Movies

Mickey Gilley -- a mega country star in the '70s and '80s -- has died ... this according to his own Texas community, which officially made the announcement.

The singer and founder of the "world's biggest honky tonk" died Saturday surrounded by loved ones -- sad news that the mayor of Pasadena, TX broke this weekend via the city's official Facebook page. Jeff Wagner writes, "It was my great honor to know this man most of my life. Mickey was a true musical talent who charted 42 singles in the Top 40 Country Charts over a span of two decades." The exact circumstances of his death weren't revealed.

Wagner went on to give a nod to Gilley for putting Pasadena on the map via the John Travolta flick, "Urban Cowboy," and added ... "We were so honored to have Mickey perform at our State of the City in February, 2020. Our prayers for comfort and peace are with Mickey's family, his loved ones and his fans." He attached photos of the event mentioned.

Gilley will probably be best remembered for launching Gilley's Club -- a dance hall that rose to prominence after it was heavily featured in 'UC' ... and which went on to become a tourist attraction for country fans everywhere.

The guy also had some of his own music in the film, including his rendition of Ben E. King's "Stand by Me," which became a smash hit at the time ... peaking at #1 on Billboard's Country chart, and even climbing other charts as well.

Even before his resurgence in the '80s, MG had a lot of success in the '70s from songs like "Room Full of Roses," "Don't The Girls All Get Prettier at Closing Time," "Honky Tonk Memories," "Here Comes the Hurt Again," "Bring It on Home to Me," among others.

He's won several awards ... mostly with the Academy of Country Music, including Single of the Year, Song of the Year, Entertainer of the Year, Top Male Vocalist, and Album of the Year, etc.

Mickey's survived by his wife, Cindy Loeb Gilley, and his 4 children. He was 86.

Johnny Depp and Amber Heard won't be bumping into each other on their way in and out of court ... measures are in place to keep the exes separated as the defamation trial unfolds.

Sources familiar with the situation tell TMZ ... Johnny and Amber's entrances and exits are arranged by court deputies, who work with their security teams to stagger timing to make sure they don't see each other.

When court breaks for lunch, we're told Johnny and Amber are taken to opposite ends of the courthouse ... with deputies escorting them to their own secure areas away from the public.

The separation is taken super seriously ... in this clip from Amber's testimony Thursday, you see deputies stand between Johnny and Amber to make sure they don't get close to one another as they are shuffled off for a lunch break.

While there's been rampant speculation Johnny and Amber made eye contact in that moment, sources close to Amber tell us they didn't lock eyes.

As you know ... the trial is now on a break until May 16, when Amber will be back on the stand for more questioning from her attorney, Elaine Bredehoft, and then cross-examination.

During the weeklong break, Amber is not allowed to consult with any of her attorneys -- per the judge -- because she's still in the middle of her testimony ... we're told she'll use the break to get some rest, while also spending time with her family, including her sister, who's been staying with Amber during the trial.

The reason for the break ... the judge is going to a legal conference. Johnny and Amber knew about it going in and the trial was scheduled around the judge's prior obligation. Closing arguments will take place May 27 and then the jury will begin deliberations.

There's been plenty of explosive testimony from both Johnny and Amber. During her time on the stand, cameras showed Johnny eating gummies, doodling on paper and even appearing to snicker at her testimony. People close to Amber tell us they find Johnny's courtroom behavior rude and insensitive to Amber and the court.

On Thursday, a spokesperson for Amber said, "Mr. Depp's behavior in this trial has been as pitiful as it was in their marriage."

Meanwhile, Johnny's team has bashed Amber's testimony as the "performance of her life."

Open your home to "The Flash" star Ezra Miller, and next thing ya know there's total chaos and you're dodging flying chairs ... at least that's what their most recent alleged victim told a 911 operator.

During the 911 call, a woman claims Ezra hit her in the head with a chair and then fled the property on Hawaii's big island. She says she'd offered up her home to them, and insisted she'd been very nice to Ezra.

You can hear how distressed she was, urging cops to show up and find Ezra before they could escape.

As we reported, the 29-year actor was arrested for second-degree assault last month after officers responded to the incident at a private residence in Pāhoa. Cops say Ezra got annoyed after being asked to leave, and that's when he allegedly hurled the furniture. The woman ended up with a half-inch cut to her forehead.

Of course, this isn't Ezra's first run-in with the law, in Hawaii. They were arrested another time, in March, for disorderly conduct in a karaoke bar.

Weeks before that incident, they were physically blocked from getting into another bar.

Pete Davidson is poking fun at Kanye West's divorce from Kim Kardashian ... comparing his girlfriend's ex-hubby to a famous Robin Williams movie character.

The 'SNL' star came out swinging in his stand-up set on "Netflix Is a Joke: The Festival" ... shading Kanye for being a modern-day Mrs. Doubtfire.

Pete asks the crowd ... "Does anybody else secretly hope that, like, Kanye pulls like a Mrs. Doubtfire? I come home one day and they're like, this is the new housekeeper. And, he's like, "What's up fam?"

Of course, Robin played the title character in the 1993 movie about a divorced actor who dresses up as a female housekeeper to be able to see his kids.

Pete even joked about the Kanye allegedly spreading rumors he had AIDS ... joking John Mulaney called him and told him the best way to respond would be to spread a rumor Kanye has Polio.

Pete's bit went on ... he says he's not bothered by Kanye's collab with his friend Jack Harlow ... joking the thing that would offend him is if comedian Bill Burr suddenly showed up at Sunday Service.

Jason Momoa is itching to play the villain in "Fast & Furious 10" ... practicing stunts on a chopper and showing off some serious muscle in the process.

Jason jumped on a hog that was attached to a camera and rode up a set of stairs in Rome. When he got to the top he strolled back down, removing his jacket ... revealing a tank top partially covering the endless muscle.

Jason's the newest addition to the 'F&F' franchise. It's a good time to be part of the franchise because the 9th installment last year did super well ... raking in $721 million worldwide.

The franchise has an insane list of stars, including Vin Diesel, Charlize Theron, John Cena and Idris Elba.

Johnny Depp's team is trying to tear apart Amber Heard's testimony ... claiming it's nothing more than performance art.

Johnny's spokesperson tells TMZ ... their prediction during opening statements has now come to fruition ... that Amber has been "preparing to give the performance of her life in this trial." They now say their prediction was dead-on accurate.

They claim her stories of abuse have evolved with "new and convenient details" as time goes on. By contrast, they say Johnny's "recollections have remained exactly the same throughout the 6 painful years since her first allegations were made."

They also say the upcoming cross-examination from Johnny's team will be telling, as Depp's attorneys zero in on alleged inconsistencies in her stories. As you know, Amber wrapped up day 2 of her testimony ... where she told the jury he called her a "nagging bitch" and a "c***."

Amber also claimed Johnny once penetrated her with a glass bottle during one of his alleged violent outbursts.

Amber Heard is testifying for the second day, telling the jury Johnny Depp called her a "nagging bitch" and a "c***."

Amber told jurors ... a year into their relationship, it was apparent to her Johnny had an extreme substance abuse problem ... passing out, getting sick and losing control.

She described an incident where she says Johnny tried to burn a painting, and how he accused her of having an affair with a musician. She says during that time, Johnny was strung out on cocaine, and not eating or sleeping.

She says in 2013, during a junket in Tokyo for "The Lone Ranger," Amber called him out on drinking in front of his kids, and she says he became upset that she was judging him. She says he screamed at her in the hotel room and called her a "nagging bitch" and a "c***."

Heard has experienced a range of emotions on the stand since her testimony began Wednesday ... from sadness and happiness to anger. She detailed claims of Depp searching her for drugs, times he allegedly got physical with her and even how they first met ... including their first kiss on the set of "The Rum Diary."

Depp arrived at court Thursday in rockstar fashion -- with fans greeting him and holding flowers and posters to show their support. Depp waved, touched his heart and thanked them as he went inside.

It's unclear exactly how long Heard will be on the stand ... but her time will almost certainly include more explosive testimony and allegations.

We'll be carrying the whole thing live.

New York native Héctor Elizondo was no stranger to the cameras when he landed the role of Barney Thompson -- the hotel concierge of The Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills -- in the classic 1990 romantic comedy "Pretty Woman."

Héctor shared the big screen with A-list actors including Richard Gere as the successful millionaire businessman, Edward Lewis, Jason Alexander as the creepy lawyer, Philip Stuckey ... and of course Julia Roberts as the lady of the night who turned into the ultimate love interest, Vivian Ward.

Héctor is also known for his roles in "Chicago Hope," "Runaway Bride," "Young Doctors In Love" and "Georgia Rule."

Ludacris is officially a Panther for life -- he just got some southern hospitality at his alma mater Georgia State University: an honorary degree in Bachelor of Science in Music Management!

The 'Fast & Furious' legend addressed more than 800 master’s degree graduates on Wednesday to kick off the school's Commencement Week.

Despite attending GSU for a couple of years, Ludacris isn't your average college dropout. He actually left the Music Management program in the mid-90s ... because he signed a record deal with Def Jam Records and released his 2000 breakout single "What's Your Fantasy."

The rest is hip hop history. Luda would go on to release several multi-platinum albums and become a staple in Hollywood (including the aforementioned multi-billion Fast & Furious' franchise) and a happily married father of four.

Still, with all his success, Luda was clear to let the graduates know his heart never left the campus and signing to Def Jam was a "once-in-a-lifetime" opportunity.

He saluted GSU for not only having its first African-American President in nearly a century, but also for graduating more African-Americans than any other university in America!

Amber Heard has started testifying in Johnny Depp's defamation case -- the first opportunity she's had to tell her side of the story during the trial ... and it will be interesting to see if she can turn things around.

Johnny's ex-wife is on the stand, with her attorneys asking her questions first. They'll presumably guide her through a completely different narrative than the one JD's legal team has laid out thus far with their witnesses and even their own client.

As you know ... Johnny's side has presented him as the real victim of domestic violence -- as opposed to the other way around -- with the actor claiming Amber would often pick fights and even resort to violence when things escalated. He's insisted he never struck her.

Johnny's witnesses have also backed his story ... with friends and workers who were around in those days saying they, too, never saw any marks on Amber during the period she claims she was being hit. Three LAPD officers have testified to the same ... which was major.

Now, it's Amber's turn ... and she's got a lot of ground to make up -- not just for the jury, we're sure, but in the court of public opinion ... which seems to be firmly on Johnny's side.

It'll be interesting to see how she responds to the most damning pieces of evidence that have been introduced thus far -- including the mystery of poop in Johnny's bed, the makeup mix-up that kicked this whole thing off ... and her admitting on tape to hitting her then-hubby.

Of course, people also wanna hear how she explains the fact Johnny got his finger cut off. He says it was injured when she threw a vodka bottle at him -- and we know she's denied that before ... but here, we'll probably get to hear the gory details from her POV all over again.

If Amber can come off as believable and compelling on the stand, it could have a big impact on the jury ... because as we said, she has not been painted in the greatest of lights at this point.

'90s heartthrob Freddie Prinze Jr. is starting his own wrestling company ... and says in order to make his dreams happen, he had to get back in front of the camera.

The 46-year-old discussed his exciting plans on his "Wrestling With Freddie" podcast on Wednesday ... revealing he's already in the process of launching an independent promotion.

Of course, FPJ is most known for starring in movies like "I Know What You Did Last Summer," "Scooby-Doo" and "She's All That" ... but when it comes to wrestling fans, he's as passionate as they come -- he's even stepped in the ring for WWE in the past.

Freddie says after taking pitch meetings with a different promotion that didn't go as he had hoped, he decided to take matters into his own hands and set up his own shop.

But first, the guy had to figure out the financials -- so, after a discussion with his accountant, he knew it was time to get back to work ... taking a Netflix project called, "Christmas With You" in order to fund his new venture.

Freddie -- who was a face of the 1990s -- had pretty much only done voice acting roles over the past decade ... so his return to the screen is a big deal.

As it turns out, Freddie says he fell in love with acting again ... but his desire to start a wrasslin' company remained his focus.

Prinze Jr. details his whole plan in his podcast ... saying he wants to be up and running in 18 months, own the venue in Los Angeles and have every wrestler unionized.

Johnny Depp's supporters are out in full force -- showing the actor a ton of love as he arrives for court -- on the day Amber Heard is expected to take the stand.

Depp just got to the courthouse in Fairfax, Virginia where close to 50 fans, mostly women, greeted him with everything from posters with positive messages to flowers. Johnny clearly took notice, waving to and thanking everyone with a big smile on his face.

Of course, things inside the courtroom aren't as peachy -- with more shocking testimony that happened Tuesday -- including accusations Depp did a "cavity search" on Amber once when checking if she had any cocaine.

The entire trial has been full of wild claims, and Johnny's team rested its case earlier this week ... it's expected Amber will finally take the stand Wednesday.

Amber's legal team tried to get the whole thing dismissed after Johnny's team rested ... but the judge wasn't having it. A rep for Johnny told us on the decision, "Numerous witnesses have testified that Ms. Heard engaged in psychological, verbal and physical abuse towards Mr. Depp and we are pleased at Chief Judge Azcarate’s ruling to continue with the trial after Mr. Rottenborn failed to convince the court that there was reason to dismiss the case."

Tom Cruise's new friend/collaborator, Lady Gaga, has gotten the seal of approval from one very special fan ... Tom's daughter, Bella, who -- SHOCKINGLY -- is 29 years old!!!

Gaga posted a photo on Instagram Tuesday, kissing Tom on the cheek, thanking him for coming to the show .. and Bella was quick to like the pic.

Bella has kept a low profile over the years. She's been estranged from her mom, Nicole Kidman, but apparently has maintained a relationship with T.C.

Nicole and Tom adopted Bella and her brother, Connor, back in 1995 while they were married. As you know, that marriage disintegrated in 2001.

Tom and Nicole shared custody for a while, but the relationship between Bella and Nicole was strained ... reportedly over Scientology.

Maybe there's been a shift, because Bella has been liking some of Nicole's Instagram photos lately.

Johnny Depp searched Amber Heard for cocaine once -- an inspection that apparently went in and around her body, including private areas ... at least according to a forensic psychologist, who claims Amber made the allegations during her evaluation of the actress.

Dr. Dawn Hughes was Amber's witness who took the stand Tuesday to combat what Dr. Curry -- JD's witness -- alleged about her last week ... namely, that Amber suffered from a couple different personality disorders and that she was making up symptoms of PTSD.

Hughes testified to the exact opposite ... telling the jury her evaluation of Amber -- which consisted of about 29 hours total -- made her believe she was, in fact, a victim of domestic abuse.

There were some disturbing things Dr. Hughes claims Amber told her ... including allegations of Johnny kicking her in the back, pushing her, slapping her and alleged instances of sexual violence, much of which she says occurred when JD was under the influence.

One other bombshell claim from Dr. Hughes, based on what she says Amber told her ... Johnny, at one point, allegedly subjected Amber to a "cavity search," poking around on the inside of her vagina to see if he could find cocaine he believed she was hiding from him.

Another disturbing alleged tale ... Dr. Hughes claims Amber told her that Johnny penetrated her with a bottle once, and that the whole time she was worried it might be broken and cut her up inside.

She relayed even more of Amber's claims ... including that Johnny was incredibly jealous, allegedly contacting male costars of hers to say he had eyes on the set ... which Hughes says made Amber incredibly anxious that he'd show up on set at any given moment.

Amber Heard made a last-ditch effort to get Johnny Depp's defamation claims tossed after his side rested their case -- but a judge said hell no ... and now, it's time to tell her side of the story in court.

The actress's legal team filed a motion Tuesday asking the judge to dismiss several of Depp's claims -- which was to be expected and is apparently fairly standard in these types of cases.

Ben Rottenborn argued that Depp and co. couldn't win the case because they had not proven that Amber acted with actual malice with her op-ed piece ... claiming that she didn't even come up with the headline, and that the ACLU actually penned the first draft for her.

For their part, Amber's team is standing firm that her underlying claims of DV are true -- insisting Depp, through his testimony and other evidence, essentially showed how he'd abused her in some capacity ... even if it was more so verbal/emotional than physical.

Johnny's attorneys offered their rebuttal in fierce terms -- Ben Chew came out swinging from the outset as he tried to bat down Amber's attorney's framing ... yelling in the courtroom that Amber, herself, was the abuser in this case.

In the end ... it would appear the judge here mostly sided with Johnny because she refused to strike his claims -- save for one issue about the WaPo headline, which she tabled for later since that evidence hasn't been introduced yet.

At this point, Amber and her team are going to have to present their side -- thus far, it's been all Johnny. Amber is expected to testify on her behalf this week ... so it'll be interesting to see how she refutes Depp's current characterization.

On the issue of Johnny prevailing in keeping this case alive, a rep for the actor said, "Numerous witnesses have testified that Ms. Heard engaged in psychological, verbal and physical abuse towards Mr. Depp and we are pleased at Chief Judge Azcarate’s ruling to continue with the trial after Mr. Rottenborn failed to convince the court that there was reason to dismiss the case."

The Met Gala is officially wrapped, but the stars weren't done partying after walking into the museum -- far from it, in fact ... every famous face around was at either one of 3 shindigs.

After Monday's fashion-forward event ... celebs flocked to a few of the after-parties in the Big Apple that essentially became a who's-who of Hollywood. We'll lay out some of the names at each bash ... and you can decide which one was the place to be when the sun went down.

First, there was the Casa Cipriani after-party -- hosted by Kate Moss and Naomi Campbell -- which drew A-listers like Vanessa Hudgens, Cara Delevingne, Gunna, Bella Hadid, Ansel Elgort, Jared Leto, Leonardo DiCaprio, Billie Eilish, Winnie Harlow, Joshua Jackson ... just to name a few.

SAINt JHN performed for the crowd, as folks enjoyed the hits, while also mingling and posing with one another for selfies, and admiring one another's outfits. There was a lot of that happening.

Not too far was another get-together at the Standard Hotel -- this one's being attributed to Cardi B -- and there, too, stars showed up in droves to hobnob and mingle.

Among some of the biggest names ... Dove Cameron, Tessa Thompson, Normani, Camila Mendes, Future, Justin Theroux, Cardi B, Camila Cabello, Erykah Badu, Brooklyn Beckham, Alicia Keys, Wendy Williams ... and more.

There was one final party, and that one was at Zero Bond ... seems like it was for the younger crowd. Hailey Bieber, Kendall Jenner, Addison Rae, Olivia Rodrigo, Kaia Gerber and Austin Butler were there. It also looks like a lot of these folks were double-dipping ... hopscotching from one even to another.