ENTERTAINMENT NEWS

Kym Johnson Gives Birth to Twins With Robert Herjavec. Congratulations are in order! Kym Johnson and Robert Herjavec welcomed twins on Monday, the Dancing With the Stars pro announced via social media. "I never though my heart could feel so full," Kym captioned a black and white photo of the Shark Tank personality holding their newborn son and daughter. "We're so in love with our little angels. Born at 7.44am and 7.45am 4/23/18." This marks Johnson's first go-around with motherhood, while Herjavec has three children from a previous marriage. In late March, the proud parents -- who wed in 2016 -- learned the sexes of their little ones at a surprise baby shower hosted by Carson Kressley. And as Kym approached the six-month mark, she reflected on the exciting times ahead in an interview with E! News. "I was so excited. It's a miracle. It's amazing," the Australian beauty shared with us. "Obviously, I am going to have my hands full -- definitely for the first three months or so." "Being pregnant is such a special experience and I'm truly so excited to be a Mum!" she previously wrote on her website. "It's just so great to see how your body takes over and changes everyday. My advice to any mum-to-be is to stay positive and as stress-free as possible." Kym added, "I'm so grateful to everyone for their love and support -- especially my husband, Robert! I can't wait for this new chapter in our lives." Enjoy parenthood, you two! (Eonline)

Scarlett Johansson Can't Unsee The Photo of Boyfriend Colin Jost. Did Ellen DeGeneres just break up Scarlett Johansson and Colin Jost with a single photo? Well, ok, no, but a split wasn't entirely off the table when the Avengers star laid eyes on a throwback photo of her SNL beau with fellow comedian John Mulaney. One word: beard. "I thought that was a disguise, but that's really what he looked like...had you seen that?" DeGeneres asked the star. "I mean -- I can't unsee it now," she quipped back. "Have I just broken y'all up?" the host continued. "I can't say that that's an image that I'll ever forget," Johansson retorted. It wasn't long before a photo of Jost was back on the screen behind the women. "That's how I like to remember him," the actress joked. "That's how I'll always remember him by now that we're broken up." All kidding aside, it sounds like she's smitten with Jost nearly a year after they were first romantically linked last spring. When DeGeneres teased her with questions about "Weekend Update," she couldn't lie about her favorite anchor. "It's hard to pick [between Jost and Michael Che. No, it's not that hard to pick," she joked. "I guess I'm a Colin fan, I have to say." However, that was before she saw that photo of his beard. (Eonline)

Awww... Almost four years ago, Melanie Griffith filed for divorce from Antonio Banderas after nearly two decades together. But the Desperado star says there are no hard feelings. If anything, there is still love between the exes as they coparent their 21-year-old daughter, Stella Banderas. In an interview with People, Antonio said: "Even if we are divorced, she is my family and I will love her until the day I die. We have been in contact all these years and we managed to do a separation that is very elegant. Our kids are enjoying that and that is very important for both of us. Our kids are priority number one." (Perez Hilton)

After reuniting following a nine-year-long breakup, Cheryl Burke and Matthew Lawrence have figured out the key to making their relationship work. Us Weekly caught up with the couple at the Race to Erase MS Gala on Friday, April 20, where they opened up about how their friendship has helped them as a couple. "I think it's because we're really good friends and that's where it all starts," the Boy Meets World alum, 38, told Us exclusively. "I think we have really good companionship and I think we just built from there." "That's the most important thing. We can actually hang out. When we go away together, we really enjoy it," he added, "When it's just the two of us, it's the best." While the pair looked stunning on the red carpet at the event, the Dance Moms star, 33, told Us that their date nights often consist of staying in and having take out. "We're usually on the couch. I'm like top knot, no makeup on and ordering food and watching Homeland," Burke told Us. "We've actually traveled all over the world. Other than watching Homeland, we love to travel." The Dancing With the Stars personality and the actor dated in 2007 before going their separate ways a year later. They rekindled their romance in February 2017, after spending nearly a decade apart. Since the pair reunited, they have shared adorable snaps from their romantic trips on social media, including some from their vacation in Grenada in July 2017. "Adventure of a lifetime," captioned a cute photo of them standing under a waterfall. The couple met through one of Lawrence's brothers, Joey, who competed on season 3 of the hit ABC dance show in 2006. (US Weekly)

Sarah Jessica Parker on Kim Cattrall: "There Is No Catfight." Sarah Jessica Parker isn't -- and never was -- in a "catfight" with Kim Cattrall. Or so she says. After Cattrall made it clear she has zero interest in reprising her role as Samantha Jones in a third Sex and the City movie, multiple reports surfaced detailing decades of alleged hostility between the two actresses. Parker, who was careful not to badmouth her former co-star while promoting Season 2 of HBO's Divorce earlier this year, now says the tabloid stories were blown out of proportion. "I'd just like to remind everybody that there is no catfight," she tells Vulture. "I have never uttered an unkind, unsupportive, unfriendly word, so I would love to redefine it." (In February, a scorned Cattrall told Parker, "You are not my friend." Contrary to published reports, Parker insists she always got along with Cattrall off camera. "There were four women on the set and I spent equal time with all of them, so this was not a set with two women who didn't get along. I've always held Kim's work in high regard and always appreciative of her contributions," she says. "If she chooses not to do the third movie, there's not a lot I can do to change her mind and we must respect it. That's the only thing I've ever said about it, you know?" Speaking on behalf of cast members Kristin Davis and Cynthia Nixon, she adds, "The three of us have shared our disappointment that we're not making that movie, not just on our behalf but our crew, but also just the people that have been vocal about wanting to see it. But we still live in a free country where people get to make choices and sometimes the answer is no," she says, "and the only way to respond for me is to respect that." Hoping to put the drama with Cattrall behind her once and for all, Parker reiterates, "There is no catfight. There never has been a catfight. I've never fought with someone publicly in my life, nor would I. And I spent time with all of the women on the set. People need to recall that it wasn't just two women on the set fighting because that just never happened." Furthermore, she says, "We are enormously proud of what we got to do and I don't want someone sharing thoughts publicly, which is Kim's right to do and that is what it is, but we spent 10, 12 years of our life doing something that I really loved and I feel privileged to be part of and I don't want this to eclipse it or change its experience for that audience that was so good to us for so long." It's too soon to say whether the cast will move forward without Cattrall's involvement, as Parker has not discussed it with director/writer Patrick Michael King. "Whether we choose to revisit it at another time and reimagine that story -- that's something Michael and I just haven't talked about yet," she tells Vulture. "That doesn't mean we won't, but we haven't at this time." (Eonline)

Former president George H.W. Bush has been hospitalized in Houston, just one day after his wife of 73 years was laid to rest. A Bush rep says he contracted an infection that spread to his blood. The 93-year-old former President has suffered a variety of health problems, including pneumonia back in January 2017. He also suffers from vascular parkinsonism ... a rare syndrome that mimics Parkinson's disease. As for the latest health problem, doctors say their famous patient is responding to treatments and appears to be recovering. (TMZ)

The hero who took down the Waffle House shooter is now bringing together Hollywood liberals and famous right-wing conservatives -- they've all joined forces to raise money for him! Jon Cryer, Kristin Davis and Busy Philipps -- along with conservative author Mike Cernovich -- have each made significant contributions to a GoFundMe page for James Shaw Jr. In fact, Davis tweeted, "I just donated and it feels good! Good to help someone who stood up and did the right thing, thank you James Shaw Jr! And I love everyone who is donating too!" The fundraising effort was launched by journalist Yashar Ali, who says he was so inspired by Shaw's story ... he wants to raise money for a college fund for Shaw's daughter or to help him take his family on a nice vacation, whichever he chooses! So far, Ali has raised more than $50,000 for Shaw!!! FYI, Shaw is a REAL LIFE superhero -- who singlehandedly charged the Waffle House gunman in Nashville and ripped away his gun, ending the killing spree. Other stars who have contributed ... Ike Barinholtz and Natasha Ziff. (TMZ)

Allison Mack allegedly tried to lure Emma Watson and Kelly Clarkson to sex cult. "Smallville" actress Allison Mack, who was arrested last week for her role in a sex cult, had apparently tried to lure Emma Watson into her "movement." Mack sent tweets to both "Harry Potter" star Watson and singer Kelly Clarkson about an "amazing women's movement" she thought they might be interested in, according to Business Insider. "I'm a fellow actress like yourself & involved in an amazing women's movement I think you'd dig," Mack wrote to Watson in January of 2016. "I'd love to chat if you're open." She wrote Watson again the next month. "I participate in a unique human development & women's movement I'd love to tell you about," she tweeted. Mack also sent a vague tweet to "Since U Been Gone" Clarkson singer about having a "chat." "I heard through the grapevine that you're a fan of 'Smallville.' I'm a fan of yours as well!" she wrote. "I'd love to chat sometime." Mack, 35, pleaded not guilty to charges of sex trafficking and forced labor on Friday. The actress allegedly lured female members of the self-empowerment group Nxivm into a secret society that forced women into sex slavery. (PageSix)

Keshia Knight Pulliam is now a single woman ... her divorce was just made final. Under the terms of the divorce, she gets primary custody of their one-year-old daughter, Ella Grace. Ed Hartwell gets visitation rights. The had a fight over the child's last name -- each wanted theirs. In the end, they compromised on Ella Grace Pulliam-Hartwell. He also has to pay $3,007 in child support. The divorce was granted on grounds of adultery and cruel treatment. According to legal docs, obtained by TMZ, Hartwell admitted during the trial he lives with his lover, Tonya Carroll, who's pregnant with his child. Another issue came up during trial ... Hartwell -- a retired NFL linebacker -- takes meds that impairs his ability to make decisions for their child. (TMZ)

Vanilla Ice's ex wants to prevent a fire sale in the wake of their impending divorce -- which apparently has already gotten underway with him unloading their jet skis. VI's estranged wifey, Laura Van Winkle, filed legal docs asking a judge to stop the rapper from selling off any more of their shared assets without her permission. In the docs, obtained by TMZ, Laura says Ice is in possession of nearly all of the couple's marital assets, so she can't prevent him from doing what he wants with their stuff without a judge stepping in. Oh, and she wants full accounting of his haul from the jet skis' sale, too. Sounds about right ... Laura filed her original divorce petition in 2016. She asked to be allowed to stay in the family house and for child and spousal support ... plus attorney's fees, of course. This split is turning out to be colder than ... forget it. (TMZ)

Prince's family is taking action after it was announced no one would be criminally charged in the singer's death by suing the hospital that treated his overdose a week before he died. Prince's family -- repped in the lawsuit by trustee Michael A. Zimmer -- just filed to sue Trinity Medical Center out of Illinois for allegedly failing to properly diagnose and treat Prince's opioid addiction before he suffered another, and ultimately fatal, overdose a week later. In the docs, obtained by TMZ, the family claims that Trinity's action -- or lack thereof -- was a direct and proximate cause of Prince's death. They're also suing one of Trinity's doctors, Dr. Nicole Mancha, as well as an unidentified pharmacist and Walgreens employee whom they claim were involved in providing care to him in his final days. They're suing Walgreens, too, btw. We broke the story ... Prince made an emergency landing in Moline, Illinois, where emergency responders gave him 2 shots of Narcan to save his life. He was taken to a nearby hospital at the time, which apparently turned out to be Trinity. In regards to Walgreens, Prince's family claims the drug store chain was dispensing narcotic prescription medications to Prince for an invalid medical purpose and failed to make sure he was using the drug properly. Not named in the lawsuit ... Dr. Michael Schulenberg, who investigators say prescribed Prince Percocet through his bodyguard, Kirk Johnson, serving as a proxy. Schulenberg settled with the feds over that violation for a $30,000 fine. Video of Prince at Dr. Schulenberg's office was released last week, as was an entire trove of evidence acquired in his death investigation. (TMZ)

"Night Court" star Harry Anderson died of a stroke he apparently suffered in the night, which might've been triggered by the flu and a specific type of heart disease. TMZ has obtained Anderson's death certificate, which lists the actor's primary cause of death as cardioembolic cerebrovascular accident, which is a stroke that's caused by the heart pumping unwanted materials into the brain's circulation. The contributing causes are listed as influenza -- the flu -- and a heart disease that affects the tissue of the organ by either enlarging it or disrupting its natural motor function. As we reported ... Anderson was found dead on arrival last week after his wife called 911. She told the operator that his body was cold, and that CPR wouldn't help. She also mentioned he'd suffered a series of strokes earlier this year. He was 65. (TMZ)

Waffle House has offered to pay for the funerals of the 4-people killed in its restaurant in Tennessee over the weekend ... and will help to cover the medical expenses of those injured. A rep for the company tells us they've reached out to the families of the victims of the attack to help in any way they can. We're told the restaurant chain has offered to pay for all funeral and medical costs associated with the attack. Four people were killed and another 4 injured when 29-year-old Travis Reinking entered the restaurant with an AR-15 and opened fire. WH's director of PR, Pat Warner, says the company's CEO and Senior Management team has personally visited with victims and their families to offer condolences and assistance during the difficult time. We're told company honchos have developed a personal relationship with James Shaw Jr. -- the man responsible for disarming the gunman -- and have offered assistance to him as well. Reinking was arrested in a wooded area Monday after more than a day on the run. His motives for carrying out the shooting are still unknown. (TMZ)

THE OTHER STUFF . . .

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Reveal Musicians Who'll Perform at Wedding Church Service. Wedding bells are ringing! Prince Harry and Meghan Markle revealed the musicians they have chosen to perform at their May 19 nuptials at St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle in England. The engaged couple "have taken a great deal of interest and care in choosing the music" for their wedding, according to a press release from Kensington Palace on Tuesday, April 24. After some careful consideration, they decided on a selection of choral groups, soloists and other musicians. "The choristers, lay clerks, organists and I are very much looking forward to this exciting day and are pleased to be performing at the service music chosen by the couple," St. George's Chapel music director James Vivian said in a statement. "We are also looking forward to welcoming to St. George's musical colleagues from near and far who will be performing at this very special and joyful occasion." The performers are Vivian's choir; 19-year-old cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason; Karen Gibson and The Kingdom Choir; an orchestra made up of musicians from the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, the English Chamber Orchestra and the Philharmonia; Welsh soprano Elin Manahan Thomas; trumpeter David Blackadder; organist Luke Bond; and State Trumpeters from the Band of the Household Cavalry. "I'm so excited and honored to perform at Prince Harry and Ms. Meghan Markle's wedding," Kanne-Mason said in a statement. "I was bowled over when Ms. Markle called me to ask if I would play during the ceremony, and of course I immediately said yes. What a privilege to be able to play the cello at such a wonderful event. I can't wait!" Meanwhile, Gibson said, "The Kingdom Choir is truly honored to be invited to sing at the wedding of Prince Harry and Ms. Markle, and very excited to be taking part in such a historic moment. It will be a moment that we will always treasure, and we'd like to take the opportunity to wish the couple all the very best for their coming union." As previously reported, Us Weekly exclusively revealed that Markle, 36, has more than one dress for the big day, while Harry, 33, has been busy working out with a personal trainer to stay in shape. A source told Us, "They're both in the best shape of their lives." (Us Magazine)

Prince William and Kate Middleton Begin Life as a Family of 5: 'It Completes Them'. Now that they are back home in Kensington Palace with their new baby boy, Prince William and Kate Middleton have begun life as a family of five. "It completes them," royal biographer Ingrid Seward tells PEOPLE in this week's cover story. A friend of the couple notes that Kate, 36, "is one of three siblings, and it's a good family size. Boy-girl-boy is pretty cool as well." Parenthood, the friend adds, "suits them really well. They are enjoying it and are very happy." Big brother Prince George, 4, and big sister Princess Charlotte, who turns 3 on May 2, "are so excited," says another friend. "Kate's worried that Charlotte will feel it the hardest as the youngest, but she's such a confident little girl and growing up so fast, Kate is hoping she will adjust." In Kate's hometown of Bucklebury, "everyone around here is thrilled for them," says a local. "It's lovely that George and Charlotte have a little brother to play with, and Carole will be absolutely over the moon." With the new baby fifth in line for the throne, "hopefully, this little boy will be able to live a little outside the limelight," says another Bucklebury villager. "We look forward to seeing him in the local park." (People)

Prince Charles Jokes He Can't Keep Up With His 3 Grandchildren. Prince Charles has a new grandchild, but he's not sure how he's going to keep up with all the little ones. After Prince William and Kate Middleton welcomed their third child on Monday, the 69-year-old Prince of Wales released a statement about the new baby's arrival. "We are both so pleased at the news," the royal stated on Tuesday, citing his wife Duchess Camilla. "It is a great joy to have another grandchild, the only trouble is I don't know how I am going to keep up with them." Charles' enthusiasm shouldn't come as a surprise. After Kate give birth to the baby boy at St. Mary's Hospital in London, Kensington Palace tweeted that the royal family had been notified of the birth and were "delighted" by the news. "The Queen, The Duke of Edinburgh, The Prince of Wales, The Duchess of Cornwall, Prince Harry and members of both families have been informed and are delighted with the news," the Palace tweeted. Despite his doubts, we're sure Charles will be able to keep up with his grandchildren. After all, he's already enjoyed spending time with Prince George and Princess Charlotte and has been there for many of their major milestones, like their christenings. Although, he's reportedly joked about avoiding diaper duty. The new baby is fifth in line to the throne, falling behind Charles, William, George and Charlotte. While the child's name has yet to be announced, William and Kate did give the public its first sneak peek of the child after leaving the hospital on Monday. According to Kensington Palace, the baby weighs 8 pounds and 7 oz. (Eonline)

Monaco is celebrating a new addition with the arrival of Maximilian Rainier. Prince Albert's nephew Andrea Casiraghi and wife Tatiana Santo Domingo welcomed their third child on Thursday, April 19, PEOPLE has confirmed. Princess Caroline's fifth grandchild, Maximilian becomes seventh in line to the principality's throne behind his brother, Alexander "Sacha," 5, and sister India, 3. The baby boy's name includes tribute to Casiraghi's grandfather, Monaco's late Prince Rainier III, who died in 2005. The couple, who married in August 2013 and live in London, have shied away from public events during this pregnancy. They last appeared Monaco's National Day in November and were most notably absent from last month's Bal de la Rose. Just days after, they were photographed out shopping for baby gear in London with Princess Caroline. Caroline, as well as Madame Vera Santo Domingo, expressed their "joy" at the birth in a brief Palace statement on Tuesday morning. The birth is the first in several upcoming anticipated new additions for the House of Grimaldi. Caroline's youngest son Pierre Casiraghi and wife Beatrice Borromeo are expecting their second child in weeks. Caroline's eldest daughter, Charlotte Casiraghi, is also expected to marry her fiance Dimitri Rassam this summer. Maximilian wasn't the only royal arrival this week. In London, the British royals gained a new member on Monday: Kate Middleton and Prince William's third child, a son. (People)

Sarah Jessica Parker is designing wedding dresses now. Between her iconic role as Manolo-hoarding Carrie Bradshaw on "Sex and the City" and her real-life SJP shoe line, Sarah Jessica Parker has certainly left her mark on the footwear industry. Now, the star is getting into the bridal game. On Tuesday, Parker, 53, will launch her first collection of 10 bridal looks -- a mix of dresses, bodysuits, skirts and jumpsuits available in sizes 0 through 14 and priced from $295 to $2,395 -- exclusively on Gilt. In keeping with her famously quirky style sense (Parker wore black for her own wedding to Matthew Broderick in 1997), SJP by Sarah Jessica Parker Bridal will offer pieces for the "modern, nontraditional" bride, according to WWD, including bright colors and details like cutouts and feathers. "We recognized that there was this space where brides were looking for something that felt different," Parker told the publication. The "Divorce" star added that this particular bridal line isn't just for brides. "The intent is they should be usable outside of that special occasion," she said. "Whether you're the person walking down the aisle, or you're attending, these are all pieces that should be relevant in your closet. There are some pieces that feel more decadent and more specifically bridal. There's no law saying they're not appropriate for many other important occasions as well." Sound words from the woman whose "Sex and the City" alter ego once casually wore Oscar de la Renta to McDonald's. (PageSix)

Gina Rodriguez just added another pooch to her dog family ... an adorable 9-week-old Havanese that cost $2.5k. The "Jane the Virgin" actress pulled the trigger Sunday at Citipups Chelsea in New York City. We're told she came in several times last week to spend time with the dog, and then finally brought her other pooch, Casper, in over the weekend to make sure the two got along, which was a success. Gina had another dog, Ted, that passed away about 2 years ago, so looks like she's trying to get Casper another pal while she pulls long hours on the "Jane the Virgin" set. The Havanese pup was neutered Monday, so Gina will be able to take him home this week once the pupper has recovered. (TMZ)

Bella Hadid denied she was kissing her ex The Weeknd at a recent Coachella after-party -- but sources tell Page Six that she exchanged numbers with an up-and-coming rapper at the music festival. Said a spy at the Bootsy Bellows Pool Party, where guests included Bella's sister Gigi Hadid, Justine Skye and Odell Beckham Jr.: "Bella was seen flirting and exchanging numbers with a young mystery partygoer, who turned out to be Kyle." Kyle's debut album is coming out next month after he scored a hit with the tune "iSpy" featuring Lil Yachty. He played Coachella with Chance the Rapper. "He's kind of an It guy in music right now," said a source. "It for sure looked flirty. Bella was being very flirty that day .?.?. She was on a mission." Gigi was seen impressively downing two McDonald's Quarter Pounders in three minutes at the party, also thrown with PacSun. Cardi B's fiance, Offset, was hanging in a cabana with Chance the Rapper, Malone and Beckham, and "was very much on his best behavior and kept his eyes to himself." (Page Six)

George Clooney's producing partner, Grant Heslov, had a family cyber scare last week that ended with his wife going to cops over threats made to her life ... TMZ has learned. Law enforcement sources tell us Lysa Heslov filed a police report after social media trolls made threatening comments to her over her politics. It's unclear what exactly they were discussing, but one guy commented on her FB page ... "She needs punched in the mouth ... *a bullet to the head. FIXED." She noted in the post that she took it as a threat. Other people on what appears to be her Instagram message feed left vulgar comments, one of which encouraged Lysa to kill herself. Lysa has since made her social media accounts private -- except for Twitter -- and we're told the LAPD is investigating. Her hubby, Grant, has produced a number of films with Clooney over the years like "Good Night, and Good Luck," "The Men Who Stare at Goats" and "The Ides of March." He also won an Oscar in 2013 for producing Best Picture winner, "Argo." (TMZ)

Kourtney Kardashian is about to dip her toes into D.C. politics ... and it's all in the name of cosmetics. Our Kardashian sources say Kourtney came face-to-face with several members of Congress Tuesday in hopes of helping to reform the laws that regulate cosmetics and other personal care products. We're told Kourt's teamed up with the Environmental Working Group for the trip. Kourtney touched down in D.C. Monday, where she was joined by the "Keeping Up With The Kardashians" camera crew to capture the meetings. Our sources say the 'KUWTK' staff booked a block of hotel rooms and a conference room, as well, but it's unclear if other family members will join. Kourtney's been a huge promoter of environmentally safe products in the past -- and she recently teamed up with Kylie for a cosmetics collaboration -- so it seems like Kourt wants to make sure she's putting out a healthy product for users and the planet. (TMZ)
Kourtney Kardashian was just like any ol' senator or congresswoman walking through the hallways of the Capitol Tuesday in a suit and on a mission to change the law ... until she was bombarded for selfies. The eldest Kardashian didn't say much on her way to talk about regulating cosmetics and other personal care products but couldn't resist the opportunity to get one pic in with a fan. The 39-year-old is there lobbying for environmentally-friendly cosmetic products. Gotta say Kourtney looks like she's holding her ground, so perhaps there's a future there in politics for her. Wouldn't be the first time a reality star made it far in politics. (TMZ)

"Vanderpump Rules" star Lala Kent is grieving the loss of her father Kent Burningham. "He passed away suddenly and unexpectedly," a source close to her told Page Six on Monday. "They're not sure if it was a stroke yet. He passed away in his sleep." He died on Saturday, April 21, according to an online obituary. She plans to commemorate his life by "setting up a fund in his name for the Humane Society of Utah." Kent, 25, joined the Bravo show during its fourth season in 2016. She briefly exited during the show's fifth season, but returned for Season 6, which is currently on air. (Page Six)

Kanye West professes 'love' for Donald Trump, criticizes Obama: radio host. Rapper Kanye West this weekend professed his "love" for President Trump and complained that he "couldn't get anything done" with former President Obama, according to a radio host who interviewed West. The interview with Hot 97 host Ebro Darden came after West expressed his unexpected support for conservative activist and Black Lives Matter critic Candace Owens on Twitter. "I love the way Candace Owens thinks," West tweeted Saturday. The post followed a lengthy string of pseduo-philisophical one-liners and platitudes, including "all you have to be is yourself" and "images are limitless and words aren't." Owens, who is black, has been criticized for her support of President Donald Trump and for her conservative political thoughts. West took on groupthink and identity politics the next day, adding, "[W]e have freedom of speech but not freedom of thought." According to Darden, who recounted his conversation with the famed rapper on Monday's "Ebro in the Morning" broadcast, West said he liked Owens because "she's challenging conventional black thought." He also expressed love for Trump, Darden said, explaining that he had "reached out to Obama for years and couldn't get anything done, but Trump gave me a meeting." Obama famously called West a "jackass" during a taping of an interview, and reportedly doubled down on that epithet later. "[West] said, 'I do love Donald Trump,'" Darden said. The rapper reportedly told Darden his goal was to "deprogram" people, according to Vulture. On Sunday, singer Shania Twain apologized for saying she would have voted for Trump in 2016 after a significant social media backlash. Fox News' Greg Gutfeld said West's comments are significant not because he endorsed any conservative views, but because he demonstrated a tolerance for hearing them. "He challenged the mob," Gutfeld said. "Their goal is to stigmatize. Smears always shut down debate. ... There's nothing scarier to a leftist than a free thinker." The Atlanta-born rapper has a history of provocative, unexpected statements. West famously said that "George Bush doesn't care about black people" in the wake of 2005's devastating Hurricane Katrina. In 2016, West told a California crowd at a concert that he would have voted for Trump. "I said something that was kind of politically correct. I told y'all I didn't vote, right? What I didn't tell you ... If I were to have voted I would have voted on Trump," West said. "That don't mean that I don't think that Black Lives Matter, that I don't mean that I don't think I believe in women's rights ... because that was the guy I would've voted for." Despite not being well-received, the rapper continued to tell his fans to "stop talking about race so much." West's history of independent-minded comments drew the attention of Infowars host Alex Jones this week, who tweeted Monday that he admired West and wants him to come on his show. (PageSix)

If Greg Hardy fights his way into a UFC contract, one of the biggest stars in his division wants a piece of the ex-NFL star ... with Derrick Lewis saying, "I like knocking wife beaters out." Hardy is reportedly getting his shot during the UFC Contender Series -- in which up-and-coming MMA fighters compete for a chance at a UFC contract. It's where UFC star Sean O'Malley got his start. Hardy (who's 3-0 as an amateur) would obviously compete in the heavyweight division -- where Derrick "The Black Beast" Lewis is ranked #6 in the world. So, how does Lewis feel about a potential showdown somewhere down the line? "He's a wife beater ... I'd like to get in there with him." Lewis is referring to Hardy's domestic violence case -- in which he was initially convicted of attacking his then-girlfriend. The conviction was later thrown out when the alleged victim stopped cooperating with prosecutors. Still, Lewis ain't letting Hardy off the hook. "I'll fight Greg Hardy ... It'll be like vice versa him beating on a woman. I'll be beating him like he was a woman." Why so much animosity? "I grew up watching my mom and my stepdad fight," Lewis says ... "Fistfighting every day for stupid stuff. I don't tolerate stuff like that at all." First things first ... Lewis has a brawl with Francis Ngannou lined up at UFC 226 on July 7 ... about a month after Hardy gets his UFC shot. (TMZ)

Marvin Gaye's son says his dad was a ladies' man who would've laughed off Quincy Jones' supposed revelation he got into bed with Marlon Brando. We spoke with Marvin Gaye III who told us he was really upset Quincy had decided to keep himself relevant by spreading rumors about his father's sexual exploits, which Gaye's son says are 100% false. Gaye III thinks Jones' bad memory got the better of him when he said in an interview, "Brando would "f*** anything. Anything! He'd f*** a mailbox. James Baldwin. Richard Pryor. Marvin Gaye." Quincy apologized later for his "wordvomit." It's interesting though ... Pryor's widow embraced Quincy's claims. Gaye's son says his dad didn't have anything against the gay community ... it just wasn't his thing. (TMZ)

Joy Behar ripped out page blasting Comey before handing him her book. Joy Behar wanted to be nice to fellow Trump detractor James Comey by giving him a copy of her book, "The Great Gasbag: An A-to-Z Study Guide To Surviving Trump World." But then Behar realized the "C Is for Comey" section was "unflattering" to the former FBI director, so she ripped the offending page out before she handed it to him. Comey was on "The View" last week to promote his memoir, "A Higher Loyalty." But Behar blames him for Hillary Clinton 's defeat because Comey announced 11 days before the election that he had reopened his investigation of the politician's nonsecure, private e-mail server. "He was sitting next to me, and I told him during a commercial break, 'I want to give you a copy of my book.' All of a sudden I remember he's in the book and it's unflattering," Behar told me. The book says, "Comey wants us to think he's bipartisan, but he's not bi -- -- I think he was in bed with Trump, though Trump fired him anyway. Now I know what you call someone who says he goes both ways but really goes only one way: a Comeysexual." Referring to the rumor that J. Edgar Hoover was a closet cross-dresser, Behar wrote, "The only difference between James Comey and J. Edgar Hoover is that Hoover wore a junior petite cocktail dress, while Comey is a size 18." After her deletion, "I told him, 'You have to know. I ripped out the page.' I can't lie. Some people can, like our president. But I can't lie." Behar found Comey to be "a lovely guy" with a "great sense of humor," but she still thinks that he "suffered from premature interpretation .?.?. He's one of the main reasons why Hillary lost." (PageSix)

There's a New M&M's Flavor! Where Does It Rank Among the Candy Co.'s Other Fun Flavors? Attention candy lovers: M&M's has released a new flavor just in time for summer and we're not sure how to feel about it. What is the new summer flavor? Drum roll...Orange Vanilla Cream AKA an orange creamsicle, which definitely has us very intrigued. In fact, if we weren't working we'd be heading outside to search for these bad boys in order to try them ASAP. According to The Impulsive Buy, the Orange Vanilla Cream M&M's are limited edition and are only available at Dollar General. Is it just us or does the fact that these candies are hard to find make them that much more enticing? The key to the new flavor is that there is white chocolate, which will lend itself for a much sweeter candy treat. The white chocolate is paired with orange flavor to instantly take you back to your childhood at the beach licking a creamsicle, which could be just the right candy for all your summer adventures. If you are able to track down the newest flavor, which is quickly following in the footsteps of M&M's other ice cream flavored chocolates, like Neapolitan, which was released earlier this year, you should stock up on them now because they are already going fast. With other fun flavors like Pumpkin Spice in the fall, Easter Sundae back in 2016, Cookies & Screem for Halloween and so many more making a big splash with candy lovers everywhere, the introduction of this ice cream inspired flavor has us wondering: what can't M&M's create? Now that you've been teased a little with M&M's fresh orange-flavored delight, we want to hear what you think about the fun flavor combo. PS: If you can't find any at Dollar General, the new flavor is already available on eBay! (Eonline)

Music

Live television calls for some surprises every now and then. On Monday's first live episode of American Idol , judges Katy Perry, Lionel Richie, and Luke Bryan pulled a move that even host, Ryan Seacrest, was blown away by. Though performer and drag queen Ada Vox wasn't voted through to the next round by viewers after Sunday's performance, she was given the chance to redeem herself. The judges, who could save four contestants who were not voted through, had the option of either saving Ada or sending her home but immediately after Ada's performance, they couldn't hold back. "I don't know everything," Perry told Ada. "But I think we do know talent when we see it." Without waiting for Seacrest's directions, the three judges mixed things up and simultaneously pointed to where the Top 10 were seated and said she belonged there no ifs, ands or buts. "When the Ada moment came, it wasn't just one person's idea," Perry, 33, told reporters after the show. "We all looked at each other and we saw the math ... excuse us, we're going to step in now. Were we allowed to do that? We found out we were." "We messed up the timetable a bit, but you know what it was, we felt so strongly about it, we didn't have to wait for that vote," added Richie, 68. "Enough was enough and you put your foot down when it's real," said Perry. "We stand for truth and for justice." Ada, who has auditioned for Idol every season since the age of 16, previously told PEOPLE, "I have a much bigger skin this time around. I'm not afraid to hear the hate. It can bounce off of me and I can use it to build myself up." Also known as Adam Sanders when not in drag, Ada says, "Mr. Adam is the base of everything that I am. That's just who I am and what I do every day of my life. Ms. Ada is kinda of the outer exterior, is a personification of the diva in Adam." Marcio Donaldson, Mara Justine, Jonny Brenns and Garrett Jacobs were eliminated leaving Maddie Poppe, Cade Foehner, Gabby Barrett, Caleb Lee Hutchinson, Michael J. Woodard, Catie Turner, Ada Vox, Jurnee, Michelle Sussett and Dennis Lorenzo as the Top 10. American Idol airs on Sundays and Mondays at 8 p.m. EST on ABC. (People)

Katy Perry on Saving American Idol's Ada Vox: "We Still Have a Lot to Learn, But We Know Talent When We See It!" When Ada Vox sang "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going," she meant it. Audiences did not vote through the American Idol contestant, but judge Katy Perry made an executive decision and sent the singer immediately into the Top 10. "I don't know everything," Perry said after Ada sang. "I've got a lot to learn, but I have worked my butt off for over 10 years in the spotlight and these gentlemen on my side, all of us collectively together -- how many years would that be? Maybe 60? Collectively... as a sum... I think we do know talent when we see it. So I would say we would like to make an executive decision right now. Ada, you get that seat." After the show, Perry told E! News' Will Marfuggi she was going home to "stress eat" some kind of bolognese or a Papa John's small pizza with pepperoni. "I'm literally going to PostMates it right now," she said. Perry said she, Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan were "all there" when they saw Ada Vox and Catie Turner standing with just one spot left to take. "We all just looked at each other and said, 'No, sorry, that's not happening," Perry said. "There were too many of them in a row and we were like, 'What is going on?!" Perry reiterated her comments from the live show to us. "We don't say that we know everything, 'cause we don't. We've got a lot to learn. We've all learned so much on this show, but we have spent -- we have paid our dues. We have spent time on the road, we have had songs, we have had moments. We still have a lot to learn, but we know talent when we see it!" Ada said she went on stage and performed "with everything that was inside of me. I gave it my heart and my soul." "It felt right. I feel like I did what I needed to do and now I just have to keep proving myself next week," Ada said. American Idol airs Sundays and Mondays on ABC. (Eonline)

Christina Aguilera Kills It in Latest Primetime Carpool Karaoke. James Corden looks pretty good in primetime. In his second Carpool Karaoke primetime special, Corden and The Late Late Show reran a few Carpool Karaoke segments, but the real stars of the night were a few brand new bits of musical insanity. First, Corden and band leader Reggie Watts opened the show on a 10 p.m. CBS procedural before realizing that made no sense. That turned into a Bruno Mars-style number all about the show's visit to an earlier timeslot. Then, we got a glorious new Crosswalk Musical, starring some of CBS' biggest talent. The Big Bang Theory's Kunal Nayyar, Young Sheldon's Iain Armitage, and Mom's Anna Faris and Allison Janney all joined Corden for a production of The Sound of Music, which took place exclusively in the crosswalk outside of CBS Television City. While Young Sheldon quit as soon as he realized what was going on, Janney arrived already in costume to play Maria, apparently not knowing that Corden always plays the lead in his Crosswalk Musicals. He eventually agreed to share the role, but the fight continued until he apologized by letting Faris and Nayyar in on the Maria fun too, resulting in four Marias performing "Do Re Mi" together with Corden riding off in a seemingly random man's car at the end. But of course, we were all waiting for Christina Aguilera to finally take her turn in the passenger seat of Corden's musical car to sing a few songs and spill a few Mickey Mouse Club not-so-secrets, like the fact that she and Britney Spears both had crushes on Justin Timberlake, and she thought Ryan Gosling maybe probably had a crush on Britney. Suddenly, at one point, they were joined by Life of the Party star (and Aguilera's costar) Melissa McCarthy, who popped in to help with Redman's verse in "Dirrty." Xtina then taught Corden and McCarthy how to sing like a diva, and it didn't go all that well. While it didn't air in the TV version, the YouTube version also includes a little throwback called "Genie in a Bottle," which is really all we needed...so we guess we'll just head home now with that stuck in our heads. The Late Late Show usually airs weekdays at 12:37 a.m. on CBS. (Eonline)

Cardi B, Bad Bunny and J Balvin Perform "I Like It" at Coachella. Oh, we really like that! As performers geared up for the second weekend of Coachella, much like many other musicians, Cardi B had several surprise guests up her sleeve. During her set, the 25-year-old star brought out J Balvin and Bad Bunny to perform their song "I Like It" for the first time together. The chart-topping hit is her top debut racking up over 26 million streams to bow at No. 9, according to Billboard. Cardi B now holds the title for the most simultaneous Billboard Hot 100 entries by a female and most simultaneous Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Top 10 entries by a female. Cardi, Balvin, and Bad Bunny are also set to perform this Thursday at the Billboard Latin Music Awards. And if you missed their Coachella performance, you might be in luck because with all three headed to Sin City, a performance of "I Like It" could possibly be in the works. Jennifer Lopez, Maluma, Quavo, Ricky Martin and many other names were also announced for the star-studded night. The Billboard Latin Music Awards will broadcast live on Telemundo on Thursday, April 26 at 7 PM from the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Eonline)

Calvin Harris and Dua Lipa's 'One Kiss' Leads Ariana Grande's 'Tears' on Midweek U.K. Chart. "One Kiss" or "No Tears Left to Cry"? The race to the U.K. singles chart title reads like a romance novel, and it's playing out like a drama as just a handful of sales and streams separate the leaders at the halfway point. Calvin Harris and Dua Lipa's "One Kiss" (Columbia/Warner Bros) holds at the top of the Official U.K. Singles Chart Update, with an advantage of less than 1,000 combined sales over Ariana Grande's "Tears" (Republic Records), her first release since the Manchester Arena bombing, the Official Charts Company reports. Harris earned his ninth chart title when "One Kiss" debuted at No. 1 on the weekly tally last week, while Grande has two U.K. chart titles to her name. Also on the midweek chart, three songs are on track to enter the Top 10: "Answersphone" (up 18-7 via Parlophone) by Banx & Ranx, Ella Eyre and Yxng Bane; "The Middle" (up 12-8 via Interscope) by Zedd, Maren Morris and Grey; and Bebe Rexha's "Meant To Be" (11-9 via Parlophone) featuring Florida Georgia Line. With a No. 11 bow, Anne-Marie has the highest new entry with "2002" (EastWest), co-written by Ed Sheeran. Meanwhile, three of Avicii's tracks are poised to return to the Official Singles Chart Top 40 following the Swedish EDM star's untimely death last Friday. Avicii's 2013's chart leader "Wake Me Up" is at No. 13 on the midweek survey. On the Official U.K. Albums Chart Update, the Greatest Showman (Atlantic) soundtrack leads new releases from Shires, J Cole, Black Stone Cherry and Nines. (Billboard)

Lana Del Rey, Portugal. The Man, Desmond Child, UMPG Win Big at ASCAP Pop Music Awards. For the first time in the 35-year history of the ASCAP Pop Music Awards, four songwriters tied for pop music songwriter of the year at Monday night's (April 23) celebration at the Beverly Hills Hilton. Sharing the title with four entries each were Steve Mac ("Shape of You,""Strip That Down,""Rockabye,""What About Us"); Max Martin ("Side To Side,""Can't Stop The Feeling!," "Send My Love," Just Like Fire"); Starrah ("Now or Never," "Fake Love," "What Lovers Do," "Havana"); and Drew Taggart ("1-800-273-8255,""Something Just Like This," "Closer," "Paris"). Martin received the award for an unprecedented 11th time, while Starrah's win marked the first for a female songwriter in 16 years. ASCAP named "Shape of You," which Mac co-wrote with Kandi Burrus and Tameka Harris, song of the year. A new award, top streamed song, went to "Despacito," co-written by Justin Bieber, Jason "Poo Bear" Boyd and Daddy Yankee. With the Music Modernization Act before lawmakers, the comprehensive royalty reform bill received shout-outs during the evening, including from ASCAP president Paul Williams, who asked the attendees to text a number that would send a request to Congressional reps requesting they vote for the bill. "Let's take an important moment to thank everyone who has worked so tirelessly to come together with one unified voice on the Music Modernization Act," said Universal Music Publishing Group CEO Jody Gerson, as she accepted the award with her team for publisher of the year. "We still have always to go, but this is what we are all fighting for every day: making sure that songwriters get paid fairly." UMPG had a share in 22 hits in 2017 including "Shape Of You," "That's What I Like" and "Can't Stop The Feeling!" BMG nabbed independent publisher of the year for its share of such hits as "Despacito," "Let Me Love You" and "I'm The One." BMG U.S. president Zach Katz accepted the award. Alternative rock act Portugal. The Man received the ASCAP Vanguard Award, with the band performing a spirited version of their massive hit, "Feel It Still." Lana Del Rey was honored with the ASCAP Global Impact Award, presented to her by Father John Misty, whom Del Rey declared was her favorite artist. Misty also performed a stripped-down version of "Ride." In her acceptance speech, Del Rey thanked her co-writer/producer and table mate Rick Nowels, whose wife Maria Vidal was seated a few tables over with Desmond Child, who received the evening's biggest night, the ASCAP Founders Award. Vidal was a member of Desmond Child & Rouge in the late '70s. In addition to Vidal, Child, who has written more than 80 Top 40 hits, was surrounded by artists with whom he had experienced some of his biggest successes, including KISS's Paul Stanley, who presented Child with his award and gave an endearing speech chronicling their 40-year history; former Bon Jovi guitarist Richie Sambora; and Alice Cooper, who performed their co-write, "Poison." In an emotional speech, Child thanked Stanley: "Paul has been a loyal friend and mentor who taught me KISS Rule No. 1, that ultimately, no matter what the critics say, human beings only want to hear big, fun songs full of hope. I use those rules for almost everything I've done since then," Child said. Child told the tale of his late mother, who was a songwriter and a poet. "Just as my mother struggled all those years, songwriters are struggling right now," he continued. Picking up on themes echoed by Williams and Gerson, Child continued, "It's so great what's happening now with the Musical Modernization Act, which is the ray of hope that we've needed. I want to thank all of you for sticking with it... Technology, both in how music is made and how music makers are compensated, continues to evolve more rapidly than any of us would have imagined. It is our obligation as composers, producers and publishers to ensure the survival of the working songwriter. When it comes to credit and fair compensation, we must face future challenges with practical solutions... we must stay on it and ensure our industry is always at the table, deciding our own future and protecting the value of our precious work." (Billboard)

A$AP Rocky Gets Trippy With 'Herojuana Blunts'. A$AP Rocky has been busy releasing new music, which is leading up to his forthcoming album, dubbed Testing. Over the weekend, the Harlem native delivered the music visuals to his trippy-inspired record "Herojuana Blunts." The video is simple, consisting of quick images of a dancing woman, pills and Mary Jane, among other drugs. Earlier this month, the 29-year-old rapper released "A$AP Forever," and "Distorted Records." He also released other records like "Bad Company," "Above," and "Five Stars." During an interview with Peter Rosenberg on Open Late, Rocky was asked about his forthcoming album. "I take proper precautions," Rocky said to Rosenberg. "When testing this whole album, it's, like, about perfect timing. Everything has to be aligned correctly. One little thing, one little mishap, one little imperfection could throw off a whole cycle. I would prefer to put out music to change people's moods or uplift or get a feeling or a reaction as opposed to just making music to stay relevant for the sake of popularity." Also, Rocky's 2016 At. Long. Last. A$AP album finally went platinum last week. (Billboard)

Patti Smith Performs With Bruce Springsteen, Michael Stipe At 'Horses' Documentary Premiere. The concert film follows Smith and her band for two L.A. shows for the 40th anniversary of her debut album. The people have the power to redeem the work of fools, but Patti Smith has the power to breathe new life into her most celebrated work with surprises to spare. At the Tribeca Film Festival premiere of Horses: Patti Smith and Her Band on April 23, Smith, guitarist Lenny Kaye, her son, Jackson and the rest of her musical outfit were the guests of honor as well as the headliners. After showing the documentary, the screen flew up once the credits rolled, revealing Smith and band performing with nothing more than the naked, brick wall of the Beacon Theatre behind them. To mark the fortieth anniversary of Horses, her 1975 debut album, Smith recorded a new live version of it at New York's Electric Lady Studios before an in-studio audience and then hit the road to perform the album in full for packed theaters around the world. Director Steven Sebring, who worked with Smith and company on his debut documentary, 2008's Patti Smith: Dream of Life, joined their caravan, and Horses: Patti Smith and Her Band hovers over a two-night stand in January 2016 at the Wiltern in Los Angeles. Horses: Patti Smith and Her Band is intimate, visceral and raw, and the choice to premiere it at the Beacon was smart: the theater is adored by musicians for its acoustics, and the exceptional sound design and Sebring's intuitive focus succeeded in transforming the documentary into an immersive experience in that space. Before the screening, Sebring encouraged the audience to sing along, which they gladly did, especially for the call-and-responses of "Gloria (In Excelsis Deo)" and "Land: Horses/Land of a Thousand Dances/La Mer (De)." The recorded rounds of applause and cheers from the Wiltern crowd echoed and crashed against the walls of the Beacon as if the two audiences had merged into one. Smith commanded the rapt attention of both crowds, and Sebring's lens fixated on details -- stray strands of her silver mane; the lines on the palms of her outstretched hands; the angles her face folds when she sneers -- and stolen moments. Not an ounce of Smith's intensity was lost on screen, though Sebring provided ample laughs with a scathing exchange that had the rocker eviscerating a heckler screaming "Take your top off!" at the Wiltern: "For you, right? Honey, I got better in the grave than you." The hecklers were out in New York, too. Once the film portion of the program had concluded and the performance was underway, a man shouting in the balcony was addressed in kind. The tension dissolved with wry smiles from Smith, and she moved on to a cover of Buffalo Springfield's "For What It's Worth," dedicating the '60s anthem to Jaclyn Corin, Emma Gonzlez, David Hogg, Cameron Kasky and Alex Wind, a/k/a "the Parkland Five," a group of Marjory Stoneman Douglas students that have passionately campaigned for gun control and organized the March For Our Lives in the wake of the Feb. 14 shooting at their school. "The Parkland 5 are the fucking hope of this planet!" she declared. "Their cause is our future!" The cover wasn't the only curve ball. After introducing the members of her band at the end of the night, Smith took a moment to thank other people in the audience and proceeded to send another thank you to someone off-stage waiting behind the curtain. Springsteen then sauntered out, and the two friends dove into "Because the Night," the single written by Springsteen on Smith's third album, Easter. Springsteen stuck around, and Michael Stipe joined for the grand finale of "People Have The Power." At one point, the instruments dropped out just before the final chorus, and Smith's was the only voice that rang out as her band and the crowd clapped the rhythm out. Springsteen and Stipe were clapping along, too, just as fervently keeping the beat as the players beside them and the dedicated fans dancing in the aisles. Horses: Patti Smith and Her Band is the best kind of concert film because it transports you. Smith's bellows rang out in Los Angeles two years ago, but the strength of Sebring's work brings you back to the Wiltern so you can hear the wisdom and strength seared into her live show. Thankfully, the premiere of the documentary did the opposite. It forced us to be present, and that forced us to be grateful, as an album that gathers generations to sing along with idols and strangers is worth celebrating -- especially if the woman who forged it is there to lead the chorus with a few tricks up her sleeve. (Billboard)
Movies

Dove Cameron and Sofia Carson Share Descendants 3 Rehearsal Photos. Believe it or not, there are still so many ways to be wicked. Production on Disney Channel's Descendants 3 began in Vancouver Monday, and several cast members -- -- including Dove Cameron, Sofia Carson, China Ann McClain and Booboo Stewart -- shared several (spoiler-free!) behind-the-scenes photos with fans via their Instagram accounts. A third movie was inevitable, as Descendants 2 ended with McClain's character facing the camera and playfully asking the fans, "You didn't think this was the end of the story, did you?" The sequel premiered simultaneously across six networks, with 8.92 million viewers tuning in. In February, Disney Channel announced a third movie would air in 2019. "By adding a modern twist to Disney's most treasured heritage properties, the world of Descendants has become an instant classic," Gary Marsh, president and CCO of Disney Channels Worldwide, told E! News. "We're thrilled that the creative team that conceived and launched this global phenomenon is back to dive deeper into these characters and the imaginative world from which they come." Carson, who plays Evie, shared a muted video of the cast listening to some of the new music. "Wish you could listen to what we were listening to," she wrote on Instagram. "Here we go." In addition to Carson, fans will once again see Cameron Boyce as Carlos, Cameron as Mal, Brenna D'Amico as Jane, Thomas Doherty as Harry, Zachary Gibson as Doug, Jedidiah Goodacre as Chad, Sarah Jeffery as Audrey, McClain as Uma, Dylan Playfair as Gil and Stewart as Jay; a Disney Channel spokesperson has said additional casting announcements will be made later on. McClain posted a photo of herself braiding Cameron's hair during rehearsals on Instagram and Twitter, while Carson gave a glimpse of her watermarked script, written by Josann McGibbon and Sara Parriott; it included a special note from producer Wendy Japhet and director Kenny Ortega. "To our cast and our crew: Welcome to those who have just arrived!" Japhet and Ortega wrote. "And to those who have been working so hard alongside us to get us here today, prepared to make another fantastic movie together, which it is our intention will surpass our beloved first two Descendants movies -- we thank you, we appreciate you, we support your hard work and your ability and your vision, and we could not do it with you. LONG LIVE EVIL!!!" Production designer Mark Hofeling and costume designer Kara Saun are also coming back. (Eonline)

Tom Hardy's Venom finally revealed in new trailer. "We are Venom," Tom Hardy's anti-hero rasps in a deep voice in the first look of the scaly Spider-Man villain in footage shown on Monday at CinemaCon, a trade convention for theater owners, in Las Vegas. In the scene set in a parking lot, Hardy's Eddie Brock grabs a man by the throat and while doing so, transforms his human head suddenly enveloped by the distinctive black alien skull of Venom with large, slanted white snake-like eyes and a wide mouth filled with razor-sharp teeth that opens wide to reveal a reptile-esque tongue. "I just have to say, being a part of this movie and playing Venom is truly a dream come true for me, because to be brutally honest, I was looking to do a movie that initially my son could watch," Hardy said. "It appealed massively to me because he's one of my favorite characters, and I chased after this movie both for me... and for my son." Footage shown at CinemaCon opened with journalist Eddie Brock in San Francisco, saying, "I'm a reporter and I'm pretty good. I follow people who do not want to be followed." Brock's attention is drawn to Doctor Carlton Drake (Riz Ahmed), the head of the Life Foundation, an organization in the comics that used the symbiotes to create additional Venom-esque creatures. When he visits Life Foundation to report a story, he is quickly shut down, but when he returns to his apartment, Brock starts to feel sick and experience hallucinations and increased rage. A group of henchmen come to his apartment to kill him, but Brock discovers his enhanced combat skills and takes the men out, asking himself, "Why would we do that?" As Drake sets his men to chase Brock, riding on his motorbike, to the streets of San Francisco, he starts to experience the full power of Venom, tackling his assassins with heightened agility and inhuman skills. When Brock is thrown off his bike and lands in a parking lot with a plethora of broken bones, a henchman comes after him and asks, "What the hell are you?," just as the black alien substance starts to flow out of Brock and heal his broken bones. As Brock stands up, the scaly black skin covers his body and envelops his head into the familiar menacing face of the anti-hero. In the official trailer released shortly afterwards, there's are additional scenes featuring Jenny Slate playing an employee of the Life Foundation, who meets Brock secretly in a grocery store and gives him details of the company's secrets, and of Brock dealing with Venom's voice in his head. "There's no character out there quite like Venom; he's the most awesome character in Marvel history," said director Ruben Fleischer. Hardy and Fleischer were joined by co-stars Ahmed and Michelle Williams, who plays Brock's girlfriend Anne Weying. "I happen to love superhero movies and I've always wanted to do one... but it was never right until now because I never wanted to play a damsel in distress, I wanted to play a woman who was strong and powerful in her own right," Williams said. Ahmed added, "Not only is this my first superhero film, but I've also always wanted to play a big movie villain, and that came true in this and especially against the wild power that is Tom Hardy." Venom is not a spin-off of Tom Holland-starring Spider-Man: Homecoming, but rather expands Sony's ongoing Spider-Man universe and will be its own entity, primarily be based on the Lethal Protector and the Planet of the Symbiotes comics. Venom: Lethal Protector was a limited series in 1993 from writer David Michelinie and artist Mark Bagley. The story followed Brock from New York to San Francisco, where he's reinvented as more of an anti-hero as opposed to a Spider-Man villain. Planet of the Symbiotes, meanwhile, was a 1995 story that focused on Brock fighting an army of invading symbiotes -- a symbiote being the living alien substance that takes over Eddie's body and transforms him into the vicious wall-crawler. After the success of Spider-Man: Homecoming last year, Sony Pictures is expanding the superhero franchise with the animated Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse, directed by Phil Lord and Chris Miller. Lord teased that the film will be a "totally revolutionary style of animation. Shameik Moore will voice Spidey in the film, who is the alter-ego of Miles Morales, a half black, half Puerto-Rican high school student in Brooklyn. "I'm not the only kid who imagined himself being Spider-Man," Moore said. "As Stan Lee said, it's really true that anyone can wear the mask." (Entertainment Weekly)

CinemaCon: Sony Touts the Diversity of Its Upcoming Movies. 'Superfly', 'Miss Bala' and the animated feature 'Into the Spider-Verse' were among the features touted at the studio's presentation. From the Will Ferrell comedy Holmes & Watson to its Marvel coproduction Venom, Sony had plenty of recognizable names to tout at the CinemaCon exhibitors' convention Monday night in Las Vegas, but it also wanted to emphasize the diversity of talent and stories on display in its upcoming slate of movies. "Superfly is timeless," said Director X, known for the videos he has directed for stars like Drake, Jay-Z and Kanye West, as he introduced his remake of the 1972 blaxploitation film Super Fly, which opens June 15. "It is the definition of cool. It is about the fashion, cars, hair and music. While the location has, moving from Harlem to Los Angeles, changed, one thing has remained: the hustle." The film stars Jason Mitchell and Trevor Jackson, who took the stage to help introduce a clip that showcased Future's soundtrack. Director Catherine Hardwicke debuted her upcoming thriller Miss Bala, scheduled to be released Jan. 25, which she emphasized stars a successful Latino actress, Gina Rodriguez. Rodriguez, who appeared with co-stars Anthony Mackie and Ismael Cruz Cordova, called their project "the ultimate female empowerment film," about an "ordinary woman who becomes extraordinary." Miss Bala, a remake of the 2009 film of the same name that was Mexico's foreign language film Oscar entry, doesn't just have a diverse cast, but also a diverse crew. Hardwicke reported that the film was shot in Mexico and that 95 percent of the crew was Mexican. "You have seen already the diversity of the product and the diversity of the audience that we aim at," said Sony motion picture group chairman Tom Rothman, as he took the stage to debut the studio's upcoming releases, like Quentin Tarantino's Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, which stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt. He added, "We are not all superheros all the time. But make no mistake -- we are in the global franchise business. We are building on Sony's biggest year in over a decade." He then further trumpeted the theme of diversity, introducing the animated feature Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, which hits theaters in December. Rothman continued, "Phil Lord and Chris Miller have created a breakthrough in animation. Fans have clamored for this young hero of color to have his own film and these two guys figured out how to do it," said Rothman, introducing the duo, who developed the project and served as executive producers. "He is half Puerto Rican and half African American. He is the product of a happy and alive family," said Miller of the movie's hero, Miles Morales, who takes on the identity of Spider-Man. "I'm not the only kid who imagined himself being Spider-Man, the most beloved superhero of all time," said Shameik Moore, who voices Miles. "But as Stan Lee said, it's really true that anyone can wear the mask." Antoine Fuqua debuted some Equalizer 2 footage that saw Denzel Washington fighting thugs on a Turkish train, in a well-designed apartment and in a moving sedan, all set to Kendrick Lamar's "Backseat Freestyle." Rothman made a point of announcing it as the first time Washington has done a sequel to one of his films. Bringing out Claire Foy, who stars as computer hacker Lisbeth Salander in upcoming The Girl in the Spider's Web, Rothman exclaimed, "Lisbeth Salander makes Wonder Woman looks like a Powder Puff Girl." Sony also previewed its family offerings including the Goosebumps sequel, with a new title, Haunted Halloween; and Sony Pictures Animation's Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation, with new footage that saw Dracula and his family taking a vacation to the Bermuda Triangle for a cruise manned by anthropomorphic sardines. (Hollywood Reporter)

Imax Expands Footprint in Theaters With Launch of New Laser Projection System. The large-format company finds takers in Cineworld/Regal and AMC. With the launch of a new top-of the-digital-line laser projection system, IMAX is striking sizable deals with Cineworld/Regal and AMC. The large format company has been quietly demonstrating the new system to exhibitors, studio execs and filmmakers, in advance of announcing the new projector at theater owners confab CinemaCon, which opened Monday in Las Vegas. Cineworld and Regal will add 26 new IMAX theaters and upgrade 29 of its existing IMAX projectors in the U.S. and Europe with the new system. AMC will upgrade 87 of its IMAX at AMC locations. With the deals, these exhibitors have renewed 12-year-lease terms, and the new projectors will be installed over the next four years. Additionally, the auditoriums will be renovated, including the installation of IMAX's immersive sound and plush rocker seating. AMC and IMAX are investing roughly $125 million in the AMC rollout, according to AMC chairman and CEO Adam Aron. The 87 IMAX at AMC locations will operate under a joint revenue sharing arrangement though IMAX ticket prices will not increase. Cineworld didn't disclose the value of its deal. IMAX CEO Richard Gelford told The Hollywood Reporter that he expects deals for another 25 laser projectors to be completed in the near future. "Never in our 50-year history have we seen an uptake to a new technology so rapidly," he said. IMAX launched its first laser projector in 2016, aimed at its largest auditoriums. This new system includes an expanded range of colors and targets all IMAX commercial multiplexes, listing in the $600,000-$700,000 price range. IMAX will also continue to offer its 70mm IMAX film projection. Of the film and digital offing, Gelford said, "The difference is really one of taste." (Hollywood Reporter)

TV

How The 100 Changed Almost Everything in Season 5. After a long, long wait, The 100 finally returned, though nothing is quite the same as it was when we last saw it. It's been six years since the death wave of radiation that sent a few people to space, nearly everyone underground, and left poor Clarke (Eliza Taylor) stranded on the surface all alone. In the last moments of the season four finale, we saw that Clarke had survived that wave for six years and was still waiting for everyone to return, but she hadn't been alone all that time. She had, at some point, befriended/adopted a little girl named Madi (Lola Flanery), and most of the night's premiere is spent on Clarke and this relationship that will become a crucial one throughout the season, according to showrunner Jason Rothenberg. In those final moments, we also saw that someone was coming to earth, and it did not appear to be a ship carrying friends. It was actually some far more sinister visitors, and that's pretty much where we are as the season really kicks off, with a whole lot of questions to be answered. While we obviously don't want to spoil any of the excellent premiere, there are a few tidbits we will share, courtesy of Rothenberg. First of all, that time jump is a big deal, particularly for one reason: it's more time than every character originally spent on earth in the first four seasons. Rothenberg estimates that those seasons spanned about 10 months. Now, six years later, a lot has to have happened. "It gives you the freedom of giving you almost anything that you want to do, because you can justify it in the sense of, you know, they had enough time for that to develop," he tells us of the time jump. "Really, we could do anything. Now the trick also, of course, is to have it feel like they're different, but they're not. They're still the same people that we've come to love, so there has to be that sort of consistency." Clarke is still Clarke, Bellamy (Bob Morley) is still Bellamy, Octavia (Marie Avgeropoulos) is still Octavia, but they've all done some growing and some changing in the past six years that everyone (including us) will still have to get used to. Clarke is essentially a mom now, with a kid she's been raising for years. Otherwise, they've been completely alone, unlike everyone in space or in the bunker, and Clarke's number one priority is her family, Madi. Similarly, the space kru is a family, and the bunker is (kinda) a family. "So when these sort of rings of the circus collide, of course everyone's going to be emotionally thrilled to see each other alive and surprised in some cases to see each other alive, but very quickly, those priorities shift, those changes are going to be the source of conflict when everybody's new family is not a priority for everyone else." Promos for this season have declared "No good guys, no bad guys, only survivors," which could also sum up any other season of this show. But in the same way that no other season has been the same as one before, this season will be unlike no other season of The 100. "The thematics of the show aren't different, the story is totally different," Rothenberg promises, and having seen the first four episodes, we can tell you he's very correct. It's also totally good, and there are some moments everyone is going to truly die over -- both in the good way and maybe even a more literal way. (Eonline)

The Handmaid's Tale's Yvonne Strahovski Talks Serena Joy's Season 2 Moves and Cast Bachelor Viewing Parties. It's almost time to return to Gilead, and with that comes returning to the Waterford residence and all the horrors kept within. For star Yvonne Strahovski, who plays Commander Waterford's (Joseph Fiennes) icy and barren wife, that means returning to Serena Joy's specific brand of cruelty. And as the actress told E! News' Sibley Scoles, this season's behavior had her question her character's choices more than ever before. "I mean, I've had a love-hate relationship with Serena from the get-go. It's been real push and pull with her, especially this season even more so because I think the relationships are so much more heightened," she admitted. "And there's so much more complication to each of the relationships that Serena pulls some moves that I'm even more trying to figure out why. Why are you so mean? It's very confronting." With Offred (Elisabeth Moss) finally pregnant thanks to Serena Joy's maneuverings and Nick's (Max Minghella), err, sperm donation, the stakes are much, much higher for the Waterfords. Especially because in the final moments of season one, Offred was put into a van with no explanation of where she was being taken or why. "The stakes are high in Gilead as it is, which is what we sort of set up in the first season, you know? Every little twitch, every breath was something, meant something," Strahovski said. "We're jumping right off of that into a whole other level of tense." And it's through that tension that Serena Joy makes some decisions that the actress admitted she had a hard time reconciling. "We put a lot of thought into what we do. Certainly, I spend a lot of time discussing certain scenes with people if they seem to be a little especially tricky. And I have found that towards the second half of the season, you'll see eventually, there are certain things that happen that are kind of difficult to justify in a lot of ways," she teased. "So it really is about diving deep into the relationships and understanding them so intricately and understanding why someone could do something like what you're going to see down the line." Despite being mired in the misery of Gilead day in and day out as they film, Strahovski admitted that the cast has found ways to keep things light when cameras aren't rolling. And one involves a certain reality TV show that we're pretty obsessed with ourselves around these parts. "I will tell you there is a lot of discussion of the current season -- or what just passed -- [of] The Bachelor. We have viewing parties. There's a little group of us, a lot of us are into it. You'd be surprised. We even got Joseph Fiennes to watch an episode. And he's going to kill me for saying that, so I really shouldn't have let that out of my mouth!" Under his eye! The Handmaid's Tale returns for season two on Wednesday, April 25 on Hulu. (Eonline)

Martha Stewart joins 'Chopped' as recurring judge. Food Network's "Chopped" has added a familiar face from the intersection of cuisine and television. Martha Stewart has signed as a recurring guest judge on the venerable series, whose 38th cycle launches next month. She first will appear in the June 5 episode of "Chopped," joining host Ted Allen and series regulars Maneet Chauhan, Scott Conant, Amanda Freitag, Alex Guarnaschelli, Marc Murphy, Marcus Samuelsson, Chris Santos and Geoffrey Zakarian. They'll oversee the proceedings as chefs battle it out in each episode over three rounds -- appetizer, entree and dessert -- to create dishes utilizing the mystery basket of ingredients with a finite amount of time for a chance to win $10,000. "As a lifestyle expert and bestselling author with millions of devoted followers and fans, Martha Stewart's name is synonymous with perfection," said Courtney White, EVP Programming at Food Network and HGTV. "Having Martha's expertise within the newest season of 'Chopped' further reinforces why the series has long been one of the toughest culinary competitions on television." The former host of "Martha Stewart Living" and "The Martha Stewart Show" also has written 90 books and currently serves as Chief Creative Officer and at Sequential, the company she merged hers with in 2015. She has appeared as herself in a number of films and TV series including "Bad Moms," "Pixels," "2 Broke Girls," "Men in Black II" and "The Simpsons." (PageSix)

A Chocolate Fountain, Champagne and More! Willow Rings in Her Engagement as Only a Royal Could on The Royals. It's a hen party fit for a (future) queen! In the clip from Sunday's all-new The Royals, Princess Eleanor (Alexandra Park) throws Willow (Genevieve Gaunt) a bachelorette party she'll never forget. "If you were going to have a hen party, just if, I was just wondering what we'd do?" Eleanor asks Willow. "If I were and I'm not," the bride-to-be warns. "Right," Eleanor agrees. "I suppose we'd get massages, drink some champagne and have a bit of chocolate. OK, a lot of chocolate," Willow confesses. Ask and you shall receive Willow! The princess escorts the future queen of England to her own private spa room, but that's not all. There's a chocolate fountain! Yup, you read that right. "It's the biggest chocolate fountain ever!" "How did you do this?" an excited Willow asks. "We know a thing or two about being covert. Now then, your spa day awaits. We'll have drinks and chocolate, a little pampering," Queen Helena (Elizabeth Hurley) promises. "And you'll be in bed early," Eleanor adds. With that, the ladies clinked their champagne-filled glasses and got the party started. (Eonline)

'The Bridge' to Get Asian Version on Digital Platform Viu. The latest local version of Endemol Shine's hit crime drama will be set on the border between Malaysia and Singapore. Endemol Shine has struck a deal with streaming video platform Viu for an Asian version of its global hit crime series The Bridge. The original Danish-Swedish series has spawned various remakes, including one in the U.S. starring Diane Kruger, which aired on FX for two seasons before it was canceled in 2014. The show revolves around a body found on the border between two countries, resulting in investigators from both sides working to solve the case. FX's show was set on the border between the U.S. and Mexico, while other versions were set between the U.K. and France, Germany and Austria, and Russia and Estonia. The original show has aired in more than 188 territories. The 10-episode Asian version will set the series on the border between Malaysia and Singapore. Production is expected to begin in July, and the show will stream in both countries later this year. Other details, such as financial terms and casting, were not immediately revealed. "We expect the premium format of The Bridge to resonate strongly in this region," said Endemol Shine International CEO Cathy Payne. Viu is a service backed by Hong Kong-based telco PCCW. Early this year, Viu streamed the first-ever Indian version of popular CBS game show format Hollywood Squares. The Telegu language version, Tollywood Squares, also simultaneously aired on Star Maa, part of Fox's Star India network. (Hollywood Reporter)

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