Justin Theroux I'm Engaged, But ... I Feel Protective Over Ex-Wife Jen

Justin Theroux just got engaged to his actress girlfriend but he's still talking about his much more famous ex-wife Jennifer Aniston ... admitting he still feels "protective" of her.

The "Beetlejuice Beetlejuice" star sat down for a new interview with the Times and said Jen's recent beef with Donald Trump's running mate J.D. Vance had him in his feelings over his ex.

Justin told the Times of Jennifer ... "She is still very dear to me so, of course, yeah, I feel protective."

He was responding to questions about Jennifer's public spat with J.D. over Vance's controversial childless cat lady remarks.

Justin added ... "But she batted back criticism, as well she should."

Unclear how the interview is going to go over with Justin's new fiancée Nicole Brydon Bloom ... they just got engaged last month in Italy during his promotional run for his new movie.

Justin and Jennifer got hitched way back in 2015 but divorced in 2018 ... and it seems Jennifer's still got a place in Justin's heart.

Ben Affleck Wicked Pissed Over Kick Kennedy Romance Rumor!!!

Ben Affleck is letting the ongoing chatter about his personal life get to him ... and is particularly frustrated with one rumor -- involving Kick Kennedy -- that just won't die.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ … Ben finds the narrative that he’s dating -- or even friends with -- Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s daughter ludicrous and crazy.

Remember, after Ben's estranged wife, Jennifer Lopez, filed for divorce on the 2-year anniversary of their lavish wedding ceremony in Georgia ... fans moved quickly to try and romantically link the actor to someone new.

Elton John I Have Severe Eye Infection ... Can Barely See!!!

Elton John is on the mend ... from a severe eye infection he says has left him with limited vision in one eye.

The "Rocket Man" singer shared a health update Tuesday on social media, revealing he's been dealing with an eye issue for some time now and is slowly healing.

Elton says his road to recovery has been "an extremely slow process and it will take some time before sight returns to the impacted eye."

Great Blue Heron Eat Big or Go Home ... Swallows NYC Rat Whole!!!

The Great Blue Heron may be the answer to NYC's infamous growing rat problem ... taking out one rodent by feasting on it -- whole -- in Central Park.

Video of the wild feast is going viral online ... with users on Reddit just about losing it over the graphic demonstration of predator vs. prey.

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Watch the video ... according to the original poster, the jaw-dropping incident took place on Saturday as they did a bit of yoga in the park with a friend -- and found themselves watching a scene they described as "dinosaurian."

TMZ HOT TAKES NIKKI SIGNALS DIVORCE ... Brad Pitt, NFL's Pearsall

Nikki Bella is lawyering up, Brad Pitt is making a big debut and Ricky Pearsall is recovering from a gunshot wound ... all this on today's TMZ TV Hot Takes.

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First up on "TMZ Live," Harvey and Babcock explain why Nikki may be pulling the plug on her marriage to Artem Chigvintsev any day now ... because she's on the hunt for a divorce lawyer in the wake of her husband's arrest for domestic violence.

Ricky Pearsall 'Doing Really Well' After Shooting ... Says John Lynch

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San Francisco 49ers GM John Lynch says Ricky Pearsall's current health status is nothing short of a miracle ... revealing the wide receiver is "doing really well" just days after he was shot during an attempted robbery.

The Hall of Fame safety shared the incredible news with the media on Tuesday ... saying the 23-year-old rookie has already rejoined his teammates at the facility -- and the whole organization is "incredibly blessed."

Lynch confirmed Pearsall -- who suffered a gunshot wound to the chest around 4 PM in San Francisco on Saturday -- does not have nerve or organ damage as a result of the altercation.

Taylor Swift Football Is Back And So Am I ... Dominates New NFL Promo

The love story between Taylor Swift and the National Football League is back for a second season ... because the NFL is promoting the pop star more than the game's best player.

The NFL just released a promo video for the 2024 season ahead of Thursday's opening game, and Taylor has the lion's share of screen time ... making five appearances in a 28-second clip.

Taylor is shown more than any player in the league, and the NFL doesn't show Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes until the very end ... when he's seen hoisting the Vince Lombardi Trophy.

Mauricio Umansky I'm Livin' Nikita Loca!!!

Mauricio Umansky and Nikita Kahn's romance appears to be going strong ... bringing their love story to a fun new locale ... and seemingly signaling an end to his marriage.

Mere weeks after packing on the PDA in Mexico, the couple has taken Aspen, Colorado by storm ... which pretty clearly shows they're a thing. It's interesting ... the resort town is a favorite of the real estate agent and his family -- including estranged wife, Kyle Richards.

Eyewitnesses tell TMZ ... Mauricio and Nikita stopped by Aspen over the holiday weekend, where they grabbed a drink at Clark's Oyster Bar. We're told the duo was "very, very chatty" ... and looked super chill.

TikTok Star OnlyJayus Ex Claims She's Verbally Abusive ... Using TikTok To Berate Me!!!

UPDATE

4:26 PM PT -- OnlyJayus is firing back at her ex ... saying her request for a restraining order is filled with falsehoods and things being taken out of context.

The TikTok star tells TMZ ... "Unlike Brittany, I have been respecting her request for no contact for a couple of weeks now, including blocking her on all platforms, and I have not engaged in any behavior that would justify these allegations."

She adds ... "I take accusations of this nature very seriously and will be addressing this situation through the appropriate legal channels. I have no history of harassment or abusive behavior and am committed to maintaining my privacy and focusing on my well-being during this time."

TikTok star OnlyJayus is not taking a recent breakup well, at least according to her ex-girlfriend ... who claims she keeps showing up unannounced in the middle of the night.

Brittany Lee Dejardo is seeking court-ordered protection against Isabella Avila, AKA OnlyJayus, AKA Bella Rose, claiming her ex keeps coming around her home, is verbally abusive, and uses her massive social media accounts to berate her.

In new legal docs, obtained by TMZ, Brittany claims she told Isabella to leave her the hell alone ... but she says Isabella is not respecting her boundaries ... and it's getting toxic.

Slipknot's Sid Wilson First Show Back After Burns Was Painful, Risky ... But Totally Worth It!!

Sid Wilson's first show back with Slipknot barely a week and a half after suffering severe burns all over his body -- which left the poor dude bedridden -- was painful and freakin' scary … but it also kicked major ass, he tells TMZ!

As we previously reported ... the DJ and keyboardist severely burned his face and arms when a burn pile blew up in a mishap at his home in Iowa ... but he made it clear from the jump he was determined not to let his condition get in the way of touring with the iconic heavy metal band.

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And, that is exactly what Sid did ... explaining to TMZ that his first show back was super uncomfortable physically, and mentally taxing ... but thanks to his determination -- and his partner Kelly Osbourne acting as his private nurse -- SW was back spinning over the weekend.

Beyond the pain and serious threat of infection ... Sid tells us new skin growing on his hands is tightening his digits ... and he kinda needs those to work perfectly ... so there is a lot of stretching going down.

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His doctors are not thrilled he is out touring … but SW tells us he is taking the risks seriously and doing more than what is required to protect himself … slathering on twice as much ointment and changing bandages more often than necessary.

Sid totally rocked his mask ... but since there is no way he can currently wear black stage makeup underneath ... he is also donning a hood.

Sure, Sid is suffering for his art ... but fans' reaction to him taking the stage made it all worth it.

Shannen Doherty's Ex-Husband Ashley Hamilton Arrested, Cops Say He Pulled Knife on Hotel Staffer ... Blames His Cancer Meds

Ashley Hamilton, an actor who was once married to Shannen Doherty, got arrested after police say he threatened a hotel employee with a knife.

Law enforcement tells TMZ ... Ashley was arrested a little after 5 AM on Aug. 24 following an incident in a posh Beverly Hills hotel, when a staffer told cops the actor pulled a knife and took a fighting stance.

Cops say Ashley was asleep on a couch in the hotel lobby when the employee woke him up and told him he couldn't sleep there ... and we're told Ashley started arguing, and things quickly escalated.

'1000-Lb Sisters' Star Amy Slaton Leaves Zoo On Stretcher ... Bandaged After Camel Bite

"1000-Lb Sisters" star Amy Slaton needed a stretcher after cops say she was bitten by a camel at a Tennessee zoo ... and she had her wound wrapped in a makeshift bandage.

TMZ obtained photos of Amy leaving the Tennessee Safari Park in Alamo on a gurney Monday ... it looks like she's in pain, and she's got a piece of clothing for a tourniquet.

Folks who were there say they saw Amy walking through the parking lot with a shirt wrapped around her arm ... before EMS workers helped put her on a stretcher.

Travis Kelce Yes, Taylor's Drawing Up Plays!!!

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Taylor Swift appears to really be entering into her offensive coordinator era ... Travis Kelce just confirmed she is, in fact, drawing up Chiefs plays!!

The popstar's boyfriend broke it all down on "The Rich Eisen Show" on Tuesday -- just days after his quarterback, Patrick Mahomes, said Swift has been working on some X's and O's on the whiteboard.

Kelce revealed his boo takes everything she does seriously -- and that includes her football fandom -- so she is, indeed, learning how to move chess pieces around the gridiron.

Cardi B & Offset Divorce Still On ... Despite Reunion at Son Wave's Birthday

Cardi B and Offset put on a friendly front at their son Wave's birthday bash this weekend ... but TMZ has learned the rappers are still very much broken up.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... Cardi and Offset's divorce is still on and moving forward, despite their recent reunion at DreamWorks Water Park inside American Dream in East Rutherford, NJ.

We're told the divorce remains an amicable one ... which is why they're OK being in the same space while celebrating their children -- including daughter Kulture, son Wave, and an unborn little one on the way.

Nikki Bella On the Hunt for Divorce Lawyer ... Artem Not Living at Family Home

Nikki Bella is on the hunt for a divorce lawyer ... TMZ has learned.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... Nikki has been making calls since Friday, and we're told her intention is to file to end her marriage to Artem Chigvintsev.

Nikki began the search a day after Artem allegedly attacked her, resulting in some physical injury that triggered his arrest for felony domestic violence.

Rape Trial For French Man Begins Accused of Inviting Strangers To Rape Drugged Wife ... Dozens of Men Charged

A shocking case in France has just gone to trial ... and it centers around a 71-year-old man who is accused of inviting dozens of strangers to rape his drugged wife in their home.

Dominique Pelicot is accused of using a website to enlist strangers for sex with his wife ... and prosecutors say he filmed the rapes ... which occurred while his wife was knocked unconscious.

Pelicot allegedly brought home 83 men to defile his wife over a period of nearly a decade ... and the judge in the case says Pelicot also kept a nude photo of his daughter on his phone.