ENTERTAINMENT NEWS

The Walking Dead's Steve Yeun's Wife Is Pregnant. The Walking Dead's Steve Yeun has yet another reason to celebrate this week because he and his wife Joana Pak are expecting a baby in the coming year. E! News has learned that the actor's longtime girlfriend in pregnant with the couple's first child together. His rep had no comment. Yeun and Pak had quite a weekend to remember as the two actually tied the knot over the weekend in front of several members of their families, friends and even a few of Yeun's co-stars on the hit AMC show at the Paramour Estate in the Silver Lake neighborhood. The gorgeous bride wore a strapless ball gown which featured a purple, floral-adorned empire waist. Pak paired the dress with a side braid, colorful earrings and a stunning purple and pink bouquet. And by the looks of things on social media, guests from the show including Norman Reedus, Chandler Riggs, Alanna Masterson, Andrew Lincoln, Melissa McBride, Sarah Wayne Callies and Emma Bell. It's quite an exciting time for the newly minted Mr. and Mrs. Yeun -- congratulations to both on their happy wedding and family news! Us Weekly first reported the pregnancy news. (Eonline)

Pink Laughs Off Rumors She & Carey Hart Headed for Split. No "s--tty" marriage here! Pink took to Instagram early Wednesday to respond to a reported printed in the Australian tabloid New Idea that said she and husband Carey Hart were headed for a breakup, months after she became pregnant with their second child. "Apparently @hartluck I HAVE HAD IT!!!!!!!" she joked. "So you better fix this s--t, whatever it is, cause it's obviously BAD. Just s--tty! And before you leave can you please teach me how to set the alarm? I can't wait to take over your closet!!!!!! #moreclothes #ivehaditwiththiss--t." Pink, 37, and Hart, a 41-year-old retired BMX racer, wed in 2006 and have separated twice before getting back together before their daughter Willow Hart was born in 2011. This past May, Pink talked to Ellen DeGeneres about how after 10 years together, she and Hart sometimes need time apart. "We take breaks. We've had two breaks," the singer said, adding she's "due" for another break from her husband. During the interview, Pink also called Hart an "incredible dad." She announced her current pregnancy via a baby bump pic with the couple's daughter in November. "I feel like I have two kids right now," she joked on GMA in May. "I would like a third. No, I want to say that Carey Hart's an awesome husband and a really good dad, but he's also like a second child." (Eonline)

Emmy Rossum Reveals Designer of Her Wedding Dress. Emmy Rossum said yes to the dress! The Shameless star revealed to E! News exclusively that she tapped renowned designer Carolina Herrera to create what is sure to be a most stunning gown. "You'll find out tonight," the bride-to-be initially teased at An Evening Honoring Carolina Herrera in New York City Tuesday evening, before adding, "Yeah, she'll be making it. That's all I'll say!" Emmy said, "Yes!" to Mr. Robot creator Sam Esmail in August 2015, and after shooting down marriage speculation over the summer, it looks like the actress and her leading man are closer than ever to the big day! And given Rossum's gorgeous wardrobe, it's no wonder Herrera has the honor of dressing the actress before she walks down the aisle. After wearing Carolina Herrera at the New York Botanical Garden's 2015 Conservatory Ball, Emmy thanked the fashion mogul on Instagram for the glam look. "Look at how fabulous she is, like a fashion fairy godmother watching over to be sure the fit is perfect! She is kind, elegant, wickedly funny and I'm lucky to call Carolina my friend," Rossum wrote. She also attended Carolina's New York Fashion Week show earlier this year. Last fall, Rossum played coy about her wedding plans during an interview with E! News' Marc Malkin: "We're just chilling for a hot second. I'm not even answering my family who asks me. I know everything. I'm just not sharing it. I'm honestly just chilling and enjoying it for now." Emmy, 30, and Sam, 39, started dating in 2013 after casting her in his directorial debut, Comet. Congrats, Emmy! We can't wait to see the final look. (Eonline)

Sorry Little Monsters, Lady Gaga and ex-fiance Taylor Kinney are not back together -- despite a pic of him with her mom -- the exes are just doing the conscious uncoupling thing. Gaga and Kinney called it quits in July after 5 years together, so fans freaked when he showed up on Gaga's Instagram this week. Sources tell us they still have a great relationship and talk from time to time. Kinney happened to be in NYC and found out Gaga's Born This Way Foundation was doing the Shared Kindness event at 30 Rock. Gaga's in Europe but her mom, Cynthia, helps run the foundation and Taylor offered to help her out. Gaga was moved enough to post the pic of them at the fundraiser. (TMZ)

Mariah Carey is spotted out with rumored new love interest Bryan Tanaka. But what's going on there?! Following her recent split with James Packer, Mariah has been spending a lot of time with Bryan, including a trip to the beach. The pair were seen entering a restaurant in New York following the first few performances of her Christmas show at Beacon Theatre. Mariah sported a bodycon cut-out black dress, while Bryan opted for a simple red tee, grey jeans and leather jacket. They were later seen in more casual attire as seen in the photo. Bryan had previously commented to E! News: "I've always had a thing for Mariah. I love her so much," and encouraged fans to tune in to Mariah's new docu-series to find out more about their relationship. (British Glamour)

Paula Patton Returns to Social Media After 2-Year Hiatus, See Her Apologetic Message to Her Fans. Yes, it's been two long years since Paula Patton has hopped on social media, but she decided there was no better time to return to Twitter than Tuesday night. The actress tweeted her first message in months earlier this evening and asked fans for their forgiveness during her lengthy hiatus. "Please forgive my long absence," she started out by writing before adding, "Feeling so grateful for every second of this life. If any of you are still out there, thank you & I'm sorry!" Her last tweet, on April 7, 2014, was a photograph taken at Dodger's Stadium with her son Julian on his birthday. And while The Perfect Match star's social media hasn't exactly been top of mind for her, she recently admitted to E! News that she's open to finding love again following her split from Robin Thicke. The longtime couple parted ways in February of 2014 after almost nine years of marriage and their divorce was finalized in April 2015. "I think there is probably a perfect match for different times in your life," she explained to us. "I think you have to define perfect. Nothing in life is perfect like that. People argue. People have fights. But that's how you get through it, get to the other side, compromise and then you're like, 'I think I met my perfect match. They've helped me grow... and I love them in spite of it all.'" (Eonline)

Lady Gaga Writes an Open Letter About Living With PTSD. Lady Gaga wants to remove the stigma from PTSD. After revealing her diagnosis in a Today segment that aired Monday on NBC, the "Perfect Illusion" singer published an open letter via her Born This Way Foundation's website Tuesday. For five years, the 30-year-old pop music superstars said she "wrestled" with whether she should share her story publicly. "There is a lot of shame attached to mental illness," Gaga explained, "but it's important that you know that there is hope and a chance for recovery." From the outside looking in, few would guess Gaga has PTSD. "It is a daily effort for me, even during this album cycle, to regulate my nervous system so that I don't panic over circumstances that to many would seem like normal life situations," she wrote. "Examples are leaving the house or being touched by strangers who simply want to share their enthusiasm for my music." "I also struggle with triggers from the memories I carry from my feelings of past years on tour when my needs and requests for balance were being ignored," she said. "I was overworked and not taken seriously when I shared my pain and concern that something was wrong. I ultimately ended up injured on the Born This Way Ball. That moment and the memory of it has changed my life forever. The experience of performing night after night in mental and physical pain ingrained in me a trauma that I relive when I see or hear things that remind me of those days." PTSD has affected the musician's life in other ways, too. Gaga explained that she often experiences dissociation, "which means that my mind doesn't want to relive the pain so 'I look off and I stare' in a glazed over state. As my doctors have taught me, I cannot express my feelings because my pre-frontal cortex (the part of the brain that controls logical, orderly thought) is overridden by the amygdala (which stores emotional memory) and sends me into a fight or flight response. My body is in one place and my mind in another. It's like the panic accelerator in my mind gets stuck and I am paralyzed with fear." It's a debilitating feeling, as the "Million Reasons" singer "can't talk" when she's in a dissociative state. "When this happens repeatedly, it makes me have a common PTSD reaction, which is that I feel depressed and unable to function like I used to. It's harder to do my job," she explained. "It's harder to do simple things like take a shower. Everything has become harder." "Additionally, when I am unable to regulate my anxiety, it can result in somatization," Gaga said, "which is pain in the body caused by an inability to express my emotional pain in words." But as her Little Monsters well know, Gaga isn't one to give up. In fact, she refuses to be defined by her diagnosis. "I am a strong and powerful woman who is aware of the love I have around me from my team, my family and friends, my doctors and from my incredible fans who I know will never give up on me," she wrote. "I will never give up on my dreams of art and music. I am continuing to learn how to transcend this because I know I can." "If you relate to what I am sharing," Gaga added, "please know that you can too." Gaga decided to share her story so that others in similar situations feel less alone and seek proper treatment. "Traditionally, many associate PTSD as a condition faced by brave men and women that serve countries all over the world. While this is true, I seek to raise awareness that this mental illness affects all kinds of people, including our youth. I pledge not only to help our youth not feel ashamed of their own conditions, but also to lend support to those servicemen and women who suffer from PTSD," she wrote. "No one's invisible pain should go unnoticed." Gaga first revealed she has a mental illness while volunteering on behalf of the #ShareKindness campaign, Today and NBCUniversal's celebration of kind acts both big and small. She serenaded LGTBQ youth at the Ali Forney Center in Harlem, and she also donated clothing. For Gaga, it's important for people to see that recovery is possible. "I am doing various modalities of psychotherapy and am on medicine prescribed by my psychiatrist. However, I believe that the most inexpensive and perhaps the best medicine in the world is words," she wrote. "Kind words...positive words...words that help people who feel ashamed of an invisible illness to overcome their shame and feel free. This is how I and we can begin to heal. I am starting today, because secrets keep you sick. And I don't want to keep this secret anymore." (Eonline)

Alec and Hilaria Baldwin Open Up About Raising Their Children: "Carmen's First Language Is Spanish." Hilaria and Alec Baldwin just make it look easy! The couple and their kids, who are HOLA! USA's cover stars, open up about how they met, upcoming projects and raising their three beautiful children. When it comes to the pair's three-year-old daughter, Hilaria reveals that teaching her daughter her native language is crucial and she's already speaking two languages at home. "Carmen's first language is Spanish. I only speak Spanish with her...and with Alec she is smart enough to know that she needs to switch to English," Hilaria explains. "Alec's Spanish is getting better and better. His accent is very good." We seriously applaud that! Hilaria said that many people think that she and her husband met in a yoga class, but they didn't. Instead, they met because of yoga. The yoga instructor, who was born in Majorca, Spain, has made Alec brush up on his Spanish among other things. "My Spanish can only get better. It can only improve...maybe by the time I'm 90, I will nail it," he said before adding. "I love Madrid. I think it's one of my favorite cities in the world." The actor, who is currently portraying President-elect Donald Trump on NBC's Saturday Night Live, admits that he's glad that people find the skits funny. "But at the same time, I think people were very worried about the election," he said. "Both sides are very passionate so it's been a very, very difficult time in this country. I haven't felt like this in a long, long time." When it comes to his wife, the star thinks that she offers more of a philosophy. "She wants to open up minds to allow to change," he explained. Hilaria's The Living Clearly Method: 5 Principles for a Fit Body, Healthy Mind & Joyful Life will go on sale Dec. 27. "It has been a very natural process...I've been teaching for 12 years now...you don't become a yoga teach for the teachings, you do it because you love it. Teaching is very fulfilling because every day I go home feeling like I helped people. Putting ideas into a book means I can help even more people by getting the book into everyone's hands," she said. In her upcoming book, Baldwin reveals lifestyle secrets but admits that although sleeping is crucial, she isn't getting much of it because they are still co-sleeping with their newborn son Leonardo. The couple also has one-year-old son Rafael. "It all comes down to eating right. Sleeping is also imperative, but I'm not able to really do that right now. Whatever you eat is what you see," she said. (Eonline)

Dane Cook Shames Nick Cannon for Wearing a Turban: Here's How He Responded. Dane Cook has found himself in some hot water over controversial comments he made regarding Nick Cannon's turban. The America's Got Talent host has been wearing the head piece for years, admitting it reflects his spirituality among other things. However, when he rocked a pink turban during the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show (which aired Monday), it apparently sent Cook over the edge. The comedian took to Instagram Tuesday to share a close-up of Cannon's ensemble and went off on him. "Last night Nick Cannon wore this shit," Cook began in the caption. "He put this on his head and he looked in a mirror and he walked away from the mirror without saying to himself, 'Hey self mayyyyyybe I shouldn't look like Zoltan and wear a [f--king] pink turban with one of the infinity stones from Avengers on it." He continued, "He wore a matching tie and bottom lip lipstick too to match this horrific clothing mistake x10000...This pic makes me so frustrated that I want to delete it already and I think I will because this makes me want to quit Instagram. Don't get me wrong Nick is a good guy and he and I go way back but I'm gonna have to call Nick out here and say he Cannon't wear this [f--king] thing again." Though many commenters (over 500, in fact) took it upon themselves to stand up for Cannon and explain to Cook why the post was "ignorant" and "disrespectful," the actor made sure to respond on his own as well. Cannon also took to Instagram to respond, sharing a collage of himself wearing different turbans with the caption, "Yo @DaneCook call me so I can explain this Muthaf--kin King Business to you!! #MoorishMindset #SikhLife #ReconditioningOurCommunities." It doesn't look like Cook's comments will keep Cannon from wearing anything, let alone his turban. In fact, just last month, Cannon opened up to People magazine about why he chooses to wear the head piece, which represents more than just a fashion statement in his eyes. "I want to represent my inner king, and to do it in a fly way," he said. "It's a great conversation piece but it also allows me to express that spiritual side... I have a good time with it, but it actually does mean a lot to me." (Eonline)

Kardashian Companies Don't Want Blac Chyna to Trademark Their Famous Name. Blac Chyna may not be allowed to use her future Kardashian name for profit after all. In May, the Rob & Chyna star, who just gave birth to her and Rob Kardashian's first child, filed an application with the United States Patent and Trademark Office on behalf of her company Lashed LLC. to trademark what will become her married name -- Angela Renee Kardashian. If her request is granted, she would have the sole right to use the name for advertising and entertainment services, such as TV, movie and promotional appearances. However, Rob's sisters Khloe Kardashian, Kourtney Kardashian and Kim Kardashian's companies are not cool with this. Last week, attorneys for the trio's corporations Khloemoney Inc., 2Die4Kourt and Kimsaprincess Inc. filed papers to formally oppose her registration to try to trademark her future married name. The Kardashian sisters' names are all trademarked. According to the documents, obtained by E! News, the attorneys believe the companies will each "suffer damage, including irreparable injury, to their reputation and goodwill" if her request is granted. "Their trademark attorneys automatically oppose anyone trying to trademark 'Kardashian,'" a family source told E! News exclusively. "I doubt the girls were even aware." "Everyone loves each other," the source added. "It's just business." The sisters' companies' filing states that they "own and control the rights in the 'Kardashian' brand and related trademarks and services marks." They say they have "spent, and continue to invest, a substantial amount of time, resources and money in protecting, advertising and promoting the 'Kardashian' marks" and that "the public has come to associate goods and services bearing the 'Kardashian' marks" with them. Khloe, Kourtney and Kim's companies accuse Blac Chyna's of "deliberately seeking to profit from the goodwill and popularity" of their "Kardashian" marks. They say that each of them will be damaged by her future name registration, which is "likely to cause confusion, or to cause mistake, or to deceive consumers." Blac Chyna has not responded to their filing. She has until Jan. 10 to do so and the case could go to trial. (Eonline)

Shannen Doherty's husband isn't ready to let her biz managers off the hook for her breast cancer diagnosis -- he's filed his own lawsuit, on the heels of Shannen settling hers. Kurt Iswarienko says the managing team destroyed his sex life with Shannen. In his suit, he echoes what Shannen said in hers -- that Tanner Mainstain Glynn & Johnson let her health insurance policy lapse, and therefore delayed her diagnosis. In the docs, obtained by TMZ, Kurt also claims the firm mismanaged his funds, and got him mixed up in bad loans over the years that ruined his credit. TMZ broke the story -- Shannen and the managers reached a settlement of her $15 million lawsuit back in August. (TMZ)

The cop who cited a "Django Unchained" actress for having sex in public has been called out for leaking audio of the incident, and it's gonna cost him some dough. The L.A. Ethics Commission ruled Tuesday former LAPD Sergeant Jim Parker broke city rules by releasing the audio to TMZ following the 2014 incident with Daniele Watts, who Parker busted for having sex with her BF in their car in broad daylight. The Commission said Parker was sharing confidential info related to the case when he released it, so he'll now have to pay a $500 fine ... instead of the max $10,000 he was facing. You'll recall ... when Parker and his partner responded to the scene, Watts played the race card big time. She later apologized to the officers, and pled no contest to the charges. (TMZ)

THE OTHER STUFF . . .

Loving Star Ruth Negga Scores First Vogue Cover. Ruth Negga might not be a name you knew very well before, but it's certainly a name you'll continue to hear from here on out. "I've been working. Keeping a low profile -- until bam!" she says. "Nothing slow and steady about me." The actress, who stars in the Oscar-buzzy film Loving with Joel Edgerton, has nabbed her first Vogue cover, appearing on the January 2017 issue of the famed magazine. Shot by Mario Testino, the cover features the gorgeous Irish-Ethiopian actress in an Alexander Wang rose-covered crop top with a Rodarte ear cuff. Loving tells the story of Mildred and Richard Loving, the real-life interracial couple whose mission to be considered legally married became a landmark civil rights case in the Supreme Court. Negga's biracial background and upbringing has made her very passionate about her culture, and she tells Vogue that the lack of diversity in Hollywood is only just now "becoming an embarrassment" despite being "unacceptable for a long time." That's why she's grateful for Loving. "The film is reminding us that there's a conversation that we need to be having still," she tells the publication. But the film, which obviously features a powerful message, is directed in a more restrained, low-key way. As a result, Negga implores viewers to focus on the movie's meaning because that's where the importance lies. "It does annoy Joel and me when people say it's a quiet film," she reveals. "Because it doesn't feel very quiet to us. It feels really loud." This "loud" film, she hopes, will be the game changer of her career. "There's often a job that's a 'before and after' for an actor," Negga suggests. "This is that kind of job for me." (Eonline)

Designers "Flatly Refused" to Dress Ashley Graham for British Vogue, Editor-in-Chief Reveals. Ashley Graham is forging a new path in fashion, but some designers are not as willing to follow suit. As a vocal body diversity advocate, the 28-year-old cover girl has long championed for models with fuller figures. However, it seems she still needs someone to stand up for her. After Graham made her debut on the cover of British Vogue for the January issue, Editor-in-Chief Alexandra Shulman revealed that some designers "flatly refused" to dress the star for the shoot. "The shoot was put together fairly last-minute and we are all very grateful to the people at Coach who, under the creative direction of Stuart Vevers, moved speedily to provide clothes for us that had to come from outside their sample range," the magazine's longest serving editor penned her monthly Editor's Letter. "They were enthusiastic about dressing a woman who is not a standard model, but sadly there were other houses that flatly refused to lend us their clothes." While Graham is one of the few full-figured women to grace the cover of the iconic magazine, Shulman agrees it's a necessary direction. "It seems strange to me that while the rest of the world is desperate for fashion to embrace broader definitions of physical beauty, some of our most famous fashion brands appear to be travelling in the opposite-and, in my opinion, unwise- direction," she wrote. Graham is certainly not the first famous person to experience such rejection from the fashion industry. SNL star Leslie Jones was famously ignored when she sought sartorial help for a red carpet premiere. "It's so funny how there are no designers wanting to help me with a premiere dress for movie," she tweeted in late June. "Hmmm that will change and I remember everything." A few days later, she stepped out on the red carpet for the premiere of Ghostbusters in a stunning crimson gown by Christian Siriano. "It takes a real designer to design for real women," Jones told E!'s Erin Lim at the time. "That's what I was saying. I'll always say that." Her co-star, Melissa McCarthy, has also spoken publicly about her own struggles finding red carpet clothing. It was such a challenge, the comedian started making her own pieces and later designed her own line to cater to women outside the sample size range. "I started a clothing line 'cause I couldn't shop, I couldn't get stuff, I had to have all my stuff made and I thought, 'This is madness,'" she told E!'s Marc Malkin. "We come in every shape, size, color, height and everything and they should serve that." (Eonline)

Social media's latest trending hashtag, #2006vs2016, encourages people to share how much they have (or haven't!) changed over the past 10 years. For model Tess Holliday, the decade has shown her that "anything is possible." The 31-year-old took to Instagram on Tuesday to participate in the challenge, posting strikingly similar side-by-side snaps while reflecting on how far she has come. "These photos were taken almost exactly 10 years apart, and when I realized it I had to share," she captioned the split image, which shows Holliday in 2006 holding then-infant son Rylee alongside Holliday in 2016 holding 6-month-old son Bowie Juniper. "The first is of a scared 21-year-old woman in Mississippi who just moved home, became a single mom, had no job, no money, and a dream of one day being a model or makeup artist," she wrote, referencing the 2006 image. "I was constantly worried about our future and ached to make a mark in the world, to be able to support myself and son doing something I loved." "Now, 10 years later, my oldest son (in the first photo) turns 11 next month and his little brother is 6 months old today," she explained, adding a tearful emoji. "Not only am I supporting my family doing something I love, I have a supportive partner and I'm a freakin' size 22 model!" The transformation still shocks Holliday. "Sometimes I don't think I fully comprehend how amazing it is that my dream not only came true, [but also] it shattered the expectations of what society said a model 'should' look like," she said. Holliday added, "If only 10 years ago I could have told that girl that one day she would be here, living my life... hell I wouldn't have believed it! Here's to the next 10 years, I'm ready. "Remember, anything is possible!!" she said, adding her own favorite hashtag, "#effyourbeautystandards." As for regrets, Holliday seems to have at least one: "I hoped I burned that shirt on the left," she wrote, referring to her black-and-white patterned top from 2006. Despite all the adversity she faced over the years, Holliday -- who is engaged to fiance Nick Holliday-never gave up on her dreams to make it as a model. "I just knew that I could do it," she previously told PEOPLE. "I wasn't the best, and I still am not the best. They key to it is just doing it." (People)

Oooh, that's gotta burn! Best friends are supposed to keep it real, and Oprah Winfrey is no exception. When co-anchor Gayle King appeared on the Tuesday, December 6, episode of CBS This Morning, Winfrey had something to say about her best friend's red and green statement bib necklace. "Note @oprah sent to my asst this am 'plz tell Gayle I'm on treadmill & it's hard to focus w/the circus around your neck,'" King, 61, captioned a December 6 Instagram, screengrabbing her ensemble. "I think she's WRONG thoughts?" King's followers weighed in, complimenting her ability of accessorizing. "I was thinking how much I love it. I never thought I would disagree with Oprah!" @ameebeth70 wrote. Others sided with the OWN Network CEO, like @juanitab150: "She's right... It's WAY TOO MUCH!! That's what friends are for... To tell us truths we don't want to hear," she said. This isn't the first time that Winfrey served a helping of harsh truth to her dear friend of over 30 years. In November 2015, the O magazine creator, 62, jokingly criticized King, who's the publication's editor-at-large, for her on-camera makeup. "@Oprah just called & said tell your makeup artist waaaay too red on the lips today and I said proudly 'I did that MYSELF,'" she explained in an Instagram. "Dead silence on the line ... Hello ??hello?.." (US Weekly)

Royal Scandals: With This Much Attention, Missteps Are Unavoidable. If you've been watching or watched Netflix's The Crown, then you know the royal family is very protective of its reputation and all that -- wait for it -- the crown represents. But the fascination surrounding the royal family has yet to decrease; in fact, interest has only increased in recent years thanks to the Prince William and Kate Middleton's royal wedding, as well as the births of their two children, Prince George and Princess Charlotte. With all eyes on the royal family, it would be impossible not to get into some trouble, which is why royal scandals have become completely unavoidable. Perhaps the only part of a scandal that they can try to control, however, is the severity. Prince Harry has been no stranger to royal controversy over the years. He made headlines once again recently after defending girlfriend Meghan Markle in an official statement via the palace. Prior to that, the redheaded royal seemed to turn it all around after having a tumultuous time growing up in the spotlight. In 2005 Prince Harry was famously photographed leaving a Halloween party where he was dressed as a Nazi. Afterwards he released a statement calling the costume a "poor choice," but that didn't stop the controversy from spreading like wildfire. Years later in 2012, Prince Harry enjoyed a crazy weekend in Las Vegas, but ended up taking it a little too far when he was photographed naked during a game of strip billiards. Let's just say what happens in Vegas didn't stay in Vegas. Of course, Prince Harry isn't the only royal to become embroiled in negative headlines. Before Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge tied the knot, they called it quits for a short period of time. The worldwide reaction, however, couldn't have made the split any easier on either of them. Cruelly dubbed "Waity Katie," Kate later admitted she was devastated by the split, but didn't want to show it, so she maintained an incredibly busy social calendar. One year after Wills and Kate tied the knot, Kate found herself at the center of a photo scandal when publications released topless photos of her. The images of the couple were taken while they were on a balcony of their private residency while on vacation, and they immediately took legal action. The palace released a statement that called the media's actions "reminiscent of the worst excesses" of the paparazzi in Princess Diana's life. While Prince Harry, Prince William and Kate have found themselves at the center of royal scandals in recent years, the rest of the family has had its fair share of headlines, too. Prince Charles and Princess Di's rocky marriage was filled with controversy as a result of both their extramarital affairs. They ultimately divorced, another no-no in the eyes of the royal family. The controversy grew larger after they divorced and a phone conversation between Prince Charles and now-wife Camilla leaked. Known as tampon-gate, the scandal revealed Charles' and Camilla's dirty sides. "Oh god. I'll just live inside your trousers or something. It would be much easier!" Charles joked on the phone call. "What are you going to turn into, a pair of knickers?" said Camilla. "Oh, you're going to come back as a pair of knickers." "Or, God forbid, a Tampax," Charles responded. "Just my luck!" With all eyes -- and ears -- on the royals, it's no wonder they can't get away with anything. (Eonline)

Church of Scientology Denies Claims From Leah Remini's Docu-Series That They Spied on Former Members. The Church of Scientology is fighting back against claims made in the second episode of Leah Remini's docu-series. In Tuesday night's all-new Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath, former member Mike Rinder opens up about his life after leaving the church. At the same time, he drops an allegation that the church may have been watching him with a hidden camera. "We got an anonymous letter in our mail box saying you shouldn't be associating with your neighbor. And I go, 'Wait a minute? Where are they watching from?'" he explained to Leah. "So I walked up around the street and I went, 'Oh, right there.' There's this stupid bird house that I've seen a hundred times, never even giving it a second thought to and so I went and got a ladder and I walked over there, opened the lid and there's a camera inside of the bird house pointing at our house." While a sneak peek of the episode features home video of the camera in question, the church is adamant that Mike cannot be trusted. "Spreading lies and misinformation about Scientology is how Mike Rinder makes his living. Mike Rinder has not stepped inside a Church in nearly a decade. The Church expelled him for severe malfeasance and has had nothing to do with him since," a spokesperson for The Church of Scientology said in a statement to E! News. "Rinder is trying to do what he knows anti-Scientologists have done for years, intentionally misinterpret and unfairly tarnish the Church. The truth is that current Church leadership never has and never would tolerate unethical conduct, which is why individuals like Rinder were removed." The church also guides viewers to their website where it claims they can learn more about Mike including what his family has to say about him. As Leah presents more stories from former church members, the former King of Queens star maintains that the "brave" people who left the church deserve the opportunity to have their voices heard. "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 recently shared with E! News. "With the series, they will hopefully get the acknowledgement they deserve." As for the Church of Scientology, they have repeatedly denied Leah's claims and allegations. "Leah Remini's 'reality' show, like her last one, is nothing more than a scripted, rehearsed, acted and dramatized work of fiction," a previous statement read in part. "She and the other anti-Scientologists in her program have been expelled from the Church for unethical conduct." Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath airs Tuesday night at 10 p.m. on A&E. (Eonline)

Music

Cruz Beckham Drops His First Single: Why He's Officially the Next Justin Bieber. Back in April, proud mom Victoria Beckham shared a video of 11-year-old son Cruz Beckham singing "Hopeful." As soon as fans heard Cruz's high-octave vocals, the comparisons to Justin Bieber started pouring in on the Internet. But now, eight months later, it seems Cruz officially has become the next Bieber. Not only did news break of Cruz signing with manager Scooter Braun, the man responsible for discovering The Biebs, break Tuesday, but Cruz also released his first single Wednesday morning. Titled "If Every Day Was Christmas," the catchy holiday track features romantic lyrics reminiscent of Bieber's 16-year-old singer days. "If everyday was Christmas and I can't be with you / underneath the mistletoe / kiss you when nobody knows," Cruz sings. All proceeds from Cruz's single go to the foundation Global's Make Some Noise. Before Braun and Cruz's first single, the Bieber-Cruz comparisons were strictly theoretical; however, now that he has a manger and a song already on the radio, it's clear this is becoming definitive proof. Cruz, who resides in England most of the time with his A-list family, also has the luck of having instantaneous international appeal, giving his British roots. While "If Every Day Was Christmas" debuted in the U.K., we're sure it'll be playing on U.S. radio in no time, given that it's already available on Apple music. Plus, he already has his mom and dad David Beckham proudly promoting his work on their social media pages. "Not his average morning before school... Proud of my little man with his new Christmas single and also helping children around the UK with the proceeds from this," he captioned a cute video of Cruz waiting for his song to play. "#ifeverydaywaschristmas @cruzbeckham @AppleMusic @globals_make_some_noise." Although Cruz's goal is to raise money for charity (while also trying to launch a music career), some aren't as embracing as his fans and parents. Piers Morgan took to TV, Twitter and his column to slam the Beckham family. "It's not his fault. He's 11," Morgan said on Good Morning Britain. "But how did he manage to release this? It's sickening." Morgan later added, "He should be at school, poor kid." He and Braun also got into an Internet kerfuffle on Twitter. "He is an 11 year old who wanted to make a song to help other kids," Braun tweeted after seeing Morgan's segment. "Once again Piers shows why he is a jackass and why his show was cancelled." "He's an 11yr-old child being cynically pimped out by his famous parents with your collusion," Morgan responded. "Be proud Scooter!" With a new song, a controversy and a manager, it appears Cruz already has the makings of a massive pop star. (Eonline)

Elley Duhe Drops Debut Solo Single 'immortal': Exclusive Premiere. There may be no love in the jungle, but we're feeling a lot of love for Elley Duhe's debut solo single "immortal," premiering exclusively on Billboard. Backed by deep bass mixed with a synth-laced instrumental, Duhe's hauntingly beautiful vocals effortlessly flow throughout the track and tell the story of navigating through life's challenges and growing in the process. Crooning powerful lyrics like "Somebody tell us we will lose/ not me and my crew," she makes the listener feel a sense of strength and empowerment. Speaking about the track, Duhe says," 'immortal' isn't about living forever in a literal sense, it's about never dying mentally, and about human resiliency, loyalty, pushing through life's darkest moments and emerging with even more strength than you had before. It's about knowing your value even if you're at rock bottom, and, most importantly, it's about the people who truly fight with you, for you, and beside you when everyone else is nowhere to be found." The 24-year-old independent artist from Alabama isn't new to releasing powerful music. On Oct. 30 this year, she also teamed up with Tarro to release "Millenium." (Billboard)

Rihanna Shuts Down Beyonce Feud Rumors: "We Don't Need to Be Putting Black Women Against Each Other." Rihanna wants no part of these rumors. The pop star, who recently was honored with eight Grammy Award nominations on Tuesday, has become the center of feud speculation involving her and fellow music icon Beyonce. With coinciding hit albums Lemonade and ANTI, the songstresses were a staple on the nod list this year with a combined 17 nominations. However, some fans mused there would be trouble between the women after Rihanna's album failed to receive nods for Best Album of the Year and Best Song of the Year while Lemonade did. RiRi accidentally added fuel to the fire when she liked a photo with a controversial caption on a fan Instagram account. The caption read, "Congrats and all to @badgalriri and all for her 8 Grammy nods but tbh f--k them because they snubbed her for Song of the Year and Album of the Year." "I think they didn't want her tied or passing someone else *cough cough* [lemon emoji]," the caption continued, referencing Beyonce's latest work. Rihanna issued an additional comment to explain herself. "I never actually read your caption, thought the pic was funny and moved right along!" she wrote in the comments section of the photo. "Til I seen it pop up over and over! I'm petty af, yes. But this is just unnecessary! I wish y'all would drop this topic and see things from the bigger picture! We don't need to be putting black women against each other! We deserve to be celebrated, and the Grammy Academy agrees!" This certainly is not the first time the stars have been pitted against each other over in course of their careers, especially since they're two of the biggest singers of our time. However, Rihanna has kept her head held high above the noise, telling Vogue that it's not something she focuses on. "Here's the deal," she told the publication. "[People] just get so excited to feast on something that's negative. Something that's competitive. Something that's, you know, a rivalry. And that's just not what I wake up to. Because I can only do me. And nobody else is going to be able to do that." Plus, she's looking on the bright side. When another fan Instagram account claimed Rihanna had been snubbed by the Grammy's, she fought back. "How could y'all say that? 8 nominations later! God is great!!!" she reportedly commented. Now, everyone get back to work, work, work, work, work. (Eonline)

D.R.A.M Calls 2017 Grammy Nomination A 'Privilege'. At the center of a monstrous year for music was D.R.A.M, the buoyant hip-hop upstart whose smash hit "Broccoli" featuring Lil Yachty soared to the top spot on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs before earning one of the biggest accolades of his career: a Grammy nomination for Best Rap/Sung Performance. "It's just a blessing man, I feel great," D.R.A.M gushed to Billboard over the phone about his nod after a studio session. The Virginia-bred rhymer -- who also celebrated "Broccoli" going double platinum just a few months ago -- says that although the news of his nomination is still "building up inside of me," he's overwhelmed with joy reflecting on the past year. "At the end of the day, it's still a privilege to even be considered," D.R.A.M added. When the 2017 Grammy nominees were unveiled on Tuesday morning (Dec. 6), D.R.A.M. (born Shelley Massenburg-Smith) was tucked away in a Brooklyn Airbnb when he received a call from his manager, Tunde. "My manager calls me like, 'Yo we're Grammy nominated, we're Grammy f--king nominated,'" he recalled. "The fact that a record that came just as freely and off the cusp and unexpected like 'Broccoli,' [a Grammy nomination] is the mountain top. It means the world to me [because] then I become a Grammy-nominated, multi-platinum selling recording artist." D.R.A.M released his highly-anticipated debut album Big Baby Dram back in October, an infectious 14-track set doused with giddy rhymes mixed with sweet, sweeping melodies. Even "WiFi" collaborator Erykah Badu once called the LP a merge between "George Clinton, Ol' Dirty Bastard and D'Angelo." The multi-hyphenate says that while walking away with the award for Best Rap/Sung Performance in February would be "a dream come true" (he noted that he'd keep his acceptance speech "short, sweet and simple"), he's content with his newest title and thanks God "for the strength to put in the work." He also shouted out his team. "My team went just as hard as me. I really feel like this summer was the key point in building up the awareness and the overall vibe for the record." High off the success of the past year, D.R.A.M. also recalled his reaction to "Broccoli" hitting No. 1 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Rap Songs. "This is a big deal, I didn't even shed my tears yet and I'm a tearjerker kind of dude," he admitted. "I know [the tears are] coming. I still don't think I really took it in yet." And how exactly does D.R.A.M plan to top his monumental year as he prepares for 2017? "The grind doesn't stop, the load only gets heavier," he said. "As you grow, you're supposed to get stronger and I'm up for the task." (Billboard)

Matt Butler Premieres 'Just One' Video for Upcoming Documentary 'Generation Found'. NYC singer/songwriter Matt Butler has had his share of struggles, like most people do. However, Butler has taken strides to take what he's learned from his own hardships so he can help others. Butler recently partnered with filmmakers Greg Williams and Jeff Reilly to create the song "Just One" for their upcoming documentary Generation Found, an inspiring film about a community in Houston that's uniting to fight youth addiction. The touching video for "Just One" debuting Dec. 7 on Billboard features footage from Generation Found, with clips that are simultaneously heart-breaking and uplifting. The upbeat nature of the song combined with the imagery, acknowledges the harsh realities of addiction while remaining optimistic about the prospect of helping one-another on the road to recovery. In addition to the Houston community, Butler drew from his own struggles with addiction and alcoholism, as well as his path to recovery while writing "Just One." His difficult experiences are further chronicled in his latest album Reckless Son. "There is nothing better than being able to do what you love in the service of a higher, greater good," said Butler. "As an artist and as someone in recovery, writing 'Just One' for the film Generation Found gave me the chance to do exactly that. This experience has been a gift and I'm grateful to be a part of this moment." Generation Found premiere on Dec. 14th at SVA Theater in NYC. (Billboard)

Fiona Apple Tweaks "Christmas Song" Lyrics to "Trump's Nuts Roasting on an Open Fire". "They know that Trump is on his way/ He's got black boys in hoodies locked up on his sleigh." Fiona Apple made her thoughts on President-elect Donald Trump very clear this week when she posted a parody of Nat King Cole's "The Christmas Song" (aka "Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire") with decidedly anti-Trump lyrics. "Trump's nuts roasting on an open fire/ As he keeps nipping at his foes," she sings in a Tumblr video featuring her new holiday staple, "Trump's Nuts Roasting on an Open Fire." "You cry creepy uncle every time he arrives/ For he keeps clawing at our clothes," she adds in a version that also touches on the 70-year-old reality show star's alleged history of sexual assault and divisive comments about African Americans. "Everybody knows some money and entitlement can help to make the season white/ Mothers of color with their kids out of sight will find it hard to sleep at night," she continues on the a cappella track. "They know that Trump is on his way/ He's got black boys in hoodies locked up on his sleigh." Apple -- who hasn't released a new album since 2012's The Idler Wheel... -- joins a growing list of artists who've released songs critical of the New York real estate developer, including Modern Baseball, YG, Death Cab for Cutie and El Vy, among others. If the message wasn't clear enough, the singer makes her feelings crystal at song's end, when she rips up a photo of the political neophyte while grimacing into the camera. (Hollywood Reporter)

Movies

Jennifer Lawrence and Chris Pratt Deliver the Ultimate Surprise to Film School Students in New York City. Sorry teacher, but today's lesson plan may just be upstaged by two Hollywood superstars. Several students at Ghetto Film School in New York City may have thought they were going to experience a typical Tuesday in the classroom. All that changed, however, when Jennifer Lawrence and Chris Pratt showed up for a surprise Q&A. While attending the Passengers movie installation at Sony Square, several students' jaws dropped when they saw the two A-list stars enter the room. According to Page Six, the school staff asked the students to pose for a mannequin challenge video before Chris and Jennifer sneaked in unannounced. As you likely could have guessed, hugs, cheers and unforgettable photo opts soon followed. And yes, the FOMO is and was real. The Ghetto Film School is an award-winning non-profit founded in 2000 to educate, develop and celebrate the next generation of great American storytellers. According to the schools' website, the program is based out of South Bronx and Los Angeles. While Jennifer and Chris may be experiencing the typical pre-movie press tour with stops at late-night talk shows and more than a few red carpets, the Hollywood pair is also taking time to give back. Earlier in the month, Chris visited the Ronald McDonald House in New York City to acknowledge the incredible staff. "It was my absolute pleasure to spend some time getting to know these wonderful children and their families. I'll have you all in my prayers," he shared on Instagram. "The staff at @rmhnewyork is so incredible. You're doing #godswork." They've also had a little fun on social media such as when Chris decided to crop his co-star out of every picture. "Finally got that selfie with Jen y'all wanted. #passengersmovie," the actor joked with Jennifer's face cut off. We see you Chris! Watch Passengers on the big screen beginning December 21. (Eonline)

Fifty Shades Darker's Second Trailer Reveals Even Naughtier Sex. Author E.L. James wasn't kidding when she gave Fifty Shades Darker its title. The sexy times are taken a notch up in the film the sequel to Fifty Shades of Grey. A second trailer for the anticipated film, released Wednesday, shows Anastasia Steele (Dakota Johnson) and her off-again, on-again, powerful boyfriend Christian Grey (Jamie Dornan) getting frisky on a bed, in a shower, in a gym and even inside a crowded elevator. In Fifty Shades Darker, Grey manages to convince Steele to forgive him (for being a seemingly soulless, emotionless, commitment-phobic jerk) and take him back, after which they take their BDSM relationship to the next level. Conflict arises with the arrival of Elena Lincoln (Kim Basinger), aka "Mrs. Robinson," the woman who apparently abused Grey when he was younger and helped make him "fifty shades of f---ed up." "Do you think you're the first woman who's tried to save him?" she asks in the new trailer. In the book, Steele gets crazy jealous when she discovers Lincoln is still in Grey's life as the two own a salon business together. Things take an even darker turn with the appearance of Leila Williams (Bella Heathcote), Grey's jilted ex-lover. She suffers a mental breakdown and starts stalking Steele. Fifty Shades Darker is set for release on Feb. 14 -- Valentine's Day 2017. (Eonline)

Amy Schumer's Response to the Barbie Casting Backlash Deserves a Round of Applause. Hey Internet trolls, Amy Schumer always has the last (and best) laugh. Between her two Grammy nominations and possible new role as Barbie in an upcoming live-action film, life looks pretty good for the A-list comedian. But even between all the accomplishments and new gigs, Amy can't seem to escape her share of critics. In a new Instagram post shared Tuesday afternoon, the actress reacted to all the exciting news in her life while also sharing a message to all the "trolls" providing unnecessary noise. "Very very honored to be nominated for 2 Grammys and to be considered to play an important and evolving icon. Is it fat shaming if you know you're not fat and have zero shame in your game? I don't think so," she wrote. "I am strong and proud of how I live my life and say what I mean and fight for what I believe in and I have a blast doing it with the people I love. Where's the shame? It's not there. It's an illusion." She continued, "When I look in the mirror I know who I am. I'm a great friend, sister, daughter and girlfriend. I'm a badass comic headlining arenas all over the world and making TV and movies and writing books where I lay it all out there and I'm fearless like you can be." In her Instagram post, Amy also featured a throwback photo where she was seen wearing a blue one-piece bathing suit while on vacation with boyfriend Ben Hanisch. At the time, the Comedy Central star slammed haters who criticized her beach body and proudly proclaimed that she looks "strong and healthy." While the critics may stick around, so will Amy's quick wit and strong messages to her fans across the country. And yes, she's more than happy to fight against the bullies both on and off the Internet. "Thanks to everyone for the kind words and support and again my deepest sympathy goes out to the trolls who are in more pain than we will ever understand. I want to thank them for making it so evident that I am a great choice. It's that kind of response that let's you know something's wrong with our culture and we all need to work together to change it," she wrote. "Anyone who has ever been bullied or felt bad about yourself I am out there fighting for you, for us. And I want you to fight for yourself too!" She added, "We need to laugh at the haters and sympathize with them. They can scream as loud as they want. We can't hear them because we are getting s--t done. I am proud to lead by example. 'I say if I'm beautiful, I say if I'm strong. You will not determine my story. I will' #thegirlwiththelowerbacktattoo." (Eonline)

'Bad Santa 2' Bombs: Broad Green's Shift to Mass-Appeal Fare Sees Early Signs of Trouble. The indie studio's decision to pivot from prestige offerings to wide-release films is in question as the Billy Bob Thornton starrer rakes in an underwhelming $14 million at the box office. Bad Santa 2 was supposed to pave the way for Broad Green's switch from prestige to mass-appeal fare. In January, as the $26 million film began shooting, the indie studio headed by billionaire brothers Gabriel and Daniel Hammond quietly began dumping a slew of highbrow projects from its slate, including a John Ridley L.A. riots drama. But in the wake of the comedy sequel's underwhelming $14 million take since opening Nov. 23, the wisdom of the pivot is in question. Plus, a string of executives have exited Broad Green over the past six months, including distribution president Travis Reid, creative head Alix Madigan, publicity chief Adam Keen, executive vp business affairs Christopher Tricarico and corporate communications director Christina Lee. Sources say the staff is down from 90 to about 64 employees. A great deal was riding on the sequel, which revived foul-mouthed antihero Willie Soke, who became a cult icon when the original film launched in the same Thanksgiving frame 13 years ago. Given the original's $16 million bow and $76 million total haul, Broad Green founders Gabriel and Daniel Hammond were hoping to use the sequel to jumpstart their upcoming slate, which includes Bring It On-esque sorority dance-off movie Step Sisters as well as the Ron Shelton-helmed two-hander comedy Villa Capri, starring Morgan Freeman and Tommy Lee Jones. Also on the horizon are a pair of films that represent a throwback to the company's original art house mandate: a Buena Vista Social Club sequel and an untitled Terrence Malick drama starring Ryan Gosling, Michael Fassbender, Rooney Mara, Cate Blanchett and Natalie Portman. But if all that seems risky (after all, Malick's last film for Broad Green, the March drama Knight of Cups, earned a paltry $556,000), the Hammonds and production president Matt Alvarez are bullish on the studio's development slate, which includes the horror film Wish Upon from Annabelle helmer John Leonetti and buddy cop pic Vegas Vice, which will be produced by Todd Garner. Bad Santa 2, which was as poorly received by critics and audiences as three-day-old eggnog (moviegoers gave it a C+ CinemaScore), can't be blamed on Alvarez, who joined Broad Green in May. Instead, the Straight Outta Compton producer is touting the $10 million Step Sisters and the $12 million Wish Upon, based on a 2015 Black List script, as the type of low-risk, broad-appealing fare that will define the Broad Green sensibility moving forward. Daniel Hammond, chief creative officer, concurs. "[The slate] reflects the studio's continuing commitment to bringing wide-release films from across many genres to audiences." (Hollywood Reporter)

Hugh Jackman, Fox's 'Part-Time Indian' Will Be First "Culturally Authentic" Studio Film. The upcoming film adaptation of Sherman Alexie's 2007 YA novel 'The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian' will feature a Native American protagonist, with Jackman eyeing a supporting role. The Standing Rock Sioux tribe's successful appeal to divert the Dakota Access Pipeline one day may make a great film. In the meantime, Native American onscreen representation remains minimal, accounting for less than 1 percent of characters in the top 800 films from 2007 to 2015, according to a USC study published in September. But a new project from Fox 2000 may offer a rare bright spot amid those dismal statistics. The studio has acquired Sherman Alexie's 2007 YA novel The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, and Fox 2000 president Elizabeth Gabler has put the coming-of-age story on the fast track with a high-profile producing lineup: Hugh Jackman, Temple Hill's Wyck Godfrey and Isaac Klausner (The Fault in Our Stars) and Lauren Shuler Donner (Deadpool). Alexie (Anonymous), who wrote the 1998 indie breakout Smoke Signals, had received numerous offers over the years for Part-Time Indian, "but until this particular team, I've never had a set of producers be so faithful to the book," he tells THR. The film, which centers on a Spokane Indian Reservation teen who transfers to an all-white high school where the only other "Indian" is the school mascot, will mark the first known instance of a studio movie featuring a Native American protagonist. Jackman is eyeing a supporting role. For an industry that long has relegated Native Americans to the nefarious periphery (John Ford's The Searchers), whitewashed them (Rooney Mara as Tiger Lily in Pan) or lampooned them (Adam Sandler's The Ridiculous 6), Part-Time Indian is a welcome change. Throughout its nearly decade long run, the book continues to build momentum on The New York Times' best-seller list, hitting No. 1 for the first time in May. It remains a favorite among middle-school teachers for its realistic depictions of harsh issues including poverty and bulimia. Alexie, who grew up on the reservation depicted in the book, is adapting the screenplay and will executive produce. He promises, "This is going to be culturally authentic." All this comes at a time when Native American actor and activist Myrton Running Wolf (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button) is petitioning SAG-AFTRA to reverse its policy of not recognizing tribal enrollment (SAG-AFTRA has maintained it is illegal to request tribal verification from potential Native American employees or show preference based on it). "It is not illegal for SAG-AFTRA, or any other entertainment guild/union, to acknowledge or request tribal enrollment verification," says Running Wolf. "As a matter of fact, there are many government programs designed specifically to incentivize such actions. However, SAG-AFTRA's position -- one that is endemic of the entire entertainment industry -- exacerbates the suppression of American Indian involvement in mainstream media production by claiming that the simple act of stating one's Native American identity is unlawful." He continues: "This policy is wrong [and] denies the federal recognition granted to American Indian tribes by the U.S. government." Running Wolf says he has not received a response back from the organization. (Hollywood Reporter)

Sundance to Help Facilitate Anti-Trump Inauguration Protests at Festival. "We always look to create a safe space for artists and will facilitate requests from outside groups that want to host demonstrations at our 2017 festival by connecting them with the city of Park City to organize," says a rep for the fest, which this year is full of unmistakable Trump shoutouts, including a New Climate lineup. Four years ago, President Barack Obama took the oath of office on the fifth day of the Sundance Film Festival. To mark the occasion, most dealmakers halted negotiations for a few hours and happily tuned in for the inauguration ceremony, while the Producers Guild even hosted a viewing-party breakfast on Main Street. At the same time, such ardent Obama supporters as Harvey Weinstein and Jake Gyllenhaal wrapped business early in order to hop a flight from Park City to Washington, D.C., to cheer on POTUS in person. This year, a different type of logistical conflict looms: How will Sundance's famously liberal and outspoken crowd mark the occasion when Donald Trump is sworn in on Jan. 20, the second day of the country's most influential independent film festival? With an especially political festival lineup revealed in early December, longtime Sundance-goers are setting their plans. Producer Jim Stern of Endgame Entertainment (Looper, Snowden), a fest regular for decades, has perhaps the most unique itinerary this year. He'll make a reverse trek from D.C. to Park City because he quietly has been shooting a documentary about Trump supporters for the past six months. Stern will capture footage at the inauguration -- the ultimate denouement for fans of the reality TV star turned politician -- before heading to Sundance for the premiere of the sci-fi drama The Discovery, which Stern financed and produced (festival founder Robert Redford stars alongside Jason Segel and Rooney Mara). "It is an unusual and singular confluence of events that has this president-elect heading into an inauguration at the same time when the festival, which so embraces diversity and other cultures, is celebrating its raison d'etre," says Stern, an active Democrat (his brother, Todd Stern, was a chief architect of Obama's international climate-change strategy). "I will hopefully be in both places." Stern's doc is neither a portrait of the so-called "deplorables" of Trump Nation nor a celebration of them. Instead, it's Stern's voyage into a world he rarely navigates, akin to Alexandra Pelosi's Journeys With George, which chronicles her time on the George W. Bush 2000 campaign trail. Another documentary director, Sundance regular Liz Garbus (What Happened, Miss Simone?), is skipping the festival this year in order to participate in the Women's March on Washington on Jan. 21 in protest of the soon-to-be president. "My husband's company has six films in the festival this year," she says of her spouse, Dan Cogan, executive director at Impact Partners. "While he was disappointed I wasn't going to be there to celebrate [his slate], he understood [and] supported the decision." Still, many who will be on hand in Park City are discussing what type of anti-Trump events should take place. The Sundance Institute says the festival is not planning an official march but will help spearhead one if there is demand. Says a rep for executive director Keri Putnam, "We always look to create a safe space for artists and will facilitate requests from outside groups that want to host demonstrations at our 2017 festival by connecting them with the city of Park City to organize." In addition, the festival lineup is chock-full of unmistakable Trump shoutouts, most notably the creation of a New Climate lineup of 12 films and VR projects (the first time the festival has dedicated programming to a specific theme). The roster of films also offers a counterpoint to several controversial positions voiced by Trump along the presidential campaign trail -- from Mexican immigrants (Miguel Arteta's competition feature Beatriz at Dinner) to ISIS (City of Ghosts, a doc from Cartel Land helmer Matthew Heineman) to Syria (docs Last Men in Aleppo, Cries From Syria) to race relations (docs The Force and Whose Streets? and the series Shots Fired). Festival director John Cooper tells THR the decision to push on the environmental-preservation front this year is both a response to Trump, who has called climate change a hoax perpetrated by China, and the problem itself. "Over the last couple of years, we saw a lack of environmental films being made, and these are topics affecting us all," he says. "This is one of Robert Redford's personal fights. We got a lot of films this year [tackling the issue], and it all worked out. When people are questioning, 'Is it real?,' we have plenty of examples that tell the story in complete and complex ways." When Lincoln Film Center executive director Lesli Klainberg realized that Trump's inauguration date aligned with the festival, she posted on Facebook to ask her community of indie film associates if anything was planned to mark the occasion. "Some folks have replied that there are several things 'planned,' but I am not sure yet what they may be," she says. Virgil Williams, who wrote the buzzed-about post-World War II Southern drama Mud bound, which is premiering at Sundance, says he didn't realize the inauguration coincided with the festival ("I'm in denial"). He says the film -- which is based on a novel by a white woman (Hillary Jordan), adapted by a black Latino man (Williams), directed by a black woman (Dee Rees) and primarily shot on what used to be a slave plantation -- is an antidote to some of the campaign rhetoric. "Our film is pure Americana -- the best of it and the worst of it," he says. "And now that groups like the KKK and 'alt-right' -- the well-dressed KKK -- are making headlines, this story is more poignant and relevant than ever," he says. Williams plans "to be very reflective" during the inauguration. "I am bringing my 10-year-old daughter to the premiere so that she can see firsthand not only the movie but also the power of tenacity and hard work," he says. "And with our new president, it's important that little girls know just how powerful they are." Likewise, The Discovery director Charlie McDowell, son of Malcolm McDowell and Hillary Clinton pal Mary Steenburgen, says he will not let the day go unnoticed. "The inauguration is definitely on my mind," he says. "I've been thinking about what I can say or do." So while there is nothing concrete in place yet, it's safe to say a Park City resistance is being arranged. (Hollywood Reporter)

TV

The Chicago Fire Wedding You've Been Waiting for Finally Happened -- But Will It Last? Wedding bells FINALLY rang for Dawson (Monica Raymund) and Casey (Jesse Spencer) on the fall finale of Chicago Fire, which also happened to be the show's landmark 100th episode. Not literal ones, exactly, since the couple opted for a simple courthouse wedding (complete with their Firehouse 51 family, of course), but Dawsey are finally, officially married. "It only took five years," Raymund tells E! News of the milestone in her character's life. "We've been going back and forth for so long in the relationship and now it's like, 'Ah, okay.' We've got a solid union happening. Nobody has to worry anymore if they're going to break up or not. We're good to go." But that newlywed bliss might not last for long, especially now that the birth father of their adorable foster son, Louie, has returned -- and declared his intention to get his son back. Dawson and Casey were on their way to adopting the cute little boy, but come on -- it couldn't be that easy, could it? "I feel like this is a storyline that so many working mothers can relate to. ... My mom was a professional mom, and how lucky was she to be able to do that? But when you have to not only be a mother but also provide for your family, there's nothing more difficult or noble than that," Raymund says. "I feel like it's going to be really hard for Dawson because all she wanted was to be able to have a child, and we know that a couple seasons ago she had a miscarriage. It didn't work out for her biologically, and now here's an amazing opportunity to be able to become a mom as an adoptive parent. And then to have that potentially taken away from her is devastating." The adoption drama will also take a toll on the brand-new marriage, though it might help unite the couple even more. "I think that it's going to affect [their marriage] greatly," Raymund says. "This is something that they both want in their family. It's an important time in their lives right now, especially as newlyweds. We are finally on the same page. We finally both want the same thing. I think that this potential adoption not going through and potentially having Louie taken away from us, it's incredibly devastating and difficult. Either it's going to rip them apart or it's going to bring them together. We'll see." But don't get too worried: "I think that we've covered the ripping-apart phase, and I feel confident that we can see Dawson and Casey find their meaning again," she says. "It may be difficult. It won't be an easy ride, but they're in on this. They made a commitment to each other. I think their word and their commitment to each other is the most important thing that they have." Chicago Fire returns on Tuesday, Jan. 10 at 10 p.m. on NBC. (Eonline)

This Is Us Star Sounds Off on That Life and Death Cliffhanger. Another week of This Is Us, another major, life-changing twist at the end of the episode -- except this time, the life of one of the characters we've grown to love is hanging in the balance, and we won't find out his fate until 2017. That's NEXT YEAR, PEOPLE. Luckily, Jan. 10 is only about a month away. But still -- that's an entire month of not knowing whether or not Toby (Chris Sullivan), a.k.a. Kate's boyfriend who flew across the country to reconcile with his estranged love, will be okay after suffering a heart attack at the end of the show's winter finale. But Sullivan tells E! News that you'll find out in the first episode back whether the heart attack was fatal or not. "Aside from the fall break, they're not going to make you wait too long to find out the fate of Toby one way or another," Sullivan says. While the actor wouldn't even give us a slight hint to confirm what happens (not even a little one!), savvy social media users will note that costar Milo Ventimiglia posted a photo of Sullivan on the Paramount Studios lot just this week -- so we're going to assume the best. (Beats the alternative of randomly bursting into tears as we remember a sweet moment from the episode, right?) Let's look on the bright side -- this episode saw Toby interact with the rest of the Pearson family (previously he'd only met Kevin), which Sullivan says felt like a celebratory day on set. "Since it's an ensemble show with all the different storylines and characters living in different cities and things, they rarely get to get together," he explains. "It definitely felt like Christmas. It felt like the family was getting together for the holiday. It was really nice." Of course, that means Toby's heart attack is all the more difficult for everyone to handle. "It's a sad day to experience something negative happen to a character that we've all come to like having around, I suppose," Sullivan says. But he totally understands the reasoning behind the decision to potentially kill him off. "I think in telling a good story there has to be ups and downs with any character, and you can't just have everything go swimmingly and you can't just have characters who are supposed to be in a romantic relationship just getting into an argument every episode. There has to be other tension and things introduced. But I don't know if we knew they were going to go this big this soon!" Find out whether Toby survives when This Is Us returns Tuesday, Jan. 10 at 9 p.m. on NBC. (Eonline)

This Is Us Cast Breaks Down Those Christmas Episode Shockers, From Relationship Reveals to the Health Crisis. This is us still crying over the This Is Us Christmas episode. Oh boy. The fall finale -- This Is Us goes on hiatus until Tuesday, Jan. 10 at 9 p.m. on NBC -- featured a bevy of happenings, from Randall (Sterling K. Brown) literally talking a coworker off the ledge to William's (Ron Cephas Jones) relationship reveal and everything in between, but those weren't the biggest shockers. No, that came at the end of the episode when -- spoiler alert -- Toby (Chris Sullivan) collapsed, seemingly suffering a heart attack. Sullivan told E! News fans won't have to wait very long to find out Toby's fate and that he understands the reasoning the put his character in life or death jeopardy. "I think in telling a good story there has to be ups and downs with any character, and you can't just have everything go swimmingly and you can't just have characters who are supposed to be in a romantic relationship just getting into an argument every episode," he told us. "There has to be other tension and things introduced. But I don't know if we knew they were going to go this big this soon!" Sullivan took to Twitter after the episode to start hashtag campaigns include "#PrayforToby" and "#SaveTheToby." He also shared behind-the-scenes photos, including one of episode director Helen Hunt (yes, that Helen Hunt) taken from the hospital table, and the silly family portrait that may get your tears going all over again. But hey, nothing bad ever happens on Christmas Eve, right? On the This Is Us after show, creator Dan Fogelman gathered the stars to discuss the happenings, including the frosty relationship between Rebecca (Mandy Moore) and her daughter Kate (Chrissy Metz). "This is very much my family growing up," Fogelman said. "I remember, it's laden and it's loaded and it's hard to explain, but I think when you talk to a lot of women who battle a weight issue, not that it's only about weight, but who have had kind of, statuesque, kind of thin mothers as part of their inception -- I think it's something organically... So there's resentment and then there's a mother who is always trying too hard and pushing too hard in the wrong way, even though they mean well, they don't quite know what to say." The cast also tackled William's relationship reveal. In the episode, viewers met Jesse (Denis O'Hare), William's lover he left behind to go live with Randall. "You know what? I wasn't shocked by it or anything like that, I immediately went into, 'OK, how did William get there?' And so I had this process where I was like it made sense to me, it started to really make sense to me where William was in regards to his looking toward the after-life already, but more importantly the love I think that he was seeking, that he hasn't had in his life, I think Jesse somehow brings that into his life," Cephas Jones said. "It becomes far beyond the sexuality for William, it becomes deeper, sort of like a deeper love that all of sort of look for in our life." This Is Us returns Tuesday, Jan. 10 at 9 p.m. on NBC. (Eonline)

The Voice Finalists Revealed After Heartbreaking 4-Person Elimination. It's been a great first season of The Voice for both Miley Cyrus and Alicia Keys, but with just four spots for singers to make it to the season 11 finals, would both new coaches be represented in the finale? After an hourlong episode packed with plenty of filler -- performances from One Republic, former Team Pharrell finalist Hannah Huston and coach Blake Shelton, plus a set tour of NBC's Hairspray Live from The Voice UK coach (and American Idol vet) Jennifer Hudson -- and a few minutes of actual results, we found out which singers would stay and which would be sent home in a brutal four-person elimination. The first three singers saved were Team Adam's Billy Gilman, Team Blake's Sundance Head and Team Alicia's We McDonald, and the first two eliminated were Team Miley's Aaron Gibson and Team Adam's Brendan Fletcher. That left Team Alicia's Christian Cuevas, Team Miley's Ali Caldwell and Team Adam's Josh Gallagher to sing for their lives, with Christian choosing the classic "I Can't Make You Love Me," Ali picking "Sledgehammer" (the Rihanna one, not Fifth Harmony or Peter Gabriel), and Josh singing "I Drive Your Truck." After the final commercial break, Carson Daly revealed that the final singer moving forward in the competition would be Gallagher -- meaning Miley won't have any singers competing in next week's finale. Earlier in the episode, Miley said she's thoroughly enjoyed her first season on the show. "This kind of talent, this level, is one in a bazillion and I have two, so I am so honored and it's more than I could have ever dreamed of for my first season of The Voice," she revealed. Do you think the right singers advanced to the finale? The Voice finale live performances air Monday, Dec. 13 at 8 p.m. and the results will be revealed Tuesday, Dec. 14 at 9 p.m. on NBC. (Eonline)

Princess Eleanor Disses Jasper and Declares She Isn't Dating Anyone ''Exclusively'' in The Royals Sneak Peek. You can't tie her down. Princess Eleanor (Alexandra Park) is making it clear she's single and ready to mingle at EDC in the exclusive clip from Sunday night's all-new episode of The Royals, which is now the first-ever scripted television series to film at the dance music event. The day starts out lovely as can be after Princess Eleanor, Prince Liam (William Moseley) and Jasper (Tom Austen) take a trip across the pond to Las Vegas to attend the globally-renowned festival. But while everyone's enjoying the carnival theme, world-class performances and innovative experience, Eleanor makes a point to stress her unattached relationship status, despite her budding romance with a certain bodyguard. "Give us some dirt, princess," a reporter asks her on the red carpet. "Who are you dating at the moment?" "No one exclusively," she bluntly replies. Ouch! She then struts away, leaving a confused Liam and a very hurt Jasper in her wake. The Jaspenor saga continues... (Eonline)

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Is Venturing Into Wildly Uncharted Territory: Get the Scoop on the Latest Major Twist. Warning: The following contains spoilers from the fall finale of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. If you haven't watched yet, you might want to bookmark this page and return once you have. Proceed with caution. Raise your hand if you saw that one coming, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. fans. Because we sure didn't. A quick recap: In Tuesday night's fall finale of ABC's Marvel thriller, the Ghost Rider arc came to its fiery conclusion with poor Robbie Reyes (Gabriel Luna) disappearing with his evil uncle Eli into whatever dimension it turned out the wannabe-god was stealing matter from. In the process, Daisy (Chloe Bennet) found herself reinstated to the team by Director Mace (Jason O'Mara), Mack (Henry Simmons) and Yo-Yo (Natalia Cordova-Buckley) finally gave in to their attraction, and sparks continued to fly between Coulson (Clark Gregg) and May (Ming-Na Wen). Oh, and Aida (Mallory Jansen) killed an unlucky S.H.I.E.L.D. agent (RIP, Nathanson. We hardly knew ye. Seriously.) after he made a shocking discovery in Radcliffe's (John Hannah) lab, revealing that the May sharing that celebratory drink with Coulson at HQ isn't May at all. That's right -- we're officially in Life Model Decoy territory! During a recent visit to the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. set, Wen and Jansen, along with executive producers Jed Whedon and Jeffrey Bell, spoke with reporters about the show's transition to this new phase of the season -- what they're referring to as Pod 2 -- and how the LMDs differ from the other AI we've seen in the MCU recently. You may recall that Wen was given a similar task in season two when Agent 33 disguised herself as May, creating an opportunity for the actress to play a character playing her character. But don't make the mistake of believing this to be a simple retread. "It will be fun for the audience to try and figure out is this the real May or is this the LMD May. And I know we've sort of broached that storyline in season two with the nanomask, but what was interesting about playing that character differently was it was actually another character trying to be May without really knowing who May was," Wen explained. "But with the LMD May, it's May. Confusing, isn't it?" As for why Aida took the surprising leap to murderer in the episode's final moments, Jansen was customarily tight-lipped. (This is a Marvel production, after all!) But she did offer up this tantalizing tease: "I was made a specific way. And anything I do is really what I think is right, you know? Or what I'm programmed to do." Oh, Dr. Radcliffe. What have you been up to?! And before you cry foul about the MCU's return to AI, the creative powers-that-be want you to know these LMDs aren't anything like Ultron -- even going so far as to namecheck that big baddie in Tuesday night's episode. "We said at the beginning of the season that they were mimicking human behavior, but we've seen that Aida took some sort of leap and built a brain of her own. The real difference is that they represent people that we know and that it's not a big robot baddie," Whedon explained. "I mean, there is some of that, obviously, but right now we know that there's one among us who is someone we know. And how much they know and how much their agenda is mixed with their own emotions, and those sort of questions are what we're gonna dive into, but I think the main difference is these are our people. And that's what makes it scarier." "And they're not omniscient. They don't have access to all knowledge and all information and all other machines the way Ultron and, to a lesser extent, Vision did," Bell added. "We're much more interested in the knowledge that that person has and how does this being deal with that." One thing's for sure: Trust may have been an issue for this team before, but we clearly haven't seen anything yet. As you ponder what this new wrinkle means to the future of our favorite agents, check out the fresh key art just unveiled for Pod 2! Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. returns Tuesday, Jan. 10 at 10 pm. on ABC. (Eonline)

The Flash Won't Actually Kill [Spoiler], Right?! The Flash's latest villain sure does know how to spook Barry Allen. After a whole bunch of incredible business with the (not really sorta) philosopher's stone, finding out that Julian was Dr. Alchemy, and realizing that Alchemy was actually just Savitar using people to do his bidding, Barry and the gang had Julian channel Savitar so they could have a little chat. Turns out Savitar is one nasty dude who comes from the future and is really, really angry at future Barry. In typical Flash villain form, he's mad that Barry will someday take everything from him, and having a great time lording his knowledge of the future over everybody at Star Labs. "One shall betray you. One shall fall. One will suffer a fate far worse than death," Savitar via Draco told the room. Then, we found out which one shall fall. Apparently, Savitar was directly linked to the stone, so Barry and Jay Garrick (who Barry had hopped over to Earth-19 to get help from) concocted a plan to run really really fast and throw the stone into the speedforce. It was a plan that involved speed siphoning, so naturally we were just kind of like "Okay." It was actually kind of like a relay race, where Jay started off with the stone, then handed it off like a baton when Barry passed him. Of course, Barry accidentally landed five months in the future, only to watch himself watch Savitar ram a sword right through Iris' torso...which explains the disappearance of her name from the byline of that future article. Barry then went back to the present and had to enjoy a Christmas celebration at Joe's house while pretending he didn't just watch the murder of his girlfriend, and present said girlfriend with her gift: an apartment! Apparently it's already time to move in together, even though Barry was unemployed up until five minutes ago, when his new friend Julian told him he could have his job back. We guess Barry's never been one to move slow, but this is a little much. During a screening of last week's big crossover, executive producer Andrew Kreisberg teased the problem created by the night's episode and what effect it will have on the season going forward. "The midseason finale, episode nine, kind of creates a new problem for our heroes that they weren't anticipating, something that they've never faced before," Kreisberg told reporters. "It's so big, we're actually considering changing the saga sell from talking about Flashpoint to talking about that, because that's really what's driving the episodes for the rest of the season, actually. Flashpoint won't loom as large as the challenge that presents itself in 309." Five months from now -- when Iris' death supposedly takes place -- is just about the time that season three of The Flash will be wrapping up, meaning we'll likely get to that moment in the season finale. Here's hoping she's not about to die just to make Barry Allen sad. The Flash returns Tuesday, January 24 at 8 p.m. on the CW. (Eonline)

'Good Girls Revolt' Creator Slams Amazon Over Cancellation: "They Run Some People Out". Creator Dana Calvo vents at a studio chief for axing the feminist period drama despite good numbers: "He didn't know the characters' names." It's not uncommon to see a freshman TV show canceled mere weeks after its debut -- except, of course, if that show airs on a streamer, where ratings are guarded tightly and additional seasons are all but guaranteed. But on Dec. 2, Amazon's feminist period drama Good Girls Revolt was axed by one of the town's most prolific (and elusive) outlets despite the trappings of success. "We were all so surprised because we were a hit," creator Dana Calvo tells THR, citing two metrics that Amazon execs told her they cared about: a high Rotten Tomatoes score (Good Girls has a 96 percent audience rating) and the ability to spur purchases on Amazon's retail arm: "Of the people driven from the entertainment sections to the commerce section, we were driving 55 percent, which was phenomenal." Streaming monitor Symphony Advanced Media agrees Good Girls was a breakout. "It's really the only Amazon program that we've seen to date that has a really strong female 18-to-49 following," says Symphony senior vp John Sollecito. Counters Amazon's Joe Lewis, head of comedy and drama: "We had high hopes for Good Girls Revolt, and have tremendous respect for the creators, cast and Sony, but I can tell you that the Symphony numbers being reported are wrong and that the show wasn't performing at the levels we had hoped for -- either in total viewership or completion rates." Producer Sony Pictures Television plans to shop the drama elsewhere -- the studio has until Dec. 31 before cast options expire, though an extension is considered likely with the holidays -- as it will maintain its coveted spot in the California Film Commission's tax incentive program should it find a new home. Insiders say ABC, Bravo, Freeform, Hulu and USA are among the nets that have shown interest, with Netflix and Lifetime considered longshots. Sony declined comment. The independent studio, meanwhile, remains in business with Amazon with upcoming series including Sneaky Pete, The Tick and The Last Tycoon, all due in 2017. So what happened? "What we hadn't factored in is that [Amazon Studios head] Roy Price just doesn't care for the show," says Calvo. "He's representative of the Amazon culture in that he's just impenetrable." Insiders suggest Price largely was uninvolved with the series -- he didn't attend the premiere or provide episode notes -- and didn't think Good Girls would be an awards contender. Adds Calvo, "All I know is that in the [season two] pitch, he asked us to refer to the characters by the actors' names because he didn't know the characters' names." The cancellation comes as the deep-pocketed streamer has shifted its focus to star-driven fare from big-name auteurs (Woody Allen's Crisis in Six Scenes, David O. Russell's Robert De Niro-Julianne Moore drama, and Matthew Weiner's Mad Men follow-up). Some also point to the streamer's October executive shuffle that saw Lewis expand his purview to include drama as a reason for the new direction, with multiple insiders noting that he asked if there was a way Good Girls could be redeveloped as a comedy. While Amazon has had awards success with its dramedies Transparent and Mozart in the Jungle, this isn't its first clash with a writer-producer. David Shore (House) exited the Bryan Cranston-produced drama Sneaky Pete, and showrunner Frank Spotnitz stepped down from The Man in the High Castle after its first season. "The Amazon corporate culture that everyone knows is a tough one, and it's not a great place for creatives," adds Calvo. "They run some people out." (Hollywood Reporter)

Geena Davis' Letter to Hollywood: Want a Female President? Put Them Onscreen First. One of TV's few female Commanders in Chief argues that showcasing and including more characters for women will breed a new reality. I always say, "If they can see it, they can be it." Here's my favorite illustration of that concept: A few years ago, I had the pleasure of meeting Vigdis Finnbogadottir, former president of Iceland. She told me that while in office, she would get letters from young boys asking, "Madam President, do you think a boy will ever become president?" Interesting, huh? Turns out girls in the U.S. will have to keep wondering for a while. The outcome of the recent presidential election has left many of us shocked and scared. We wonder how this could have happened. What do we tell our kids? How can we explain the depth of misogyny and bigotry in our culture, both the overt and the passively tolerated? Most importantly, what can we do to counteract it? As you may know, for 10 years, the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media has commissioned in-depth analyses of family-rated films and children's TV. For all of that time, I've been meeting with studios, networks, guilds and production companies -- anyone who creates kids' content -- to share the research results and encourage a dramatic improvement in the number and quality of female characters. I may have even spoken at your place of work. We've been able to have an impact throughout the industry because the research so compellingly shows that female characters in kids' media are often underdeveloped, sidelined or hypersexualized. They are used as plot devices, objects or eye candy. Or they are simply not there at all. Encouragingly, we have yet to leave a meeting without at least one person saying, "You just changed my project." So yes, we have seen some improvements, but we are not by any means done; we are nowhere near a tipping point. It's urgent that we no longer create stories that teach children to view women and girls as second-class citizens -- not when we've seen the level of sexism in our culture so egregiously put on display. Movies and TV are artistic expressions, meant to entertain; I am not talking about adding a message. I'm asking you to take out the message in so much of children's media, even for the youngest kids: that women and girls are less important than men and boys because they do less and there are far less of them. It's creating unconscious gender bias from the beginning that's nearly impossible to reverse because we don't even know we have it. My message always has been that gender inequality in entertainment can be fixed overnight. It doesn't have to be done in stages or phases. The next movie or TV show you make can be gender-balanced with diverse females as leads, supporting characters and extras. We can easily create worlds where women are half of the characters and do half of the interesting things. We Hollywood types are often generalized as being very progressive, and the majority of us probably agree with that assessment, but we are profoundly not so when it comes to female characters. Consider this: In the real world, we're not seeing nearly enough women role models in top professions -- not in C-suites, not as law partners, not in Silicon Valley, on boards, or as, um, presidents. But get this: However abysmally few women there are in positions of authority in the world, there are far fewer onscreen -- where we get to make it up. We are far from progressive in this regard. We're not even reflecting the embarrassing reality, let alone fueling girls' aspirations. Thanks to a generous grant from Google, my institute has a new tool to use in our research, developed by the USC Viterbi School of Engineering, which allows us previously unheard of accuracy in our analyses, called GD-IQ. We learned that when female characters are present, they are onscreen for less time and speak less than their male counterparts -- even as films with female leads made nearly 16 percent more at the box office in 2015 than those led by men. Look at Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Look at Moana. We simply can't do this anymore. Let's not create one more movie or TV show that trains kids to see girls as "less than." Is your current project balanced? Do the female characters have agency? If it's not too late, do a gender pass -- add female characters or simply cast women in roles written for men. It's easy, and it works. No more missed opportunities to show that boys and girls share the sandbox equally. We can create the future now. If they see it, they can be it. We don't just need the first female president, we need it to be just as likely that our president will be a woman as a man. (Hollywood Reporter)