ENTERTAINMENT NEWS

Maisie Williams Will Be a Bridesmaid in Sophie Turner and Joe Jonas' Wedding. Maisie Williams is dishing details on her Game of Thrones co-star and BFF Sophie Turner's wedding to Joe Jonas! In an interview with Radio Times over the weekend, Williams was asked if she was trying to secure a bridesmaid position in Turner and the DNCE singer's future wedding. "Oh, already got it," Williams replied. "Yeah, it's very, very exciting." She then added, "It's kind of bizarre though." The 20-year-old, who plays Arya Stark, sister to Turner's Sansa Stark, on the hit HBO show, also revealed during the interview that Turner hasn't started the planning process for the wedding just yet. "We're waiting 'til this season's done until we get into it," Williams shared. "But I think she's already letting her little heart wander and imagine." And with Nick Jonas and Kevin Jonas likely to be among the groomsmen, this is going to be one star-studded bridal party! Turner and Jonas announced their engagement on Instagram in Oct. 2017. The couple shared the same photo of their hands, showing Turner's engagement ring. "I said yes," Turner captioned the pic. While Jonas told his social media followers, "She said yes." The couple has been together since 2016. (TMZ)

Last we heard, Elon Musk and Amber Heard were "not back together" even though they kiss goodbye and dance real close ... sorry, we're not buying that now. Amber and Elon went on a sushi date Monday in WeHo and looked like the full-blown hand-holding couple that's definitely on again. But that's only because that's exactly what they are -- no matter how many times they try to say they're not reunited. We broke the story ... Elon and Amber started hanging out again this past fall ... after announcing their split in the summer. Since then, they've smooched and gone dancing together. If it looks like a reunited duck, walks like a reunited duck ... (TMZ)

Macaulay Culkin on His Bond With Paris Jackson: ''She Is Beloved by Me.'' Macaulay Culkin is an open book about his life, but there's one area that's off limits -- his relationship with goddaughter Paris Jackson. During a stop at Marc Maron's WTF podcast, the one-time actor opened up about a range of private topics, including the physical and emotional abuse he endured as a child at the hands of his father, "manic" episodes, his former life as a child star and his unlikely friendship with Michael Jackson. But during the candid conversation, Culkin, who is dating actress Brenda Song, was particularly guarded about his relationship with the King of Pop's offspring, particularly MJ's model daughter. When asked about his friendship with them, he said, "I am close with Paris." But the 37-year-old quickly put up a barrier, telling the GLOW star (who had not asked for more details) that he has a private relationship with the model that he did not want to delve into. "I'm going to warn you now I am very protective of her so just look out," said Culkin. "I am a very open book when it comes to things but like with her, she is beloved by me..." To counter the defensiveness, Maron said, "I'm not looking for any dirt." Culkin continued, "I'm just letting you know if we want to start going down that road it's going to be a dead end you know, but I mean that in the fact that I love her so much." When the host asked how she's doing, Culkin said, "She's tall, and beautiful and smart. It's great." The conversation then moved on to Culkin's hosting Saturday Night Live at age 11. Much has been made about Culkin's close bond with Jackson, whom he's been photographed with many times over the last year. In July, the Home Alone alum, who had previously showcased a fresh new look, and his goddaughter got matching tattoos. The two were photographed getting inked at the Tattoo Mania parlor in West Hollywood. Hours later the two hopped on social media to show off their matching spoon tattoos on their arms. Michael, who died at age 50 in 2009, was friends with Culkin for many years. The actor appeared in the singer's 1991 music video "Black or White" and visited his Neverland Ranch several times as a kid with his family. (Eonline)

Busy Philipps Flies to Console Michelle Williams on the 10-Year Anniversary of Heath Ledger's Death. Busy Philipps would do anything for Michelle Williams. So, on Monday -- the 10th anniversary of Heath Ledger's death -- the actress hopped on a plane to console her longtime best friend in person. In her Instagram Story, Busy shared a photo of Michelle closing her eyes and resting on her shoulder, writing, "It's ok." In another video, Michelle looked forlorn as The Cranberries' "Linger" played -- an odd coincidence, as the band's singer, Dolores O'Riordan, died last week. Before she met up with Michelle, Busy shared photos from her airplane journey, adding a red heart emoji. Earlier in the day, the actress cried in her car as a particularly meaningful song by MGMT played in the background. "I was just driving and I was thinking about my friend Heath, who died 10 years ago, and this song came on, 'Time to Pretend,'" she said. "It came out after he had passed away and I remember when it came out, because I thought...it made me think of him. I just thought he would have liked this song. And for some reason, I just, every time I hear this song...it's weird." After she pumped up the volume, Busy wrote, "Just turn it up I guess?" Heath and Michelle began dating after meeting on the set of 2005's Brokeback Mountain. The actors welcomed daughter Matilda Ledger in October 2005 and separated in September 2007. On Jan. 22, 2008, Heath was found dead in his apartment at age 28. A toxicology report later revealed he died of an accidental overdose, with a fatal mix of prescription drugs in his system. In the immediate aftermath, Busy flew to New York to offer her Michelle comfort and support. Understandably, life without Heath has been unimaginable. "I really wanted, and I really expected or imagined, that Matilda would have siblings that were close to her age. I wanted that for her. But I couldn't make that happen," Michelle told GQ in 2012, adding, "You know, as hard as certain things have been for me, it's been harder thinking about how things will be for her. I have a lot of things that she doesn't, and some of what I have I can give to her -- the memories that I have, the objects that I have, the physical reminders that I have, the stories." Luckily, Michelle has Busy. "I'm so in love with her. She's proof that the love of your life does not have to be a man!" she admitted to People in 2016. "That's the love of my life right there. (Eonline)

Chrissy Teigen tweeted about her grey hairs and women everywhere are following suit. Oh Chrissy, what did we do to deserve you? The world became a better place the moment Chrissy Teigen came to Twitter. The hilarious model and presenter, who's currently pregnant with her second child, frequently treats us to her no-holds-barred Twitter tidbits, and our lives now wouldn't be complete without them. But she's not all about making us laugh and giving Donald Trump sh*t, she's also about lifting other women up and being real about her body and about all the changes she's gone through in pregnancy, and just in general life. Her most recent bout of awesomeness comes in the form of a tweet about her grey hairs - something we'll no doubt all be going through/have gone through at some point in our lives. It's totes relates. Yes! Own it. Other women have been responding with their own grey hair selfies, and we love it! (British Glamour)

Mark Wahlberg denies being a steroid user ... saying his yolked bod is "all natural" and a result of "hard work." We got Mark Monday in L.A. and asked about allegations that he, Josh Duhamel and WWE star Roman Reigns were clients of a now-jailed roid dealer, Richard Rodriguez. Mark's adamant -- his gains come from nothing else but his own work ethic. He even bashes steroid use, saying it screws with your health. As for any potential legal action ... it sounds like Marky Mark's just trying to put this thing behind him. Josh and Roman seem down with that, too. Both have also denied steroid use. (TMZ)

Wild child Bella Thorne is wreaking havoc on the Sundance Film Festival -- the former Disney child star's entourage was kicked out of her hotel in Park City, Utah, for smoking pot. A source tells us that Thorne and her entourage of four -- including her boyfriend, long-haired stoner rapper Mod Sun -- were removed from their room at the Park City Marriott after someone in the group was caught smoking marijuana. Thorne, 20, is at Sundance to promote the film "Assassination Nation," which premiered at the festival on Sunday. "They were seen rushing out of the hotel hours before the premiere," says a spy, adding, "There were so many bags, they needed a trail car to carry them." Thorne did make it to the premiere, sporting dark hair, patent-leather thigh- high boots and metallic makeup. We're told that she and her entourage wound up at Marriott's MountainSide location in Park City -- but the next day didn't seem to be going any better for the "Famous in Love" starlet. "She called in sick for most of her press interviews on Monday," says the source. "She canceled everything in the morning." Suki Waterhouse, Hari Nef, Abra, Bill Skarsgrd and director Sam Levinson are also in town to promote the thriller about high school and social media. Thorne's boyfriend Mod Sun has released several marijuana-themed tunes, including "Stoner Girl" and "Ganja Farmer." His recent video for the song "poundzzzzzz" shows him carrying around a bag of bud and even using it as a pillow. Mod Sun also has his own limited-edition vape pen. Thorne previously appeared to smoke weed in pictures she posted to Twitter in January. She is seen in a messy bedroom reaching for what looks like a blunt in one image. She captioned the shot: "Gimmie dat thing so I don't have to clean my room .?.?." She even chose a marijuana-leaf birthday cake last year. A rep for Thorne did not return requests for comment. (Page Six)

Ashley Judd was willing to sacrifice everything to speak out about Harvey Weinstein. "Whether it's going to jail, being maligned, being defamed or having tremendous economic loss because I stood up to Harvey Weinstein, and the amount of money I could have made and didn't .?.?. that's the hill on which I'm willing to die," she told a crowd at an event for Univision's Project Unbound initiative at Sundance. Judd, who received a standing ovation, ended her talk with a call-and-response affirmation session that had the audience chanting, "I am brave, I am loved, I am enough." Weinstein was formerly a fixture at the fest. (Page Six)

Zach Galifianakis cut ties with Louis C.K. -- who executive produced Galifianakis' FX show "Baskets" -- as soon as his sexual misconduct scandal broke. "It was so disruptive in a harmful way to so many people," Galifianakis told Vulture. "We just kind of put our heads down and worked on the new season." The "Hangover" star called out C.K. for succumbing to "the poison of celebrity culture," adding, "The fact that someone can think that just because they're loved, they can do what they want. It grosses me out." FX severed ties with 50-year-old C.K. and his production company Pig Newton in November after five women came forward and accused him of sexual misconduct. "Today, FX Networks and FX Productions are ending our association with Louis C.K.," the network's November statement read. "He will no longer serve as executive producer or receive compensation on any of the four shows we were producing with him-'Better Things,' 'Baskets,' 'One Mississippi' and 'The Cops.'" Two months later, FX Networks CEO John Landgraf announced an investigation into the claims of sexual misconduct found nothing involving C.K.'s work at the company. (Page Six)

Lisa Marie Presley's estranged husband just conceded she runs circles around him when it comes to income, and that's why he's asking the judge to forcibly open her purse. Michael Lockwood just filed legal docs asking the judge in the couple's ongoing divorce to make Lisa Marie foot the $450,000 bill for his lawyers' fees. To justify that ... he submitted income declarations that show he makes a tiny fraction of what she pulls in. According to the docs, Michael earns between $20 and $25 an hour at 2 different music stores, doing things like cleaning guitars and running errands for the owner. Lisa Marie, on the other hand, rakes in just shy of $350,000 per month with an annual income of $4.2 mil. (TMZ)

Dominic Monaghan had some landscaping done at his place by a guy he thought was qualified to do the job -- but turned out to be far from it ... this according to a new lawsuit. The "Lord of the Rings" and "Lost" star just filed suit against Bruce De Luis, who Monaghan says presented himself as a contractor last year and agreed to do some work on his L.A. property -- installing steps and a stone patio, as well as general landscaping. Monaghan claims he shelled out a total of $53,840 for the job, but eventually came to find a bunch of defects and a substandard end product. He says he got a new estimate from a licensed contractor for the repairs, which came out to about $21,000. When he went back to De Luis -- who Monaghan claims didn't have a contractor's license to begin with -- the actor says the guy told him to get lost ... refusing to reimburse him for the alleged sloppy work. Monaghan's asking a judge to force De Luis to fork over his original expenses and other damages. (TMZ)

The Phoenix Police Dept. has opened up an investigation into allegations made by a woman who claims she was raped by WWE superstar Enzo Amore back in October. The WWE has also suspended him indefinitely. The woman went public with her story on social media Monday -- claiming Enzo (real name Eric Arndt) along with 2 friends got her "f*cked up" in a hotel room on Oct. 19 to the point where she passed out. The woman claims Enzo then restrained her and, "it happened." The Phoenix PD says officers responded to a local hospital on Oct. 23 for a call about a woman who claims she was sexually assaulted. Investigators were assigned to the case. The investigation is still open. As for the WWE, the organization has suspended Enzo ... saying, "WWE has zero tolerance for matters involving sexual harassment or sexual assault." "Until this matter is resolved, Eric Arndt has been suspended." (TMZ)

Hollywood's oldest working actress, Connie Sawyer, died at home after an incredibly long and prolific career. Connie reportedly passed away at her Woodland Hills home. Unclear exactly how, but she was 105 ... so presumably it's related to her age. The longtime actress got her start in Tinseltown at the age of 18 and has over 140 acting credits to her name -- most of which were TV roles. Sawyer's been on a number of hit shows over her six-decade career, including "The Jackie Gleason Show," "The Andy Griffith Show," "All in the Family," 'Mary Tyler Moore,' "Starsky & Hutch," "Seinfeld," ... and on and on. She's also starred in movies like "Dumb and Dumber," "Pineapple Express," "When Harry Met Sally..." and "The Way West." RIP. (TMZ)

One of the guys who played Tinky Winky -- the allegedly gay Teletubby -- has died. Simon Shelton died last week, according to his son, who told the BBC his dad passed last Wednesday. Shelton's niece, Emily Atack, said her uncle was "taken so suddenly." Simon scored the "Teletubbies" role as the purple Teletubby after the original actor was fired in 1997. He stayed in the purple suit through 2001. Tinky Winky was accused of being gay by deceased televangelist Jerry Falwell, who once wrote ... "He is purple -- the gay pride color, and his antenna is shaped like a triangle -- the gay pride symbol." Yes, that actually happened. Shelton was 52. RIP. (TMZ)

THE OTHER STUFF . . .

Kate Middleton is speaking out about a cause very close to her heart. The royal mom visited Roe Green Junior School in London on Tuesday, where she met with students and teachers, taking part in a lesson designed to help support children's mental health and well-being. Upon her arrival, Princess Kate -- who wore a blue Sportmax coat and dress -- was greeted by over 100 schoolchildren, who performed a song. Breaking the stigma surrounding mental health awareness is one of Kate's key causes. Along with Prince William and Prince Harry, she formed the Heads Together campaign, and they are each supporting a series of programs to ensure that people can get access to the right help, at the right place and time. During the event, Kate gave a moving speech in support of the new project. The royal, who is expecting her third child in April, opened up about the realities of motherhood last year. She said that the challenges she faced since becoming a parent have led her to feel, at times, a "lack of confidence" and "feelings of ignorance." She then went on to discuss the importance of destigmatizing mental health, in particular, when it comes to new parents. While Kate said being a parent is "rewarding and wonderful," she also acknowledged that even she has difficult moments, despite the support she has with Prince George, 4, and Princess Charlotte, 2. "Personally, becoming a mother has been such a rewarding and wonderful experience," she said. "However, at times it has also been a huge challenge. Even for me who has support at home that most mothers do not." "Nothing can really prepare you for you the sheer overwhelming experience of what it means to become a mother. It is full of complex emotions of joy, exhaustion, love, and worry, all mixed together," she said. "Your fundamental identity changes overnight. You go from thinking of yourself as primarily an individual, to suddenly being a mother, first and foremost." (People)

Team USA's 2018 Olympics Opening Ceremony Uniforms. Pyeongchang's freezing temperatures got nothing on Team USA, thanks to an opening ceremony uniform with a built-in heating component! Ralph Lauren just unveiled the wearable (and patriotic!) piece of technology that U.S. athletes will rock for the 2018 Winter Olympics' opening ceremony, which is just a few weeks away. Tucked within a red, white and blue parka and bomber jacket, the adjustable heaters are made from heat-conducting inks printed in the shape of an American flag. The flags are bonded to the jacket's interior and connected to a battery pack, which will keep Team USA members warm for up to 11 hours. Modeled by snowboarder Jamie Anderson and freestyle skier Gus Kenworthy, the uniforms also include a wool sweater and jeans with moto-inspired seaming. As for accessories, Ralph Lauren designed a navy wool beanie, leather belt, brown suede gloves with fringe and hand-beading and a pair of matching boots with red laces. In November, Team USA's closing ceremony uniforms were unveiled. Items from the Polo Ralph Lauren Team USA Collection will be available online at RalphLauren.com and TeamUSAShop.com as well as in select Ralph Lauren stores. And for every post liked on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook using #HeatTheWayForTeamUSA from Jan. 22 to Jan. 24, Ralph Lauren will donate $1 to the USOC, up to $100,000. The Winter Olympics begin February 8th on NBC. (Eonline)

These days $3,000 will buy you 3 iPhone Xs, or Elvis Presley's once used paper cup ... from 6 decades ago! Choose wisely. Actually, it's too late to choose ... the old vintage paper cup sold at auction over the weekend, with a winning bid of $3,300. We're told the person who bought it owns the Icon Hotel in Luton, England. As we reported, the seller was aiming to get $1,000 for it. Sooo ... BONUS!!! The cup dates back to Elvis' 1956 tour stop in Tulsa, where it ended up in the hands of a fan. Some people shell out $3,300 for a Super Bowl ticket, so no point in judging. Just kidding, judge away. (TMZ)

Laverne Cox Is Cosmopolitan's First Transgender Cover Star and It's Fierce AF. Laverne Cox is a bonafide history-maker, this time as the first transgender woman to land a Cosmpolitan magazine cover! The Orange Is the New Black star and LGBT rights activist appears on Cosmo South Africa's February 2018 issue, looking all kinds of empowered in a sexy bodysuit for the mag's #SayYesToLove edition. The Valentine's Day-themed issue highlights LGBT issues, and the cover also features a rainbow masthead. "I am so honored and proud to cover the February issue of @cosmopolitansa," Laverne shared on Instagram. This isn't the first time Cox, 45, has pushed boundaries for the trans community and advocated for greater representation in Hollywood. In 2014, she became the first openly transgender Emmy nominee for her performance in OITNB, and was the first transgender person to cover Time. Laverne being cast in CBS' Doubt also made her the first transgender person to play a transgender character in a recurring role on network television. In an accompanying Q&A video, Cox touched on the struggle of being "kept a secret" by romantic partners because of her gender identity. "As a black transgender woman, I've often been kept a secret by the men that I've dated," she said. "So when my ex-boyfriend introduced me to his dad and invited me to spend Hanukkah with him and his family, it was the most special thing ever." Laverne added, "Trans women deserve to be loved out in the open and in the light." Another day, another accomplishment. Congratulations, Laverne! (Eonline)

There will be no Jerseygate 2 at Super Bowl LII -- with law enforcement putting together special plans to watch Tom Brady's jersey LIKE A HAWK in the wake of last year's theft, TMZ Sports has learned. First off, the guy who jacked Tom's jersey out of the locker room in 2017, Mauricio Ortega, has been banned from all Super Bowls (and all NFL games) for life ... an NFL spokesperson tell us. Law enforcement directly involved with the SBLII protection in Minneapolis says the protection of player property -- especially game-used memorabilia -- will be a major priority this time around. As one source put it ... "One of the main goals is to keep people and property safe. We do not want a repeat of last year and we have learned lessons from other major sporting events." We're told the overall security plan involves federal agencies, multiple state agencies and private security plus "surveillance everywhere." Still, Tom might wanna have a designated "jersey guy" just in case. (TMZ)

Pam Anderson is living in Europe, at least for now, so it makes sense that, rather than just letting her awesome Malibu home sit empty, she's leasing it for a cool $40k a month ... and more during summer. The 5,500 square foot house is pretty spectacular. It's super architectural, with floating staircases, massive closets, a Picasso-style tub, a detached guest house, a cool pool and, of course, the Pacific Ocean. The $40k a month price tag is for long-term leases, but during the summer months the price soars to $70k a month. Pam's listed the house with super realtor Chris Cortazzo. The ocean -- and the super exclusive Malibu Colony where the house is located -- don't come cheap. (TMZ)

Party City is apologizing for a commercial that called gluten-free people "gross." The party store issued a statement on Monday after several people with gluten allergies slammed the company on social media for their commercial, which was for Food Network star Sunny Anderson's inflatable snack stadium. The ad features two people in a room decorated and ready for a Super Bowl party. A large snack table is on display and to the right of it is a single plate of food separated on a stool. "Those are some gluten-free options," one woman says in the commercial. "Do we even know people that are like that?" another woman asked. "Tina," the first woman responded. "Oh, gross, yeah," the second woman said. Anderson shared Party City's full apology on her Instagram on Monday, writing in the caption, "Please read I'd like to thank @partycity for handling this swiftly and with care." The company issued the following statement, "Party City values its customers above all else, and we take your feedback extremely seriously. We recognize that we made an error in judgment by running the recent Big Game commercial, which was insensitive to people with food allergies." It continued, "We have removed the commercial from our website and all other channels, and sincerely apologize for any offense this may have caused." "We'd also like to clarify that Sunny Anderson was not involved in the creation of this commercial in any way, and we apologize for any offense it has caused with her audience and fans. We will also be reviewing our internal vetting process on all advertising content to avoid any future issues. In addition, Party City will be making a donation in support of Celiac Disease research." (People)

Music

Neil Diamond Retires From Touring After Parkinson's Disease Diagnosis. Done too fast... Legendary singer, songwriter and performer Neil Diamond announced earlier that he would be retiring from touring due to his recent diagnosis of Parkinson's disease. According to a press release given to E! News, the decision to stop touring is on his doctors' advice. The "Sweet Caroline" singer was slated to begin the third leg of Diamond's 50th Anniversary tour this March in Australia and New Zealand. "It is with great reluctance and disappointment that I announce my retirement from concert touring. I have been so honored to bring my shows to the public for the past 50 years," said Diamond in a statement. "My sincerest apologies to everyone who purchased tickets and were planning to come to the upcoming shows. I plan to remain active in writing, recording and other projects for a long time to come." The 76-year-old music man continued, "My thanks goes out to my loyal and devoted audiences around the world. You will always have my appreciation for your support and encouragement. This ride has been 'so good, so good, so good' thanks to you." Earlier this month, the Recording Academy announced Diamond as one of its Lifetime Achievement Award honorees. The legendary performer and songwriter has sold more than 130 million albums worldwide. Performing for over 50 years, he's had 38 Top 40 singles and 16 Top 10 albums. His myriad of songs include "Solitary Man," "Cherry, Cherry," "Girl, You'll Be A Woman Soon," "I'm A Believer," "Red Red Wine," "Holly Holy," "Thank The Lord For The Night Time," "Sweet Caroline," and many more. Diamond has won a Grammy, Golden Globe Award, Sammy Cahn Lifetime Achievement Award, and a Kennedy Center Honor. The lover of glittery tops has also been inducted into both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriter's Hall Of Fame. Diamond will celebrate his 77th birthday on January 24. (Eonline)

The Internet Is Convinced Miranda Lambert's Lyric Change Is All About Blake Shelton. Next time you see Miranda Lambert live, you may want to listen extra carefully. In one of her first concerts as part of the Livin' Like Hippies tour, the country singer was singing her big hit "Little Red Wagon." But while performing the track at the Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, South Carolina, one Twitter user captured video of what appears to be some new lyrics. The song, which usually includes "I live in Oklahoma," were changed to "I got the hell out of Oklahoma." What came next was the Internet thinking this had to relate somehow, someway to ex-husband Blake Shelton. As fans know, the pair lived in the famous state before they got divorced. And as Blake continues his romance with Gwen Stefani, the duo is often spotted in The Sooner State. Despite the headlines thinking "shade" was thrown or this was a "diss," one Twitter user brought up a good point. "It's a tongue-in-cheek lyric change because she doesn't live in Oklahoma anymore," one user shared online. "Is she supposed to keep singing that she lives in OK when she doesn't or stop singing a fan fave song? People are reading way too much into it." Ultimately, Miranda has moved on from the divorce and continues to be happily in love with fellow musician Anderson East. As for what's to come this year, the country singer has a busy schedule that will take her across the country. After the "Livin' Like Hippies" tour with Jon Pardi ends March 24, Miranda will hit the road with Little Big Town for The Bandwagon Tour that includes stops in 13 cities. "Thank you Greenville, Orlando and Atlanta for an amazing first weekend of the Livin Like Hippies Tour!" Miranda recently shared on Instagram. "Singing country music is all I've ever wanted to do. You all make it possible. #livinlikehippiestour #firstweekend #countrymusic! #dreamersanddrinkers." (Eonline)

Breaking Down the 2018 Grammy Awards By the Numbers: Second-Time Hosts, Leading Nominees and More. Do you hear that? It's the sound of the greatest musicians around the world gathering together under one roof! Yes, the 2018 Grammy Awards are just around the corner, uniting artists across all genres in New York City's Madison Square Garden -- where the show hasn't been held in more than 15 years. It's bound to be a fun-filled night as James Corden will take the stage to host for the second year in a row, and stars like Miley Cyrus and Elton John are set to perform. Jay-Z leads the nominees with a total of eight nominations, and following closely him, Kendrick Lamar received seven nominations, while Bruno Mars saw six. And there are plenty more stats where that came from! SZA leads the female nominees, and Alison Krauss may surprise you with her record-breaking status. (Eonline)

Eminem and Ramz Go Toe-to-Toe for U.K. Singles Chart Crown. It's a rap battle on the U.K.'s midweek singles chart as Eminem and Ramz go toe-to-toe for the title. Eminem's current chart leader "River" (Interscope), featuring Ed Sheeran, takes the lead on the Official Singles Chart Update though London rapper Ramz is close behind in second place with "Barking" (Polydor). According to the Official Charts Company, the coming days could see "one of the tightest chart races in recent memory" as Eminem leads on downloads and Ramz has the advantage on streaming. The newly-anointed BBC Sound Of 2018 champ Sigrid is at No. 3 with "Strangers" (Island) following the Norwegian newcomer's appearance last Friday on The Graham Norton Show. "Strangers" is outpacing "River" and "Barking" in downloads at the halfway stage. There's upward movement from Dua Lipa's "IDGAF" (Warner Bros), rising 14-8, and Jax Jones' "Breathe" (Polydor), featuring Ina Wroldsen, improving 12-9, while Drake is eyeing a top 20 entry for "God's Plan" (Cash Money/Republic Records), one of his Scary Hours EP surprise release, which starts at No. 16. Portugal. The Man is also on track for the top 20 with "Feel It Still" (Atlantic), up 25-20. Veteran Aussie pop singer Kylie Minogue could nab a 51st top 40 with her comeback track "Dancing" (BMG), which bows at No. 22 on the midweek chart. On the Official Albums Chart Update, The Greatest Showman (Atlantic) continues to entertain in a big way as the motion picture soundtrack prepares to log a third week at No. 1. But the show's far from over. Slightly more than 2,100 combined chart sales separate The Greatest Showman and the second-placed album, Fall Out Boy's seventh studio set Mania (Def Jam), while Swedish folk act First Aid Kit is just 548 chart sales adrift with their fourth album Ruins (Columbia), new at No. 3. The Official U.K. Singles and Albums Chart are published late Friday, local time. (Billboard)

Gary Richards to Start a New Cruise Fest, Brings Busta Rhymes to Output. The dance world wondered what Gary Richards (aka Destructo) had up his sleeve when he left HARD, the company he founded in 2007. What would become of the festivals that came with it, including the popular Holy Ship!, after Richards sold HARD to Live Nation in 2012 and his five-year contract went unrenewed? He soon announced his new position as President of competitor LiveStyle. As he sinks his teeth into 2018, Richards has begun to open up about his future plans. In a recent chat with Mixmag, he explained how his new role as LiveStyle President allows him to work with a larger team on events broader than his own personal "babies." He played a strong hand in the curation of Life in Color in Miami earlier this month, and he now sets his attention to Disco Donnie events, in particular Sunset Festival in Tampa, as well as MADE's Electric Zoo in New York and Spring Awakening in Chicago. Richards also disclosed that he is working on a new brand of his own in LA, and yes, it will include festivals and music cruises. The theme of his new brand is "friendship," and comes to life in his 2018 tour "Let's Be Friends." He recently played New York City's Output, where he was joined by Busta Rhymes, who worked through some of his most iconic hits. Dancing Astronaut reports that Richards took to the mic and announced this new music cruise would be dubbed the "Friend Ship." We'll have to wait to see if that gets confirmation; Billboard Dance has reached out to Richard's camp for additional comment. (Billboard)

Report: D'arcy Wretzky Has Apparently Confirmed a Smashing Pumpkins Reunion Tour Without Her. Over the weekend, original Smashing Pumpkins bassist D'arcy Wretzky reportedly told the rock website BlastEcho that she was not invited to take part in an upcoming reunion tour with the band, which is so far unannounced but was teased on Instagram last week. "My apologies to all of the Smashing Pumpkins fans out there who are excited about this oncoming reunion tour of the original members of the band," she said. "I know this is a huge disappointment for me, as well, but it's not going to happen [with me]. I only just found about yesterday that the band has decided to go with a different bass player." Hopes of a reunion tour featuring the original lineup were reignited in 2016 when Wretzky told BlastEcho she'd "consider" a reunion tour, just four months before she and Billy Corgan began speaking to each other again. "I've been in communication with D'arcy for the first time in 16 or 17 years, it's awesome to have my friend back," Corgan said at the time. In an October 2017 Spin interview, Corgan spoke positively of a reunion, but emphasized that it wouldn't be forced: It's like, the door is open, and hopefully there will be some energy by which we, in some combination, can coalesce. But I've learned not to repeat my mistakes, which is, "It has to be this way, in this time frame." I'm applying no pressure. I've opened the door to it because of personal relationships and the peace that's been demonstrated within, and hopefully there will be an opportunity there. If there is, great, if there isn't, I'm happy to have the friendships. I don't feel any burning need to prove a point. Just last week, Corgan posted a photo of himself with James Iha and Jimmy Chamberlain and included the official @smashingpumpkins handle in the caption. Wretzky was noticeably absent. A spokesperson for Corgan could not be reached for comment at press time. (Billboard)

Fans have been waiting for a new album from Christina Aguilera for years, and now, the 37-year-old pop star promises, "It's coming, bitches." On Monday night, Aguilera let her fans know that new music was imminent in a message on her Instagram Story. The news came attached to a popular meme that showed the "Come on Over (All I Want Is You)" singer's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, flanked with a Post-It note asking, "Dear Christina Aguilera, Where the f -- is the new album??" Aguilera hasn't released a new studio album since 2012's Lotus. That record, her seventh, spawned the singles "Your Body" and "Just a Fool" -- the latter a duet with Blake Shelton. Lotus peaked at No. 7 on the Billboard 2000 and went on to become one of Aguilera's lowest-selling records. Though she hasn't put out a full album, there have been singles. In 2013, she guested on Pitbull's "Feel This Moment," Mexican singer Alejandro Fernndez's cover of "Hoy Tengo Ganas de Ti," and A Great Big World's "Say Something." That same year, she recorded "We Remain" for The Hunger She also appeared on a remixed version of Lady Gaga's 2014 single "Do What U Want." In June 2016, Aguilera released "Change" -- a song dedicated to the late Christina Grimmie and the victims of the Orlando nightclub shooting. Two months later, she dropped a disco song called "Telepathy" for the soundtrack of Netflix's The Get Down. Aguilera last performed at the 2017 American Music Awards in November, paying tribute to Whitney Houston and the 25-year anniversary of the The Bodyguard soundtrack with powerful renditions of "I Will Always Love You," "I Have Nothing," "Run to You," and "I'm Every Woman." Following her performance, Aguilera took to Twitter with a video message thanking the AMAs and the Houston family "for making a little girl's dream come true. I've had the time of my life." "I hope I did you proud Whitney," she added. "Love you forever." (People)

Movies

Robert Redford shaken up by virtual reality film. Robert Redford was bowled over -- literally -- by a virtual reality film at Sundance. The fest's founder was spotted at a screening of the artfully trippy film, "Spheres: Songs of Spacetime," created by Eliza McNitt with Darren Aronofsky and others, when Redford was "so overwhelmed by the virtual reality experience ... he stumbled midway through," a spy told us. Luckily, "the spry 81-year-old immediately got back up and continued." Either way, he later "left covered in sweat!" Oculus Rift will release the film about the "songs of the cosmos" narrated by Jessica Chastain and exec produced by Aronofsky. Sundance's VR Experiences section also includes projects created with will.i.am, Rosario Dawson, Megan Ellison and Maria Bello. (PageSix)

Laurie Metcalf on Her Lady Bird Oscar Nomination and Finding the Humanity in All of Her Characters. Laurie Metcalf considers herself a new kid on the block. Yes, the three-time Emmy winner, seven-time Emmy nominee, Tony winner and three-time Golden Globe nominee who has been working steadily since the 1980s is the new kid on the block when it comes to the Oscars. Metcalf picked up her first nomination -- ever! -- for her work in Greta Gerwig's Lady Bird. The actress was already up going about her day, preparing for her first day of rehearsal for her latest Broadway play Three Tall Women, when she got the call about her nomination. "This is like a super day. These days don't happen. This is crazy," she told E! News in a phone interview. Lady Bird is Metcalf's first movie in about 10 years. Her last physical appearance was in 2008's Stop-Loss, but her voice can be heard in Toy Story 3. "Yeah, I think I'm spoiled for good now. It was a wonderful experience. Greta, you never would've known it was her solo-directing debut. [Saoirse Ronan] is like the best screen partner any actor could ask for. The script was beautiful, Greta's direction was so solid and everybody felt confident. We all felt so cared for by her. Yeah, I'm spoiled. I don't know how to top it, frankly," Metcalf said about her first movie experience in about a decade. In addition to the Best Supporting Actress Oscar nomination, Metcalf picked up Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild Awards nominations. In Lady Bird, Metcalf played Marion McPherson, the mom to Ronan's Christine "Lady Bird" McPherson. The coming of age tale often put the two characters on opposite sides of many arguments. How close were you with your mother as a 17-year-old high school senior? The movie features one particularly emotional moment where Metcalf's character drops Ronan's off at the airport and Metcalf's Marion is left alone in the car, faced with her daughter leaving home -- on not so great terms. It's a scene that Metcalf said she could only do twice and it left a lasting impression on audiences, but did it on Metcalf? "That was a hard day," she said with a laugh. "I don't know. It's hard for me to gauge it, you know? It's hard for me to watch it frankly -- myself in something, I mean. But I really wanted to watch -- usually I wait a period of few years to watch something I'm in so I can forget everything. I did watch this one because I wanted to see the rest of the movie! I only got to do things basically inside in the house, and so I missed all of the high school stuff. I loved -- what an ensemble. I loved seeing all that. I couldn't be happier for Saoirse and Greta." When viewers approach her about the movie, they tell a familiar tale: parents and kids, particularly mothers and daughters, have a new look on their relationship. It happened for Metcalf too. "I've had so many mothers and daughters say they saw it together, and they usually say they had a bit of and epiphany. There are a handful of moments that have been resonating with parents and their kids. And they turn to each other and they say just what you said, they see each other through different eyes. They can see the other side," she said. "It's done with such a delicate touch in the writing. They are very small moments but they really resonate." Metcalf has a way with making her characters resonate, from Jackie Harris on Roseanne to Dr. Jenna James on the critically-acclaimed, yet short-lived, HBO comedy Getting On. In Getting On, Metcalf played the harried doctor of a geriatric extended care facility who often seemed checked out of caring about her ward until a little glimmer of humanity would slip through. How does Metcalf do it? "I don't know. I just try to be present in the moment and keep it real, keep it as grounded as it could be. But I love playing characters who have a lot of flaws. Jenna James, oh my god do I miss playing that! I loved -- I miss Getting On so much," Metcalf said. "Again, it starts with the writing. Both those projects had gorgeous writing and really flawed characters. It's fun to lean into the flaws and not shy away from them because you trust the material. Even Jenna James could be forgiven at certain moments. You saw, oh there's a heart in there! [Laughs.]" If her Lady Bird Oscar nomination has the power to bring Getting On back, well, "that would be a dream," Metcalf said. "That was a dream job. I don't know that they'd ever bring Getting On back, but I'd be first in line if they did." For now, Metcalf is heading to Oscars, and she's got a friend there. Allison Janney, who is also known primarily for stage and TV work, picked up a Supporting Actress nomination as well for her work in I, Tonya. "We seek each other out at all these events because we're really good friends, and we go -- I don't even know how far back we go back," Metcalf said. "We were both just in New York doing plays at the same time, seeing each other every Thursday at Sardi's for drinks. We're the new kids on the block this year, so we're sort of taking this ride together." The Oscars air Sunday, March 4 on ABC with host Jimmy Kimmel. (Eonline)

*'Get Out' stars kept out of the SAG Awards. "Get Out" indeed. We're told two cast members from the movie were kept out of the SAG Awards by security. Caleb Landry Jones -- who also starred in "Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri" -- stepped out to the "smoking patio" just before the ceremony began, and security stopped him from going back inside because he didn't have his ticket with him. A SAG spy tells Page Six that Jones was saved by "Three Billboards" co-star Woody Harrelson, who said "come with me" and whisked him in. We're told Jones missed the first five minutes of the show. Catherine Keener was also kept outside for the same reason. She was overheard joking, "That's fine. I'm happy to just go home!" She was let in by other event staff. (PageSix)

James Franco was not nominated for an Oscar, and there isn't a shadow of a doubt the reason is that 5 women have accused him of sexual misconduct. It's a stunning statement ... Franco won the Golden Globe and the Critics' Choice Awards for Best Actor. The voting was partially completed before the allegations surfaced but obviously there were enough outstanding votes afterward to make a difference. Here's what's interesting ... Kobe Bryant was nominated for Best Animated Short for "Dear Basketball." As you know, in 2003, Kobe was charged with raping a woman in Eagle, Colorado ... something he denied, claiming it was consensual. The case was dropped after the alleged victim refused to cooperate. Kobe settled a civil suit with the woman for a reported $5 million. (TMZ)

Kobe Bryant was just nominated for an Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film for his movie, "Dear Basketball" ... but it begs the question, Time's Up? In a time where huge Hollywood stars are crushing people like Aziz Ansari, James Franco and others ... ya gotta remember, Kobe was formally charged with raping a woman back in 2003. Remember, Bryant admitted having sex with a 19-year-old hotel staffer in Eagle, Colorado -- but insisted it was consensual. By his account, things went south when Kobe asked the woman if he could ejaculate in her face during the sexual encounter. Kobe claims the woman denied his request and he stopped cold. The woman clearly saw things differently. When approached by police, Kobe asked the cops if he could pay her off to make the situation go away. Kobe was charged with sexual assault -- but the case was dropped when the accuser stopped cooperating with prosecutors. At the time, she claimed she was receiving hate mail and death threats. She filed a civil suit against Kobe, which he later settled. There are reports he paid around $5 million, though Kobe claimed he never paid her a dime. Kobe later released an apology saying, "I want to apologize directly to the young woman involved in this incident. I want to apologize to her for my behavior that night and for the consequences she has suffered in the past year." Kobe added this part ... which sounds a lot like Aziz's explanation: "Although I truly believe this encounter between us was consensual, I recognize now that she did not and does not view this incident the same way I did. After months of reviewing discovery, listening to her attorney, and even her testimony in person, I now understand how she feels that she did not consent to this encounter." So, the big question ... how will Hollywood react if Kobe wins? (TMZ)

'Wonder Woman 2' Will Be the First Film to Adopt New Anti-Sexual Harassment Guidelines. In light of the #MeToo and #TimesUp movements, the Producers Guild of America announced Saturday night (January 20) that it's implementing new guidelines to combat sexual harassment and misconduct on film and TV sets. This change is long overdue, of course, but luckily these new standards will go into effect soon: They'll start with the production of Wonder Woman 2, according to Vanity Fair Hollywood Correspondent Rebecca Keegan. "Wonder Woman 2 will be first film to officially adopt new #PGA policies on sexual harassment, PGA presidents announce at #PGAwards," Keegan tweeted Saturday night, when the Producers Guild of America Awards took place. It's still unknown exactly when production on Wonder Woman 2 will start, but it's expected to hit theaters on November 1, 2019. Brie Larson and Lupita Nyong'o talked about these new guidelines at the Screen Actors Guild Awards, with Larson saying, "We're so excited to say that -- with collaborations with Time's Up and your union members here in this room -- there will be a new code of conduct to ensure that there is safety on set, so we can continue to be vulnerable, continue to be empathetic, and do the strong and great performances that we've seen brief glimpses of here tonight." Nyong'o added, "It gives us joy to celebrate portrayals that show human nature with all its imperfections, and to do so with a union whose job it is to protect actors as they do that job." This new code of conduct is a strong indication that the Time's Up movement is doing more than just raising awareness: It's pushing the dial forward and effecting real, sustainable change. Hopefully, other industries will follow suit and implement similar guidelines in the workplace. (British Glamour)

Legendary Entertainment Hires Former Sony Executive as New China Boss. Jiang Wei began his career at Sony, where he was involved in the development and distribution of 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.' More recently, he led Beijing-based Gravity Pictures. Legendary Entertainment has finally filled its leadership vacancies on both sides of the Pacific. The studio behind Pacific Rim and Kong: Skull Island, owned by Chinese conglomerate Dalian Wanda Group, has discreetly hired former Sony executive and industry veteran Jiang Wei as head of its China unit. Jiang assumed the role weeks ago and has already begun work, according to several sources with knowledge of the situation. Jiang's hire follows Legendary's appointment of attorney and veteran dealmaker Joshua Grode as CEO in December. Grode replaced company founder Thomas Tull, who had exited 11 months prior. Jiang is filling the role left empty for seven months by veteran Beijing producer Peter Loehr, who served as Legendary East's CEO from 2012 to May 2017. Legendary has seen a number of high-profile executive exits since its acquisition by Wanda for $3.5 billion in January 2016. Following Tull and Loehr, interim CEO and senior Wanda dealmaker Jack Gao resigned in October. News of Jiang's hire was first reported by Bloomberg. Legendary couldn't immediately be reached for comment. Legendary East handles marketing the Burbank-based parent studio's films in China and developing strategic partnerships and co-productions -- two areas where Jiang would appear to be well equipped. He has broad experience both with U.S. studios and leading Hong Kong and Chinese film companies. Most recently, Jiang served as an executive director of Hong Kong's Shaw Brothers Holdings from October 2016 until December 2017. Prior to that, he spent three years as president of Gravity Pictures, an affiliate of China Media Capital, which is co-producing The Meg, the forthcoming Warner Bros. action-horror film starring Jason Statham. Earlier in his career, Jiang spent seven years in the late 1990s at Sony, where he was involved in the development and distribution of international box-office phenomenon Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. He then did a stint at Hong Kong studio Edko Films, where he handled mainland Chinese marketing and distribution of local hits like Finding Mr. Right, as well as imported titles such as films from The Fast and the Furious franchise. Legendary currently has four films in varying states of production: Pacific Rim Uprising, Godzilla: King of the Monsters, the China-set Dwayne Johnson action pic Skyscraper and the Pokemon movie Detective Pikachu. The company also has a stake in Universal's Jurassic Park: Fallen Kingdom. Planned future titles include the "monsterverse" installment Godzilla vs. Kong and a Dune reboot directed by Denis Villeneuve. (Hollywood Reporter)

TV

'Stranger Things' season 3 is further along than you think. It's been a busy start to 2018 for the cast of Stranger Things, and they haven't even started shooting season three yet. From partying at the Golden Globes to dominating the carpet at the SAG Awards, the cast has been celebrating their season-two success before they return to Hawkins, Indiana, this spring. They've certainly earned the break -- once filming begins, it'll be nonstop work until the show returns in late 2018 or early 2019. "If we could make it [return] faster, then we would," executive producer Shawn Levy explains. "But we're going to make it well. We're going to do it right." The good news is that the Duffer Brothers and Levy have already planned out all of the story lines for season three. "We're there," Levy tells us. "It'll be an eight- or nine-episode season. The number of episodes will be dictated by the amount of story that excites us. We now know what is going to happen in season three to every character." Now that the season's storyline is worked out, they're in the process of figuring out the specific details of each scene in each episode. While Levy is hesitant to reveal more beyond that, he will say that Will Byers is in need of a break after last season's trauma from the aftermath of the Upside Down. "We're going to give Will a break," he says. "We're not going to put Will through hell for a third season in a row. He'll be dealing with stuff, but he won't be at rock bottom the way we forced the amazing Noah Schnapp to play." Of course, after battling the Shadow Monster one would assume Dustin or Hopper might be next in line to suffer the consequences. "You might assume that," Levy teases, "but you would probably end up being wrong. We're [going to be] dealing with forces of evil that are new." Still, not everything will completely change heading into season three. After last year's surprising -- but welcome! -- friendship between Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo) and Steve (Joe Keery), Levy says you'll definitely "get some Steve/Dustin action." As for Matarazzo, he hopes there will be more light-hearted scenes with Steve and Dustin in season three, though he also wants to see their relationship evolve. "In season two, it was all very cute and there was a funny factor to it because it was unexpected, but now that it is expected, I want to see them connect more and be more familiar with each other," he says. "I want them to have a connection like they've really had a connection for a year -- like they're brothers." Matarazzo points out that Dustin doesn't have a brother and his father is gone, so Dustin wants an older male figure in his life to look up to. "He's never had that, so I feel like Steve is definitely someone in that sense who could be that person to him." And just as Dustin's relationship with Steve will mature, could rebel Billy be the instigator for a more sexually liberated Mrs. Wheeler next season? "There was clearly a connection there," Levy says. "Karen has some unhappiness that is brewing. I think that makes her vulnerable to all kinds of things in season three." Perhaps those new "forces of evil" that Levy referred to earlier? One thing still TBD is the future of Paul Reiser's Dr. Owens, who managed to survive the chaos that engulfed Hawkins Lab at the end of season two. Levy says they're "not commenting" on Reiser's possible return, mainly because "I don't have a clear-cut answer for you yet." In other words, stay tuned. (British Glamour)

The Bachelor's Bekah Martinez Had the Perfect Response to People Calling Out Her Age. Age ain't nothing but a number...except on The Bachelor. Since the 29 contestants competing for Arie Luyendyk Jr.'s heart were revealed and Bekah Martinez was the only woman not to have her age listed, Bachelor Nation was buzzing about the Los Angeles-based nanny's age. While we learned pretty early on that Bekah was 22, the youngest contestant in the house, Arie, 36, only found out about her age in Monday night's episode...and was super-conflicted over their 14-year age difference before ultimately giving her a rose on their one-on-one. Of course, the other women in the house and everyone with a Twitter account seemed to have an opinion on Bekah's age, with most seeming to think she was not ready for marriage and was too young for Arie. During the episode's airing, Bekah sounded off on all the criticism on Twitter, and her tweets were kind of perfect. "ah, yes. 22 really is SO young compared to the other girls," she wrote. "hopefully one of the many 25/26-year-olds this season can grant me some of their ancient wisdom." Oh snap! (And did anyone make a big deal over Maquel, who decided to leave the competition earlier in the episode after receiving a phone call that her grandfather had passed away, being only 23-years-old?) Bekah also had proof for just how mature she is for her age, tweeting, "if i'm "too young" and "immature", explain how this week i did all my laundry and put it away immediately WITHOUT LEAVING IT IN A PILE ON THE COUCH FOR 3 DAYS?? #adulting #ready4marriage." Bekah for next Bachelorette (should she not end up with Arie)! After the episode, Arie called into Ashley Iaconetti and Ben Higgins' Almost Famous podcast and discussed Bekah's age. "It did shock me that she was 22," he admitted. "I really expected her to be in her mid-twenties, even though she looks so young, just because we always had these really great conversations, she's very intelligent, she's very mature and she really read me really well." As for why he ultimately gave Bekah the rose, despite his "inner conflict" over their age, Arie explained, "I couldn't deny the fact that there were a lot of feelings toward her...At that point in the show, I was probably the most connected to her and that made things really difficult for me." Last week, former Bachelorette Kaitlym Bristowe defended Bekah on Twitter, writing, "All you little twatters tweeting about how Bekah is 22 but she's more mature than girls tweeting about her age. Or something." P.S. The average age of this season's contestants? 27. The Bachelor airs Mondays at 8 p.m. on ABC. (Eonline)

Taylor Kitsch on 'Waco,' A 'Friday Night Lights' Movie and His Hollywood Lows. The actor talks with THR about how he overcame misfires 'John Carter' and 'Battleship' and, yes, weighs in on the long-rumored 'FNL' movie. Taylor Kitsch has played real-life figures before, but none quite like David Koresh. The leader of an extreme offshoot of the Branch Davidian religious movement -- who perished along with 81 of his followers in Waco, Texas, during the infamous 1993 raid -- is one of the most controversial names of that decade, his monstrous reputation cemented by reports of child physical abuse and statutory rape inside the compound. For Kitsch, who has spent the majority of his career playing the hero, bringing such a dark and complex individual to life presented an opportunity to prove his mettle as an actor. As everyone in Hollywood knows, it's the kind of transformative role that, if received well, can pay career dividends down the line. Created by John Erick and Drew Dowdle (Quarantine, Devil) and co-starring Michael Shannon as FBI negotiator Gary Noesner, there's a lot riding on Waco, a six-part miniseries that's the first original scripted series to air on the rebranded Paramount Network (formerly Spike TV). It's also the first producing credit of Kitsch's career (he served as an executive producer on the series), which -- along with his forthcoming feature Pieces, which he's set to write, direct, produce and star in -- allowed him more control over the finished product than ever before. It's an understandable impulse for an actor who suffered back-to-back box-office failures earlier in his career (John Carter and Battleship, both released in 2012), but Kitsch paints his burgeoning multihyphenate status as a natural evolution that would have happened even if, in his words, John Carter had made "a billion dollars." Still, Kitsch's choice of roles over the past several years has demonstrated a growing willingness to take risks as an actor. After crashing and burning on the blockbuster circuit, he refocused on his craft, taking roles in HBO's True Detective season two and in Ryan Murphy's star-studded TV movie The Normal Heart. Even more than those projects, Waco represents his most earnest stab at professional respectability yet, and Kitsch clearly understands its potential to launch his career in a whole new direction. In advance of Waco's Jan. 24 premiere, Kitsch talked with The Hollywood Reporter about humanizing a modern-day bogeyman, navigating the show's unfortunate Weinstein Co. connection and why he'll never take part in a Friday Night Lights reunion. (Hollywood Reporter)

The Bachelor Recap: Age Ain't Nothing But an Oh My God. Just a couple of minutes into the night's episode of The Bachelor, Krystal declared herself "the voice of reason, the voice of reality" for Arie when it came to eliminating the other girls. It was then that I knew we were witnessing the rise of a perfectly primed supervillain -- smart and calculating with a voice like smoky, annoying butter and a confidence faked out of insecurity. She imagined other girls making faces at her and lamented how exhausting it was to just watch the other women fawn over a man like they were. She knew she had to talk to Arie and she didn't know what to say, but she knew whatever it was, it would be purrfect. And that's when I decided Krystal is actually an evil cat. Anyway, it was time for a trip to Lake Tahoe this week, because Lake Tahoe is the perfect place to fall in love. Or if you're Arie, it's a place that could help fall in love. Seinne got the first one-on-one, and Arie warned her to be prepared for "lots of outdoor stuff going on, which is cool." So cool. "I was just so interested about you," Arie told her, explaining that he learned more about her in their 30 second intro on night one than he did about most of the other girls. Seinne was that girl who had astonished Arie with her travels and experiences, when he was just a boy from Scottsdale who used to work at a pizza place, and you'd think they wouldn't have a lot to talk about. Surprisingly enough, they had a lovely conversation after a lovely bout of parasailing, followed by what might be a lovely private country concert if you're into that sort of thing. She opened up about never seeing a girl who looked like her getting to have this kind of love story, and while Arie didn't have much of a response to that, he did have a rose for her, alleviating some of the new fears about one-on-ones after last week's Lauren S. debacle. Up next was a group date featuring all the other girls aside from Young Bekah. They all headed into the woods in bafflingly matching boots and socks. They almost had to drink their own pee (it was just apple juice! Silly Arie!) and they did actually eat some worms, and then a few of them got lost on the way to the wilderness hot tub. Once they were all safely bikini'd up, Krystal let her krazy out. "I know I need to talk to Arie, but I don't want to be one of those girls," she cooed to the camera. She accused Tia of giving her a "look" when Arie put an arm around her and expressed how baffled she was by the behavior of every other woman around her. "I'm sorry, like I just honestly feel like a lot of the girls here just don't operate like at my level," she explained while Tia was claiming that date rose. "I felt really challenged yesterday, because I feel like it's hard for me to really, like, shine who I am, while trying not to be intimidating to the girls who I spend the majority of the time with because I come across as flawless, and then have a target get put on my back. They just don't know who I am," she continued explaining. Elsewhere, in the woods, Arie and Young Bekah were going horseback riding. "She seems super mature," Arie gushed of Young Bekah, 14 years his junior. "She has this wisdom. She's a lot deeper than the women I've dated in the past." They cozied up in another wilderness hot tub while I had no interest in anything aside from the teased age conversation. Would Arie care that Young Bekah was 14 years younger than him? The conversation was actually pretty good, with Arie pointing out that he likes to wake up with the sun and generally be boring, and when he was in his 20s it was a totally different story, so he just wanted to make sure that even though she's young, she's ready for serious marriage. Then he found out her actual age, and the vibe of the convo definitely took a big turn. He actually reacted with a hand over the mouth and an "Oh my god." "You're the most incredible person I've maybe ever met," Arie told Young Bekah. "I just don't... My biggest fear is that I just go through all this and I just like emotionally invest in you, and then at the end I'm like, heartbroken." "Well, would it be worth it if that did happen?" Young Bekah asked strangely, because in what Bachelor universe would that answer be yes? "No, because I need a wife," Arie basically whispered, holding Young Bekah's head in his hands and shaking it back and forth as if talking to a child in disbelief. "I'm not here for a 22-year-old girlfriend. I'm here to find a wife," Arie said, amongst many other very logical things before the inevitable "'but... " "But... I really, really feel connected to you, and you are incredible and surprising and so much of what I'm looking for and I feel like this could be the beginning of something amazing, so [Young] Bekah, will you accept this rose?" She accepted the rose. Damn, so close. (Side note: Does Arie know Maquel is only 23?) The (gasp!) cocktail party (gasp!) was (gasp!) canceled for the night, so everyone was freaking out a bit, or a lot. Krystal was at the top of that list, and so just before Arie handed out the first rose, Krystal piped up and asked to talk to him for a sec, but she just wanted to ramble about breaking down walls and really feeling a connection to him and blah blah blah. Total waste of a dramatic moment, to be honest, and Arie just kinda nodded throughout, making me think he might be over her. She still got the final rose. Dang it, producers! This had better end with an incredible showdown in some kind of "Olivia on the windy beach" location or what has the point of all this been? I've been asking that question for years and I've yet to find an answer, but at least this once, this journey needs to be worth it. And finally, don't #glamshame me. I will use this compass as a hairbrush if I so please! The Bachelor airs Mondays at 8 p.m. on ABC. (Eonline)

CBS Orders Three Pilots From Female Writers. Ordered to pilot are a comedy inspired by the life of 'One Day at a Time' showrunner Gloria Calderon-Kellett, half-hour 'I Mom So Hard' and drama 'Murder.' CBS, the network that has been criticized for its lack of inclusion and female voices, is trying to change that in its first pilot season under network president Kelly Kahl. To that end, i has handed out its first pilot orders of the season and has picked up two comedies (History of Them, I Mom So Hard) and a drama (Murder) -- all from female writers. On the comedy front, History of Them is inspired by the life of One Day at a Time revival showrunner Gloria Calderon-Kellet and is described as a multicultural ensemble about how two friends, Luna (Ana Villafane) and Adam, meet and fall in love using their social media as a guide. Calderon-Kellet will pen the script and exec produce via her Sony Pictures Television Studios-based Glo Nation banner. Pamela Fryman (How I Met Your Mother) will exec produce and direct the multicamera/hybrid comedy. Odenkirk Provissiero's Marc Provissiero will exec produce the Sony TV/CBS Television Studios co-production. I Mom So Hard, based on the web series of the same name written and starring Kristin Hensley and Jen Smedley, explores how two moms illustrate how their friendship gets them through being wives and mothers. Michelle Nader (2 Broke Girls) will pen the script alongside Hensley and Smedley, who will also star in the CBS take. Rob Thomas (iZombie, Veronica Mars) will exec produce via his Warner Bros. Television-based Spondoolie Productions banner. Danielle Stokdyk and Dan Etheridge are also on board to exec produce the multicamera comedy. The half-hour is a co-production between Warners and CBS Television Studios. On the drama front, Murder is written and exec produced by Amanda Green (Lethal Weapon). The project is exec produced by Dan Lin (Lethal Weapon, Stephen King's It, The Lego Movie) via his Warner Bros. Television-based Lin Pictures Banner with newly installed head of television Lindsey Liberatore on board to co-executive produce. The effort, a co-production between Warners and CBS Studios, is described as a fresh take on the investigative drama that explores crime through the unique and often conflicting perspectives of cops and killers, witnesses and victims, friends and family. Shot like a true-crime documentary, Murder invites the audience inside the emotional journey of an investigation, allowing them to discern the truth and judge the suspects' guilt or innocence for themselves. The pilot orders send a distinct message that Kahl, CBS' longtime scheduling exec who replaced Glenn Geller as entertainment president last May, is looking to change the narrative surrounding the network. In making his first appearance before the press at the Television Critics Association's summer press tour in August, Kahl and his exec vp programming Thom Sherman were grilled over CBS' lack of inclusion and female-fronted shows. Last pilot season, all of the network's drama and comedy series pickups were fronted by men. (Hollywood Reporter)

Glee Fans Are Gleeking Out Over This Made-Up Hamilton-Themed Episode -- It's SO Spot On! Glee left the air long before Lin-Manuel Miranda's Hamilton became a Broadway sensation... or did it? One fan of the cult musical comedy pitched what a Hamilton-themed episode would look like -- and it's so accurate, other Gleeks are convinced the episode actually happened! Tumblr user Murphels wrote an airtight outline of the hypothetical episode, which included Mr. Schue's impetus for making it "Hamilton week" (because the New Directions are bored in history!); the characters' motivations for singing each song (because Kurt's mad at Blaine for ignoring him!); and a spot-on ending (Sue glaring at the Glee club for not falling apart, but of course!). Honestly, that's pretty gleeking spot on -- and we're not the only ones who think so! Fans came out of the wordwark to praise the made-up episode. Some were so impressed, they could've sworn they saw it on TV already. Ha! (Perez Hilton)