The Oscars

Kevin Hart says you won't ever see him opening up the Oscars as the host, because while he's fine doing standup in packed arenas and stadiums -- he says a theater full of A-listers is a tough room for comedians.

It's been 5 years since Kevin stepped down from the gig after old homophobic tweets surfaced, but that's not why he's advising other comics against the job ... instead, he's referring to something Jo Koy might've learned the hard way.

Kevin tells Sky News the Oscars got it right one year -- 2019, the year he backed out -- by using a bunch of personalities to cohost the ceremony throughout the evening, but they haven't gone back to that formula.

He admits he'd have an advantage hosting award shows, because he has so many established relationships with the guests -- but he says for others, it's a grind.

Basically, he says the days of comics hosting award shows, at least comfortably, are over Jo Koy might agree with that after his jokes about Taylor Swift and Barbie's "big boobs" bombed at the Golden Globes.

Kevin had Koy's back, though ... saying there's too much pressure now on what's considered jokes and what's not.

Jimmy Kimmel's returning for his fourth stint at the Oscars this year ... he's been relatively tame so far, so we'll be watching to see how his fresh batch of jokes go over.

BTW, we got another big-time comedian to weigh in on Jo's handling of the job -- namely, Anthony Anderson ... and he seems to be in alignment with Kev here on how tough of a gig these types of award shows are.

As he told us at LAX this week ... you get with your writers and do the best you can with the amount of time you're given. In Jo's case, he says he had about a week before showtime. Noted!

Taraji P. Henson ahora está disparando contra su nueva película "El color púrpura", alegando que fue relegada a un trato de segunda clase durante la producción ... hasta que ella se defendió.

La actriz hizo una crítica mordaz sobre cómo, según ella, fue tratada (al principio) en el set de "El color púrpura", una película de Warner Bros, y cómo tuvo que exigir mejores condiciones de trabajo, incluyendo conseguir alguien que la llevara hasta el propio set.

En una nueva entrevista con el NYT, Taraji revela que tuvo que abogar no solo por sí misma, sino también por sus compañeros de reparto, diciendo: "Nos dieron carros de alquiler y yo estaba como, 'No puedo conducir hasta el set en Atlanta'. Esto es responsabilidad del seguro, es peligroso. Ahora le roban a la gente. ¿Qué aspecto tengo yo, yendo sola al trabajo en un carro de alquiler?".

La actriz añade: "Así que les dije: '¿Pueden llevarme a un chófer o alguien de seguridad? Me decían: 'Bueno, si lo hacemos por ti, tenemos que hacerlo por todos'. ¡Pues háganlo por todos! Son cosas así, cosas por las que no debería tener que luchar. Estaba en el plató de "Empire" luchando por remolques que no estuvieran infestados de bichos".

Taraji tenía más quejas que airear sobre la película, como por ejemplo, la afirmación de que el estudio, al parecer, no estaba interesado en llevar al elenco a una gira de prensa internacional, así como quejas porque tuvo que hacer una audición y romperse el culo por su papel en la película.

Ella explica: "¿Qué más tengo que hacer para demostrar mi valía? Ahora que estoy cantando y bailando para ti, y me subí a la mesa 88 veces con mis rodillas nudosas y tuve que ponerme hielo en las rodillas entre toma y toma, ¿qué más tengo que hacer?".

Todo esto sigue a varias semanas de Taraji y otras estrellas de la película discutiendo su bajo salario en Hollywood, y ha sido revelador, especialmente con nombres tan grandes unidos a esta película, incluyendo el de Oprah, que es productora y ha sido una parte clave de la promoción.

Taraji dice que Oprah tuvo que intervenir en su nombre un puñado de veces debido a sus quejas y, finalmente, todo se solucionó, pero parece haber sido una batalla cuesta arriba durante un tiempo. Una vez más, Taraji es una ganadora del Globo de Oro y actriz nominada al Oscar.

Taraji P. Henson is now taking shots at her own new film "The Color Purple," claiming she was relegated to second-class treatment while in production ... that is, until she fought back.

The actress gave a scathing critique over how she says she was dealt with as talent (at first) on the set of 'TCP' -- a WB film -- and how she had to demand better working conditions ... including getting a lift to and from the set itself.

In a new NYT interview, Taraji reveals she had to advocate not just for herself, but for her castmates as well ... saying, "They gave us rental cars, and I was like, 'I can’t drive myself to set in Atlanta.' This is insurance liability, it’s dangerous. Now they robbing people. What do I look like, taking myself to work by myself in a rental car?"

TPH adds, "So I was like, 'Can I get a driver or security to take me?' I’m not asking for the moon. They’re like, 'Well, if we do it for you, we got to do it for everybody.' Well, do it for everybody! It’s stuff like that, stuff I shouldn’t have to fight for. I was on the set of "Empire" fighting for trailers that wasn’t infested with bugs."

Taraji had more grievances to air about 'TCP' ... including the claim that the studio, apparently, wasn't interested in bringing the cast out internationally for a press run -- as well as complaints about the fact she had to audition and bust her ass for her role in the flick.

She explains ... "What else do I need to do to prove my worth? Now that I’m singing and dancing for you, and I climbed up on the table 88 times with my knobby knees and had to ice my knees in between takes, what else do I need to do?"

All this follows several weeks of Taraji and other stars of the film discussing their low pay in Hollywood ... and it's been eye-opening to watch -- especially with such big names attached to this film, including Oprah ... who's a producer and has been a key part of promotion.

Taraji says Oprah actually had to step in on her behalf a handful of times over these complaints of hers -- and eventually, everything got sorted out ... but it seems to have been an uphill battle for a while. Again, Taraji is a Golden Globe winner/Oscar-nominated actress.

Jeremy Allen White es el nuevo Marky Mark... no es que esté rapeando sobre "Good Vibrations", pero sí se ve muy guapo en la misma ropa interior que Wahlberg solía lucir en los anuncios publicitarios de la marca de ropa.

El actor lanzó su asociación con Calvin Klein el jueves con un conjunto de fotos de él en calzoncillos negros, mostrando su físico súper tonificado.

Por cierto, parece que hizo la sesión -o al menos parte de ella- en una azotea en Nueva York, la que resulta ser su ciudad natal.

Jeremy tiene muchas cosas a su favor en este momento, por lo que este trabajo como embajador de la marca es la guinda del pastel. Como ustedes saben, está acumulando rumores de un posible Oscar por su papel como Kerry Von Erich en "The Iron Claw" y es candidato al Globo de Oro al Mejor Actor este fin de semana por su trabajo en "The Bear".

Las cosas también parecen ir bien en el área de las citas. La semana pasada fue visto dando un paseo en Nueva York con su persona favorita, Rosalía.

Jeremy Allen White is the new Marky Mark -- no, he's not rapping about "Good Vibrations," but he sure as hell looks hot in the same undies Wahlberg used to rock on larger than life billboards.

The actor launched his partnership with Calvin Klein Thursday with a set of steamy photos of him in the signature white briefs -- showing off his shredded physique.

BTW, looks like he did the shoot -- or at least, part of it -- on a rooftop in NYC, which happens to be his hometown.

JAW's got a lot going for him right now, so this ambassador gig is the icing on the cake -- as you know, he's garnering Oscar buzz for his role as Kerry Von Erich in "The Iron Claw," and he's up for a Best Actor Golden Globe this weekend for his work in "The Bear."

Things also seem to be going well for him in the dating department ... 'cause he was spotted taking a stroll in NYC with his boo, Rosalía, last week.

John Legend puede ser un ganador del EGOT, pero ¿puedes igualarlo y descubrir los cambios menores en estas dos fotos? Ven a dar un paseo con John en el parque ... Quizá quieras ponerte la chaqueta, ¡hace frío aquí fuera!

A principios de semana, el cantante se abrigó en Nueva York y demostró sus habilidades futbolísticas. Puede que te esté tomando el pelo con los discretos cambios, pero, ¿te alegras de ver a John con el balón bien agarrado?

John Legend may be an EGOT winner, but can you win over the minor switch-ups in these two shots? Come take a stroll with John in the park ... you may wanna throw on your jacket ... it's cold out here!

Heading into the New Year in style, the singer bundled up in NYC earlier this week and showed off his footballin' skills! He may be stringin' you along with the discreet changes, but .... orange you glad to see John with a firm grip on his ball?

Lee Sun-kyun, mejor conocido por su papel en 2019 en la película ganadora del Óscar "Parásito"- murió a causa de un suicidio mientras era investigado por consumir drogas ilegales.

El actor surcoreano fue encontrado sin vida en su carro el miércoles en Seúl, después de que el representante de Lee denunciara su desaparición a la policía, según CNN.

Funcionarios de la ciudad capital dijeron a CNN que la muerte de Lee era "presumiblemente un suicidio", ya que los investigadores forenses fueron vistos colocando cinta policial en el lugar donde se descubrió el carro de Lee.

La policía de Incheon, una ciudad fronteriza con Seúl, interrogó a Lee en tres ocasiones durante una investigación criminal por posible consumo de estupefacientes.

Lee admitió haber consumido drogas, pero dijo que lo engañaron y lo chantajearon para que los tomara, ya que acabó demandando al extorsionador. Al parecer, la policía recibió un soplo sobre su consumo de estupefacientes justo antes de que presentara la demanda.

Como parte de la investigación policial, Lee fue sometido repetidamente a pruebas de drogas, pero los resultados siempre fueron negativos, según CNN.

Los agentes interrogaron por última vez a Lee el 23 de diciembre. Lo mantuvieron detenido durante 19 horas antes de ponerlo en libertad.

Dos sospechosos -un hombre y una mujer- fueron detenidos en relación con la investigación sobre narcóticos.

El martes -el día antes en que fue hallado muerto- solicitó a través de su abogado que la policía lo sometiera a él y a las otras dos personas detenidas a una prueba del detector de mentiras. No está claro si los tres fueron sometidos a la prueba del polígrafo.

En la comedia-thriller "Parásito", Lee interpretaba el papel estelar de Park Dong-ik, el padre de una familia adinerada atacada por un clan de intrigantes indigentes que se infiltran en su hogar. La película obtuvo 4 Óscar en 2020, incluido el de Mejor Película.

Lee tenía 48 años.

Que en paz descanse.

Lee Sun-kyun – best known for his 2019 role in the Oscar-winning film "Parasite" – has died by suicide while under investigation for using illegal drugs.

The South Korean actor was found dead in his car Wednesday in the capital city of Seoul after Lee's manager reported him missing to police, according to CNN.

Seoul officials told the network Lee's death was "presumed to be suicide," as forensic investigators were seen putting up police tape where Lee's car was discovered.

Police in Incheon, a city that borders Seoul, interrogated Lee on three occasions during the criminal probe into his possible narcotics use.

Lee admitted to consuming drugs, but claimed he was tricked into taking them and blackmailed, as he ended up suing the extortionist. Cops were allegedly tipped off about Lee's narcotics use just before he filed the lawsuit.

As part of the police investigation, Lee was repeatedly drug tested, but the results always came back negative, CNN said.

Officers last questioned Lee on December 23, keeping him detained for 19 hours before releasing him.

Two suspects – a man and a woman – were arrested in connection with the narcotics investigation.

On Tuesday – the day before Lee was found dead – he requested through his attorney that police administer a lie detector test to him and the two people who were arrested. It's not clear if the three were given the polygraph exam.

In the comedy-thriller, "Parasite," Lee had a starring role as Park Dong-ik – the father of a wealthy family targeted by an indigent clan of schemers who infiltrate their household. The film snagged 4 Oscars at the 2020 Academy Awards, including Best Picture.

Lee was 48.

RIP

Jada Pinkett Smith says she and Will may have been completely dunzo by now, were it not for literally having some sense slapped into them ... indirectly, of course, because poor Chris Rock was the actual target.

Jada further opened up about the famous slap to Daily Mail, saying, "I nearly didn't even attend the Oscars that year, but I'm glad I did," adding, "I call it the 'holy slap' now because so many positive things came after it."

Jada said, "After all those years trying to figure out if I would leave Will's side, it took that slap for me to see I will never leave him."

As Jada revealed in her memoir, she and Will have been separated since 2016, but judging from their public statements since the book's release, they're back on track, although the scope of their relationship is still a mystery.

Will had previously cosigned on his wife's take, saying back in October ... “We have had a very, very long and tumultuous [relationship]. We call it ‘brutiful.’ It was brutal and beautiful at the same time.”

Johnny Depp no ha sido ampliamente abrazado por muchas estrellas de Hollywood desde su juicio con Amber Heard, pero una estrella le está dando la bienvenida con los brazos abiertos... Will Smith.

Los dos actores estaban en el Festival de Cine del Mar Rojo en Arabia Saudita la semana pasada y cada uno caminó por la alfombra por separado, al igual que otras grandes celebridades. Pero una vez que entraron, se encontraron y se mostraron realmente amistosos el uno con el otro.

Curiosamente, el propio Will publicó un par de clips que lo muestran a él y a Johnny abrazandos y charlando. Aunque el momento es fugaz como parte de su compilación más grande, queda claro que asistió al evento y se encontró con Depp.

Sin embargo, Will no mencionó explícitamente a Johnny ni habló de su encuentro en el pie de foto. Simplemente escribió: "¡Gracias, Festival de Cine del Mar Rojo! Habéis creado auténtica magia: ¡un oasis de arte y creatividad! ¿Qué será lo próximo? Me apunto".

En realidad tienes que ver el post en su totalidad para captar el hecho de que pasaron el rato, pero está ahí, y definitivamente es interesante, ya que parece que es la primera gran estrella en relacionarse de esta manera con Johnny, especialmente después del juicio.

El "regreso" de Johnny ha sido menos que tibio y ha aparecido en algunas campañas de alto perfil aquí y allá, pero no lo hemos visto participar realmente de nuevo en la escena de Hollywood de una manera importante. Lo mismo ocurre con su exesposa.

Como hemos dicho, Will parece ser el primer verdadero "superfamoso" que ha aceptado a Johnny de nuevo y por extraño que parezca, no parecen tener ninguna historia real. No hay películas juntos y no eran viejos amigos.

A pesar de todo, aquí está Will apretando fuerte a Johnny sin reservas. Teniendo en cuenta que el propio Will se ha convertido en el centro de la polémica últimamente, es bueno verlo relajado.

Will acaba de decir el otro día que está en un viaje de curación y tratando de ajustar su visión de la vida y parece que comienza con no juzgar a los demás que han sido etiquetados de cierta manera. Por cierto, la reputación de Johnny sigue siendo increíblemente divisiva, incluso después de su victoria en los tribunales.

Johnny Depp hasn't been widely embraced by very many A-listers in Hollywood since his trial with Amber Heard -- but one star's welcoming him back with open arms ... Will Smith.

The two actors were both at the Red Sea Film Festival in Saudi Arabia this past week, and they each walked the carpet separately ... as did other big celebs. But once they got inside, it appears they not only crossed paths ... but brought it in for the real thing, all friendly-like.

Interestingly, Will himself posted a couple clips that show him and Johnny hugging and chatting -- and although the moment is fleeting as part of his larger compilation ... he didn't shy away from it, and he certainly didn't try to hide the fact he palled around with JD.

Now, WS didn't explicitly go out of his way to name Johnny or touch on their meetup in his caption. He simply wrote, "Wow! Thank You Red Sea Film Festival! You have created real Magic — An Oasis of art & creativity! What’s Next? I’m in."

You actually have to watch his post in full to catch the fact they hung out -- but it's there, and it's definitely interesting ... as it appears he's the first big-time star to deal with Johnny in this manner, especially post-trial.

Johnny's "comeback" has been less than lukewarm -- he's appeared in some high-profile campaigns here and there ... but we haven't seen him really splash back onto the Hollywood scene in a major, mainstream way. Ditto for his ex-wife, BTW ... she's at arm's length as well.

Like we said ... Will looks to be the first real A-lister who's accepted Johnny back into the fold -- as a manner of speaking. And, strangely enough, they don't seem to have any real history ... no movies together, and they weren't old friends either from what we can tell.

And yet, here's Will squeezing Johnny tight with no reservations. Considering Will himself has become somewhat embattled of late -- perhaps it's not as crazy as we think.

Will did just say the other day that he's on a healing journey and trying to adjust his outlook on life -- and it would seem that starts with not judging others who've been labeled a certain way. FWIW, Johnny's rep is still incredibly divisive ... even after his in-court victory.

Will Smith is once again reflecting on the ups and downs of his life over the past couple years -- and he says he's a work in progress ... who shouldn't rely on outside validation.

The actor was onstage and addressing a crowd Saturday in Saudi Arabia for the Red Sea Film Festival -- where he talked about a number of things ... but perhaps most notably, he addressed his "many adversities" over the past couple years and how he's processed it.

Of course, he's very much alluding to his Oscars slap moment -- but he also seems to be touching on his personal life as well, especially as it pertains to his marriage with Jada Pinkett Smith. Check out what he says about the highs and lows of fame ... it's interesting.

It's a long-winded response he has here, but essentially ... it boils down to not needing the outside world to clap for him on any given thing he's doing, professionally or otherwise.

It sounds like Will has sought that as the years have gone on ... but he now says he has to teach himself to be content with himself/his mission regardless -- vowing to continue on the path of self-improvement and to not let outside influences affect him as much as they have.

On how he's reacted to setbacks, WS says he's "deeply human" ... and that is virtue is not perfected, although he hopes to sharpen it now going forward. His goal these days is to perfect his light, and to teach others about the craft of filmmaking/storytelling.

It might sound like a lot of mumbo-jumbo ... but there are kernels of wisdom in what Will's saying. From what we can glean -- he's essentially promising not to let the world get him down, or to rile him up ... regardless of what's being said, or who's saying it.

As you know, Will's been the subject of A LOT of chatter lately ... not so much for the slap these days, but for his relationship -- which was recently revealed to be less than traditional.

The other good news out of this weekend appearance is the fact he revealed 'I Am Legend 2' is a go ... and that Michael B. Jordan is going to be in it -- with a script now done.

Bradley Cooper says he'd trade away not one, not two -- but THREE Oscars in 2024 if it meant Jalen Hurts and the Eagles were this season's Super Bowl champions instead.

The A-list actor -- whose Oscar-worthy film, "Maestro," is set to drop next month -- made the stunning claim to Howard Stern earlier this week ... after the radio host posed a "Sophie's Choice" style question on-air.

"I really want you to answer this in a serious manner," Stern said to Cooper. "You win the Oscar not only for Best Director [for 'Maestro'] but Best Actor, and Carey Mulligan wins Best Actress."

"Or," Stern continued, "the Eagles have a Super Bowl victory."

Without hesitation, Cooper said, "Eagles Super Bowl victory. Eagles."

"I know," he added while shaking his head. "I'm sick."

When Stern asked if Cooper was lying, he repeated that he truly wasn't fibbin'.

It's an eyebrow-raising statement, to say the least ... considering Cooper's never won an Academy Award despite being nominated nine times -- and the Eagles just won a ring in 2018 (which he got to witness in person).

But, Bradley was adamant he'd still take a title for his beloved team over some golden hardware for his mantle.

Of course, it really might not be farfetched to think Bradley was telling the truth ... after all, he's been seen at Philly games regularly this season, including on Sunday, when he went crazy celebrating their overtime win against the Bills.

Will Smith y Jada Pinkett Smith estuvieron juntos de nuevo y sonriendo a la cámara para este Día de Acción de Gracias, aunque el modo en que lo compartieron difiere en una manera que puede ser significativa.

La pareja, que ha dejado claro recientemente que no tienen una relación o matrimonio tradicional, reunió a toda la familia, incluyendo sus hijos y sus padres, todos bajo un mismo techo para una sesión de fotos profesional.

Will y Jada subieron diferentes fotos en sus respectivas cuentas de Instagram, pero parece que Will expresó mucho más que Jada, particularmente por unas fotos bastante cariñosas entre ellos.

Como pueden ver, la foto en donde salen solos posando, él aparece dándole un beso en la cabeza a Jada. La versión de Jada de esa foto es un poco diferente... Ella publicó una imagen le acaricia su cabeza, pero la lanzó como parte de un collage más grande.

Obviamente, esto es leer entre líneas, pero bueno, teniendo en cuenta todo lo que ha circulado sobre estos dos en los últimos años, vale la pena analizar estas cosas.

A primera vista, parece que Will quiso presentar más a una pareja feliz y unida en sus fotos. Jada, en cambio, se centró más en la familia, lo que coincide con la forma en que ha hablado de Will, sobre todo últimamente.

Recordemos que Jada reveló hace algunas semanas que llevaban viviendo vidas separadas con Will hace años y que ya no estaban involucrados románticamente. También dijo que se sorprendió cuando Will se refirió a ella como su "esposa", tras abofetear a Chris Rock en los Oscar.

Las revelaciones de su libro de memorias ponen un nuevo foco en su dinámica, que ya había estado bajo el microscopio mucho antes de su libro y que se multiplicó más en los últimos días con la última afirmación.

A pesar de todo el drama, e independiente de si están en la misma página en las fotos que subieron de su familia, los Smith parecen estar disfrutando juntos estas vacaciones.

Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith were back together and smiling for the camera this Thanksgiving -- although their public evidence differs in what may be a significant way.

The couple -- who've recently made clear they don't have a traditional relationship/marriage -- got the whole fam together for the holiday ... which included themselves, their kids and their parents, with everyone coming together under one roof for a neat pro photo shoot.

WS and JPS uploaded different shots on their respective Instagram pages, but it appears Will threw up way more than Jada did ... notably, some pretty loving shots between him and her.

As you can see, the pic where it's just him and Jada posing together features him planting a kiss on her head. Her version of that photo is a tad bit different, though ... she posted one where he's nuzzling/cradling her head and threw it up as part of a larger collage.

Obviously, this is reading into the tea leaves a bit ... but hey, considering everything that's been circulating about these two over the years -- it's worth analyzing this stuff.

On its face, it would appear Will wanted to present more of a happy couple/united front vibe with his photos, and Jada seemed content with keeping her IG upload focused more on the family at large ... which kinda jibes with how she's spoken about Will, especially lately.

Remember, Jada revealed last month that she and Will had been living separate lives for years and weren't romantically involved anymore -- while also going on to say she was shocked when Will referred to her as his "wife" when he slapped Chris Rock at the Oscars.

Her memoir revelations put renewed focus on their dynamic, which had already been under a microscope well before her book -- and that was multiplied with the latest salacious claim.

Despite all that drama -- and regardless of whether they're on the same page with their family photo uploads or not -- the Smiths appear to be enjoying each other for the holidays.