ENTERTAINMENT NEWS

Amanda Seyfried Is Pregnant! Actress Expecting First Child With Fiance Thomas Sadoski. Congratulations are in order for Amanda Seyfried! The Hollywood actress is expecting her first child with fiance Thomas Sadoski, her rep confirms to E! News. While attending the launch for Givenchy's new Live Irresistible fragrance Tuesday evening, Amanda debuted her baby bump in a black mini dress. She completed her look with matching heels and her hair pulled back. Back in September, E! News confirmed that the actress got engaged to her boyfriend and The Last Word co-star. Although the two stars tried to keep their relationship private, the pair reportedly couldn't help but share their engagement news with family and close friends. And while they aren't ones to walk countless red carpets together, they recently shared part of their Halloween celebrations on social media. How does a trip to Universal Studios Hollywood sound for Halloween Horror Nights? "Thanks for the most entertaining Halloween yet @unistudios @horrornights #UniversalHHN," Amanda wrote on Instagram after photoshopping her beloved dog in the photo. "(If @finnsite had actually attended this is how the photo would have looked)." Back in August 2015, Amanda expressed her interest in wanting to have kids. While talking to Marie Claire UK, the actress joked that she needed to "get on it." "I keep feeling like my eggs are dying off. I need to get on it... I want a child. Badly. I want to be a mother, badly," she shared with the publication. "That's what I feel. I've been feeling it for like, two years. I'm not ready but nobody's ready. It changes everything... so how you can ever be ready for that?" Romance rumors sparked between Amanda and Thomas early in the year when they were spotted walking back to their trailers together in Pasadena, Calif. And while they first met after working together on the off-Broadway show The Way We Get By, things didn't heat up until they reunited for the film The Last Word. Congratulations to the happy couple! People was first to report the news. (Eonline)

Natalie Portman: I'm Not as Pregnant as I Look. Natalie Portman won't be welcoming Baby No. 2 anytime soon. "You're showing and you're glowing! You look gorgeous. Congratulations. You're expecting your second baby," Jimmy Fallon said on NBC's The Tonight Show Tuesday. Joking about her bump, he said, "I hate to assume. But I saw you over the summer and you didn't say a word to me." "Well, it was early," Portman said. "I thought everyone would know because I wasn't drinking." At the time, Fallon had no idea Portman had a bun in the oven. "I just thought you were clean living, you know? I was like, 'Oh, that's Natalie, man. She rolls like that.' Because you're a vegan, right? So I was like, 'Wow, that's awesome.' I'm neither a vegan nor not drinking. I was so not pregnant," he said. "But this is unbelievable. This is great. Are people treating you differently?" "It's weird because I'm a small person in general, so you show a lot faster and a lot more when you're small," the 5-foot-3 star said. "Everyone thinks I'm about to pop and about to give birth any minute, and I have months to go." In fact, she said, "I went to the store the other day to buy water and the guy at the checkout counter was like, 'Almost, huh?' I was like, 'No! Not at all!'" Portman did not divulge her due date, however. In addition to promoting Jackie (which has earned the actress early Oscar buzz), Portman said she is looking forward to spending December with her parents and her in-laws. "I celebrate Hanukkah; I'm Jewish," the Academy Award winner told Fallon. "But my husband's family celebrates Christmas, so we usually do Hanukkah at ours and Christmas at theirs, but this year it's the same time, which is really nice. So, they're coming to us -- to my parents. I was asking my husband, 'Is it OK if we don't have a tree?' And my parents are like, 'We can get a tree!' So excited! Like, my whole life -- no Christmas tree. And then all of a sudden they have this great excuse, because it's kind of every Jew's secret wish to have a Christmas tree. It's so pretty!" "It's like, 'Why can't we have that, too?'" Portman added. "It took 35 years to get here!" Later on, Portman revealed how she got into character as Jackie Kennedy in Jackie. "I never really thought of myself as someone who could do imitations of a real person, and she's so well known. I don't particularly look like her, either," the actress confessed. "But the thing that was remarkable is when you put the wig on, everyone could look like her. It's so iconic, the hair." As for Kennedy's "very specific accent," Portman told the host, "I'm from Long Island, so I can go back to my roots quite easily...but then she has this fancy thing, too, from finishing school." Jackie is in theaters nationwide Dec. 2. (Eonline)

Derek Hough Talks Being Mark Ballas' Best Man: "I've Never Been More Nervous in My Life." While Mark Ballas may not have known who he was going to marry when he was 14 years old, he did know who was going to be his best man. During an appearance on Ellen DeGeneres' daytime talk show, Dancing With the Stars pro-Derek Hough recalled how Ballas popped a different question all those years ago. "He asked me 17 years ago to be his best man. We were 14 years old and so there was a lot of pressure actually," Hough told DeGeneres. "Luckily it went well...I've never been more nervous in my life though." The wedding went off without a hitch as the dancer and his bride, singer-songwriter BC Jean, said "I Do" under an oak tree in Los Angeles on Friday. While we don't know what Hough exactly said during his nerve-wracking speech, he did give fans a taste of his prose on social media with a heartfelt message dedicated to his pal a few days later. "Such an honor to be the best man at my brother's wedding. Witnessing their love be sealed under a beautiful oak tree in front of family friends was such a special moment," Derek wrote to his Instagram followers Sunday afternoon. "Like the tree, may you stand together tall and proud." "May you always go out on a limb for one another to stay grounded and dig your roots in deep so that you may weather any storm," he continued. "And always continue to grow, stronger and higher reaching towards the heavens. And to always enjoy the view. Love you two." While we dry our tears, Hough offered some other news that might get your attention -- he's feeling the marriage itch, too. "If you would have asked me about a year ago or two years ago, I probably [would have said], 'Nah, I'm not really looking,' but I'm kind of in that place now in my life -- kind of a transition," he admitted to DeGeneres. "I see myself married with kids within the next five years." So, does he have a lucky lady in mind? "Perhaps," he said coyly. "Maybe I am." (Eonline)

After months of speculation, we can finally say that yes Cheryl is pregnant! She's expecting a baby with her boyfriend Liam Payne. Tuesday night the former X Factor judge debuted her baby bump, and she looked super happy. As did Liam! Awww. The pair were out in London to attend the Fayre of St James concert, which is put on by The Prince's Trust - a charity Cheryl is an ambassador for. Cheryl, 33, has been keeping us guessing for the last few months, covering her stomach in chunky knits and busy prints, but there was no hiding the bump in this bodycon ribbed khaki dress by Alexander Wang. Cheryl and Liam, 23, went public with their romance in February after being spotted together in a supermarket in Surrey. The pair have yet to make an official announcement about the baby news. (British Glamour)

Chris Pratt Comes to Terms With His Father's Death. Chris Pratt is the first to admit he had a complicated relationship with his father. While Chris was filming Universal Pictures' Jurassic World in June 2014, Dan Pratt -- who had been ill with multiple sclerosis for many years -- passed away. Rather than take time off to grieve his father's death, Chris decided to continue working on the blockbuster. In fact, it wasn't until he began filming Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 2 -- in which Pratt's Star-Lord searches the galaxy for his long-lost father -- that the 37-year-old actor came to terms with his father's death. "The truth is I ripped open some wounds that had been healing for some time," Chris confesses in the January issue of British GQ (out Dec. 5). "And I didn't want to. But I knew it was right for the moment...There are wounds that are never going to be totally healed. It would probably make for a better story if it was some emotional thing that I hadn't dealt with...When we face the death of a parent, you sometimes feel regret that you didn't fully embrace what you had." Chris previously discussed Dan's death in 2015. "I knew, being the lead in the movie, that I was really responsible for everybody's attitude," the actor told the American edition of GQ. "So I compartmentalized it all and dealt with it in my own way, but not openly for people to see." At the time, Dan's death weighed heavily on Chris. The actor described Dan as "an old school kind of dad," which was "actually a good thing" in retrospect. But, according to Chris, his father's tough demeanor weakened after his diagnosis. "He was pretty ornery to begin with and so that just made him more ornery," he shared. "He had lost interest in life: 'Well, I've got this disease now. I'm gonna die.' He refused to take any medication or do anything like physical therapy." Instead, Chris said, Dan mostly watched TV. Dan eventually split with his wife and moved into assisted living. "When he lost his ability to walk he gave up on life," Chris said of his dad, a contractor who was respected for being a "hard worker" and a "good problem solver" back in the day. "Men of his ilk are defined by their ability to provide physically for their family, and when that's taken away, that was a joke to him." As Chris found success on the big and small screens, Dan watched him from afar. "In his own way he let me know that he was proud of me," the actor recalled. "He didn't really react in any way, one way or another, but he was definitely proud. If I was on TV, he watched everything I was in. So, it felt like I was able to communicate with him through doing work that was on TV." After Dan's passing, Chris felt grief -- and relief. "I can go spend time with my sister or my mom and not have this nagging feeling, like we've betrayed dad and we're not there at his bedside when he never f--king wanted us there anyway," he said. "I think he did but he was too proud to show any appreciation if you went to visit him, you know. It was a sad, f--ked-up situation." But in many ways, Chris will always be his father's son. Before he made it big in Hollywood, Chris worked hard and asked for very little. "Life was a series of choices based on the price backward on the menu, when you didn't look at, 'Ooh, what do I want.' You look at the lowest number -- that's what you're going to get. The difference between a large soda and a small soda was the 49 cents, and you didn't spend the 49 cents," Chris tells British GQ. "I heard someone say to me if it's a problem that can be solved by money, it's not a real problem. And I thought, 'What kind of f--king a--hole would come up with that?'" After finding success on TV (Parks and Recreation) and booking a handful of supporting movie roles (Bride Wars, Moneyball, What's Your Number?), he was poised for a breakout moment. A few years before Dan's death, Chris landed an audition with Guardians of the Galaxy's James Gunn. "Within a minute he knew it was me and I knew it was me. And then he just said, 'Any questions?' I was like, 'How much f--king time do you have?'" the actor recalls. "Like, 'Yeah, tell me everything. Tell me the script scene by scene, starting now, to the end, because you f--king people won't let me read it. So, yeah, I have questions. I have nothing but f--king questions." (Eonline)

Jennifer Aniston Just Made Her Snapchat Debut Thanks to Ellen DeGeneres. Is that the friend we think it is?! If you found yourself clicking through Snapchat Tuesday afternoon, a familiar face may have shown up on your phone. Before making an appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Jennifer Aniston did something she's never done before. She just posted her first selfie on Snapchat. As seen on Ellen DeGeneres' profile, the Friends star gave us some serious duck face as she posed for the camera before hitting the stage. The social media moment may come as a pleasant surprise to fans of the A-list actress. After all, the Hollywood star hasn't been the biggest fan of social media. After taking over her beauty company Living Proof's Instagram account, Jennifer admitted to People that it wasn't the best experience. "I was so stressed out, sweating bullets," she told the publication in 2015. "It was too much pressure." She also voiced her concerns about the younger generation who spends more than a little time on various social media outlets. "Kids aren't speaking to each other anymore," she shared. "I was with friends of ours from Vermont and their two kids don't have an iPhone or an iPad. They were 9 and 12 and were the most interesting young adults. Seeing other kids on their [phones] all the time, it makes me sad." If it's any consolation, viewers will be totally glued to the small screen when she appears on the Ellen DeGeneres Show to discuss her new film Office Christmas Party. (Eonline)

Michelle Williams and Natalie Portman on Their Time as Child Actors: ''It's a Hard Childhood to Have." Other than the fact that they're both successful actresses, it may not seem like Michelle Williams and Natalie Portman have a lot in common. However, they do have an interesting similarity between them: they both started in the industry around the age of 11, and they can also both agree it was a far cry from a "normal" childhood. "It turned out all right. But it isn't a life that I would want necessarily," Williams explained, chatting with Portman in an interview for Variety magazine. "It's a really long way, and not necessarily a very nice one. It's a hard childhood to have -- or a lack of a childhood to have." She continued, "I do love doing it, and I can't really imagine doing anything else. I want to keep doing it. But when I see kids on the set, or when I work with kids in movies, I feel really torn about their role there." Portman agreed, noting, "We end up doing that a lot, too -- more than men -- because so many female parts are moms. I feel like I always work with a kid." Williams explained how that often leads to her acting on her motherly instincts. "I feel an extra protectiveness and also a desire to be like, 'So, do you have any other interests?'" The Jackie actress admitted she had a recent conversation about the same topic. "Someone was saying recently: 'Think about what you love when you're 11. Adults who are feeling lost, try and regain that.' And it's funny that they pinpointed that age, because you say you started then," she explained. "That's when I started. I feel that there is something around that time where you do have an instinct about what you really love. I don't know where it came from, because there's no one in my family who was ever a performer." She revealed that she came from a "serious academic family" full of doctors and lawyers. "My dad pulled me aside when I was 25 and was like, 'I think it's time for you to go to law school or grad school.' Not that he was saying that acting was bad, but more that he was like, 'I think you'll be more fulfilled if you have something more -- like a life of the mind,'" Portman recalled. "So it took me a while, coming from that background, to be like, 'This is what I want, and this is what I love. I enjoy this.'" For that reason, Portman says she was motivated to get into directing. "I think it's definitely motivated me to try other things, because I do find myself more fulfilled when I feel like I'm learning something from what I'm doing and pushing myself to new places." Read their full interview on Variety. (Eonline)

Leah Remini Reveals If Tom Cruise and John Travolta Have Reached Out Following Her Scientology Claims. Leah Remini doesn't expect a call from some of Hollywood's most famous Scientologists anytime soon. As the actress continues sharing her past experiences in the church, a few familiar faces are being brought into the dialogue. When asked if prominent members John Travolta and Tom Cruise have recently reached out to her, Leah claimed they are not permitted to do so. "They will not reach out to me. They are not allowed to reach out to me," she shared with E! News before the series premiere of Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath. "John Travolta by the way is one of the nicest, sweetest people you're ever going to meet." She continued, "They wouldn't want to reach out to me because what they've been taught is that I mean them harm, that I am an anti-social personality that means them harm, that I literally wake up in the morning and want them to fail in life. That is the mentality." One celebrity Leah tries to keep out of the discussion is her close friend Jennifer Lopez. Because the singer's dad is a Scientologist, Leah doesn't want to interfere with their family dynamic. "She's very loving and very supportive but I don't want to put Jennifer in a position where she has to promote this show. I don't want to hurt her relationship with her dad and that's the difference," the author of Troublemaker: Surviving Hollywood and Scientology shared with E! News. "I'm okay with people being Scientologists. I will still be their friend. I will still be the godmother to your daughter. It's you who will not talk to me because I don't believe in Scientology and that's the point." The Church of Scientology has repeatedly denied Leah's claims and allegations. In response to her A&E docu-series, a spokesperson for the church recently issued a statement to Today. "Leah Remini's 'reality' show, like her last one, is nothing more than a scripted, rehearsed, acted and dramatized work of fiction," the statement read in part. "She and the other anti-Scientologists in her program have been expelled from the Church for unethical conduct." The spokesperson also encouraged people to learn more about Scientology by visiting its website. For Leah's part, she assures viewers that she feels safe and doesn't regret giving "brave" people the opportunity to speak out. "The people who are just average people who dedicated their lives to this organization and are willing to tell me their stories, these are the brave people of the world," Leah shared with E! News. "With the series, they will hopefully get the acknowledgment they deserve." Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath aired Tuesday night at 10 p.m. on A&E. (Eonline)

Matthew McConaughey Gives University of Texas Students a Ride: Why He's a One-of-a-Kind Alumnus. When these college students noticed who was behind the wheel, they were probably a little dazed and confused. That's because Oscar winner Matthew McConaughey was in the driver's seat at his alma mater, University of Texas at Austin. "Longhorns take care of each other, and it's 'safe' to say Matthew McConaughey agrees," the student government's Facebook page read. "Don't forget to use SURE Walk when traveling home late at night; you never know who might pick you up! #BeSafe #SafeChats." The Dallas Buyers Club star looked laid back as he drove four fellow Longhorns home as a part of the university's SURE Walk service, which gives students people to travel home with late at night for protection and peace of mind. The Texas native is familiar with the campus -- he graduated from the college in 1993 with a bachelor's degree in radio, television and film. While he has since gone on to make serious use of radio, television and film, McConaughey never lost sight of the place that launched his young adult years. He returned to the classroom two decades after to teach a class in filmmaking in the school's Moody College of Communication and the university later announced that he would return to teach another session in the fall of 2016. Then, of course, there's the Oscar-worthy speech he delivered to the Longhorns football team at a practice in 2014. "I just wanted to come, not come preach anything, not come tell you anything, I just wanted to kind of have a conversation with you, see how y'all are doing, look some of you in the eye," the star said. "I always ask myself this question all the time, 'Why do I do what I do? Why am I an actor?' I was gonna ask y'all, why do you play football? Again, no right answer. Ask yourself, man, when you look in the mirror tonight, 'Why am I playing this game?'" "Some of you may play because you love football, some of you may play for your grandmother, some of you may play for your older brother, your dad, some of you may play for the coaches, some of you may play for the university. At the end of the day, every single one of you has really only gotta be playing for one person," he continued. "When you do well, you feel it and you can look in the mirror and you go, 'That's right. I earned that. I did that.'" Whether he's giving fellow students a helpful ride or words of wisdom, McConaughey is a guy the University of Texas will never want to lose. (Eonline)

Kanye West and Kim Kardashian were struggling to keep up even before his November 21 hospitalization for extreme exhaustion. In the aftermath of the October 3 Paris robbery, during which Kardashian, 36, was tied up and held at gunpoint while thieves stole $10 million in jewelry, "it's just been hell for them," a source says in the new issue of Us Weekly. While the reality star struggled to feel safe again, West, 39, returned to his 63-date Saint Pablo tour. But Kardashian, normally a backstage fixture, was too anxious to tag along. "The trauma of the incident made her more hesitant to do things," explains the source. "Of course it strained their relationship, because she hadn't seen him." When he was home at their 11,000-square-foot Bel Air spread with kids North, 3, and Saint, 12 months, West's workaholic tendencies got the best of him. "He would be up all night ranting about things," says a source close to the 21-time Grammy winner. "They were fighting because he was impossible to live with." Kardashian's Paris ordeal left West paranoid and "completely freaked out," says an insider. The fact that it happened near the nine-year anniversary of the loss of his mother, Donda, only deepened his distress. "The mere thought of his wife being taken from him was too much -- it was like his mother's death," says a source close to West. "Seeing Kim close to death did a major number on him. It sent him into a tailspin." Kardashian, meanwhile, was enduring her own nightmares and flashbacks, say sources. But when she tried to lean on her husband of two years, she was disappointed. "She felt like now she needed him to be stable and her rock instead of the other way around," explains the Kim confidant. "Kanye's so used to getting Kim's constant support and coding, but it's always about Kanye." But then -- as she was preparing to attend the November 21 Angel Ball in New York -- she got that fateful call. West, who hadn't slept "in about a week," according to a source -- was at the L.A.-area home of his trainer Harley Pasternak acting paranoid and psychotic. "He was having difficulty identifying what was real," explains the source. Despite the recent rocky patch, Kim sprang into action, setting up camp in West's private hospital room at UCLA Medical Center. And though the incident was scary for the reality star, a source close to the couple says she thinks it will heal their relationship. "Kanye's behavior took a huge toll on their marriage," says the source. "But Kim feels relieved he is getting the help he needs. She thinks this is what it will take to save him -- and help their marriage." (US Weekly)

Kanye West just snapped a week ago Monday in what we're told was a "nervous breakdown" ... triggered in large part by the anniversary of his mother's death. Sources very close to Kanye tell TMZ ... he was increasingly becoming a powder keg of emotions in the weeks leading up to his hospitalization at the UCLA Medical Center ... fueled by what we're told was a shocking lack of sleep and the pressures of touring, running his businesses, parenting and providing emotional support to his wife who was suffering her own emotional trauma after the Paris robbery. But our sources say the trigger for the breakdown was Donda's death back in November 2007. Her funeral was November 20 -- the same day he canceled his show at the L.A. Forum. The following day -- November 21 -- Kanye canceled the remainder of the tour and hours later suffered the breakdown. People close to Kanye tell us he never effectively grieved over his mom's death and has always had a difficult time in November, but this time he reached the breaking point. Kanye, we're told, has had trouble handling stress over the last few months, and in the a week or so before the breakdown he started to unravel. As we reported ... Kanye became paranoid when he was taken to UCLA ... refusing for a time to even let doctors touch him. He also ranted that people were trying to ruin his marriage. Kanye was sedated and is being treated by doctors and mental health professionals. Doctors hoped to release him 2 days ago, but that didn't happen and so far ... no new release date. (TMZ)

Amber Heard Donates $350,000 to ACLU Ahead of Finalizing Divorce to Johnny Depp. Amber has yet to donate her settlement money to charity following her divorce from Depp, but there's good reason why: their divorce hasn't been finalized yet. When the couple reached their agreement in August, the actress had promised to donate the $7 million she earns from the divorce entirely to charity. She said she planned to split the money between the ACLU, with a particular focus to stop violence against women, as well as the Children's Hospital of Los Angeles. However, her attorney Pierce O'Donnell, tells E! News she hasn't been able to donate the funds yet as the divorce documents haven't been signed. "The settlement documents are being finalized and will be signed this week," her lawyer explained. "Johnny is obligated by the settlement to pay Amber, and she in turn will honor her pledges to Children's Hospital and the American Civil Liberties Union." O'Donnell continued, "Amber's commitment to protecting victims of domestic violence and helping sick children is her life's work. Her recent PSA on domestic violence does not violate her settlement agreement with Johnny. She will continue to lend her voice to the rising chorus of women speaking out about this terrible scourge on the American family." Though the full $7 million hasn't been donated just yet, the ACLU confirmed to E! News in August that they had received the first installment in Heard's name. CHLA also confirmed they received a check in Heard's name, telling E! News in a statement at the time, "Children's Hospital Los Angeles has received the first installment and we are grateful." Meanwhile, the actress also released a very emotional PSA over the weekend, teaming up with #GirlGaze Project to address violence against women and domestic abuse. Holding back tears, she touched on her own abuse allegations against Depp, which made headlines earlier this year. "I guess there was a lot of shame attached to that label of 'victim,'" she explained. "It happens to so many women. When it happens in your home, behind closed doors, with someone you love, it's not as straightforward. If a stranger did this it would be a no-brainer." Heard expressed her appreciation and gratefulness to have a few women in her life who supported her during the trying time. "If I hadn't had a few people that I really trust around me, a few women support, a few friends. If I hadn't had them around me, how different my life would be." She concluded, "Speak up, speak up. Raise your voice, your voice is the most powerful thing and we, together, as women standing shoulder to shoulder cannot and will not any longer accept silence." UPDATE: A source tells E! News that Amber Heard has, in fact, given a hefty sum to a charity near and dear to her, the American Civil Liberties Union. The actress donated a whopping $350,000 to the organization just days before her divorce from Johnny Depp is said to be finalized. (Eonline)

Khloe Kardashian's swinging back HARD after being accused of running a sweatshop. Khloe posted a few videos Tuesday on Snapchat showing how her Good American jeans are made. She gives a brief tour and jokingly tells someone, "Don't f*** it up!" The video triggered a storm of criticism that forced the reality star to fire back saying, "Watch your mouth. All make salaries and all are employed in LA! Know your info before you chime in." Khloe went on to say it means the world her jeans are made in the US of A. (TMZ)

The guy who let Lady Gaga stroke his golden chin was bad at romance, but apparently worse at driving ... he got busted twice for DUI in less than 2 months. Burbank cops tell TMZ Yuri Bradac -- who starred in Gaga's "Bad Romance" video -- was arrested for DUI last week after crashing into a wall at a Chevron station. Bradac was also popped for drunk driving last month. He pled no contest and he's on probation, which makes the most recent DUI all the more serious, because it comes with mandatory jail time. As if that's not bad enough ... Bradac refused to take a sobriety test after being arrested last week, which means his license will be automatically suspended for a year. Bradac has had a lot of success in music videos over the years ... he's appeared with J Lo, Enrique Iglesias and Timbaland. We've reached out to Yuri ... he had no comment. (TMZ)

The guy behind the wheel of the Walmart truck that nearly killed Tracy Morgan has struck a plea deal in hopes of dodging jail time. The driver, Kevin Roper, reportedly pled guilty Tuesday to vehicular homicide and 4 counts of aggravated assault ... stemming from the horrific 2014 crash that severely injured Tracy and killed his friend, James McNair. Roper had been awake more than 24 hours when he slammed into Tracy's limo bus on the NJ Turnpike. As part of the deal ... Roper will enter a 3-year intervention program that includes 300 hours of community service. If he stays out of trouble after that, the charges will be dropped. The judge still needs to sign off on the deal. The news comes a week after Walmart reached a settlement with its insurance company. (TMZ)

Keo Woolford, an actor on the CBS show Hawaii Five-0, has died. He was 49. Woolford, who wrote, directed and produced the 2013 independent film The Haumana, died on Monday afternoon at a hospital in Oahu, Hawaii, three days after suffering a "severe" stroke on Nov. 25, his publicist Tracy Larrua confirmed to PEOPLE. Woolford was in the process of finalizing his follow-up film, The Haumana 2, Larrua stated. The Haumana told the story of a host of a struggling luau show who reconnects with his culture after he takes over a high school hula class for boys. Cast mate Daniel Dae Kim also took to Twitter to share the sad news. "As talented as you were, I will remember you most for your kindness. Thank you for sharing your light with us, @KeoWoolford. Rest In Peace." Woolford, a native of Honolulu, had a recurring role as Det. James Chang on the remake of CBS' Hawaii Five-0, as well as small roles in films like Happy Texas (1999), Act of Valor (2012) and Godzilla(2014). He starred in more than 300 performances as the King of Siam in The King & I at the London Palladium. Actress Kelly Hu, who starred in the CW show Arrow and who had a role in Woolford's The Haumana, said the actor gave her creative freedom when it came to portraying her character in his film. "He didn't pigeon hole me like so many other people in Hollywood did," she said in a statement obtained by PEOPLE. "He gave me the opportunity to bring the character of Linda to life. He was a great talent who allowed other talents to shine. I will miss my chosen brother immensely." Woolford's niece, Raeceen Woolford Satele, remembers the actor as a "friend, counselor and confidante" in a statement issued to PEOPLE. "I think being related to Keo has been a true honor," she said. "He empowered me to pursue learning more about my Hawaiian culture and affirmed me in everything I did. I am who I am today, due in large part to his constant positivity, grace, and love." The film closed the 2013 Hawaii International Film Festival, and Woolford received a special jury prize at the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival for best first feature. (People)

THE OTHER STUFF . . .

Queen's Granddaughter Zara Tindall & Husband Mike Tindall Expecting Baby No. 2. Another Royal baby is on the way! Zara Tindall, one of Queen Elizabeth II's grandchildren and cousin to Prince William and Prince Harry, and husband Mike Tindall are expecting their second child. A spokesperson for the couple announced the news Wednesday, adding that the new baby will be born around late spring. "The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh and members of the Royal Family are delighted with the news," a Buckingham Palace statement said. Zara, a 35-year-old champion equestrian who made her Olympic debut at the 2012 London Games, and Mike, a 38-year-old former England rugby player, wed in 2011. They are parents to daughter Mia Grace Tindall, 2. The couple debuted the first photo of the child on the cover of Hello! magazine in March 2014. Zara is 16th in line to the British throne. Her mother is the queen's only daughter and second of four children, Anna, Princess Royal, whose older brother is William and Harry's father, Prince Charles. Zara, formerly known as Zara Phillips, is one of the queen's eight grandchildren. Her and Mike's new baby will be the ceremonial monarch's sixth great-grandchild. The child will also be a second cousin to William and wife Kate Middleton's children Prince George, 3, and Princess Charlotte, 1. (Eonline)

In the five decades since President John F. Kennedy's assassination, his legacy, often referred to as the golden era of Camelot, has been colored by revelations of his alleged affairs -- yet to this day, exactly what his wife, Jacqueline Kennedy, knew and didn't know remains a burning question. The couple had been married for a little more than seven years when JFK took office in 1961. Soon he became "consumed with almost daily sexual liaisons," journalist Seymour Hersh wrote in his 1997 book The Dark Side of Camelot. In this week's PEOPLE cover story, those who knew Jackie say her complex marriage was one based on love -- and a certain understanding. "It was a marriage of its time," a close family friend tells PEOPLE. "At the end of the day, Jack came back to Jackie -- and that was it. They loved each other." "It was kinetic between them," adds the friend." She wasn't trying to change him." Jackie Style author Pamela Keogh says Jackie's Wall Street stockbroker father, John Bouvier, had his own indiscretions, which informed his young daughter's view of marriage. "She came from a world where that is what men did, and it was accepted," says Keogh. Longtime New York City gossip columnist Liz Smith, who wrote extensively about JFK's alleged mistress Judith Exner, says of the iconic First Lady, "[Her friends] Truman Capote and Gore Vidal told me she knew all about Judith Exner and everybody else, and that she read [my stories] on Judith with high interest." To Jackie, privacy was sacred, and her discretion was unmatched. As Cornelia Guest, whose mother, CZ Guest, was a close friend of the First Lady, explains: "It was all just, you turn the other cheek." "For these women, if they ever did discuss [their husbands' infidelities], it was more like, 'This is what's going on; let's go out and get the kids and get on a horse,' " she says. "They were much more pragmatic about the whole thing." (People)

Why Dolly Parton Couldn't Watch Her NBC-TV Movies in Front of People (Hint: It Involves Eyelashes). Dolly Parton has seven Grammys -- including a Lifetime achievement one -- numerous other music accolades, Emmy nominations, Oscar nominations and Golden Globe nominations, but she still found watching her life brought to life on the TV screen "overwhelming." "In fact, one of my favorite things is my sister Stella, she plays Corla Bass... the owner of the merchandise store... We knew that we couldn't watch it with the whole crowd when they had a preview because I knew I'd just cry my eyes out and I didn't want to look stupid and lose my eyelashes either, and look bad," she admitted to E! News on set of Christmas of Many Colors: Circle of Love. So, what did Stella and Dolly do? They got set up with a private screening. "It was so strange. Stella and I were walking in and we said, 'Is this not amazing,' here we are, just walking up the steps, 'that we're going to see a movie about our family, about us?' Like, who knew when we were ragged-ass kids like that, back there in the mountains, who knows how you're ever going to wind up? But It was just such a touching thing and of course we both sat there and cried the whole time," she told us. "It was great. My family loved it, they all cried." What's next after Christmas of Many Colors? "I have thousands of songs I'd like to turn into movies and series," she said. Currently in the wings? "Jolene" and maybe "The Seeker." Dolly Parton's Christmas of Many Colors: Circle of Love aired Wednesday, Nov. 30 on at 9 p.m. on NBC. (Eonline)

Real Housewives of Orange County star Meghan King Edmonds shared an emotional photo on Instagram on Tuesday, a week after giving birth to daughter Aspen King Edmonds. The reality star's photo pulled at heartstrings as it showed King Edmonds, 32, holding her newborn daughter close to her chest and crying as her own mother bends to kiss her forehead. The photo was captioned with a simple, "Sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words @4juge," and celebrated three generations in their family. The new addition joins Edmonds' four children from his previous relationships. King Edmonds, who announced the birth on Instagram on Friday, and husband Jim welcomed their 6 lb., 11 oz. healthy daughter on Thanksgiving Day. On Saturday, the reality star followed up with more information on the birth, including her daughter's name, writing on Instagram, "From the hours leading up to the birth I had the most incredible husband, he didn't leave my side. I could not have labored naturally without him and my doula." She revealed the news of her pregnancy -- and that she was expecting a baby girl -- to PEOPLE exclusively in June. "I'm so over the moon, I couldn't believe it the first time I peed on a stick and I saw that little line kind of get a little darker," she said at the time. "I've always dreamed of this, but it's still such a miracle. I can't even describe the feeling." (People)

As Victoria's Secret models landed en masse in Paris for the lingerie brand's upcoming annual fashion show, the comedic stepsister of VS catwalkers Gigi and Bella Hadid took the opportunity to razz Leo DiCapiro -- who's seemingly dated half the brand's catalog. Gigi and Bella's lesser known sibling, Erin Foster -- who stars in VH1 show "Barely Famous" with sister Sara Foster -- posted on Instagram an image of an endless line of Victoria's Secret models boarding a branded jet with their arms all in the air. She captioned the image: "Raise your hand if you've told Leo you're on the pill." DiCaprio's reportedly dated no less than 10 Victoria's Secret models -- from Bar Refaeli to current model Nina Agdal. (Page Six)

Sarah Jessica Parker has long held a reputation of having the world's most enviable closet, thanks in large part to her fashion-obsessed onscreen alter ego, Sex in the City's Carrie Bradshaw. But even before she had every designer at her fingertips, the star says, she was having fun with fashion, just in a much more low-budget way. In her cover story for InStyle's January issue, Parker explains -- and opens up about inspiration, being a designer and why thrift stores are so important to her. "I dress based on what I have," Parker tells the magazine's new editor-in-chief, Laura Brown. "I'm not a huge shopper, but I love beautiful things. To be able to borrow them is ridiculously fortunate, and I enjoy every second of that. I have a pretty standard wardrobe, though I've got wonderful shoes." But before she introduced women across the country to the idea of using your oven as extra storage, Parker didn't have all those designers on speed dial. So where did the queen of fashion inspiration turn for fashion inspiration? Parker says wardrobe cues were always all around her -- on the streets and subways. The challenge, however, was bringing those looks to life. "I was like, 'How can I do that? How can I afford to do that? What's my version of that?' Honestly, thrift stores played such a huge part in my life before Sex and the City, and of course, my mom was the biggest influence. She had pretty firm ideas about how we should dress." Of course, the Divorce star has come a long way since those days. Now, she's not only looking for trends, she's creating them as a designer herself. But according to Parker, being so involved in the fashion industry isn't a walk in the park -- no, not even if you're SJP. "It's really tough," she tells InStyle of what she's learned since becoming a designer. "And it's competitive. I don't mean the designers are competitive. I mean it's a competitive industry. Without marketing dollars, you have to be consistent with your customers. You have to be deserving of their money." Read more from the star at InStyle, and the next time you walk into a thrift store, take a minute to wonder: "What would SJP choose?" (People)

Jennifer Aniston's Thanksgiving could have been straight out of the script of one of her signature holiday rom-com. The 47-year-old actress thought she'd be spending the holiday without Justin Theroux, who was working in Germany. However, her husband completely surprised her by making an appearance just in time for the feast. She explains on the Ellen DeGeneres Show Wednesday that every year she and Theroux host a Friendsgiving for fellow "orphans," but Theroux told her he wouldn't be able to make the trip home due to his busy schedule. "Everyone came to the house and no one really understood that Justin was not going to be there. You just saw everyone's face start to fall," Aniston told Ellen DeGeneres on her talk show. "The whole room was depressed. I was like, 'Guys, I'm here!' " The actress said guests continued to be bummed out as she gave an "unimpressive" toast and the crew began to chow down. "Then salads came out and everyone was just very somber and next thing you know, turkey walks in and there was another turkey holding that turkey," she shared. "That was my hubby. He came in with the turkey." DeGeneres also put a twist on one of her favorite games, Heads Up, by dressing up in inflatable sumo wrestler costumes in honor of a scene in Aniston's new movie Office Christmas Party. "I think the pregnancy rumors are going to start again," the host joked to Aniston when they came out in their suits. Unsurprisingly, both women struggled to accurately portray charades clues such as "hula dancing" and "shimmy" while wearing the hilarious outfits. (People)

Just in case you were in danger of feeling like you were overachieving today, Brooklyn Beckham is releasing his first book in 2017. That's Brooklyn Beckham, who is 17. If it makes you feel better, Beckham will actually be 18 by the time his book, called What I See, is released on 4 May. What I See is a collection of his photographs, mixed with "exclusive new images" of him, and will come with a written foreword and captions. The news come in a successful year for Beckham's photography. He shot the Burberry Brit fragrance campaign, and has also worked with Pull&Bear. His publisher Francesca Dow said "Brooklyn Beckham's images inspire a generation across the globe, and this book will give his fans a broader insight into the world seen through his unique and creative perspective." (British Glamour)

Ethan Hawke -- who was honored with Oliver Stone at the Gotham Independent Film Awards on Monday -- says he's been washed up at least twice in his career and expects to be washed up again. Winona Ryder introduced Hawke with a heartfelt seven-minute speech before he recalled that after their 1994 hit together, "'Reality Bites' was passe, the whole poster boy for Gen X was done .?.?. nobody was interested in that anymore." And earlier in his career, "I was 14 .?.?. I got cast in 'Explorers,'?" with River Phoenix. "It was supposed to be a big deal .?.?. it didn't even play a weekend. I remember reading one particular notice that said, 'Ethan Hawke is not a movie star.' Now that I've been riding the roller coaster for more than 30 years, the only thing I know for certain is that I will be washed up again very soon." (Page Six)

The more you know! In honor of Chrissy Teigen's 31st birthday on Wednesday, November 30, Us Weekly rounded up five facts about the model. From her unique heritage to how she got discovered, here are several interesting tidbits you might never have heard about her before. While she graces the covers of glossy magazines and is married to Grammy-winning singer John Legend, the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit stunner came from humble beginnings. She was born in the small town of Delta, Utah, to a Norwegian father, who worked as an electrician, and a Thai mother. After moving to a series of states including Hawaii, Idaho and Washington, Teigen's family eventually settled down in Huntington Beach, California -- where she was discovered by a photographer at age 18 while working in a surf shop. Before she became one of the most in-demand faces in the industry, Teigen worked as a substitute model on NBC's now-canceled game show Deal or No Deal from 2006 to 2007. In 2013, she walked down the aisle with Legend, 37, in a romantic Lake Como, Italy, wedding ceremony for which she wore three stunning Vera Wang gowns. Nearly three years later, the Hollywood couple moved into Rihanna's former mansion in Los Angeles' Beverly Crest neighborhood. During an October appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, she admitted to opening RiRi's mail on occasion. "But it's my house now! Can you not? Are we going to edit this?" a visibly embarrassed Teigen asked the TV host, joking, "This is why I can never run for president. (US Weekly)

Khloe Kardashian's swinging back HARD after being accused of running a sweatshop. Khloe posted a few videos Tuesday on Snapchat showing how her Good American jeans are made. She gives a brief tour and jokingly tells someone, "Don't f*** it up!" The video triggered a storm of criticism that forced the reality star to fire back saying, "Watch your mouth. All make salaries and all are employed in LA! Know your info before you chime in." Khloe went on to say it means the world her jeans are made in the US of A. (TMZ)

The ex-couple who founded Barry's Bootcamp got a pretty even split in their divorce with one major exception ... she's getting the keys to the house. Rachel Mumford filed for divorce from John Mumford back in May 2014, but they just reached a final settlement. They'll share custody, joint and physical, of their 2 teenage kids ... divvy up their bank accounts, and they get an equal share of their interest in the hugely popular fitness biz. Rachel gets the prize ... their pad in Malibu. The divorce was nasty from the start ... with her dropping allegations of violence and drug abuse. Took 'em more than 2 years, but it's finally over. Helluva workout ... for the lawyers. (TMZ)

When Ricky Gervais hosted the Golden Globe awards last week, many people were shocked by his on-stage joke about Caitlyn Jenner. Gervais had joked: "I've changed. Well, not as much as Bruce Jenner, obviously - now Caitlyn Jenner." He went on to reference Jenner's driving skills, after she was involved in a car crash that killed one person and injured seven. "What a year she's had. She became a role model for trans people everywhere, showing great bravery in breaking down barriers and destroying stereotypes. "She didn't do a lot for women drivers, but you can't do everything." Well, Caitlyn Jenner has hit back at the Television Critics Association tour, where she is promoting the new series of her reality show I Am Cait. "On Ricky, I think what I'm gonna do is call the Golden Globes and see if they need a new host for next year," she told reporters. "And we'll solve that problem." Ricky, quick on the mark, has tweeted... He also retweeted a news article saying that 'Caitlyn Jenner breaks her silence' but wrote: "At last. She always brakes too late." (British Glamour)

Music

Dolly Parton has said that of all the songs she's written, "Jolene" is the most-recorded by other artists. But it's never been heard like this before! On Tuesday's episode of The Voice, the 70-year-old country icon joined goddaughter and Voice coach Miley Cyrus for a stunning a cappella performance of her 1973 hit. The family duo was joined by The Sing-Off champs and Grammy winners Pentatonix. Together, the three artists beautifully blended their voices in the haunting tune. They all looked good too -- wearing a matching mix of silver and black outfits. Cyrus, 24, stood out, in a sheer silver floral and black sun dress with knee-high silver sequence boots. Parton, meanwhile, was showed off her tiny frame in form-fitting black leather pants with sparkly silver accessories and a long-sleeved black sweater with shoulder cutouts. This isn't the first time Cyrus and Pentatonix have covered "Jolene." In 2012, the "Party in the U.S.A." singer covered her godmother's tune as part of her "Backyard Sessions" series. Pentatonix, meanwhile, recorded a cover of the track with Parton in September, which was released as a digital single. "Singing with @PTXofficial was pure magic, and we had lots of fun rearranging the song!" Parton tweeted at the time. "It was magical singing with YOU!! We will never forget it! " they responded. Earlier on Tuesday's episode of The Voice, Parton performed her new song "Circle of Love" -- with the help of the show's Top 10 contestants and country star Jennifer Nettles. Nettles stars in Parton's heartwarming holiday sequel and Yuletide adventure, Christmas of Many Colors: Circle of Love. The two-hour made-for-TV movie premieres Wednesday November 30 at 9 p.m. ET on NBC. The Voice airs Mondays and Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET/PT on NBC. (People)

Justin Bieber Goes on a Rant During Concert, Claims Instagram Is "for the Devil." If you're still eager for Justin Bieber to return to Instagram, you're going to have to wait. While performing in concert Tuesday, Bieber asked his many Beliebers in the audience whether he should return to the picture-sharing app. His answer, however, made it clear he won't be double-tapping any photos anytime soon. "Nah, I don't want to get my Instagram back...I'm sure...I think hell is Instagram," declared the Biebs in a fan-recorded video. "I'm 90 percent sure. We get sent to hell, we get like locked in the Instagram server like I'm stuck in the DMs." Bieber's performance was the last of his European tour, so he made light of the vacation time he has ahead of his South America tour. He said he would go home and lie by the pool and maybe "take Instagram pictures and not upload them." Oh, Biebs. The "Love Yourself" crooner officially deactivated his account after Beliebers didn't take too kindly to Bieber's then-girlfriend Sofia Richie. "I'm gonna make my Instagram private if you guys don't stop the hate this is getting out of hand," Bieber first threatened in a caption alongside a black and white selfie of the duo. "If you guys are really fans you wouldn't be so mean to people that I like." A couple of days later, Bieber made good on his threat. The "Sorry" singer deactivated his account, but left his Twitter and Facebook up and running. Eventually he and Richie pumped the breaks on their romance, but Bieber didn't reactivate his Instagram. (Eonline)

Hil, what a thrill! Hillary Clinton made a surprise appearance at the 12th annual UNICEF Snowflake Ball on Tuesday, November 28, to honor Katy Perry. Clinton, 69, presented the "Roar" singer, 32, with the Audrey Hepburn Humanitarian Award for her charitable work. The former secretary of state -- who lost the presidential election to Republican rival Donald Trump on November 2 -- received a huge round of applause when she made her way on stage. Perry, for her part, appeared emotional as she took photos with Clinton. The pop star heavily campaigned for the politician and performed at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia in July. This time, it was Clinton's chance to support Perry. "I have seen Katy's commitment to the causes she believes in firsthand," Clinton said. "I've gotten to spend time with her and I know how deeply she cares about making our world a better place. She is serious about understanding the complex problems we face and pulling people together to solve them. We need champions like Katy now more than ever: her passion, her energy and, yes, her voice, louder than a lion." Perry, who has been a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador since 2013, joked that she needed a tissue after Clinton's speech. "I've always had a voice -- a singing voice -- but I've never had a voice like I've had before. Hillary has lit that voice inside of me, and that light will never go out, it will continue to get brighter and brighter and brighter," Perry said. "Thank you, Hillary. You motivate me and so many millions of people. We appreciate you for your incredible work and your heart." (US Weekly)

"American Idol" producers are a sleazy, money-hogging bunch who made MILLIONS off the back of one songwriter who never got her cut ... so claims the lady in new legal docs. A woman named Molasses Jones claims she wrote Jordin Sparks' "No Air" but never saw a dime, so she filed a claim in the reality show's bankruptcy case ... asking for a whopping $24 million bucks. Jones says producers somehow got access to her private journals and stole lyrics she wrote long before Jordin joined the show. Jones wants a slice of the millions 'Idol' made from "No Air." And she's not stopping there -- Jones is also staking claim to some other pop tunes, including "No One" and "Single Ladies." We checked ... she's not credited as a writer on any of those tracks. We've reached out to 'Idol' brass ... but they're slow as molasses. (TMZ)

Jamie Foxx Producing Limited Series About Marvin Gaye. "This project will be a powerful and definitive telling of Marvin Gaye's life story," says the singer's son Marvin Gaye III, an executive producer on the new project, which is the first to be blessed by the late singer's family. After winning an Oscar for playing Ray Charles, Jamie Foxx now is tackling the life story of another musical icon. The Ray star will executive produce a limited series about Marvin Gaye alongside de Passe Jones Entertainment's Suzanne de Passe and Madison Jones, who will shop it to linear and digital outlets. "I've been a huge fan my whole life. His brilliance in music unparalleled," says Foxx. "Marvin Gaye's story has always fascinated me." There have been multiple attempts to give Gaye the biopic treatment. The soul singer behind such hits as "What's Going On," "Sexual Healing" and "Let's Get It On" became one of Motown's most successful artists before he was fatally shot in 1984 at age 44 by his father following a family dispute in their Los Angeles home. F. Gary Gray, Cameron Crowe, James Gandolfini, Scott Rudin and actors including Jesse L. Martin and Lenny Kravitz all have tried to bring Gaye's story to screen, but until now none had been authorized by Gaye's family. "This project will be a powerful and definitive telling of Marvin Gaye's life story," says the singer's son Marvin Gaye III, an executive producer on the new project, which also has the blessing of Motown founder Berry Gordy, who has served as a mentor to de Passe ever since he hired her as a creative assistant to his legendary label decades ago. "Marvin was the truest artist I have ever known," Gordy said. "I am confident that this is the right team to bring his story to the audience in an authentic and compelling way." "We've been involved in a number of attempts to get this done, and now that we've been able to marshal all the forces, and Jamie's come on board as a partner, we're excited to get going," says de Passe, who has executive produced multiple Motown television specials. She and Jones are in talks with Sony/ATV, which controls Gaye's music rights, to determine which specific songs will be used. "This has been a labor of love for three decades," says Jones. "It's been brewing for a while." (Billboard)

Jennifer Nettles on Seeing Christmas Through Her Son's Eyes & Her Debut Solo Holiday Album. One might think that recording a Christmas album when the temperature is well above 70 degrees might be a little difficult, but according to Jennifer Nettles, when it comes to the holidays, it's an all-year thing. "The truth is that having done the CMA Country Christmas show seven years in a row, we always have to start for that in July or August," says the singer, who has just released her first solo Yuletide album, To Celebrate Christmas, on Big Machine Records. It seems that 2016 is even more holiday-oriented than usual. "This year, doing the second Dolly movie, we shot it in July in Atlanta when it was burning up, but it was set at Christmastime," she says of Christmas of Many Colors: Circle of Love, which airs Wednesday (Nov. 30) on NBC. "Anything in the entertainment industry that has do with the holidays, you are accustomed to it being the hottest time of year. So I'm used to it by now -- it's the most wonderful time of year all year." The powerhouse female vocalist stresses that once she became a mother to son Magnus, her focus on the Christmas season changed. "As with most things, whenever you have a child, you get to see the world through their eyes, and with me -- his eyes," she tells Billboard. "Where things used to be about you, it becomes about them, and it has become about him. That is fun for me. This year, he's going to be almost four, and he's just beginning to recognize who Santa Claus is from a picture. I don't know how much he puts together as far as presents and when they come. I think that's something that he's going to do for the first time this year, so that's going to be exciting." Nettles knows as her son grows up, there will be technological advancements that will make his Christmas celebrations a lot different. But with the recent trend of bringing back Atari and Super Nintendo video games, a lot of older presents from the past will be new ones in the future. "Things have a way of coming back around as vintage retro," she muses. "I can think of one example immediately: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles! They weren't popular when I was a little girl, but they were popular when my brother and sister were very small. I remember them when they were coming out, and my brother was so into them at the time. Now, they're back around again. Everything old is new again, and I do think that's the joy of being a parent, and the challenge, as well. They can make the simple things the most beautiful, and they can also make the simple things so very hard-like going to the grocery store. But the way that they will see something in the way that the wind blows or the trees is the most wondrous and exciting. It's a beautiful and rich experience, for sure." One of the To Celebrate Christmas standouts comes via the joyous feel of the standard "Go Tell It On The Mountain," which features some stellar harmonies from The McCrary Sisters, of whom she's a fan. "I had the pleasure of working with them for what I believe was the first time when I did the Kris Kristofferson tribute. When Julian Raymond and I were talking about the vibe for this, he had them on his mind, and I was absolutely blown away by their performance." There are a couple of other guests on the album Nettles is excited about. "Idina Menzel and I performed 'Little Drummer Boy,' which was great. I love her voice and have been a fan for a long time. Andra Day and I do 'God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen,' which is super jazzy. It's based on an arrangement that she had previously done on one of her recordings. When I heard it, I knew I wanted to do that. I reached out to her, and that was one of the ones she brought up. To me, both of those are standouts on the record," she says. Another aspect of the promotion of the album is a Christmas mini-tour, which Nettles is thrilled about. "The holidays are always busy, but with having an album out this year, it felt like it was the right time to go out and do a few shows. One of them which I am super excited about is being with the Nashville Symphony. It's going to be really fun to hear the music with all of those players playing on it. To be able to get out and celebrate with the fans will be a lot of fun for me." Playing the mother of Dolly Parton in last year's TV movie Coat of Many Colors has also been rewarding for Nettles, who again appears as Avie Lee Parton in this season's Christmas of Many Colors: Circle of Love. The singer says it has allowed her to gain some insight into what makes Parton tick. "I think that we all knew a bit of Dolly's story, but getting to play this role, I learned a lot more detail," she admitted. "I learned of the role that her Uncle Bill played in helping fulfill her dreams. You watch how musical her family was, and how they supported her, and the relationship that she and her mom had. Those kinds of intimate details are something we don't know when you hear about her growing up in Appalachia, and having eleven brothers and sisters, but we get much more detail and more of that narrative." She recorded the title track of the movie for the album, and also included Kenny Loggins' classic "Celebrate Me Home," which she says is one song that she strongly identifies with. "That song is my favorite of the non-traditional Christmas songs. I've been a traveling musician in my life now for longer than I haven't. For me to come home for the holidays has such a resonance and a special significance. So that song is special to me, and in terms of the more spiritual songs, I love 'O' Holy Night.' That's one of my favorites, which we tried to give a little bit of an Otis Redding-sort of treatment." Dolly Parton's Christmas of Many Colors: Circle of Love airs Nov. 30 at 9 p.m. ET on NBC. (Billboard)

Justin Bieber Says Instagram is 'For the Devil'. Justin Bieber has a love/hate relationship with Instagram. After leaving the service in August in a fit of disgust, Bieber told a London audience on Tuesday night (Nov. 29) that he's "90 percent sure" that the pic-posting app is "for the devil" and that it is "hell." Before the rant, he gave the screaming Beliebers some (fake) red meat. "Who thinks I should get my Instagram back?" he asked to ear-piercing screams. Then, in a fan-posted video of the show at the O2 Arena on the singer's Purpose Tour, Bieber said, "Nah, I don't want to get my Instagram back... I'm sure... I think hell is Instagram. I'm 90 percent sure. We get sent to hell, we get like locked in the Instagram server." Considering it was the final show on the European leg of the tour, Justin told the crowd he wasn't sure what he was going to do when he went home, teasing that he might just take some Instas and not upload them. Next up for Bieber are shows in Mexico in February and a tour of Australia, New Zealand, South America and Europe that will keep him on the road through June. (Billboard)

Florida Georgia Line Lands 10th Country Airplay No. 1 With 'May We All,' Featuring Tim McGraw. Florida Georgia Line's "May We All," featuring Tim McGraw, ascends 2-1 on Country Airplay, gaining 4 percent to 46 million audience impressions. The song marks the 10th Country Airplay No. 1 for the duo (Tyler Hubbard and Brian Kelley) and follows "H.O.L.Y." as the second leader from the pair's third studio LP, Dig Your Roots. McGraw earns his record-extending 29th Country Airplay No. 1 (dating to the chart's Jan. 20, 1990, launch); Kenny Chesney ranks second, with 27. "Billboard No. 1s never get old, and it's very humbling to share it with Tim. He takes the song to another level," says Hubbard. "Very excited to get the text this morning about having [another] No. 1 ... and being able to pass the info on to Tim was the best part," adds Kelley. GARTH & TRISHA TOGETHER FOR 'CHRISTMAS': Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood's Christmas Together hikes 83 percent to 39,000 sold; however, in its second week on Top Country Albums, it dips 1-2, displaced by Miranda Lambert's The Weight of These Wings. The husband-and-wife team also ranks at No. 14 on Top Country Albums. In a Walmart exclusive, Christmas Together was bundled with Brooks' new solo album Gunslinger and shifted 7,000 through the big-box retailer in the tracking week. Gunslinger went on sale in wide release on Nov. 25. STRAIT TALK: On Top Country Albums, George Strait's Strait Out of the Box: Part 2arrives at No. 3 (21,000). The 56-song Walmart exclusive follows the original Strait Out of the Box, which peaked at No. 9 in 1995. NEW CHART HOME: Billboard Country Update now features the top 10 of the Americana/Folk Albums chart each week. On the Dec. 10 tally, Chris Stapleton's Traveller rebounds 2-1 for a 15th week on top. (Billboard)

Frank Ocean, Arcade Fire, Bon Iver Among Primavera Sound 2017 Headliners, Frank Ocean, Arcade Fire, Bon Iver, The xx, Aphex Twin, Grace Jones, Slayer, Solange and Van Morrison top the lineup for Primavera Sound 2017. The performers list includes nearly 200 artists, and remains true to the eclectic draw of the carefully curated Barcelona spring music festival, whose main event is set to take place May 31-June 4 at the Forum Park venue. A parallel free concert program will also be offered at sites in the center of Barcelona. Primavera will also feature shows by L.A. punk band Descendents, The Magnetic Fields, Miguel, Mercury Prize winner Skepta, Teenage Fanclub, Flying Lotus, Run The Jewels, Broken Social Scene, Angel Olsen, metalcore kings Converge, Shellac and BADBADNOTGOOD and celebrated Barcelona band Mishima, among others. Also, Seu Jorge will perform his David Bowie covers from the Life Aquatic soundtrack, a 50th-anniversary show from The Zombies, and Junun, the project backed by Jonny Greenwood (Radiohead) and Shye Ben Tzur, which delves into the traditional music from the north of India accompanied by the Rajasthan Express. The festival's seaside Beach Club stage will showcase Electronic music from German DJ Dixon, the British duo Bicep, John Talabot and Axel Boman on board Talaboman, Joy Orbison, Bulgarian artist KiNK and Belgium band Front 242 and more. Festival tickets are now on sale, with full festival passes going for 175€ ($186) through Jan. 7. See the full Primavera Sound 2017 line-up here. (Billboard)

Movies

Meghan Markle Gangster Film Anti-Social Gets Special Edition Cut and New Trailer. Get ready to see more of Prince Harry's new girlfriend onscreen. The Suits actress, who has drawn more interest in recent weeks after Kensington Palace confirmed she is dating the royal, filmed an independent British gangster film titled Anti-Social back in late 2013 in Hungary, Malta and London. The movie hit select theaters abroad in 2015. Now audiences will get to see a special edition cut of the movie, which will also be released in Markle's native United States. Meghan plays a model named Kirsten, who gets involved romantically with graffiti artist Dee, played by Gregg Sulkin, who gets pulled into a life of crime thanks to his friendship with a criminal mastermind who carries out daredevil jewelry heists. The movie is based on true events that took place in London -- the 2009 Graff Diamonds robbery, the 2012 Brent Cross shopping mall smash-and-grab theft and the 2013 Selfridges department store robbery by burka-clad men. "The sudden advent in London of 'motorbike-enabled smash-and-grab robbery', a new age criminal phenomena, was my biggest inspiration for writing Anti-Social," screenwriter and Reg Traviss said in a statement carried by The Telegraph. "It was the fact that the robbers were mostly young, very organized, and totally daredevil in the execution of the crimes -- many of which totaled millions of pounds each heist. "The Special Edition focuses much more on the criminal underworld threads of the story and, as such, on the everyday lives of the young, professional criminals themselves," he said. "The new version aims to appeal to an international audience." Anti-Social: Special Edition will be available on VOD in the U.K. and Ireland on Dec. 5 and in the United States and Canada on Jan. 2, 2017. (Eonline)

Following the success of 2015 film Anti-Social, film makers have released the new trailer for the more compact follow-up: Anti-Social: Special Edition. Starring Meghan Markle (aka Prince Harry's current girlfriend), the film explores the dark underworld of diamond thieves. It is based on three high-profile criminal robberies in 2009, 2012 and 2013. Meghan plays a model who is dating a graffiti artist. The pair soon get caught up in a number of armed robberies. The trailer shows the actor modeling for a perfume ad as well as going out to clubs and kissing her boyfriend. Coincidentally, the director of the movie, Traviss, was actually sponsored by The Prince's Trust in 1996. (British Glamour)

Palm Springs Film Fest to Honor Natalie Portman. The 'Jackie' actress will again receive the Desert Palm Achievement Award at the Jan. 2 event. Natalie Portman is headed to Palm Springs. The actress will receive the Palm Springs International Film Festival's International Star Award for her performance in Jackie, it was announced Wednesday. Mary Hart will host the annual awards gala, to be held Jan. 2 at the Palm Springs Convention Center and also honoring Lion's Nicole Kidman, Sully's Tom Hanks, Loving's Ruth Negga, Manchester by the Sea's Casey Affleck and the cast of La La Land. Directed by Pablo Larrain, the Fox Searchlight historical drama takes place in the days after the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, focusing on Theodore H. White's Life magazine interview with the widow at Hyannis Port, Mass. The film also stars Billy Crudup, Greta Gerwig, Max Casella, Peter Sarsgaard and John Hurt. Portman previously received the Desert Palm Achievement Award in 2011 for her performance in Black Swan. Additional past recipients include Cate Blanchett, Julianne Moore, Sandra Bullock, Halle Berry, Marion Cotillard, Anne Hathaway, Charlize Theron and Naomi Watts. "Natalie Portman truly brings to life one of this country's most treasured public figures in the acclaimed new film Jackie," said festival chairman Harold Matzner. "Portman delivers a transformative and deeply human portrayal of the former First Lady following the assassination of John F. Kennedy, one of the most challenging moments in our nation's history." The 28th annual Palm Springs International Film Festival is set to run Jan. 2-16. (Hollywood Reporter)

'Rogue One' Writer Tony Gilroy to Make Millions Off Reshoots. The 'Bourne' scribe's pay has grown from $200,000 a week to north of $5 million as work on the Star Wars standalone film expanded to include postproduction and tackling several issues including the ending. Rogue One might be about a group of rebels absconding with plans for the Death Star, but they aren't the only ones making out like bandits. Tony Gilroy, who was brought in to rewrite and help oversee reshoots for the Gareth Edwards-directed Star Wars film, out Dec. 16, will pocket north of $5 million for his efforts, say sources. Gilroy, writer of several Bourne movies and director of best picture Oscar nominee Michael Clayton, first was brought in to help write dialogue and scenes for Rogue's reshoots and was being paid $200,000 a week, according to several sources. That figure is fairly normal for a top-tier writer on a big-budget studio film. But as the workload (and the reshoots) expanded, so did Gilroy's time and paycheck. Gilroy started on Rogue One in June, and by August, he was taking a leading role with Edwards in postproduction, which lasted well into the fall. The reshoots are said to have tackled several issues in the film, including the ending. Rogue One, the first "stand-alone" Star Wars movie to deviate from the seven Episodes released from 1977 through 2015, is said to lead straight into the original A New Hope. Separate stand-alone films are planned in alternating years from Episodes, with a Han Solo movie scheduled for 2018 after Episode VIII hits theaters next December. While the cost of extending Gilroy's work on Rogue One might seem on the high side, that price is a bargain to protect the integrity of the Star Wars brand. Disney paid $4 billion in 2012 to buy Star Wars creator George Lucas' Lucasfilm and its first film after the deal, the JJ Abrams-directed Star Wars: The Force Awakens, made more than $2 billion and jump-started a whole new generation of Star Wars fans. Disney and Gilroy's CAA reps declined to comment. (Hollywood Reporter)

'Fences' Cast on Denzel Washington as a Director: "He Took Care of Every Actor, Then Turned the Camera on Himself". The film adaptation of the play stars nearly the entire cast of the 2010 Broadway revival. If Fences feels familiar to some audiences, it should. Unlike most stage-to-screen adaptations, which tend to recast even the most well-performed roles with established (and more bankable) Hollywood stars, nearly the entire cast of the 2010 Broadway revival of August Wilson's play was invited to take the leap to the big screen. That includes Stephen McKinley Henderson, who plays Denzel Washington's best friend and fellow garbageman (and earned a Tony nomination for the part). "It was a labor of love," says Henderson of transitioning his character, Jim Bono, to the film. "At the core of the work is truthful communication between you and the other characters, on film even more so because you don't have the obligation of reaching the back row." Henderson, a stage and screen veteran, joined Fences' main revival cast members Washington, Viola Davis, Russell Hornsby and Mykelti Williamson. The 2010 Broadway cast. Only the younger roles were recast because of age, which gave an opportunity to Jovan Adepo of HBO's The Leftovers. Henderson says shooting the film on location in Pittsburgh made a difference for him in broadening out the character. "In the play, everything takes place in the backyard," he says, recalling a scene in the film that moved to a bar, during which Washington's and Henderson's characters -- who have been friends for decades and always share a drink when together -- have an uncomfortable conversation. "When things are most awkward, they are in a bar where alcohol is everywhere, and they don't take a drink together," he says. Asked how the ensemble reacted to working with Denzel the director versus Denzel the co-star, Henderson rejects the question: "There was never a versus. It was so seamless. We'd be looking at each other, and he would never completely let go of the moment we were in; he just took a second to ask for an adjustment. He also made certain to take care of every other actor first and then turned the camera on himself." (Hollywood Reporter)

Casey Affleck on Acting: "Usually if it Feels Like Fun it Ends Up Not Being Very Good" | Actor Oscar Roundtable. "If it's scary going into it and you face it, and use it as an opportunity, it can feel like you've done something that feels good." "Talking to other people about a part is not helpful for me," Manchester by the Sea star Casey Affleck told The Hollywood Reporter during the Actor Oscar Roundtable. "It's such an internal and complicated and still kind of mysterious process. Everything helps, but it's almost all inside." Affleck says there's nothing fun about acting for him, "in the traditional sense of fun, but it can be very satisfying, which is a kind of fun. It can feel like heavy-lifting, and that's fun." The Oscar-nominated actor went on to say, "I feel like there's an obligation, this sounds terribly pretentious, if you're an artist, to share your own experience in a way that's truthful and honest: 'this is what I have to share, this is my life.' But also, as member of our society, there's an obligation as a group of artists, as a community, we have an obligation to try to open doors and represent other parts of society more fairly." More roundtables featuring actresses, screenwriters, songwriters, documentarians, directors, composers and producers will continue throughout February in print and online. Tune into new episodes of Close Up With 'The Hollywood Reporter' starting Jan. 15 on Sundance TV, and look for clips at THR.com/topic/roundtables with full episodes on THR.com after broadcast. (Hollywood Reporter)

James Franco Starrer 'I Am Michael' to Be Released by Brainstorm Media. Written and directed by Justin Kelly, the film tells the true story of a gay activist who became a straight Christian pastor. Brainstorm Media, the Beverly Hills-based indie distributor, has acquired writer/director Justin Kelly's I Am Michael, starring James Franco, Zachary Quinto and Emma Roberts, which it will open theatrically Jan. 27 in ten markets along with a day-and-date VOD release. Based on a New York Times magazine article by Benoit Denizet-Lewis, the film, which debuted at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival, tells the true story of Michael Glatze, played by Franco, who was a high-profile gay youth activist who provoked controversy when he became a straight Christian pastor and claimed he was no longer gay. Quinto plays Glatze's boyfriend, while Roberts plays the woman who becomes his girlfriend "I Am Michael is an incredibly original film on a very important topic: identity. As we move into a new presidency where sexual orientation might once again be called into question, a film that examines this from such an unusual perspective is invaluable. I'm proud to be a part of it," said Franco, who also collaborated with Kelly on the recently released King Cobra. The film was executive produced by Gus Van Sant and produced by Franco and Vince Jolivette of production company Rabbit Bandini, Michael Mendelsohn of Patriot Pictures, and Scott Reed and Ron Singer of That's Hollywood. The picture was financed by Mendelsohn's Union Patriot Capital Management, LLC. The deal was negotiated by Brian O'Shea of The Exchange, Michelle Shwarzstein for Brainstorm Media, and Patriot Pictures' Mendelsohn. DADA Films will handle theatrical booking and Required Viewing will handle PR on behalf of Brainstorm. (Hollywood Reporter)

TV

Lauren Graham Defends the Gilmore Girls Paul Situation. We're left with plenty of lingering questions now that we've all had a chance to watch all four episodes of Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life, but at a SAG-AFTRA panel on Tuesday, Nov. 29, Lauren Graham weighed in on one of the more pressing issues from the revival: what the heck was up with the Gilmores' treatment of Rory's poor, neglected boyfriend, Paul (Jack Carpenter)? Instead of an actual character, Paul was more a punchline than anything. The Ann Veal of Gilmore Girls, if you will. (Raise your hand if you're now mad about the missed opportunity for an Ann/egg/bland joke with Mae Whitman here. Come on!) But Graham said that she hasn't really read any of the feedback about the Gilmores' negative treatment of him. "We don't pay attention to anything. We don't know. None of us are on the internet almost at all. I know what you mean [about the Gilmores constantly insulting him], but the show has a sense of humor and that's its sense of humor," she said in the panel, which was live streamed to Facebook. Rather than examine how Paul was treated, Graham said she considered it a joke above all else. "I just thought it was a funny runner. The whole show has a kind of heightened theatrical quality," she said, later adding, "To me, it was just more of a metaphor that this isn't the right guy and this is how they communicate about it." Costar Scott Patterson had an even simpler take on the whole situation: "Paul was the sacrificial lamb and he knew it," he said. "The audience knew it!" What did you think of the Gilmore women's treatment of Rory's apparently unimpressive boyfriend? Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life is now streaming on Netflix. (Eonline)

How Did The CW's DC Superhero Crossover Affect The Flash? There are still two hours to go in The CW's big DC TV crossover week, as the teams from The Flash, Arrow, Legends of Tomorrow and Supergirl fight off the alien Dominators who have invaded Earth-1. But the first of the three episodes has already been quite eventful for your favorite DC superheroes. A quick recap, for those who missed the night's installment: A meteor landed in Central City, but it wasn't a meteor after all -- it was an alien spaceship, and it turns out that the aliens are the Dominators (and the government has known about them since the '50s).While they said they came in peace, it doesn't really appear that is the case -- you know, since they kidnapped and killed the president and all. After Barry (Grant Gustin) and Cisco (Carlos Valdes) recruited Kara (Melissa Benoist) to join the fight, everyone from Team Flash, Team Arrow and Team Legends gathered to train together. While there, Stein (Victor Garber) told Barry about a recording he found from Future Barry saying not to trust anyone, and Cisco forced Barry to tell everyone about Flashpoint. As if that weren't dramatic enough, the aliens mind controlled half the heroes to fight against the others (don't worry, Barry fixed it) before, at the end of the episode, abducting Oliver (Stephen Amell), Thea (Willa Holland), Ray (Brandon Routh), Sara (Caity Lotz) and Diggle (David Ramsey). To be continued! While the whole alien invasion situation will take a few more hours to fight off, we learned plenty about what's to come on The Flash after the first hour of the crossover event. For starters: Wally West (Keiynan Lonsdale) is destined to become Kid Flash, no matter how badly Iris (Candice Patton), Joe (Jesse L. Martin) and Barry (Grant Gustin) try to stop him. So he's enlisted H.R.'s (Tom Cavanagh) help instead -- which will clearly only end badly. "It will not go well, as assumed," says executive producer Andrew Kreisberg. "What I love about this version of Wells...[is that] he is a genius in his own way. He's not a mathematical genius and he's not a physics genius the way the other Welles were. But he has the capacity to see it in other people, and he has the capacity to see other people's talent and how to mine it and how to grow it. He sees that in Wally." He continues, "It's an interesting relationship because a version of Wells was so important to Barry in season one, and a version of Wells was so important to Cisco in season two, and then this year it's Wally who gets this version of Wells that on the face of it may not be the world's greatest teacher, and yet every episode we find that moment for him to drop this wisdom bomb on everybody else that shocks them. It's kind of why they let him stay around when he's not providing any actual true value to the team -- he really does have this value in keeping the team together." Although Wally's storyline wasn't necessarily connected to the wider crossover story, it was important that the producers not ignore the major cliffhanger we saw at the end of last week's episode. "I think one of the things we always try to do, especially with the crossovers, is not make it feel like all of a sudden we're in this evergreen world that's completely disconnected to everything that's been happening previously," Kreisberg says. "At the end of [The Flash] episode 307, Wally became a speedster. That's huge. That's big news. To sort of gloss over that and not have anybody react, considering the myriad of reactions Joe has had to Barry becoming a speedster and Iris finding out, it felt like we'd be doing a disservice to the people who were watching The Flash and enjoying it." Plus, having the rest of the superheroes there provided a great distraction from the tremendous development that just happened. "Also, this was a good opportunity to advance Wally's story in terms of -- they all kind of got over their, 'Oh God, Wally is a speedster,' within the course of this giant episode where, what was the point of making sure Wally stays out of danger if the world is going to be destroyed by aliens? Him stepping into the fray and getting a little taste of things felt like it was an opportunity rather than something that we had to service because the story was telling us to." We'll find out what repercussions Wally's newfound power -- and new training regimen -- will have when The Flash returns for its fall finale on Tuesday, Dec. 6 at 8 p.m. on The CW. (Eonline)

Is There a Future for Ben and Lauren? Ben Higgins and Lauren Bushnell Weigh In on Season 2. The future of Ben and Lauren seems uncertain, and more ways than one. The first season finale of Ben Higgins and Lauren Bushnell's Freeform series just aired, which means we're now wondering if there's a season two in store for the couple, who recently halted the plans for their wedding. Before the finale, Higgins and Bushnell sat down with E! news' Erin Lim to give us an update, but so far, there isn't one. "We really don't know," Bushnell says of a potential season two. "We're trying not to think too far. Until that's something that's actually presented to us, we haven't really even thought about it." Ben and Lauren's wedding is also TBD ever since Ben decided to call it off in a recent episode, but that doesn't mean that plans have come completely to a halt. "She still brings up the cake and the dress and the food sometimes, so no, not completely to a halt," Higgins says. "I'd say it just doesn't have the immediacy as it did before." As for whether that eventual wedding will air on TV, that's also up in the air. "I have no idea. A lot of that isn't fully up to us," Bushnell explains. "So we're trying not to really think about like, is it going to be on TV, or where are we going to live in 10 years. There are so many unanswered questions and so many things that aren't necessarily in our control, so we're just trying to enjoy the time now." One thing that is not up in the air is the next Bachelor! The new season premieres in just a few weeks (January 2, to be exact), with Nick Viall taking Ben's place as the star, and while they have spoken since filming wrapped, Higgins would rather watch than be spoiled. "I know how it is to be in that situation, so I don't want to pressure him to 'hey what happened, give me the answers, tell me every detail,'" he explains. "I'm gonna watch it, and I'm going to respect him with that, because I know that he's gone through this and he's put his relationship in front of people, and I want to just be a fan now. But I think what I do want to do is be there for Nick to let him know he's not alone." The Bachelor premieres Monday, January 2 at 8 p.m. on ABC. (Eonline)

Matt Lauer is staying put at "Today." The anchor has re-signed his contract with the NBC morning show -- Page Six has exclusively learned -- which will keep him as co-host for at least two more years at $20 million per year. Multiple sources said that Lauer inked the new contract months ago. "The new deal will take him well into 2018," said a source familiar with the deal. But another NBC insider said that Lauer's new "multiyear" pact could actually be longer. Meanwhile, sources told Page Six that behind the scenes, Noah Oppenheim -- the executive in charge at "Today" -- is weighing re-signing his own contract, which is ending in early 2017. He's also the screenwriter of the new Portman movie, "Jackie," which has been getting Oscar buzz for the actress. Either way, Lauer's move brings stability to the show after a recently bumpy ride -- with the arrival and quick, dramatic departure of Billy Bush, formerly of NBCUniversal's "Access Hollywood." Bush began on the show after the summer Olympics but was bounced by mid-October after that now-infamous tape from 2005 captured him having a lewd conversation with Donald Trump. Al Roker, Hoda Kotb, Billy Bush and Matt Lauer in Rio for the "Today" show's Olympics coverage Photo: Joe Scarnici/NBC Reports earlier this year said Lauer could leave "Today" after the election. Then again, there was also rampant speculation he would exit back in 2014, before he signed his previous two-year deal, also for $20 million a year. Any alleged heirs apparent to Lauer's seat, from Bush to "Sunday Today" host Willie Geist and former "Good Morning America"-turned-NBC Sports anchor Josh Elliott have fallen by the wayside. In September, Lauer weathered criticism for how he moderated a live prime-time forum with Trump and Hillary Clinton. But "Today" has been on a ratings roll recently, beating "GMA" as No. 1 with adults in the coveted 25-to-54-year-old demographic for 63 of the past 64 weeks. The show has some added competition, with "CBS This Morning" reportedly gaining some ratings ground in third place. Reps did not comment. (Page Six)

Derek Hough is leaving "Dancing With the Stars," because when Jennifer Lopez requests your presence, you don't say no. The longtime "Dancing" instructor will be joining JLo's upcoming NBC dance competition "World of Dance" as a judge, along with R&B singer and dancer Ne-Yo. Hough, in his blog for TVGuide.com earlier this month, hinted that he had some other projects in the pipeline and didn't know if he would be back for "Dancing's" 24th season. Now it's official -- he'll be with J.Lo and Ne-Yo at the judges' table when "World of Dance" premieres next year. "Jennifer, Derek and Ne-Yo are three of the most accomplished dancers of their generation, and their incredible insight from the judges' table will be both inspiring and wholly constructive to the world-class level of dancers who are competing on the show," Universal Television Alternative Studio President Meredith Ahr said in a statement. "We feel so very honored that the three of them are giving back to the dance community in this way." Hough will next be seen in NBC's musical "Hairspray Live!" on Dec. 7. While Ne-Yo has been making hit songs for over a decade, he got to really show off his dance chops as the Tin Man in last year's "The Wiz Live!" "World of Dance" is a dance competition show where three age divisions of dancers duke it out until only one act, solo or group, is left in each division. Then the top three will compete against each other for a million-dollar prize and the title of "Best In the World." Lopez started her career as a backup dancer on the sketch comedy show "In Living Color." Before "World of Dance," she was a judge on "American Idol." (Fox News)

MTV's New Chief on His Strategy to Lure Millennials. Chris McCarthy is slashing shows ('Prison High'? 'Air Sex'?!) and focusing on "everything it is to be young" in a fresh bid to retool the struggling network. MTV president Chris McCarthy is cleaning house just a month into the job. The third leader of the youth-targeting network in the past two years has led Viacom sibling VH1 to its biggest ratings growth in 15 years in 2016 and hopes to bring MTV back into the daily conversation. That means eliminating several unscripted series that don't resonate with his brand vision, including Prison High, Air Sex, Almost Impossible Game Show, Acting Out, Down to Earth and Stupid Man, Smart Phone, with more potentially joining them on the scrap heap as McCarthy looks to focus more on quality and less on quantity. (Safe for now are shows that are working that hit the right notes -- like ratings hit Teen Mom, though that could be refreshed in the spirit of early episodes of flagship 16 and Pregnant.) "The opportunity for MTV is to embody everything it is to be young -- optimistic, hopeful, idealistic, diverse, messy and fun," McCarthy tells THR of his strategy. "Music is a huge part of that, and we will be doing even more music programming. But it's not the only part of it. If we zero in solely on music, we're limiting our brand." As part of the change in unscripted direction -- which insiders stress will focus on universal moments similar to previous hits The Hills, Jersey Shore and Laguna Beach -- head of programming Michael Klein stepped down Nov. 28 following a six-month run and was replaced by VH1's Nina Diaz, who was promoted to head of unscripted at both networks. Klein's exit came a month after McCarthy replaced Sean Atkins, who stepped down after a year on the job in which he failed to produce a new hit and stem a ratings erosion. Year-over-year, MTV is down 11 percent among its core 18-to-34 demographic and has suffered from creative inconsistencies. "MTV has no brand; no one knows what it is," gripes one agent. "It has to be something or it's going to die." Still, amid broader troubles at Viacom's cable networks, MTV's 2015 revenue was a relatively strong $1.25 billion, according to SNL Kagan (though off from $1.36 billion in 2014). Cash flow, a measure of profitability, was $438 million in 2015, down from $564 million in 2014. Insiders say McCarthy is looking for more live fare and other ways to build out events like the VMAs with activities that engage elusive millennial viewers beyond the screen(s). On the scripted side, comedies Loosely Exactly Nicole and Mary + Jane are on the bubble as McCarthy eyes new music stories and content that strike an emotional chord for millennials and older viewers the way Awkward did when it put MTV on the scripted map. (Mina Lefevre will continue to oversee scripted at MTV, and Maggie Malina will do the same at VH1.) The challenge is significant, notes S&P Global Market Intelligence analyst Scott Robson: "They're struggling for a hit, and there's been a lull between Jersey Shore and their last big hit. It's hard to gain traction with millennials there." (Hollywood Reporter)

DirecTV's Risky Streaming Launch: No CBS, No NFL Sunday Ticket. AT&T's long-awaited DirecTV Now includes such channels as AMC and Disney along with future VOD channels from Reese Witherspoon's production company and Taylor Swift -- but not Showtime. Call them "chubby bundles." AT&T's long-awaited DirecTV Now streaming service, which launched Wednesday, offers packages ranging from 60-plus to more than 120 channels for $35 to $70 per month, in the hopes of giving viewers everything they want. Everything but CBS and Showtime, that is. CBS Corp. is the only major entertainment company that hasn't inked a content deal with DirecTV Now, but talks between the parties are underway, AT&T Entertainment Group CEO John Stankey said when he unveiled details about the service on Nov. 28. CBS, whose chief Leslie Moonves has called the company's output "must-have content," hasn't said why it has declined to be part of DirecTV Now, but it likely boils down to a disagreement over fees. Plus, CBS has its own service, CBS All Access, that is on its way to 8 million subscribers by 2020 and boasts exclusive original series such as the upcoming Star Trek: Discovery and The Good Wife spinoff The Good Fight. And Moonves is angling to bring NFL games to the service (Stankey said DirecTV also is talking to the NFL about eventually adding NFL Sunday Ticket to its offerings). Observers say playing hardball is a gamble for both parties. "It's going to make a really interesting test case," says Northlake Capital Management's Steve Birenberg. "It seems risky for CBS, as it could succeed without them, and that would not only hurt CBS but weaken all content providers' negotiating position." AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson's repeated promise of "100 premium channels" includes the most popular broadcast and cable networks from AMC, Discovery, Disney, Fox, NBCUniversal, Viacom and Time Warner. AT&T also announced future original VOD channels from Reese Witherspoon's new Hello Sunshine production company and Taylor Swift. But will DirecTV Now's biggest competition be itself? Grand View University communications professor Stephen Winzenburg thinks so: "DirecTV priced it attractively, but instead of drawing subscribers away from competitors, it may cause some of its current subscribers to downgrade." (Hollywood Reporter)