Daniel Craig The Name's Richards ... 1st Choice for Mr. Fantastic???

Daniel Craig was reportedly choice #1 to play Mister Fantastic in the new 'Dr. Strange' movie, this over the eventual chosen one in John Krasinski ... also, spoiler alert ahead.

The news comes from Deadline reporter Justin Kroll, who wrote ... "Fun fact, Krasinski wasn't the first choice, the actor originally set to play the role was all set to shoot but when there was an uptick in COVID cases, he backed out as he was living in London and didn't think the quick shoot wasn't worth risk of bringing back COVID to the fam."

He was responding to a story about Elizabeth Olsen saying she'd never met John Krasinski during an interview with Vanity Fair -- a la Keke Palmer's "I Don't Know This Man" moment.

Anyway, Kroll followed up to bat down conspiracy theorists who noted Craig had shot "Knives Out 2" around the same time, questioning why he'd be willing to film one and not the other.

To that Matt says, "For those asking about why he was able to shoot KNIVES, that was months of shooting and if he got COVID, he would be the only one infected. STRANGE was maybe a day of shooting and worry was he could head back home and not know he had it and give to daughter who was 2 at the time."

Of course, some are questioning the legitimacy of this theory -- especially amid other reports that have Craig pegged as another would-be Marvel hero other than Mister Fantastic -- and the reason is ... he looks nothing like Reed Richards, whereas Krasinski is a dead ringer.

Some are claiming, yes, Dan was, in fact, considered for the film -- but that he was going to play Balder the Brave -- Thor's half-brother -- which makes a lot more sense ... i.e. blonde.

In any case, the idea that James Bond himself could well appear in the MCU -- even at this point -- is pretty insane ... but not totally far-fetched. With all this multiverse hopping they're doing lately in superhero flicks generally, anything (and anyone) is possible, it seems.

Pearl Jam Our Drummer's Out with COVID ... Here's Some Locals For Ya!!!

Pearl Jam embodied "the show must go on" this week -- they found replacements for their COVID-stricken drummer ... and did so with local talent, no less.

Eddie Vedder and co. performed two packed shows in Oakland, CA this week -- one on Thursday and one on Friday -- and in both instances, he brought up skilled drummers from the area to help him and his band carry on the show in the absence of Matt Cameron.

MC recently came down with the 'rona, but Pearl Jam insisted on proceeding with the Oakland gigs -- as they'd previously pushed 'em back, and didn't wanna do it again.

So, to help them move along, they employed a couple of pros by the names of Josh Klinghoffer and Richard Stuverud to carry a majority of the load through each performance -- but for at least one song on each day, they also had some Oakland guys fill in.

The first guy was a music teacher reportedly named Josh Arroyo, who joined the band onstage for the final song, "Yellow Ledbetter," and apparently did a heck of a job.

The next night, a teenager named Kai Neukermans -- who plays in a band called The Alive -- was brought on stage to take over drumming duties midway through the performance, for the song "Mind Your Manners," and he too seemed to kill it.

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Now, before you start thinkin this was some spontaneous thing that happened all spur of the moment-like, it totally wasn't. It appears both of these amateur drummers were carefully scouted and selected beforehand ... and we imagine they had some practice runs as well.

Still, pretty sweet that they got to play a Pearl Jam concert in front of thousands of people. That'll raise your profile just a smidge ... no doubt about it.

Little White Boy Whips Door of Black Fam ... Dad Arrested, Allegedly Almost Shot Daughter

UPDATE

12:29 PM PT -- TMZ has gotten more info about the arrest of this boy's father, and the story is even crazier than we initially thought -- turns out, the man actually fired the gun that the Nashes claimed he had on him, and he's facing a felony charge because of it ... this according to cops.

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UPDATE

Kaufman County Constable Precinct 2 Chief Administrator, Jason Johnson, tells TMZ ... this happened Thursday, and the kid's dad, Bryan Thomas Brunson, is who was arrested.

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UPDATE

Per Kaufman County, the Nashes allege that Brunson kept arguing with them on his driveway with a Ruger semi-automatic pistol in hand, which itself isn't illegal. According to the police, the boy actually came out as well with his dad and challenged the Nashes to a fight!

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What allegedly happened next is scary ... the Sheriff's Office says Brunson is alleged to have put the gun down at one point on his porch, but then went back to pick it up after the argument persisted -- and he allegedly handled it in a reckless manner, causing it to go off.

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UPDATE

Cops say the bullet almost struck Brunson's own daughter who was standing behind him, but luckily it missed. He was booked for deadly conduct, which became a felony because of the would-be harm. The boy, who's 9, was a year off from facing criminal mischief charges himself, we're told ... but as it stands, he's not going to be rung up legally for this.

A little white boy came storming over to the home of a Black family in Texas with a whip in hand and a beating in mind, it seems, and the whole thing was captured on video.

This is wild ... the Ring footage was taken from the front porch of Dee and Carissa Nash's home near Dallas, and it shows what they claim is a neighbor's kid from nearby coming over in a fury, allegedly in search of their 9-year-old daughter -- and making his presence known.

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As you can see ... the young boy, who can't be more than 7 or 8 himself, bangs on the front door with his free hand -- and then takes some cracks at it with his whipping hand.

Carissa then opens the door and chastises the boy, telling him to get off her property and threatening to call the police. It appears the kid scrams after that. Sadly, the confrontation wasn't over just yet -- further video shows them facing off with the boy's purported father.

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Dee handles this chat, and right off the bat ... it ain't pretty. The man is denying culpability and demanding to see evidence -- according to the Nashes, this boy allegedly scratched their car after Carissa told him to beat it -- and both Nash parents offer to show him.

However, it doesn't appear the guy's truly interested ... he tells 'em to get off his property and makes a big fuss about a plant that Dee may or may not have been stepping on.

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The Nashes also claim the man who answered the door had a gun on him, and that he seemed poised to use it. According to reports, the police were in fact called over this -- and this guy was apparently arrested and booked on charges of deadly conduct.

The father has been named in some outlets, and we've confirmed a man by that name was arrested Friday/bonded out ... but the details are still hazy, and it's unclear if it's the guy depicted here. Kaufman County Sheriff's Office refused to release more info until Monday.

Originally Published -- 11:06 AM PT

Lori Harvey Dragged for Weight-Loss Regimen ... Major Calorie Deficit

Lori Harvey is the latest celeb to get dragged through the mud for detailing her weight-loss journey -- which serves as just another lesson for the rich and famous ... don't say anything.

The model and influencer hopped on TikTok recently to outline a diet/exercise regimen she went on to lose a ton of weight -- upwards of 15 pounds, and perhaps more, she explains -- which she says she gained after first getting with Michael B. Jordan.

In wanting to share some knowledge ... LH spills the tea, but it completely backfired. She says she's been doing Pilates consistently for the past year or so -- but when she was in weight-loss mode, she was doing more than just that ... including lots of cardio.

Then, the true secret comes out -- Lori says she went on a calorie deficit, taking in just 1,200 or so during this period, she adds, and it's here where she's catching a ton of flak.

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Many are criticizing her for promoting what they consider unhealthy crash dieting methods ... which folks argue is actually hurtful for normies who might follow Lori's lead, seeing how many followers/fans she has and how influential she is.

There's also some chiming in about society's fear of fat, claiming that Hollywood is obsessed with a warped and unrealistic body image that also does a lot of harm to society at large.

You'll recall ... Kim Kardashian was also blasted, of late, for announcing she dropped 16 pounds in a matter of two weeks just to fit into the Marilyn Monroe dress for the Met Gala.

While it's unclear how fast Lori lost his weight, she's receiving the same reception -- but funny enough, it appears just as many people are defending her ... arguing she simply answered a question her fans wanted to know, and that this diet worked for her specifically.

It looks like Lori predicted this, because she followed up on her video with a comment ... essentially saying this plan worked for her, and that she's not necessarily encouraging others to do the same ... as everyone's body and nutrition needs are vastly different.

You'd think that sorta thing goes without saying -- but apparently, people can't think for themselves in 2022. And, per usual, celebs are better off zipping it in this day and age.

Rapper Lil Keed Dead at 24

UPDATE

5:20 PM PT -- The L.A County Coroner's Office tells TMZ ... Keed died at Burbank Hospital at around 10 PM on Friday night. No cause or manner of death has been released -- officials are investigating.

Rapper Lil Keed, a rising star from Atlanta and member of Young Thug's controversial YSL label, is dead ... according to his reps and family members.

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His brother, Lil Gotit, said, "Can't believe I seened u die today bro I did all my cries I know what u want me to do and that's go hard for Mama Daddy Our Brothers Naychur and Whiteboy."

Complex first reported the death after getting confirmation from Keed's reps.

Although the "Trapped on Cleveland 3" rapper was signed to YSL, he was not part of the recent indictment in Atlanta that led to Gunna, Young Thug and 26 other YSL associates getting arrested on RICO charges.

After the raid and arrests, Keed posted an impassioned declaration about his label, insisting YSL was not a criminal organization ... as the Fulton County D.A. has claimed in the 56-count indictment.

Lil Keed recorded many popular songs, including "Snake," "She Know" and "Wavy (Remix)." Keeds garnered plenty of success from his own albums and mixtapes, as well as being featured on tracks with artists like Travis Scott, Lil Uzi Vert, Chris Brown, Future, Zaytoven and Lil Yachty.

Offset, from the popular rap trio, Migos, took to his IG story and said, "Damn twin rip."

Rapper Taylor Bennett wrote on his IG, "Keed you are the new sound of music surpassing hip hop and all genres."

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Quana Bandz, Keed's GF posted a heartbreaking tribute mourning his death on IG saying, "I love you sooooo much baby🥺 what I'm post to do with out you😤 I can't breathe right sleep right nothing. I don't even wanna talk to nobody. Keed I can't take this why you leave US bru."

Keed leaves behind his GF, Quana, and their daughter Naychur.

He was 24.

RIP

Ex-NFL Star Earl Thomas Arrested In Texas ... Spotted In Bar W/ Warrant

Earl Thomas was arrested Friday night in Texas after he was spotted at a bar ... just days after a judge issued a warrant for the former NFL star after the DB was accused of violating a protective order on multiple occasions, TMZ Sports has learned.

We're told the 33-year-old 7x Pro Bowler was taken into custody around 8:30 PM in Orange County, TX by Orange County PD after the agency received a phone call from a bar patron who spotted Thomas in the establishment.

Officers responded, and Thomas was cuffed and taken to the Orange County Jail ... where he currently remains.

Bond has not yet been set, according to online records.

And, because Thomas allegedly contacted the woman multiple times, he could be hit with a third-degree felony -- a charge that can carry a decade-long prison sentence, if convicted.

The bust comes about two weeks after a judge issued a warrant for the former Seahawks star, after Earl allegedly violated a protective order twice in 12 months by threatening a woman and her kids over texts, according to the Austin American-Statesman.

Thomas' attorney previously told the local Austin paper his client was simply communicating with his estranged wife about their kids, something he says he is permitted to do under the order.

The original protective order was issued in 2021, when Earl was ordered to only contact his ex using an approved co-parenting app. But, according to the allegation, not only didn't the NFL star use the app, but he also allegedly sent menacing messages, threatening violence.

The arrest comes during a time when Thomas -- the 14th overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft -- is attempting to get back into the NFL.

Earl, a 5x All-Pro and Super Bowl champion, hasn't played since the 2019 season when he started 15 games for the Baltimore Ravens.

NFL reporter Dov Kleiman was first to report the arrest.

Story developing ...

Gunna Got Family, Biz Affairs In Order ... Before Turning Himself In

Gunna was a busy man before surrendering to authorities in his RICO case ... carving out time to see family and making sure his business plans were in line before turning himself in.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... it was important for him to see his relatives before going to jail ... we're told he's big on family and has a lot of close relationships, especially with his mother.

Gunna also had to get his business affairs in order, because his music is really hot right now and he's got a No. 1 album in "DS4Ever" ... and it's not exactly easy to run a biz behind bars.

Before his arrest, we're told Gunna was in the middle of releasing visuals for his popular single "Banking On Me" and his focus before going to jail was tying up some loose ends with release dates, music videos and other biz affairs related to his new tunes.

As you know ... Gunna was booked on RICO charges Wednesday in Fulton County, and his lawyers are claiming he's innocent and hammering police for using his lyrics against him in a 56-page indictment.

Family and music aside, Gunna's facing some serious charges ... and our sources say he also wanted to huddle with his legal team to make sure they're all on the same page on how to prove his innocence.

Bottom line ... it was a busy week for Gunna.

Diddy Cancel Cancel Culture!!! I Support Travis and Morgan

Diddy has hopped on the newest train in pop culture ... the one canceling cancel culture.

Diddy said, "As a music family, none of us are saints; none of us are without things that happen to them in life," he told Billboard.

The mogul is exec producing and hosting the 2022 Billboard Music Awards, and he's squarely behind the org's decision to invite Travis Scott and Morgan Wallen to perform.

Diddy went on ... "So one of the things I'm doing directly is uncanceling the canceled. That's breaking news because people haven't been about uncanceling. But canceling is a trend that needs to stop."

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WALLEN'S WARM WELCOME
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Diddy was insistent on Scott taking the stage ... "I said, 'My brother Travis Scott has to perform.'"

He added ... "Travis went through a tragedy; Morgan [hurled the n-word] while talking to his boy. People make mistakes. Now we're moving on with love and respect for everybody that was hurt or affected. It's time to forgive."

Wallen was canceled from several awards shows last year after the incident, including the American Music Awards, but sales of his music actually rose during that period.

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BACK ON STAGE

As for Travis ... he was sidelined for months after the Astroworld tragedy, but he's back performing and will do so in front of 100,000 people at the Primavera Sound festival later this year.

Billboard's shindig is on NBC this Sunday.

Drake My Son Adonis is an Artist ... Add that to His Resume!!!

Drake's son has mad skills ... and sorry Drake, we're not talking basketball!!!

Adonis channeled his inner Warhol by painting an impressive, colorful abstract. Remember, the kid's 4, so it's a pretty spectacular start.

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His mom, Sophie Brussaux, was busy on a canvas of her own ... and her work is objectively awesome. She posted, "A little progress pic, we paint together and deep condition together."

So, pretend you had no idea Adonis painted the abstract ... would you hang it in your house? We're guessing the answer is yes.

BTW ... the kid's already speaking French ... as Drake proudly showed his fans.

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PROUD PAPI
@champagnepapi / Instagram

And, of course, near and dear to his dad's heart, Adonis also has hoop skills!!!

Rod Stewart Me and the Queen Have Something in Common!!!

Bill Maher had one of his best guests EVER on "Real Time" Friday night ... Rod Stewart, and the timing of the sit-down is crazy.

Rod kicked off his world tour Friday night, performing at Caesars Palace in Vegas, but there he was on Bill's L.A. set just hours before his performance.

Rod is one of the coolest cats in the music biz, and that was on full display with BM. He talked about not ever wanting to be late for his concerts ... unusual for rock stars.

He also said he and the Queen have something in common, and gotta say, he's not wrong.

A couple of surprising things ... did you know Rod wrote "Maggie May," "Tonight's The Night," "Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?" "Hot Legs," and "You Wear It Well."

Also, his Vegas concert runs for 1 and a half hours, and Rod normally goes over 2 hours but that's Caesar's rule. And, Bill mentioned something that was shocking ... when The Beatles performed, it lasted only 25 minutes.

Watch the interview ... Rod's super charming.

'Friday the 13th' Star Friday the 13th Isn't Scary For Me ... Best Day Of My Life!!!

For Kane Hodder, the actor in the Jason Vorhees mask in the 'Friday the 13th' movies, there's nothing unlucky about a Friday the 13th ... he says the day changed his life.

Kane, who has played the killer character in four of the franchise's 12 installments, tells TMZ ... the so-called bad luck day is actually a transformative occasion in his Hollywood career.

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As Kane explains, 'Friday the 13th' took his career to the next level ... transforming him from a stunt man into a horror movie star who signs autographs for adoring fans.

Kane says he's had nothing but the best luck on Friday the 13th ... a feeling that's quite uncommon and he adds the worst thing that's ever happened to him on the 13th was when he was burned when a fire stunt went wrong, but it wasn't a Friday.

It's not just the movie role brightening Kane's Friday the 13th experience ... he says this Friday, which fell on May's 13th, saw him fatten his pockets ... thanks to a spike in his requests on Cameo.

Kane also tells us why playing Jason is more difficult than one might think ... and why he wants to get killed by the famous character if the franchise ever makes a 13th movie.

Stars and Scars You Be the Judge

So, people are digging in on who they believe in Depp vs. Heard, and could it be -- Kris Jenner managing Pete Davidson?!!? So, we gotta ask ...

Amber Physically Assaulted Johnny Depp ...

Johnny Physically Attacked Amber ...

PETA Shaming Ciara and Russell Wilson For Getting Purebred Pup ...

Kris Jenner Managing Pete Davidson ...

Elon Letting Trump Back On Twitter ...

Pro-Choice Protests At SCOTUS Justices' Homes ...

Who'd You Rather Hear Call A Game?

Travis Scott Performing At Billboard Awards ...

Kim K Post-Kanye In Fashion ...

Pacman Jones Questions Colin Kaepernick's Charity Work ... 'I Do Think AB Is Right'

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WHAT'S THE MOTIVE?
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Pacman Jones says he's siding with Antonio Brown on at least one thing from the wideout's Colin Kaepernick rant ... telling TMZ Sports he, too, has questions about Kaep's charity work.

Speaking with us out at LAX just a few days after Brown ripped Kaep, Jones -- who actually watched Kaepernick throw last month and then had a sitdown interview with the quarterback -- said he also isn't entirely sure what Kaepernick has done for his community since settling his lawsuit with the NFL back in 2019.

"As far as the community part, I think AB is right," Jones said. "We haven't heard anything that Kaep did for the community or given back to the community after the settlement."

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Cigar Talk

You'll recall, Brown wondered out loud in a conversation with "Cigar Talk" about Kaepernick's foundation and its results ... saying, "I'm being real. What superhero he enforce? Who he put on? Who he help?"

Jones is clearly wondering the same thing ... telling us straight-up, "That part of the question, I do think AB is right."

As for the rest of Brown's thoughts on Colin -- Pacman did appear to disagree with the NFL free agent on most of those.

The former Tennessee Titans superstar told us after watching Kaepernick practice for 2.5 hours in April, he doesn't think the QB is "trash" like Brown does. In fact, Jones said Kaepernick's arm talent is still certainly there.

Jones also told us, unlike Brown, he believes Kaepernick does still have a desire to play.

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"I just think it's hard for a guy to fairytale for 2.5 hours, three hours every day throwing the ball if you don't want to play," Jones said. "I think he wants to play. Do he deserve to play? That's another question. But, do he want to play? I do think he wants to play."

Jones explained to us he believes it'll be NFL or bust for Colin -- saying he truly thinks the guy has no desire at all to play in the XFL or any other league outside of The Shield.

Celebs in Caps & Gowns Con-graduations!

It's that time of year again when graduation cap tassels are moved from right to left, and whether giving commencement speeches or graduating themselves ... these celebs have not missed out on the 'cap-n-gown' assignment.

Caps off to recent graduate Anthony Anderson who rocked the head-to-toe graduation look as he received his degree from Howard University. Ludacris also took the stage (not as a performer) in graduation attire, receiving a degree in music management from Georgia State University. Go Panthers!

Take a walk across the podium into our gallery of celebrities sporting graduation caps and gowns.

And, congrats to the class of 2022 graduates!

Iggy Azalea My Zillow Addiction Paid Off Rakes in Millions for Home

Iggy Azalea's obsession with Zillow has also translated to the real world ... she just found a buyer for her Hidden Hills home.

Azalea, who has said the home buying and listing website is her "actual addiction" ... has accepted an offer for her 5-bedroom, 5-bath pad for $5.949 million -- slightly less than the $6.2 million she listed it for back in January -- but a nice little bump from the $5.2 million she paid less than a year ago.

The home is perfect for entertaining, with a giant backyard and swimming pool ... not to mention a playground and basketball court. And, it's Kardashian-adjacent!

Funny enough, shortly after listing the home, Iggy tweeted, "I keep selling my house so I have an excuse to Zillow. I'm obsessed. It's my actual addiction." Seattle Seahawks star receiver, Tyler Lockett, who got his real estate license in the offseason, even offered his services to help her find her next home.

Besides her obsession with Zillow, another reason Iggy could have been looking to sell was to get away from her neighbor. Right after moving in last year, she was already feuding with them over renovations.

Unclear where she plans to buy next, remember, she has a 2-year-old son named Onyx with Playboi Carti ... but you gotta imagine she'll be surfing the web to find her next pad.

What's The Big Frigin' Difference?!

Don't let the flashing cameras distract you from the differences in these two paparazzi shots of Bella Hadid ... The supermodel was recently photographed sporting a casual look -- wearing a 'Free Palestine' tank and heading to a record shop -- in New York City.

Yes, Bella always looks stunning on and off the runway -- making it hard to not be drawn to her piercing blue eyes -- but you may just want to adjust your lens and look elsewhere. Can you follow the necessary steps and scout the differences between these two images?

**HINT: There are THREE differences in the above Bella Hadid photos!*