#MAGFAB: Scarlett Johansson for Variety Magazine May 2023
F. Scott Fitzgerald famously described Daisy Buchanan, his “Great Gatsby” heroine, as having a voice that’s “full of money.”
Wes Anderson could say the same about Scarlett Johansson, his latest leading lady. The auteur has worked with enough A-list talent to fill a Met Gala — from Meryl Streep to George Clooney to Cate Blanchett — but he acknowledges that star power is somewhat of a mystery. With Johansson, who plays a luminous 1950s movie icon in his film “Asteroid City,” the director thinks he knows the secret: “Scarlett’s voice is so expressive and interesting. I would say it’s her greatest strength.”
As she’s become a bigger and bigger star, Johansson has grown more comfortable raising that voice when she feels she’s been screwed over. Case in point: She shocked the industry in July 2021 by stepping into the ring with Disney, the most powerful entity in Hollywood. The actress was quarantining in her Upper East Side apartment, days away from giving birth to Cosmo, her second child, when she filed an explosive lawsuit against the studio shortly after the release of its Marvel prequel “Black Widow.”
For the previous six months, Johansson’s team had worked behind the scenes to push the studio to make good on the millions of dollars in backend compensation she would forgo when it released “Black Widow” simultaneously on Disney+ and in theaters as the pandemic raged. The breach was clear-cut, given that her contract contained a stipulation that the “Avengers” spinoff be released exclusively in theaters. Adding insult to injury, Disney — then led by CEO Bob Chapek — bragged that “Black Widow” generated more than $60 million in Disney+ Premier Access global sales in a bid to juice its stock price.
In response to the suit, the studio took off the gloves and released a jaw-dropping statement that slammed Johansson for her “callous disregard for the horrific and prolonged global effects of the COVID-19 pandemic” and casually revealed her tightly guarded $20 million upfront salary. By all appearances, the studio had declared war on an actress who played Russian assassin Natasha Romanoff in eight of its Marvel tentpoles, starting with 2010’s “Iron Man 2,” and is a corporate super fan to boot, the kind who spent a recent Christmas with a group of 15 friends at Disney World.
As Johansson and I sit together on an April afternoon in New York City, her megawatt smile fades as she winces at the memory of Disney’s scathing statement. “I was sad and disappointed. But mostly sad,” she says. “It was such a surreal moment because we were all isolated and just sort of emerging a little bit. I was also really heavily pregnant, too, which in a weird way was amazing timing. Suddenly, your entire attention is drawn to this miracle of life. So, I had the most wonderful distraction in the world and soon after had a beautiful baby.”
By contrast, Johansson’s agent, Bryan Lourd, was anything but distracted. “I lost my mind and said, ‘How dare you make it seem like she’s not worth this money or that she somehow hasn’t earned it?’” he recalls. “She and I were very much in lockstep about what this was. And she had the conviction to let me fight back. A lot of people wouldn’t do that. And part of the reason she did it is because she thought, in the position she’s in, she had a responsibility not just to herself but to other people who were being confronted with this change.”
Two months later, around the same time Cosmo was cracking his first smiles, Johansson and Disney settled the suit. Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but Johansson’s payout reportedly eclipsed $40 million. In the history of Hollywood, the stars who have successfully sued studios are few and mostly men, from Burt Lancaster to Kevin Costner to Sylvester Stallone, with Olivia de Havilland and Elizabeth Taylor being rare exceptions. (Taylor took Fox to court in 1964 for not being properly paid for “Cleopatra,” and settled for $7 million — or roughly $60 million in today’s dollars.) But Johansson became the first high-profile star to stare down a behemoth in the streaming era, and her suit continues to reverberate in Hollywood and beyond as deep-pocketed corporations use the cover of the pandemic to squeeze employees. In some ways, the battle between Johansson and the media giant offers a precursor to the writers strike now roiling the industry. Get more at Variety!
#RHOA: Finally? Kenya Moore To Avoid Trial And Enter Mediation With Ex Marc Daly Over 3 Years After Split In Nasty Divorce Case
REAL Housewives of Atlanta star Kenya Moore will soon enter mediation with her estranged husband in their dragged-out divorce case, The U.S. Sun has exclusively learned.
Kenya, 52, opened up about her ongoing divorce from her ex, Marc Daly, two years after the Real Housewives of Atlanta star first filed papers.
The TV personality has primary physical custody of four-year-old daughter Brooklyn- something she says will "probably never change."
"I'm not going to be sharing physical custody at all," Kenya told The U.S. Sun in an exclusive interview.
Marc, 49, is demanding joint legal custody, so he can have a say in Brooklyn's life about certain decisions such as education, Kenya claimed.
While there have been reports that the New York restaurateur has also been demanding rights to her longtime home, Moore Manor, Kenya said her ex has "never come after my property."
Kenya and Marc's divorce is sealed from the public in the state of Georgia.
When asked what exactly they're currently fighting about, Kenya told The U.S. Sun: "It's just the dumbest stuff."
"You know, the last time it was, 'Oh, well we don't have a parenting plan.'"
She went on to say that she and her ex have their ups and downs, but have ultimately gotten to a "better place."
"It's somewhat cordial," Kenya shared about her current relationship status with Marc.
"You know, I think that we have gotten very far. It used to be only text messages if that or just me handing the phone to Brooklyn so that she could speak to him.
"But now, we are in a better place. But it's always a point of contention whenever the divorce proceedings start."
PREVENTING A TRIAL
Kenya, who previously revealed they did not sign a prenup, told The U.S. Sun that the divorce is still taking a long time due to canceled court dates.
She explained: "Primarily it's because there's just been a lot of, 'I can't make that date.' Cancellations. We would be going to mediation and then we'd get a phone call, 'We can't make the mediation today or tomorrow, so we have to cancel and reschedule.'"
In addition, Kenya claimed that Marc "refused to sign off" on certain details.
"It's just a lot of just never signing anything, never agreeing," she said. "It's just never-ending."
Next on the calendar is a mediation appointment this week- their fourth mediation appointment thus far, she claimed.
"If we don't come to an agreement this week, then it looks like we'll have to go to trial," Kenya revealed.
"It just doesn't make any sense at this point. It's like, I just threw in the towel, and whatever he's asking for, just give it to him.
"I am not gonna be going back and forth fighting in the trial.
"I'm just like, 'Let me be single. Just give me my divorce.'
"I'm hopeful that the divorce will be finalized, but every time I'm hopeful it doesn't happen. It's complicated."
Kenya and Marc's trial date - happening in the next few weeks - was set about a year ago, so there would be "an ending in sight," she insisted.
DENYING HER RIGHTS
The RHOA star further explained that there were two separate trials: one was on custody when they were separated - from September 2019 until the divorce was filed in May 2021 - and another is for the divorce.
Kenya told The U.S. Sun: "I think that is what's confusing to a lot of people. When I filed for the custody motion, it was because he was trying to deny me my natural right as the primary physical and legal custodian of her.
"He was trying to deny me my rights by blocking me from filming with her on Housewives.
"And, as you know, that is my job, that's my bread and butter. That's something I did before him and he knew I did it.
"He knew I was on TV and he agreed to allow our daughter to film."
She continued: "He only tried to block me once I filed for separation. Then he tried to block me from filming with her.
"So that is why I then filed for custody, so that it would be a legal agreement between us while we were separated that he couldn't block me from enjoying my rights as the physical primary.
"So then once that was settled, then I filed for divorce."
In addition to Kenya's divorce, Bravo fans have learned of other new RHOA divorces in recent months.
In February, Drew Sidora filed for divorce against Ralph Pittman.
The following month, Eva Marcille filed for divorce against her husband Michael Sterling.
Most recently, fans were shocked to learn that Kim Zolciak and Kroy Biermann both filed for divorce.
"Everyone knows I'm not a huge fan of Kim Z, but at the end of the day, that's a family and they have a lot of children together," Kenya told The U.S. Sun.
"And it actually made me sad because it seemed like they stood by each other's side, but clearly there's a lot of things that we don't know that happened in the marriage and the money seems to clearly be an issue."
The Housewives star added: "We learned about all of these things just at the same time that you guys did.
"It's sad. It was sad to hear about Eva and Michael, it was sad to hear about Drew and Ralph.
"I'm a big believer in love and in marriage and honestly, regardless if I like you or not, I want you to make it."
She concluded: "It really just makes you so sad and feel hopeless. Like, is there a housewife that is successful in marriage? And that answer is most often, no."
#MusicNews: Summer Walker Reveals Official 'Clear 2: Soft Life' Tracklist
Summer Walker is ready to live her best life this summer and plans to take her girls along for the ride. This Friday (May 19), the R&B songstress will unleash her forthcoming EP titled Clear 2: Soft Life. Today (May 15), she revealed the tracklist and features in a new skit starring Sukihana and Sexyy Red.
The video opens up with a scene of the three ladies meeting up at a luxurious beach resort to have a relaxing day together. They order some caviar and proceed to poke fun at being skeptical about trying it, which is likely a reference to partnering with Spotify’s RapCaviar platform for the announcement.
“This is the Soft Life starring Summer Walker,” read RapCaviar’s Instagram caption. “It’s giving tracklist reveals and cavinar dreams.”
The first song to scroll across the screen is titled “To Summer, From Cole (Audio Hug),” which many fans are assuming is an appearance from J. Cole. Other features include Childish Gambino, Solange, Steve Lacy, and John Kirby.
Walker’s last solo LP was 2021’s Still Over It, a 20-track album with features from Cardi B, City Girls’ JT, SZA, Ari Lennox, Lil Durk, Pharrell Williams, Omarion, and Ciara. The offering broke the record for the album with the most one-week streams ever by a female R&B artist that year with 201.1 million in its debut week.
Outside of her own releases, the Platinum-certified singer has stayed active by delivering features on recent songs like “Deserve Me” by Kali Uchis, “Purple Hearts” by Kendrick Lamar, “Mixy” by Quavo and Takeoff, “Always” by Daniel Caesar, “Better Thangs” by Ciara, and more. She also gave well-received performances this year at Dreamville Festival, Lovers & Friends Festival, and Strength Of A Woman Festival.
Check out the full Clear 2: Soft Life EP tracklist below.
“To Summer, From Cole”
“Hardlife”
“How Does It Feel”
“Mind Yo Mouth”
“Pull Up”
“New Type” – featuring Childish Gambino
“Finding Peace”
“Set Up (2017)”
“Agayu’s Revelation” – produced by Solange, Steve Lacy and John Kirby
#HipHopNews: Busta Rhymes Taps Pharrell, Timbaland & Swizz Beatz To Produce New Album
Busta Rhymes’ new album will boast plenty of firepower behind the boards as he’s recruited Pharrell, Timbaland and Swizz Beatz to oversee production.
Swizz shared the news in a video posted to Instagram on Sunday (May 14), in which he gave the Brooklyn rap veteran his flowers for his unique musical style, electric stage presence and long and decorated career in Hip Hop.
“This is a Busta Rhymes appreciation post,” the Ruff Ryders producer said while on a boat. “My brother’s been doing this so long, from Leaders of the New School … to headlining every major festival, tour, show. Leaders was the ’80s and Busta’s been kicking ass since [then].
“It’s 2023. My bro got all new deals, all new music coming out. I just want to take the time to say I appreciate my brother Busta Rhymes for his longevity, his distinctive style, voice. I wish everybody a long career like Busta Rhymes. He’s the biggest deal.”
He continued: “Him and Spliff Star don’t play no games on that stage doing older songs and new songs. He’s boxed with the best of ’em. He’s been on the charts with the best of ’em. And one week he was on the stage with Janet Jackson and Mary J. Blige — that’s just one week!
“Cheers to my brother Busta Rhymes for life. Wait until you hear this new music this man got. The album executive produced by Swizz Beatz, Timbaland and Pharrell. Wrap your face around what that’s gonna sound like.”
Busta confirmed the news in the comments section and further fueled excitement by claiming his upcoming project will “shift the culture.”
“I Guess it’s Time!!!! You let the cat out the bag huh King???!!!!! SWWWWWIIIZZZYYYY!!!” he wrote. “I love you and appreciate beyond description King!! Our years of friendship and being brothers cannot be described in words!!
“Wait till they hear how we are going to SHIFT THE CULTURE with this album Executive Produced my you @timbaland @pharrell & myself King!! It’s been an incredible process doing this every step of the way with you Kings and we ain’t Stoppin’ NO TIME SOON!!”
Swizz Beatz, Timbaland and Pharrell producing Busta Rhymes’ new album should come as welcome news to fans, especially considering the Flipmode Squad frontman has no shortage of hits with the trio of super-producers.
Busta and Swizz previously teamed up for party-starters like 2006’s “Touch It” and 1998’s “Tear Da Roof Off,” while his work with Pharrell and The Neptunes includes the infectious “Pass the Courvoisier Part II,” “As I Come Back” and “Light Your Ass on Fire.”
Although his discography with Timbo isn’t as deep, the Brooklyn and Virginia natives have connected in the past on The Big Bang‘s “Get Down” and several interludes on Missy Elliott’s early albums.
Busta Rhymes has been teasing his 11th studio album as early as June 2021 when he reunited with Pharrell and Chad Hugo. “Guess who’s back at it? The Dragon & The Neptunes @pharrell @chadhugo Oh Shit!!” he wrote on Instagram while sharing a photo of him hanging out with the Grammy-winning duo in Miami.
The following year, Busta teased collaborations with yet more heavyweight producers by previewing an unreleased song with the late, great J Dilla and hitting the studio with Metro Boomin.
His forthcoming album will serve as the follow-up to 2020’s Extinction Level Event 2: The Wrath of God, which debuted at No. 7 on the Billboard 200 and boasted appearances from Kendrick Lamar, Q-Tip, Mary J. Blige, Anderson .Paak, the late Ol’ Dirty Bastard and more.
Prince Harry And Wife Meghan In 'Near Catastrophic' NY Paparazzi Car Chase
Britain's Prince Harry, his wife Meghan and her mother were involved in a "near catastrophic car chase" involving paparazzi photographers after they attended an awards ceremony in New York, a spokesperson for the prince said on Wednesday.
The incident involved half a dozen cars with blacked out windows, driving dangerously and putting the lives of the couple, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, and Meghan's mother, Doria Ragland, in danger, according to their spokesperson.
"Last night, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and Ms Ragland were involved in a near catastrophic car chase at the hands of a ring of highly aggressive paparazzi," the spokesperson said in a statement.
"This relentless pursuit, lasting over two hours, resulted in multiple near collisions involving other drivers on the road, pedestrians and two NYPD (New York Police Department) officers."
The couple were shaken by the incident but otherwise unharmed.
The prince has long spoken out about his anger about press intrusion which he blames for the death of his mother Princess Diana, who was killed when her limousine crashed as it sped away from chasing paparazzi in Paris in 1997.
The couple's spokesperson said the chase on Tuesday, after leaving the Ziegfeld Ballroom in midtown Manhattan, could also have been fatal and involved paparazzi driving on the sidewalk, running red lights, and driving while taking pictures.
Those involved in the chase were confronted by police officers multiple times, according to the spokesperson. A spokesperson for the New York Police Department said he could not confirm any information about the incident.
The Ms. Foundation for Women, the organisers of the awards ceremony where Meghan was honoured for her work, had no immediate comment.
Pictures that have since appeared on social media show Harry, Meghan and her mother sitting in the back of a New York taxi which their spokesperson said showed "a small glimpse at the defense and decoys required to end the harassment".
The couple, who live in California with their two young children, had been staying at a private residence but had decided against returning there as they did not wish to compromise that individual's safety, according to their spokesperson.
"While being a public figure comes with a level of interest from the public, it should never come at the cost of anyone's safety," the spokesperson said. "Dissemination of these images, given the ways in which they were obtained, encourages a highly intrusive practice that is dangerous to all in involved."
Harry has never hidden his dislike of the press, fuelled by the treatment his mother received and by his own experiences, particularly when he was young.
In his memoir "Spare", the couple's Netflix documentary series and TV interviews, he has railed against British tabloids invading his and his family's privacy, and it was one of the main reasons that he and Meghan gave for stepping down from their royal roles in 2020 and moving to the United States.
The prince is currently involved in numerous court cases in London where he has accused papers of using unlawful methods to target him and his family. While papers reject nearly all his allegations, one publisher last week apologised for unlawfully seeking information about him in 2004.
He is also seeking to overturn a decision by the British government to take away his specialist police protection when he is in Britain.
Beyoncé Teases New Haircare Launch: 'Can't Wait for You to Experience What I've Been Creating'
Soon, everyone will know Beyoncé's secret to achieving luscious locks.
The Grammy Award winner, 41, took to Instagram on Tuesday — less than a week after kicking off her sold-out Renaissance World Tour — to tease the launch of her new haircare line.
While the first photo in the carousel was of the Houston native posing in a mirror while styling her natural curls, the second picture was a throwback photo of her getting her hair braided in a salon chair.
The last picture in the carousel features a handwritten note by the "CUFF IT" singer, explaining her new venture fans can expect soon.
"How many of y'all knew my first job was sweeping hair in my mama's salon? Destiny's Child got our start by performing for clients while they were getting their hair done," Beyoncé wrote, referring to her former platinum-selling girl group, best known for their songs "Survivor," "Say My Name," and "Lose My Breath."
She continued, "I was exposed to so many different kinds of entrepreneurial women in her salon. I saw firsthand how the ways we nurture and celebrate hair can directly impact our souls."
"I watched her heal and be of service to so many women. Having learned so much on my hair journey, I've always dreamed of carrying on her legacy," added Beyoncé.
She ended the note with an exciting message to fans, writing how she "can't wait for you to experience what I've been creating," with her first initial and a heart.
Beyoncé and Jay Z's Family Transforms into Disney 'The Proud Family' in Amazing Halloween Photo
Most recently, Beyoncé's longtime hair colorist, Rita Hazan, dished on the new hair color the singer is sporting on her tour.
Hazan said she gave the mother of three a lighter look, which she calls "sunwashed blonde," because the star wanted something "dramatic and different" that would "give an extra wow factor."
She said the plan is for Beyoncé to keep the sunwashed blonde throughout the tour, but after a decade of working with the singer, she's learned not to rule out another change.
"It's like, don't unpack your bag," joked Hazan who says the Dreamgirls actress could always wake up and say, "I want a different color."
NYPD Cops Charged With Stealing Almost $3K Worth Of JAY-Z’s Ace Of Spades Champagne
Over the last decade, JAY-Z has pushed his champagne brand, Armand de Brignac, commonly known as “Ace of Spades,” into a premier powerhouse.
It’s so coveted that three New York police officers face charges for allegedly stealing nearly $3,000 worth of the beverage at a music festival last year.
According to a Billboard report, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg brought felony charges against Jonathan Gonzales and Wojciech Czech on Monday for taking bottles of Hov’s expensive champagne from the VIP area at Electric Zoo in September 2022.
Gonzales and Czech face one fourth-degree charge of grand larceny and one fourth-degree charge of criminal possession of stolen property. Gonzales and a third officer, Warren Golden, also received an official misconduct charge.
Based on the prosecutor’s investigation, the three detectives worked narcotics at the festival. They witnessed VIP guests order bottles of Ace of Spades.
After the attendees stepped away briefly, Gonzales reportedly took two bottles — worth $2,900 in total — and retrieved a backpack. Czech then allegedly gave Gonzales the bottles to put in the bag, and Golden turned a blind eye to what had occurred.
Once the crooked detectives left the VIP area and went to a staff-only location, two attendees saw the men take the champagne bottles and reported the incident to a security guard.
“In addition to the alleged theft that occurred, none of the officers working at the event stepped up and stopped this activity,” Bragg said in a statement. “Public confidence in the criminal justice system depends on members of law enforcement acting with the utmost integrity while on duty and following the same rules that apply to everyone else.”
“As a result of the continuing joint investigation with the Internal Affairs Bureau and The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, two NYPD officers were arrested and subsequently suspended from duty today,” the NYPD told Billboard. “The NYPD will continue to pursue the facts in this investigation and initiate further discipline where appropriate.”
Philadelphia 76ers Fire Head Coach Doc Rivers After Game 7 Loss
The Philadelphia 76ers have fired head coach Doc Rivers, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.
The 76ers made the decision following Sunday's Game 7 loss to the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference semifinals. The loss eliminated Philadelphia from the postseason after it had held a 3-2 series lead.
Boston outscored Philadelphia 57-36 in the second half as the 76ers tied an NBA shot-clock era record for fewest points in a postseason quarter with a 10-point third. The 76ers previously lost Game 6 at home after getting outscored 24-13 in the fourth quarter.
Rivers coached the 76ers for three seasons. Philadelphia was eliminated in the Eastern Conference semifinals in each of his three seasons overseeing a roster led by league MVP and five-time All-NBA center Joel Embiid. Sunday marked the 76ers' second Game 7 loss in three seasons under Rivers. They also lost to the Atlanta Hawks in Game 7 in the 2021 conference semifinals as the No. 1 seed in the East.
Rivers, 61, has spent 24 seasons as an NBA head coach for the Orlando Magic, Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Clippers and 76ers. He was named Coach of the Year in 2000 with the Magic. He coached the Celtics to the NBA championship in 2008 and led them to the NBA Finals again in 2010. He last coached a team to the conference finals in 2012 with Boston, which lost there to the eventual champion Miami Heat.
The Clippers failed to reach the Western Conference finals in Rivers' seven years as head coach of a team that featured Chris Paul, Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan for much of his tenure. Rivers fell to 6-10 in Game 7s with Sunday's loss, five more Game 7 losses than any other coach in NBA history. His teams have now lost five consecutive Game 7s.
Rivers is the third coach to be fired this postseason following a disappointing playoff run. The Milwaukee Bucks fired head coach Mike Budenholzer after a first-round exit to the Heat as the No. 1 seed in the East. The Bucks won the NBA championship under Budenholzer in 2021 but failed to reach the NBA Finals in his other four seasons coaching a roster led by two-time MVP and seven-time All-NBA player Giannis Antetokounmpo.
The Phoenix Suns fired head coach Monty Williams after their second-round loss to the Denver Nuggets. The Suns reached the NBA finals once in four seasons under Williams, who was named NBA Coach of the Year after the 2021-22 season. They fell short of the conference finals this year after a midseason trade to acquire Kevin Durant. The decision was made under first-year owner Mat Ishbia.
Jane Fonda Tells All About Her Skinny-Dipping Experience With Michael Jackson And How He Looked Like Naked
Jane Fonda was recently interviewed by Andy Cohen for "Watch what happens Live" and during the show, she made a comment about having seen Michael Jackson naked and that immediately caught the interviewer's attention
"He came and visited me when we were shooting 'On Golden Pond,' and I had a little cottage right on the lake, and it was a beautiful, moonlit night," Fonda began.
Cohen trying to elaborate on the matter said "And you said, 'Let's skinny-dip,'"
Jane Fonda saw Michael Jackson naked
"No, he did!" Fonda responded, adding that Jackson "knew he was going to die young" and that she would go on to publicly "talk about him being naked."
"He was skinny!" she said.
"I'm not going to ask anything else about it because I want to be respectful of Michael," Cohen respectfully replied.
Fonda continued to be transparent with the characteristic honesty that she's known for, including how René Clément tried to be with her.
"The French director René Clément," she said. "Was it a sloppy pass?" Cohen asked
"Well, he wanted to go to bed with me because he said [my] character [in 1964's 'Joy House'] had to have an orgasm in the movie, and he needed to see what my orgasms were like," Fonda said. "He said it in French, and I pretended I didn't understand,".
Jane Fonda gives tips on how to make sex get better with age
Fonda claims that when women are older there is not much to hold back anymore, "Women, I think, tend to get better because they lose their fear of saying what they need,".
"We waste way too much time not wanting to say: 'Wait a minute, hold it, hold it, no, no, no. Slow down, and a little to the left.' We don't want to do that. But when we get older, it's like: 'No, I know what I want. Give me what I want.'"
Britney Spears signed off on the Once Upon A One More Time musical after her conservatorship ended
We’ve known about Once Upon A One More Time—the fairy tale musical featuring the hits of Britney Spears—for a while now, but, weirdly, the story was always that Spears herself was not involved in any way. As far as we knew, Washington D.C.’s Shakespeare Theater Company had decided to put together a female-empowerment take on classic fairy tale princesses, decided to mix in some Britney Spears tracks, and then… spent several years trying to get the musical on its feet. (These things are hard to do.)
But now, in a shocking twist that’s almost as shocking as when the boy gave Britney the Heart Of The Ocean at the end of the “Oops!… I Did It Again” video, the people behind Once Upon A One More Time have revealed that, actually, Spears has been involved for a while and actually signed off on the use of her music after her conservatorship ended in 2021. This comes from The Hollywood Reporter, which says the Shakespeare Theater Company had previously licensed the music through the original songwriters, but the story notes that it was unclear who would’ve had to approve the song use while Spears was under the conservatorship (luckily that’s no longer relevant).
Once Upon A One More Time is set to open on Broadway on June 22, with previews starting this weekend, and producers James L. Nederlander and Hunter Arnold say that—in addition to the show being “fully authorized and licesned by Britney Spears—all of the necessary agreements were made in 2022 after Spears’ conservatorship ended. In other words: Everything is above board. On top of that, Spears supposedly attended an early reading of the show and was very supportive of the whole thing. In other words: It’s all good! Spears is most likely getting some money from this, or at least she was able to make the decision for herself about whether or not her music would be used in this Broadway show, which is great. Good for her.
Tom Hanks Confirms Hollywood Are Fighting To Protect Actors' Likeness From AI And Deepfake
Tom Hanks thinks AI means there's a genuine possibility he could keep appearing in movies after he's dead. The 66-year-old actor reveals there are discussions going on in Hollywood to protect actors' likenesses in the wake of developments being made in artificial intelligence technology, and the "Cast Away" star is convinced audiences wouldn't be able to tell if it was really him giving a performance or a computer-generated image.
"I can tell you that there is discussions going on in all of the guilds, all of the agencies, and all of the legal firms in order to come up with the legal ramifications of my face and my voice and everybody else's being our intellectual property," he said on the "Adam Buxton Podcast".
"What is a bona fide possibility right now is, if I wanted to, I could get together and pitch a series of seven movies that would star me in them in which I would be 32 years old from now until kingdom come. Anybody can now recreate themselves at any age they are by way of AI or deep fake technology."
"I could be hit by a bus tomorrow and that's it, but performances can go on and on and on and on. Outside the understanding of AI and deep fake, there'll be nothing to tell you that it's not me and me alone. And it's going to have some degree of lifelike quality. That's certainly an artistic challenge but it's also a legal one."
The "Elvis" star acknowledged an AI-generated version of himself could end up appearing in projects he wouldn't usually have chosen, but he's not convinced audiences will care that they aren't watching the real him. He said, "Without a doubt people will be able to tell [that it's AI], but the question is will they care? There are some people that won't care, that won't make that delineation."
Marlon Wayans Shuts Down 'White Chicks 2' Rumors
Marlon Wayans isn't letting fans' hope fly high about "White Chicks 2". Responding to rumors that a sequel to his 2004 comedy movie is in the works, the actor/comedian has set things straight that there's no truth to the reports "at all."
The 50-year-old, who starred in the film along with his real-life brother Shawn Wayans, took to his Instagram page to brush off the speculation. Along with a fake poster of the rumored sequel, he wrote in the caption, "Not true … AT ALL!"
Needless to say, many were left disappointed by his denial to the reports. "This is worse then a heartbreak man," one of his followers reacted. Another fan wrote, "Man I am sooooooo freaking pissed! I got excited for nothing!?!?" A third echoed the sentiment as admitting, "I am soooooooo freakin PISSED!"
Some others remain hopeful that Marlon might change his mind some day. "Not the '..AT ALL!' anything is possible. Y'all might change y'all's mind," someone claimed. Another begged, "Come on men, we want the movie white chicks 2." Someone else pleaded, "Come on do it brother."
It's unclear how the rumors of "White Chicks 2" started, but last month, Marlon spoke about possibly returning for a sequel. "If we do 'White Chicks', it gotta be me and Shawn... we'll see," he said during "Drink Champs" interview in April. "I don't throw that into the universe because I don't control it. But I would do a 'White Chicks 2'."
He's also open to returning for another installment of "Scary Movie", noting, "I think that, and I would return to the 'Scary Movie' franchise."
Back in 2022, however, Marlon sung a different story about reprising his "White Chicks" role. He said that it is unlikely to happen until makeup in movies can be done "digitally."
"Makeup movies, until they learn how to digitally do it, special effects wise [no thanks]. That's a lot of work," he said as part of GQ's Iconic Characters series. "Everybody's like, 'Do White Chicks 2', I'm like, 'F**k yourself, you do 'White Chicks 2'! I'm doing black man movies.' "
In "White Chicks", Marlon and Shawn play two FBI agents who go undercover as women by using whiteface to protect hotel heiress from a kidnapping plot targeting socialites. It grossed $113.1 million worldwide and has become a cult classic, despite negative reviews and Worst Picture nomination from Razzie Awards.
'The Bachelor' Announces First Senior Citizen Spin-Off
It's finally here! After years of teasing, ABC has finally announced its long-awaited "The Bachelor" spin-off, which is titled "The Golden Bachelor", that will feature a senior citizen as the leading man.
The upcoming show is set to focus on one lucky older gentleman and age-appropriate female suitors who will compete for his love. While the leading man has yet to be announced, the new series will arrive this fall.
In its official synopsis, ABC writes, "Hopeless romantic is given a second chance at love in the search for a partner with whom to share the sunset years of life. The women arriving at the mansion have a lifetime of experience, living through love, loss and laughter, hoping for a spark that ignites a future full of endless possibilities. In the end, will our Golden man turn the page to start a new chapter with the woman of his dreams?"
The idea of bringing a senior citizen "The Bachelor" has been there for years. Back in 2020, ABC was close to developing the show, but COVID-19 pandemic halted production and the plans were eventually scrapped.
"Some of the casting interviews we got, they were just so touching," Disney's top unscripted TV exec, Rob Mills, told Variety. "It's such a different way of doing 'The Bachelor' because these people are just at a totally different place in their lives."
He went on saying, "There is an interesting thing about people who have hit the other end of the spectrum, who've lived their lives, they've raised their kids, some have been widowed or divorced and maybe some have never been in love. We thought that would be an interesting dynamic through the 'Bachelor' prism."
In addition to "The Golden Bachelor", "Bachelor in Paradise" will return for its season 9 in the fall. "The Golden Bachelor" will air on Monday nights after "Dancing with the Stars", while "Bachelor in Paradise" will air on Tuesday nights.
JLO’s 'The Mother' Scores Netflix's Top Opening Weekend Debut of 2023!
The Mother is a hit! The Jennifer Lopez-led Netflix thriller follows a world-weary assassin who’s gone into hiding until discovering her daughter she left behind is in danger, forcing her back out into the world.
The film debuted on Friday, May 12, and lept to the top of Netflix’s ratings charts.
The Mother now has the No. 1 opening weekend of any Netflix film released in 2023, with 83.71M hours viewed, according to Netflix. The film racked up 43 million views, and hit No. 1 in 82 different countries.
A few days before, Jennifer Lopez addressed the possibility of a sequel to The Mother, as well as the stunt work required for the role.
Lea Michele Has COVID, Will Sit Out a Week of 'Funny Girl' Broadway Performances
Lea Michele will miss a week of Funny Girl performances after testing positive for COVID.
The Broadway show's official Instagram account announced Tuesday afternoon that the actress, 36, "will be out of the show this week and will return on Tuesday, May 23." Filling in as Fanny Brice will be Julie Benko on each day of Michele's absence, except for the show on Friday, May 19, when Ephie Aardema will take on the role.
Michele stepped into the Funny Girl part in September, replacing Beanie Feldstein, who led the musical revival when it first opened in April 2022.
Later in September, Michele missed several shows due to a COVID diagnosis.
She said at the time, "Unfortunately, I have officially tested positive for COVID. In following production protocol I cannot return to the theater for 10 days. Thankfully staying home today and catching this early protected so many members of our company from being exposed."
"Funny Girl has been and still is tackling a tremendous wave of COVID with close to a dozen company members currently out," the Glee alum continued at the time. "We are almost on the other side of this and our swings and understudies are doing such an incredible job to keep our show on its feet."
"This week has been a dream come true and I cannot wait to get back — You better get ready. See you soon," Michele added.
The star also took time off from the Broadway show earlier this year after her 2-year-old son Ever was hospitalized due to a "scary health issue" in March.
Michele told PEOPLE in April that her son is now "doing well" but "we still have a little bit of a long road ahead of us here, but he's doing well, thank God, and healthy."
The actress will continue with Funny Girl until she bids farewell to the show on Sunday, Sept. 3. Michele recently teased to Variety that she has another Broadway venture set for afterward, though she didn't give details: "I already know what it is," she said, adding, "You know it. It's very different musically."
That Jerry Springer Video of Him Leaving Fortune to His Black, Illegitimate Kids is … FAKE!
*Folks, this story is set to Alexander O’Neal’s hit tune “Fake.” You see, that viral video circulating on social media showing the late Jerry Springer reading his will and leaving his fortune to his 2 Black, illegitimate children is NOT REAL.
No doubt a lot of people are convinced the video is real. Well yes, in its simplest form, it’s real, but the real REALITY is that the video is from a 2020 (virtual) play he was part of that went down in the midst of the pandemic.
Springer made a cameo in the play called, “Blood Money.” The production, according to TMZ, was featured in “REFRAMED 2020: A Festival of New Plays on Social Justice,” presented by Tulane University, the famed talk show host’s alma mater
Apparently, the out-of-context video went viral after being posted by Twitter user @marcisenberg. It shows Jerry Springer reading a will and seemingly claiming that the last wishes were the late TV host’s in reality.
“The best Jerry Springer episode ever is Jerry reading his own will He had 2 black children out of wedlock, wife threatens to expose, so he keeps it under wraps until he dies, then leaves all his money to the children he never met. What a legend,” is what @marcisenberg posted about the scene, according to sportskeeda.
In the video, Springer is seen/heard saying: “Joan kept me away from you with a threat of exposure. She did not keep me from providing for you. You see I told her that if I had to accept a life without you, she would not get a red cent of my fortune and you would be named equally in my will in the event of my passing. But with everything going on in the world right now I realize that I have to go a step further… I leave my home in New Orleans to you to do whatever you want.”
He continues: “The rest of my estate, my properties in Mississippi, Georgia, South Carolina, my bank account, my investment portfolios all liquid and in tangible assets everything, all of it, will go to my children John and Nisha.”
To say that viewers were gullible would be an understatement
Just so you know, Twitter was one of the first official sources to debunk the viral video. Jerry Springer did not read his will and announce that he wanted his assets to be divided among the children he had out of wedlock, because he did NOT have any children out of wedlock. Duh!
Jerry Springer passed away last month (April 2023) at the age of 79 after battling pancreatic cancer. He was best known for his show “The Jerry Springer Show” which ran from 1991 ’til 2021. He was married to Micki Velton until 1994. The couple had one daughter, Katie Springer.
A Miracle
No comments:
Post a Comment