, Kardashian shared a sweet tribute to her boyfriend on Instagram with a throwback photo from her 33rd birthday party this summer. "The day I met you, my life changed," she captioned the black and white photo booth snap of the duo kissing. "Thank you my love!" While Kardashian has yet to officially announce her pregnancy, multiple sources previously confirmed to PEOPLE she and Thompson, 26, are expecting a boy together -- due to arrive in early 2018. This will be Kardashian's first child, while Thompson is also dad to son Prince Oliver, who turns 1 this month. The pair has been dating since September 2016. A source previously told PEOPLE those close to the Good American co-founder and Thompson are anxiously awaiting the arrival of their first child together. "This is something Khloe has wanted for years and years and yet it's more than that: She didn't want it unless she was in the right relationship for it. She never let it happen with Lamar, intentionally, and she never considered it with James or French or anyone else she has seen," the source said of Kardashian, who was married to Lamar Odom from 2009-16. "But this is such a wonderful moment for her: not only is she going to be a mother, she is going to be raising a child with a man she truly loves," the source added. "Everyone is over the moon for them both." Kardashian isn't the only one in her family expecting a baby. Older sister Kim Kardashian West is expecting a baby girl via surrogate (her third child with husband Kanye West) and sister Kylie Jenner is expecting a daughter (with boyfriend Travis Scott). All are "due around the same," a source told PEOPLE in September. "Getting pregnant at the same time was totally unplanned, but they are really happy about it," the source added of the sisters. (People)

Kylie Jenner Is 'Having Fun' Buying Fancy Baby Gear: 'She's Leaning Toward Pink Hues,' Says Source. You can skip this ad in 28 seconds She's thinking pink! Kylie Jenner -- who's pregnant with her first child, a girl, with boyfriend Travis Scott -- has been busy stocking up on fancy baby gear, a source tells PEOPLE. "Kylie is having a lot of fun picking out items for her baby. She's definitely leaning towards pink hues and having fun with the fact that she's having a girl," the source says. The mom-to-be's purchases include plenty of cute clothes and baby gear, including a stroller. Although Jenner has yet to announce her pregnancy, which multiple sources confirmed to PEOPLE in September, the makeup mogul has appeared to drop some hints at the sex of the baby she's carrying. On Thursday, she gave fans a look at her 20-foot Christmas tree, which was covered in giant pink ornaments. Complete with a backdrop of Marilyn Monroe pop art prints, the tree took up Jenner's entire entryway. A pink bow emoji in the reality star's caption might have also been a nod to her little one on the way. "Thank you @jeffleatham & his team for making my XMAS dreams come true! 20 feet of magic! Even more perfect in real life ... ??," she wrote in the caption on social media. The Keeping Up With the Kardashians star has also previously posted cryptic photos of pink decorations and pink butterfly jewelry. Butterflies have special significance for Jenner and Scott. This summer, the couple got matching ankle butterfly tattoos and one of the rapper's most popular tracks is "Butterfly Effect." Since the news of her pregnancy broke, the mom-to-be has avoided stepping out into the spotlight. While Jenner is very involved in her beauty business, she has no plans to go out in a public capacity until her baby is born. "Kylie wants to disappear and be out of the spotlight and focus on her health and happiness," a source close to the family previously told PEOPLE. "Kylie isn't going to publicly address her pregnancy until she gives birth. She's not doing any public appearances and just wanted to take six months off," the source added. (People)

New couple alert! Dakota Johnson and Chris Martin are dating, multiple sources confirm to Us Weekly. "Dakota and Chris are definitely dating," the source tells Us Weekly. "They've gotten to know each other really well and are very comfortable from one another. Chris sends Dakota his music to get her opinion. It's more than just a fling." The 50 Shades of Grey star, 28, and Coldplay frontman, 40, were spotted together at Nick Cave's concert in Israel last month. The pair was also seen having dinner with the singer at Yam Sheva restaurant in Herzliya. "They came in and they were really, really nice, like extremely nice. It was a surprise," an eyewitness told Us about the duo. "They sat with Nick Cave too. I didn't see them kiss or hold hands or anything like that. They ordered some starters and not a lot of food." This is not the first time Johnson and Martin have been seen together. The couple went on a date at Sushi Park in Los Angeles last month. "Chris and Dakota walked in together and sat at a table for two tucked away in the corner," an onlooker told Us. "They seemed very happy to see each other and immediately jumped into conversation. She was catching him up on work and the different projects she has coming up. She was telling him where she is going to be and asking him what he thought. They both seemed to really respect each other's opinions. Chris was very charming and personable. His face lit up when he was talking to her. He hummed a little bit and asked her what she thought of a song. She clearly loves his music and was really into it. They were flirty and laughing the entire meal. He paid for dinner and held the door for her. They both thanked the chefs on the way out." Martin was previously married to Gwyneth Paltrow, whom he shares 13-year-old daughter Apple and 11-year-old son Moses. He subsequently dated Jennifer Lawrence and Peaky Blinders actress Annabelle Wallis. (US Weekly)

Chloë Moretz opened up about her 2016 split from Brooklyn Beckham & it is heartbreaking. We've all been there... Chloë Grace Moretz opened up about her breakup from Brooklyn Beckham back in 2016. Although the couple have rekindled their romance, the actress has revealed she was going through a lot during their split and just wanted to "hide". Speaking to Australia's Stellar magazine, Chloë said: "I went through a hard year and I'm not going to hide that. I had to deal with this new level of fame while I was growing up, I was getting out of a relationship and all of it was very public. I wanted to hide." The 20-year-old actress also revealed she sought support from her family who encouraged her "not to hide away": "They were like, 'That's all great that you want to go away-but you can't. You are your own person. You're going to have to deal with this sort of thing.'" She continued: "I felt like things were falling apart, like my head and heart weren't in the same place. Things started to change when I saw I have the power within to change them." We've all been there, Chloë. Fortunately the actress' heartbreak has now healed, and her and Brooks have rekindled their romance - there were even rumors of an engagement. We just love this two together. The engagement rumors were in full force last month after a snap of Brooklyn on bended knee in front of Chloë surfaced on the internet. Later she was seen out with a ring on that finger - the ring is a signet ring with Brooklyn's initial on it. The couple started dating in 2014 - on and off - but confirmed they were dating back in May 2016. After that, their sweet social media posts about each other kept us smiling during the muggiest of Summer days. The former GLAMOUR cover star said that Brooklyn reminds her of how beautiful she is when she's having a bad day. "My boyfriend is a huge support. I mean, don't get me wrong, I don't need a man for anything, but when I'm feeling bad about myself, he's like, 'Stop. Look at what you say in interviews. Look at what you stand for. Listen to your own words, because you're as beautiful as you say you are! All young women are more beautiful than they think, you know. And I like you more in sweatpants than I do when you're on a red carpet.' And it's nice to have a young man whose 17 years old be able to look at a woman that way. I think it means we're on the right track." she said. She even gushed about Brooklyn on The Talk and revealed why they finally admitted they were together. She said: "We were always running from people taking pictures of us. And we were like, 'You know what? It's affecting our relationship'. "We weren't able to go to the restaurants we wanted to go to or just go to a movie," she continued. "And so we thought, 'You know what? If we're more upfront about it and we break down the iron curtain and we just let them take our photo, they're not going to care'." Lets all 'awwwwww' in unison, please. We're SO happy they worked it out. (British Glamour)

Justin Bieber's Family Thinks Selena Gomez Is a "Positive Influence." Justin Bieber's mom and dad totally approve of Selena Gomez. As the pop music superstars continue to give their romance another chance, some fans have wondered what Pattie Mallette and Jeremy Bieber think of their son's leading lady. According to multiple sources, they are totally fans of the "Come and Get It" singer. "His parents love Selena. That want him to date someone and think she is very sweet and a good girl," one source shared with E! News exclusively. "They are happy with how Justin is doing and his focus. They support him going to church often and having his faith being such a big part of his life." The insider continued, "They think that being back together with Selena is a positive thing. He wants to do things differently and make it right and show everyone how far he has come." In fact, we're told Justin's mom has always liked Selena and knows how happy she makes her son. "She thinks she's a positive influence in his life. Justin has been a lot more motivated since they've rekindled," another source shared. "Justin has a very close relationship with his mother and wouldn't pursue a relationship with someone that his mom didn't like." So is the feeling mutual when it comes to Selena's immediate family? Last month, a source shared with E! News that her family "is still getting comfortable with the idea of them back together." Ultimately, there's no denying the special bond these two have continued to maintain after all these years. Whether enjoying date night at church or simply riding bikes together, this pair may just be proving that young love never dies. As for an official Instagram photo together, we're still waiting on that one. Perhaps they can count on Pattie and Jeremy for a "like." (Eonline)

This Is Us' Chrissy Metz Had One Treat in Mind to Celebrate Her Golden Globes Nomination. Sometimes there's nothing better than an iced coffee. That was the treat on Chrissy Metz' mind when E! News' Will Marfuggi caught up with her after it was announced that she's been nominated for a Golden Globe for supporting actor in a series for her role on This Is Us. "I have a full day, but I think I'm gonna get an iced coffee," she shared about her celebration plans. "Goin' crazy!" Metz shares a category with Laura Dern, Ann Dowd, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Shailene Woodley, and was nominated alongside her TV brother, Sterling K. Brown, who is in the running for best actor in a drama. The show itself was also nominated for best drama, but Milo Ventimiglia, Mandy Moore, and Justin Hartley were all left off the list of nominations. "I see the work that they put in every day and the countless hours and the passion and the commitment, and it's frustrating," she says of her costars not being nominated. "Not that they couldn't be happier for us, but it's just frustrating..." Metz also weighed in on the recent discussion of bullying surrounding a viral video. This Is Us returns to NBC in 2018, and the Golden Globes will air Sunday, January 8 on NBC. (Eonline)

Jessica Chastain Feared for Her Career After Denouncing Sexual Misconduct in Hollywood. Jessica Chastain was surprised by her Golden Globe nomination for Molly's Game -- but not for reasons fans might expect. In a new interview with The New York Times, Chastain opened up about speaking out against sexual harassment in Hollywood and the impact she worried it would have on her career. "To be honest, I'm mainly surprised about my nomination," the Best Actress in a Motion Picture (Drama) nominee told the newspaper. "As an actor, I have a lot of fear, thinking that if I speak my mind, or something that feels like it deviates from the norm as a woman, am I going to be made to disappear in my industry?" Back in October, The New York Times published an expose detailing decades of sexual misconduct allegations against Harvey Weinstein -- allegations Weinstein's attorney Charles Harder called "false and defamatory." After the story was released, Chastain took to Twitter to share her own experiences in Hollywood. "I was warned from the beginning," she tweeted. "The stories were everywhere. To deny that is to create an environment for it to happen again." As the conversation around sexual harassment evolved and more accusers came forward, Chastain continued to speak out. While appearing on The Graham Norton Show, Chastain claimed a "well-known actor" even advised her to "calm down." Chastain started to worry that letting her voice be heard could negatively impact her career. "I've got a good group of girlfriends on WhatsApp, and I said, 'I'm really terrified I'm destroying my career right now. I wonder if people will still see me as an actress, and want to work with knowing I have these opinions,'" she told The New York Times. However, it seems like her friends were able to calm her nerves. "In the way that only good girlfriends can do, they helped me eliminate fear and understand that the only way to change something that's wrong is to change it, not ignore it," she continued. "And rather than saying it's an industry-wide issue, it's more than that. It's a society-wide issue. We can't ignore farmworkers or women who have been invisible." As more people have spoken out, Chastain says a "new world" has emerged where people are held accountable for their actions. "We've been since birth in a society that makes us feel like we're easily replaceable, that we need to be grateful for any work, and grateful for what we have," she said. "But what that does is it limit our acknowledgment of the power we have, especially when we work together. It's like what Margaret Mead said. 'Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world.' And that's what we're doing." Visit The New York Times to read Chastain's full interview. (Eonline)

Larry King Denies Groping Allegations Made by Terry Richard. Larry King is responding to sexual misconduct allegations made by Terry Richard. In a new interview with DailyMailTV, Eddie Fisher's ex-wife claims the former CNN host groped her at a public event on two separate occasions as they were taking photos together. "Larry King is a groper," she alleged. "He groped me twice. He gets a thrill doing this in front of the camera, knowing I couldn't do anything." Terry claims the incidents took place in 2005 and again in 2006 at a baseball awards dinner at Universal Studios in Los Angeles. In response to the allegations, Larry's attorney released a statement that stated: "Larry King flatly and unequivocally denies these claims and intends to file suit and prove that they're utterly false." According to People, days before DailyMailTV published Terry's account, an attorney for Larry sent a denial letter to the outlet. "We represent Larry King. I am informed that you intend to publish a statement by a woman named Terry Richards that, 10 or more years ago, Mr. King supposedly 'groped' her at one or more baseball dinners," the letter read. "That assertion is entirely and unequivocally false and defamatory. Mr. King did no such thing then or ever. Your publishing this false and defamatory statement will be actionable and highly damaging." While Terry claims the incidents happened nearly 12 years ago, she says it continues to have an impact on her life today. "Because of what happened to me, every time I take a picture with a man that I don't really know, in the back of my mind, for a split second I wonder if I'm going to be groped," she explained. As for what she is looking for from the journalist, Terry is hoping for an apology. "I haven't seen Larry since the last time he groped me, but if I had the chance to talk to him I would tell him, shame on you! It was inappropriate," she said. "I don't want his money, but an apology would be nice. How would he feel if someone did that to his wife or his daughter? Larry has two young sons that I hope wouldn't do what he did." (Eonline)

Bethenny Frankel suing ex-husband for custody of daughter. Real Housewives of New York star Bethenny Frankel is suing her ex-husband for custody of their 7-year-old daughter after he was charged with stalking and harassing the Skinnygirl mogul. Frankel reopened her 2013 divorce case against former hubby Jason Hoppy on Dec. 6, according to court records. They're due in court in January. Lawyers for the parties did not immediately respond to requests seeking comment. Hoppy was arrested in January for showing up to their daughter's school and warning Frankel, "I will destroy you, you can get all the lawyers you want, you've been warned," according to an NYPD spokesman. He denied the claims. They settled their bitter custody battle in 2014 by agreeing to co-parent their daughter Bryn. They reached the deal after Frankel called Hoppy "white trash" from the witness stand. (Eonline)

The guy who bum-rushed Britney Spears on her Las Vegas stage now has 2 charges hanging over his head, and he's one step closer to a trial ... TMZ has learned. According to court docs, Jesse Webb's trial is scheduled to begin January 18. He's been charged with one count of battery and one count of disorderly conduct, both misdemeanors. As we reported, Webb was arrested in August after he jumped on stage, and briefly walked around before Brit's security guards and dancers took him down. Cops say Webb kicked one of the guards during the incident ... which would be the battery charge. PARTY CRASHER Webb's set to go to trial, but the reality is he's charged with misdemeanors, and the whole thing's on video -- so, all signs point to a plea deal. We've reached out to his attorney ... so far, no word back. (TMZ)

Steve Edwards is out! The longtime anchor on Fox's morning show Good Day LA was fired on Monday after allegations of sexual harassment involving him were made, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The network released a statement following the news: "We can confirm that Steve Edwards is no longer employed by KTTV." In addition to working for KABC and KCBS, Steve was a fixture on the Fox show ever since joining as a co-anchor in 1995. As of now, there are still no details on the claims made against him. We'll be sure to keep you updated. (Perez Hilton)

THE OTHER STUFF . . .

Carrie Fisher's French bulldog, Gary, is more than a famous pooch looking to make a buck -- he's downright therapeutic for Carrie's throngs of fans ... and his new owner's seen it happen, firsthand. We got Carrie's former assistant, Corby McCoin, leaving Basix Cafe in West Hollywood ... with Gary, of course. We asked her about the standoff with Disney and Carrie's family -- primarily her daughter Billie Lourd and ex-husband Bryan Lourd. We broke the story ... Billie and Bryan think Gary's public appearances cheapen Carrie's legacy, and want Corby to keep Gary out of the spotlight. Corby says she isn't in it for the money, but adds it's clear to her now ... Gary provides emotional support to fans who are missing Carrie. (TMZ)

Kevin Hart and Wife Eniko Parrish Make First Red Carpet Appearance Since Welcoming Baby Son. Kevin Hart and wife Eniko Parrish enjoyed a date night three weeks after welcoming their baby boy Kenzo Kash. The couple attended the Los Angeles premiere of Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle at the TCL Chinese Theatre on Monday for their first red carpet appearance as new parents. Hart, 38, and Parrish, 33, color-coordinated in black with the comedian in a white stripe-patterned suit while the mother of one, who previously revealed she gained only 22 lbs. during her pregnancy, made her strapless La Perla ensemble stand out with a bold red lip, diamond choker and Chanel clutch. The pair announced the birth of their son on social media on Nov. 21, two days before Thanksgiving. Hart is also dad to son Hendrix, 10, and daughter, Heaven, 12, whom he shares with his ex-wife Torrei Hart. And five days after his birth, Hart and Parrish shared photos of their son with their followers. The proud parents continue to document the little one's growth with fans, most recently sharing his sweet nickname Zo. On the same day as the Jumanji premiere, Hart and Parrish both shared a new photo of their little one. "Stunting like his daddy," the actor captioned the portrait of the newborn, along with hashtags such as #ThisIsTheFaceHeMadeAfterPeeingOnHisMother and #iToldHerThatHeLookedLikeHeWasAboutToLetGo. Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle hits theaters Dec. 20. (People)

The Greatest Style Woman! Zendaya Wears 5 Different Outfits in One Day While Out in New York. You can skip this ad in 28 seconds. Zendaya plays a trapeze artist in her latest film, The Greatest Showman, but in real-life she's one of Hollywood's most stylish quick-change artists. The actress, 21, juggled a total of five different outfits on Tuesday as she went from one promotional event to another in New York City. And with each stop, Zendaya and her stylist Law Roach mixed in vibrant patterns and colors that coordinated with the P. T. Barnum biopic's energetic imagination. First, she kicked off her fast-paced day in head-to-toe metallic gold, coincidentally timed around the early morning hours when the 2018 Golden Globe nominations were announced. "Today's accidental reference... Golden Globes," the style star captioned her photo of look no.1 featuring a Giuseppe di Morabito coat and color-coordinated Paul Andrew heels and Bienen-Davis handbag. Her second look was the most circus-themed of the day as she wore an orange and gold polka dot patterned jacket and dress for her Today show appearance. The matching print set was a standout from Mary Katrantzou's Spring 2018 ready-to-wear collection while her silver stilettos were made by Casadei. Up next was look no. 3 with another big top-themed ensemble, this time featuring some monkey artwork on her high-waisted orange and purple skirt from Stella Jean's Resort 2018 collection. Wearing the same silver Casadei shoes, Zendaya opted for stripes as she completed her outfit with Stella Jean's off-the-shoulder shirt for her next stop at Live with Kelly and Ryan. For the evening, the Disney Channel star switched it up a bit, veering away from her film's motifs and opting for more a mature style. The star donned a sleeveless floral jumpsuit and leather jacket, all by Chloe. Inspired by the brown, purple and baby blue hues of her designer outfit, Zendaya chose a pair of Sergio Rossi boots to perfectly synchronize the whole ensemble. And last but not least, look no. 5 was all about her green coat! The Spider-Man: Homecoming alum bundled up in a double-breasted Marni long jacket that featured houndstooth fabric one the lapels. For a lot of her looks on and off the red carpet, Zendaya told InStyle that she's been inspired by the '60s and '70s. "I think I'm always just very inspired by the fashion of the decades," she said. "When you go back in time and kind of explore those silhouettes and kind of find a modern way to do it, everything in fashion just repeats. It's just the same thing, just repeating. So when you latch on to something from the past, it's almost like it's new again, because we haven't seen it in a while. So I love exploring with different things from different decades. It's fun." And fashion isn't only a source of fun for the star -- it's also a source of confidence. "I think for me, I really have been lucky to find, through fashion, a lot of confidence," she shared. "For me, dressing up and trying new things is a form of exploring my confidence, exploring what I like, exploring what I enjoy." The Greatest Showman hits theaters on Dec. 20. (People)

Kris Jenner Buys New $9.9 Million Home Across the Street from Kim Kardashian and Kanye West. Kris Jenner is moving a little closer to daughter Kim Kardashian West and son-in-law Kanye West. The KarJenner matriarch, 62, recently purchased a new home in Hidden Hills, California, just across the street from her daughter, PEOPLE confirms. Jenner's new home, which she bought for $9,925,000, features six bedrooms, eight baths, a theater, a gym and sits on 1.28 acres of land, according to Compass realty. A sprawling outdoor area boasts a swimming pool and a large backyard for her five grandchildren (and counting!). The theater room is a relaxed space which currently features a large projection screen with blackout curtains-perfect for the movie-loving family. The open plan living room has enormous pocket doors that open out onto the outside patio for seamless indoor/outdoor living and entertaining. Jenner's new kitchen flows into the living room. The island has marble top with hardwood cabinets. Multiple sinks and prepping areas also make it easy to prepare meals for the whole family. The master bedroom is sunlight and spacious with a seating area and a wide window with a view to the backyard. The walk-in closet has plenty of space for the momager's designer duds. This is not the first time Kris, her daughter, and son-in-law have lived in close proximity. The couple lived with Jenner for almost three years while they renovated their now-sold Bel-Air home. The couple is now renovating their Hidden Hills home. Having Jenner nearby will certainly be helpful in the coming months when West and Kardashian West welcome their third child-who is being carried to term by a surrogate. Jenner's other daughters, Khloe Kardashian and Kylie Jenner, are also expecting their first children with their respective boyfriends, Tristan Thompson and Travis Scott. With a soon-to-be full house, Jenner is likely preparing for multiple visits from her loved one's next year, while also seeking to be closer to her kids (People)

Chris Brown knows better than to give Royalty a pet monkey ... which is why he didn't. Sources close to CB tell TMZ ... the baby capuchin monkey everyone saw his 3-year-old daughter cradling actually belongs to Chris. We're told he bought the exotic pet about 2 months ago ... and her name's Fiji. MONKEY BUSINESS As we reported ... Chris got skewered online for appearing to have bought Royalty the monkey ... with scores of fans saying the monkey posed a danger to Royalty, and belongs in the wild. We're told Fiji's permanent address will be CB's crib, and that's the only place Royalty will get to see her. The monkey's not allowed to go to her mom, Nia Guzman's house. While that might ease safety concern's for Royalty, Fiji still won't be in the wild. Our sources say Chris really wanted her because his idol Michael Jackson had Bubbles, the chimp. It was pretty obvious he was heading down this path when Chris flipped over one of Mally Mall's pet primates. (TMZ)

Paris Hilton Majorly Shades Lindsay Lohan When Asked About Infamous Girls' Night Out With Britney Spears. Paris Hilton is spilling the tea about the now infamous photo of the "Holy Trinity," 11-years after the making. It was this same iconic photo of Hilton, Britney Spears and Lindsay Lohan that shocked the tabloid world since the celebs were engaged in a heated feud that apparently involved drink-throwing, name-calling and, of course, plenty of nasty clap-backs. And Hilton may have just reignited that divisive feud after she threw major shade at Lohan, telling Australia's MTV News, "It was just Brit and I out, and then she just like chased us to the car and got in. She wasn't invited." Team Lindsay was quick to defend Lohan on Twitter, reminding the heiress that she was there to encourage the Mean Girls star to tell the "truth" about whether or not Hilton threw a drink at her as she alleged. It was on this fateful night that Lohan told the photographers, "Paris is my friend. Everyone lies about everything. She's a nice person... I've known her since I was 15," adding, "Stop making us hate each other." Lohan's defense of Hilton came even after Hilton stood by, giggling as her friend Brandon Davis called Lohan a "firecrotch" in an expletive-filled rant. In the many years since, the drama has definitely died down and the party girls appeared to be getting along, with Lohan even inviting Spears and Hilton to her 31st birthday in Mykonos, Greece. However, with Hilton's new recollection of the past it might be time to dust off the Team Lindsay and Team Paris shirts for another round of drama. Which team are you on? (Eonline)

Things are taking a dark turn after Hollywood rallied around 11-year-old student Keaton Jones, whose viral video about being bullied has been taken down after alleged racist comments and photos with a confederate flag were discovered on his mother Kimberly Jones' Facebook page. As previously reported, stars, including Justin Bieber, Demi Lovato and Millie Bobby Brown, were quick to reach out and support the Tennessee student, who said his classmates make fun of him. "They make fun of my nose. They call me ugly. They say I have no friends," he said in the video. "Just out of curiosity, why do they bully? What's the point of it? Why do you find joy in taking innocent people and finding a way to be mean to them? It's not OK. ... People that are different don't need to be criticized about it. It's not their fault." Chris Evans even invited Keaton to the premiere of 2018 premiere of Avengers: Infinity War. But on Monday, December 11, stars like Billy Eichner, Patton Oswalt, John Mayer and more reacted to the controversial photos that were reportedly found on Kimberly's Facebook page, which has now been deleted. "Well I'm inviting Keaton to the Golden Globes and making him sit with the cast of Get Out,'" Eichner tweeted. "Keaton didn't get to choose the family that raised & shaped him, you smug ghoul," Oswalt responded to a twitter user who asked whether he would continue to support Keaton. "How 'bout showing him that people of all races & creeds can come together? Change things, maybe? Show him a better world?" "Keaton's a little kid," Oswalt wrote to another user. "His family hasn't allowed him any real perspective yet." "If #Keaton was making racially bullying statements he and his mom needs to go to the principal's office too & give an apology to those kids," actress Patricia Arquette wrote. "Keaton never said those things. He's not a racist and we don't condone that behavior," the boy's sister Lakyn Jones replied. Sportscenter host Jemele Hill, who invited Keaton to ESPN wrote, "I've seen her posts and if true, I'd say there's potential for a great, teachable moment here. My offer for Keaton to visit ESPN stands, because what happened to him was cruel. That said, this is a stark example of selective empathy." "Pay attention to the Keaton/bullying story lifeline as it plays out," Mayer began in a series of tweets. "In many ways it's the perfect example of how we've come to create completely synthetic experiences in 2017." "We have a real boy in a real place with a really emotionally stirring problem," he continued. "Video of this is ultimately posted to Twitter. This is the last real event to have occurred. The rest (if you agree that twitter is a thought space) is playing out in our minds." A GoFundMe page for Keaton, "Stand Up for Keaton," which raised nearly $60,000 in two days, has been put on hold and is no longer accepting donations. "As many of you know I paused the donations as well as the comments. As I sit back and read these comments and watched the video again I feel I have to make this update. THIS IS NOT ABOUT THE MOM!!" the latest statement on the GoFundMe page reads. "However passing judgement on her before you know her is a form of bullying. Condemnation before evaluation is the ultimate form of ignorance. I can't even say for sure that any of what's being said is true. I don't know the family personally and never claimed to have known them. This is about a kid who's been bullied and not just one kid, Keaton, there are many unspoken cases about kids being bullied. We have to be the voice for the voiceless. In the video I saw a kid crying not just for himself but for others. To me that's a kid with a heart of gold and deserves praise. I'm hoping that we can turn the money into something good whether it be for private school or college fund. I'm in touch with GFM on how to proceed at this point. Thank you every one that donated." TMZ reports that a second GoFundMe page, allegedly started by Kimberly to solicit donations for Christmas gifts for Keaton has been shut down due to fraud concerns -- it's unclear if the page was actually started by the boy's mom. (US Weekly)

Music

Tina Turner Prepping Autobiography 'My Love Story,' Celebrating 60th Year in Music. Tina Turner's life is too full for just one autobiography, so she's writing another one. Tina Turner: My Love Story is expected in fall 2018 as the sequel autobiography to her 1986 classic I, Tina. Atria Books has acquired the rights to Turner's forthcoming autobiography, which will be written in tandem with her collaborators Deborah Davis and Dominik Wichmann. According to Entertainment Weekly, "Topics covered will include everything from 'finding love' to surviving a 'life-threatening illness' she had not previously disclosed." Simon & Schuster audio is co-releasing the audio book, set for an October 2018 publication date. I, Tina became a worldwide best-seller and morphed into classic 1993 biopic What's Love Got to Do With It, where actress Angela Bassett portrayed Turner and actor Laurence Fishburne was cast as Turner's abusive ex-husband, Ike. According to EW, the book's timing is not coincidental, as it's meant to commemorate Turner's 60th year actively working in music. (Billboard)

New Vampire Weekend Album Is Inspired By Kacey Musgraves, Features Ariel Rechtshaid & Rostam. When Rostam announced that he was leaving Vampire Weekend to focus on his solo career, fans couldn't help but wonder what that might mean for VW LP4. Rostam and Ezra Koenig have both repeatedly reassured everyone that Rostam would still be involved, and in an interview with Entertainment Weekly about the new album, the latter says that the former will be featured on a few tracks. "We're working on some songs in the exact same way we've always worked," Koenig explains. "We have some stuff that we started a pretty long time ago." But mostly, the band worked on the new LP with Haim producer Ariel Rechtshaid, who also contributed to 2013's Modern Vampires Of The City. And instead of a new sound, the main focus on Mitsubishi Macchiato (working title) will be exploring a new approach to storytelling. "Songwriting as a concept is the single most important thing on this record," according to Koenig. "To me that's the untapped frontier for Vampire Weekend; nobody wants to hear the Vampire Weekend trap album." Part of that new approach was inspired by country star Kacey Musgraves, apparently. "I went with Ariel to see Kacey Musgraves at the Greek Theater in LA [in September 2016]," he says. "The thing I loved about it was it wasn't too loud -- I'm definitely becoming a cranky old man -- so I could really hear every word. The music was really clear and her voice was really clear. I'm the type of person who has spent hours poring over the avant-garde poetic lyrics of certain songwriters, and there was something that felt so good [about how] from the first verse, you knew who was singing, who they were singing to, what kind of situation they were in. After the show I realized there's not a ton of Vampire Weekend songs where you could listen to the first verse and immediately answer the question of who's singing and who are they singing to." That experience had a profound impact on the way Koenig conceived of the new album. "The thing that got me excited about this album was zooming in on simpler, but arguably more complex ideas: What are these songs about? Who are they for? What are they doing?" he asks. "I realized, on a really simple level, I haven't written a lot of songs that have that type of elegance. There's a lot of Vampire Weekend songs that have elegance in terms of baroque chords, arrangement, and interesting turns of phrase-but we've never had a song as elegant as some of that good country-folk songwriting. One of the things that I've always been hard on myself about is not having enough songs that you could play for somebody and they'd immediately know what the song is about. It's like the elevator-pitch version of the song. I felt like that was an interesting challenge. I cannot say every song rose to that challenge." (Billboard)

Ed Sheeran Eyes U.K. Chart Double. Ed Sheeran is on track for a chart double in the U.K. as "Perfect" and Divide (Asylum) lead the respective singles and albums charts at the halfway point. The British star, anointed top artist of the year in the U.S., holds top spot on the Official U.K. Singles Chart Updatewith the rebooted version of "Perfect" featuring vocals from Beyonce. Sheeran has another trick up his sleeve; a new edit of "Perfect" featuring legendary Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli will drop on Friday, just in time to contend for the year's most prestigious chart race, the Christmas No. 1. There's a lot of Christmas cheer to be found in the midweek chart as Mariah Carey's "All I Want For Christmas Is You" (Columbia) hits No. 3. If the holiday classic holds its position when the chart proper is published on Friday, it'll achieve its loftiest position since peaking at No. 2 back in 1994. Close behind is Wham's "Last Christmas" (RCA) at No. 5 while The Pogues and Kirsty MacColl snag No. 8 with the classic "Fairytale of New York" (Warner Bros). The Christmas spirit oozes from a dozen more tracks in the top 40, including Band Aid's "Do They Know It's Christmas?" (at No. 14 Mercury); Shakin' Stevens' "Merry Christmas Everyone" (No. 16 via RCA); Brenda Lee's "Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree" (No. 17 via MCA); Michael Buble's "It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas" (No. 18 via Reprise) and Elton John's "Step Into Christmas" (No. 20 via Mercury). On the midweek albums survey, Sheeran's Divide is on pace for a 18th chart crown, as Sam Smith's The Thrill Of It All (Capitol) slips to No. 2. The top 5 is completed by Pink's Beautiful Trauma (RCA), Paloma Faith's The Architect (RCA) and Michael Ball & Alfie Boe's Together Again (Decca), respectively. (Billboard)

Movies

Matt Kaplan Departs Awesomeness Films, Launches ACE Entertainment. ACE has signed a first-look deal with Paramount Players, reuniting Kaplan with his old Awesomeness boss, Brian Robbins. Matt Kaplan is leaving Awesomeness after two years helming its film division to establish his own production company, ACE Entertainment, that will focus on making films, television series and digital content for youth audiences. Through this new shingle, Kaplan has signed a first-look deal for film with Paramount Players, the six-month-old production division run by Brian Robbins. The deal reunites Kaplan with Robbins, the founder and CEO of Awesomeness who departed the company in February. Kaplan tells The Hollywood Reporter that ACE partnered with Paramount Players in part because of the companies' shared focus. "I had an incredible run with Brian at Awesomeness and I wanted to continue to make films specifically for a demo that's targeted to millennial and Gen Z as Brian and I had been doing," he says, adding that the goal is to make between six and eight films each year. ACE Entertainment has set up offices on the Paramount lot and one of Kaplan's first projects with the studio will be producing the previously announced Are You Afraid of the Dark movie reboot. "Matt is a talented and creative executive and producer," Robbins said in a statement. "He and I enjoyed a successful partnership at Awesomeness making modestly budgeted films for targeted audiences. I'm excited to continue our relationship here at Paramount Players." ACE is also producing Netflix's upcoming romantic drama Irreplaceable You, starring Gugu Mbatha Raw and Michael Huisman, and has sci-fi fantasy Spontaneous from writer-director Brian Duffield and starring Katherine Langford set up at Awesomeness. In addition to Spontaneous, Kaplan plans to stay in business with Awesomeness by continuing to produce the types of digital projects, like Gatorade-sponsored go90 series Versus, that he worked on while president of Awesomeness Films. "Matt helped build a best in class film division for Awesomeness that has become a core part of our brand," an Awesomeness spokeswoman said in a statement. "In a short time, we've released nine films together, and look forward to continuing the relationship with a number of upcoming projects including To All the Boys I've Loved Before, My Dead Ex, and Spontaneous. We're excited to extend our relationship with him now as a producer in an overall deal and to build on our existing track record, working on even more projects together as we keep expanding our films business." Kaplan joined Awesomeness in 2015 to help Robbins build out the digital-first company's film slate. He made quick work of building out a slate of young adult fare, including Zoey Deutch starrer Before I Fall and thriller You Get Me. Prior to joining Awesomeness, Kaplan ran Chapter One Films, which had a first-look deal with Jason Blum's Blumhouse Productions. Before that, he served as a senior vp at Lionsgate Films, overseeing low-budget projects including They Came Together starring Amy Poehler and Paul Rudd. Much like at Awesomeness, Kaplan says ACE will focus on developing up-and-coming talent behind the camera. "Too often, it has become difficult for young voices to have an opportunity to get their films made within a larger system," he says. "We're going to continue to grow filmmakers and nurture their careers." He adds that the company plans to "make movies for specific audiences, not everybody but somebody. Whether that means we're targeting a young horror audience or a young comedy audience, we know exactly who the market is." (Hollywood Reporter)

Gabrielle Carteris on Changing the Culture Post-Weinstein: "It Begins With Collaboration". The president of the SAG-AFTRA union writes that the entertainment industry needs to work together "on the stories we choose to tell and how we choose to tell them, recognizing the enormous impact we have on our society." As I write this, it has been just over two months since the first allegations about Harvey Weinstein surfaced. And it appears that there are new allegations of sexual improprieties with each day that passes. Every time I think it cannot get worse, it does. As shocking as so many of these allegations are I am nearly as shocked that these issues are being spoken of as if they are new, not just to our industry but to our society as a whole. Sexual harassment has been endemic throughout history, not just in our industry but all industries, not just in this country but on a global level. Last year, when Frontline's "Rape on the Night Shift" exposed how immigrant women working as janitors were being systematically abused in their workplaces, where was that outrage? When workers were being sexually harassed and violated in the military or in businesses or on college campuses, where was that outrage? We do ourselves a disservice to focus on one area of work in our society. That being said, this is a piece for The Hollywood Reporter so I will speak to what I as the President of SAG-AFTRA and our union are doing to help with the culture shift that is necessary if we are to see the meaningful changes we are all hoping for. It begins with collaboration. Those of us in the entertainment industry must work together to exploit our unique positions with the stories we choose to tell and how we choose to tell them, recognizing the enormous impact we have on our society. As a union leader I have been in private as well as public conversations within the industry and the labor movement. Working with the International Federation of Actors, we will expand our outreach to actors' unions and professional organizations in other countries. And, partnering with the AFL-CIO, we will do the same for labor organizations here at home, exploring and evaluating best practices not only of our union but our industry as a whole. We are expanding our 24-hour hotline to better support reporting of sexual misconduct and have held two educational seminars for members. We are reviewing potential technology-driven enhancements that will allow our members to report digitally while maintaining anonymity. More educational panels, roundtables and workshops specifically for our members and supplemental materials like printed toolkits and contact cards will all help ensure that people are informed about harassment and what their rights are. If we are to truly change the systemic problem of abuse of power we must look at the whole picture, we must work together to find solutions and we must be honest. (Hollywood Reporter)

Fans have never seen Nicole Kidman like this before! The 50-year-old actress was spotted on the Los Angeles set of her new thriller Destroyer on Monday, rocking a short, flippy brunette wig and what appeared to be a faux tan. It's not the first time Kidman has undergone a shocking physical transformation for a role using makeup and wigs. In 2002, she donned a prosthetic nose to play Virginia Woolf in the film The Hours -- a performance that would go on to win her an Oscar. This year, in the Australian crime drama Top of the Lake: China Girl, Kidman also underwent a metamorphesis for her role, wearing an eye-catching curly grey wig. Destroyer, which comes from Girlfight director Karyn Kusama, has Kidman playing an LAPD detective who confronts the remaining members of a cult-like gang she had once been a member of as a young undercover cop. It's written by Kusama's The Invitation scribes Phil Hay and Matt Manfredi. Kidman's appearance on Monday comes hours after she nabbed a best performance by an actress in a limited series or motion picture Golden Globe nomination for her role in Big Little Lies. Additionally, both the HBO series and Top of the Lake: China Girl were nominated for best television limited series or motion picture made for television. Keith Urban, Kidman's husband of 11 years, could barely contain his enthusiasm for his wife's honor. "Hey baby- CONGRATULATIONS on all the GLOBES love this morn!!!!!!" Urban wrote on social media. "Incredibly proud of you, the work, and all the BLL and TOTL team. THE STARS ALIGNED!!! xxxxxx-KU #GoldenGlobes." The couple have always been each other's biggest supporters. In fact, Kidman turned to Urban the most after long days shooting some of her more emotional scenes from Big Little Lies. "Because we were shooting for so long, I think the duration of [the production] slowly started to seep in," the Oscar winner told Entertainment Tonight. "Normally, I can step back into my family life in a very easy way. Not always, but you know, usually. I've been working a long time now. But it was hard." "Luckily, I have a partner who is artistic so he understands what it takes to support that," Kidman continued. "I came home to loving arms, someone who would hold me, and I was really upset at times. Really damaged, really upset, and physically and emotionally drained and in pain -- my neck, particularly." Destroyer is set for a 2018 release. (People)

TV

Marvel's Runaways Is a 2017 Teen Dream of a TV Show. Between Riverdale and Runaways, teen TV is doing great here at the end of 2017 -- especially teen TV based on comics, and teen TV that you can easily call a mixture of something plus a Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage show. Schwartz and Savage are actually the brains behind Hulu's Marvel's Runaways, which comes from the comic book written by Brian K. Vaughan. There's some of The O.C., there's hints of Gossip Girl (and perhaps a bit of Chuck), and there's also a whole lot of Marvel fun. What's struck us the most in the six episodes that have been released so far is that despite (or with help from) the super powers and evil parents in some kind of creepy cult, Runaways feels like a true 2017 teenage dream. It stars several actual teens, and most of them are girls! It's beautifully diverse! Plus, it's bright and hopeful even in the face of some seriously devastating s -- t. "It's a very diverse cast. [It's] Los Angeles, it's 2017, it takes place now," star Rhenzy Feliz (who plays Alex) pointed out to E! News at the show's premiere. "It feels great to be a part of a show that is so relevant, that's happening right now and it's encouraging youth to kind of take a voice against whatever they feel is wrong and unjust, to take a voice and do whatever they feel is right." Allegra Acosta, who's the show's youngest star at 14 and plays its youngest character, Molly, was particularly thrilled to be a part of a show she didn't have as a kid. "Growing up, I never really had a Latina superhero to look up to, and hopefully one little girl who's watching this can be like oh my god, she looks like me, she's the same color as me," she said. "I'm so excited just for them to be able to say that." "I feel like right now, in 2017, it's a political message that we need to be sending too, about unity and about diversity and how every single character brings something different to the table," said Virgina Gardner, who plays Karolina. "I think that it's the superheroes that 2017 needs." Most of the cast will immediately credit Schwartz and Savage with the best parts of the series, especially considering their track record with shows aimed at younger audiences. "They're completely innovative," Ariela Barer, who plays Gert, gushed. "There's always some new thing that heightens everything they do, and I think they're just kind of brilliant about it. The OC was revolutionary in its time, Gossip Girl was in its time, and I hope Runaways is the successor to all of those." Barer also pointed out that because we're living in what some would call a dark time, many other shows currently aimed at teens, like Riverdale and 13 Reasons Why, have a darkness to them that Runaways doesn't have (at least not yet). "Something I draw comparisons to all the time is sort of the evolution of the teen drama and how it's very reflective of our time right now, how dark and brooding it's all gotten, because it feels like a dark time for a lot of young people, moreso than in just a personal sense -- political, and social, and in every sort of way," Barer explained. "I feel like the tone of these shows are now reflecting that, and I think Josh and Stephanie do have a tendency to elevate the genre, and so to put it in a superhero setting where the underdogs get a voice and some power, it's exactly where it needed to go." In six episodes so far, the Runaways haven't yet run away, but it's pretty easy to figure out why they're going to want to. Their parents are all part of a secret organization -- creepy robes and all -- that appears to ritualistically murder young people, and many of them have superpowers or some pretty super mad scientist skills. In this week's episode, the kids really start to take things into their own hands, both in terms of figuring out the truth about their parents and in figuring out their own identities away from their possibly/probably evil parents. And while running away from a murderous cult of affluent parents might not be a priority for most kids, some of the cast still hopes there's some real-life inspiration to be found in the show. "I think it's all like an act of rebellion, of whatever kind it is," Gardner said. "And I hope it'll inspire a younger generation to maybe question their authority and make their own decisions and stand up for what they believe in." New episodes of Runaways stream Tuesdays on Hulu. (Eonline)

Harry Styles Kisses James Corden in Christmas-Themed "Carpool Karaoke." Who needs mistletoe, anyway? Harry Styles gave James Corden a kiss on the lips in a Christmas-themed edition of "Carpool Karaoke." The segment aired on CBS' The Late Late Show Monday, where guests from the past year -- including Kelly Clarkson, Miley Cyrus, Fifth Harmony, The Foo Fighters, Bruno Mars, Katy Perry, Pink, Ed Sheeran, Sam Smith and Usher -- all sang "Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town." "Wow!" Corden said after his lip-lock with Styles. "I did not expect that for Christmas!" Last year, Corden's "Carpool Karaoke" segment with Mariah Carey morphed into a popular cover of her hit "All I Want for Christmas Is You," featuring Adele, Lady Gaga, Selena Gomez, Elton John, Nick Jonas, Demi Lovato, Chris Martin, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Gwen Stefani. The Late Late Show With James Corden airs weeknights at 12:35 a.m. ET on CBS. This week's celebrity guests include Jack Black, John Cena, Joel Edgerton, Hugh Jackman, Dwayne Johnson, Jane Krakowski, Tim Minchin, Seal and Owen Wilson, among other stars. (Eonline)

Will & Grace's Eric McCormack Is Hopeful That the NBC Revival Will Finally Break Its Golden Globes Losing Streak. It's been a pretty good year for Eric McCormack. The actor once again has a hit series on his hands with NBC's successful revival of their beloved sitcom Will & Grace, he's just celebrated his 20th wedding anniversary with wife Janet Holden, and now he's got himself a Golden Globes nomination courtesy of the Hollywood Foreign Press. After earning five nominations in the category of Best Actor in a Television Series Musical or Comedy during the comedy's original run with nary a win, McCormack has another chance to finally take home some hardware. As the actor points out in his video statement celebrating the big nomination, as well as the one the series earned for Best Television Series -- Musical or Comedy, Will & Grace has always been the bridesmaid, never the bride. "So happy for my Will & Grace pals on our nomination at the Golden Globes. So happy for our writers and our whole crew, my cast mates, who I love," he says. "We have been nominated 27 times before this over the years and we have never won. We are 27 time losers. Now, 29. So, fingers crossed." McCormack, who was in Mexico celebrating with his wife ("The weather is terrible, but the morning is great," he quips), also has something to say to his fellow nominees Anthony Anderson, Aziz Ansari, Kevin Bacon and William H. Macy, revealing a hilarious little-known fact in the process. "I'm amazed at my own nomination. The people I'm included with, the guys: Aziz and Anthony, Kevin Bacon, Bill Macy. I mean, these are men that I....I'm in a macrame group [with] one a week. And so next week's meeting is going to tense. It's going to be competitive. I'll see you there, guys." While McCormack will face down his macrame pals in January, the series will go up against Black-ish, Master of None, SMILF and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. Could this be the year that the classic comedy finally breaks its losing streak? Fingers crossed! Will & Grace returns with new episodes on Thursday, Jan. 4 at 9 p.m. on NBC. The 2018 Golden Globes will air January 7 at 5 p.m. PT. on NBC. (Eonline)

'Victoria' to Return to PBS, ITV for Season 3. Jenna Colman will reprise her role as Queen Victoria in the royal drama. U.K. TV giant ITV said Tuesday that it and PBS have renewed royal drama Victoria for a third season. The series, from ITV-owned U.K. production firm Mammoth Screen and PBS's Masterpiece in the U.S., stars Jenna Colman (Doctor Who) as Queen Victoria. The first two seasons chronicled her accession to the throne at 18 through to her courtship and marriage to Prince Albert. The third season is expected to start shooting next year and will continue in the mid-19th century, a time of political upheavals across Europe. Colman will reprise her role as Victoria, while Tom Hughes will return as Prince Albert. Victoria is distributed by ITV Studios Global Entertainment. Tweeted ITV Studios on Tuesday: "Victoria will be back after the Christmas Special for Series 3!" Creator Daisy Goodwin in a press announcement revealed about season 3 that "it will start in 1848, which was a hugely dramatic and eventful time for both the royal family and Europe, with revolutions on the continent and uncertainty around the monarchy." She added: "Viewers can expect more drama than ever before." Added Mammoth managing director Damien Timmer: "Jenna Coleman and Tom Hughes shine as Victoria and Albert and it's an honor to have them back for a third series, which covers a tumultuous period in our country's history, filled to the brim with royal scandals, political skirmishes and constitutional crises, as new historical figures enter the saga to challenge Victoria and Albert as never before." (Hollywood Reporter)

Pinewood Toronto to Double Production Space as Hollywood Takes City to Full Capacity. With 'Star Trek: Discovery' and Guillermo del Toro shooting on its stages, Pinewood Toronto Studios will expand to 700,000 square feet of production space to accommodate more Hollywood blockbusters. With Toronto's production capacity squeeze driving away Hollywood blockbusters, Pinewood Toronto Studios has unveiled plans to double in size as the new Star Wars: Discovery TV series already fills its stages. "They gobble up a lot of space. So we need to expand," Alfredo Romano, a partner and investor in Pinewood Toronto Studios, says of CBS All Access' Star Trek TV series, which is code-named Green Harvest on local production schedules to throw off Trekkies who may come round for a sneak peek. Pinewood Toronto aims to add around 96,000 square feet of space by the end of 2019, including stages, workshops and production offices, and to eventually get to 700,000 square feet. That's just over double its current capacity of 11 sound stages with over 330,000 square feet. Pinewood Studios Toronto is co-owned by Romano, a major Toronto real estate developer, Paul Bronfman, chairman and CEO of the Comweb Group and William F. White International, pension fund investor ROI Capital and the city of Toronto. The mega-studio's latest facility, including an 11,000-square foot sound stage and 9,500 square feet of workshop space for costume design and set construction, is slated to open in May 2018. The expansion comes as Toronto is bursting at the seams, churning out Hollywood movies and TV shows like Suicide Squad, IT, Greg Berlanti's DC drama Titan and ABC's Designated Survivor. Despite that record volume for Toronto, a chronic shortage of quality studio space has the city losing out to Vancouver, Atlanta and New York City in the big-budget arena. "We're at capacity," Brad Duguid, Ontario's minister of economic development and growth, tells the Hollywood Reporter. "It kills us to know there's production that could be coming here, but isn't because there's no space," he adds. Pinewood Toronto Studios is also set to host in early 2018 shoots for the DC Comics action flick Shazam!, an unspecified Netflix project and James Cameron and Guillermo del Toro's Fantastic Voyage remake. Rival Cinespace Film Studios is also virtually filled to capacity, and expanding, after hosting shoots for Guillermo del Toro's awards season contender The Shape of Water and Hulu's The Handmaid's Tale. Besides the major studios long using Toronto to stand in for New York City and Chicago, among other locales, U.S.-based online streamers like Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime also seeing their projects shot north of the border has local politicians rubbing their hands. "We're expanding. We want them to keep coming," says Toronto councilor Michael Thompson, who heads the city's economic development committee. Netflix recently struck an agreement with the federal government in Ottawa to invest $500 million over five years to help produce Canadian content for its worldwide platform, and to establish a permanent production presence, its first ever outside the U.S. Netflix and the CBC are co-producing the miniseries Alias Grace, written by Sarah Polley and directed by Mary Harron from a crime novel penned by Margaret Atwood, and Anne, a TV drama based on the Anne of Green Gables book series. At the same time, plans to build and open new studio space hinge on Ontario continuing to offer Hollywood producers a stable and reliable Ontario tax credit. The Toronto production sector was caught flat-footed in 2015 when Ontario trimmed its provincial tax credit to help lure Hollywood movie and TV shoots to Toronto. The province's Duguid tells the Hollywood Reporter that Ontario has no plans to give its film tax credit another hair-cut, and would keep the generous tax incentive in place "for the foreseeable future." (Hollywood Reporter)

'Today' ratings continue to soar after Matt Lauer's exit. Rather than give up on "Today" in the wake of veteran co-anchor Matt Lauer's departure, viewers are flocking to it. For the second consecutive week, the first two hours of the NBC morning program surged ahead of the show's main rival, "Good Morning America" -- not only capturing its usual lead among people between 25 and 54, the demographic most coveted by advertisers -- but among overall audiences as well. It's the first time the venerable a.m. show has done so since late 2016, when it beat "GMA" among total viewers for the weeks of Dec. 12, 2016, and Dec. 19, 2016. "Today" captured an average of nearly 1.64 million people between the ages of 25 and 54 for the week ended Dec. 8, according to Nielsen, and an average of nearly 4.58 million viewers overall. Meanwhile, "GMA" lured an average of nearly 1.38 million people between 25 and 54 during the time period, along with an average of nearly 4.38 million overall. CBS' "CBS This Morning" lured an average of 916,000 viewers between 25 and 54 and approximately 3.57 million viewers in total, Nielsen said. "GMA" is typically the most-watched morning program in the US, with "Today" usually taking the lead among the advertiser demographic. "Today" is under more scrutiny than in the recent past. The ouster of Lauer, who greeted viewers on the program for more than two decades, came as a surprise to the show's audience, who found out about it when they tuned in to the Nov. 29 broadcast of the show. That could serve as a reason for the recent viewer surge. "Good Morning America" broadcasts in Los Angeles were cut by coverage of wildfires in the area, which would also have affected viewer counts last week. The numbers suggest the natural interest in the post-Lauer era of the show could subside. "Today" captured overall viewership of 4.9 million for the week ending Dec. 1, while "GMA" won overall viewership of 4.36 million. That means "Today" lost some viewers week over week while "GMA" gained some. At present, Savannah Guthrie and Hoda Kotb are co-anchoring "Today." Whether that team becomes permanent may not be known for some time. (PageSix)

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