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The star of "Mufasa: The Lion King" says he didn't know who most of his other costars were until earlier this year ... though he always figured the script would attract massive stars.

Braelyn Rankins -- voice of young Mufasa in the upcoming Disney "The Lion King" prequel -- was on "TMZ Live" for an interview Thursday ... and, he tells us he only knew limited information about the movie when he was filming his part.

Rankins tells us that -- outside of the actors he personally worked with -- he had no idea who would be in the film ... so no indication he would star alongside Beyoncé, her daughter Blue Ivy, Thandiwe Newton or the like.

Luigi Mangione's leaving his orange jumpsuit at the courthouse door ... ditching the prison garb for a more fashionable ensemble in federal court Thursday.

According to reports, Mangione entered the Manhattan courtroom wearing "a white button-down shirt, navy three-quarter zip pullover and khaki pants."

Mangione wasn't handcuffed during his court appearance ... though, according to CNN, when court ended for the day Mangione was led from the room between two marshals with his ankles shackled.

An ex-neighbor of the California man accused of plotting a local mass shooting in a coordinated attack with the Wisconsin school shooter is speaking out ... telling TMZ about the chilling, ominous energy he always carried.

The woman, choosing to remain anonymous, talked to us on "TMZ Live" Thursday, revealing that during the 5 to 6 years she lived near 20-year-old Alexander Paffendorf, he exhibited seriously creepy behavior -- never talking, avoiding eye contact, always wearing his hood up, and other unsettling anti-social habits.

Catch the video, because she dives into the specific moments when Paffendorf made her feel super uncomfortable around their apartment complex -- and it’s spine-chilling.

2:30 PM PT -- The federal U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York said in a press release ... the state of New York's separate prosecution against Luigi Mangione is currently expected to proceed to trial before the federal case.

Luigi Mangione just arrived in New York City after he waived extradition in Pennsylvania today, and was promptly slapped with a federal criminal court complaint.

According to the complaint filed by federal prosecutors in the Southern District of NY, Mangione is charged with murder through use of a firearm, two stalking charges, and a firearms offense.

Tony Buzbee -- the high-profile attorney who's filed multiple lawsuits against Diddy, and one against Jay-Z -- is now accused of infecting a woman he dated with a venereal disease.

According to a new suit filed in New York Supreme Court ...the accuser, identified as "Jane Doe," says Buzbee has taken advantage of her since 2018 when they first met during an online conversation.

The woman said the Texas-based lawyer charmed her and convinced her to go out on a date. She says she ventured to Buzbee's hometown of Houston to grab dinner with him before they took in a show.

It's Christmas time, but make it "Kristmas! The Kardashian-Jenner crew never back down from a photo-op, especially when it comes to XMAS! Gather round for nostalgic throwback pics of Hollywood's hottest fam ... they sure have aged well!

TMZ did some digging and unwrapped some gems from back in the day -- Kris, Kourtney, Kim, Khloe, Rob, Kendall and Kylie -- all showin' out in their festive 'fits!

Check out the hefty amount of stockings in this photo of Kendall and Kylie -- both sisters nailing their adorable poses in matching red zip-ups in front of the fireplace!

Here's a sweet snap of Rob and Khloe on Christmas morning, in matching pajamas and smiling with glee after opening their gifts.

Luigi Mangione planned the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson months in advance ... and, he'd clearly been thinking about it longer -- so say federal prosecutors.

In the federal criminal complaint -- filed Thursday -- prosecutors included several diary entries they claim Mangione made over the past few months ... all of which seem to point to Mangione as Thompson's killer.

An entry dated August 15 describes how he's "glad -- in a way -- that I've procrastinated" because it allowed him to learn more about a "Company-1" ... which is how the feds refer to UnitedHealthcare throughout the docs.

Peter Thomas joins the growing list of reality star stars to get hit with jail time ... we've learned the "Real Housewives of Atlanta" alum has been hit with a sentence of a year and a half in prison.

A rep for the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of North Carolina tells TMZ ... the Bravo personality, who appeared on 'RHOA' alongside then-wife Cynthia Bailey, has been sentenced to 18 months behind bars after pleading guilty to failing to pay his taxes.

Following this sentence, Peter will have 2 years of supervised release. Peter has also been ordered to pay $2.5 million in restitution to the IRS.

Luigi Mangione has arrived in New York to face state and federal charges after being extradited from Pennsylvania.

The suspected killer in the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was spotted arriving in New York City Thursday, just hours after appearing in a Pennsylvania court where he formally waived extradition.

Luigi, sporting his fresh shave and new haircut, looked somber as he was led into a secure police vehicle. NYC Mayor Eric Adams was among the dozens of law enforcement personnel who escorted Mangione from a helicopter to the awaiting vehicle.

California-bred rap veteran Saafir died in November ... and we've learned it was a complication of health issues.

TMZ Hip Hop obtained the death certificate, which states Saafir died from septic shock and enterocolitis -- an infection of the small intestine.

The doc also lists infected sacral decubitus as a COD, a medical term for an enlarged bedsore caused by too much pressure on the bottom of the spine.

Ethan Slater's ex-wife's diving into the end of her marriage ... not by taking shots at Ethan or Ariana Grande -- but instead, by apologizing to her therapy patients for no longer living an anonymous life.

Lilly Jay -- a clinical psychologist, and high school sweetheart of Broadway star Slater -- wrote an essay, published on The Cut Thursday, all about the public nature of her split.

In the essay, Lilly's lamenting she's now a spectacle in the public eye despite being in a profession where patients are better helped by not acknowledging their therapist's personal life.

12:28 PM PT -- Dion Dawkins ended up making his way to the Bills' facility on Thursday afternoon ... and he told reporters in attendance he was saddened by the tragedy -- and he's praying for the pilot's family.

Bills star Dion Dawkins missed Buffalo practice on Thursday ... after a small plane crashed in his yard.

Authorities in Aurora, N.Y. say the single-engine aircraft went down at around 11:22 AM -- after it had apparently experienced mechanical issues.

Law enforcement stated the plane was engulfed in flames after it landed on the ground just feet away from Dawkins' residence -- and one person tragically died.

Bernie Sanders is calling out Jeff Bezos to get his priorities straight, slamming the Amazon founder for his dinner with Donald Trump ... as some workers at the company went on strike at multiple locations across the U.S. Thursday.

In an X post Thursday, Bernie came for Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's double date at Mar-a-Lago with Trump and Melania Wednesday night, and accuses him of engaging in illegal union-busting.

He also sent a direct message to Amazon in the same post, urging them to follow the law and negotiate a fair contract with the Teamsters.

The federal government is drawing a line in the sand -- or, more accurately, the air -- when it comes to the mysterious drones zooming around New Jersey ... restricting the areas where they can fly and promising deadly force to those presenting a threat.

The Federal Aviation Administration announced the news this week ... putting the ban into effect beginning Wednesday and running through at least January 17, 2025.

According to the new rules, drones are restricted from flying within a nautical mile of specified airspace outlined in the department's official Notice to Airmen.

Luigi Mangione is on the move ... the suspected killer in the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson is being extradited from Pennsylvania to New York.

Luigi appeared in court Thursday in Pennsylvania and waived extradition ... and now he's being transported back to the scene of his alleged crime.

Mangione is accused of fatally shooting Thompson earlier this month outside a hotel in Manhattan ... and five days after the shooting he was arrested at a McDonald's in Altoona, PA.

Tom Brady got in a swole sesh with his dawgs this week -- and we mean that literally ... with the seven-time Super Bowl champion taking his furry pals to the gym in Miami!!

The legendary quarterback and FOX Sports analyst was out and about in Florida ... with his four-legged friends in tow as he left a workout.

Speaking of legs, it's clear TB12 ain't neglecting his lower limbs ... 'cause he put his chiseled gams on full display as he rocked a pair of black short shorts.