Trump-curious CBS News editor-in-chief made a très embarrassing comeback to Trump-furious actor George Clooney’s damning claim that she is ruining the once-prestigious network.

Clooney, who played CBS journalist Edward R. Murrow in Good Night, and Good Luck on Broadway earlier this year, and directed and co-wrote the Oscar-nominated 2005 movie it was based on, called out Weiss for bowing to the egos of the Trump administration in her new role.

“Bari Weiss is dismantling CBS News as we speak,” Clooney told Variety on Tuesday. “Am I worried about film studios? Sure. It’s my business, but my primary loyalty is to my country. I’m much more worried about how we inform ourselves and how we’re going to discern reality without a functioning press.”

In her cringeworthy reply, Weiss seemed to be referencing George, his wife Amal, and their two children being granted French citizenship on Monday.

“Bonjour, Mr. Clooney! Big fan of your work. It sounds like you’d like to learn more about ours,” Weiss said in a statement to the New York Post on Tuesday.

“This is an open invitation to visit the CBS Broadcast Center, where I’m spending the holidays working to relaunch the Evening News with my colleagues. Tune in January 5.”

In the Variety cover story, vocal Trump critic Clooney also called out ABC for paying Trump $16 million to settle a lawsuit over on-air comments made by George Stephanopoulos last December, and the same amount being paid to the president by CBS in July after he criticized the editing of a 60 Minutes interview with Kamala Harris less than a month before the 2024 presidential election.

The latter lawsuit cleared the way for Paramount, the parent company of CBS, to merge with Skydance.

“If CBS and ABC had challenged those lawsuits and said, ‘Go, f--- yourself, we wouldn’t be where we are in the country,” Clooney said in the new interview. “That’s simply the truth.”

Earlier this month 60 Minutes pulled a story on the Salvadoran megaprison CECOT three hours before it was due to air.

Sharyn Alfonsi, the correspondent who reported the segment, wrote a memo that said she and her producer had asked Weiss for a call to discuss her decision to “spike” the story, but that Weiss “did not afford us that courtesy/opportunity.”

“If the administration’s refusal to participate becomes a valid reason to spike a story, we have effectively handed them a ‘kill switch’ for any reporting they find inconvenient,“ Alfonsi said in the memo, which was leaked online.

Clooney, who said he was once friendly with Trump, admitted it was “a very trying time” under the 79-year-old’s leadership.

“It can depress you or make you very angry. But you have to find the most positive way through it. You have to put your head down and keep moving forward because quitting isn’t an option,” said the two-time Oscar winner.

The Clooneys have been living in southern France since 2021 in order to raise their children outside of the Hollywood spotlight. “Here, they don’t take photos of kids,” Clooney told RTL Radio of life in France. “There aren’t any paparazzi hidden at the school gates. That’s number one for us.”

Clooney isn’t the only celebrity who has chosen to settle overseas. Comedians Rosie O’Donnell and Ellen DeGeneres both opted to leave the U.S. behind following Trump’s election in 2024. Angelina Jolie is also reportedly looking to flee the country once her youngest children, twins Knox and Vivienne, turn 18 in July.

American actor Isiah Whitlock Jr., who played a corrupt politician on HBO crime drama "The Wire" and had roles in numerous films directed by Oscar winner Spike Lee, died at age 71 on Tuesday, his manager said.

"It is with tremendous sadness that I share the passing of my dear friend and client Isiah Whitlock Jr. If you knew him -- you loved him. A brilliant actor and even better person," manager Brian Liebman wrote on social media.

Whitlock delighted audiences as slimy politician Clay Davis on action-packed drama "The Wire," based on former journalist David Simon's gritty tales from the seedy underbelly of drug-trafficking and criminal politicking in Baltimore, Maryland.

Writers on the show leaned into his character's catchphrase, a drawn-out pronunciation of the word "shit" that lasted several syllables -- "sheeeee-it."

On Tuesday, Simon posted an image of Whitlock, smiling with gentle eyes, in honor of the actor's passing.

With more than 125 acting credits to his name, Whitlock's career spanned decades and includes roles in many Spike Lee films, including "She Hate Me," "25th Hour," "Red Hook Summer," "Chi-Raq," "BlacKkKlansman" and "Da 5 Bloods."

Lee took to social media to share a photo of himself holding hands with Whitlock, calling him "My Dear Beloved Brother."

Whitlock's other memorable turns include his role as the US Secretary of Defense on the satire TV comedy series "Veep," which parodies the workplace environment of politicians in Washington.

In one of his earliest film roles, Whitlock appeared in Martin Scorsese's "Goodfellas," as a doctor who provided mobster Henry Hill with valium.

His deep baritone voice was in animated movies and TV shows, including Pixar's "Lightyear" and "Cars 3."

Born in the midwestern state of Indiana as a middle child in a family of 10, Whitlock's father was a steel mill worker.

A graduate of Southwest State University, he studied drama at San Francisco's American Conservatory Theater.

Jill Biden's first husband, Bill Stevenson, called cops about a domestic dispute at his Delaware home and was there when authorities pronounced his wife dead ... TMZ has learned.

Law enforcement in Delaware tells us Bill is the one who picked up the phone and dialed 911 on Sunday night and was waiting at his Oak Hill home when responding officers arrived.

Cops found Bill's wife, 64-year-old Linda Stevenson, unresponsive in the living room and tried life-saving measures before pronouncing her dead at the scene. Dispatch audio from the incident mentions "cardiac arrest."

Detectives from the New Castle County Police Department's Criminal Investigations Unit are handling the death investigation ... but no criminal charges have been filed against Bill, at least not yet.

Police tell us Bill has spoken with detectives and, as of now, is cooperating with law enforcement.

A cause or manner of death has not been determined and Linda's body is awaiting an autopsy.

Jill married Bill in 1970 but they separated in 1974 and went through a nasty divorce ... and in 1977 she married Joe Biden.

Taylor Swift reportedly spent part of her day handing out cash to workers who were working on the Kansas City Chiefs’ Christmas Day game this year. While the world watched her cheer on her fiancé, Travis Kelce, from the suites at Arrowhead Stadium, one stadium worker claims Swift distributed money to employees who gave up their holiday to work the game. The worker shared her experience on Facebook, describing the moment as emotional and completely out of the blue.

Robyn Gentry — who worked at Arrowhead on December 25 for the Chiefs game and reportedly received cash — posted that Taylor Swift walked through the stadium with Travis Kelce, wishing workers a merry Christmas. In her post, Gentry claims that Swift personally approached her and thanked her for working the holiday. Notably, the pop star pressed cash into her hand.

Gentry wrote on Facebook, “She was running around telling everyone merry Christmas and came towards me, saying thank you so much for working on Christmas, please take this, Merry Christmas.”

Furthermore, the employee wrote that she looked down to realize that Swift had handed her $600. The moment stunned her, and she explained how meaningful the gesture felt during a season when she had already spent heavily on gifts for her eight kids, writing, “I immediately started crying.” She added that she decided to frame one of the bills because she couldn’t bring herself to spend it, calling both Swift and Kelce “beautifully kind people.”

Taylor Swift’s surprise gift to workers at the Chiefs game this Christmas followed a season filled with philanthropy. In recent weeks, she reportedly donated $1 million to Feeding America and the American Heart Association, along with another major donation to MusiCares. Besides, her Disney+ docuseries also highlighted how she gave bonuses and handwritten notes to the crew who worked on her tours.

Gentry’s story spread immediately because it captured a small but meaningful moment on a significant holiday — for the workers, Swift’s visit was a reminder that someone noticed their effort.

Nicole Kidman‘s split with ex Keith Urban stayed under wraps for months as she managed the rollout. The Oscar winner sought privacy while she and the singer weighed next steps. Insiders say the approach aimed to shield their daughters and limit noise around the separation. The pair married in 2006 and share teen daughters Sunday Rose and Faith Margaret. Work kept them in different cities through 2025, which reportedly complicated everything. Therefore, news of Kidman and Urban’s split surfaced only after plans were clear.

Nicole Kidman wanted to keep Keith Urban split private ‘while feelings were still unsettled,’ per source
According to a RadarOnline report, people within the circle already knew about Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban’s split. A source said, “People close to them were aware they had stepped back from the marriage.” The insider added, “But Nicole was adamant that it stay private while feelings were still unsettled and nothing had been finalized.” The timeline matches reports that legal steps followed months of separation.

Another insider framed the choice as family first. The source said, “Her priority was keeping life steady and familiar for the girls.” The same insider added, “Nicole brings enormous drive to her career, but she is just as committed to showing up as a mother, and that equilibrium mattered far more to her than managing public perception.” Their daughters are teens, and their schedules were already crowded with school and travel.

The report also pushed back on talk of scandal. One insider said, “This was not triggered by any explosive wrongdoing.” The source continued, “After years of juggling intense professional demands, they gradually realized their paths were no longer aligned.” Kidman filmed overseas through the summer while Urban toured in the States. Consequently, their divorce filing followed a season of distance.

The ex-couple’s long-running setup helped them keep changes quiet. In a past interview, Urban said, “We live in different places – between Nashville and London – so we’re just used to not having a particular structure. It’s based on whether Nic’s working, whether I’m working.” The Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban split now reads as a careful transition, not a public fight, with privacy chosen until emotions settled and decisions were final.

Gwyneth Paltrow has opened up about the perks of being a nepo baby. The actress-businesswoman has been in the buzz following the release of her much-anticipated film, “Marty Supreme.” Amid this, Paltrow sat down for an interview at the SAG-AFTRA Foundation. While discussing her career, she shared how her privilege helped her land an essential role in her filmography.

At the SAG-AFTRA Foundation Conversations, Gwyneth Paltrow revealed how being a nepo baby helped her collaborate with her godfather, Steven Spielberg. She mentioned how this privilege landed her a role in his 1991 directorial, “Hook.” She said, “You know, there are certain advantages to being a nepo baby, which were that …Steven… very close with Steven and Kate.”

The 53-year-old shared, “Kate was actually my father’s best friend.” She added, “They were best friends. Kate Capshaw … so I grew up with them … they’re really our family.” Paltrow continued, “I remember we were going, my father and I were going to see ‘Silence of the Lambs’ with Kate and Steven.” She recalled, “We were going to the movie theater, and Steven was driving … I was in the back seat, and he kept like looking in the rearview mirror and squinting at me.”

The “Iron Man” star expressed how she felt, “Like, ‘Do I have something on my face? Like what?” She remembered, “And then he said, ‘Gwenny, will you do me a favor?” The Oscar-winner added how the director asked her, “Would you play young Wendy in ‘Hook’ in this movie that I’m doing about Peter Pan?” She exclaimed, “I said, ‘Oh, f–k off’. You know, no.” Paltrow continued, “Oh, I did not say that … I said, ‘Yes, I will. I will do that.”

The mom of two hilariously expressed, “That was like my first, yeah. I had one line … an English accent.” She also said, “Not a very good English accent, by the way — it was before my dialect coach days. … I had a wig and a costume.” She concluded, “Oh my gosh, it was so much fun. It was so cool.”

Moviegoers flocked to theaters for Disney’s “Avatar: Fire and Ash” on the last weekend of the year, solidifying the sci-fi adventure film’s place as one of the biggest blockbusters of 2025.

The third installment of director James Cameron’s “Avatar” films raked in another $64 million domestically Friday through Sunday, and roughly $181.2 million internationally, bringing its worldwide total to $760.4 million.

“Fire and Ash” is the No. 6 highest-grossing film worldwide this year, having overtaken popular releases like Warner Bros. Discovery’s “Superman” and Sony Pictures’ “Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle” in just 10 days.

The big-budget “Avatar” franchise, which includes films from 2009 and 2022, has proved it can still draw large audiences to theaters with its spectacular visual effects. “Fire and Ash” has earned $96 million globally on IMAX and is expected to become IMAX’s biggest Hollywood release of the year, according to Disney.

“Premium formats (are) a huge factor for ‘Avatar: Fire and Ash,’ despite the fact that consumers are price-sensitive,” said Paul Dergarabedian, head of marketplace trends at Comscore.

Audiences were also drawn to a diverse slate of movies this weekend. Disney’s “Zootopia 2,” which opened on Thanksgiving, finished No. 2 at the box office with $20 million, a 35% jump from last weekend, according to Comscore. “Zootopia 2” has grossed $1.4 billion worldwide — the second-highest-grossing movie of the year.

“(‘Zootopia 2’) gets the Most Valuable Player award for the holiday season,” said Dergarabedian, who noted that PG-rated movies earned $2.87 billion this year, while outperforming PG-13 movies.

At No. 3 was A24’s “Marty Supreme” — the sports comedy-drama starring Timothée Chalamet — which grossed $17.5 million amid a surge of attention on social media. It was driven by a male-dominated “Marty Army,” according to A24, with one-third of the movie’s audience being under 25 years old.

After opening in six theaters last weekend in New York City and Los Angeles, “Marty Supreme” rode a wave of Oscar and online buzz to propel it to box office success in over 2,600 theaters, according to Shawn Robbins, director of movie analytics at Fandango and owner of Box Office Theory.

“(A24) catered to the old and new mindsets of marketing a movie like this around the holidays, knowing that it would be an award season player,” he said.

Lionsgate Films’ “The Housemaid,” which opened last weekend, was No. 4 this weekend at $15.4 million. It was followed by Sony Pictures’ “Anaconda” ($14.5 million), a reboot of the 1997 movie.

Angel Studios’ “David” ($12.69 million) finished sixth, ahead of Paramount’s “The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants” ($11 million). Focus Features’ “Song Sung Blue” opened this weekend at No. 8 with $7.6 million.

This was the best Christmas week for the box office since 2020, according to Robbins.

“To have most of these seven major releases opening around Christmas do relatively well, and you either meet or exceed expectations — that has not happened very much in the post-Covid era,” Robbins said.

The overall domestic box office has grossed $8.76 billion in earnings in 2025, according to Comscore data. That’s up 1.56% from last year but still behind 2023, the only post-pandemic year to boast $9 billion in earnings.

Box office numbers are still well behind 2019, when domestic earnings totaled more than $11 billion.

But successful December films could carry over into a strong start for 2026, according to Dergarabedian, who estimates another $100 million can be added by the end of the year.

Dergarabedian said a strong release slate for movies next year could give theaters their best year since the pandemic.

Some of next year’s biggest movies include Universal Pictures’ “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie” (April 3) and “Disclosure Day” (June 12), as well as Disney’s “Toy Story 5” (June 19). “Avengers: Doomsday” and Warner Bros. Pictures’ “Dune: Part Three” are both slated for December 18.

Jack Black’s journey to Hollywood stardom wasn’t all laughter and applause. Before becoming a household name, the actor spent time in a job he now describes as “soul-sucking,” a far cry from the energetic persona fans know today.

Black has recently opened up about that lesser-known chapter of his life — and his comments shed light on a struggle many creatives face long before success comes calling.

Jack Black, the cherished star of “School of Rock” and “Kung Fu Panda”, has shared insights about an unexpected—and fleeting—job he undertook before fully dedicating himself to the entertainment industry. This job was none other than telemarketing in sales.

In a recent honest conversation with his longtime friend and co-star Paul Rudd for Rotten Tomatoes Trailers, Black disclosed that his short-lived experience in the workforce lasted merely one day, after which he was eager to return to his true passion: performing. He articulated his feelings by saying, “Oh my God, this is a shameful answer. I never had a job. … I did have a job. I did one day of telemarketing, and I didn’t make one sale. And I was like, ‘I can already tell my soul is being sucked.’ And I bailed.”

This brief detour motivated Black to intensify his pursuit of a career in entertainment. He subsequently devised a plan for his future, which he adhered to, stating, “I made a decision right then and there. I was like, ‘It’s show business or bust. I’m going all in on acting and music and, if I can’t do it, I’ll just live at my mom’s.’ … I had no plan B, no back-up.”

Black’s candid reflection underscores how early setbacks can clarify purpose. The actor also proved that a single discouraging day can ignite determination, pushing artists to chase passion despite uncertainty.

PETA is calling out Kim Kardashian after she gifted each of her four children their own puppy for Christmas.

In a statement shared with PEOPLE on Sunday, Dec. 28, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) founder Ingrid Newkirk spoke out about Kim's gifts to her children: North, 12, Saint, 10, Chicago, 7, and Psalm, 6, all of whom she shares with ex-husband Kanye West.

"Puppies are not plushies, and it’s a damn shame that Kim missed the chance to be a spokesperson for shelter pups and instead is being rightly slammed on social media for that," Newkirk said.

Newkirk also advocated for Kim, 45, and her sister Khloé Kardashian — who also gifted a dog to her family for Christmas — to "call PETA or a local shelter the next time" they want to add another dog to their family.

"[They can] try to make some amends now by sending their kids to volunteer at a local shelter or paying for a local shelter adopt-a-thon or at least one spay day to help stop the growing homeless puppy crisis," the PETA founder said.

A representative for Kim Kardashian did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment.

Kim shared a series of Instagram Stories on Christmas, revealing that her family has grown to include four small Pomeranian puppies: two with dark fur, one with a cream coat, and one with sable fur.

On a photo of all four dogs together, Kim wrote, "Each kid got a puppy."

Khloé, 41, also shared photos of a black Labrador retriever puppy on her Instagram Stories on Dec. 25, revealing her family got the dog as a Christmas gift.

Kim and her children have posted photos of their pet lizards over the years, including a bearded dragon named Speed. They also have several other Pomeranians, including two that joined the family in 2019. Kim additionally has a Pomeranian named Sushi.

The Kardashian-Jenner family as a whole has acquired a number of pets over the years, including dogs, cats, reptiles and even horses. Kylie Jenner, Kim and Khloé's youngest sibling, has a multitude of dogs, while sister Kendall Jenner owns a horse named Arizona.

A lawyer for Tyler Perry calls the new lawsuit "yet another demand from more than a decade ago which will also be a failed money grab"

Model Mario Rodriguez sued Tyler Perry for $77 million, alleging sexual assault, sexual battery and intentional infliction of emotional distress

Perry's lawyer responded in a statement saying this will be another "failed money grab"

Perry previously denied similar claims made by actor Derek Dixon, who has the same lawyer as Rodriguez

Tyler Perry is facing another sexual assault lawsuit from an aspiring actor that his lawyers are calling a "money grab."

Mario Rodriguez, a model who landed a minor role in Perry's 2016 movie Boo! A Madea Halloween, alleges in a new lawsuit that Perry sexually assaulted him and made unwanted sexual advances while promising him roles. Rodriguez is seeking $77 million in damages.

Rodriguez is being represented by attorney Jonathan J. Delshad, who also represented Derek Dixon, another actor who made similar allegations against Perry, 56, earlier this year.

Alex Spiro, an attorney for Perry, says in a statement Dec. 26, "Having recently failed in another matter against Mr. Perry, the very same lawyer has now made yet another demand from more than a decade ago which will also be a failed money grab."

In the lawsuit obtained by PEOPLE, Rodriguez claims in 2015 he was approached by a trainer while at a Los Angeles gym who said Perry wanted to meet him. Rodriguez said Perry soon spoke to him over the phone and offered him a small role in the Madea Halloween film. He went on to play "Frat Guy #10" in the movie.

The complaint alleges multiple instances when Perry would invite Rodriguez over to his home under the guise of discussing future work projects, only to make sexual advances while drinking. In November 2018, Perry allegedly "grabbed [Rodriguez's] penis" and Rodriguez "repeatedly told Mr. Perry to stop" and Rodriguez had to "physically struggle to get away."

Perry allegedly would tell Rodriguez to "let it happen" and "If you were to just be with me, I would take care of you...." Rodriguez's lawsuit claims that after two incidents Perry allegedly apologized, handed him $5,000 "and sent him away."

At a final alleged encounter in April 2019, "More than ever before, it was clear that Mr. Perry would do whatever he wanted, whenever he wanted, to whomever he wanted no matter how many times he was rejected."

The lawsuit claims Perry would "randomly reach out to" Rodriguez through 2024, and "When Perry became aware that Rodriguez was going to file this action, Perry once again reached out to Rodriguez by text," telling him he "did so much to help Rodriguez" and he "was feeling betrayed."

In a Dec. 13 Instagram video, Rodriguez spoke about fearing "scared and ashamed," explaining why he hadn't previously come forward, though he did not mention Perry by name in the post, just a "powerful" director "that everybody knows."

"I stayed quiet for much too long. And I just want to say I'm really sorry, man. Because if I would've spoken up sooner I could've saved somebody that this probably happened to after me," he says at one point to his nearly 1 million followers in the clip. "I just wanna say sorry for that, whoever that may be. It could've stopped with me if I would've said something. ... But I'm speaking up now."

Dixon, who starred on Perry's TV series The Oval, filed a $260 million lawsuit against Perry in June, alleging sexual harassment, assault and retaliation, which the filmmaker denies.

In September, one of Perry's lawyers, Matthew Boyd, claimed Dixon is "an individual who got close to Tyler Perry for what now appears to be nothing more than setting up a scam." He added at the time, "Tyler will not be shaken down and we are confident these fabricated claims of harassment will fail."

Kumail Nanjiani was tickled to find out he was the topic of some absurd gossip this year.

During an episode of comedian Caleb Hearon’s “So True” podcast out Thursday, the “Eternals” star and stand-up comic dished about a ridiculous rumor that he was having an affair with former first lady Michelle Obama.

After getting a joking “Congratulations!” from Hearon, Nanjiani openly admitted the murmurs made him “so excited.”

Apparently, the phony tea even felt plausible enough for a mutual friend of the “Silicon Valley” star and his wife, Emily Gordon, to bring themself to pull her “aside” and tell her, “Hey so I heard that Kumail and Michelle Obama are, like, doing it.”

The entire idea was so ludicrous that Gordon “wasn’t even upset,” according to her husband.

“Multiple people brought it up to me,” Nanjiani went on, adding the ultimate kicker as he revealed, “I’ve never met Michelle Obama.”

Hearon then told his guest how his imaginary affair was running in tandem with “persistent” rumors about a secret relationship between President Barack Obama and actor Jennifer Aniston.

The kicker? Nanjiani said he hasn't even met the former first lady.
The gossip was news to the “Big Sick” actor, who asked Hearon whether he thought it was true or not.

“I don’t know, but what I’m saying is, from my frame, Kumail, you’re up there with Jen Aniston in terms of affair rumors,” the host replied.

“I don’t know, I think Michelle’s slumming it,” Nanjiani joked back, whose Hulu stand-up special “Night Thoughts” is out now.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, 28, has announced that she is expecting her second child.

Leavitt and her husband, 60-year-old real estate developer Nicholas Riccio, are expecting a baby girl in May 2026. She shared the news via Instagram, along with a photo of her posing in front of a Christmas tree.

“My husband and I are thrilled to grow our family and can’t wait to watch our son become a big brother. My heart is overflowing with gratitude to God for the blessing of motherhood, which I truly believe is the closest thing to Heaven on Earth,” Leavitt wrote.

“I am also extremely grateful to President Trump and our Chief of Staff Susie Wiles for their support, and for fostering a pro-family environment in the White House. 2026 is going to be a great year and I am so excited to be a girl mom,” she added.

Leavitt told Fox News that many of her White House colleagues are also raising young children.

"Nearly all of my West Wing colleagues have babies and young children, so we all really support one another as we tackle raising our families while working for the greatest president ever," she said.

A senior White House official told Fox News that Leavitt is set to remain in her role. The Independent has contacted the White House for comment.

Leavitt and Riccio welcomed their first child, Nicholas “Niko” Robert Riccio, in July 2024. At the time, Leavitt was the national press secretary for President Donald Trump’s campaign.

Leavitt told The Conservateur she returned to work just four days after giving birth because of the assassination attempt against Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania.

“I felt compelled to be present in this historic moment,” she told the outlet. “The president literally put his life on the line to win this election. The least I could do is get back to work quickly.”

Leavitt met her husband in 2022, when she was running for Congress in her home state of New Hampshire. She lost the race to Chris Pappas, a Democrat.

Riccio proposed to Leavitt in December 2023, and they tied the knot in January 2025, shortly before Trump’s second inauguration.

Cher’s return as the musical guest on “Saturday Night Live” stirred up more chatter online than the sketches themselves. She performed “DJ Play a Christmas Song” and “Run Run Rudolph” on the show’s final episode of the year — but many viewers were convinced she wasn’t singing live. Social media lit up with accusations of lip-syncing, with fans pointing out that her microphone was often nowhere near her mouth. Some called it obvious, some called it sloppy, and others said the lack of effort to hide it somehow made the performance even more “camp.” A wave of viewers compared the moment to Ashlee Simpson’s infamous 2004 SNL lip-syncing meltdown, when the wrong backing track played and she famously danced offstage in panic. Several fans joked that Cher had just delivered the most noticeable lip-sync since that incident.

Avatar: Fire and Ash is the No. 1 movie in North America, earning $88 million over the weekend.

Here’s the rest of the top 10:
2. David - $22 million
3. The Housemaid - $19 million
4. The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants - $16 million
5. Zootopia 2 - $14.5 million
6. Five Nights at Freddy's - $7.3 million
7. Wicked: For Good - $4.3 million
8. Marty Supreme - $875,000
9. Hamnet - $850,000
10. Now You See Me Now You Don't - $600,000

Netflix and Amazon just did the equivalent of sworn enemies sharing fries. A bunch of Amazon-owned movies and shows are suddenly landing on Netflix, including actual James Bond movies. Starting January 15, Netflix is getting Die Another Day, No Time to Die, Quantum of Solace, and Skyfall. Basically, if your idea of cardio is watching Bond sprint through explosions, Netflix has you covered. And it’s not just Bond. Netflix is also picking up Rocky, Creed, Legally Blonde, and even Amazon’s own original series The Man in the High Castle. Amazon made it, Amazon owns it… and Netflix is streaming it. Streaming wars? More like streaming yard sale. The Bond movies won’t live on Netflix forever—this is more of a three-month fling, not a long-term relationship. Amazon still runs its big Bond marathons every fall on Prime Video and MGM+, so nobody’s losing custody of 007.

John Travolta has been dragged into an ugly Presley family courtroom brawl after a newly amended $50 million lawsuit made sensational, unproven claims about the biological parentage of his teenage son, Benjamin. The allegations appear in a lawsuit filed by Priscilla Presley’s former business associates, Brigitte Kruse and Kevin Fialko. The filing claims — based entirely on alleged statements from third parties — that Lisa Marie Presley may have donated her eggs to help Travolta and his late wife Kelly Preston have children, and that Riley Keough allegedly donated eggs for the birth of their son Ben in 2010. No medical proof is provided. None. Zero. Zilch. The claims are largely attributed to Lisa Marie’s ex-husband Michael Lockwood, who has flatly denied saying any of it, calling the allegations “crazy.” He says he has no knowledge of any such arrangement. The lawsuit also alleges the Travoltas approached the Presley family after the 2009 death of their son Jett, supposedly to help Travolta “salvage his career,” and includes claims about money, a car, Church of Scientology approval, handwritten notes, and text messages — again, all unverified. Attorneys for Priscilla Presley and her son Navarone Garcia fired back hard, calling the allegations outrageous, unethical, and irrelevant, accusing the plaintiffs of crossing every legal and moral line imaginable after repeatedly losing in court. They say the claims are meant to pressure Presley into dropping legitimate legal actions. Travolta and Riley Keough have not commented.

The Oscars are breaking up with ABC after the 100th Academy Awards in 2028, ending a TV marriage that’s lasted more than 50 years. Starting in 2029, the Academy Awards will move exclusively to YouTube, which locked down a deal running through 2033. The Academy reportedly had other heavy hitters sniffing around, including NBCUniversal and Netflix, but YouTube won the bidding war. The big hook: the Oscars will stream live and free worldwide, including the red carpet, backstage access, and the Governors Ball. The Academy says the move is about accessibility—global reach, multiple languages, closed captioning, and meeting viewers where they already are. And according to Nielsen, that checks out: YouTube has been the most-used connected TV app in the U.S. and internationally for the past two years.

Melania Trump just dropped the trailer for her new Amazon documentary, Melania, and it’s not a soft-focus lifestyle piece—it’s a front-row, behind-the-velvet-rope look at the 20 intense days leading up to the president’s return to the White House. The 104-minute film hits theaters worldwide January 30, and Amazon paid $40 million for it, outbidding Disney, Netflix, and Paramount in what’s now the biggest documentary deal ever. The trailer opens with Melania preparing to enter the Capitol for inauguration, cool as ice, delivering the line, “Here we go again,” like someone who’s done this before… because she has. From there, it’s stilettos on jet stairs, business meetings at Mar-a-Lago and Trump Tower, motorcades screaming through New York, and plenty of high-fashion moments—including her black-and-white inaugural ball gown. You also get rare, intimate footage: quiet family scenes with Barron and her father, intense security moments, and candid interactions with the president himself. In one standout scene, she corrects him mid-speech rehearsal—adding “unifier” to his “peacemaker” line—proof this is a partnership, not a prop role. Another moment shows her casually calling him after the election: “Hi, Mr. President. Congratulations.” Ice water in the veins. Melania was deeply hands-on with the project and pushed for what insiders call an “elevated film,” not a standard political documentary. She says those 20 days were a defining moment worth capturing with precision and control—two words that pretty much sum up her public persona. The film caps off a big run for the First Lady, following her memoir Melania, which has been sitting comfortably atop the New York Times bestseller list. The trailer closes with her reason for finally opening the door: “Everyone wants to know. So here it is.”

Warner Bros. Discovery’s board is expected to reject Paramount Skydance’s massive $108.4 billion takeover bid, with a decision possibly coming as early as Wednesday. Sources say the board will likely recommend shareholders vote against the offer. The move would keep Warner Bros. Discovery aligned with Netflix, which earlier won out with a $27 billion cash-and-stock deal for Warner Bros.’ non-cable assets. That package includes one of the deepest content libraries in entertainment — from Casablanca and Citizen Kane to Harry Potter, Friends, HBO, and HBO Max — a major prize in the ongoing streaming wars. After Netflix’s deal emerged, Paramount CEO David Ellison went directly to Warner Bros. shareholders with a $30-per-share, all-cash bid for the entire company, arguing his offer is superior and would face fewer regulatory hurdles. Paramount says the deal is backed by $41 billion in new equity from the Ellison family and RedBird Capital, plus $54 billion in debt commitments from major banks.

Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere is headed for home viewing just in time for the holidays. Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment announced the film will hit digital video-on-demand on Dec. 23, followed by 4K UHD and Blu-ray on Jan. 20. Directed by Scott Cooper and adapted from Warren Zanes’ book, the film focuses on Bruce Springsteen during the creation of his stripped-down Nebraska album. Jeremy Allen White stars as Springsteen and earned a Golden Globe nomination for the performance. Jeremy Strong plays longtime manager Jon Landau, with Stephen Graham portraying Springsteen’s father, Douglas. The cast also includes Paul Walter Hauser, Odessa Young, Gaby Hoffman, Grace Gummer, and Marc Maron.

Steven Spielberg is returning to science fiction with a new alien-themed movie called Disclosure Day, set to hit theaters June 12. Universal Pictures just dropped the first trailer, leaning hard into mystery, big questions, and global stakes. The film stars Emily Blunt, Josh O’Connor, Colin Firth, Eve Hewson, Colman Domingo, and a stacked supporting cast. The premise asks a classic Spielberg question: if humanity was finally shown proof that we’re not alone in the universe, would we be ready—or terrified? The teaser tagline promises the truth will belong to all 7 billion people.

 

Rob Reiner, the influential actor, director, and producer whose work helped define modern American film and television, has died at age 78, according to reports from Variety and TMZ. His death, along with that of his wife, photographer Michele Singer, 68, is currently under investigation by the Los Angeles Police Department after the couple was found deceased in their Brentwood, California, home. Reiner was entertainment royalty—the son of comedy legend Carl Reiner and actress Estelle Reiner. He first rose to fame as Michael “Meathead” Stivic on the groundbreaking sitcom All in the Family, earning two Emmy Awards for his role as Archie Bunker’s outspoken son-in-law. Reiner later transitioned behind the camera and became one of Hollywood’s most respected directors, helming an extraordinary run of classics including This Is Spinal Tap, Stand by Me, The Princess Bride, When Harry Met Sally…, Misery, and A Few Good Men. One of his most famous moments came from When Harry Met Sally…, when he cast his mother in the iconic deli scene that ended with the immortal line, “I’ll have what she’s having.” This Is Spinal Tap became a cultural landmark and was later added to the Library of Congress’ National Film Registry. Reiner was previously married to actress and director Penny Marshall from 1971 to 1981 and adopted her daughter, Tracy. In 1989, he married Michele Singer, with whom he had three children: Nick, Jake, and Romy. He often credited Singer with inspiring the romantic ending of When Harry Met Sally…, which he was directing when they met.

Billy Crystal and Larry David were seen arriving separately at Rob Reiner’s Brentwood home last night, shortly after news broke that Reiner and his wife, Michele Singer Reiner, were found dead in what authorities are treating as an apparent homicide. Sources told People that investigators believe the couple was killed by their son, Nick. The bodies were reportedly discovered by their daughter, Romy. Crystal and Reiner had a long creative partnership, working together on iconic films like When Harry Met Sally…, This Is Spinal Tap, and The Princess Bride. Reiner also appeared on Larry David’s Curb Your Enthusiasm.

Zootopia 2 is the No. 1 movie in North America, earning $26.3 million over the weekend.

Here’s the rest of the top 10:
2. Five Nights at Freddy's 2 - $19.5 million
3. Wicked: For Good - $8.6 million
4. Dhurandhar - $3.5 million
5. Now You See Me: Now You Don't - $2.4 million
6. Jujutsu Kaisen - $2.1 million
7. Ella McKay - $2.1 million
8. How the Grinch Stole Christmas - $1.9 million
9. Eternity - $1.8 million
10. The Shining - $1.6 million

Leonardo DiCaprio and Martin Scorsese reunited onstage at Time’s “A Year in Time” event in New York, where DiCaprio was honored as Time’s 2025 Entertainer of the Year. The two looked back on their 20+ years of working together — from Gangs of New York to Killers of the Flower Moon — with DiCaprio calling their partnership one of the greatest honors of his career. DiCaprio admitted one big regret: spending so much energy immersing himself in his characters that he never got to observe Scorsese behind the camera as much as he wishes he had. He said he has zero desire to direct because he could never match what Scorsese does.

Kim Kardashian is officially jumping into Fortnite. She announced she’ll be a playable character, joining the platform’s growing celebrity lineup. Players can compete in the Kim Kardashian Icon Cup today, where top performers score early access to her in-game outfit. Anyone who racks up at least eight points gets a special in-game spray. For everyone else, her skin hits the Item Shop tomorrow.

Disney is dropping $1 billion into a deal with OpenAI, giving fans the keys to an AI toybox packed with 200+ characters from Disney, Marvel, Pixar, and Star Wars.

Here’s the short version:
Disney + OpenAI = You get to make your own mini-movies.

Using OpenAI’s video tool Sora, anyone will be able to type in a prompt and instantly generate short clips starring animated versions of icons like Mickey, Simba, Ariel, Black Panther, Loki, Darth Vader, Stormtroopers — basically the whole castle except the human actors themselves. No real actor faces or voices allowed. Only animated, masked, or creature characters are on the menu. You can play with animated Captain America — not Chris Evans’ actual mug. This is the first time a major studio has opened its character vault to AI. Disney’s betting big that generative video is the future, and the early versions arrive in 2026. Disney+ is getting AI content too. Subscribers will start seeing curated AI-created shorts, plus new interactive features powered by ChatGPT across Disney’s ecosystem.

Gene Simmons walked back comments he made about Ace Frehley’s death after implying the guitarist’s “bad decisions” and past lifestyle may have contributed to the fall that killed him. After re-reading his remarks, Simmons apologized publicly, saying he never meant to hurt Frehley’s legacy and has always loved him. Frehley died from blunt head trauma after an accidental fall at his New Jersey home. His family said they were devastated but grateful they could be with him in his final moments. Simmons had told the New York Post he believed there were deeper issues behind the accident, comments that drew backlash.

A former two-day Jeopardy! winner, Joey DeSena, 42, has been arrested in North Carolina for allegedly planting a hidden camera in someone’s bathroom. He’s facing two felony secret-peeping charges and is out on $5,000 bail with court coming up. His game-show run included two wins in 2024 and a return in 2025 for the Champions Wildcard semifinals.

Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson are officially back for The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping. Even though the prequel takes place 24 years before the original series, the story includes a scene where an older Katniss and Peeta listen to Haymitch recount his brutal 50th Hunger Games. The film focuses on 16-year-old Haymitch during the deadly Second Quarter Quell, where 48 tributes are thrown into the arena. The book has already been a monster hit, racking up over 1.5 million first-week sales, and the trailer pulled in a massive 109 million views in 24 hours — the second-biggest trailer launch in Lionsgate history. The movie will be out November 20, 2026.

Ricky Gervais has donated $3.24 million from the profits of his Mortality stand-up tour to nearly two dozen animal charities worldwide. In typical Gervais fashion, he joked that instead of giving it away, he could have spent it on “30 speedboats” and partied around the Mediterranean. A filmed version of Mortality will hit Netflix on December 30.

Kevin Costner and Leonardo DiCaprio are teaming up to executive-produce United, a TV series in early development created in collaboration with the United Nations. The show centers on the UN’s humanitarian mission to East Timor in 1999. Costner is negotiating to play President Bill Clinton, and Chukwudi Iwuji is being eyed to portray UN Secretary General Kofi Annan. The series is written and directed by David Raymond, who has long collaborated with the UN to develop stories highlighting real-world acts of courage and sacrifice by humanitarian workers. United is planned as an ongoing anthology-style project dramatizing true UN missions. Production is expected to film in Atlanta and Spain next year, with Appian Way (DiCaprio’s company), Onwards Studios, and Prime Focus DNEG producing. Fifth Season will handle distribution.

Pamela Anderson is finally clearing the air about her buzzed-about relationship with Liam Neeson. She tells PEOPLE that yes, the two were romantically involved, but only briefly and only after filming The Naked Gun. She says they spent an “intimate week” together at his upstate New York home — complete with separate rooms, assistants present, and even family visiting. During that week, Neeson jokingly introduced her at dinner as the “future Mrs. Neeson,” and the two bonded over simple things, like gardening. At one point, he even ran off a bear outside the breakfast window while in his bathrobe. After their “romantic lost week,” they headed off to new projects. They reunited during the movie’s press tour and were openly affectionate, including a playful lip-balm moment on Watch What Happens Live. Anderson insists their connection was real, not a publicity stunt, and describes it as something out of a cozy Nancy Meyers film. But in the end, she says they’re better as close friends.

President Trump caught Marjorie Taylor Greene’s 60 Minutes interview and responded with both barrels on Truth Social. He mocked her name, called her “Marjorie ‘Traitor’ Brown,” and claimed she “went bad” only because she was “jilted” by him. He also tossed out the “low IQ” label and said she’s neither America First nor MAGA, arguing her sudden shift in views makes her look clueless. Greene had told 60 Minutes she was “America First,” not MAGA — Trump said nope, not buying it. He didn’t stop there. Trump blasted CBS and Paramount for airing the interview, demanded a full apology, and reminded them they already paid him $16 million over a Kamala Harris segment. He also accused Lesley Stahl of previously libeling him over the Hunter Biden laptop story. Greene’s response? Short and sharp. She posted, “I AM AMERICA FIRST,” and threw in one of Trump’s own signature lines: “Thank you for your attention to this matter.”

Nominees for the 83rd Golden Globes were revealed yesterday. Winners will be announced Sunday, January 11 on CBS during a ceremony hosted for a second year by Nikki Glaser.

MOVIES
Best Picture – Drama
Frankenstein
Hamnet
It Was Just an Accident
The Secret Agent
Sentimental Value
Sinners

________________________________________

Best Picture – Musical or Comedy
Blue Moon
Bugonia
Marty Supreme
No Other Choice
Nouvelle Vague
One Battle After Another

________________________________________

Best Female Actor – Motion Picture – Drama
Jessie Buckley – Hamnet
Jennifer Lawrence – Die My Love
Renate Reinsve – Sentimental Value
Julia Roberts – After The Hunt
Tessa Thompson – Hedda
Eva Victor – Sorry, Baby

________________________________________

Best Male Actor – Motion Picture – Drama
Joel Edgerton – Train Dreams
Oscar Isaac – Frankenstein
Dwayne Johnson – The Smashing Machine
Michael B. Jordan – Sinners
Wagner Moura – The Secret Agent
Jeremy Allen White – Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere

________________________________________

Best Female Actor – Motion Picture – Musical/Comedy
Rose Byrne – If I Had Legs I’d Kick You
Cynthia Erivo – Wicked: For Good
Kate Hudson – Song Sung Blue
Chase Infiniti – One Battle After Another
Amanda Seyfried – The Testament of Ann Lee
Emma Stone – Bugonia

________________________________________

Best Male Actor – Motion Picture – Musical/Comedy
Timothée Chalamet – Marty Supreme
George Clooney – Jay Kelly
Leonardo DiCaprio – One Battle After Another
Ethan Hawke – Blue Moon
Lee Byung-Hun – No Other Choice
Jesse Plemons – Bugonia

________________________________________

Best Supporting Female Actor – Motion Picture
Emily Blunt – The Smashing Machine
Elle Fanning – Sentimental Value
Ariana Grande – Wicked: For Good
Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas – Sentimental Value
Amy Madigan – Weapons
Teyana Taylor – One Battle After Another

________________________________________

Best Supporting Male Actor – Motion Picture
Benicio Del Toro – One Battle After Another
Jacob Elordi – Frankenstein
Paul Mescal – Hamnet
Sean Penn – One Battle After Another
Adam Sandler – Jay Kelly
Stellan Skarsgård – Sentimental Value

________________________________________

Best Director – Motion Picture
Paul Thomas Anderson – One Battle After Another
Ryan Coogler – Sinners
Guillermo Del Toro – Frankenstein
Jafar Panahi – It Was Just an Accident
Joachim Trier – Sentimental Value
Chloé Zhao – Hamnet

________________________________________

Best Cinematic and Box Office Achievement
Avatar: Fire and Ash
F1
KPop Demon Hunters
Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning
Sinners
Weapons
Wicked: For Good
Zootopia 2

________________________________________

Best Animated Motion Picture
Arco
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba – Infinity Castle
Elio
KPop Demon Hunters
Little Amélie or The Character of Rain
Zootopia 2

________________________________________

Best Podcast
Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard
Call Her Daddy
Good Hang with Amy Poehler
The Mel Robbins Podcast
SmartLess
Up First

________________________________________

TELEVISION
Best Drama Series
The Diplomat
The Pitt
Pluribus
Severance
Slow Horses
The White Lotus

________________________________________

Best Male Actor – Television – Drama
Sterling K. Brown – Paradise
Diego Luna – Andor
Gary Oldman – Slow Horses
Mark Ruffalo – Task
Adam Scott – Severance
Noah Wyle – The Pitt

________________________________________

Best Female Actor – Television – Drama
Kathy Bates – Matlock
Britt Lower – Severance
Helen Mirren – Mobland
Bella Ramsey – The Last of Us
Keri Russell – The Diplomat
Rhea Seehorn – Pluribus

________________________________________

Best Musical or Comedy Series
Abbott Elementary
The Bear
Hacks
Nobody Wants This
Only Murders in the Building
The Studio

________________________________________

Best Male Actor – Television – Musical/Comedy
Adam Brody – Nobody Wants This
Steve Martin – Only Murders in the Building
Glen Powell – Chad Powers
Seth Rogen – The Studio
Martin Short – Only Murders in the Building
Jeremy Allen White – The Bear

________________________________________

Best Female Actor – Television – Musical/Comedy
Kristen Bell – Nobody Wants This
Ayo Edebiri – The Bear
Selena Gomez – Only Murders in the Building
Natasha Lyonne – Poker Face
Jenna Ortega – Wednesday
Jean Smart – Hacks

________________________________________

Best Limited Series, Anthology, or TV Movie
Adolescence
All Her Fault
The Beast in Me
Black Mirror
Dying for Sex
The Girlfriend

________________________________________

Best Male Actor – Limited Series / TV Movie
Jacob Elordi – The Narrow Road to the Deep North
Paul Giamatti – Black Mirror
Stephen Graham – Adolescence
Charlie Hunnam – Monster: The Ed Gein Story
Jude Law – Black Rabbit
Matthew Rhys – The Beast in Me

________________________________________

Best Female Actor – Limited Series / TV Movie
Claire Danes – The Beast in Me
Rashida Jones – Black Mirror
Amanda Seyfried – Long Bright River
Sarah Snook – All Her Fault
Michelle Williams – Dying for Sex
Robin Wright – The Girlfriend

________________________________________

Best Performance in Stand-Up Comedy on Television
Bill Maher – Is Anyone Else Seeing This?
Brett Goldstein – The Second Best Night of Your Life
Kevin Hart – Acting My Age
Kumail Nanjiani – Night Thoughts
Ricky Gervais – Mortality
Sarah Silverman – Postmortem

Martha Stewart just dropped a very Martha Stewart-style bombshell on the 50+ & Unfiltered podcast: she plans to be composted when she dies. Martha says she wants to be buried in one of her own fields, the same way she buries her horses: wrapped in clean white linen and gently placed into a deep grave on her property. When asked if that’s even legal, she brushed it off with a cool: “Why not? It’s my property.” Stewart also dismissed traditional coffins—“No way.”

Netflix just dropped a nuclear blast on Hollywood by announcing it’s buying Warner Bros., HBO, and HBO Max for $82.7 billion. The deal is set to close in late 2026 after Warner’s corporate split is finalized. Netflix says the goal is simple: mash Warner’s legendary archive — everything from Casablanca to Harry Potter — with Netflix juggernauts like Stranger Things and Squid Game to dominate storytelling for the next century. Warner’s boss says it’s a historic merging of two storytelling giants. Netflix says HBO’s entire library will get folded into its empire. As for HBO Max? No shutdown date yet, but let’s be honest… it’s already looking like the Titanic after it hit the iceberg.

Sydney Sweeney is out promoting her new movie The Housemaid, and she’s finally addressing the summer dust-up over her American Eagle jeans campaign. The ad – with the cheeky line “Sydney Sweeney has great genes” – sparked outrage from people who claimed it hinted at genetic superiority or racial undertones. She told People she was blindsided by the backlash and made it clear she doesn’t support any of the ideas critics tried to pin on her. Sweeney said she normally stays quiet when the press swings at her, but this time silence only made things worse, so she wanted to clear the air. Her message now: she wants the new year to be about unity, not division, and anyone who actually knows her knows she tries to bring people together.

Five Nights at Freddy's 2, was the No. 1 movie in North America over the weekend, pulling in $53 million.

Here’s the rest of the top 10:
2. Zootopia 2 - $43 million
3. Wicked: For Good - $16.8 million
4. Jujutsu Kaisen - $10.2 million
5. Now You See Me: Now You Don't - $3.5 million
6. Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair - $3.3 million
7. Eternity - $2.7 million
8. Hamnet - $2.3 million
9. Dhurandhar - $2 million
10. Predator: Badlands - $1.9 million

Glen Powell has reportedly been quietly dating Landman actress Michelle Randolph for about two months, starting in October. Sources say they’re keeping things low-key for now — so don’t expect a red-carpet debut — but they are having fun together. They were spotted dancing face-to-face at Austin’s famous honky-tonk The Broken Spoke, a moment caught on video and shared by TMZ. No PDA, but plenty of chemistry. Powell reportedly invited her to his Chad Powers premiere a while back, signaling this isn’t just a random two-step. Randolph is starring on Taylor Sheridan’s new series Landman as Ainsley Norris, the uninhibited daughter of characters played by Billy Bob Thornton and Ali Larter.

On yesterday’s episode of The Kardashians, Kim Kardashian confronted one of the lingering wounds from her 2016 Paris robbery: the people who still claim she faked the whole thing — including her ex-husband Kanye West. Kim said Kanye once told a group of people she “faked” the robbery for TV, and she called the comment “a knife to my heart.” She broke down explaining how painful it was that someone who lived through the aftermath with her could ever imply it wasn’t real. The episode follows Kim’s return to Paris in May to testify in the trial of the ten suspects. She described the robbery again — tied up, held at gunpoint, robbed of over $10 million — and said testifying and hearing the robbers’ accounts and apologies finally put everything to rest for her. “See, guys. It was real,” she said through tears, adding she’s glad the ordeal is finally over. Kim also recalled saying a prayer the moment the masked men — dressed as police — entered her room. She believed she was about to be sexually assaulted. Her mom, Kris Jenner, and childhood friend Simone Harouche accompanied her to court, where Harouche also testified. Kim said she kept herself grounded by remembering the entire nightmare lasted less than 10 minutes.

Vin Diesel just leveled up his Mattel partnership — he’s now writing the live-action Rock ’Em Sock ’Em Robots movie on top of starring in and producing it. The film will bring the classic Red Rocker vs. Blue Bomber toy brawl into a big-screen storyline. Mattel Studios chief Robbie Brenner is hyping Diesel as a storyteller who knows how to blend action, heart, and full-blown world-building. Diesel says he wants to update the toy for modern audiences by exploring competition, strength, and — curveball — compassion. The project is produced by Diesel’s One Race Films and Mattel Studios, with Samantha Vincent also producing. Mattel has been on a post-Barbie victory lap, pushing more toy properties into movies, including Masters of the Universe (2026) and Matchbox starring John Cena. Originally, Rock ’Em Sock ’Em Robots was parked at Universal, but now Diesel and Mattel are driving this thing forward themselves.

A juror from the Sean “Diddy” Combs federal trial says the guilty verdict on two prostitution-related charges was absolutely deserved. In a Netflix documentary about the case, Juror 75 said the panel heard everything, weighed it all, and agreed justice was served. The jurors discussed Combs’ relationship with Cassie Ventura, whose testimony detailed abuse and being pushed into sexual situations with male sex workers. Juror 75 called their relationship “overly in love” but also chaotic, confusing, and full of whiplash—violence one day, romantic texts the next. He questioned why she stayed and why things snapped back to “normal” so fast. Another juror, No. 160, said the hotel video showing Combs assaulting Cassie made it clear he was capable of violence—calling it “unforgivable”—even though domestic violence wasn’t what he was on trial for. Both jurors said they knew little about Combs beforehand. In the end, he was acquitted of the bigger charges—sex trafficking and racketeering—but convicted on the two lesser ones and sentenced to 50 months, with credit for time served. His arrest came after raids and a grand jury indictment in 2024. Combs still faces civil lawsuits he denies. Meanwhile, Netflix’s documentary digs into his rise and downfall using old footage and interviews. His camp says the series is a biased attack—especially with 50 Cent attached as a producer—and claims Netflix misused footage Combs has been gathering since age 19.

On the 30th anniversary of Casino, Martin Scorsese is heading back to Vegas—this time for a brand-new Netflix drama series. The show, created by Billions masterminds Brian Koppelman and David Levien, has officially been greenlit and will run eight episodes. The story is set in modern-day Las Vegas, where the casino game is still cutthroat but updated for the present. At the center is Robert “Bobby Red” Redman, the power-playing president of the hottest hotel casino in town. He’s juggling big risks, bigger enemies, and the kind of political maneuvering that makes Vegas as dangerous as ever. The project started as a loose idea brought to Netflix by producers Julie and Rick Yorn with Scorsese already attached. Netflix originally explored a period version but shifted gears after bringing in Koppelman and Levien, who pitched a contemporary casino drama. That locked in the series order. It shares a setting with Scorsese’s 1995 Casino, but it is not connected to the film or its characters. Scorsese’s only returning theme is Las Vegas itself—always a glittering trap.

Quentin Tarantino dropped his personal top-ten films of the 21st century, and he crowned Ridley Scott’s Black Hawk Down as the champ. He told Bret Easton Ellis that he liked the movie at first, but only after rewatching it did he realize it’s a full-blown “masterwork.” According to him, it’s the only modern film that truly nails that Apocalypse Now-level purpose, style, and intensity — and it doesn’t let up for nearly three hours. He praised Scott’s direction as “beyond extraordinary.” Tarantino noted the film’s loaded cast — from Josh Hartnett and Ewan McGregor to a young Tom Hardy and Orlando Bloom — and highlighted its Oscar wins for editing and sound. He also tipped the cap to Scott’s wider career (Gladiator, Blade Runner, Alien, etc.).

Tarantino’s Top 10 Movies of the 21st Century:
1. Black Hawk Down (2001) – Ridley Scott
2. Toy Story 3 (2010) – Lee Unkrich
3. Lost in Translation (2003) – Sofia Coppola
4. Dunkirk (2017) – Christopher Nolan
5. There Will Be Blood (2007) – Paul Thomas Anderson
6. Zodiac (2007) – David Fincher
7. Unstoppable (2010) – Tony Scott
8. Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) – George Miller
9. Shaun of the Dead (2004) – Edgar Wright
10. Midnight in Paris (2011) – Woody Allen

Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2026 is loading up with 33 performers. Chappell Roan, Mariah Carey, Post Malone, Leon Thomas, Charlie Puth, and the KPop Demon Hunters breakout group HUNTR/X lead the pack. This year’s broadcast is going supersized: eight full hours, from 8 p.m. ET on Dec. 31 straight through 4 a.m. on Jan. 1 — the longest in the show’s 54-year history, with 85+ songs crammed into the marathon. ABC carries it live, Hulu gets it the next day. Ryan Seacrest returns in Times Square with Rita Ora as co-host. Chance the Rapper takes charge of the show’s first Central Time countdown from Chicago. Las Vegas coverage goes to Rob Gronkowski and Julianne Hough. Times Square’s headliner is still under wraps, and Puerto Rico’s segment details are coming.

Announced performers so far:
The All-American Rejects
AJR
BigXthaPlug
Chance the Rapper
Charlie Puth
Chappell Roan
Ciara
Demi Lovato
DJ Cassidy’s Pass the Mic Live! (Busta Rhymes, T.I., Wyclef Jean)
50 Cent
Filmore
4 Non Blondes
Goo Goo Dolls
Jess Glynne
Jessie Murph
Jordan Davis
KPop Demon Hunters (HUNTR/X – EJAE, Audrey Nuna, REI AMI)
Leon Thomas
LE SSERAFIM
Lil Jon
Little Big Town
Madison Beer
Maren Morris
Mariah Carey
New Kids on the Block
OneRepublic
Pitbull
Post Malone
Rick Springfield
Russell Dickerson
6lack
Tucker Wetmore
Zara Larsson

Julia Roberts lit up the 2025 Gotham Awards with Luca Guadagnino at her side. She and Guadagnino were honored with the Visionary Tribute award for their collaboration on After the Hunt, Roberts’ psychological-thriller turn as Yale professor Alma Imhoff. Paul Rudd presented the award, after which Roberts launched into a playful bit, “translating” Guadagnino’s English speech into faux-Italian. She joked she needed to wrap things up quickly because she hadn’t “regulated her water intake,” then praised the creative community for keeping things together “in a world that seems to be crumbling.”

Jada Pinkett Smith is being sued for $3 million by Bilaal Salaam, a longtime associate of Will Smith who says he worked closely with the actor for decades and even appears in Will’s memoir. Salaam claims Jada confronted him in a Calabasas lobby in September 2021 during Will’s private birthday event — reportedly with a seven-person entourage — and verbally threatened him for “telling her personal business.” He alleges she told him he could “end up missing or catch a bullet” if he didn’t stop talking, and demanded he sign an NDA “or else.” According to the lawsuit, her team followed him to his car while continuing the threats. Months later, after refusing to help with “crisis management” after the 2022 Oscars slap, Salaam says he began receiving threats from the Smiths’ circle and became the target of a retaliatory smear campaign — especially after it was discovered he was writing a whistleblower-style memoir and did an interview that went viral. He previously made sensational claims in a 2023 YouTube interview about walking in on Will with actor Duane Martin — allegations Jada publicly dismissed as “ridiculous” on The Breakfast Club. Salaam now says Jada falsely accused him of trying to “shake them down” and claimed the couple would pursue legal action, which he says never happened. He’s suing for intentional infliction of emotional distress, saying Jada and her “emissaries” tried to intimidate, bribe, and silence him, causing financial damage, reputational harm, emotional distress, health issues, and derailing his career.

Charlie Puth isn’t letting internet critics rattle him as he gears up to sing the national anthem at Super Bowl LX in February 2026. After someone on X sniffed that the Super Bowl has “fallen” since Whitney Houston’s legendary 1991 rendition — and doubted Puth could “give us vocals” — he fired back with calm confidence. He admitted nobody’s touching Whitney’s throne, but promised he’s cooking up a “really special arrangement” in D major and insists it’ll be one of his strongest vocal moments. The NFL recently confirmed Puth for the anthem, Brandi Carlile for “America the Beautiful,” and Coco Jones for “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” all tied into events across the Bay Area.

Jerry O’Donnell, a 65-year-old actor best known for popping up in shows like Mad Men, The Young and the Restless, and NYPD Blue, has traded fake badges for a real one. He’s now training to become an Asheville, North Carolina police officer—making him the oldest APD recruit in decades. His classmates jokingly call him “Jerry Atric,” and he dishes the jokes right back. The grind is real: parking-garage runs, squats, pushups, burpees—the whole punishment package. O’Donnell’s no stranger to discipline; he served as a sergeant in the Army’s 82nd Airborne in the early ’80s. He says the goal now is purpose and service, and he wants to “slide into home” at life’s end completely used up. He’s halfway through his academy training and expects to graduate Jan. 30 and be sworn in by March, followed by three months of field training. He and his wife left LA five years ago for Asheville’s community vibe. She knows the risks but supports the mission. Acting’s on pause while he’s a cop, but his favorite past role was a brief turn on Dexter, which he described as an out-of-body “I’m inside my TV” moment.

Scarlett Johansson isn’t backing down from her long-standing support of Woody Allen, and she’s making it clear she’s not afraid to stick to her convictions—even when it puts her in the blast zone. In a new interview, she said she can’t tell whether her public defense of Allen over the years has cost her work or friends, but she grew up being taught to hold her ground and value integrity. At the same time, she says she’s learned that sometimes it’s just not your moment to jump into the fray. Johansson has been one of the very few major Hollywood names who never distanced herself from Allen amid Dylan Farrow’s long-standing allegations of sexual abuse—allegations Allen denies and has never been charged with. Scarlett has worked with Allen multiple times and has repeatedly said she believes him and would work with him again. She’s acknowledged her stance triggers people but insists supporting her friend doesn’t mean she ignores or dismisses women who come forward—she believes each case should be judged individually.

Guy Fieri just survived the kind of injury that makes every man instinctively check his knees. The Food Network star took a nasty spill on set, missed a stair, and ended up doing an unwilling, accidental split that literally tore his quad muscle in half—right down the middle. His doctor said he’d never seen a tear that brutal in the thickest part of the quad. Normally the tendon goes… not the muscle exploding like a cheap piñata. Fieri had to be rushed into emergency surgery so the muscle wouldn’t “recede,” as he put it. The whole disaster hit right in the middle of shooting his latest show, Flavortown Food Fight, with 125 people ready to roll—and their host wheeled off to the OR. Production had to pivot with creative filming tricks just to keep the show alive. The mayor of Flavortown is still recovering and was temporarily wheelchair-bound, but he’s talking, joking, and moving forward while the show stays mostly under wraps.

Tara Reid was hospitalized in Chicago after an incident she says happened when someone slipped something into her drink at a hotel bar. Video showed her incoherent and slumped in a wheelchair before paramedics took her out on a stretcher. She told police she’d stepped outside for a cigarette with a man she’d just met, came back to her drink covered with a napkin, took a sip, and blacked out. The man she named in her police report — YouTuber Sean P — is now giving his version. He says they met at the bar, joked around, went outside for a smoke, and that she seemed tipsy but coherent. He claims she later handed him her purse to look for a room key and that he saw pills inside before she suddenly began yelling for security, then later collapsed outside. He insists he never saw her with a drink. Reid was hospitalized and tested for drugs; no results have been made public. She filed a police report, also accusing Sean of sending her videos the next day — which she interpreted as an extortion attempt. He says he was just warning her that someone filmed the scene. Her reps say she believes her drink was tampered with, she’s cooperating with investigators, she’s willing to prosecute, and she wants people to stay alert about leaving drinks unattended.

Zootopia 2 is the No. 1 movie in North America, earning $96.8 million over the weekend.

Here’s the rest of the top 10:
2. Wicked: For Good - $62.8 million
3. Now You See Me: Now You Don't - $7 million
4. Predator: Badlands - $4.8 million
5. The Running Man - $3.7 million
6. Eternity - $3.2 million
7. Rental Family - $2.1 million
8. Hamnet - $880,000
9. Sisu: Road to Revenge - $810,000
10. Nuremberg - $749,000