ENTERTAINMENT NEWS by McVay Media

Prince William Is Prince Harry's Best Man at the Royal Wedding. As if Prince Harry would have asked anyone else to be his best man! Kensington Palace announced Thursday that the groom's older brother, Prince William, will be by his side when he marries Meghan Markle. "The Duke of Cambridge is honored to have been asked," a spokesperson said, "and is very much looking forward to supporting his brother at St. George's Chapel, Windsor, on May 19." William is returning the favor, as his younger brother served as his best man when he wed Kate Middleton at Westminster Abbey on Apr. 29, 2011. A source tells E! News that William is expected to read something at the wedding ceremony, and he will likely make a toast at the evening reception. The source "has heard whispers" that the piece William reads will be a poem or prose that their late mother, Princess Diana, favored. In January, radio host Roman Kemp asked the elder prince whether he'd be Harry's best man. "He hasn't asked me yet, just to clear that up," William replied. "It could be a sensitive subject!" Because of their mother's tragic death in 1997, William added, "Our relationship is closer than it's been because of the situation we've been through. Losing our mother at a young age, it's helped us travel through that difficult patch together. You're like-minded. You go through similar things. It's a bond, and it's something you know you've tackled together and come out better for it. That's the thing about being a best mate: Inevitably one of you is sometimes on an up, while the other is on a down. You're always there for each other and repaying that favor." Harry and Meghan have yet to reveal who else is in their wedding party. Traditionally, there isn't a "best man" at a royal wedding. Instead, grooms have "supporters" -- meaning William broke with tradition in 2011. In fact, his father, Prince Charles, asked his brothers, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward, to be his supporters when he wed Diana in 1981. (Eonline)

Jason Momoa's Says His Ideal Lazy Day Is All About His Kids, His Wife and ''Playing in the Dirt." From the red carpet to the film set, musclebound Jason Momoa is pretty much all Jason Momoa, all the time. On Tuesday, the Avengers: Infinity War actor attended an event during CinemaCon at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace and got really real about working out, his favorite non-movie-making pastimes and how rad he thinks it is that he's starring in the $300 million movie, Aquaman, due out in December 2018. When asked about what it means that he's the lead of the big-budget action movie, the 38-year-old couldn't help but gloat -- a little -- but who could blame him? "It means I am the f-cking man and I am super pumped," said the former Game of Thrones actor to E! News. "I finally I got a movie that's all mine -- with awesome characters, amazing actors and great director. It's all mine." Of course, the beast of a man also talked about how "tough" it was to bulk up for the high-octane flick. When asked about what the actor, who has two children with wife Lisa Bonet, likes to do with his downtime when he isn't filming, Momoa said, "Cuddling Babies, kissing my wife, playing in the dirt, rock climbing, just being with my kids. I love being with my kids out in nature." The pair, who secretly married last year, share Lola Iolani Momoa and Nakoa-Wolf Manakauapo Namakaeha Momoa. During the chat, the actor revealed when he's done with the Vegas event he was going to fly back home and go camping with his kids. Meanwhile, Momoa's leading lady in the film, Amber Heard, who plays Mera in Aquaman, also talked about what it was like "training all day, every day for six months" and how it helps her get into character. "There is something amazing when you are preparing for a role and it requires something physical because it ties you in a deeper way to your character when it's in your body literally," said the Danish Girl actress. Aquaman swims into theaters on Dec. 21. (Eonline)

Alex Rodriguez Applauds Jennifer Lopez for ''Well-Deserved'' TIME 100 Honor. Proud boyfriend alert! E! News caught up with Alex Rodriguez on the TIME 100 Gala red carpet in New York City, where he was on hand to support honoree Jennifer Lopez. The pop superstar was recognized as one of TIME magazine's 100 most influential people of 2018, and even took the stage with a medley of her greatest hits. "It is awesome," the retired MLB star told us of his beau's major accomplishment. "It is well-deserved, and she's going to perform tonight in her hometown of New York City." J. Lo electrified Lincoln Center with a mashup of songs like "If You Had My Love," "Let's Get Loud" and a cover of Drake's "Teenage Fever." Joining the A-list couple were Lopez's sister, journalist Lynda Lopez, and her mom, Guadalupe Rodriguez. A-Rod shared a snapshot surrounded by the Lopez ladies on Instagram, writing, "Shoulder to shoulder with some truly strong women. #Time100." Lynda added in her own post, "Couldn't be prouder of how amazing this one was at the #Time100 gala!!! #lovemysis #shelooksamazing #andsoundedevenbetter!!" A night they won't soon forget, guaranteed! (Eonline)

Why Jennifer Garner Will "Never" Share Photos of Her Kids on Social Media. From her pretend cooking shows to her experiences with laughing gas, there's a lot Jennifer Garner shares on social media. But if there's one thing fans won't see on Garner's Instagram, it's photos of her children. The 46-year-old actress confirmed she draws the line at her three kids -- Samuel, Seraphina and Violet -- during an interview with E! News at CinemaCon. "Well, I would never share my kids," the 13 Going on 30 star said at the Las Vegas event. "That's a pretty big roadblock right there... I've fought too hard for their privacy personally that it feels weird." While the actress won't post pictures of her own children -- whom she shares with her ex Ben Affleck -- she "loves" seeing photos of other people's kids. She also says this is the "only rule" she has when it comes to social sharing and that everything else is "fair game." In addition to discussing her posting rules, the actress talked about her role in the new thriller Peppermint. In the movie, Garner plays a woman named Riley who seeks revenge after her husband and daughter are murdered in an attack. According to Deadline, Riley spends years training to take on her rivals. Then, on the 10th anniversary of her family's death, she goes after everyone from the crooked cops to the murderers who pulled the trigger. Garner told E! News playing a character who goes "crazy badass" was "so much fun" but "really hard" to do. The role required a lot of physical training, which Garner prepared for through a variety of workouts, including martial arts, dance, weight training and cardio. To see her in action, check out Peppermint in theaters starting Sept. 7. (Eonline)

John Cena says he's emotionally devastated after his breakup with fiancee Nikki Bella ... saying, "I love Nicole with all my heart and the split's tough." The WWE superstar says he was expecting reporters to ask him questions about the split while promoting "Bumblebee" at CinemaCon in Vegas ... and decided he's ready to talk about it. "It's a tough time but that's life," Cena said ... "We all go through highs and we all go through lows." "I'm gonna get through it. I love her. I'll always love her." "The fact that my heart hurts for her ... I know I was in love. So, I'll always have that." Cena and Bella dated for roughly 6 years and he proposed at WrestleMania 33 in 2017. (TMZ)

Gwyneth Paltrow has a mind of her own, and according to her mom and actress, Blythe Danner, she's always been that way. "I think you came into the world with a very strong self-image. I couldn't harm that," Danner, 75, said during a conversation with Paltrow, 45, on her weekly goop podcast. "I may have tried, I may have tried to sway you to be more conforming to what I thought was the proper young girl. You were a rebel from the beginning." "You had a strength and you knew who you were and I should have been wise enough and that is what still bothers me is that I didn't have the wisdom to observe, to know that you were this creature unlike anything I do," Danner continued. During the mother and daughter's intimate conversation, available for download on iTunes right now, Danner and Paltrow also discussed Danner getting back into the dating scene. "I just wonder, are there things left that you still really want to accomplish?" Paltrow asked her mother. "You know, I'm happy to say that I really, really like my own company and I've become a bit of a hermit which I have to be careful of," she replied. "I gotta get you on J-Date. I gotta get you on Tinder, mom!" Paltrow joked. Listen to the duo's entire conversation by downloading the full episode of the goop Podcast, Gwyneth x Blythe: On Mothers and Daughters, on iTunes. (People)

Go team? Kanye West ended his controversial Twitter rant on Wednesday, April 25, by expressing support for Tristan Thompson. West, 40, made headlines on Wednesday for expressing his support for President Donald Trump on the social networking platform. The 21-time Grammy winner wrapped up his rant by writing, "That's the last tweet of the day ... Now ima go watch the Cavs." The "Famous" rapper's support for the Cleveland Cavaliers comes at a tumultuous time as the team's Tristan Thompson recently cheated on West's sister-in-law, Khloe Kardashian, days before the pair welcomed their first child, daughter True Thompson. The NBA star, 27, made headlines earlier this month when it was revealed that he was unfaithful to the Good American designer, 33, on many occasions -- and with many women -- throughout her pregnancy. Although the Kardashian clan has remained mum about the infidelity, a source exclusively told Us Weekly that, "If there wasn't a child involved, Khloe would have kicked Tristan to the curb." West's wife, Kim Kardashian, supported the Revenge Body host while she gave birth. Sister Kourtney Kardashian and family matriarch Jenner were also spotted in Cleveland after True's arrival. This is not the first time that West has voiced his support for one of Khloe's former flames. Earlier this month, the "Gold Digger" rapper praised ex-brother-in-law, Lamar Odom, who was married to Khloe from 2009 to 2013. "My favorite moment of walking into MSG to play Saint Pablo," West captioned a photo of himself and the former NBA player, 38. "I used to go to the hospital and play Lamar the album when he was leaning to walk and talk again. Then we walked into the arena together." Odom was hospitalized in October 2015 after he was found unconscious after overdosing in a Nevada brothel. He returned to the spotlight in February 2016 by supporting West at his Yeezy Season fashion show release party in New York City. (US Weekly)

"Entourage" creator Doug Ellin is filing for divorce, and the honeymoon was barely over ... TMZ has learned. Doug filed his divorce petition in L.A., citing irreconcilable differences ... and effectively ending his brief marriage to Andrea Adler. According to the docs, they just got married in September of last year. Can't say 4/20 was very happy for them -- Doug says that's the date they separated. The couple got engaged almost exactly a year ago. Doug popped the question to Andy -- who's a sports anchor for WPIX in NYC -- during a trip to New Orleans on April 30. They don't have any kids, and neither is seeking spousal support ... according to the docs. Hopefully they can, at least, hug it out? (TMZ)

Blake Griffin is adamant he does not owe his baby mama any money ... after she accused him of abandoning her and their kids for Kendall Jenner ... in courts docs obtained by TMZ Sports. We broke the story ... Brynn Cameron -- Blake's former fiancee and the mother of his 2 kids -- filed a lawsuit in February claiming the Pistons superstar left her only a week before their wedding. Brynn claims that she and Blake had an agreement ... where she would take care of the kids so he could concentrate on basketball. She says Blake promised to take care of her financially. But Cameron says Griffin bolted ... and didn't live up to his end of the bargain. Griffin just fired back in court -- denying all her allegations and asking the court to throw the case out. (TMZ)

Rihanna's "Fenty University" gear is a total rip-off -- not because that college doesn't exist, but because it jacked its initials from another clothing brand ... so claims that other brand. The singer's Fenty label through Puma is in hot water with Freedom United, an American fashion brand that happens to use the initials FU on its gear ... which it boasts has been worn by celebs like Demi Lovato. Freedom sent Puma a cease and desist letter in January, spelling out how Rihanna had knowledge of its FU mark for at least a couple of years, yet still chose to use 'F.U.' for her line of Fenty University products. The company asked Puma to stop making the 'F.U.' gear ... and hand over a full accounting of how much cash RiRi made from her 'F.U.' line. Puma fired back in March with its own letter -- obtained by TMZ -- insisting there was no infringement on Freedom's 'FU' because Rihanna's 'F.U.' used a completely different font. Besides, Puma claims, FU is not a unique trademark ... it's just initials. Puma also says the Fenty U merch ran its course and is no longer being produced. We're told this explanation isn't good enough for Freedom United, though ... and it plans to file a lawsuit against Puma soon. We reached out to Rihanna and Puma ... no word back yet. (TMZ)

Allison Mack's every move is, officially, on Uncle Sam's radar ... the "Smallville" star is now rocking a sweet little GPS monitor on the heels of her sex cult arrest. Mack, who was best known as Chloe Sullivan on "Smallville," is now known as the alleged pimp of a sex cult who got busted in Mexico last week. She was extradited to the U.S., and Wednesday in L.A. she got fitted with a GPS ankle monitor as a term of her bail. Mack was indicted on sex trafficking and conspiracy to commit forced labor charges. She could get 15 years to life, if convicted. The FBI says she recruited and directed women, sometimes other actresses, to have sex with Keith Raniere -- the alleged leader of the cult -- who was also arrested. Big bro's watching her now. (TMZ)

Avicii's Family Implies He Died From Apparent Suicide. Less than a week after Avicii's sudden passing, his family has released a second statement that seemingly offers more insight into the DJ's cause of death. "Our beloved Tim was a seeker, a fragile artistic soul searching for answers to existential questions. An over-achieving perfectionist who travelled and worked hard at a pace that led to extreme stress," the statement issued by his family began. "When he stopped touring, he wanted to find a balance in life to be happy and be able to do what he loved most -- music." "He really struggled with thoughts about Meaning, Life, Happiness. He could not go on any longer. He wanted to find peace," the statement continues. "Tim was not made for the business machine he found himself in; he was a sensitive guy who loved his fans but shunned the spotlight." As their comments concluded, "Tim, you will forever be loved and sadly missed. The person you were and your music will keep your memory alive. We love you, Your family." The 28-year-old star's rep confirmed his untimely passing earlier this week. "It is with profound sorrow that we announce the loss of Tim Bergling, also known as Avicii," the statement read. "He was found dead in Muscat, Oman this Friday afternoon local time, April 20th. The family is devastated and we ask everyone to please respect their need for privacy in this difficult time. No further statements will be given." Avicii's official cause of death has yet to be confirmed. (TMZ)

THE OTHER STUFF . . .

Kim Kardashian and Kris Jenner Are Coming to Kanye West's Defense on Twitter. Kim Kardashian and Kris Jenner our setting the record straight! Kanye West's return to Twitter has spurred a lot of conversation and concern over the last week. The rapper has taken to the social media site to share his thoughts on everything from Donald Trump to ping pong. While many outlets have reported that this behavior has some of his friends and family concerned, his mother-in-law and wife are coming to his defense. "Your commentary on Kanye being erratic and his tweets being disturbing is actually scary," Kim shared on social media. "So quick to label him as having mental health issues for just being himself when he has always been expressive is not fair." What did Kris have to say about it all? (Eonline)

Everyone who thinks Kanye West's red MAGA hat photo also features a man flashing an alt-right symbol needs to chill, because it's not true. The man giving the OK sign -- which many believe is a gesture used by the alt-right or white supremacists -- is YouTube's Global Head of Music, Lyor Cohen ... but it's not even an OK sign to him. A rep for YouTube tells us ... Cohen's gesture is meant to represent the company he founded -- 300 Entertainment -- and nothing more. He's also done it several times before. As we reported ... Kanye's been on the Trump Train Wednesday, sending out several tweets about his love for the Prez, including the provocative selfie with Cohen and Lucian Grainge, CEO of Universal Music. But now we know, even though Ye's embracing Trump ... he's not hanging with people who embrace the alt-right. (TMZ)

Disgraced CBS anchor Charlie Rose is being slated to star in a show where he'll interview other high-profile men who have also been toppled by #MeToo scandals. The move was revealed by editor, writer and women's advocate Tina Brown, who confirmed to Page Six that she was recently approached to produce a #MeToo atonement series starring Rose, who would interview others embroiled in sexual harassment scandals. Brown -- who added that she passed on the project -- first mentioned the proposed Rose redemption show while she appeared at a Q&A this week at the Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy's Women's Luncheon. Said a source: "Tina said she'd just been e-mailed about co-hosting a new show with Charlie Rose, in which they'd interview Louis C.K., Matt Lauer" and others caught up in the #MeToo sexual harassment scandals. Brown explained to the group that she was having none of it, and remarked, "These guys are already planning their comebacks!" The talk was moderated by WNYC's Mary Harris at 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge. At the starry Time 100 Gala that night, Brown confirmed to us that she was approached about the Rose confessional show, clarifying she was asked to produce it, rather than co-host. She said of who's behind the series, "I can't remember." Three guests at the Brooklyn lunch recalled Brown mentioning the Rose show was pitched to her as a "Netflix show." But a source familiar with the streaming service told us that it's not at all a Netflix project, and no one there had heard of it. A number of media reports have recently explored how Rose, Lauer and the other men who've lost their jobs in the recent wave of sexual harassment scandals could plot comebacks. Fortune reported, "There's been an ominous drip-drip-drip of stories reporting on how these men are [faring] in 'exile' and speculating about how they might stage their comebacks." Rose didn't get back to us. (Page Six)

Puff, puff, pass ... it to the Countess. Despite being on a quest for sobriety since her Christmas Eve arrest for disorderly intoxication and a stint in rehab, Luann de Lesseps was spotted puffing on a joint outside the Public Hotel on Tuesday around 11 p.m. The "Real Housewives of New York" fixture was at the hotel's nightclub, Public Arts, for a Tribeca Film Festival party hosted by MCM Worldwide. She was joined by her niece, Nicole Nadeau, whose ex-boyfriend Adam Kenworthy infamously sparked a rift between de Lesseps and fellow "Housewives" co-star Carole Radziwill. "She took my friend's blunt and then we gave her niece a cigarette," a partygoer at the Lower East Side hotspot told us. When reached for comment, de Lesseps' rep told us "Luann smokes occasionally to help with anxiety and pain from her accident." In 1999, de Lesseps was involved in a car accident in Switzerland. "I thought I killed myself and my children. I never really faced that horrific accident, and through that and everything else, my emotions just crept up on me and drove me to the point of self-medicating with alcohol," she told People earlier this month. As the reality star was leaving, a fan called out to her mentioning she was going to see her cabaret show at Feinstein's/54 Below club, "#CountessandFriends," soon. "That's awesome, you'll love it!" she replied as she made a swift exit with Nadeau. According to her Instagram, she started her night at the opening of "The Donna Summer Musical" on Broadway with "RHONY" castmates Dorinda Medley and John Mahdessian. (Page Six)

Music

Cardi B Cancels Tour Dates to Focus on Her Pregnancy: "Shorty Keep Growing." Cardi B is taking a break from the stage. On Wednesday, the rapper announced she's cancelling several of her scheduled shows to focus on her pregnancy. In a video posted to Instagram, the "Bodak Yellow" artist revealed this weekend's Broccoli City Festival will be her last performance for "a little while." "Hey y'all! What's poppin?" she started off the video. "So, I just want to make this a little clear and everything. Broccoli Fest will be my last performance for a little while and everything because, you know, shorty keep growing. I be looking like I be moving and everything but in reality a b-tch barely can breathe." The artist thanked her friends for understanding and confirmed she'll be back for the fourth and final leg of the 24K Magic Tour with Bruno Mars, which begins Sept. 7. "Thank you very much. I f--kin' love you, mothaf--kas!" she said at one point. Near the end of the video, Cardi B promoted her new album Invasion of Privacy. However, the mother-to-be was already getting a little winded. "I ate like six chicken wings, and I barely can breathe right now," she concluded. In addition to announcing the news on Instagram, she shared it on Twitter. "Okay so I might be off from doing performances for a couple of months but in the meantime imma be working my ass off," she tweeted on Thursday. "So many songs, features to do. Working on a lot of deals i sign up for and most importantly nesting. Im already overwhelmed from the new work." Based on Cardi B's website, the rapper had eight events scheduled between the end of Broccoli Fest and the beginning of Mars' tour. The "Bartier Cardi" artist certainly has been busy and recently performed at Coachella. Cardi B announced she's expecting her first child with her fiance Offset earlier this month during her performance on Saturday Night Live. (Eonline)

DJ Khaled says he's ready to hop in the studio with Meek Mill whenever he's ready -- 'cause Meek's family ... and Khaled couldn't be happier that he's finally out. We got Khaled Wednesday night at Matsuhisa in Bev Hills and asked if any new music could be coming down the pipeline between himself and Meek, now that the dude's been released from prison on bail. According to Khaled, it's not a matter of if ... but when. There's no denying it -- Khaled clearly has love for Meek, who he praises for successfully being able to come back from a 5-month "vacation" ... as he calls it. Oh, and he also has a lot of goodies to show off, too. Gold-laced champagne bottles, his epic Maybach ... it's like a mini version of "Cribs" here, folks. (TMZ)

Kanye West is laser-focused on the release of 5 new albums, and based on a firsthand account, the people claiming he's erratic or in the middle of a meltdown are off base. Kanye invited Harvey Levin to his offices after taking issue with a TMZ source who told us Ye had been acting erratically, and Harvey took him up on the offer, spending 2 hours with Yeezy and various music executives who were planning the release of the albums. The execs at times struggled to keep up with Kanye, who was spewing ideas for a multi-platform release, beginning May 25 with the release of Pusha T's album, followed by Kanye's solo album, Kids See Ghost, Nas and Teyana Taylor. Each album has 7 tracks, and Kanye made all the beats. During the meeting, Kanye played around 10 songs featuring him, Nas, Teyana, Kid Cudi and Pusha T -- a little editorializing ... they're awesome. He freestyled for Harvey -- unclear if this is on any of the tracks -- but super fun to hear. The album won't be released or marketed exclusively on Tidal or any other platform ... the plan is for it to go everywhere. BTW ... Kanye says he's serious about running for President in 2024. Hey, we laughed at someone else and look what happened. (TMZ)

Who Talks More on The Voice: Kelly Clarkson or Adam Levine? It's a battle of a different kind of voice on The Voice. While Blake Shelton and Alicia Keys have proved themselves to be coaches of the quieter kind, Adam Levine and Kelly Clarkson seem to talk enough for the entire coaching panel, and now the question is: which one talks more? They fight it out in a new featurette, exclusive to E! News. "Kelly's pitch style is basically auctioneer," Alicia says amid clips of Kelly talking at top speed. "You know, Kelly talks a lot," Blake says, comparing her to another former coach. "I'm starting to feel a little bit sorry for Adam now, because Kelly talks as much as Miley [Cyrus], and Adam's been sitting by Miley in the seasons past, and I don't know how he breathes." However, Kelly wants everyone to know that Adam talks just as much as she does, and based on what we're seeing, it seems that he tends to talk whenever Kelly talks. "Adam thinks that I talk a lot. Y'all, all he does is talk. It's remarkable that he thinks I'm the Chatty Kathy," Kelly says. "I mean, I am a Chatty Kathy, but he is like right there with me." While the question may never actually be answered, it sounds like there are no hard feelings between the two Chatty Kathys. "Kelly can talk all she wants. I will never not love it," Adam says. "I think she's hysterical." Same, TBH. (Eonline)

"American Idol" voters don't like voting for minorities, and the show's most recent elimination round proves it, according to Marcio Donaldson, one of the guys who got booted. Marcio wasn't voted into the Top 10 Tuesday night, and believes minorities have it harder on the show ... because America tends to vote white. Sounds harsh, but he says the show's record stands for itself when it comes to minorities winning 'Idol.' On the reboot, judges Katy Perry, Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie picked 4 of the top 10 finalists from a pool of 8 who didn't make the cut with viewers. Almost everyone in the bottom eight was a minority. Even one of this season's fan favorites, latina drag queen Ada Vox, had to be saved by the judges. Marcio thinks that proves his point -- as do the show's 16 seasons with just four minority champs ... Fantasia Barrino, Jordin Sparks, Candice Glover and Ruben Studdard. (TMZ)

Avicii's Catalog Heading For Return to Australia's Charts. Following his untimely death last week, Avicii's two studio albums and a handful of his singles are charging back into Australia's charts. According to a midweek update published by ARIA, the EDM star's 2013 debut True and 2015's Stories should impact the top 50, as will the 2017 remix EP Avici. The late producer and DJ (real name Tim Bergling) should also make a strong impression on the ARIA Singles Chart with re-entries from "Levels," "Hey Brother" and "Without You," while his chart-topping hit from 2013, "Wake Me Up" is on track for a return to the top 10. Following its release, "Wake Me Up" ruled the ARIA Singles Chart for six weeks to draw level with Roxette's "The Look" as the longest-ever streak atop the survey by a Swedish artist. The track also ended the year as the No. 4 best-selling track Down Under. Avicii's music is also set to re-enter charts in the U.S. and U.K. as fans remember the musician by buying and streaming his music. Australia's official singles and albums charts are published Saturday, local time. (Billboard)

Movies

Shailene Woodley and Sam Claflin Get Real About Their Chemistry in Adrift. Badly injured and clinging to life on a destroyed boat in the aftermath of one of the biggest hurricanes in history, Shailene Woodley and Sam Claflin's newest characters have helped them form a special bond. The stars were tasked with bringing a unique love story to life when they signed on to the roles of Tami Oldham and Richard Sharp, a real engaged couple who set sail from Tahiti to San Diego, in the upcoming romance drama, Adrift. According to the film's stirring trailer, the partners' voyage quickly turns into a haunting nightmare when they unexpectedly hit a hurricane just weeks into their trip. Based on Oldham's memoir of everything that happened next, Red Sky in Mourning: A True Story of Love, Loss and Survival at Sea, the movie takes viewers into the eye of the storm with Tami and Richard as they fight to survive. As the only two characters throughout the majority of the film, the movie depended on the stars' compatibility to carry it home. Fortunately, they got along swimmingly. "We had to really work at it," Claflin joked in an interview with E! News. "I went to drama school and three years of good training taught me how to pretend to like somebody." "I think we're very very similar people and have very similar beliefs and work in this very similar way and you can't ask for a better co-star really -- can you, Shailene?" he said more seriously as he turned to Woodley beside him. "We laughed a lot and we cried a lot and we supported each other a lot," the actress added. While the real-life conditions of the shoot were not always ideal, Claflin's can-do attitude propelled them forward. "This whole process was as beautiful as it was taxing, but every time that he would show up with a big smile on his face and not complain at hour 16 or not complain when we were seasick or not complain when something went awry -- not only did it inspire me, but it inspired the whole crew to stand up and work harder," Woodley complimented her co-star. After all, shooting a movie in open ocean in Fiji can present some difficulties, or as Claflin put it, "flavor." "It was grueling at times, but I think the enjoyment and the unpredictability kind of added to the sort of intensity, helped performance, but also just made it so much more of a memorable experience," he described. Plus, there was this perk: "We had opportunities to kind of go swimming [on] our lunch breaks," Claflin noted. "It just didn't really feel like that hard of a job." Adrift debuts in theaters on June 1. (Eonline)

Jordan Peele Is ''Inspired'' by Kanye West's Tweets to Start Get Out Sequel. Inspiration has struck Jordan Peele, all thanks to the one and only Kanye West. In the midst of debunking "fake news," sharing his stance on President Donald Trump and wishing for a joint Nicki Minaj-Cardi B tour, the rapper addressed an internet meme related to Peele's 2017 horror flick, Get Out. Trolls have joked that Kanye's recent behavior (and marriage to Kim Kardashian) is because he's stuck in the "sunken place," a hypnotic state the film's main character gets trapped in by his girlfriend's family. Of course, Yeezy isn't stuck in a paralyzing void. He poked fun at the meme by sharing never-before-seen photos of his family's home, writing, "do this look like the sunken place" with laughing emojis. "more tweets from the sunken place," he added alongside another interior shot. Cue Jordan's perfect response... "*Gets inspired," the Oscar-winning director and comedian tweeted. "*Starts writing 'Get Out 2.' Fans are certainly on board with a sequel to the blockbuster, as Peele's response garnered upwards of 23,000 retweets and 70,000 likes. Kim also joined in the light-hearted back and forth, tweeting, "Ummm babe. We had a rule to not show our home on social media! Soooo can we now allow KUWTK filming in the home?" The Keeping Up With the Kardashians star previously clap-backed at Kanye and the Get Out references in a video interview with Elle magazine. While scrolling through social media comments, Kim said, "Another dumb f--king Kanye, Get Out reference. It's like, people are so f--king dumb and stupid." Meanwhile, Yeezy has not responded to Peele's tweet. (Eonline)

'Chicken Run' Sequel in Works at Aardman. StudioCanal and Pathe are on board for the follow-up to the 2000 original, still the most successful stop-motion animated feature of all time. Almost 20 years after Chicken Run became the most successful stop-motion animated film of all time (a record it still holds to this day), The Hollywood Reporter has learned that Aardman Animations is officially working on a sequel. Details of the film are scarce at the moment, with the project not yet ready to hit markets. But THR understands that the U.K. animation powerhouse is developing the film alongside StudioCanal, with which it has partnered on its most recent titles, and Pathe, which co-financed the original with DreamWorks Animation and distributed it in Europe. Sam Fell, who earned Oscar and BAFTA nominations for 2012's ParaNorman and also helmed Aardman's Flushed Away in 2006, is attached to direct, with Paul Kewley (Shaun the Sheep Movie) producing. Original writers Karey Kirkpatrick (Over the Hedge, Smurfs 2, The Spiderwick Chronicles) and John O'Farrell have been reunited to pen the screenplay. Aardman's co-founders Peter Lord and David Sproxton are executive producing. The 2000 Chicken Run original Aardman's first full-length feature and co-directed by Lord and Oscar-winning Wallace & Gromit creator Nick Park became a smash hit on both sides of the Atlantic, grossing $106 million in the U.S. and amassing a global haul of $225 million. Telling the story of a group of plucky chickens attempting to escape certain death at the hands of their evil farm owner and boasting a voice cast including the likes of Mel Gibson and Timothy Spall, the film was also critically acclaimed, with a 97 percent Rotten Tomatoes rating alongside BAFTA and Golden Globe nominations. Although it hasn't been confirmed, Chicken Run 2 will likely go into production at Aardman's studio in Bristol after it wraps on Shaun the Sheep Movie Farmageddon, the sequel to 2015's Shaun the Sheep the Movie, which is due for release next year. A follow-up to Chicken Run has long been discussed, with an online petition backing the idea launching last year. (Hollywood Reporter)

Shanghai Disneyland Opens Toy Story Land. It features three new attractions, a themed character greeting area, and immersive shopping and dining experiences. Shanghai Disney Resort debuted DisneyPixar Toy Story Land at Mainland China's first Disneyland on Thursday. The first major expansion of Shanghai Disneyland since its launch in 2016, it is the theme park's seventh themed land and features three new attractions, a themed character greeting area, and immersive shopping and dining experiences. The themed land is inspired by Pixar's blockbuster Toy Story animated film franchise, the fourth installment of which is set for release in 2019. Bob Iger, chairman and chief CEO of Disney, was present to celebrate the opening along with people playing Toy Story characters Woody, Jessie and Buzz Lightyear, Chen Qun, vice mayor of the Shanghai Municipal People's Government, Zong Ming, deputy secretary general of the Shanghai Municipal People's Government, and representatives from the administrative commission of Shanghai International Resort and the Shanghai Disneyland joint venture's Chinese shareholder, Shanghai Shendi Group. The opening event featured a performance of "You've got a Friend in Me." Shanghai Disneyland received 11 million visitors during its first year of operation. The opening of Toy Story Land marks the further expansion of Disney Parks' business in Asia and reinforces Shanghai's aspiration to develop a leading tourism sector in the coastal Chinese city with international influence. A Toy Story Land started operation in 2011 at the Hong Kong Disneyland, which opened in September 2005. The themed area has also been opened in the Disneyland Paris and set to open in June in Disney's Hollywood Studios in Florida. "We're grateful to the people of China for wholeheartedly embracing Shanghai Disney Resort, for truly making it their own and also making it one of the most successful theme parks we've ever opened," said Iger. "We're incredibly proud of the success of this one-of-a-kind, world-class destination, and we are thrilled to give our Chinese guests even more to explore and enjoy at the resort with the addition of a spectacular new land based on Pixar's beloved Toy Story characters." (Hollywood Reporter)

Tom Cruise Honored by Leslie Odom Jr., James Corden at Pioneer of the Year Dinner. Cruise is only the second actor to receive the top honor. It turns out Tom Cruise is a huge fan of Hamilton. On Wednesday night, Hamilton star Leslie Odom Jr. paid tribute to Cruise with a live performance to celebrate Cruise receiving the Will Rogers Pioneer of the Year award. And serving as master of ceremonies at the event in Las Vegas was James Corden, the popular British talk show host. The annual Will Rogers dinner is held in conjunction with CinemaCon, the gathering of theater owners and Hollywood studios at Caesars Palace. "What a beautiful reward this is. This has been an incredible evening. I look around the room, and there are so many friends I've known and spent time in the trenches with," said Cruise when taking the stage. "I grew up going to the movies and it really was my life, my escape. I learned about the world and it made me dream. I wanted to make movies since I was four years old, no lie." Cruise added, "I also remember fondly seeing information about the Will Rogers Institute in theaters." Cruise is only the second actor to receive the Pioneer of the Year award after the late Bob Hope in 1980. The honor recognizes a respected member of the motion picture community for their leadership, service and commitment to philanthropy. Past Pioneer of the Year honorees include Michael D. Eisner, Jim Gianopulos, Alan Horn, Jeffrey Katzenberg, Kathleen Kennedy, Donna Langley and Sherry Lansing. The Pioneer of the Year dinner raises money for the Pioneers Assistance Fund, which helps members of the film and exhibition industries facing illness and injury. Cruise will next be seen in the sixth Mission Impossible film, Fallout, due in theaters July 27. (Hollywood Reporter)

TV

Grey's Anatomy Casts Lindsay Wagner as Alex Karev's Mom. Grey's Anatomy is finally introducing Alex Karev's (Justin Chambers) mom and she's being played by a TV legend. E! News has confirmed Lindsay Wagner, yes the Bionic Woman, will play Helen Karev and make her debut in the Thursday, May 3 episode of the long-running drama. Jesse Williams directed the episode. Deadline first reported the casting. Alex's mom originally appeared in a flashback as a younger woman played by Emily Rutherfurd. In the episode, "Fight For Your Mind," Alex and Jo (Camilla Luddington) travel to Iowa to find Alex's mother. The two haven't been in touch for a long time. Meredith (Ellen Pompeo) presents her mini-livers project and garners attention and Jackson (Williams) attempts to rebuild the foundation after controversy. Wagner's other credits include Warehouse 13, Scruples and The Paper Chase. Grey's Anatomy was renewed for a landmark 15th season, making it ABC's longest running primetime drama. "Grey's Anatomy has a special place in my heart and millions of viewers feel the same way," Channing Dungey, ABC Entertainment president, said in a statement when the renewal was announced. "Thanks to fiercely loyal fans who have been on this journey since the beginning, and new generations of viewers who continue to discover the joy and drama of Grey Sloan Memorial, the show is as strong as ever." Along with Pompeo, the cast includes Williams, Luddington and Chambers, Chandra Wilson, James Pickens Jr., Kevin McKidd, Caterina Scorsone, Kelly McCreary and Giacomo Gianniotti. Series regulars Sarah Drew and Jessica Capshaw are exiting at the end of season 14. "The characters of Arizona and April are permanently woven into the fabric of Grey's Anatomy thanks to the extraordinary work of Jessica Capshaw and Sarah Drew," Krista Vernoff, co-showrunner and executive producer on Grey's Anatomy, said in a statement. "As writers, our job is to follow the stories where they want to go and sometimes that means saying goodbye to characters we love. It has been a joy and a privilege to work with these phenomenally talented actresses." Grey's Anatomy airs Thursdays, 8 p.m. on ABC. (Eonline)

New Star Wars Animated Series With Movie Voice Cast Attached Flying to Disney XD. A galaxy far, far away is coming to a TV screen near you. In addition to the recently announced Star Wars series helmed by Jon Favreau, Disney and Lucasfilm have Star Wars Resistance coming to Disney Channel. The anime-inspired series takes place prior to the events of Star Wars: The Force Awakens and features new and familiar characters, like BB-8. Oscar Isaac and Gwendoline Christie will reprise their Star Wars movie roles for the animated series. Star Wars Resistance follows young pilot Kazuda Xiono who is tasked with spying on the growing First Order. Look for the first episode to debut fall 2018 on the Disney Channel in the US with reruns on Disney XD. The voice cast includes Christopher Sean of Days of Our Lives, East Enders' Suzie McGrath, Legion's Scott Lawrence, Myrna Velasco of Elena of Avalor, Silicon Valley's Josh Brener, Scrubs star Donald Faison, DuckTales and Saturday Night Live veteran Bobby Moynihan, Community star and Oscar winner Jim Rash, and Tammy's Tiny Tea Time's Rachel Butera. Lucasfilm Animation veteran Dave Filoni of Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels fame created the series. Athena Portillo, Justin Ridge and Brandon Auman are executive producers with art direction led by Amy Beth Christenson. "The idea for Star Wars Resistance came out of my interest in World War II aircraft and fighter pilots," Filoni said in a statement. "My grandfather was a pilot and my uncle flew and restored planes, so that's been a big influence on me. There's a long history of high-speed racing in Star Wars, and I think we've captured that sense of excitement in an anime-inspired style, which is something the entire team has been wanting to do for a long time." "Our colleagues at Lucasfilm have created a compelling narrative for an untold moment in the Star Wars galaxy, and we are excited to partner with them again on this new original series," Marc Buhaj, senior vice president of programming and general manager at Disney XD, said in a statement. "Star Wars Resistance will bring viewers across generations an engaging story with heart, humor and both new and familiar characters." (Eonline)

Here's How Meghan Markle Was Written Out of Suits. Meghan Markle is finally a married woman. Well, her character Rachel Zane is, at least. We've still got a few weeks to go until she can officially add Princess to her name! In the Suits season seven finale, the long-running USA legal drama finally say goodbye to Markle and her co-star Patrick J. Adams after revealing that they were both taking their leave from the series that made them household names, and the departure was pretty subdued, all things considered. The two-hour episode saw Mike (Adams) approached by someone named Adam Forsyth who offered the legal do-gooder an opportunity to run a law firm in Seattle that would allow him to only pursue class action cases against Fortune 500 companies -- AKA the exact sort of thing Specter Litt didn't do -- just as it seemed SL might either go under or have to merge with Rachel's fathers's firm. While the job seemed too good to be true for a minute, Rachel decided to take a meeting with Adam herself, where she learned that it wasn't a ruse and the gig was still on the table. And while Mike wasn't too sure if he could walk away from Specter Litt and his unbreakable bromance with Harvey (Gabriel Macht), Rachel argued that there was no better time than the present to take such a leap. "But Mike, we're young and we don't have any kids yet," she told her fiance. "And if we're ever going to do something like this in our lives, now is the time." For some reason, if they wanted the job, they had to leave within a matter of days, which meant either moving up their wedding date or postponing it. "I don't know if I want to take this job or not, but what I do know is I have wanted to marry you from the second I met you and I am tired of waiting," Mike told her. So it was settled. A wedding was happening. "I know that I fought it at first, but now, Mike, I can't imagine living alongside anyone else for the rest of my life," Rachel told Mike during her vows. "You are the strongest man I have ever met. And you make me stronger. You are the husband I've always wanted. And I can't wait to begin our adventure together." "If I've learned one thing, it's that we never know what the future holds," Mike replied. "And that can be a scary thing. But I know that there is nothing that I can't handle when I have you by my side." After the ceremony, Mike and Harvey got their final moment, where Mike broke the news to his pal, who was in the process of promising him partner at the new firm once he and Rachel were back from their honeymoon. "We're not coming back, Harvey. Rachel and I were offered a chance to run a firm in Seattle," he said. "We decided to go for it." As Harvey protested, Mike made it clear: "It's time, Harvey. It's time." After a hug, they both made their way to the dance floor with their respective ladies (Harvey was with Donna, duh) and the last image we ever saw of Mike and Rachel on Suits was them dancing at their wedding. How appropriate. Were you satisfied with Mike and Rachel's Suits send-off? Suits returns for season eight with new series regular Katherine Heigl later this year on USA. (Eonline)

Katherine Heigl's Suits Season 8 Debut Is Here and She Has Some Big Demands. It's here: Your first look at Katherine Heigl, clad in a power suit, on Suits, is here. Heigl, who is an admitted fan of the USA Network legal drama, will make her debut in season eight when it arrives in July, but you don't have to wait that long to see Sam -- sorry, Samantha -- Wheeler in action. In the promo, Heigl's Samantha Wheeler, who was described by USA Network as a new partner at Pearson Specter Litt and either the firm's "greatest ally... or most powerful enemy," tells Harvey Specter (Gabriel Macht) she wants name partner by the end of the year. Looks like she means business. "Joining Suits was the perfect organic way to not only collaborate with an EP I admire deeply, but to also become part of a show and cast that I am an immense fan of," Heigl said in a statement about the Aaron Korsh-created drama. "I have watched Suits from the very beginning and feel incredibly lucky to be the newest member of the Pearson Specter Litt family." "On behalf of the entire Suits team, I am extraordinarily excited to welcome Katherine Heigl into our family -- I have always been a big fan of her work and was delighted to discover she was an avid Suits fan herself," Korsh said in a statement. "I cannot wait to have her come play with our entire cast and crew. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for Harvey, Louis, Donna and Alex as the mysterious Samantha Wheeler is a direct threat to their status quo. One thing is for sure -- Samantha's wit, charm, loyalty, strength and vulnerability will all be put to the test as she muscles her way into the firm currently known as Pearson Specter Litt." Heigl's arrival on Suits comes after original cast members Patrick J. Adams and Meghan Markle exited the show at the end of season seven. The pair were finally married on the series and went off to run a firm in Seattle. In real life, Markle is marrying Prince Harry on May 19. Dule Hill is also a new series regular for season eight. "I would like to thank Patrick and Meghan for their extraordinary contributions over the last seven years. Not only have they been outstanding in their roles as Mike and Rachel, they are also superb human beings who will always be beloved members of the Suits family, and we wish them well in their days to come," Korsh said in a statement when the season eight renewal was announced. "Speaking of days to come, I am incredibly excited to welcome back our phenomenal crew and cast -- Gabriel, Sarah, Rick and Dule -- who will continue the roller coaster ride with all of our amazing fans. Season eight will have everything from shifting alliances and internal power plays, to secrets, betrayals and fiery relationships. Keep an eye out for an adversarial new character that will give Harvey a run for his money." Suits season eight premieres in July. (Eonline)

David Blaine Sews His Mouth Shut and Priyanka Chopra Can't Believe It. If Priyanka Chopra didn't believe in magic before, she may now. The Quantico star and Jimmy Fallon watched famed magician David Blaine perform a few tricks on Wednesday's episode of The Tonight Show. The performance left them amazed -- and maybe even a little queasy. First, Blaine asked the two stars whether they'd like to see a card trick or a "needle and thread" trick. While Fallon picked the card trick, Blaine opted to do the other one instead. Blaine also asked Chopra to film the act using Fallon's cellphone. Using the phone's selfie mode, Blaine looked at himself in the camera and pouted his lips. But instead of snapping a photo, he stuck a needle through his lips and pulled the thread through. "Oh my God!" Chopra claimed in shock, later adding, "I can't focus! I can't focus!" Meanwhile, Fallon tried to calm his nerves by taking deep breaths. Still, Blaine continued to sew his mouth shut. "Guys there's bloods on it and everything," the actress claimed. "This is some Game of Thrones stuff." However, the magician wanted Fallon to pull the final stitch. The late-night host nervously obliged. Blaine then signaled to Fallon to tie a knot with the remaining thread. "We should have done the card trick," Fallon said. "I can't even tie a knot I'm freaking out right now." With Blaine's mouth successfully sewn shut, it appeared the act was over. However, the magician still wanted to complete his card trick. Without using any words, he signaled for Chopra to select a card from the deck. Once she did, he took the card, ripped it and gave a piece to Fallon. Blaine then gave the ripped card back to Chopra who put it in the deck. The magician then flung the cards into the air. Next, he pulled out a pair of scissors and signaled for Fallon to cut open his stitches. Having already served as his assistant once, the host passed the duties onto one of his band members. With his mouth now open, Blaine spit out Chopra's card. After leaving everyone stunned, the magician asked for a glass of water to clean up. However, he still felt like something was caught in his mouth and spit out a frog. The trick sent Fallon to the floor and led his band member Questlove to flee the set. "I have to throw up," the musician said, running out of the room. Still, Blaine finished his glass of water -- swallowing the frog back into this mouth. (Eonline)

Kyle Catches Zach Using a Burner Phone and Now Megan Might Be in Danger on The Arrangement. His cover might be blown! Zach (Kyle Toy) may have just got himself and Megan (Christine Evangelista) into some big trouble on The Arrangement. He thought he was safely chatting to Megan about Julie Woolth, but Kyle (Josh Henderson) is always watching. "I know, I know you're worried. But you have to go back and get Julie to talk to you," Zach tells a stressed-out Megan over the phone. Unfortunately, Zach didn't see Kyle come up behind him and it was already too late. "Dad, I gotta go. I'll call you back," he says before hanging up on Megan. Kyle's a lot of things, but he's not an idiot. "Sorry. My dad. His physical therapist keeps flaking on him. What's up?" Zach tries to play it off. "Who's Julie?" Kyle asks calmly. "His physical therapist. Why?" Zach says. "You hung up as soon as you saw me," Kyle tells him. "And you're using a burner phone. Zach, who's Julie?" Looks like it's game over for Zach and Megan's little mission. "I already told you. Can I go now?" Zach asks before trying to leave the room. If there is one thing we know about Kyle, it's that he doesn't give up easily. "Sure. Let me call him," Kyle says before taking his phone and dialing the number. Uh-oh. Is it game over for Zach and Megan? Brand new episode of The Arrangement Sunday at 9 p.m., on E! (Eonline)

Riverdale Finally Reveals the Truth About Betty's Brother and More. You know any episode of Riverdale that opens with Cheryl leading a funeral with a song from Carousel is going to be wild, and that is just one way to describe Wednesday night's episode. Approximately one million things happened in the wake of Midge's murder at the end of last week's fairly stellar musical hour, the first of which was Ethel being outed as the letter writer who got Cheryl recast...which eventually led to Midge's murder. But unless we're real off here, Ethel is just a jealous letter-writer. She's no murderer...probably. At the funeral, Sheriff Keller found himself the center of the anger, since he didn't properly catch the Black Hood the first time around, and the ire did not cease. Cheryl wrote an op-ed! Meanwhile, the core four were working on their own investigation. Archie doesn't think the dearly departed Svendsen's eyes were the eyes he saw under the hood, and Jughead thinks perhaps Chic is a copycat killer. Chic could be involved, but for now all that we've learned is the fact that he's not Betty's brother at all. Betty's real brother, Charles Smith, apparently died when he and Chic got in a fight. Chic then didn't have to try very hard to pretend to be anyone at all. We're going to guess, just because we know this show, that Charles is not actually dead, because what fun would that be when we just learned that his real dad is FP Jones?! Twist! (That we all saw coming, but still!) After FP found out about this from a very distraught Alice, he pulled Jughead away from the whole situation to let the Cooper ladies figure things out for themselves. Figuring things out for themselves apparently meant involving Hal, who was furious, and while Alice yelled with him, Betty took Chic on a little field trip to a cemetery. She'd been getting calls from the Black Hood again, and now she's feeding him victims apparently. She told Chic to run as fast as he could, with the Black Hood chasing right behind him. Bye Chic! And elsewhere, Archie found himself kidnapped and tied up and punched in the face, but not by the Black Hood. It was the return of that damn rapist Nick St. Clair, who first demanded a ransom for Archiekins. But when Hiram wouldn't pay another mobster for a non-family member, Nick asked for something else: a night with Veronica. Because he's gross. Veronica showed up to the "date," but used his own medicine against him. Archie, who had been forced to watch teh beginning of the date on a little screen, escaped and arrived at the hotel room just in time to find Nick on the floor, roofied. Later, Veronica called Nick's dad to ask for a ransom, which he kindly paid, and she and Archie used that cool million as leverage to get Archie back in with Hiram. The night ended back at the Cooper house, with a disheveled Alice waiting on the stairs. Betty came home and claimed she took Chic to the bus station. "Mom, where's dad?" she asked. "He went looking for you," Alice said. "Why do you ask?" Dun. Dun. Dunnnnn. Is Hal about to get murdered, or is Betty's dad actually the Black Hood after all? It's the reveal we've weirdly been hoping for since the season started since it makes the most sense, but this is Riverdale, and they do love a red herring. So we're not holding our breaths, but we will be sitting on the edge of our seats until next Wednesday. Riverdale airs Wednesdays at 8 p.m. on the CW. (Eonline)

"The Bachelorette" star Becca Kufrin let a big cat out of the bag Tuesday afternoon when she was spotted shooting for the show in the hometown of one of her hopeful suitors. This is where we tell ya ... SPOILER ALERT, SPOILER ALERT!!!! Yes, you've seen the pic, but if you don't wanna know the lucky guy's name, look away now. We'll say this ... Becca looked real cozy strolling through the streets of Manteca, CA with him. His name is Garrett Yrigoyen, and if he's made it all the way to a hometown date, she's gotta be into him. The show always tags along when the 'Bachelorette' goes to her 4 finalists' hometowns. We're told cameras were following as the couple strolled through downtown and hit up the history museum and even met the mayor -- so, it wasn't much of a secret around town. There was even a welcome sign for them hanging at the local Transit Center. The show won't air 'til later this year, and ABC hasn't officially announced all the contestants, yet, so ... clearly, Garrett is one to watch. (TMZ)

'Survivor' Host Jeff Probst Breaks Down That "Brazen and Risky Move". The executive producer walks THR through the latest 'Ghost Island' lie and weighs in on the third member of the jury. [This story contains spoilers through the latest episode of CBS' Survivor: Ghost Island.] "I love it when people go full tilt boogie with a lie." That's executive producer and host Jeff Probst's first reaction to the latest Survivor episode, in which one player tried to gaslight the tribe after getting caught in a lie: Desiree Afuye, Brooklyn-based student and original Naviti tribe member, trapped in the truth. Sensing an opportunity to flip against her longtime ally Kellyn Bechtold and the rest of the day one Naviti crew, Desiree (and fellow conspirator Chelsea Townsend) attempted to woo the ex-Malolo players into a top secret coup. So much for that! Laurel Johnson, one of only four Malolo still in the game, passed along the news of Desiree's game-changing ambitions to her secret ally Domineck Abbate. The result: pandemonium at camp, as news of Desiree's planned betrayal spread to Kellyn, leading to an incredible moment in which Des tried to cover her tracks by denying that the plan was ever discussed in the first place -- even though there were at least four witnesses to the crime. "It is such a brazen and risky move," Probst tells THR about Desiree's lie, which continued to play out publicly not only at camp, but also Tribal Council. "But if you can pull it off and get to the end, it seems to count for a lot on the Survivor resume." "What I most appreciated about Desiree's approach was she did not back down," he continues. "She never gave an inch. She was so convincing that at times I think people were second guessing themselves a bit. 'Wait, is she telling the truth?'" In the end, the vast majority of the players correctly saw through the ruse, and voted Desiree out of the game, making her the third member of the jury. While secrets and lies are tools of the trade on Survivor, what was it about Des' scheme that prevented it from taking flight? "My takeaway from this episode as it relates to lying is this: if you're going to lie on Survivor, you need to lay the foundation early in the game," says Probst. "It's as if you have to imagine the kind of lie you might tell and know what it will sound like coming out of your mouth, then find an opportunity when you are telling the truth and play it the same way. Set the trap. Now they know what you sound like when you are adamant that it's the truth, so hopefully later on when you lie they'll refer back and believe you." "Of course," Probst continues, "I have never played Survivor, so I am clearly talking like any other fan who sits at home and says, 'I would be amazing at this game!'" For now, the next person to sit back down is Desiree, only the fourth member of Naviti overall to be voted out of the game. As always in these columns, we've reached the point where Probst looks back on his preseason assessment of the ousted players. Here's what he said about Desiree before the game began: "Desiree is a definite threat to win the game. I don't think I appreciated that as much in casting as some other people did, but the more I talked to her, the more I realized it. She's super young but does not come across that way. She's super bright but you might not guess it. She's athletically gifted, which you might know from looking at her. But those are some very great skills, and she's playing with a lot of people in her age range that she could do really well with. She would be a delightful winner. I think people are going to like her." Here's how Probst views her now: "I think Desiree is everything I said pre-season, but I don't know if we saw all of her charm. She was certainly likable, but I think Survivor hits you so hard that it can take some of your softness away and replace it with a bit of an edge. Desiree sensed she was in trouble and made a big, risky move. It was a great play. To lay back would have most likely ended the same way. She knew she wasn't in a strong enough position in her alliance, so she went for it. If you want to win, you have to pick your moment. Otherwise, your options continue to dwindle. I love how she went out. She seemed to get so much pleasure out of the entire lying event. You could almost see a smile creeping in even when she was screaming she was telling the truth." Before we close out for the week, here's one last look back into the past at the second member of the jury: Libby Vincek, the casualty of Michael Yerger's idol play in last week's episode. We didn't get to speak with Probst then; here's our chance to reverse the curse. Here's what Probst said about Libby in the preseason: "Libby reminds me a lot of Andrea Boehlke. When Andrea was first on the show, we liked her, but we weren't sure if she would stand up and be counted or if she would fall over. Libby, I feel the same way. I could see her being a perennial returning player, and I don't know anything about her! And yet, if she got slammed in the second episode, then I would say, 'Well, that's OK. You could always try again.'" And here's what Probst thinks about Libby now: "Libby made the first big move of the season. She earned her spot with that move. I think she showed how capable she is at navigating relationships without a lot of fanfare. She had to play a more reactionary game due to the numbers and couldn't find her way into another alliance. She's a very likable young woman and I think she had a lot of fans who enjoyed watching her play." (Hollywood Reporter)

This doesn't sound good... According to an Us Weekly source on Wednesday, Kim Zolciak has "stopped filming" for her Bravo show Don't Be Tardy. The insider explained: "Kim and her team have halted all production for Don't Be Tardy while her lawyers have been working around the clock to investigate and deal with the final episode of the Real Housewives of Atlanta reunion." As we reported, during part three of the RHOA reunion, she was caught on camera saying: "This whole racism thing in this day in age is bullshit. Everyone of those motherfuckers on that couch owe this world a fucking apology for this racism shit. They already tried to claim that shit long ago. Nobody bought into it then because the social media wasn't there and racism wasn't fucking all that real. You know it." After daughter Brielle Biermann filmed roaches at NeNe Leakes' "Girls and Gays" white party, NeNe accused the mother-daughter duo of being "racists" as the word "roach" has connotations "with the ghetto or trash." A second source added: "Kim has pulled the plug on filming. She's very upset about the entire situation." Earlier this month, an US Weekly insider said Kim will NOT be returning to RHOA, adding "none of the girls will film with her. They refuse." (Perez Hilton)

A TV Show About NXIVM, the Alleged Sex Slavery Ring, Is Already in the Works. Yesterday's news is tomorrow's TV show. A TV series about NXIVM, the alleged sex slavery ring, is reportedly in the works, E! News has confirmed. As first reported by The Hollywood Reporter, the show will be based on Barry Meier's New York Times expose "Inside a Secretive Group Where Women Are Branded" and produced by Annapurna Television. A writer has yet to be attached and the production company is looking at the project as "a one-hour fictionalized scripted series that is inspired by actual events." Set to serve as an executive producers on the show, which has yet to find a network, is Westworld actress Shannon Woodward, along with Annapurna's Megan Ellison, Sue Naegle and Susan Goldberg. Here is Annapurna's official description of the show: "When women join what they're told is a secret sisterhood created to empower them, they find themselves psychologically enthralled and horrifically sexually enslaved to its leader -- and their flesh branded with his initials." The October 2017 article serving as the inspiration for the show exposed the inner workings of NXIVM, a purported self-help organization started by Keith Raniere that was actually an alleged sex slavery ring. Raniere, who was called "The Vanguard" by his followers, was arrested last month in Mexico on charges of sex trafficking. According to the federal criminal complaint filed against him, as the leader of the Albany, N.Y.-based NXIVM since 2003, Raniere "maintained a rotating group of fifteen to twenty women with whom he maintains sexual relationships. These women are not permitted to have sexual relationships with anyone but Raniere or to discuss with others their relationship with Raniere. Some of the Nxivm curriculum included teachings about the need for men to have multiple sexual partners and the need for women to be monogamous." The women were also submitted to a branding ritual, in which a symbol integrating Raniere's initials was seared into their skin near their pubic region, the complaint further alleged. They were also tasked with errands and made to lose weight as Raniere preferred thin women. Last week, Smallville actress Allison Mack was arrested for three charges (sex trafficking, sex trafficking conspiracy and forced labor conspiracy) after accused of being a DOS recruiter between February 2016 and February 2017. On Tuesday, she pleaded not guilty and was released on a $5 million bond and placed under house arrest. The NXIVM website featured the following statement in response to the allegations against Raniere: "We are currently working with the authorities to demonstrate his innocence and true character. We strongly believe the justice system will prevail in bringing the truth to light. We are saddened by the reports perpetuated by the media and their apparent disregard for 'innocent until proven guilty,' yet we will continue to honor the same principles on which our company was founded. It is during the times of greatest adversity that integrity, humanity and compassion are hardest, and needed most." (Eonline)