ENTERTAINMENT NEWS

Scarlett Johansson Implies Her Marriage to Ryan Reynolds Ended Because They Both Became Too Competitive. Scarlett Johansson and Ryan Reynolds weren't built to last, but their three-year marriage left a lasting impression. In Cosmopolitan's May issue (on newsstands Apr. 12), the Captain America: Civil War star reflects upon their ill-fated marriage and sheds some insight into why it ended in 2011. Without mentioning her ex-husband by name, the 31-year-old actress says, "The logistics of being with another actor are challenging. There has to be a real understanding of how you share your time, especially when two people's careers are going at the same rate. Or even if one person is more successful than the other, that also proves challenging. There may be a competitive thing." Fortunately, both Scarlett and Ryan have found love again. Scarlett married Romain Dauriac, a 34-year-old contemporary art dealer, in 2014. And while they can be competitive, it's all in good fun. For example, they once got into an argument while watching ABC's Shark Tank. "My husband had this idea for an app and was like, 'We should pitch this to Shark Tank!" she says. After Scarlett tried to talk him out of it, "He was like, what? You mean it wouldn't pass the Sharks?' I was like, 'Were not gonna get into a fight over this!'" The best decision Scarlett ever made was "moving to Paris," she says. Along with daughter Rose Dauriac, 20 months, she and Romain divide their time between their native cities. "We're both street rats. Being a New Yorker is a part of your personality, and he grew up in the heart of Paris. Just surviving the urban jungle is character building," she says. "It stays with you forever." While her ex-husband and his wife, Blake Lively, call Bedford, New York, their home, Scarlett doesn't see her family ever living in the suburbs. "It seems wonderful to be raised in a natural setting, but I wouldn't know how to do it," she admits. "A big city would always draw me back." (Eonline)

Hailey Baldwin Says "It's Hard" to Date Justin Bieber. Hailey Baldwin wants to be known for her work -- not her boyfriends. The model appears on one of Marie Claire's five May covers in honor of its "Fresh Faces" issue, and inside the glossy pages she opens up about her romance with Justin Bieber. Hailey and Justin really started raising eyebrows with their social media presence over the Christmas and New Year's holidays, posting photos with each other every day while they vacationed together. Beliebers' jaws dropped when the pictures reached a peak and showed them in a passionate kiss while ringing in 2016. Rumors and headlines have swirled claiming the Biebs would never get over Selena Gomez, but those were silenced with Hailey and Justin's growing romance; however, Hailey tells Marie Claire that her situation with Justin hasn't been the easiest given their circumstances. "I don't want attention out of dating somebody. Texts started coming through, crazy phone calls...it's hard to date somebody in this industry," the 19 year old explains. "You have to have really thick skin and be very strong. You have to focus on the person and nothing else." Hailey previously opened up to E! News exclusively about her relationship with the "Sorry" singer, telling us that they weren't 100 percent together. "We are not an exclusive couple. He's about to go on tour," she said. "Relationships at this age are already complicated, but I don't really like to talk about it because it's between me and him." With Justin on his Purpose world tour and Hailey continuing to make her mark on the modeling world, it hasn't been easy for them to really make it work. In fact, as of March, Hailey is "totally single." But Stephen Baldwin's daughter isn't the type of person to let her emotions show in public. "I'm the type of person where I let things slide. I push it to the side. And then finally explode every so often, but by myself," she tells the magazine. "I've been in situations with friends [when] someone will have said something that really hurt my feelings, so I sit there choking tears back." An insider told us that even though these two aren't in the same place anymore, they remain good plas. "Bieber and Hailey are still close friends, but he is on tour and extremely busy now, so they have not seen each other that much," the source said. "Bieber and Hailey love each other but have a good understanding where they both stand at the moment." (Eonline)

Still talking about conscious uncoupling! Gwyneth Paltrow opened up about her new family dynamic and concluded that she and ex-husband Chris Martin are better off as friends in a new interview with Marie Claire Australia. The Goop founder, 43, and the Coldplay frontman, 39, split up in 2014 after 10 years of marriage, but they have remained close for the sake of their kids, Apple, 11, and Moses, 10. "It's like we are still a family, but not a couple," the Oscar-winning actress told the magazine, according to the Mirror. "I think we are better as friends than we were [married]. We are very close and supportive of one another." "It hasn't always been easy for us because you have good days and bad days as you do in life with anything," she continued. "But I feel lucky because Chris has been willing to push himself for the sake of the kids and help me co-create this new family." Recently, the amicable exes vacationed together in South America, where Paltrow brought the kids to see their dad's sold-out concert in Lima, Peru. The It's All Easy cookbook author also brought the kids to cheer on Martin during his Super Bowl halftime performance in February. While they peacefully co-parent, Paltrow has moved on with Glee and Scream Queens co-creator Brad Falchuk, and as Us Weekly exclusively reported, Martin is dating actress Annabelle Wallis after an on-and-off romance with Jennifer Lawrence. The Iron Man actress was coy when discussing her new relationship with Marie Claire Australia. "I don't want to say too much, but I will say you just never know what is going to happen, what people you are going to meet, what amazing lessons you are going to learn," she said. "I think marriage is a really beautiful and noble institution, but it is not like I am holding a goal of getting remarried," she continued about whether she plans to remarry. Although Paltrow has a pretty positive mind-set, Martin recently revealed that the breakup wasn't so easy on him, and it resulted in a "year of depression" in an interview with the Sunday Times. "I still wake up down a lot of days," he said. "But now I feel like I've been given the tools to turn it around." (US Weekly)

Nick Young is on the THINNEST of ice -- 'cause Iggy Azalea says if the NBA star betrays her just one more time, SHE'LL GO FULL LORENA BOBBITT ON HIS ASS!!! Iggy appeared on the "Orlando & The Freakshow" radio show on Wild 94.1 -- and made it clear she's very NOT COOL with what she saw in D'Angelo Russell's video ... when Young apparently admitted to cheating on her. "I'm not cool with it," Iggy said ... "Like you'll have half a penis." "I already said one more video, just one more thing and you will lose a quarter of your meat." There's A LOT more ... when the radio host brought up the bro code violation between Nick and D'Angelo -- Iggy said, "screw guy code." "I have an actual spoken commitment that you're going to get married to me ...and that involves not doing any of those other things." Iggy finished the interview by going full ALPHA FEMALE -- saying when it comes to fans, she's got WAY MORE than Nick. For the record, they're still engaged ... but it's pretty obvious Nick's still in the dog house. (TMZ)

Oprah Winfrey Reveals Why Weight Watchers ''Felt Like an Intervention.'' Oprah Winfrey may have one of the most successful career tracks in history, but even she admits she found herself continuously searching for something else...to be thin. The television host and media proprietor opened up during the Super Soul Sessions on Saturday -- which saw the likes of Kerry Washington, Amandla Stenberg, Eckhart Tolle and more -- and discussed her constant struggle to exercise and eat right. "I wanted to be thin," she explained. "I wasted so much energy, energy and time wanting my thighs to be thin, for my arms not to flap. I had the success and the money, but I was still wanting something different than I had." Oprah admitted that the stress of the Oprah Winfrey Show, which she hosted for 20 years, caused her to seek comfort in her "go-to foods" like Spicy Cheetos and Cool Ranch Doritos. She also continuously looked for an excuse not to exercise. For example, she was hiking once during a trip to her ranch in Maui, and she sprained her ankle. She said, "Jesus did not want me to workout, so I put my leg up and ate and drank all the vacation." However, she finally had an eye-opening experience when Weight Watchers called her and asked her to become the official spokesperson of the company. "It felt like an intervention from on high," she said, noting that she realized, "if they are calling me, I must need help!" Despite it taking six decades to get to this point, Oprah says she's learning to love her body and take care of it through the tips and tricks she's learned with Weight Watchers. (Eonline)

Jane Fonda's fierce confidence emerged years after enduring criticism from her own family. "My father would send my stepmother to tell me to lose weight and to wear longer skirts," the 78-year-old actress penned in a Lenny newsletter. Fonda recalled that she eventually developed an eating disorder, something she had in common with three of her stepmothers wedded to Henry Fonda. "One of my stepmothers told me all the ways I'd have to change physically if I wanted a boyfriend," Fonda revealed. "It's hard to be embodied if you hate your body. Like three of my father's five wives, I developed an eating disorder (probably to fill the emptiness), and given that it was, at least partially, an inauthentic me that I presented to the world, I instinctively chose men who would never notice because of their own addictions and 'issues,'" she continued. The "Grace and Frankie" star also shared that her low self-esteem led to her being emotionally aloof in the bedroom. "I continued to try to be perfect on whatever level the man I was with wanted, willing to forgo emotional intimacy and betray my own body and soul if honestly speaking with my true voice might mean losing him," Fonda explained. Despite three failed marriages to Roger Vadim (1965-1973), Tom Hayden (1973-1990) and Ted Turner (1991-2001), Fonda changed her tune for the better as she turned the page to her final chapter. "When I turned 60 and entered my third and final act, I decided that no matter how scary it was, I needed to heal the wounds that patriarchy had dealt me," she noted. "I didn't want to come to the end of my life without doing all I could to become a whole, full-voiced woman." "The journey is both external and internal, political and personal. For me, the personal meant becoming a single woman, no longer silencing my voice, slowly becoming the subject of my own life," Fonda added. (Page Six)

It's been over a year since Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown's daughter Bobbi Kristina was found unresponsive and almost nine months since her death. While there is a lot of speculation around Bobbi's boyfriend Nick Gordon possibly being involved in her death in some way, an autopsy report found no evidence that he was involved. Gordon's legal team already responded to the findings, but the 20-year old is still looking to clear his name as he's set to appear on Dr. Phil again. Bobbie's boyfriend previously sat down with the good doctor shortly after his girlfriend was found unconscious and had an incredibly emotional interview where he threatened suicide. This time around, things are just as intense as Phil asks the young man straight up if he murdered Bobbi Kristina! Make sure you catch what's sure to be another emotional interview with Nick when it airs Thursday, April 28! (Perez Hilton)

Kim Kardashian mourned the loss of her friend, former New Orleans Saints player Will Smith, who was fatally shot in a road rage incident this past weekend. "My heart breaks for my sweet friend Rockie," the Keeping Up With the Kardashians star, 35, tweeted on Sunday, April 10, referring to Smith's wife, Raquel, who was wounded in the incident. "I'm deeply saddened by your loss." Kardashian followed up with a tweet remembering the NFL player, who she likely got to know while she was dating ex-boyfriend Reggie Bush from 2009 to 2010. (Former USC superstar Bush played for the Saints from 2006 to 2010.) "Will, you were an angel to your family on earth and you will continue to be in the life after," Kardashian continued on Sunday. "May God bless you! Sending so many prayers to her and her family!!! May the Lord surround her and her children with love and protection during this devastating time." NFL player Smith, who helped lead the New Orleans Saints to victory in 2009's Super Bowl XLIV, was killed this past Saturday, April 9, after a confrontation with a fellow driver who rear-ended his car in New Orleans. According to local police, the suspect, Cardell Hayes, "exchanged words" following the collision. Then Hayes pulled out a gun and shot the football pro several times, authorities told Nola.com. A spokesperson for the New Orleans Police Department told the outlet that Raquel was also shot twice in the right leg during the confrontation. Smith was pronounced dead on the scene, while his wife was transported immediately to the hospital. No further information was available. Hayes has been arrested and charged with second-degree murder. Smith was 34. (US Weekly)

Lady Melinda Rose Woodward, the wife of Grammy-winning U.K. singer Sir Tom Jones, has died after a battle with cancer. She was 75. Woodward, who was married to Jones for 59 years, died Sunday morning at Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles, "surrounded by her husband and loved ones," according to a statement on Jones' personal website. Jones, the star behind hits like 1965's "It's Not Unusual," and Woodward met at age 12 in their Wales hometown, reported the BBC. They were married in 1957 at age 16. Despite public relationship struggles, including numerous high-profile infidelities, according to the Guardian, the couple stayed together for nearly six decades. They had one son, Mark, who is Jones' manager. Just a few weeks prior to Woodward's death, Jones canceled a performance in Manila, writing on Twitter that the decision was "due to a serious illness in the family." He later canceled six more performances, citing the same serious illness. (People)

THE OTHER STUFF . . .

Hugh Jackman and Deborra-Lee Furness Celebrate Their 20th Anniversary. One of Hugh Jackman's mantras has been "Happy wife, happy life." And that seems to have worked out for him! Based on the loving things he's had to say about wife Debora-Lee Furness over the years, coupled with the inspiring consistency of their enduring relationship, we're going to go out on a limb and guess that he's one happy husband, too. The spouses celebrated their 20th wedding anniversary Monday -- a milestone that, to be frank, has become increasingly rare in the showbiz world. But their love train doesn't look like it's stopping any time soon. While appearing on The Ellen DeGeneres show in February, Jackman gushed about his successful marriage, saying that it gets "better and better" with time. Just like a fine wine... The actors met in 1995 on the set of the Australian TV series Correlli, when Jackman was 26 and Furness was 39, and the eventual Wolverine star was smitten right away. He recalled to Ellen how he had a "major crush" on Deborra-Lee -- as did the whole crew, he added. But wouldn't you know...she fancied him back, and the rest is history. During the first few months of the relationship, Hugh already planned on marrying his new girlfriend -- but he tried to play it cool. "I decided, I won't ask her to marry me for six months," Jackman revealed in the October 2013 issue of Town & Country, "Then after four months I thought, 'That's the most ridiculous rule!'" Swoon... Fast-forward 20 years and Jackman is known as a most multi-talented star of stage and screen. Furness enjoyed an acting career of her own, but her interests expanded into producing, directing and writing. The couple also adopted two children together, daughter Ava Eliot Jackman and son Oscar Maximilian Jackman. (Eonline)

Frigid temps aren't keeping Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom's romance from cooling off anytime soon. The couple was spotted vacationing in Aspen over the weekend -- and their constant PDA is all the confirmation we need of this blossoming relationship! The 31-year-old pop star was seen holding on tightly to the actor's arm as they peddled around the Colorado town and "were very lovey dovey the whole weekend." An eyewitness shared: "They looked very happy. Katy hooked her arm around his at one point as they were walking and she snuggled in close to him." The 39-year-old only left K.P.'s side to go snowboarding with a pal, but the two met back up for some afternoon shopping: "They were arm in arm and looking very in love. They looked like regular tourists, just strolling and enjoying themselves." So romantic! A source tells E! News that the handsome duo love exploring new cities together: "Katy and Orlando enjoy traveling together, so whenever they have an opportunity they try to make it work. All of Katy's friends and family like Orlando, so bringing him away with her is always a great time." To top it all off, the Fireworks singer brought Orlando along to attend stylist Jamie Schneider's wedding at Chaparral Ranch Woody Creek on Saturday. The guest list included none other than names like Cameron Diaz, Nicole Richie, Ashley Benson, Rachel Zoe, Jessica Alba, Kate Hudson, and more!. (Perez Hilton)

Queens of the Stone Age frontman Josh Homme got into a nasty name-calling exchange with a fan waiting for an autograph, and things nearly got physical. TMZ got this video of Homme berating the guy -- who says he's a teacher -- Thursday night in Detroit. Homme was leaving an after-party for one his shows, and sources outside tell us the teacher asked for his John Hancock. We're told Homme thought the guy was just trying to sell autographed memorabilia, and wasn't a real fan. Watch how the singer blew up, calling the guy a "f***ing loser" and a "spoiled mother f***er." Our sources say the fan replied with a crack about Homme "making money off us buying your $90 tickets and $30 shirts." We're told that's what REALLY fired up Homme. (TMZ)

Harrison Ford was the unwitting victim of a police training session gone awry ... TMZ has learned. Cops in Huntington Beach, CA tells us Ford's name was entered into their arrest records by a newly hired officer during data entry training. It's S.O.P. for officers to enter fake names and info while learning how to use the system -- but they're supposed to delete all entries after each training session. We're told that didn't happen with Harrison ... so his "arrest" for corporal injury on his spouse was auto-populated into the real police blotter. It's since been removed. HBPD wants to stress it was an honest mistake, and Ford was never in any trouble whatsoever. Guess that's why they call it training. (TMZ)

We imagine Kim Kardashian West has been planning her post-baby red carpet return outfit since before Saint was born. Sure, she dabbled in the style spotlight at husband Kanye West's Yeezy season 3 show, but still, Kim was covered up and went semi incognito wearing a platinum blonde wig and oversize fur coat. Fast forward to Saturday night when the 35-year-old mom of two finally ditched the dusters for a full body-con moment that's 100 percent Mrs. West. And it should come as no surprise that the couture look is straight off her good friend Olivier Rousteing's Balmain runway. At the third anniversary celebration of Hakkasan nightclub in Las Vegas, Kim showed off her post-baby weight loss in a whiplash-inducing beaded Balmain gown complete with shoulder cutouts and sheer paneling. She added her signature bronzy glam and center-parted down hairstyle to the sparkly look. The dress first hit the runway on model Binx Walton during Parish Fashion Week in March. And the only thing that would make this high-fashion faceoff better is if Kendall was the one wearing the look, because nothing tops a Kardashian-Jenner sister style showdown. Kim was not front row at March's Balmain show, but Kanye and mom Kris Jenner made sure to make a cameo to cheer Kendall on and in Kanye's case, make Kim's presence known. In fact, the rapper told reporters at the show that his stylish wife is "the source, the whole collection is based on Kim!" We're just happy to see Kim is moving away from her post-baby uniform of all black spandex and back into the flashy, figure-loving looks she's known for. At Saturday's event, she told reporters that she's gaining her body confidence back. "I definitely feel good to a place where I feel comfortable again and things are starting to fit," she shared. "This time I think weight has come off quicker than last time because I kind of learned how to eat better. Last time I worked out a little bit harder. This time I'm eating differently." The busy mom added that she's doing the Atkins diet combined with intense workouts to shed the post-baby weight. "I think the mix of the two will really help out this last 20 lbs. fly off," she said. "I'm praying." (People)

Every job comes with its own uniform. Firemen have their overalls, doctors wear scrubs, and if you're a supermodel, more often than not your work ensemble consists of little more than a black thong and a handful of accessories, as Bella Hadid demonstrated in her latest Instagram post. On Sunday night, Bella proved she's still hot on her older sister Gigi's six inch heels, posting a sexy behind-the-scenes shot from a new top secret project she's working on. In the photo, the 19-year-old sports her typically waist-skimming brown locks up in a curly faux bob, wearing only a very tiny black thong, a sparkly body chain and choker, and an artfully draped hand across her breasts that allows this shot to just barely squeak by Instagram's nudity guidelines. Bella captioned the semi-clothed snap, "????Sorry mama ?? Secret project with my dream team @nomadrj and @elizabethsulcer ?????????? #BTS" Judging from the credentials of the model's dream team, it looks as though that touch of nudity is most likely intended for a future spread in an international edition of Vogue. And considering Yolanda Foster's dream of having Hadid become a household name, we have a feeling the Real Housewife of Beverly Hills won't be too upset with her daughter flashing a little flesh all in the name of high fashion. (People)

In 1991, Anita Hill was the subject of intense media scrutiny as she publicly testified on Capitol Hill that then-Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas sexually harassed her. Hill's experience-now the subject of HBO's upcoming film Confirmation-was trying, and Thomas was still approved to the court. Regardless, Hill, now a professor at Brandeis University, told Today Monday that she's accepted her part in the events. "I'm really at peace with my role in history," Hill told Savannah Guthrie, adding, "I don't think I have to become at peace with him being on the Supreme Court ... that was so important to the integrity of the court." Hill worked for Thomas at the Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights, and spoke out against the judge during the confirmation hearings, which were televised to an estimated 30 million households. In Confirmation, the 59-year-old is portrayed by Scandal star Kerry Washington. Hill told Today that she met with Washington ahead of filming, and answered questions from the actress about her mindset during her testimony. "She just wanted to know not only how I felt but what was I thinking and that really was encouraging to have someone wanting to know-what was my thinking pattern and what was going on in my mind during this whole episode," Hill explained, noting that parts of her experience were "quite vicious"-something the film shows "very clearly." People Celebrates the Women Who Rule TV: Kerry Washington, Amy Schumer and More. Of revisiting her story on the small screen, Hill said that "It's important for us, I think, to relive the story and continue to learn the lessons from it." She continued, "That's why the film is important and having a younger audience- 25 years is a long time. An entire generation has grown up and has never really witnessed this event." Hill said that she has neither crossed paths with Thomas since the hearings, nor is she interested in seeing him again. (People)

Socialite Tinsley Mortimer was arrested Saturday in Palm Beach, Fla., for trespassing, and spent 2?¹/2 hours in jail. Police said they got a call about an "unwanted guest" at a property on El Dorado Lane. The Palm Beach Daily News reported that Mortimer was "on the property, screaming," according to police, who said she had previously been warned for trespassing at the same residence last October. Police charged Mortimer, 40, with trespassing, a misdemeanor. She was booked into the Palm Beach County Jail around 6 p.m. and released about 2?¹/2 hours later. Socialite Mortimer, the ex-wife of Topper Mortimer and daughter of the late George Riley Mercer Jr. and Dale Mercer, lives between New York and Palm Beach and appeared in the reality show "High Society." In 2012, she'd published a novel, "Southern Charm," and, according to a DuJour interview, last year she launched a collection of home goods in an attempt to "land as a tastemaker akin to Martha Stewart or Tory Burch." Mortimer did not get back to us by deadline Sunday night. (Page Six)

It looks like landlord wasn't the dream role for former reality TV star Jeana Keough. After putting her home in Coto de Caza, CA, up for rent last year, Keough recently sold the mansion for $3.4 million. Keough, a Realtor herself who held the listing, was one of the original cast members of "The Real Housewives of Orange County," starring in five seasons and popping up as a guest in additional seasons of the wine-tossing Bravo staple. But even before casting, she was no stranger to the flash of the camera -- in November 1980, she was Playboy's Playmate of the Month. With 8,000 square feet of space and eight bedrooms, the luxury home was "mostly empty these days" after her three children left home, Keough told us back in July. "It was my home for 15 years, and it's painful to leave and downsize," she said this week. But the French-style home is perfect for a growing family, with luxe decor, stone finishes, and high box ceilings welcoming plenty of light. Brushed walls in rich velvet tones inspire dreams of royalty -- TV royalty, that is. And if the new buyers feel the call toward the limelight, they'll be well-protected in the guard-gated community. Chances are they won't even want to venture beyond its walls: Keough's semifamous backyard offers a spacious pool, built-in barbecue and grill, basketball court, and spa, the perfect setting for a wine-sipping gossip session. (Page Six)

John Gotti has a modeling gig. The late mafioso's grandson with the same name is using his face on promotional material for his new tattoo parlor in Ozone Park, Queens. A T-shirt designed by 22-year-old John shows his notorious grandfather with the word "Rebel" written across his face and the Jay Z lyrics, "Never prayed to God" and "Prayed to Gotti," emblazoned across the front. According to Gang Land News, Gotti -- who opened Rebel Ink Tattoo in March -- says he wants the design to bring in business, and to do a little p.r. for the family. The newsletter says the young businessman plans to sell the T-shirts in the store and give a cut to charity and quotes him as saying, "We're trying to do right over here. I want people to see that the name Gotti doesn't mean bad people." The younger Gotti was just 9 when his Gambino crime family don granddad died, but he says he visited him in prison. "I can't speak about what he was or what he did," Gang Land News quoted John as saying. "I love him for being my grandfather." (Page Six)

Kris Humphries' sister, Kaela, had some serious fun with that Vera Wang couture bridesmaid dress she wore when Kim Kardashian married her bro -- and then trashed it! We got photos of Kaela and her pal, Angela Kosteliz, rocking the old frock, which reportedly cost $10,000, during a fun girls night fueled by wine. Angela tells us the pics were taken a couple years ago before Kaela moved from Minnesota to NYC. She invited friends over to help her pack, and they took turns posing in the dress. During the evening they tore strands of tulle off the gown to make headbands. Big difference from the first time Kaela wore it -- next to Kourtney, Kylie, Khloe, and Kendall. We're gonna guess Kaela had way more fun with her GFs. Angela says the dress ended up in a Goodwill donations pile. (TMZ)

Music

Leon Vynehall's new album, Rojus, comes with a series of conceptual frameworks. The title of the first track and the last one combine to put a neat bow on the whole release-"Beyond This... " eventually merges happily with "... There Is You"-and sampled bird sounds help carry the record from one track to the next. Along with these, there is also the title's instructional postscript, Designed To Dance-the terms of engagement here are pre-set. This may seem redundant: why would a producer known for shifting hips feel the need to label his output as dance music? But this sort of structure is not unusual for Vynehall. 2013's Music For The Uninvited was unified by nostalgia-the producer describes it as, "me looking back on what music helped shaped me as a writer, using samples of the music my mum would play in the car on the way to school." Vynehall also contributed a song to the second volume of Gerd Janson's Musik For Autobahns, a compilation built entirely with driving in mind. "I don't see having a concept for a record as a hindrance," Vynehall explains in an email. "It's fun. [Designed For Dancing] is just the theme I've chosen for this record," he continues. "The next one will be about something else. I like having stories behind a release, rather than just putting something together for the sake of it. It feels more significant with an idea binding everything together." He reiterates this concept later in the same email. "I have done smaller two to three track releases in the past without such cemented themes, and that's fine. But I really enjoy thinking of an idea and seeing it through right up until release day." According to Vynehall, Rojus came together in two stages. "I made a couple of the songs not so long after the show in Lithuania that initially sparked the idea," he tells Billboard. "After that, I was involved in a songwriting project that took up a lot of time, so there was a gap of five to six months where I didn't write anything for myself. Once that was finished, it didn't take me long to write the rest. I had a sort of spurt of inspiration which kept me on a roll." He bounced some of his ideas off Janson: "when I started writing tracks for Rojus, I would send them to Gerd and go from there." The resulting work traces a gentle arc, starting slowly with the near beatless "Beyond This... ," picking up steam in the mid-section, and coasting to an end. It's a slick, lolling album-maybe designed more for late-night swaying, the come-down after the evening's most intense periods of activity. After "Beyond This... ," "Saxony" sets the tone with a melodic bass line and light pitter-patter on drums. Keyboards outline the song's curves, but do not impose their will or shatter the calm forward movement. Mellow vocal samples, usually wordless-sighs, exhales, murmurs-drift in and out of the beat. The sonic homogeneity is important. "The concept of the record gave me parameters," Vynehall notes. "To start adding slower or faster songs that weren't around the 118-125 B.P.M. range wouldn't necessarily work." A few moments stand out from the dulcet bath. In "Wahness," there's a grating noise that sounds like a sword skittering off a wall. A track later, "Kiburu's" showcases a pleasing variety of hollow wood percussion sounds. And Vyehall saves the most aggressive moment for last: there's a thin snap to the percussion in the final track, "... There Is You"-part martial rat-a-tat, part Bell Biv DeVoe's "Poison." Rojus displays a strong consciousness of dance music tradition. After all, bird sounds have a long history in the most mellifluous strains of house, reaching back to the late '80s and the famous birdcall that opens Sueno Latino's "Sueno Latino." (One mix of that single was labeled "The Paradise Version;" Vynehall's album has a track titled "Paradisea," and the producer's press materials suggest that Rojus means "paradise" in Lithuanian.) The erotic whispers that cruise atop the beat of "Beau Sovereign" can be traced all the way back to the titillation of early disco. There are also connections to more mainstream branches of contemporary house: the long "oooooh" sample that flits through "Blush" isn't far from Gregory Porter's contribution to Disclosure's "Holding On." Vynehall is already at work on the follow-up to Rojus, and he suggests that listeners should expect another framework organizing his next release. "I've been working on the next one for a while now," he writes. "They get more and more elaborate every time. One day I'll bite off more than I can chew." (Billboard)

Solis will also be receive the Billboard Latin Music Awards Lifetime Achievement Honor. Marco Antonio Solis, the iconic Latin artist who holds the record for most No.1s on the Billboard Top Latin Albums chart, will headline the "Legends Session" panel April 26 during the 27th Billboard Latin Music Conference in Miami. Solis will also be honored with Billboard's Lifetime Achievement Award for his outstanding 40-year career at the 2016 Billboard Latin Music Awards. In addition to his Billboard Top Latin Albums chart standing, the Grammy-winning Solis has earned 11 No. 1s on the Hot Latin Songs chart, most recently in 2014 as a featured artist on Enrique Iglesias' "El Perdedor." As a songwriter, Solis holds the record for most No. 1 hits on the Billboard Hot Latin Tracks chart. "Marco Antonio Solis has written some of the most enduring songs in Latin music," said Leila Cobo, Billboard's Executive Director of Content and Programming for Latin Music. "As one of the greats in music, he has been looked up to, and covered by, an array of artists iconic in their own right from Maná to Los Tigres del Norte. We are honored and excited for his participation in our 'Legends Session'." The "Legends Session" will be held April 26 from 5:15 to 6 pm at the Ritz-Carlton in Miami's South Beach. The Billboard Latin Music Conference, the longest running and most prestigious international event dedicated to Latin music, will be held from April 25 to 28, and will spotlight key industry leaders and music stars. Registration to the conference is open at BillboardLatinConference.com with early bird, loyalty, and group rates available. The conference will feature "Superstar Q&As" and marquee sessions like the "Divas Panel" and the yearly groundbreaking "Urban Panel." This year's confirmed star panelists include Nicky Jam, Raul Alarcón Jr., Daddy Yankee, and Don Omar, among others. The 2016 Billboard Latin Music Conference culminates with the annual Billboard Latin Music Awards, which will air live on Telemundo April 28 from the BankUnited Center in Miami. (Billboard)

Puff Daddy & The Family Add Second Reunion Show at Brooklyn's Barclays Center. The Bad Boy Family will be rocking Brooklyn's Barclays Center for a second night following its May 20th rendezvous in honor of the late Notorious B.I.G.'s birthday. Diddy revealed the news on Twitter on Sunday night (April 10). "BREAKING NEWS!! We added a 2nd show in NYC!! MAY 20th & 21st it's going down in Brooklyn!! #BADBOYFamilyReunionTour," he tweeted. "MAY 20th & 21st we're celebrating 20 years' worth of HITS at the Barclays!!" The news comes after Puffy's announcement of the then-titled "One Night Only" affair, which sold out in seven minutes last week. The special guests for Night 1 include Jay Z and Mary J Blige while MJB will make her second appearance alongside Swizz Beatz and DMX for Night 2. Diddy also offered this heed of warning. "If you played yourself the first time, don't play yourself this time!" Tickets for the May 21st show go on sale on Monday, April 11 at 10 a.m on livenation.com and ticketmaster.com. (Billboard)

DJ Khaled and his We The Best Music Group have signed an exclusive deal with Epic Records, reuniting the record producer/executive with label Chairman and CEO L.A. Reid. Founded in 2006, We The Best Music Group is Khaled's own label, studio and management, publishing and production companies. Khaled's first release under We The Best/Epic Records, titled Major Key, will be available soon. "Khaled is a supremely gifted artist and social media guru whose music has defined hip-hop and R&B for the past decade," said Reid, who first signed Khaled/We The Best to Def Jam in 2008. "With an extremely loyal fan base radiating world -- wide out of Miami, every new release by Khaled has now become a firestorm event and his devoted legion of fans only grows bigger by the day. With Khaled's passion and creative savvy, together with our dedicated and versatile staff, we are poised to reach even greater heights together than ever before." DJ Khaled released his debut album, Listennn... the Album, in 2006 on his fully indie We The Best imprint. Two years and several singles ("We Takin' Over" and "I'm So Hood") later, Khaled linked-up with Reid's Def Jam for distribution. He climbed the Billboard charts with 2010's "All I Do Is Win" and "I'm on One" a year later, and has sold over 15 million singles to date. He released his eighth studio album, I Changed A Lot, in late 2015. He's also amassed a huge social footprint, with 6 million-plus followers on Snapchat and another 3 million on both Instagram and Twitter. Commented Khaled: "We The Best Music/Epic. Those two brands are synonymous with quality music. Iconic music. LA Reid was the first executive to give We The Best Music an opportunity to distribute my music on a grand scale. It is a very satisfying feeling to realign myself with someone who shares my vision of bringing fans the best music possible." Khaled said he is searching for new talent to add to the We The Best artist roster, which currently includes himself, Ace Hood, Mavado and others. Most recently, the label had been distributed by Republic Records. (Billboard)

Kanye West took his talents to Manila, Philippines on Saturday (April 9) for the country's star-studded Paradise International Music Festival. The unfiltered multi-hyphenate -- whose recent release The Life of Pablo debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 -- rocked the mic with his Pablo cuts a la "Father Stretch My Hands Pt. 1" and "Famous." He also incorporated his verse from Drake's new single "Pop Style," where both 'Ye and his Watch The Throne collaborator Jay Z feature. West also treated the Filipino crowd to a freestyle. "I don't wanna be liked/ If that means I gotta be like what everybody else like," he sings in Auto-Tune. No word on whether the bars will make it onto the rapper's forthcoming eighth studio effort Turbo Grafx 16, slated for a summer release, according to Kanye. West has hinted that a Life of Pablo tour is on the horizon in addition to his headlining set at this year's Governors Ball Music Festival at Randall's Island Park in New York City on June 3-5. (Billboard)

Gene Simmons has never been short of an opinion or eight. And his ponderings don't always sit smoothly with Kiss' fans or the wider artist community. There've been comments on folks with mental health issues ("Have some dignity and jump"), Donald Trump ("He is the truest political animal I've ever seen onstage") and his musing that "rap will die." That last comment, which he fleshed out for Rolling Stone ("I am looking forward to the death of hip-hop") naturally got a rise out of some rappers. N.W.A. founding member Ice Cube hit out in an interview with the New York Times ahead of the group's induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame class of 2016. "I respect Gene Simmons, but I think he's wrong on this because rock 'n' roll is not an instrument and it's not singing," he said. "Rock 'n' roll is a spirit. N.W.A is probably more rock 'n' roll than a lot of the people that he thinks belong there over hip-hop. We had the same spirit as punk rock, the same as the blues." When N.W.A took the podium on Friday (April 8) at the Rock Hall induction ceremony, MC Ren served one back at Simmons. "I want to say to Mr. Gene Simmons that hip-hop is here forever," he said. "We're supposed to be here." It hasn't taken long for Simmons to respond. "Let me know when Jimi Hendrix gets into the hip-hop hall of fame. Then you'll have a point," he tweeted (with a mention to Ice Cube). Of course, there isn't a Hip-Hop Hall with the gravitas and prestige of the Rock Hall. Which is part of that point he's making. Ice Cube hasn't yet fired back. (Billboard)

What a Slap in the Squinted Little Face! It would appear that LeAnn Rimes just spit in the face of one of the greats ... and not just one of the greats -- but one of those who actually helped give her the break she needed in order to ultimately abscond with Brandi Glanville's husband.

Texas Radio personality Billy Mack -- son of, yes, that Bill Mack; country music singer/songwriter ... the one who wrote and won an award for LeAnn's breakout hit "Blue" -- took his dad to a very low-attended show at a honky tonk in the area to reminisce and walk down memory lane. Things apparently didn't go so well, because the younger Mack had this to say on Twitter over the weekend: LOL because "hasbeen" just about sums the whole entire thing up. He continued, however, saying: When begged for more details, he elaborated on his Facebook page: "Almost comical, my dad and I go to Billy Bob's Texas (which is a whole other story) to see a LeAnn Rimes and wish her the best (which by the way the lowest attendance I've seen there in a long time). No need to wonder why she is a has been in this industry. Her lack of humility, to her fans, my dad, Curb Records, or anyone else who has ever been in her corner in the early part of her career is hard, but a lil cute to watch. Sometimes it's best to stay in LA. Don't crawl back to Texas with a Kardashian attitude, expecting a Texas size applause. I wish her the best, but you can't fool the fans. I speak only for me, and nobody else on this matter." There you have it. Mr. Mack couldn't have said it better than us ... don't crawl anywhere with a Kardashian attitude expecting anything other than a negative response. You reap what you sow or whatever, and LeAnn Rimes has been a ... well, a hasbeen long enough to know this is nothing but truth. (Fishwrapper)

Melissa McCarthy Crowd-Surfs to Receive Comedic Genius Award at MTV Movie Awards 2016. Melissa McCarthy is kickin' booty and takin' names! On Saturday, the hilarious actress became the first woman to be honored with the Comedic Genius Award at the 2016 MTV Movie Awards, following the likes of Will Ferrell and Kevin Hart, who co-hosted the event with Dwayne Johnson. And when the awards show aired, fans saw McCarthy crowd-surf to the stage and accidentally knock the Golden Popcorn across the stage...thanks to Hart's help. "Thank you Mr. Rock Johnson, and thank you to The Rock's assistant," she said onstage. "There are certainly a few nuns from my old high school back in Illinois that are pretty surprised right now by the use of the word 'genius' in conjunction with my name so, take that sister!" "In all seriousness, I may be the first woman to receive this award but I am certainly not the first one to deserve it. I think I am a walking human patchwork of all the remarkable funny women who I have loved and studied over the years. I m only here because of Carol Burnett, Jane Curtin, Phyllis Diller, Whoopi Goldberg, Teri Garr, Madeline Kahn, Lucille Ball, Gilda Radner, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Diane Keaton, Tracey Ullman, Bette Midler, Lily Tomlin [and] my mom, Sandy Lynn McCarthy." Her mother, the actress said, taught her "not to fear being the butt of the joke, or to not worry about being likable or perfect and to lovingly go for the kill." "And I have been stealing from these amazing women," she said. "So many people here tonight I could add to that list, and I just want to thank MTV for this incredible award, it means so much to me, and I want to thank every single person who buys a ticket for one of my movies or watches my show because you are absolutely the single reason I get to keep doing what I love so much and I really can't ever thank you enough for that." She also gave a shout-out to Bruce Springsteen, who recent canceled a North Carolina concert in protest of a new state law that bars transgender people from choosing bathrooms consistent with their gender identity. "Thank you and just one more thing, who knew that Bruce Springsteen could get even cooler?" the actress said. Melissa's long list of box office hits -- including Bridesmaids, The Heat and The Boss -- make her the obvious choice for the honor, which the executive producer of the awards show, Casey Patterson, highlighted in a statement. "Honoring Melissa McCarthy with 'MTV's Comedic Genius Award' is exciting on so many levels," he said. "It's the first time this award is going to a woman which is fantastic." Patterson continued, "We love Melissa for her performances but she also writes, produces and directs comedy, so this award is incredibly well deserved. The most exciting thing about Melissa is how brave she is, you don't want to miss her moment in the show." Meanwhile, McCarthy is ruling Hollywood with more than just awards show trophies. She's also made it a point to speak out and empower other women. "Watching [women] become friends and then essentially become family, that's the kind of thing I root for when I watch a movie," she told Bust magazine in March, acknowledging the premise of her latest movie, The Boss. "I want to see that. I love to show women and girls uniting. I love showing that because I think so often in movies, you see women just fighting and not liking each other. That's not real life. That's not the norm." (Eonline)

Will Smith Pokes Fun at Himself After Winning Generation Award at 2016 MTV Movie Awards. Mega movie star Will Smith was presented with the Generation Award at the 2016 MTV Movie Awards Saturday, and we've got to say, he certainly earned it! The 47-year-old actor, rapper and Oscar winner is best known for big-budget films such as Independence Day, Men in Black and Bad Boys. "When I first heard that MTV wanted to give me the Generation Award, I thought that was like code for the 'Old Ass Dude Award' -- 'Congratulations, your best work is behind you, have fun,'" Smith joked onstage. "This is absolutely beautiful," he said. "I was in Brooklyn the other day shooting, and these women came running out, they're like 35-40 years old, they're screaming, 'Oh my God, Will, Will!' Then there is this one kid who is 8 years old and he's like, 'Oh my God, oh my God, I don't know who you are. I don't know who you are.' So I knelt down and said, 'I'm the Karate Kid's dad.'" Smith received a tribute performance from The Lonely Island, who sang a mash-up of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air theme song, "Men In Black" and "Gettin' Jiggy With It," while Queen Latifah and Halle Berry praised the actor. "The reason I admire this amazing, wonderful, talented man most, well, Will is champion for diversity in Hollywood, blazing a path for actors by showing that someone of any color can play any role, and can open any movie, and can win every award, and be the biggest freakin' movie star in the whole world," Berry said. "I love you Will Smith." "There isn't a more thoughtful or talented man in this town, there is no one that's been more generous to me or our community," Latifah said. "He was the first rapper to break into movies and become and international superstar. The king of huge blockbuster movies, and we all got to thank him for opening up that door. Thank you." Will Smith said he is humbled by the award. "I released my first record when I was 17, and so I'm 47 years old, this June marks 30 years in this business for me," he said. "I made parents just don't understand. I'm with my kids sometimes and I'm like, 'I don't get it.' I really just want to say, I'm humbled, and I want all of you to know I am dedicated to being a light in this world." "I am dedicating every day, when I wake up, I want to help people," he added. "I want to be a light, I want to display love, I want to play roles that have dignity, and just want to help. In this world there is a lot of suffering, a lot of people are suffering in this world and when you see my material and when I present myself in public and what I'm trying to do with my family and my friends, I just want all of you to know that I am dedicated to till I die to light and love." Smith is a 17-time MTV Movie Awards nominee and has taken home the Golden Popcorn five different times. During the height of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air's success, he served as host of the 1994 MTV Movie Awards. "Will Smith and MTV have grown up together and share a very cool history," executive producer Casey Patterson said in a statement this past March. "MTV was a part of every phase of Will's career and he has been a huge part of what defined the MTV culture from the beginning. From TV's The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, to his music and amazing movies, Will is the voice of a generation and not afraid to use it." You can catch Will next in Suicide Squad, which hits theaters Aug. 5. (Eonline)

Movies

Thank Rowling! Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them Just Released a Trailer and It Looks Magical. Thank you Newt Scamander! Oh, and thank you J.K. Rowling, too. And while we're doling out gratuities, we should mention Eddie Redmayne too. That's because the actor just graced the MTV Movie Awards with his presence -- and not just to remind us how adorable he is, but to give us a little Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them treat. Redmayne plays the aforementioned leading role of Scamander in the movie, which is a prequel of sorts to the Harry Potter series, so it was only natural that he be on hand to introduce the first legitimate sneak peek since last year's teaser trailer. To kick things off, the show turned the set into 1920's New York City, the setting for Fantastic Beasts. Men in tuxedos and top hats pranced around with briefcases before the fantastic Eddie appeared in a cloud of smoke. But did we expect anything less? "Myself and the rest of the cast had such an astounding time getting to leap back into the world of J.K. Rowling's imagination," Redmayne began. "And I'm properly excited to share with you tonight just a wee glimpse of what's in store this November." The clip began with images of a riff on that now-infamous Harry Potter music and flashes of Eddie's Newt Scamander tinkering in his lab in the Big Apple. "You're an interesting man, Mr. Scamander," whispered the narrator. "Just like your suitcase, there's much more to you than meets the eye. Kicked out of Hogwarts for endangering human life with a beast, yet one of your teachers are strongly against your expulsion." We see Newt leaving England and boarding a steam ship, as the narrator asks "Now what makes Albus Dumbledore so fond of you, Mr. Scamander?" The rest of the clip, while visually quite different than the HP world we're used to (this is New York City, after all), we're treating to so many of the memories we so adore -- the moving newspaper images, for one. It's going to be a long wait until the movie's release this fall, but the clip will satiate us for a bit. (Eonline)

The New Suicide Squad Sneak Peek Just Debuted, and It's R-Rated in More Ways Than One. Talk about squad goals! The MTV Movie Awards just got a major dose of vigilantism, thanks to the real-life actors behind this summer's upcoming DC superhero (or shall we say anti-superhero) venture. The whole gang turned up, led by the night's Generation Award recipient Will Smith. The actor was accompanied by Jared Leto, Margot Robbie and Cara Delevingne, who took the stage to present some never-before-seen footage to the awaiting audience. The group (or squad, rather) pulled out all the stops for their appearance, with crazy graffiti sets and a crap-ton of pyrotechnics. And since this is Suicide Squad, the clip was kicked off with an R-rated intro. "Blood, sweat, semen," started off Leto. "Pubic hair, brains and yes, even a few anal beads. This sick and twisted film has it all kids. It was the experience of a lifetime and I can't wait to share it with you crazy motherf--kers." The clip marks the first look we're getting at the movie, due out in August, since the second trailer debuted all the way back in January. It showed the creation of the Squad, which came out of gathering together some of the most dysfunctional criminals around. There are plenty of reminders that these are, infact, the bad guys, and some peeks at the R-ratedness of the film -- drinking, swearing, sex and so much more. Fans have seen plenty of Robbie's Harley Quinn and Smith's Deadshot, but this new trailer had some great scenes with Leto's The Joker. We'll just say he should probably apologize for all of our nightmares now. (Eonline)

The Civil War Is Coming: Captain America Himself Just Debuted a Look at What's Left of The Avengers. Things are getting real for the Avengers. The next installment in Marvel's marquee series is set to hit theaters in less than a month (that's May 6, to be exact), which means it's go time for Captain America and his cronies. To take the excitement to the next level, Chris Evans himself popped by the MTV Movie Awards to treat the audience to an exclusive scene. He stood in front of the crowd looking predictably gorgeous and superhero-y, and despite a few adorably flubbed teleprompter lines, set up the sneak peek like only a Marvel man would. "Captain America being given his shield, Ironman forging his armor in a cave, the Avengers assembling," he began. "Every triumph victory, every epic battle has led to this. For eight years and 12 movies, Marvel Studios has built a sprawling cinematic universe without equal, and this summer that universe is gonna be rocked to its core. For the first time ever, this is exclusive world premiere footage from Captain America: Civil War." The exclusive clip in question started with an epic fight scene that gave fans a glimpse at a whole host of Marvel fighters -- including Elizabeth Olsen's Scarlet Witch and Anthony Mackie's Falcon. And of course there were shots of Sebastian Stan as the occasionally evil Bucky and Robert Downey Jr. as the possibly evil Ironman. It was short but sweet, but it gave fans a chance to see just how tense this superhero fight is going to get, as well as how the "teams" are going to be shaking out. Scarlet Witch, Falcon, Black Widow and Captain America are all that's left of the Avengers, and the clip sees them attempting to track a group of terrorists. Meanwhile Hulk and Thor are basically MIA, and Ironman is living in semi-retirement. All in all it's a bit of a mess, but an awesomely badass mess at that. (Eonline)

Zac Efron and Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson Are Obsessed With Each Other in New Baywatch Sneak Peek. We've seen the cast photos. We've witnessed Zac Efron's abs. And yes, we know about those photos of David Hasselhoff in his red shorts. But at the 2016 MTV Movie Awards, fans received the ultimate treat when they got another first look at the upcoming Baywatch movie. While we loved the obstacle course and the cast talking about who has the tightest swim trunks, we have to discuss the bromance between Zac and Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. "It's iconic and you get one shot at it. You don't want to screw it up," The Rock explained to MTV News. "I've worked with a lot of big stars, but none is in more greater shape than Zac Efron." But wait, the feeling is totally mutual between these A-list stars. "I learned everything from his Instagram. I studied it non-stop," Zac joked. "The cool thing about Dwayne is his personality on and off camera. It's the same. It's so charismatic. You're just drawn to him. He's funny, he's charming, he's good looking." Okay, guys we get it. In recent months, filming for the highly anticipated movie has been well underway in Boca Raton, Fla. In between shooting by the ocean blue water, the entire cast has been able to bond in more ways than one but on and off camera. "Are we bad ass? Yes. Do we save lives? All day," The Rock recently wrote online. "Are we a dysfunctional family? Epically. Do we have fun? F**K YES." He added, "We work hard, we play hard. @thejonbass @alexannadaddario @kellyrohrbach @ilfenator @zacefron #BAYWATCH Get ready world..." Watch the magic unfold when the film hits theatres everywhere on May 19, 2017. (Eonline)

Robert Schwartzman Pairs Directorial Debut With Advice From Francis Ford Coppola and a New Song (Exclusive Audio). The actor of 'The Princess Diaries' and 'The Virgin Suicides' who fronts the band Rooney helms the '80s throwback 'Dreamland', set to premiere at the 2016 Tribeca Film Festival. Robert Schwartzman, known onscreen for The Princess Diaries and The Virgin Suicides and onstage as the frontman of the band Rooney, finds himself behind the camera for Dreamland. His directorial debut follows a piano-playing underdog who enters into a Graduate-esqueaffair. Starring Johnny Simmons, Amy Landecker, Beverly D'Angelo, Shay Mitchell and Schwartzman's mother, Talia Shire and set to premiere at the Festival, Dreamland throws back to '80s sex comedies like American Gigolo, Loverboy and, most specifically, Risky Business, which featured the music of Tangerine Dream. Accordingly, he and his bandmates-whose new album Washed Away lands May 6-penned the film's song "Sad But True," a track evoking the story's arc of "sadness, longing and ephemeral hope" with Burt Bacharach-esque Major 7 chords. For his first feature, Schwartzman got advice and support from his brother, Jason Schwartzman-"He read the script, asked questions, and put me in the hot seat in a loving and constructive way," he says-and his uncle, Francis Ford Coppola. "My Uncle Francis told me not to be afraid if there is any creative pushback with actors, or if actors express concerns with a scene or dialogue. He said, oftentimes those concerns might open things up to something new, exciting and unexpected, something important that might help the scene, dialogue or character." (Hollywood Reporter)

"There are new ships and antagonists that are well suited to the expanded image," producer Ben Rosenblatt told THR. Moviegoers will get a panoramic view of the Enterprise this summer on Cinerama-like Barco Escape theatrical screens. J.J. Abrams' Bad Robot has closed a deal with digital cinema technology developer Barco whereby Bad Robot and Paramount will release a special version of Star Trek Beyond for Barco Escape, a theatrical system aimed at immersing viewers in the experience with three screens stitched together across the front and side walls of a theater. The film, which opens July 22, will be a high-profile release for the young Escape format. "When you're on the bridge of the Enterprise, you might see additional coverage of the bridge," Bad Robot producer and head of visual effects and post Ben Rosenblatt told The Hollywood Reporter. "Or you might see the Enterprise coming across the screen -- and maybe you'll see more and the attacking forces. There are new ships and antagonists that are well suited to the expanded image." For this version, Bad Robot will be remastering the film, with certain sections of the movie expanding to reach out across the panoramic tri-screen display -- "at least 20 minutes, hopefully more," said Rosenblatt. Star Trek Beyond director Justin Lin and J.J. Abrams, who directed the first two films in the franchise reboot, will be leading the creative, which will be a cooperative effort between Bad Robot's in-house VFX unit, Kelvin Optical; the film's lead VFX house, Double Negative; and VFX house Atomic Fiction. Since the film was already shot when the deal was completed, the expansion of the imagery into the side wall screens will be, in some parts, fully CG extensions of the VFX shots. Rosenblatt said some shots will incorporate production footage that wasn't used in the wide release version, while others would be a combination of production footage modified with VFX. "Justin Lin's Star Trek Beyond is an epic adventure -- truly larger than life," said Abrams in a statement. "It is especially fitting, then, that we are partnering with Barco to provide an ultra-wide-screen immersive experience using their unique Barco Escape format. This premium format dramatically expands the width of the viewing plane, giving filmmakers an innovative new tool with which to tell stories and audiences an enhanced new way to experience cinema." "In general, on the Bad Robot side, we're very interested in emerging technologies and new formats that offer innovation in the theatrical experience," said Rosenblatt. "We love seeing movies in a theatrical environment. When someone is trying something new that could help the theatrical experience, we want to support it. And Barco Escape is the latest example of something that could transform the way we think about going to the movies in a theater." Further demonstrating its interest in the format, Abrams, Rosenblatt or another Bad Robot exec will join the Escape advisory board. "We're talking with Barco about creating a short through Bad Robot to really use the capabilities of the format and show it off," Rosenblatt added, noting that it's also considering the format for additional feature releases. Barco expects to have roughly 50 Escape-equipped theater installations in time for the Star Trek Beyond release. Looking further out, it projects at least 100 by the end of the year, and 3,000 in next three to five years. Escape was introduced in 2014 with Twentieth Century Fox's The Maze Runner, which included the expanded tri-screen imagery in seven minutes of the film, at a handful of supported theaters. As part of a multi-year deal with Fox, that was followed by Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials, which incorporated 20 minutes in the Escape format. In 2015, Barco announced a development deal with Jerry Bruckheimer, who also sits on the Escape Advisory Board. And earlier this year, it was announced that Scott Waugh, the director behind Act of Valor and Need for Speed, would make a film shot entirely for Barco Escape. A late 2016 release is planned for that untitled movie. Barco will demonstrate Escape this week at theater-owners convention CinemaCon. (Hollywood Reporter)

"We're turtles whether you like it or not." The latest trailer for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2 brings new footage and an internal conflict for the half-shell heroes. The trailer starts out on Halloween, with Michelangelo proclaiming it as "the one night of the year where we fit in." His yearning to belong and come out of the sewers continues throughout the trailer. This increases after the group hears about the "purple ooze" that can turn humans into animals like henchmen Bebop and Rocksteady, whose transformations are seen in the trailer. Michelangelo points out that they wouldn't have to be "stuck down here forever." "We're turtles whether you like it or not," Leonardo says later, as Raphael starts to talk about the chance of becoming human. In the midst of their conflict the turtles go skydiving, get into explosive fights and, of course, interact with April O'Neill. Johnny Knoxville, Noel Fisher, Alan Ritchson and Jeremy Howard return as the turtles, with Megan Fox, Will Arnett and William Fichtner, Tony Shalhoub reprising their roles from the original Michael Bay film. Stephen Amell plays Casey Jones and Bebop and Rocksteady are played by Gary Anthony Williams and Stephen "Sheamus" Farrelly. The film hits theaters on June 3. (Hollywood Reporter)

Sacha Baron Cohen Lied About Freddie Mercury Biopic, Says Queen's Brian May. "Why would he go away and say that we didn't want to make a gritty film?" Queen guitarist Brian May has slammed Sacha Baron Cohen over recent comments the actor made about the long-gestating Freddie Mercury biopic, for which he was initially attached to star. Talking last month to Howard Stern, Cohen claimed that he walked away from the project he'd been connected to since 2010 after learning that it wasn't to be the "warts n' all" retelling he'd been hoping for, and instead would take the story beyond Mercury's death from AIDS complications in 1991 to "see how the band carries on from strength to strength." But May now suggests that it wasn't the actor's decision to leave the project, attacking him for speaking to the press. "We had some nice times with Sacha kicking around ideas but he went off and told untruths about what happened," May told The Mail on Sunday. "Why would he go away and say that we didn't want to make a gritty film? Are we the kind of people who have ever ducked from the truth? I don't think so." No doubt referencing Cohen's recent box-office bomb Grimsby, May added: "We decided he wasn't right for the role for very good reasons, which will become apparent if you watch what he's done recently. It's obvious that it wasn't going to work, him playing Freddie. It wouldn't suspend your disbelief." Underlining the project's still TBC status, May said there wasn't a director yet attached and that Ben Whishaw, who was named as Cohen's replacement late last year, hadn't actually been confirmed. "We're hoping Ben Whishaw will do it," he said. "He's fabulous -- a real actor." (Hollywood Reporter)

TV

Law and Order: SVU's Finale Is "Tragic," "Beautiful" And Made Mariska Hargitay Cry. Just when things were looking up for Olivia Benson on Law & Order: SVU, well, things may not be looking up anymore. When E! News caught up with Mariska Hargitay at Variety's Power of Women: New York, presented by Lifetime, the actress-producer-director, who was being honored, revealed Benson's in for some big changes with the season 17 finale. "I read the season finale and I was so deeply moved and deeply inspired. I couldn't put it down... couldn't stop crying," she told us. Gulp. "After doing a show for this long, there are these moments that come up that are so earned and so painful. For Olivia, something very tragic happens and something so beautiful happens, which is so much like life, right? It's that marriage of joy and pain and all of it, living in the question and gray. Gray, gray, gray, which SVU is so amazing at. I'm hooked and excited. It's something that informs all of next year and so I feel like I have all of these new beats to play and I am so reinvested that it's almost shocking." Sweet, but still -- gulp. Here's what else w know about the two-part finale: it'll be filled with some familiar faces. Not only will Brad Garrett be guest starring as Gary Munson, a Rikers correction officer who maintains his reputation as a hard-working family man, but also hides a sordid history of corruption and violence against female inmates inside and out of prison, but Bill Irwin will also be returning to the fold. Irwin told E! News at a screening for his HBO film Confirmation that he'd be returning to SVU because "[Benson] needs help." Irwin's Dr. Peter Lindstrom, Benson's therapist, was least seen in "Transgender Bridge." Law & Order: SVU returns with all-new episodes on Wednesday, May 4 at 9 p.m. on NBC. (Eonline)

New Gilmore Girls Photos Reveal Not Much Has Changed in Stars Hollow...Or Has It? Sound the alarms: new photos from Netflix's Gilmore Girls revival are here. This is not a drill, we repeat, this is not a drill. There are new photos of Lauren Graham and Alexis Bledel together again in Stars Hollow. In the new photos, we for sure get a glimpse at the "Summer" episode, one of four 90-minute installments coming out... later this year. Each episode will be a different season in the year, with the action picking up nine years after the show ended. There's also Sally Struthers as Babette! Of course there's a Stars Hollow musical coming up. Of course. There's also Luke (Scott Patterson) and Lorelai (Graham) walking hand in hand, Emily (Kelly Bishop) looking stately and Rory (Bledel) standing in front of a class... at Chilton?! Plus, a town meeting. Yes, after all these years Stars Hollow is still having town meetings. And is that a Friday night dinner happening? Emily and Rory are there, but where's Lorelai? Hopefully just out of shot... And then there's the photo of Rory and Lorelai eating Chinese takeout, Red Vines and some kind of ice cream -- all over coffee, naturally. That's a lot to take in. Details are still scarce about the big revival, but in addition to the aforementioned names, so many familiar faces will be returning to the beloved show? Melissa McCarthy (yes, really!), Liza Weil, Danny Strong, Keiko Agena, Sean Gunn, Yanic Truesdale, Jared Padalecki, Milo Ventimiglia and Matt Czuchry are all among the returning players. Gilmore Girls returns later this year. (Eonline)

Game of Thrones' New Season 6 Trailer Promises "The Dead Are Coming." Game of Thrones season six is just days away -- you can practically smell the wet direwolf fur in the air! -- and just in time to satisfy your Westeros jonesing there's a new trailer. And guess what? It opens with Jon Snow (Kit Harington). And guess what again? He's dead. Still. It's a bit of the scene Liam Cunningham debuted on Conan, but here's some new voiceover: "I thought he was the man to lead us through the long night, but I was wrong." Because he's dead. Don't shut the browser out of frustration just yet, the dragons come up shortly after! There's also lots of Tyrion (Peter Dinklage), defiant Sansa (Sophie Turner), Cersei (Lena Headey) doing what she does best and Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke) getting stripped down. Perhaps the most ominous quote though comes from Cunningham's Davos Seaworth: "The real war is between the living and the dead. Make no mistake: the dead are coming." Coming in at a close second is Tyrion saying, "That's what I do. I drink and I know things." Ohhhh it's on. Game of Thrones returns on Sunday, April 24 at 9 p.m. on HBO. (Eonline)

Fear the Walking Dead Season 2 Has Water Zombies So Yeah, It's Awesome. You know what's more terrifying than the regular zombies who terrorize Rick Grimes and co. on The Walking Dead? WATER ZOMBIES! Which is what the survivors on Fear the Walking Dead are facing in season two as they set sail to hopefully safer shores. Spoiler alert: It was scary and awesome, which is what we've been waiting to happen on this show from the series premiere. While season one was brief, its slow burn was a tad too slow. Sure, the premiere was tense and terrifying as we saw the beginnings of what would become the landscape we see each week on TWD. But then everyone just, like, hung out for a while. In the finale, though, as our survivors fled to the ocean, we finally saw the scope of what was happening. And in the season two premiere, we saw that the stakes are much higher now -- both from the impending threat of the zombie virus AND from fellow survivors who are taking the apocalypse as a cue to take advantage of their fellow humans (read: looting and murdering. Just like on The Walking Dead, where other humans pose just as much of a threat as the horrible undead monsters!). Here's the deal: Everyone is now on Victor Strand's (Colman Domingo) yacht, heading for San Diego. Travis (Cliff Curtis) had to kill his ex-wife, Liza (Elizabeth Rodriguez), before she turned into a walker, and as we opened this season, their son, Chris (Lorenzo James Henrie), was still messed up about it. It brought him and recovering addict Nick (Frank Dillane) closer, considering they're both experiencing some major emotional turmoil. So when Chris jumped off the yacht, Nick immediately jumped in the water after him. Turns out all Chris wanted to do was swim, and everyone was relieved. But then they realized they were swimming in a shipwreck, and WATER ZOMBIES began to attack them. (WATER ZOMBIES are so cool they should probably be referred to in all caps, right?) Travis hopped in the dinghy and snagged them from the water in the nick of time -- then got back to the yacht just as another vessel headed towards the Abigail. Turns out Alicia (Alycia Debnam-Carey) really messed things up by making a "friend" on the ship's radio, revealing pretty much all of their vital info (the size of the yacht, their desalinization equipment, how many people, their location) -- and now said "friend" is on his way toward the Abigail, presumably to do to them whatever happened to the shipwreck with the walkers (swimmers?). So now they're on the run from the other ship as well as attempting to escape to San Diego -- though the radio friend did suggest that they try to head to Hawaii, which seems like a good idea. Would the island have been infected by the disease? Basically, everything was much more tense and exciting in this episode, revealing a promising start to season two. What did you think of the new direction? Fear the Walking Dead airs Sundays at 9 p.m. on AMC. (Eonline)

Scottish actor Sam Heughan may play red-headed heartthrob Jamie Fraser on the hit time-period show, Outlander, but fans of the time-traveling romance, which debuted its second season Saturday, might be surprised to know that his character's famous mane is thanks to some help from movie magic. "I'm a bit of a dirty blond," Heughan revealed to PeopleStyle at a meet and greet at the Barbour showroom during New York Tartan Week. "Yeah, it's been dyed and it's washing out a bit, but yeah, I'm a blondie. My beard is even [blond]. I wish I had blond [hair] again. Everything goes with blond. You can wear it with any color, and it's great." But as long as he's a Fraser, he's keeping his now-signature color -- the actor says he dyes his hair bright red about every two episodes to keep the color fresh, and when he's not filming, Heughan says his hair maintenance tends to be pretty simple upkeep, including Hollywood's most controversial men's hairstyle: the man bun. "Well, it's pretty much however it looks in the morning with some good [styling] products, which makes it look a little bit more manageable," he says, adding that he'll rock a man bun when necessary (see here, here and here). "I love a man bun. I think it's become quite fashionable, hasn't it? A lot of men love it," he says. "You need a beard so it's all quite slick and you tie it back so it's all well-manicured. But no, I think I'm very practical when it comes to the man bun." Practical is one thing, but does he enjoy having his Highlander hair? He answers diplomatically: "I'm looking forward to losing the long locks at some point. But it's been fun, and I do enjoy it." (Wait, is Jamie shaving his hair?! "Umm, no. You're good. But no, it doesn't," he quickly responded.) Heughan may not share his character's affinity for a flowing mane, but he does appreciate his sense of style. "You know, he's very practical. In season two, you obviously see a completely different side of [Jamie] -- very done-up and in these beautiful costumes. But that's because he's playing someone else," Heughan tells PeopleStyle. "In Scotland, he's very practical. And to be honest, it's one of those countries where ... we have like five seasons in one day. It could rain, it could be sunny -- layering is the key." Not to mention, learning to love a kilt. "Honestly, there's so many great benefits of wearing a kilt: It's very free, it's got its own aeration and they're very comfortable," he says, grinning. "But the best part, for me, honestly, is the swing. You know, the pleats you get in the kilt. I love the swing you get when you walk in it." There is one major drawback, though: "When you sit down on the wet grass and you forget to do the little flick -- it's your bare ass on the ground! Oh, it's horrible." So does that mean Jamie is a boxer or briefs type of guy? "I mean, I don't think I need to answer that," Heughan says, laughing. "Jamie is neither, but I think we've seen that in the TV show." Off-set, he keeps things even more casual "I tend to wear kind of a [relaxed] style when I'm not [filming], so jeans, boots, a nice jacket -- I have some Barbour jackets at home," he says. "Especially at home in Scotland, you can roll out of bed and when you're shooting, you get up and get dressed, get in the car, you get to work and you get undressed. So you get very little time wearing your own clothes. So it's like, whatever's easy. And [Barbour] is the best kind of wear for outdoors in Scotland." (People)

Lorelai and Sookie are back together again! Lauren Graham is overjoyed to have Melissa McCarthy join the Gilmore Girls revival on Netflix. The Parenthood alum gave a shout-out to her former costar via Twitter last week. "Yay, Sookie! This makes me so so happy," Graham, 49, tweeted on Friday, April 7. "Let's all go see @TheBossFilm this weekend to celebrate." Graham shared her excitement just moments after news broke that McCarthy, 45, would be returning to Stars Hollow. McCarthy opened up about reprising her role as Lorelai's BFF and the Dragonfly Inn's head chef during a taping of The Ellen DeGeneres Show. "It is really exciting. [Gilmore Girls] was near and dear to my heart," the Boss star told DeGeneres on Friday. "We could not get those schedules to work [for the reboot]. And there was a whole thing. And then I was gonna be out of the country and blah, blah, blah. And literally about an hour and half ago, we figured out that I'm going to go back and do it, and I am so excited. And they are gonna be amazing." McCarthy is the last leading star to join the new revival, which began filming at the Warner Bros. lot in L.A. in January. As previously reported, creator Amy Sherman-Palladino said in February that she contacted McCarthy's team about the project, but that McCarthy, now a blockbuster A-list star, was "really f king busy." McCarthy, however, tweeted at the time that "sadly no one asked" her to come on board. (US Weekly)

Rob Kardashian and Blac Chyna are in position to follow in Kim's footsteps and cash in with a TV wedding special worth millions, but Rob's gonna have to go against the family to get paid. Several big-time TV producers tell us pitchmen are putting together offers for Rob and Chyna. We're told the most lucrative path would be an episodic docusoap leading up to the big day. They're looking at $150k-$200k each per episode, plus another $500k each for the finale. In addition, we're told wedding vendors hawking flowers, cakes, dresses and all that crap would also fork over big dough for integration deals, but Rob's got a big mama problem. Kris Jenner has the family, including Rob, under a blanket deal that gives E! first crack at anything Kardashian. Kris has made it clear she's not a fan of "Blac Rob" ... so it's doubtful she'd be down with the project. So, Rob and Chyna would be stepping out on their own -- familiar territory at this point. Sources close to the couple tell us they're weighing their options. (TMZ)

NBC's 'Dateline' Returns to Multi-Topic Format on Sundays. "On Assignment" is a departure from the suddenly trendy narrative true crime. NBC's Dateline is returning to its roots as a multi-topic newsmagazine. The NBC News staple will kick off Dateline: On Assignment beginning May 8 and continuing for six weeks Sundays at 7 p.m. The new series will be anchored by Lester Holt and feature pieces from the news division's heavy hitters including Matt Lauer, Tom Brokaw and Richard Engel as well as regular Dateline correspondents Josh Mankiewicz and Kate Snow. "It's a little bit back to the future for us," notes Dateline executive producer David Corvo. The new franchise, which may continue beyond the planned six-week run, puts Dateline in direct competition with CBS News stalwart 60 Minutes, TV's longest-running newsmagazine and one that continues to attract more than 13 million viewers a week. But Corvo notes that the new series was borne of an effort to find a home for material that that may not have warranted an entire hour. Newsmagazine viewers will recognize the familiar mix of topics including news maker interviews and investigations as well as politics, Hollywood and adventure. "It was more about stretching our own wings than trying to measure up against them," says Corvo of 60. "They do what they do and they do and they do it brilliantly. We're trying to use some of the muscles that we don't use on Friday. And who knows where it goes down the road." Dateline will continue to air single-topic hours-including narrative true crime-in its regular 10 p.m. slot on Fridays, though the Saturday hour will go on hiatus during On Assignment. The show has experimented with limited run series in the past (Escape, for instance, detailed how people escaped peril including during the Costa Concordia cruise ship disaster). Broadcast news divisions and cable networks have long been mining the true crime genre that suddenly became trendy again with the Serial podcast and HBO's The Jinx. In fact, ten years ago Dateline produced an hour on the Steven Avery case that Netflix turned into the 10-hour opus Making a Murderer, with plans for a second season. And CBS will produce a long form documentary series about the still unsolved murder of JonBeney Ramsey from former 48 Hours producer Tom Forman. The renewed interest in narrative true crime has also lifted Dateline. A revisiting of the OJ Simpson case, a story that received new life via Ryan Murphy's scripted effort on FX, did very strong ratings for NBC. And a recent Dateline digital series about wrongful convictions has generated intense interest from linear channels. "We've been approached by a lot of channels. So we're trying to figure out how we make that a television series," says Corvo. "It seems like everyone I know in Hollywood is being asked if they know how to do unscripted longform crime." (Hollywood Reporter)

"In cold practical terms, we're done," said Laurie on the six-part spy thriller ahead of its launch on AMC April 19. The Night Manager may not have even released yet in the U.S., but the ratings and critical acclaim for the six-part spy thriller when it aired on the BBC in the U.K. was such that speculation over a second season had been rife. It's two main stars, however, appear to have knocked that idea on the head. "The story feels complete," said Tom Hiddleston while promoting the show in the U.S. ahead of its launch on AMC April 19. "I only ever conceived of it as an adaptation of a complete novel by John le Carre. We made some alterations, we updated it so it had a political resonance and we changed the ending a little bit. I know the rumors about it extending, but none of that is real." The Night Manager sees Hiddleston plays Jonathan Pine, a former hotel employee and soldier who infiltrates the operations of murderous international arms dealer Dicky Roper, played by Hugh Laurie. But while the series finale appears to leave the door open for a possible return, Laurie seconded Hiddleston in ruling out a follow-up, noting that would go beyond le Carre's original work. "It's based on a novel, we've got to the end of the novel and John le Carre has yet to write another novel," said Laurie. "So in cold practical terms, no, we're done." (Hollywood Reporter)