TMZ.com Home

The 94th Academy Awards are coming to a close, and while Will Smith definitely stole the show -- for all the wrong reasons -- the show was actually going swimmingly beforehand.

The Dolby Theater was chock-full of stars who were dressed to the nines Sunday night -- and as Oscar statuettes started to get dolled out ... the hugs and selfies started to roll in as well.

One example of such love was between Best Supporting Actress winner Ariana DeBose and her fellow nominee, Jessie Buckley ... the latter of whom seemed to be giving the 'West Side Story' star her props for walking away with the W, which everyone thinks is well-deserved.

Ditto for when Troy Kotsur won for Best Supporting Actor for his work on 'CODA' ... his table was elated for him -- as was the rest of the audience as he delivered a rousing speech in ASL.

Some other highlights that were happening behind the scenes ... Venus and Serena Williams were posing with each other, and just about everyone else who wanted a pic. It was a big night for them -- especially seeing how Will Smith was up for the top prize, which he ended up winning.

Of course, things took a dark turn when Will smacked Chris Rock across the face after he made a crack about Jada Pinkett's shaved head ... which led to an awkward moment therafter.

Still, it was a pretty feel-good vibe before all that ... as evidenced in all the hobnobbing that was going on down in the seats and backstage.

The Ukrainian war is certainly top of mind for just about everybody these days -- but, for some reason, the Academy Awards apparently decided to kinda gloss over the issue.

We're almost two hours into the broadcast, and so far ... there's been minimal mention of the conflict in Europe, save for a brief moment when Mila Kunis came on to introduce Reba McEntire, who performed 'Somehow You Do,' which is up for Best Original Song.

Before tossing it to Reba, Mila said ... "Recent global events have left many of us feeling gutted. Yet, when you witness the strength and dignity of those facing such devastation, it's impossible to not be moved by their resilience."

She added, "One cannot help but be in awe of those who find strength to keep fighting through unimaginable darkness." MK then said Reba's song was a testament to that, but strangely enough ... she nor anyone else on stage ever said the words "Ukraine" or "Russia."

That's a bit bizarre ... especially considering that Mila herself is Ukrainian, and has been raising a lot of money lately for the cause.

After the performance, the Oscars held a moment of silence with some title cards that spoke directly to Ukraine. Their message read, in part, "While film is in an important avenue to express our humanity in times of conflict, the reality is millions of families in Ukraine need food, medical care, clean water, and emergency services," calling on the world to do more.

A crypto ad then played right afterward giving folks a website to chip in -- but they refrained from showing any images of the war or the devastation.

This is an interesting choice ... you'll recall, Amy Schumer actually floated the idea of having Volodymyr Zelensky beam in to say a few words -- but it doesn't sound like they went for her idea.

Rather than fully lean in like she suggested ... it seems, so far, that they're doing the exact opposite ... steering relatively clear of Ukraine talk. Of course, there's still a long way to go -- so perhaps they'll have a more robust show of support later in the telecast.

This year's Oscars got off to a great start -- with Beyonce leading the charge with a musical number that wasn't even in the building ... and a little help from her kid.

Venus and Serena Williams were the first faces we saw Sunday as the telecast got underway from within the Dolby Theater in DTLA, with the two super star athletes immediately tossing things to Bey ... who did a live performance of her song 'Be Alive,' and doing so from a tennis court in Compton.

This is where Serena and Venus got their start when they first learning the sport, which they alluded to in their comments. And to mark the special occasion, the entire court was draped in lime green covers ... as was Beyonce and the rest of her dance troupe.

The catchy tune is featured in the Oscar-nominated film 'King Richard,' which tells the story of Serena and Venus' father, Richard Williams ... who was portrayed by a stellar Will Smith. Of course, 'Be Alive' itself is up for Best Original Song ... which explains Bey's appearance.

She wasn't the only one from the Carter-Knowles family that was on the court though -- young Blue Ivy herself was also on hand. Indeed, that was her dancing down in front with the sunglasses on ... seems they were trying to keep her presence low-key.

She was spotted nonetheless, and based on how well she was moving ... BI might just have a future job as a dancer. Lucky for her, mom and dad are always in need -- so she'll probably always have a slot booked.

Kanye West and Kim Kardashian's rocky roller coaster finally hit calm waters -- because they were finally able to be in each other's company ... albeit, for the sake of their kid.

The former couple was shoulder to shoulder this weekend -- the first time in a long time, especially amid all the nasty fighting that's been going on -- taking in their son Saint's soccer game in L.A. ... with mama bear, papa bear and his sister, North, watching from the sideline.

It's a somewhat startling sight, but a more than welcome one ... frankly, things have been nasty of late between these two -- so the fact they could come together like this is major.

As you can see, Ye was filming Saint play while Kim and North looked on attentively. At one point, Kanye crouched down and seemed pleased with what he was seeing on the field -- yep, he was in super dad mode here ... no doubt about it.

There was video taken of the scene as well, and although Kim and Kanye certainly shared the same space within short proximity to one another ... they don't appear to have interacted a whole lot, beyond herding the group in and out of the park, that is.

Still, as we said ... it's a huge step forward in their co-parenting relationship. Ye has been complaining a lot in recent weeks about custody issues -- alleging he hasn't been able to see all of the kids as much as he wants ... while Kim has claimed the exact opposite, saying he sees them whenever he wants. Now, it seems they're finally on the same page.

BTW, no sign of Pete Davidson anywhere here ... which is probably for the best. Something tells us KW still hasn't warmed up to him -- so no blending of families/partners just yet.

The Man of Steel might actually be the Man of Snooze -- at least that's what one comic nerd thinks ... but they're getting drowned out by a swarm of fanboys who beg to differ.

A Twitter user that goes by "brandon" threw out a bit of a fireball of an opinion this weekend about good old Kal-El and his ability to titillate, writing ... "lmk if this is bad take but superman is an extremely boring superhero."

Well, the internet let him know ... and with fervor to spare. Superman lovers far and wide swooped in to defend their guy in tights, vehemently rejecting the idea he's a killjoy or a bore ... and they seem to have the evidence to back it up.

First off, some pointed out that Clark Kent is actually super relatable ... and in many instances, just like us when it comes to earthly matters -- especially in the embarrassing/overbearing parents department.

Others pointed to the source material in debunking Supes's alleged boring streak -- citing the very many comics and subsequent stories that have been written/drawn detailing his wild adventures. A handful of the ones a few felt would make Superman's case ... "Secret Identity," "Superman: Up in the Sky," "All-Star Superman," "Superman: Earth One" and more.

Reading these alone, some argue, will prove the Last Son of Krypton is a complex character ... who has to deal with a lot, and most definitely NOT dull or dry as far as caped heroes go.

Of course, there are others who simply offer up the many animations that have been made about Superman ... including the fabled 'Superman: The Animated Series' from the '90s, which many consider some of the best Superman depictions to date.

Somebody even threw together a quick compilation of the multi-Emmy nominated program ... reinforcing Superman battles not just people he has to beat physically, but politically and psychologically. Case in point ... Lex Luthor is considered one the best big baddies ever, and he doesn't even have powers or anything. He gets under Superman's skin in other ways.

And, finally, there are the live action movies and TV shows themselves ... with actors like Christopher Reeve, Brandon Routh, Tyler Hoechlin, Tom Welling, Dean Cain, Kirk Alyn and Henry Cavill ... who've all donned the red undies at one point or another, to much acclaim.

So yeah, boring might be a bit harsh ... as Twitter has clearly unanimously decided.

This year's Oscar nominees have nearly $140,000 in gifts at their fingertips -- but before they claim their loot ... they might wanna consider Uncle Sam, who'll want his cut.

Every year, actors who get a nod from the Academy are also afforded a sweet goodie bag that's worth a bundle -- and this year is no different, with marketing company Distinctive Assets offering up a ton of prizes that, if claimed in full, are valued at $137k and change.

The gifts up for grabs include everything from an all-expenses-paid trip to Scotland with a 3-night stay at a fancy castle ($50k), free construction for a home renovation ($25k), a comped 4-night visit to a luxury spa resort ($15k), a plot of land in the U.K. and a noble title, free lipo ($12k) ... among lots of other perks in the form of services/experiences, or pricey objects.

Might sound cringe -- indeed, it has sparked outrage for a variety of reasons -- but here's the kicker ... the more gifts they claim from the lot, the more they pay down the road.

Yep, we're talking about taxes here ... and all signs point to a hefty bill if a majority of these gifts are accepted and/or used. Everything the nominees claim will be viewed as taxable income -- and some experts speculate that they can be taxed at a rate of 50% or higher!

Of course, that probably isn't lost on the stars themselves ... who may not take up any of the offerings being presented. In fact, Distinctive Assets founder Lash Fary explains that just about $5,000 of the swag bag is made up of actual stuff they can take home ... the rest are services/trips. So, if a majority of the gifts go unclaimed, the bag isn't worth as much.

Still, the fact they're trotting out these gratuitously expensive carrots for the nominees at all -- something that's been going on for years, BTW -- has made some wonder... what's really important right now?

Phil Collins appears to have performed live for the final time in his career -- alongside his band Genesis, no less -- but if true ... his solo career wasn't really acknowledged at all.

The legendary rocker/drummer took to the stage Saturday night in London at the O2 Arena, where he and his bandmates did it big for what they say was their last concert together ever ... this after a highly successful worldwide tour, which they dubbed 'The Last Domino?'

The place was packed and people were rocking out as Genesis ran through a 24-song setlist of all their greatest hits and fan favorites ... dating back to when they first formed in the late '60s. Indeed, it was awesome ... and Phil led things on the mic as lead singer.

As you can see, he was seated throughout -- as his health has declined in recent years ... and he gets around with a cane these days. He's also not able to drum anymore, but he still put on a helluva show with Mike Rutherford, Tony Banks and his own son, Nic, who filled in on drums for his pops. Even former bandmate and rock god Peter Gabriel was on hand.

Toward the end of the set, Phil let it be known that this marked their final chapter as a live band -- and it made for a very emotional moment ... a funny one too, with some quips from PC about how they'll all have to find jobs going forward.

The announcement was met with sadness at first by the crowd, but eventually, they gave the group a roaring extended applause ... realizing they were watching something special.

And, of course, as you can imagine, when Genesis walked off the stage for the final time ... there, too, people gave it up -- clapping and cheering as Phil and co. departed the stage.

Like we said, it was quite a performance and quite a spectacle for all who witnessed it ... but if this is, in fact, Phil's last time gracing the stage with his talent -- ya gotta wonder, why not let the guy have a few solo songs to himself with the band backing him?

All of the songs played on Saturday were Genesis songs, which is fine ... this was their tour together, after all. But, Phil's obviously got quite a prolific career on his own, with iconic songs that we're sure the audience would've absolutely LOVED to have heard -- especially if this is actually his last go-around, and it's assumed at this point that it is.

Dave Grohl and his band returned to L.A. from Bogota ... after the sudden death of their drummer and beloved friend, Taylor Hawkins.

Dave, along with Pat Smear, Chris Shiflett, Rami Jaffee, Samantha Sidley and crew were visibly emotional after touching down. Dave hugged a man who looks like their manager, John Silva.

As we reported, Taylor was found dead in a hotel room Friday ... the group was in San Paulo to play Lollapalooza Sunday. Based on preliminary findings, it appears Taylor may have OD'd on 10 different drugs, including opioids.

Among the drugs in his system .... Tricyclic, antidepressants and benzodiazepines. An official cause of death has not been determined.

Less than a week before he died, Grohl told a massive crowd at Lollapalooza Argentina in Buenos Aires how incredible Taylor was ... best drummer in the biz, Dave bragged. He then had Taylor come center stage to both sing and show off his fly outfit.

Ben and Jen are 1 step closer to walking down the aisle after going into escrow on a massive estate, and Travis and Kourtney are already matchy-matchy!!! So, we gotta ask ...

Travis Scott did what he hasn't done in months ... taking the stage for a short set.

Travis hit up Richie Akiva and Darren Dzienciol's pre-Oscars party Saturday night at a private home in Bel-Air. His performance didn't last long ... a combo of rapping and DJ'ing. But, it was a moment, because it's the first time he's taken the stage since the Astroworld tragedy back in November.

It was a pretty ritzy event ... Leo DiCaprio, Tobey Maguire, Venus and Serena Williams, Tyga, YG, Kaia Gerber and a bunch of other celebs took it all in.

As for Travis, who by the way went solo -- Kylie Jenner didn't show -- he was clearly having a great time, laughing, socializing, drinkin' some ...

A one-time up-and-coming rapper who was nominated for a Grammy not too long ago is now making a terrifying revelation -- saying she's likely to end her life at any given moment.

The artist is Chika -- who was named in XXL's 2020 freshman class, and was actually up for a Grammy last year in the Best New Artist category. She posted a lengthy statement on her social media page that implied she was on the verge of suicide ... to the shock of many.

She writes, in part, "i went to the top of the intercontinental, but could not jump. not because i don't want to, but because the metal stairs were scary." Chika adds, "it looks like crying wolf, but it's not. it's just difficult to find the right way. the quickest way. the painless way. i am tired of myself too."

Chika goes on to say how she believes she'll serve as a cautionary tale, in leaving a broken person to their own devices, and how she won't be sorry for those she might leave behind ... saying she refuses to carry the burden of others who refused to share her own.

It's a gut-wrenching note, and she ends it by writing ... "no more typing. i'm going to finish my drink and find a way that works. thanks for the ride, i hated it."

She's also been posting extra photos and text notes on her IG story, saying people can find her body and that she doesn't care. She actually appears to give certain street names, but it's unclear what city she might be in at the moment. She's from Montgomery, Alabama.

Of course, people have fired off with a ton of concern ... sending prayers her way, and openly hoping someone on her team or in her inner circle can reach her before something tragic happens. She hasn't posted any new notes in at least an hour or so.

Originally Published -- 3/26 1:30 PM PT

The death of Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins is a huge loss in the music industry, but it's personal for Dave Grohl and the other band members, and that was more than evident by this video shot less than a week before Taylor died.

The vid was shot March 20, at Lollapalooza Argentina in Buenos Aires. The scene is incredible ... thousands of fans -- as far as the eye can see -- packed into the Hipodromo de San Isidro to watch the Foo Fighters' 2-hour performance.

Dave spends some time telling the crowd how awesome Taylor is ... right down to his fancy pants.  He then invites his drummer -- whom Dave calls the best in the music biz -- front and center to sing. But, before he does, Taylor clearly shows his affection for Grohl.

As we reported, the Foo Fighters were supposed to wrap up the South American leg of their tour Sunday in Sao Paulo, but on Friday Taylor was found dead in a hotel room.

The early evidence, according to authorities in Colombia, is that Taylor may have OD'd ... they say 10 different substances were found in his system, including opioids, tricyclic, antidepressants and benzodiazepines.

The investigation is ongoing, but it appears drugs were a factor.

Pete Davidson may be jumping the gun a bit ... ascribing lawyer-dom to GF Kim Kardashian in a new tattoo.

Kim posted a pic of Pete's latest body of work ... "MY GIRL IS A LAWYER" above his left clavicle.

This ain't the first tattoo Pete has honoring Kim, but she's starting to really populate his bod.

There's a small point and a big point ... the small point is that Kim isn't a lawyer yet ... she passed the baby bar, but that just clears the path for her to take the real bar exam, which is in California is a bitch to pass.

The bigger point is that it's increasingly obvious Kim and Pete are a serious couple.

Lady Gaga's dog walker gave graphic testimony in the case of the dognappers who attacked and shot him, saying he's still having significant medical struggles months after the incident.

Ryan Fischer testified before an L.A. County Grand Jury about the 3 men who attacked him as he was walking Gaga's 3 dogs. According to the transcript, obtained by Rolling Stone, Ryan was thrown to the concrete as one of the attackers began choking him, and he hit the guy with a bottle of champagne he had just purchased at a nearby liquor store.

He described what he did after being shot in the chest ... "I immediately tried to call for help but realized I was bleeding out of my lung and that I was losing more and more air quickly."

Five people have been charged with attempted murder and robbery. They have pled not guilty. Three of the men are alleged gang members who were driving around Hollywood specifically looking for French bulldogs ... which go for a lot of money. They were not targeting the dogs because they were owned by Gaga.

Ryan says his lung collapsed, he was rushed to the hospital but 2 days after his release the lung collapsed again, requiring major surgery.

Some early clues have surfaced in the death investigation into what killed Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins ... investigators say tests show drugs were in his system.

In a release from the Attorney General's Office in Bogotá, Colombia, officials say a toxicology test taken from Hawkin's urine revealed 10 different substances -- including opioids, tricyclic antidepressants and benzodiazepines.

Investigators say they will continue to work on Hawkins' case ... but obviously, the drug test is telling.

As we reported, Hawkins -- who first found fame as the drummer for Alanis Morissette -- before joining Foo and even starting his own band, was found dead Friday in a hotel room.

A post from the Foo Fighters read, "The Foo Fighters family is devastated by the tragic and untimely loss of our beloved Taylor Hawkins. His musical spirit and infectious laughter will live on with all of us forever."

Hawkins, Dave Grohl and other members of the band were in Colombia for several shows at the time of his death.

Taylor was open about his previous struggles with substance abuse, surviving a heroin OD back in 2001.

We're not saying they're dropping like flies, but COVID is getting in the way of the Oscars ... at least as far as Lin-Manuel Miranda is concerned.

The "Hamilton" mastermind is staying home Sunday night, after his wife tested positive for the virus.

He said ... "Made it to Hollywood … This weekend, my wife tested [positive] for COVID. She's doing fine. Kids & I have tested [negative], but out of caution, I won't be going to the Oscars tomorrow night."

Nonetheless, he was cheering on "Cheering for my Tick, Tick... Boom!" ... which could end up with some hardware ... Andrew Garfield is up for Best Actor.

There are a lot of nervous actors ... to gain entry into the Dolby Theater in Hollywood, they have to produce proof of vaccination and not one but 2 negative PCR tests. There are exceptions -- performers and presenters don't have to show proof of vaccination, which is weird, right?