ENTERTAINMENT NEWS

Just adorable! Erika Christensen has shared her first photograph of baby daughter Shane, and it's worth the wait! The Parenthood star, 33, who gave birth to her bundle of joy on Tuesday, June 21, debuted her little girl via Instagram on Wednesday, June 29, in a shot that showed the adorable tot swaddled in a white blanket with stars on, while her mom gives her a heartfelt kiss on the cheek. Christensen, who appears to be wearing very little in the photo, looked totally blissed out as she cradled her tiny baby's head in her hands, evidently enjoying every moment of being a new mom. "Week one down with the new BFF. Our girl Shane is killing the newborn game," she captioned the photograph proudly. Christensen and her husband, Cole Maness, are notoriously private and kept news of her pregnancy under wraps until she appeared on the red carpet for her new movie Confirmation in March, showcasing a visible baby bump. Their baby came into the world after a Twitter announcement from the new mom that said "I'm in labor. Right now," weighing 6 pounds and 3 ounces. The actress married her cyclist husband in September 2015. (US Weekly)


Emma Watson's Cellphone Went Off During an Interview and Her Ringtone Will Shock You. Let's play a game. No, it's fun, swear. If we asked you to take a wild guess on what Emma Watson's ringtone is, what would you say? For us, something classical or timeless instantly comes to mind. Like, maybe Johann Sebastian Bach's "Air on G String," or maybe something from The Beatles? And it would subtly get louder as it went on, instead of just surprising you with an aggressive ring. Don't ask us how we came to that conclusion. Watson is just classy AF, and those seem to be a good fit. Regardless, we'd be wrong, and (we say this with kindness) your guess was probably wrong, too. During an interview about her upcoming film The Colony, along with speaking on the different projects she has lined up, a sudden ring from her cellphone interrupted the conversation. Seeming completely mortified, Watson quickly grabbed at her phone and apologetically turned off the ringer, and while that was cute already, nothing topped the fact that her ringtone was Tina Turner's 1989 hit "Steamy Windows." LOL! "That is so embarrassing! That is my phone. That's Tina Turner," Watson said, which was followed by the interviewer giving her props on her musical selection. Watson responded, "Thank you, well I'm glad I'm forgiven because it's Tina Turner, otherwise that would've been terrible. Thank you. I'm so sorry." Oh, Emma, you are just so dang likeable. (Eonline)


Blake Lively Talks Childhood, Motherhood and Life With Ryan Reynolds. Blake Lively's real livelihood centers around one key unit -- family. The Shallows star, front and center on the August cover of Marie Claire UK, got candid with the magazine, discussing how her upbringing has influenced motherhood and her career. Additionally, Lively opens up about her and husband, Ryan Reynolds, and their mutual decision to lead as private as possible personal lives as they can while still being public figures. The actress, pregnant with baby No. 2, said that she is trying to model daughter James Reynolds's childhood off of her own, explaining, "My husband and I chose a profession and a side effect of that is your personal life is public. Our child hasn't had the opportunity to choose whether or not she wants her personal life to be public or not. So in order to give her as much normality as possible, we want her to have a childhood like we had." The Los Angeles native continued, "We can't really throw her into the lion's den that is L.A., not that we really want to". It's no surprise then that Lively and her family live in Bedford, N.Y. -- a secluded suburban haven home to many other A-list celebs as well. Motherhood officially began for Blake with the birth of James, but the Gossip Girl favorite told Marie Claire that her motherly instincts have been innate since a young age. "People really expect that you're suddenly a different woman, and I think it strips a woman's identity in a way that is kind of strange, because I've always been innately maternal my whole life," Lively explains, adding, "I wanted to go to a 'Mommy & Me' class before I was a mom." This isn't particularly surprising, as the blond beauty previously told E! News, "I'm the youngest of five, so I never raised any siblings below me, but I'm always the person who's taking everyone else's kid and putting them on my hip, so I've kinda always been a mama." Being a mom hasn't stopped Lively from achieving a reasonable work-life balance. "I'm always ambitious about film-making. But I love my personal life so much -- and my family so much -- that it takes a lot to make me want to leave the house," Blake reasons. "Most of the things I do, I fight for. But to want to fight for something? I have to be really stimulated by it." To read the feature in full, see the August issue of Marie Claire, out today and available as a digital edition through Apple Newsstand. (Eonline)


Drake Confesses to Getting His ''Heart Broken'' by Rihanna as the Pair Are Inseparable in London. Drake and Rihanna are going back to back... Just hours after partying until daybreak on Tuesday night, the duo were spotted together once again, making it difficult for us not to believe they're more than just friends. On Wednesday morning, they were photographed leaving Tape Nightclub as the sun was rising, and later that day, they reunited on-stage during Rih's Manchester concert at Emirates Old Trafford, causing the 25,000-plus crowd to go insane as they performed "One Dance" and "Work." But it didn't just stop there. After the performance, the pair headed back into London to party the night away -- yes, again! This time they hung out at Tramps nightclub and left one after the other at 4:30 a.m. Rih opted for an all-black ensemble which she accessorized with a pair of colorful, strappy sandals. Meanwhile, Drake donned a beige-on-beige look which he paired with a bomber jacket and Timberlands. So does their back-to-back outings confirm a rekindled romance? Well, not so fast. A source told E! News recently that they "aren't seriously dating" but they do hook up. "It's just for fun right now." Of course, things could always continue heating up. After all, at the end of their performance in Manchester Wednesday night, Drake couldn't leave the stage without gushing about the Barbados beauty, and one Twitter user caught the moment. "Shout out to the most beautiful, talented woman I've ever seen," he told the crowd. "She goes by the name of Rihanna...I'm gettin' my heart broken." Hmm...sounds pretty lovey-dovey to us! Meanwhile, Drake and Rih first sparked romance rumors in 2009, and though they never confirmed a relationship, they have been spotted on and off together many times over the last several years -- especially lately. After collaborating on Rihanna's "Work" and Drake's "Too Good," they continuously make surprise appearances at one another's concerts, which typically ends up with them up partying together later that night. Just last month after Rihanna's show at the Forum in Los Angeles, the pair hung out at the Nice Guy in West Hollywood, closing the place down(no surprise there). "They hooked up that night they went to Nice Guy together and stayed until 5:30 a.m.," our insider added. But while we might be rooting for a serious relationship to spark again between them, Drake recently said it's all friendship and music. "It wouldn't be a record without Rihanna, would it?" he asked Beats 1's Zane Lowe in April. "We do well as a team." He continued, "We're not forcing some story on people. A lot of the music and energy we have is genuine. We have a genuine energy." (Eonline)


Blake Lively Says Working With Woody Allen Helps Build Your Confidence as an Actor. Blake Lively has nothing but wonderful things to say about Woody Allen. The actress has come to the controversial director's defense before, and during her latest interview with Hamptons magazine, she continued to gush about Allen and her experience working with him on her upcoming film Cafe Society, which costars Jesse Eisenberg, Steve Carell, and Parker Posey. "[Woody] creates a very pleasant set where everybody's just happy to be there and happy to be making a movie, and happy to be a part of film history," she said. "For him to have that confidence in you almost gives you the confidence in yourself to just go with the flow. And those are the moments that he really likes, the found moments, the moments that aren't written but just happen." She continued, "It's really cool to work with a director who's done so much, because he knows exactly what he wants. The fact that he does one shot for an entire scene -- [and] this could be a scene with eight people and one to two takes -- it gives you a level of confidence because when he's got it, he knows he's got it." Lively added that Allen will give his actors free rein to improvise in scenes, which can be a daunting task. "He also is really encouraging as to why he cast you, so he'll say, 'Say the dialogue that's written and then you can improvise for a while.' And his dialogue is so specific, and it's speaking in a 1930s dialect and [with period] references, so it's intimidating to think, Oh, let me just improvise there and hope that my words blend seamlessly alongside Woody Allen's. Which they clearly wouldn't and don't. But he's very empowering." (Eonline)


Gwyneth Paltrow Reacts to Being Named the "Most Hated Celebrity": "More Than, Like, Chris Brown?" Gwyneth Paltrow had a weird 2013. Weeks after People put her on the cover of its annual "World's Most Beautiful" issue, Star magazine named Gwyneth the "Most Hated Celebrity," beating out Kristen Stewart (No. 2), John Mayer (No. 4), Madonna (No. 7), Justin Bieber (No. 8), Anne Hathaway (No. 9), Lindsay Lohan (No. 16), Chris Brown (No. 20) and other stars. Speaking to Stephen Sackur, host of BBC News' Hard Talk, at Cannes Lion, Paltrow said she was confused by the title. "First of all, I was like, 'I'm the most hated celebrity? More than, like, Chris Brown?'" she asked. "What did I do?" "I see where you are coming from, but maybe you just make people feel bad sometimes," Stephen suggested. Gwyneth agreed that it's possible she puts people off, but it's never been her "intention" to make anyone feel that way. "All I can do is be my authentic self, and if you know me, then you know who I am, and that I have fun and eat and am so appreciative for my life," she explained. "But I think there are things about me that make people draw conclusions." Gwyneth acknowledged that there is a perception that she grew up "very wealthy" and raised "with a silver spoon" in her mouth -- or, as Stephen put it, "a sort of Hollywood princess idea." "That inspires a lot of resentment," Gwyneth said. "My parents did well, and I was able to go to a fantastic school, and we grew up in New York City, but the minute I left my college to try to pursue acting, my father [the late producer Bruce Paltrow] was really supportive. But he said, you know, 'You are completely on your own.' So, he never gave me anything. I never had any supplementation, he never helped me with my rent, I never had a trust fund," Gwyneth insisted. "So the idea that I am spoiled or that I didn't work for what I have is just not accurate, but I can see how somebody might have that perception." Another misconception Paltrow wanted to clear up is that she's a picky eater. "People tend to think that I eat just seaweed and a bit of air," she said of her refined tastes. In reality, the actress said, "I have never had a horrible experience with French fries. French fries are my life!" (Eonline)


Louis Tomlinson Files for Joint Custody of Son Freddie Reign. Louis Tomlinson wants to ensure that he spends as much time with his 5-month-old son as possible. E! News can confirm that the One Direction singer has filed for joint custody of little Freddie Reign from his ex-Briana Jungwirth. TMZ reports that his time with the baby has been "inconsistent" in recent weeks, and that Louis will be seeking 50/50 joint physical and legal custody. Louis has been candid about his love for his son, and how much parenthood has changed him, and recently spoke about both in an interview with Capital FM. When asked if he's ever had any experience with changing diapers, he admitted, "Have I changed a nappy? I'd actually probably changed about a hundred nappies before Freddie because I used to help out with my sister so I have changed his nappy, thank you!" He also revealed that he was "still getting used to" being away from his firstborn while on tour for One Direction and added, "I miss him, obviously, but it's cool. I do get Father's Day now." And on the annual holiday, Louis took to Instagram to share a shot of him holding Freddie's little hand. In the caption, the singer wrote, "Happy Father's Day to every lucky lad out there who's someone's daddy! Thoroughly enjoyed my first. Love you Freddie son X." Louis became a father in January of this year after briefly dating the Los Angeles-based stylist last year. (Eonline)


Iggy Azalea Says She Caught Nick Young Cheating on Her as Rumors Swirl He Impregnated Keonna Green. Iggy Azalea finally reveals why she and Nick Young called off their engagement. Although many thought it had something to do with Nick's alleged cheating scandal in March, when video surfaced of him talking about other women, it turns out the "Black Widow" rapper discovered him cheating herself. "I broke up with Nick because I found out he had brought other women into our home while I was away and caught them on security footage," she tweeted early Thursday morning. Iggy, 26, and Nick, 31, tried to make their relationship work after the March scandal, but upon calling her wedding off she told her followers that after a while she couldn't trust him anymore. "Unfortunately, although I love Nick and I have tried and tried to rebuild my trust in him -- It's become apparent in the last few weeks I am unable to. I genuinely wish Nick the best," she said at the time. "It's never easy to part ways with the person you planned you're entire future with, but futures can be rewritten and as of today mine is a blank page." Shortly after she announced the news, Nick took to Twitter to share that he's "single." Although she wished her ex-fiance well, Iggy since has changed her tune. In follow-up tweets to her morning admission, Iggy added, "This is just like a second shot to the chest. And I feel like I don't even know who the hell it is I've been loving all this time. "People in this world are really f--ked up," she finished. The New Classic artist's candid confession comes as rumors continue to swirl that he impregnated his ex-girlfriend Keonna Green. She also is the mother of Nick's first child, Nick Young Jr. According to report by Life & Style, Green is four months pregnant after a one-night stand with her ex-boyfriend. "Nick waited until Keonna was four months pregnant to tell Iggy the news," an insider told the magazine. "He was drunk and had a lapse in judgment." "He said it was a one-night stand and will never happen again," the insider added. Nick and Iggy's split seemed somewhat amicable in the beginning, but now it looks to have completely disintegrated. When photos were snapped of a towing company retrieving a blue 1962 Chevy Impala from the her home, the Aussie rapper took to Twitter to clear the air on another rumor that she had her ex's car, which she gave to him for Christmas, removed. "I never had anyone's car towed nor did I kick nick out of 'my' house," she tweeted. "The home belongs to nick, I am the one moving. Thanks." (Eonline)


Rita Ora Hospitalized for Exhaustion: "Today Was Pretty Tough." Rita Ora ran herself ragged Wednesday. The singer started off her morning at a photo shoot in London, which she documented via her Snapchat. But, as the day progressed, Ora's energy waned. She eventually took a trip to the hospital, where she got an IV and some rest. "Today was pretty tough but I'm getting through it thank you to all of you for the support!" she said on Instagram. "I love you!! #exhaustionisreal." Ora, 25, also Snapped a photo of her arm with an IV in it. After spending the afternoon in the emergency room, Ora was feeling much better. In fact, later that night, the pop star Snapped a photo of herself in a bra and wrote, "Goodnight guys." It's been a busy month for Ora, who attended Glastonbury Festival over the weekend. The singer was celebrating with friends, as she had recently signed a worldwide recording contract with Atlantic Records UK. The deal came almost two weeks after her reported signing with Warner Music and departure from Roc Nation. "I'm so thankful to my new Atlantic Records family and First Access management for all their support and encouragement!" Ora wrote on Instagram. "The next chapter is going to be incredible!" Atlantic Records UK President Ben Cook praised Ora, who hasn't released an album since 2012 (due in large part to a legal battle with her former record label). "First and foremost she's a great singer who's hugely passionate about music, and I'm delighted to welcome her to Atlantic Records," Cook told E! News in a statement. "We look forward to getting in the studio with her and making an incredible album." While her music career was on hold, Ora turned her attention to her acting career. She will reprise her role as Mia Grey in 2017's Fifty Shades Darker (the sequel to 2015's Fifty Shades of Grey), and she starred alongside Jake Gyllenhaal and Rachel McAdams in 2015's Southpaw. (Eonline)


Bill Cosby accuser Chloe Goins has no clue what it means to be in a "relationship" with someone -- and that's one reason Cosby wants her sex assault case thrown out of court. TMZ obtained new docs Cosby's attorneys filed refuting Goins allegations in which she claims he sexually assaulted her at the Playboy mansion. She also sued him under "domestic violence" laws, but Cosby's attorneys say that's impossible. In the docs, they say domestic violence doesn't apply because there would have to be at the very least a "dating relationship." Cosby's team says under law that's defined as "frequent, intimate associations" -- and Chloe says she first met Cosby the night of the alleged incident. They add it's just "common sense" they were not dating. As for the sexual assault ... Cosby's team thinks the statute of limitations have run. (TMZ)


THE OTHER STUFF . . .


Scarlett Johansson Makes History, Avengers Star Named the Highest Grossing Actress of All Time. Scarlett Johansson is making history, you guys. The Avengers star has been named the highest grossing actress of all time by Box Office Mojo. According to the site, the 31-year-old's work has garnered an impressive domestic box office revenue of $3.3 billion dollars. Not only is Johansson the only female in the top ten on the prestigious list -- and she's in the tenth spot, it should be noted -- but she's the youngest actor named. Harrison Ford, Samuel L. Jackson, Morgan Freeman, Tom Hanks, Robert Downey Jr., Eddie Murphy, Tom Cruise, Michael Caine and Johnny Depp all round out the rest of the high-ranking celebs. The second-highest grossing female on the list is none other than Cameron Diaz, who comes in at 19, Helena Bonham Carter, Cate Blanchett, Julia Roberts, Elizabeth Banks, Emma Watson and Anne Hathaway (who are numbers 26, 29, 30, 31, 32 and 50, respectively). Johansson, who starred in The Jungle Book, Hail, Caesar! and Captain America: Civil War this year, previously spoke about the gender pay gap in Hollywood in her interview with Cosmopolitan. "There's something icky about me having that conversation unless it applies to a greater whole. I am very fortunate, I make a really good living and I'm proud to be an actress who's making as much as many of my male peers at this stage." She added, "I think every woman has [been underpaid]. But unless I'm addressing it as a larger problem, for me to talk about my own personal experience with it feels a little obnoxious. It's part of a larger conversation about feminism in general." (Eonline)


$1 Million Concerts and $100,000 Hellos: How Celebrities Make Big Money From Small Gigs. Celebrity paychecks are big -- how big depends on the star's status and nature of the project, but it's safe to say famous folks are typically compensated quite well for the work they do. But no matter how wealthy someone might be, they could always be richer! Enter the paid private event, a side performance or appearance to supplement a star's income. These gigs can be great, and there's no shortage of celebrities willing to do a little extra hustle for a quick buck! Jennifer Lopez makes some serious bank when she takes on a private gig. In March 2016, J.Lo was paid a reported $1 million to sing at the lavish wedding of Said Gutseriyev, the son of a billionaire, to Khadija Uzhakhovs, his blushing bride. Enrique Iglesias and Sting performed at the nuptials as well. According to booking agents at Celebrity Talent International (via Business Insider), Sting will always ask for $750,000 for a U.S. event and even more for an intentional one. So while we're not sure whether Enrique's check was quite as fat as J.Lo's, we're fairly confident Sting was paid something comparable for his wedding singing services. Jenny from the block is no stranger to the private, well-paying concert. In fact, per Elle, she's reportedly earned $1 million+ at a handful of these lucrative gigs around the world. Most of these are weddings and parties thrown by independently wealthy individuals. In one instance back in 2013, though, J.Lo put on a show at an event for the Turkmenistan president, a controversial dictator with an oppressive record of human rights violations. Her rep later issued an apology, explaining, "The event was vetted by her representatives, had there been knowledge of human rights issues of any kind, Jennifer would not have attended." J.Lo isn't the only star to unknowingly entertain a dictator -- Sting, Nelly Furtado, Beyonce, Usher and more artists have made this mistake and gone on to apologize it. Moving right along, Jenny from the block isn't the only star supplementing the piggy bank with some side dough. Degy Entertainment, another celebrity booking agency, reports (via Priceeconomics.com in 2014) that Taylor Swift , Madonna, Justin Timberlake, Justin Bieber, James Taylor, Dave Matthews, Bruce Springsteen, and Bon Jovi each have a $1 million starting price tag when it comes to making a private appearance. According to Business Insider's report, Adele's rate for a private concert is reportedly between $750,000 to $999,999. (We're doubting the data on this one -- if anyone's worth a million bucks, it's Adele, right?!) Circa 2014, Eminem and Katy Perry were in this same reported bracket. Given that K.P. topped Forbes' 2015 list of world's highest-paid musicians, though, it seems unlikely she'd have any problem getting $1 million+ for a wedding these days. It's not just musicians who get paid to entertain on a smaller level. According to Celebrity Talent International's estimate, an appearance from Guy Fieri or Bear Grylls starts in the $75,000-$149,999 range, while a director Spike Jonze has an average starting rate of $150,000 to $299,000. Based on Celebrity Talent International's rough estimates, a private appearance from Channing Tatum is practically a steal! The Magic Mike XXL hunk reportedly has an average minimum fee of $75,000 to $149,999 (tip not included, obviously). Even the most obscure stars can use their celebrity to bring in some extra cash, though. Remember Justin Guarini, runner-up to Kelly Clarkson on the first season of American Idol? Celebrity Talent International estimates his minimum speaking fee is in the $7,500 to $14,999 range... Something tells us Kelly would pay him at least that much to never mention From Justin to Kelly again. (Eonline)


Lindsay Lohan Is Writing a Book About Her ''Personal Experiences'' and How to ''Overcome Obstacles.'' Lindsay Lohan isn't concerned about turning 30 in just a few days. In fact, the actress has a lot to look forward to in the next chapter of her life, including a book! Yes, the Mean Girls star opened up to Vanity Fair about reaching the milestone age and why she's exciting to do so, dishing details about her new projects. "I am in the process of writing a book, and I am very excited to share my personal experiences in life and how to overcome obstacles," she explained. "I hope that my words will connect with those who need some guidance when [or] if they are in a tough place." Acknowledging the struggles she's had to overcome to get to this point, she continued, "I am grateful that I have a voice, which I can now feel comfortable using as a platform to let people know that we all have ups and downs in life, and we can all come up from the downs if we get in touch with our inner self and spiritual side." Other than her book, Lilo is finding joy in many other things: meditation, traveling, falling in love (with her boyfriend and rumored fiance, Egor Tarabasov) and spending time with her family. In fact, she'll ring in the big 3-0 with her closest friends and family members in Greece this weekend. But most importantly, Lindsay is happy to see herself continue to grow and evolve. She said she's most proud of "being strong and allowing myself to accept my faults, and with that, being the person I am today." Just last week we also found out that the red-headed beauty is planning to record another album again, too. During a video chat with some fans, she revealed, "I have to record another album for Universal/Motown, and I will." However, she's waiting to do so because her sister is also in the process of working on some music, and Lilo wants to "stay in her lane." She joked, "As much as I want to sing every day, I don't want my sister to hate me!" (Eonline)


David Beckham's son Brooklyn was in Brooklyn this week -- at Junior's restaurant with his actress girlfriend, Chloë Grace Moretz. Moretz, 19, was at the eatery shooting a video when Beckham dropped in to visit, spies said. "They could not keep their eyes off each other." Brooklyn, 17 -- who's said to be named after the borough where he was conceived -- was in a biker jacket, jeans, sneakers and Adidas cap. He had a camera and was taking behind-the-scenes pics. But, "diners including a table of cops asked Chloë for photos." (Page Six)


Johnny Depp threw a party Wednesday night to honor his mom ... and need we say Amber Heard was not present. Johnny, his daughter, Lily-Rose, his son, John Christopher, his sisters, a housekeeper, a lady who did his mom's nails and others went to Ago Restaurant in WeHo to celebrate the life of Betty Sue Palmer. TMZ broke the story, Amber filed for divorce 3 days after Johnny's mom died. (TMZ)


Malin Akerman may be a workout queen, but -- just like Us -- she sometimes needs a little sartorial inspiration before she hits the gym. "I love to buy funky leggings," the Billions actress, 38, exclusively tells Us Weekly. "It doesn't have to be a specific brand, I just like a little flash -- an animal print or a cool pop of fluorescent yellow." And just like Us, Akerman turns to the same couple of pieces over and over -- and over -- again. "I have one pair of leggings that I wear all the time and two tank tops," she confesses. All it takes to fool her gym buds is a little creativity. "It is nice to have those couple of staple pieces, and then you just mix and match," she says. "It looks like you are wearing something new every day, but you are still comfortable in your favorite pieces." In fact, she loves being in her workout clothes so much, she's incorporated them into her street style too. "If I am getting ready and it's one of those days where I have a workout scheduled, or I know I am going to be running around a lot, I'll mix active wear with everyday-wear," Akerman tells Us. "I'll throw on a pair of workout tights with a T-shirt, so I'm ready to go from the gym to the grocery store to picking up my son, [Sebastian, 3]. [I want to wear] something I can feel comfortable in all day." That's part of the reason the Rock of Ages star's partnership with LG's SideKick, which boasts a mini-washer, is such a natural fit for the mom on the go. "It's nice to throw in those couple of things you want for the next day and not have to wait for a big load," Akerman says. "It makes you feel good too, especially in California with the drought. It is just nice to not have to waste water if you don't need to." Akerman, who shares her toddler with ex-husband Roberto Zincone, said she loves to do a mix of spinning, yoga and CrossFit to maintain her enviable physique. "It's nice to switch it up. I like to balance them out. And then if I'm near a park, I love going for hikes," Akerman says. She adds, "I am not a big runner. Running actually makes me mad, so I prefer to do cycling." (US Weekly)


Not just back on, but seriously back on! In case any of Us had any doubts about the genuine nature of her rekindled relationship with Tyga, Kylie Jenner made her feelings crystal clear during a recent Snapchat video. While stopping off for a trip to the nail salon with her pal Jordyn Woods on Wednesday, June 29, the 18-year-old reality star filmed some of the different nail designs on offer at the shop, and gave the clip an interesting soundtrack. "This reminds me of my husband," the Keeping Up With the Kardashians star unexpectedly said, in a cutesy voice, while pausing to look at one particularly ornate, gold embossed nail collection -- and nobody was in any doubt as to who she was talking about. As Us Weekly previously reported, Kylie and her 26-year-old rapper beau got their romance back on track this past week, after their high profile split in May. A source confirmed to Us that Blac Chyna's ex moved in with Jenner on Tuesday, June 28 -- the same day the pair enjoyed a makeup free date together, and documented much of it (including their visit to a luxury car dealership, a trip to the mall and an ATV ride) via Snapchat. "They are officially back together and he is staying there with her," an insider told Us. "It's up in the air if he is going to live there permanently or is just staying there for now." (US Weekly)


Kim Kardashian Went on a "Strict" Diet to Get Her Post-Baby Body Back. Kim Kardashian is nothing if not determined. Six months after the birth of her son, Saint West, the E! reality star was asked to pose nude for GQ's 10th annual "Love, Sex & Madness" issue. She was already slimming down ahead of the 2016 Met Gala in May, so modeling for the magazine gave her an extra incentive to get back in shape. "GQ is iconic, so when I got the call to do their anniversary cover, the summer issue, I thought, 'You know what? It'll be a really good goal to motivate me to get me to do my diet perfectly.' I still wasn't quite at my goal weight when we shot it, but I was working so hard and it was that motivation for me," Kim, 35, told WWD at GQ's party Tuesday. "You set a date for a shoot and you know you have to be there. It made me feel so good about myself knowing I had come so far. I had to lose, like, 60 pounds to get there. I had just had my second baby. I thought, 'I want to feel sexy again. I want to feel good about myself,' and that was what did it for me." Reaching her goal weight was easier said than done, of course. "I woke up every day at 6 in the morning and worked out. I did a strict Atkin's diet. Strict, strict, strict. It was really hard for me to diet [with the] first baby [North West]. This time was so much easier and I realized [it comes down to] the food. I mean, I love to work out and you definitely have to work out to tone up, but so much of it is how you eat. I had to really stay focused. I had to cut out all the sweets and I had such a sweet tooth," she said. "After-baby body? I welcome that challenge. It's so crazy to see what your body can go through and what it's capable of." Kim -- or a wax figure of her, depending on who you ask -- also shows off her nude post-baby body in Kanye West's controversial "Famous" video. The visual, which debuted at a fan event in L.A. last Friday, also features likenesses of George W. Bush, Anna Wintour, Donald Trump, Rihanna, Chris Brown, Taylor Swift , Ray J, Amber Rose, Caitlyn Jenner. "I actually never saw the final edit of it. I did that kind of on purpose because I love to be surprised," the E! reality star revealed. "It was, like, three, four months in the making, so I obviously knew it was going on, but I didn't actually see the final cut until he debuted it at The Forum. It was really cool." During her interview with WWD, Kim also shared her kids' latest milestones. "North just turned 3. Saint is, like, almost standing. He's only six months, but he is literally almost standing," she sad. "It's wild. He's the best. He's the sweetest. I showed him a dog today. He got a little scared. North loves dogs, so I said, 'If you talk your dad into getting you a dog, your brother has to be comfortable,' and he was so not comfortable, so it saved me for a little bit longer from having to go and get a dog. She's not cleaning up after it, so I want to stall for as long as possible." (Eonline)


Tyga just got A LOT closer to the Kardashian inner circle ... whether they like it or not. Our real estate spies tell us ... the rapper just leased a super expensive pad one street away from Kim and Kanye's Bel-Air estate. In case you didn't know ... Bel-Air doesn't come cheap. According to real estate docs, Tyga used realtors James Harris and David Parnes from The Agency to lock in a rate of $46,500 per month. It's interesting for sure ... since Tyga's been on the wrong end of at least a couple eviction lawsuits and a car repo for not paying his bills. The 12,800 square foot home is fully loaded with a pool, gourmet kitchen, fire pit and elevator. No word on the garage size ... y'know ... in case Kylie buys that new Bentley. (TMZ)


Kim Zolciak did not put her daughter on blast by calling her a deadbeat and selling her car to teach her a lesson. Someone posted on a car sale website that Brielle's 2013 Jeep was up for sale for a reasonable $50k. The seller's description had these choice words, "This car belongs to my lazy daughter Brielle Bierman." It looks legit enough ... there are even pics of the Jeep in the driveway of the former 'Real Housewives of Atlanta' star. One of the photos was taken from the other side of Kim's gate. We spoke with Kim, who says the Jeep's not for sale and she's looking into the person behind the post. (TMZ)


Cher Apologizes For EXTREMELY 'Insensitively Timed' Bomb Emoji Tweet After Istanbul Bombings -- See What She Said! If she could only turn back time! Cher might be one of the Queens of music, but she certainly still has a thing or two to learn about Twitter -- especially how and when to use emojis! As you know, on Wednesday, tragedy struck Istanbul Ataturk Airport when three suicide bombers set bombs off that killed at least 42 and injured over 100 people. Well Cher thought it would be a good idea to take to Twitter to share her thoughts on the matter and sent out a VERY insensitive tweet saying: The 70-year-old songstress got quite a bit of backlash from people after the tweet, not for her words, but rather the use of the bomb emoji. We can definitely see how the tweet comes across a bit more playful and lighthearted with the emoji which is obviously NOT appropriate for such a tragedy. The 70-year-old later tweeted: Well thankfully Cher found the error in her ways and apologized for her oversight saying: The Oscar winner continued by tweeting: That's the brunette beauty we all know and love! Not that we'd EVER want the Believe singer to stop tweeting, but we sure do think many will appreciate the apology. (Perez Hilton)


Nick Young's baby mama is anything but ashamed for being the alleged "other woman" in his relationship with Iggy Azalea ... she's already sold her story, TMZ has learned. Keonna Green is pregnant again with Nick's kid, if you believe some of the stories that have been posted. It's unclear if she's one of the women allegedly skulking into and out of the home Nick shared with Iggy, but apparently she will talk about it ... for a price. Green hired a lawyer to shop her story, and someone bit and apparently bit hard. Any media outlet interested in getting Green's story gets this back from her lawyer ... "Due to an exclusive deal with another media outlet, Keonna and I cannot comment on the validity of any of the [allegations]." (TMZ)


Music


Rihanna Releases "Sledgehammer" Music Video From Star Trek Beyond Soundtrack and It's Out of This World. Only a couple of days after viewers got to listen to Rihanna's song "Sledgehammer" from the Star Trek Beyond soundtrack, the famous R&B artist has shared the full single and its accompanying music video. The cosmic project is, quite literally, out of this world. Rihanna stands on an unidentified planet, dressed in a flowing orangey-red ensemble. With part of her hair pulled into a vertical ponytail and symbols painted onto her face, Rihanna perfectly fits into the Star Trek world, and even seems to channel cast member Zoe Saldana. The scenery is nothing but gorgeous, out-of-space imagery, featuring purple and starry skies. But when RiRi begins to belt out the chorus, battleships fly overhead and viewers might realize that all is not well on the songstress' red planet. The video ends with a close up of the U.S.S. Enterprise flying through space toward Rihanna, or is she pulling the ship into her presence? It could go either way. But one thing that's clear is that Rihanna got her wish of feeling like the only girl in the world. A couple of the sci-fi movie franchise's stars thanked Rihanna for sharing her music in the wake of Star Trek actor Anton Yelchin's tragic death. Saldana reposted a clip of the recently released trailer, writing, "Thank you @badgalriri, for a beautiful song during one of the most difficult times for our StarTrek family. We know Anton would be proud." Zachary Quinto also spoke out. "After such an unimaginably sad week for our star trek family - @badgalriri brings some light into the darkness," he wrote beside another clip of the song. (Eonline)


Randy Rogers & Wade Bowen Embrace Dissipation In 'Hangin' Out In Bars'. "I've been hitting it way too hard." Randy Rogers and Wade Bowen get straight to the point on "Hangin' Out In Bars," another entry in country's already crowded drink-away-the-heartbreak canon. Exclusive Song Premiere: Randy Rogers & Wade Bowen's 'Standards' "I've been going out too much, trying to forget your touch," Rogers sings. "I'm searching high and low, all the places we used to go/ And all my friends say I'm in too deep, I've been hitting it way too hard." But he steers away from high drama, preferring to keep things matter-of-fact: "That's what you get when you spend all your time hanging out in bars." The track appeared last year on Hold My Beer Vol. 1, a collaborative album that Rogers and Bowen made together. The pair's new video captures them playing a stripped down version of the tune-at a bar, no less. (Billboard)


Deadmau5 Launches Virtual Reality Game. "Maneuver live-action obstacles to get deadmau5 to his concert destination on time." Deadmau5 teamed up with Absolut Labs to create a new game that allows "fans to join the artist in his own virtual world like never before." According to a statement from the producer, "the Absolut deadmau5 experience begins in the artist's garage with a guest appearance from his Instagram-famous cat, Meowingtons. Here, users help deadmau5 select one of his iconic cars, complete with a driver, and set out on a journey toward a nighttime gig." After picking out a ride, it's on to the business of performing. "Users maneuver live-action obstacles to get deadmau5 to his concert destination on time. The culmination of the experience is a concert in which the artist performs his new track, 'Saved' in front of a live audience shot in the artist's hometown of Toronto." "Saved" is currently exclusively available via Absolut deadmau5. The game is best experienced with the assistance of a headset, which you can purchase here. (Billboard)


Lorde Makes Big Donation to New Zealand Children's Charity. While the world eagerly awaits her new music, Lorde took some time recently to make a significant donation to a New Zealand children's charity. Posting under her given name (Ella Yelich-O'Connor) on a fundraising page for the Fuel The Need charity, the "Royals" singer wrote on Wednesday, "Good on you Manuel and Fuel the Need -- hope this helps a little bit. Lots of love from a former kid who is passionate about all kids having access to food at school." The $14,500 donation ($20,000 NZ) to the organization that helps provide lunches for children who don't otherwise have access to food was a big help to the organization, according to founder Manuel Dalton. "All sleepy eyed I looked at my notifications and saw one from Givealittle and had to do a double take at seeing $20,000," he told Stuff. "I wasn't aware who Ella Yelich-O'Connor was and when people told me it was Lorde, I said 'gosh, oh my Lord'." Dalton said each meal costs $3 and the project was looking to raise $30,000 over the course of the school year, but that he didn't want to commit to it until he had at least half of the funding. "The last thing I wanted to do was in a month or two stop because we've got no more money," he said. At press time the drive had raised nearly $25,000 from 42 donors. A spokesperson for Lorde could not be reached at press time to confirm the donation. Lorde has been hard at work on the follow-up to her smash 2013 debut, Pure Heroine, posting earlier this week that "it's summer in the studio too" and, a week before, that she and collaborator Jack Antonoff "really crushed it at work this week." (Billboard)


Slipknot's Corey Taylor 'Okay' After Falling Off Stage During Atlanta Show Already wearing a neck brace after spinal surgery that pushed back the kick-off of his band's tour with Marilyn Manson, Slipknot singer Corey Taylor suffered a scary moment during a show in Atlanta on Wednesday night when he fell off the stage. As first reported by Blabbermouth, during the gig at Lakewood Amphitheatre, fans reported that Taylor "took a hard fall," at the end of the band's set and that he "couldn't walk when they picked him up." The singer -- who previously said he broke his neck "a while back" but didn't deal with it until the pain became unbearable, took to Twitter a few hours later to assure his followers that he was okay, but that the tumble definitely hurt like hell. "I THINK that fall was one for the ages haha!," he wrote. "DAMN it hurt." Another attendee who said they were in the front row told Blabbermouth, "After the usual thanking and waving to the crowd, Corey Taylor collapsed on stage and had to be carried off by the stage crew. As I was leaving, EMTs were rushing backstage. Throughout the show he was clearly in pain from his neck but still clearly gave it all he could. The neck pain/previous injury plus the 95º Atlanta heat and his fully-covering outfit=a downed frontman. He was shaking and looked to not be in a good way as they pulled him off." Taylor has been chronicling his neck issues on Twitter, writing before the tour's opening date in Nashville, "1st day back: Nashville. Haven't smoked in 2 months. Broken neck, weird scar." The tour with Manson was pushed back nearly three week after Taylor's surgery. Taylor previously informed fans that he was on a strict no head banging or jumping regime put in place by his doctors after undergoing what he termed some "unplanned spinal surgery." He promised to "sing my ass off" once he was back on stage and predicted that he'd be back to 100 percent in a year or so. Taylor and the rest of the masked Iowa band are known for their intensely physical performances, which often result in on-stage injuries, which over the years have ranged from third-degree burns to broken ribs, ankles and knuckles to whiplash, head lacerations and concussions. The Manson/Slipknot tour soldiers on with a planned gig at the Perfect Vodka Amphitheatre in West Palm Beach, Florida, on Friday. (Billboard)


Lil Wayne's Prison Memoir Set For Release. Penguin has described the 176-page book as a "deeply personal and revealing account of his time spent incarcerated on Rikers Island for eight months in 2010." Lil Wayne's long-awaited prison memoir has a release date. Publisher Penguin Random House announced Gone Til November will hit the shelves Oct. 11, almost four years later than expected. The rapper's autobiography was first publicized in early 2012, and was scheduled for release in November of that year through Grand Central Publishing, a division of Hachette Book Group. Penguin has described the 176-page book as a "deeply personal and revealing account of his time spent incarcerated on Rikers Island for eight months in 2010." Wayne's journals detail his thoughts and feelings, the people he met, his plans, his family, his children, his past and his future. Fans can preorder the book here. Earlier this month, Wayne suffering a minor seizure on board his private jet, forcing an emergency landing. Wayne admitted in 2013 that he suffers from epilepsy and is "prone to seizures" when he's stressed and overworked. Wayne has topped the Billboard 200 on three occasions (Tha Carter III from 2008, I Am Not a Human Being from 2010, and Tha Carter IV from 2011) and led the Billboard Hot 100 with "Lollipop" in 2008. (Billboard)


Movies


Wreck-It Ralph 2 Coming to Theaters in 2018. If ain't broke, don't fix it. Walt Disney Animation Studios announced Thursday that a sequel to 2012's Wreck-It Ralph will be released on March 9, 2018. John C. Reilly, who voices the titular character, appeared on Facebook Live with directors Phil Johnston and Rich Moore and to deliver the exciting news. Moore and Johnston worked together on the original film, as well as on 2016's blockbuster Zootopia, the second highest-earning film of 2016 (behind Captain America: Civil War). "I would like to say the Internet right now, officially, that Disney Animation is making the sequel to Wreck-It Ralph, and it comes out March 2018," Reilly revealed. "March 9, 2018, to be exact." Just as he began to share details of the "top secret" plot, the video feed froze. While some fans expressed dismay, it was likely intentional, as technical glitches were a big part of the first film. Sarah Silverman will return as Vanellope von Schweetz. Wreck-It Ralph's voice cast included Mindy Kaling as Taffyta Muttonfudge, Jane Lynch as Sergeant Tamora Jean Calhoun, Jack McBrayer as Fix-It Felix, Jr. and Alan Tudyk as King Candy; it's unknown if they will come back. "From the moment we started working on the first Wreck-It Ralph, we knew there were so many possibilities with these characters," Moore said in a statement. "This time, Ralph's wrecking wreaks havoc on the Web -- as only he can do. Characters we loved in the first film are back and we are ecstatic to be working with them -- and the actors who voice them -- once again." Johnston added, "The world of the internet is the perfect place to send Ralph and Vanellope. The scope and scale are so vast and the possibilities for comedy are endless." "Ralph is a character very near and dear to my heart. "I'm really looking forward to playing the big lug again. Making the first Wreck-It Ralph was one of the most special experiences I've ever had and I'm really looking forward to bringing him back to life," Reilly said. "So many kids I've met all over the world are excited to see him again, too. They tell me all the time!" The first Wreck-It Ralph film earned $470 million at the worldwide box office. (Eonline)


Who wouldn't want their daughter to date James Franco? Not Bryan Cranston- in their new movie, that is. The two stars are facing off in the upcoming comedy Why Him?, which features a tattooed and often shirtless Franco dating Cranston's daughter-and PEOPLE has the first look. In the film, an over protective midwestern dad (Cranston) travels with his family to visit his daughter at Stanford, only to discover she's dating a brash and socially-awkward tech billionaire (Franco) who, to make matters worse, is about to pop the question. "I have a lot of tattoos and use crude language so I'm everything that Bryan Cranston's character wouldn't want in a son-in-law," Franco, 38, tells PEOPLE in this week's issue. Naturally, chaos and competition ensues between the men. Despite playing rivals onscreen, the two actors couldn't stop cracking each other up while filming. "James Franco constantly just comes up and smashes you in the face with comedy," says Cranston, 60. "Funny, funny stuff." "I love that the crudest one in the room is often Bryan," adds Franco. Why Him? hits theaters Dec. 25. (People)


Leonardo DiCaprio won't be guilty of "whitewashing history" by starring in a biopic of the 13th-century Persian poet Rumi because he is busy producing a documentary about global warming. After producers David Franzoni and Stephen Joel Brown said earlier this month they wanted DiCaprio, more than 5,000 people signed a Care2 petition calling for a Middle Eastern actor to play the Muslim poet and philosopher. "Casting DiCaprio as Rumi rewrites history, takes possession of Muslim accomplishments, and gives the credit to a white man," the petition's author Valerie Janovic states. "Now, when people think of Rumi, they'll picture him with pale skin, blond hair, and blue eyes. Sign this petition to stop whitewashing history!" But DiCaprio -- vacationing on a private island in the Bahamas with his latest swimsuit model, Nina Agdal -- isn't interested in the Rumi role in any case. "He hasn't been asked, but regardless he will not be pursuing the project," a source close to DiCaprio told me. "He's finishing his forthcoming climate-change documentary." The actor -- who has given $30 million to his environmental foundation -- filmed on Baffin Island in the Arctic Circle last summer. "I am consumed by this," DiCaprio told Rolling Stone. "There isn't a couple of hours a day where I'm not thinking about it." DiCaprio hasn't acted in nearly two years -- since his Oscar-winning performance in "The Revenant" -- and he is not attached to any upcoming projects. "It's shocking that Leo stopped working at the peak of his career and went on hiatus," one Hollywood insider said. "It's almost as if he's retired." There have also been Care2 petitions protesting that Scarlett Johansson starred in the live-action adaptation of the animated Japanese sci-fi film "Ghost in the Shell"; that Rooney Mara played Tiger Lily, a Native American character, in "Pan"; and that Ridley Scott didn't cast Egyptian actors in "Exodus: Gods and Kings." (Page Six)


Martin Scorsese to Receive Friars Club Icon Award. The Oscar-winning director will become the seventh recipient of the award in the club's 100-year history. Martin Scorsese is set to be honored with the Friars Club Icon Award. The Oscar-winning director, whose career spans more than 50 years, becomes one of only seven recipients of the award in the club's 100-year history. The ceremony honoring Scorsese will be held on Sept. 21 in New York at Cipriani Wall Street. An A-list crowd of Scorsese's colleagues and friends are expected to be on hand to pay tribute to the 73-year-old multihyphenate. Scorsese is widely regarded as one of the most significant and influential filmmakers in movie history and has directed such classics as Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, Goodfellas, Casino and The King of Comedy, which stars Friars Club Abbot Jerry Lewis. He won the best picture and director Oscars for his crime saga The Departed. The Icon Award is just one of the many honors Scorsese has received during his career. He also won a Palme d'Or, Grammy, Emmy, Golden Globe and BAFTA. He also is the most Oscar nominated living director, with eight nominations. His groundbreaking TV projects include the multi-award winning Boardwalk Empire and Vinyl, co-created with Rolling Stones superstar Mick Jagger. "Marty may have directed me in The King of Comedy, but to me, he's the real king," Lewis said. "It is an honor to name him as the seventh recipient of our revered Entertainment Icon Award. Few carry out the Friars mission of benevolence and humanitarianism as well as he does. I humbly congratulate this icon and thank him for all of his groundbreaking efforts in entertainment and his dedication to helping others." The Friars Entertainment Icon Award pays tribute to an individual whose accomplishments transcend the entertainment industry by positively redefining the culture. Scorsese will join past recipients Tom Cruise, Robert De Niro, Douglas Fairbanks, Cary Grant, Tony Bennett and Frank Sinatra. "We are thrilled to bestow Martin Scorsese with this award," said Friars executive director Michael Gyure."His hard work, artistry and incredible gift of storytelling has almost singlehandedly redefined the way we see movies. However, it is his dedication to humanitarian endeavors that the Friars Club applauds the loudest. As we are proudly committed to helping others through our scholarship programs, we are proud to honor those in the entertainment industry who reflect the same ideals and Martin Scorsese is indeed a most deserving honoree." (Hollywood Reporter)


Lionsgate to Acquire Starz in $4.4 Billion Deal. The long-rumored deal is finally taking place. Lionsgate has agreed to pay $4.4 billion in cash and stock for Starz to create what the company said would be a global content powerhouse. The agreement, unveiled Thursday morning, is the culmination of on-again-off-again talks between the companies, in which cable pioneer John Malone owns stakes. Malone, who also owns a big stake in Discovery Communications and is chairman of Liberty Media and Liberty Global, has talked about the need to boost the scale of smaller content companies amid pay TV consolidation and globalization. Wall Street observers have said a combined Lionsgate-Starz could over time acquire further content companies that aren't entertainment conglomerates. Analysts have long seen Starz signaling a possible sale to a bigger company as a precursor to a hookup between the cable company and Lionsgate. Lionsgate CEO Jon Feltheimer during a morning conference call argued the Starz acquisition will "derisk" the studio and achieve "significant synergies," which were not outlined. "This is a combination that unlocks significant, immediate and long-term value for our shareholders," he told analysts, while also creating a "global content powerhouse" that will invest around $2 billion annually in new content and provide "increased scale to compete even more effectively and capitalize on growth opportunities in a fast-changing marketplace." In addition, Starz president and CEO Chris Albrecht, whose contract was just extended through 2020, will remain with the combined entity and join Lionsgate's executive committee. "I'm thrilled to be here, and to work with Jon and the whole Lionsgate team. The opportunities are enormous. All these conversations that we have had before this have highlighted those opportunities," Albrecht told analysts during the call. The deal for Starz puts a question mark over Epix, in which Lionsgate is a minority investor in a three-way joint venture with Viacom and MGM. "The fact of the matter is, at 31 percent, Epix is not a truly strategic platform for us," Feltheimer told analysts, before indicating talks on a possible stake sale with its partners will follow. The sale provides Lionsgate with new content for its Defy, Pop and Epix platforms, and expands distribution for the premium cable channel. And for Lionsgate, Starz's subscription-based businesses could help reduce the studio's volatility from a hit-driven movie business, something it already has been growing with its fast-expanding TV-production division. Based on Lionsgate's 20-trading day volume-weighted average stock price as of Tuesday, the price tag represents a value of $32.73 per share to Starz shareholders, an 18 percent premium to Starz's 20-trading day weighted average price. "Where we see almost greater value for Lionsgate is in the predictability of Starz's cash flows," Ben Mogil, an analyst with Stifel, said Thursday in an investment note. "Having just finished a difficult fiscal year, the vagaries of the film business were in full show and we believe that one of the attractions of Starz was as an anchor to a film business which has been increasingly volatile for players," he added. The combined company will have a 16,000-title film and TV library, be what Lionsgate said is the largest independent television business in the world, including 87 original series on 42 U.S. networks, and include the operation of or investment in 30 channel platforms around the world, including the flagship Starz platform reaching 24 million U.S. subscribers, the Starz Encore network with over 32 million subscribers and five OTT services. Lionsgate also highlighted a "growing presence in location-based entertainment and video games driven by the company's deep portfolio" of brands and franchises. "The combination of Lionsgate and Starz brings significant scale to our portfolio of content and distribution assets and will enable us to compete successfully in today's rapidly evolving global entertainment marketplace," said Mark Rachesky, Lionsgate's chairman. "By bringing together complementary resources, premium quality intellectual property and exceptional management, this strategic transaction positions us extremely well to unlock the underlying value of our content to create substantial lasting value for our shareholders." Shares in Lionsgate and Starz rose sharply in pre-market trading on news of the cash and stock deal. Shares in the studio rose $1.82, or nearly 9 percent, to $20.94. And Starz saw its shares jump $3.00, or 11 percent, to $31.25. Lionsgate, which has a Canadian domicile, earlier confirmed negotiations with Starz as Liberty Media's Malone, who has a controlling stake in Starz, eyed a cross-border merger to avoid the U.S. tax net. "We have the extended benefit of being a Canadian multinational company. This will immediately drive incremental cash savings," Lionsgate CFO James Barge told analysts on Thursday. Lionsgate's Feltheimer and vice chairman Michael Burns earlier in a statement said the transaction united two companies with strong brands and complementary assets. "We expect the acquisition to be highly accretive, generate significant synergies and create a whole that is greater than the sum of its parts. Chris Albrecht and his team have built a world-class platform and programming leader, and we're proud to marshal our resources in a deal that accelerates our growth and diversification, generates exciting new strategic content opportunities and creates significant value for our shareholders," they said. The agreement has been approved by the boards of directors of both firms and will be submitted to their respective shareholders for approval, as well as to regulatory authorities. The deal is expected to close by year end. Starz had said in early February that Lionsgate "intends to explore whether there is a potential mutually beneficial combination of the two companies." A year before that, cable pioneer Malone had struck a deal to swap some Starz shares for a seat on the indie studio's board. The deal gave Lionsgate a 4.5 percent economic stake in Starz and 14.5 percent voting stake. Besides more collaboration between Lionsgate and Starz, FBN Securities analyst Robert Routh said the stock exchange agreement is a "precursor" to an eventual merger of the two entertainment companies. (Hollywood Reporter)


Europe Launches $135 Million Program to Back Entertainment Companies. The program will provide guarantees to help small and mid-sized firms secure bank loans. A week after British voters opted to leave the European Union (EU), Europe has rolled out a new scheme to boost investment in EU entertainment companies. The plan will see the European Commission and the European Investment Fund (EIF) put up $135 million (€121 million) in loan guarantees for small and mid-sized companies in the audiovisual sector, helping them to secure bank loans to grow their business. The commission expects the scheme will generate more than $667 million (€660 million) in loans for Europe's entertainment sector over the next six years. The program, which launches July 1, will see the EIF provide interest-free guarantees to banks and other financial institutions that provide loans to companies across the audiovisual sector -- from film and TV firms to video game, music and multimedia producers, arts festivals, publishing houses and performing arts companies, among others. The EIF will manage the scheme on behalf of the European Commission. Companies should begin to benefit from the program as early as the end of this year. "Creative minds and companies need to experiment and take risks to thrive, for our society and for our economy," said Gunther Oettinger, European commissioner for the digital economy and society, in a statement. "We are helping them to get the bank loans they would normally not get." EIF deputy chief executive Roger Havenith added that the program will help European entertainment companies "scale up and access market-based financing solutions" while providing risk protection for financiers. It is unclear whether companies in the UK will have access to the funds in the program post-Brexit. According to EU figures, Europe's creative and cultural sectors represent more than 7 million jobs in the EU and account for 4.2 percent of the region's gross domestic product (GDP). The bulk of companies in the sector, however, are small and often have limited access to credit. In the coming days, the EIF will publish a call from applications from financial institutions interested in participating the program. The EIF will select a final group of banks, guarantee and leasing companies that will then be able to offer financial products to companies using the scheme. The program is part of the EU's Creative Europe program, which aims to support Europe's creative industries and has a budget of more than $1.6 billion (€1.46 billion) over a seven year period from 2014-2020. (Hollywood Reporter)


'Straight Outta Compton' Lawsuit Survives Because of One Implication About Former N.W.A. Manager. A federal judge rejects most of what Jerry Heller thought was defamatory, but not everything. Jerry Heller, former manager of N.W.A., is able to move to the next round in a defamation lawsuit over Universal's Straight Outta Compton, the celebrated biopic of the iconic rap act. Not because he was framed as a "bad guy" in the film and not because of the scene where Dr. Dre accused him of stealing money. Nor because of the implication that he withheld a $75,000 check to Ice Cube and not because he was portrayed as inducing his clients to sign unfavorable deals. And forget the fact that Heller, portrayed by Paul Giamatti, was eating lobster lunches as N.W.A. members suffered. The judge overseeing the lawsuit points to Heller's memoir and what he's admitted to doing and says the movie is allowed to portray these facts in "colorful and hyperbolic" terms. But in finding that most of Heller's beef with Straight Outta Compton can't rise to defamation because of non-actionable opinions, what reasonable viewers would understand, and how the film treated public controversies, U.S. District Judge Michael Fitzgerald finds one implication that's troubling enough to allow the lawsuit to proceed. Ironically, it deals with entertainment industry lawyers. "The Film arguably portrays Plaintiff as an exploitative record label manager who attempted to take advantage of an unsophisticated artist by discouraging him from retaining an attorney during contract negotiations," he writes in an opinion released on late Wednesday. The judge says there's nothing in the record to suggest this is even substantially true. The implication derives from two scenes. In one, the Heller character tells Ice Cube that lawyers "are paid to make trouble" and "create problems where none exists" after Ice Cube indicates that he wishes to retain an attorney to review Heller's proposed contract. In the second, Ice Cube tells an interviewer that Heller was "trying to get [him] to sign a contract without legal representation." Fitzgerald writes that "viewers would not necessarily interpret the manager's attempts to prevent an unsophisticated artist from hiring an attorney in a favorable or even neutral light. Those attempts go beyond what is normally expected at the negotiation table, and agents who engage in such tactics may well carry a bad reputation in the industry." He adds, though, that the lawsuit could still fail because of the absence of evidence the no-lawyers implication was made with actual malice, a necessary showing in defamation lawsuits involving limited purpose public figures like those working with celebrities who have written books about their experiences. But at this point, the judge believes that Heller should have opportunity to explore this -- and only this -- in discovery, and as a result, refuses to fully grant an anti-SLAPP motion and dismiss the complaint. (Hollywood Reporter)


TV


ancy Grace to Leave HLN After 12 Years: "I Will Continue My Fight for Justice." Nancy Grace, the often controversial former prosecutor-turned-HLN legal news show host and commentator, is leaving the cable network after 12 years. The 56-year-old will appear in her final episode of Nancy Grace on Oct. 13, when her contract expires, The Hollywood Reporter said. She revealed the news to her staff Thursday and told the outlet in comments posted Friday that she had been "thinking a lot about" leaving for the past three years and feels "really mixed" about it. "This fall, I'll be leaving HLN, my longtime TV home, with a full heart and endless gratitude," Grace said in a statement posted by CNN, whose parent company Turner Broadcasting System owns HLN. "We created an unparalleled platform that gave crime victims a voice and succeeded in helping to find missing people and spotlight unsolved homicides." Grace's show debuted in 2005 and the host has often offered no-holds-barred commentary, made on TV and on social media, against suspects of crimes such as murders and physical and sexual abuse and assault of women and children. The New York Times once called her a "broadcast judge-and-jury" and THR dubbed her a "leading TV voice for 'victim's rights.'" However, she has also stirred controversy over her commentary of topics such as marijuana usage. In 2014, Grace took to Twitter to share her thoughts about a Colorado shooting, writing, "Cops say daddy eats marijuana & goes crazy. He shoots his wife in the head while she pleads with 9-1-1 for help! #PotToBlame?" Actor Seth Rogen, an outspoken marijuana advocate, replied, "@NancyGraceHLN you are a f--king dumbass," to which Grace responded, "Hi Seth! thx for watching!" A year later, she and rapper 2 Chainz took part in an on-air debate about pot legalization. Also in 2014, Grace spurred the hashtag #CancelNancyGrace to trend to Twitter after she commented about the sudden death of WWE legend Ultimate Warrior, during which she stated, "So many wrestlers dead...now accusations of steroids and illegal drugs swirling -- take a look at wrestlers who died young." A scrolling graphic then displayed a list of names, which included popular star Owen Hart, who at age 33 accidentally fell to his death while taking part in a stunt during a 1999 wrestling event. Grace told CNN that after her departure from HLN, "I will continue my fight for justice across a variety of traditional and new media, where victims' voices can reach an entirely engaged audience." She told THR she will not go on an hiatus and that whatever she does next will involve "a very large digital component," although she will "always be wedded to a traditional platform" -- television. "My plan is to merge those two in an effective way, in my voice, the 'anti-crime' voice," she said. "Our show has never really been about me. It has been about the stories that we tell and the people we talk about and the mysteries we try to solve and the children we try to bring home. There's an entire section of our population that I want to reach." Meanwhile, her staff members will work on a new HLN series that will replace Nancy Grace in its time slot after the show's final episode airs, a network spokesperson told THR. (Eonline)


Danger Will Robinson, Danger! A Lost in Space Reboot Is Officially Coming to Netflix. Danger, Will Robinson, danger -- another TV reboot is happening. Lost in Space is getting rebooted by Netflix. Like the original series, Netflix's Lost in Space reboot will follow the Robinson family who are stranded light years away from their destination. The Robinsons "find themselves battling a strange new alien environment and also their own personal demons. Equal parts family drama and sci-fi adventure, it is a survival story for the ages." The streaming platform has ordered a 10-episode first season, each episode will be an hour. The 1960s sci-fi classic from Irwin Allen will be reimagined for the modern day by writers Matt Sazama and Burk Sharpless, whose credits include Dracula Untold and Last Witch Hunter, and Zack Estrin of Prison Break will serve as showrunner. A 2018 premiere date is targeted. "The original series so deftly captured both drama and comedy, and that made it very appealing to a broad audience. The current creative team's reimagining of the series for Netflix is sure to appeal to both fans who fondly remember the original and to create a new generation of enthusiasts around the world," Cindy Holland, Netflix's vice president of original content, said in a statement. Lost in Space originally aired from 1965-1968 and was rebooted for the big screen in 1998 with Matt LeBlanc, Heather Graham and Lacey Chabert. Lost in Space is just one of many reboots coming to the small screen. Fox is rolling out TV versions of The Exorcist and Lethal Weapon this season while CBS has a new MacGyver -- and that's just the tip of the reboot and revival iceberg. (Eonline)


Connie Britton and Hayden Panettiere Are Returning to Nashville for Season 5, Rejoice! Rejoice, for your Nashville queens are both returning for season five! It appears that Connie Britton's hair will grace your TV screens for another year as the actress and costar Hayden Panettiere are both likely heading back to the drama as it makes the move from ABC to CMT. According to TVLine, the actresses are set to reprise their roles as your favorite country music superstars Rayna James and Juliette Barnes, respectively, in the show's first season on the cable network. They'll likely be joined by Charles Esten, Jonathan Jackson, Sam Palladio, Clare Bowen, Chris Carmack and Lennon and Maisy Stella, although E! News hears nothing is cemented quite yet. Even better news: If Panettiere does come back, it probably means that Juliette's plane didn't crash (and if it did, she wasn't killed), which means that Avery and Juliette can be together at last. Last week, the site reported that Will Chase and Aubrey Peeples would not be returning as Luke and Layla (which, to be quite honest, makes total sense considering their storylines seemed to have run their course in the season four finale. Sorry, but Rayna and Deacon and Avery and Juliette are just meant to be together, okay?) After a seemingly interminable wait (and a huge outcry from fans), CMT saved the country music series from cancellation by picking the show up for a fifth season of 22 episodes on the cable network. "CMT heard the fans. The wave of love and appreciation they have unleashed for Nashville has been overwhelming," Brian Philips, president of CMT, said in a statement when the network picked up the show. "Nashville is a perfect addition to our evolving line-up of big music specials, documentaries, and original series. We see our fans and ourselves in this show and we will treasure it like no other network. Nashville belongs on CMT." (Eonline)


"Morning Joe" hosts Mika Brzezinski and Joe Scarborough appeared to acknowledge a Page Six exclusive about their rumored romance during a flirtatious on-air exchange Thursday. Brzezinski, turning to her co-host toward the beginning of the show, said, "Can I get to the lead stories now?" "By the way," Scarborough responded, with a devilish smirk on his face, "there are a lot of lead stories today" -- prompting hearty laughter from the MSNBC set. "I will finish your sentence and start with politics," Brzezinski said, shifting to discussing Donald Trump. The coy exchange was a clear reference to Page Six, which quoted one NBC insider as saying: "Everybody at 30 Rock knows they are a couple ... They are constantly together, they arrive and leave events together, even on weekends. They are each other's publicists and finish each other's sentences. It's the worst-kept secret in TV." Both anchors are divorced and are considering going public as a couple, Page Six reported. (Page Six)


Love James Corden's carpool karaoke's as much as we do? Well, from July 19 you'll be able to watch The Late Late Show with James Corden on Sky and NOW TV. To celebrate the show airing in the UK, Sky 1 are broadcasting a special episode, featuring James' favorite moments from his first year hosting the show, which has been a huge success in America. For these not familiar with the format, it's a riotous mix of celebrity guests, musical acts, games and sketches - but of course, it's carpool karaoke segments, which have consistently gone viral, which are the highlight of the show. The show's official YouTube channel has had more than 1 billion total views and 6 million subscribers. The most watched video is with Adele, with 113 million views. (British Glamour)


Real Housewives of New York City Was Sort of Hoarders and Now It's All We're Thinking About. Real Hoarders of New York City was in full swing and it's fascinating, so why is Bravo showing so little of it? We need a hoarders special of The Real Housewives of New York City right now. In the 13th episode of the best season ever, Dorinda Medley ventured into the depths of Sonja Morgan's basement, which contained as many interns standing around as it did bottles of cooking oil. You see, Dorinda has been going through her apartment with the help of Bethenny Frankel, but that's only been seen via flashbacks. Bethenny helped Dorinda get rid of her Halloween store decorations, stripper shoes and what have you. Show more of this. So, Dorinda, in her blurred out "What are you doing here without Dorinda?" T-shirt, took to Sonja's dungeon to help her remove the hundreds of stuffed animals that sat dormant there. In addition to the bottles of oil and stuffed animals, we spotted an evaporated soda, decades old hair dryers, skateboards, gifts for new babies, shutters, crutches, a crib and curtains that were damaged in a hurricane. "I thought maybe I could use them again," Sonja, like every hoarder you've ever seen on national TV, told Dorinda. "I'm definitely a high-class hoarder," she said. The scene was all too brief and ended when Sonja announced she was going to have diarrhea and that giving away stuffed animals reminded her of when she had a family. Reality TV is voyeuristic at its heart. Viewers watch to get insight into how others live, to be entertained by the lives of others. So combining Hoarders and The Real Housewives of New York City is a ludicrously good idea. Save Sonja Morgan before she goes total Grey Gardens! Show us the absurd stuff that's hiding away, the ghosts of interns past, the toaster oven prototype box, whatever else may be lurking beneath the piles of stuffed animals. Give us this, Bravo, but don't give us a cooking show with Jules Wainstein. Jules doesn't know how to make tea or coffee and wanted to put Percocet and Lidocaine in her calzone at a pizza party with Dorinda, Bethenny, Carole Radziwill and Ramona Singer. Carole swayed her away from the drugs, but Jules decided to put a fork, a knife and a sauce container inside her creation. "Unless I took LSD, I looked in the calzone and there was a fork, a knife -- stainless steel -- and a stainless steel marinara cup, INSIDE THE CALZONE THAT I HAVE JUST BEEN EATING," Bethenny said. "What the f--k?" Yes, Jules has been open about her eating disorder and the ladies are very aware of that. Was Carole bashing her as Jules reported? No, it doesn't seem like it. She was concerned because Jules was playing with her food and attempting to add prescription drugs to it. Anyway, Luann de Lesseps was off in her own world being engaged to be engaged (which is still something people do past the age of 18 when you both go away to other colleges) so she had a party to tell people how happy she is and that she doesn't care if she's on the outs with Bethenny and Carole. Sigh. The Real Housewives of New York City airs Wednesdays, 9 p.m. on Bravo. (Eonline)


Judd Apatow, Jerry Seinfeld Reminisce About Stand-Up and Garry Shandling on 'Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee'. "I feel like I made all those movies just to get good spots at the Improv." In 1983, a young Judd Apatow interviewed comedian Jerry Seinfeld as a way to learn all about stand-up comedy. Now, in a role reversal, Seinfeld invited the writer-producer-comedian along for a ride on his show, Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee to once again talk about stand-up comedy. Before going out for coffee, milkshakes and hamburgers, Apatow gave Seinfeld a quick tour of his office, complete with old Garry Shandling photos, setlists and Larry Sanders memories. The two comics reminisced about his famous interviews with comedians from high school, including Jay Leno and Seinfeld himself in the '80s. Heading out to the car that Seinfeld chose (a 1968 Firebird), Apatow told him that "things like this that are sexy make me feel uncomfortable because I don't feel sexy." "Of course you don't!" Seinfeld told him. "You're not!" Driving around, Apatow described his decision to start doing stand-up comedy again after a 22-year hiatus, finally saying, "I feel like I made all those movies just to get good spots at the Improv." Apatow made his stand-up debut on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon last July, which to him was "the only dream," and he told Seinfeld about the advice Louis C.K. sent to him before doing his set: "When you walk out to the music, don't bob your head -- the music's not for you." The two comics went to a "show business" coffee shop next, admiring old photos on the wall of Robin Williams, Mel Brooks, Johnny Carson and Jay Leno (who was doing the "toilet shot" sitting on top of a box, according to Seinfeld). Before getting their chocolate milkshakes and burgers, Apatow revealed that he actually decided to stop doing stand-up comedy after he and Adam Sandler auditioned for Jim Henson. They didn't get the job because Henson thought they "lacked warmth," which Seinfeld says is "like Hitler telling you don't have the killer instinct." On a more somber note, they also remembered their mutual friend, the late Garry Shandling. Apatow explained that Shandling was so funny that at his memorial, "everybody who spoke all said things that Garry had said to them, and every person who spoke killed with it." "Garry's lawyer ripped the roof off the place ... quoting Garry," Apatow said, adding that Shandling encompassed "the human struggle, like he was "trying too hard to be happy and to find peace and to let go of his ego." "You're making me sad," Seinfeld said, tearing up. (Hollywood Reporter)


'Modern Family' Creator Steve Levitan Gathers Top Showrunners for Gun Violence Prevention Event. Levitan encouraged Hollywood insiders to speak out on the issue: "Everybody's voices are heard these days." The Fox lot is home to many high-powered storytellers: Steve Levitan (Modern Family), Alex Gansa and Chip Johannessen (Homeland), Liz Meriwether, Brett Baer and Dave Finkel (New Girl), Brad Falchuk (Scream Queens), and Howard Gordon (24: Legacy). There are dozens more, of course, but the aforementioned creatives were among the nearly 60 guests seated inside Fox's Zanuck Theater on Wednesday afternoon thanks to an invitation from the former, Levitan, who sent out a studio-wide call to attend a summit-type event about America's gun violence epidemic. To lead the proceedings, Levitan hosted John Feinblatt, co-founder of gun violence prevention group Everytown, who spoke for approximately 40 minutes followed by a Q&A session that lasted almost 20 minutes. (New York-resident Feinblatt also arrived 25 minutes late to the event, blaming L.A. traffic.) Topics in Feinblatt's presentation included a brief history of gun legislation, political maneuvering on the often-divisive issue, and recent victories in six states where background checks have been expanded following the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in 2012. Voters in Maine and Nevada will vote on gun measures on the November ballot, he added. Feinblatt and his organization "are on the front lines" of the gun movement, Levitan told The Hollywood Reporter, which is why he invited him to Fox for the educational and informational rundown of all that is happening right now. "Is this, in fact, a tipping point?" Levitan asked, referring to the recent tragedy in Orlando where 49 people were killed inside gay nightclub Pulse on June 12. Current events sparked a deeper conversation, but it's an issue Levitan has been focused on for more than two decades. "I lost a couple of friends to gun violence," he said. "And I just have always felt that for a lobbying group like the NRA to have this much influence over our lawmakers is an indication that something is wrong." That said, Levitan continued that he is optimistic that change is coming. "The likelihood of a (Hillary) Clinton presidency and (Antonin) Scalia off the Supreme Court, there is real opportunity for advancement," he said, noting that he will be voting for the Democratic candidate. "She has been firmly, in my opinion, on the right side of this for sane gun laws. Of all the candidates, she has been the strongest and that is why she has my vote." Clinton and her Republican competitor Donald Trump didn't come up during the Q&A portion of the event, which focused on the NRA's powerful influence on lawmakers, online gun sales, and Hollywood's role on the issue. Also in attendance were Fox TV Group co-chairman/CEO Gary Newman and 20th Century Fox TV creative affairs president Jonathan Davies. Meriwether was one who raised her hand, asking for advice on how to get involved. Feinblatt fielded the query by offering a three-part answer: Get involved, donate money and demand to know every politician's stance on gun regulation if and when they ask for cash to help their respective campaigns. "Money speaks really really loudly," he said. "Politicians have not heard that there is a class of people in this country who will put this issue at the top and make it a litmus test. Those are three suggestions that will help tremendously." He also praised Oscar winning actress Julianne Moore for her tremendous help in rallying top names in the creative field to join the cause. She launched Everytown's Creative Council, which includes J.J. Abrams, Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon. Everytown also recently partnered with Billboard on an open letter to Congress signed by 200 artists. "We're in actually, probably a better position than we've ever been for decades," Feinblatt concluded. "I do say, once again, it can't just be about laws and ballots and court decisions. It has to be about culture, about product changes, because it's those things together that will actually make a difference." As for what Hollywood can do, Levitan said it's about action. "Could Hollywood be a little more responsible in its portrayal of guns? Probably. But entertainment is entertainment. I understand that and I'm not looking to come down too hard on that," he said. "People can continue to speak out, get informed, get involved, contribute, lend fame and notoriety to the effort. Everybody's voices are heard these days." (Hollywood Reporter)