Movies

Ray Liotta's legacy will surely live on in his hometown, where planning is underway to commemorate the late actor's career in Union Township, New Jersey ... cause the city is planning to honor him in a special way.

Ray grew up in Union Township, New Jersey ... he graduated high school there in 1973, and his iconic roles would make him one of the town's favorite sons. Current mayor Manuel Figueiredo tells TMZ, they are looking at a variety of options to honor Ray, but also giving the family time to grieve before making a final decision.

We're told, the city is considering naming one of its baseball fields after him, as a nod to his role in "Field of Dreams." The field they're looking at is used for youth sports in the area.

In case you didn't know, Ray was born in Newark, but raised in Union Township. His family actually has strong ties there -- his mom was the Township clerk, and his dad was a store owner and President of a local Democratic club.

Ray was inducted into the Union High School Hall of Fame in 1993, and that same year, he participated in the Township's Annual Holiday Tree Lighting ceremony.

As we've reported, Ray died in his sleep last week at the age of 67 ... while in the Dominican Republic filming a movie called "Dangerous Waters."

A huge "Pirates of the Caribbean"-themed ship cruised by the very courthouse where the star of the franchise is waiting to hear his fate.

The "boat" sits atop a flatbed truck and made a splash smack Tuesday in front of the Fairfax County Courthouse in Virginia.

The vessel has a Captain Jack Sparrow banner hanging off the side, displaying the actor's face for all to see ... it's also got a mannequin pirate in front, manning a cannon while looking out onto the choppy waters/sidewalk.

Johnny was spending time overseas during the holiday weekend -- although he traveled by air -- hitting the stage Monday for the second night in a row with Jeff Beck at the famed Royal Albert Hall in England, playing hits all night long.

Johnny Depp now has something in common with The Beatles -- they have both played the famed Royal Albert Hall in England.

Johnny hit the stage Monday for the second night in a row with Jeff Beck ... this, as he awaits a verdict in his defamation lawsuit against Amber Heard.

Beck and Johnny have a years-long connection. In introducing his bud, Beck said, "He came knocking on my dressing room door about five years ago and we haven't stopped laughing since."

They repeated the songs they sang together the night before in Sheffield ... John Lennon's "Isolation," Jimi Hendrix's "Little Wing," Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On," and The Beatles' "A Day In The Life."

As for whether the crowd loved it ... well, there were several standing O's.

Tom Cruise's latest blockbuster offering just goes to show you can teach an old dog new tricks -- and if you do it right ... moviegoers will pay out the nose for what you're selling.

Of course, we're talking about "Top Gun: Maverick" -- which broke box office records this Memorial Day weekend with an estimated $156 million domestic haul over the course of 4 days ... making it the highest-grossing film in that window since 'Pirates 3' in '07.

It's also TC's first $100 million opening in his career. So, lots of milestones were hit here -- this during a time when it's been hard to get asses in seats at the cineplex amid COVID.

Of course, it doesn't hurt that the movie has gotten rave reviews from both critics and normies alike -- in fact, 'TGM' is being hailed as even better than the OG from the '80s, which is really saying something ... as you may know, Part 1 is considered a cult classic!

As for what all the hype is about ... a lot of things. For starters, it's about as action-packed as you would want a summer popcorn flick to be. More importantly, a lot of that action is shown via practical effects ... as in, 85% of what you're seeing is real ... AKA, no CGI.

A majority of all the death-defying stunts you see in the air were, in fact, shot from actual fighter jets, with the actors in the real seats (but not really steering). The story's good too.

Kevin Spacey is ready to face his new legal trouble overseas, and is convinced he can clear his name of all sexual assault charges.

Spacey released a statement to "Good Morning America" Tuesday, saying he's going to "voluntarily appear in the U.K. as soon as can be arranged and defend myself against these charges."

He says he's confident he can prove he's innocent, While he admits he's disappointed the court moved forward with the charges, he thanks the Crown Prosecution Service for reminding the public he's allowed a fair trial.

As we reported, Spacey is facing 4 criminal charges for alleged incidents involving 3 different men between 2005 and 2013. On top of sexual assault, he's also been charged with causing a person to engage in penetrative sexual activity without consent.

All 4 charges have been authorized, and he can only be charged formally upon arrest in Wales or England.

Spacey was also sued in 2020 by "Star Trek: Discovery" actor Anthony Rapp, who claims he sexually assaulted him at the age of 14.

Michael Blackson says he and his fiancée aren’t afraid to get freaky in the bedroom, even if that might mean bringing another partner around while the other watches.

Michael’s the latest guest on "It's Tricky with Raquel Harper," and he held nothing back in talking about his sexual escapades with fiancee, Rada Darling, saying one of her favorite turn-ons is when she watches him do the deed with other women.

Michael didn't stop there, though — listen to the clip to find out what else he says gets Rada going.

Michael and Rada were together for a couple years when he decided to propose in a very public way — getting down on one knee during his radio interview with "The Breakfast Club."

Right after she said yes, Rada shouted, "Bye side b******!" to which Michael responded, "90% of the side b******, bye-bye."

Clearly, it doesn't sound like Blackson is done getting it on with other women, given what he told Raquel Harper, but Rada just has a good time with it now.

Owen Wilson's gonna need a hot new set of wheels ... cause cops say his were stolen right off his fancy car!!!

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... Owen parked his Tesla in front of his Santa Monica home Saturday -- but he came out Sunday morning to notice someone had stolen all his rims and tires.

In all, we're told the estimated cost was around $4K for everything, so not awful, but still a pain to handle.

We're told cops will investigate the case as grand theft and are checking neighborhood home security cameras for any leads on the thief or thieves.

Johnny Depp is not sitting at home anxiously waiting for the jury to decide his fate ... he's rocking out in England, and one of the songs has a title at the heart of the trial.

Johnny hit the stage with Jeff Beck in Sheffield England Sunday. Beck's touring the U.K. and Johnny made a surprise appearance, and the crowd went wild.

Depp joined Beck for their 2020 collab, "Isolation." But, the ironic moment ... they covered Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On." Slap a question mark on the title, and that's precisely what the jury is deciding.

They also performed Hendrix's "Little Wing."

There's a buzz Johnny might perform Monday and Tuesday night with Beck at the legendary Royal Albert Hall in London, but a Tuesday performance seems improbable. The jury is deliberating that day and could reach a verdict, and given the drama and Johnny's commitment to the trial, it's almost certain he wants to be in position in case there's a decision.

Depp died his hair for the performance ... it's much lighter than how he appeared in court.

As he testified, he came to Hollywood expecting to be a musician, which is his passion. He formed an epic band back in 2015, the Hollywood Vampires, with Alice Cooper and they frequently played at the Rainbow Bar & Grill on the Sunset Strip.

The president of all things 'Star Wars' pissed off diehard fans when she said they were pivoting away from old characters and storylines -- but one of the OGs himself isn't trippin'!

We got Billy Dee Williams -- who famously played Lando Calrissian in the initial trilogy back in the '70s -- out in L.A. this week ... and we asked about all this hubbub in the 'Star Wars' universe after Lucasfilm honcho Kathleen Kennedy made some controversial remarks.

ICYMI ... Kennedy said they were packing up all the Skywalker stuff and moving it to the shed, as they look forward to new plots and heroes. She also said they were never going to cast new actors as original fan faves in the wake of 'Solo' ... a prequel/origin story of sorts.

That was taken as a shot at the actors who portrayed Harrison Ford's beloved character, as well as Billy Dee's ... but if you watch our interview with him here, you can tell the dude isn't stressing nearly as much as some of the fanboys are.

Far from it ... in fact, BDW seems to be siding with Kennedy about the notion of moving to bigger and better things -- wisely pointing out that nothing lasts forever, even in a galaxy far, far away.

George Shapiro -- one of the most famous talent managers, who repped stars from Jerry Seinfeld to Andy Kaufman, not to mention a mega TV producer in his own right -- has died.

The one-man band of showbiz passed away from natural causes Thursday at his home in Beverly Hills -- this according to Deadline. No other details of his death were released.

Shapiro cut his teeth in entertainment by working as a hungry talent agent -- surrounding himself with some of the biggest names in entertainment at the time ... including Elvis Presley and Carl Reiner, the latter of whom he went on to represent/manage personally.

Eventually, he started his own business -- and while he continued to manage certain talent, like Kaufman, most of his work seemed to focus on producing hit TV shows ... some of which include "The Steve Allen Show," "That Girl" and 'Gomer Pyle.'

He also packaged a number of specials for huge variety show hosts at the time, like Dick Van Dyke, Mary Tyler Moore and Carol Channing. But, his biggest contribution to TV would come in the '90s. Of course, we're talking "Seinfeld," for which he served as an EP.

Jerry and George remained very close after the sitcom's epic run -- GS even went on to produce a number of standup specials for Jerry, and memorably appeared in the 2002 doc "Comedian" ... where Jerry tries his hand at comedy again in the wake of "Seinfeld."

As involved as he's been with Jerry over the years -- including continuing to produce for JS's recent projects, like "Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee" -- Shapiro was equally devoted to the late, great Kaufman ... going through the rollercoaster of his notoriety back in the day.

Their relationship was dramatized on film in 1999's 'Man on the Moon,' where Jim Carrey infamously went method to portray Kaufman, and with Danny DeVito playing George.

In short, Shapiro had worked with the best of the best ... and leaves behind a storied career. He's survived by his lifelong partner and mother of his children, Melody, his kids and his many grandchildren. He was 91.

Bo Hopkins -- famous from "American Graffiti" and other '70s cult classic films -- has died.

His wife, Sian, shared the sad news with THR Saturday ... saying BH had passed away a few weeks ago at a hospital in Van Nuys, CA after suffering a heart attack.

Hopkins had some legendary roles throughout his 7-decade career ... mostly carving out a rep as a supporting actor and a great on-screen villain/scoundrel, especially in 'AG' -- where he played Joe, the leader of the Pharaohs' greaser gang at the center of the flick.

'Graffiti' certainly helped put Hopkins on the map, but he'd already been making a name for himself in earlier films -- including a standout performance in "The Wild Bunch," where he played one of the zany outlaws looking to pull a big heist.

There were several other movies in which Hopkins left his mark -- including "Midnight Express," "The Getaway," "The Killer Elite," "The Nickel Ride," "The Only Way Home," "The Man Who Loved Cat Dancing," "Posse," "A Small Town in Texas" "Tentacles" and "White Lightning" -- just to name a few.

He also had a lot of TV roles as well -- having appeared in hit shows such as "Doc Elliot," "Hawaii Five-O," 'Mod Squad,' "Bonanza," "Gunsmoke,"  "Manhunter," "Barnaby Jones," "The Rockford Files," "Charlie's Angels," "The Fall Guy," "Dynasty," "Murder, She Wrote," and others.

Hopkins kept working well into the 2000s -- sometimes even doing voice acting, but for the most part, stuck with gun-slinging characters -- and his last job was in 2020's "Hillbilly Elegy" opposite Glenn Close and Amy Adams.

All in all, he's got over 130 acting credits under his belt ... and is regarded as one of the great supporting actors of his time.

Bo was 80.

Matthew McConaughey and some friendly pooches have touched down in Uvalde, TX -- but their presence alone won't fix what's become a major scandal on the slow police response.

The actor is back in his hometown, where he's meeting with families and children affected by the massacre on Tuesday ... when 21 people were slaughtered by a crazed gunman, including 19 children who were wiped out in a classroom he'd barricaded himself in.

Looks like he's with U.S. Congressman Tony Gonzalez -- representing Texas' 23rd district, encompassing Uvalde -- who posted some pics of their time together and thanked MMC.

Shortly after the news broke, Matt posted a lengthy message online calling for action and change on gun laws in the country, saying this phenomenon is "an epidemic we can control."

BTW, Matt's not the only one in town offering support ... there are doggos being trotted around town that are specifically aimed at making people feel better. The LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs are also making the rounds in Uvalde ... letting folks pet 'em to calm their nerves.

Not to knock any of these efforts to bring about calm and healing -- which this community desperately needs -- but there are slightly more pressing matters at hand ... like figuring out why Uvalde-area cops who were on the scene quickly waited so long to engage the shooter.

Col. Steven McCraw -- the director of the Texas Dept. of Public Safety, and Texas' top cop -- said the commanding officer that day made the "wrong decision" in his evaluation of what was happening ... which is why he ordered everyone to not approach for nearly an hour.

Apparently, this guy -- who's been ID'd as Uvalde School District's police chief, Pedro "Pete" Arredondo -- thought there was nobody (or nobody left alive) in the room the gunman had locked himself in ... but he was clearly wrong. Kids were calling 911 from inside.

Eventually -- as the story has now been reported -- Border Patrol agents eventually showed up and were told to stand down ... but after some time and building frustration, they went in anyway and killed the gunman themselves. At that point, though, it was far too late.

There are even reports of parents attempting to run into the school to get their kids since upwards of a dozen-plus cops were just standing around ... only to be cuffed and detained.

Pete Davidson has ventured West -- no, not THAT West -- after his exit from 'SNL.'

Pete's back in L.A. with GF Kim Kardashian. Kim was doing a photo shoot for SKIMS at her office — and Pete was hanging out.

Pete was decked out in a shower cap -- covering his bleached mane -- while KK rocked a pretty snazzy bodysuit.

The decks are now cleared for Pete to move to L.A. He hasn't said where he'll land, but he wants to do more movies so the City of Angels seems to be the place that makes the most sense.

Also, it's now undeniable -- his relationship with Kim is super serious, so enough of the bicoastal crap already.

If Pete does move to L.A. ... it's unclear where he'll live, but he DOES have options.

"Dancing with the Stars" pro Sharna Burgess just sold her place in the Hollywood Hills ... because she's moved in with BF Brian Austin Green, as they expect their first child together.

Real estate records show Sharna recently sold her two-bedroom home in Beachwood Canyon for $1,555,000 ... less than three months after putting it on the market.

Sharna bought the place back in 2017, and it's 1,157 square feet with hardwood floors, beamed ceilings and breathtaking views of the Hollywood Hills from every room.

The main level features a fireplace in the living room and an updated kitchen with high-end stainless appliances, plus an eat-in island and an outdoor deck. The bedrooms are on the lower level, and the primary suite has a custom walk-in closet and a private patio.

As we reported ... Sharna is pregnant, making the announcement back in February with a photoshoot with Brian. They began dating shortly after Brian's divorce from his ex-wife Megan Fox. Our sources say Sharna is now living with BAG ... so she's saying goodbye to the bachelorette pad and plans to reinvest that money into another property.

Ray Liotta was as polite and courteous as ever when he posed with a fan in the Dominican Republic just days before he passed away -- but more importantly ... he looked fine.

TMZ has obtained a photo of Ray on Sunday, May 22 -- a mere 4 days before he suddenly died in the island nation -- and this woman who was fortunate enough to snap a selfie of the two of them says he was as kind and receptive as could be.

Alba tells us she was strolling through BlueMall in Santo Domingo when she caught a glance of Ray walking alongside a couple of handlers as he was headed into a pharmacy.

While RL was inside, Alba walked up to his associates and asked if she could approach ... and they gave her the thumbs up. Alba says Ray embraced her, and was super gracious ... even praising her on how well she spoke English, given she was a DR native.

Alba would go on to pop the question -- asking for a selfie, not his hand in marriage -- and Ray didn't hesitate to say yes! Once Alba was satisfied with her photo, Ray said farewell.

As we reported, Ray died in his sleep Thursday, as he was accompanied by his fiancée in the Dominican Republic filming a movie called "Dangerous Waters." Sources close to the situation tell us Ray was in good spirits and happy to be working ... and that there were no signs of health issues leading up to his death. That's backed by this photo -- he looks fairly vibrant.

Ray Liotta is dead ... the actor passed away while in the Dominican Republic.

Ray was shooting a movie called "Dangerous Waters" on the island, and a source close to the actor tells TMZ ... he died in his sleep. We're also told there was nothing suspicious about the death, and no foul play is suspected.

Ray's fiancée Jacy Nittolo was with him in the D.R. while he was working on the project.

Deadline first reported his passing.

Liotta is most known for his starring role in the 1990 Martin Scorsese masterpiece, "Goodfellas," where he played mobster Henry Hill alongside Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci.

Ray lobbied hard for the role, and the film's success opened so many doors for him in Hollywood ... he worked almost nonstop.

The year before "Goodfellas" he had co-starred with Kevin Costner in another iconic film, "Field of Dreams" ... in which he played Shoeless Joe Jackson.

Ray went on to star in countless other films, including "Cop Land," "Corrina Corrina," "Operation Dumbo Drop," "Unforgettable," "Wild Hogs" and "Blow" ... in which he played Fred Jung, father to Johnny Depp's character, George Jung.

Jacy and Ray got engaged in 2020, right around Christmas. He excitedly shared the happy news on Instagram.

He has one daughter, Karsen Liotta, from his previous marriage to Michelle Grace. Karsen is following in her dad's acting footsteps.

Ray was 67.