Austin Butler Wins Leading Actor BAFTA ... Thanks Presley Family

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A TREMENDOUS HONOR
Twitter / @BAFTA

Austin Butler just won another huge award in his Oscars campaign -- snagging a BAFTA across the pond ... and making sure to shout out the Presley family amid their tragedy.

The actor walked away with a statuette Sunday for Leading Actor -- obviously, for his portrayal of Elvis -- and during his acceptance speech ... AB dished out a lot of thank-yous, the last of which he saved for Elvis' immediate family, with whom he's grown close.

Watch ... Austin went down a list of names, everyone from his movement and vocal coach to his agent and publicist ... the cast and crew ... and, of course, director Baz Luhrmann.

At the end of his remarks, he eloquently said ... "Lastly, I want to thank the Presley family. I cannot thank you guys enough for your love, and for sharing with me who Elvis truly was. I hope I've made you proud. This means the world to me."

No explicit mention of Lisa Marie Presley -- who died suddenly a few weeks ago, following his Golden Globes win -- but according to Variety ... Austin did, in fact, acknowledge her passing. According to them, he's quoted as saying it's an "unimaginably tragic time," while going on to say his love was with the Presleys, and that this moment was bittersweet.

While he was backstage, he also talked about what he'll miss about the role. Interestingly enough, his hard Elvis accent is clearly fading ... something he's said he'll phase out.

'Law & Order' Star Richard Belzer Dead at 78

Richard Belzer -- famous for his work on 'Law & Order' and in the standup comedy world -- has died ... this according to his close comedy pals.

News about Belzer's death spread like wildfire Sunday morning, with none other than Laraine Newman -- an original 'SNL' cast member, who worked alongside Belzer from the mid-'70s through the '80s -- confirming the latest.

She wrote, "I'm so sad to hear of Richard Belzer's passing. I loved this guy so much. He was one of my first friends when I got to New York to do SNL. We used to go out to dinner every week at Sheepshead Bay for lobster. One of the funniest people ever. A master at crowd work. RIP dearest."

Comedian Marc Maron also sent his condolences, calling him an original and "one of the greats." Other tributes are pouring in from all over showbiz, although details about his passing haven't been officially released just yet.

Belzer was most known for portraying Det. John Munch on 'Law & Order: SVU', dating back to 1996. He'd starred in over 300 episodes of the fan-fave cop series ...  playing the quick-witted and razor-sharp Munch for several years. His character was written off in 2016.

His famous police character had also existed even before 'SVU' came around ... Munch had existed in another TV universe -- namely, on the classic hit 'Homicide,' where he starred opposite Ned Beatty, Daniel Baldwin and other big actors for seven straight seasons.

Prior to his stint in network TV, Belzer was a renowned comedian ... as we mentioned, he appeared on 'SNL' during its inception period -- but he also did a lot of standup and sketch comedy on his own, plus ... he hosted variety shows/specials as well.

Beyond his esteemed work with Dick Wolf and co. ... Belzer had several other acting credits under his belt. Some other famous shows he'd been on include ... "Moonlighting," "Miami Vice," "D.C. Follies," "Monsters," "The Flash," "Nurses," 'Lois & Clark,' "The X-Files," "Arrested Development," "The Wire," "30 Rock," "American Dad" and many, many more.

His film resume was impressive too ... he'd starred in "Scarface," "Fame," "Fletch Lives," "The Bonfires of the Vanities," "Species II," "Man on the Moon," "The Puppet Masters" and others.

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THE LAST TIME WE SAW HIM
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The last we got Belzer in the street, he was shooting jokes from the hip ... talking conspiracy theories and showing off that legendary dry humor he was known for. Super nice guy.

Belzer is survived by his wife, Harlee, and his extended family. He was 78.

RIP

DGA Awards Judd Apatow Skewers Cruise, Butler, Even Maude!!!

Judd Apatow hilariously mocked the DGA Awards Saturday night and the actors who were part of it ... it's really funny!

Apatow hosted the 75th awards ceremony, but it wasn't broadcast anywhere -- no video at all.  He groused the damn show wasn't even on the radio ...“This show is being live-streamed to the back of this room. This show is so irrelevant, it’s shocking Elon Musk hasn’t bought it yet.”

Apatow lasered in on Austin Butler, who had said he had trouble shaking the Elvis twang.  Judd warned the world ... Austin's next role could be the lead in "The Jerry Lewis Story."

And then there was Tom Cruise, who famously does his own stunts even though he's north of 60. Judd said, “Tell Tom that Thelma and Louise didn’t exactly jump over the cliff themselves. Tom, have you heard of CGI?”

But he wasn't done, suggesting Tom's stunts have the markings of a Scientology ad.

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CRUISIN' ALONG
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And then there's this ... “I believe our friend Aubrey Plaza is here. I can’t believe you have a worse seat than Fkboy Island. You gotta talk to your publicist.”

Judd then referenced his famous daughter ... “Sam Levinson is here tonight. He’s the writer-director-creator of Euphoria. My daughter Maude is on that show. It’s very successful. My only frustration, I kind of want her to have a baby. She said, ‘dad, I play a 16-year-old on a high school TV show.’ I’ve seen the show. I don’t think it would be that weird to have a little crack baby on that show. Your baby can play the crack baby, a two-salary situation on that show.”

Now that's an awards show!

'Saving Private Ryan' Tom Sizemore Suffers Brain Aneurysm At L.A. Home ... Hospitalized In Critical Condition

Tom Sizemore had a MAJOR health scare ... and now the actor is fighting for his life in the hospital.

His manager, Charles Lago, tells TMZ ... Tom was hanging out at his L.A. home around 2 AM Saturday when he suffered a brain aneurysm and collapsed into unconsciousness.

Lago says someone found Tom and quickly called 911. EMS units responded and took him to a local hospital, where he was listed in critical condition in the intensive care unit.

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CATCHING UP WITH TOM
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At this point, Tom is in a "bad way," Lago says, and his chances for a full recovery seem uncertain.

Of course, Tom has had a litany of problems over the years with drug abuse and run-ins with the law. He has been arrested for DUI, domestic violence and possession of a controlled substance.

But, he's also been a successful actor who has appeared in some of Hollywood's most popular films, such as "Saving Private Ryan," "Black Hawk Down," "Natural Born Killers" and "Heat."

Feel better, Tom. Fingers crossed.

Richard Gere Hospitalized in Mexico ... Hit with Pneumonia, But OK

Richard Gere is recovering in Mexico this weekend after he caught a case of pneumonia -- this while vacationing with his family -- but the good news is ... he's gonna be alright.

Sources familiar with the situation tell TMZ ... the actor is down near Nuevo Vallarta this week -- where he's celebrating the 40th birthday of his wife, Alejandra Silva, with their kids. Alejandra posted a photo Thursday showing her and the kiddos walking toward a beach.

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We're told that, before the trip, Richard developed a bad cough ... and it continued while he was there as well. Our sources say it got so bad, he had to check himself into a hospital ... where we're told he was diagnosed with pneumonia and treated in an overnight stay. Unclear what day he went in, but we're told it was during his vacay -- which is ongoing.

Fortunately, he was out the following day ... and we're told Richard was given antibiotics to help keep the illness at bay. For now, our sources say he seems to be doing much better.

Interestingly, Alejandra herself alluded to a sickness that apparently continued to dog Richard. In the IG post from Thursday ... she said the whole family had been ill for 3 weeks.

However, her IG Story post from Saturday seems to confirm what we're hearing about RG's condition -- namely, that he's okay. You can see her, Richard and one of their kids walking ... and she notes it's another beach day for them. Richard is seen wearing a mask.

We've reached out to Richard's rep ... so far, no word back. Also, here's to a speedy recovery.

Frankie Muniz Finishes 11th ... In ARCA Racing Debut!!!

Frankie Muniz landed quite a bit higher than just the middle in his big race car driver debut ... nearly cracking the top 10 at a semi-pro series that was all gas, no brakes.

The actor-turned-driver raced in the ARCA Menards Series Saturday at the Daytona International Speedway down in Florida -- marking his first time revving up among other professionals. It was an 80-lap journey, with around 40 drivers going round and around.

Muniz placed 11th overall when it was all said and done ... and the final lap proved to be quite dramatic, with Frankie climbing back from 12th place. Even before that, though, he was doing incredibly well ... cracking the top 10 several times throughout the course.

Frankie himself detailed the ride, saying he was ecstatic and proud of himself for being able to rank as high as he did ... pointing out that at one point, he was 24th place.

He writes, "Holy moly!!! That was the most insane thing I've ever done. Got up into the top  3 before getting turned and causing damage. Went to the back and went from 24th to 11th in the final 2 laps. I'm so grateful to my team and @hairclub and sponsors for making my dream a reality!"

During the race, Frankie was getting props from the broadcasters for avoiding what could've been a major accident ... so, yeah, he was hanging tough with the best of them out there.

FM has been racing for years now, but it wasn't until recently that he decided to pursue it full-time ... forgoing his acting career, for now, and opting for the smell of burned rubber instead.

We actually talked to him last month about his foray into a whole new industry, and he made it clear to us that he was over the moon about the opportunity, and planned to take it seriously. Considering how well he's done for his first official outing, probably even more so.

Congrats, dude!

Bill Maher Politics Should Be Like Movies ... Stars Hate Each Other But Get the Job Done!!!

Bill Maher did it again ... he didn't just call out politicians for being increasingly hateful toward each other, he offered a solution -- do it like the movies!!!

The "Real Time" host made a compelling point ... it's only a matter of time before we see fistfights on the House floor. After all, we've seen video after video of brawls erupting in parliaments around the world, and the trajectory of Washington D.C. leads right to that doorstep.

As for evidence ... it started when Obama was interrupted during a State of the Union address.  Then look at Biden's recent address ... Republicans, especially the crazy ones, were acting like it was a football game ... booing, jeering and so on.  How long before that contempt becomes physical?

So Bill's solution -- take a page out of Hollywood. He gives enough evidence to win a trial -- stars who were paired in some of the greatest movies of all time despised each other, wouldn't even look at each other, yet when it counted they delivered and no one was the wiser.

In other words, who the f*** cares if you don't like someone across the aisle ... get the f***ing job done!

What's The Big Frigin' Difference?!

There's no question A-lister, Brad Pitt has put in his time and earned a top spot in Hollywood. Now is YOUR chance to roll up your sleeves and see if you can work your way to finding the differences between these two shots!

The Hollywood hunk was recently snapped in NYC on the set of his most recent project "Wolves." Swagged-out from head to toe, the actor was lookin' like quite the cozy king. Your sole purpose here is to find the minor changes in the two BP shots ... you've got this!

**HINT: There are THREE differences in the above Brad Pitt photos!**

Mark Wahlberg Sells Bev Hills Estate for $55M

Mark Wahlberg has closed the deal on his beautiful compound in Beverly Hills ... and while the sale came in lower than his OG asking price, he's still walking away with a fat chunk of change.

We've learned Mark's insane property sold Friday for $55 mil ... quite a markdown from his past asking price of $87.5M -- but impressive nonetheless.

As we reported, Mark listed the estate in April of last year with mega-realtor Kurt Rappaport of Westside Estate Agency and Carl Gambino of Compass ... after the actor picked up the land back in 2009 for only $8.25M.

The compound comes with a 12-bed, 20-bath mansion, plus a sweet guest house ... overall it's got 30,500 square feet of living space -- and the amenities are to die for.

The new owners are gonna live the high life with a waterfall pool, grotto, tennis, and basketball courts, and a private spa ... not to mention the movie screening room and 5K-bottle wine cellar!

As for Mark ... he's said he's headed to Vegas, where he plans on creating a new escape for him and his family.

Ginger Glass from Compass repped the buyer ... so congrats to the owners on their new oasis!!!

Bruce Willis 2018 Speech Resurfaces ... 'Nothing Can Keep Me Down'

An incredible clip of Bruce Willis has come back to light after his recent dementia diagnosis ... one where he says there's nothing in this world that can keep him down.

The video comes from his 2018 Comedy Central roast ... hilariously digging at everything that's "attacked him" over the years -- from terrorists to male pattern baldness and divorce lawyers, but nothing's stopped him because he's "Bruce f***ing Willis."

He also settled the score on whether "Die Hard" is a Christmas movie -- thank God.

It's a fantastic speech ... one his adoring fans started sharing on social media shortly after his daughter Rumer broke the news his aphasia has progressed to frontotemporal dementia ... commonly known as FTD.

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As we reported, she said the diagnosis was a painful one, but called it "a relief" for the family to finally have some sort of answer ... adding "challenges with communication are just one symptom of the disease Bruce faces."

Bruce's other daughter Scout shared her feelings Thursday night after the news broke -- saying she's "emotionally tired and a bit overwhelmed," but thankful for everyone who has shown support.

It's unclear what the next steps are for the beloved actor -- currently, there's no treatment for FTD --  but in his own words ... he's still Bruce f***ing Willis.

Lance Gross I Get Idris Disliking 'Black Actor' Term ... I'm An Actor First, Too!!!

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MADE FOR ALL MOVIES
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Lance Gross has no problem with Idris Elba refusing to call himself a "Black actor" ... and while he isn't necessarily hopping on that train, he's definitely not down with labels.

We got LG out in L.A. Thursday and got his thoughts on the whole "Black actor" discussion ... sparked by Idris declaring he no longer wants to be described that way because he feels it puts him in a box.

Lance tells us, he totally understands Idris' point, and said his personal stance is pretty similar -- "I'm an actor first, who happens to be Black." Basically, he's not parading the term either.

He also says he makes a point to tell his team to seek out roles that aren't written just for Black folks, and that means he gets the "best of both worlds".

For Lance, it's all about doing the job well, rather than talking about his race.

Idris initially made his remarks while talking to Esquire UK ... but he's since doubled down on social media, despite drawing mixed feelings from fans.

One user fired back, "You only became as popular as you are because of BLACK AMERICANS, but instead of using your platform to speak UP for US, you promote acceptance of the status quo. I am DISGUSTED with you. Then again, Black Americans have historically been the ONLY group with BACKBONE."

Of course, not everyone felt that way about his comments and some seem to agree, given how things have worked in showbiz, especially for Black entertainers ... just take it from Lance.

Bruce Willis Aphasia Worsens ... Now Diagnosed with Dementia

Bruce Willis' original diagnosis of aphasia has progressed, according to his family members ... who say the latest word from doctors is that he has frontotemporal dementia.

His daughter Rumer Willis posted that update and a statement from the family ... telling fans Bruce has now been diagnosed with a common cause of dementia, which is known as FTD.

The family says "Since we announced Bruce’s diagnosis of aphasia in spring 2022, Bruce’s condition has progressed and we now have a more specific diagnosis: frontotemporal dementia (known as FTD). Unfortunately, challenges with communication are just one symptom of the disease Bruce faces. While this is painful, it is a relief to finally have a clear diagnosis."

There are currently no treatments for FTD.

As we reported, Rumer initially revealed last year that aphasia would severely impact his ability to communicate, and, as a result, he would have to end his acting career.

Aphasia impacts the ability to comprehend words and/or speak. It can be caused by strokes, tumors or other brain damage, but it's not clear what led to his initial diagnosis.

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DEMENTIA DIAGNOSIS

In today's statement, the family said ... "Bruce has always found joy in life – and has helped everyone he knows to do the same. It has meant the world to see that sense of care echoed back to him and to all of us. We have been so moved by the love you have all shared for our dear husband, father, and friend during this difficult time. Your continued compassion, understanding, and respect will enable us to help Bruce live as full a life as possible."

Taylor Lautner Advice For My Lions ... Go With Defense In NFL Draft!!!

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DEFENSE IN DETROIT
TMZSports.com

Move over, Mel Kiper Jr. ... Taylor Lautner's now comin' in hot with the NFL draft advice -- telling TMZ Sports he wants his beloved Lions to go defense in the first round this year!!

We got the "Twilight" actor -- who's a MASSIVE Detroit fan -- out in L.A. on Wednesday ... and he made it clear, when Dan Campbell's guys get on the clock in April, he's hoping for some players who can scare the hell out of opposing offenses.

"Defense was lacking a little bit this year," the Grand Rapids, Mich. native said.

Lautner clearly knows his stuff (he has been, after all, a Lions supporter since he was a kid) -- Detroit had statistically one of the worst D's in the league in 2022 ... giving up the third-most points in the NFL, and the most yards.

The good news? The Lions have two first-round picks this year thanks to the Matthew Stafford trade with the Rams in 2021 -- and most mock drafts have them going with defenders at both picks.

In fact, in ESPN analyst Todd McShay's most recent mock on Wednesday, he had Detroit going with a Clemson pass rusher and a Georgia cornerback.

That'd seemingly be music to Lautner's ears ... as he also told us he's hoping Campbell can get his favorite team to the Super Bowl soon.

Raquel Welch Dead at 82

Raquel Welch, who paved the way as both an actress and international sex symbol has died ... TMZ has learned.

According to family members, Raquel died this morning after a brief illness.

Welch first rose to fame for her back-to-back roles in "Fantastic Voyage" and "One Million Years B.C." -- both in 1966.

Welch only had a handful of lines in 'B.C.' but it was her wardrobe -- a simple and skimpy deerskin bikini -- that catapulted her to sex symbol status.

From there, Welch's profile blew up, and she was one of the most sought-after female stars throughout the '60s and '70s ... taking home plenty of hardware in the process, including a Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture Actress in a Musical or Comedy for her 1974 role in "The Three Musketeers."

Welch was named one of the "100 Sexiest Stars in Film History" in an issue of Empire magazine in 1995 ... and was ranked #3 in Playboy's "100 Sexiest Stars of the 20th Century."

She also appeared on "The Cher Show" in 1975 and performed "I'm a Woman" with Cher.

Raquel was married 4 times throughout her life -- James Welch ('59-'64), Patrick Curtis ('67-'72), Andre Weinfeld ('80-'90) and Richard Palmer ('99-'04) -- with 2 kids, Tahnee and Damon Welch.

Raquel was 82.

RIP

Forbes 2022's Highest Paid Entertainers ... Old Money's Still Good Money!!!

Forbes' list of the 10 highest-paid entertainers in 2022 includes filmmakers, musicians, TV creators and more -- collectively earning about $1.35 billion -- and, if there's one theme, it's that longevity pays off big time in show biz!!!

Topping the list is the rock band Genesis ... bringing in a whopping $230M. The frontman Phil Collins and the rest of the group sold their catalog back in September for a reported $300 million.

Forbes says the $70 mil difference represents fees to managers, agents and lawyers. They get ya coming and going.

Coming in a close second is Sting, earning $210M. Last year, he also sold his music catalog and his band's, The Police, and also got about $300M for all those hit songs.

Guess he paid his lawyers more than Genesis.

On the younger side ... 53-year-old TV/film mogul Tyler Perry came in at number 3, pocketing an estimated $175M from all his projects and his huge studio in Atlanta.

Others in the top 10 include ... "South Park" creators, Trey Parker and Matt Stone, who came in at number 4 ahead of "The Simpsons" creators James L. Brooks and Matt Groening.

Brad Pitt is number 6 collecting $100M ... just ahead of the Rolling Stones, who at their advanced ages still earned $98 mil last year off a European tour.

Back in Hollywood, another guy who's been around forever, James Cameron -- now one of the highest-grossing directors of all time -- earned at least $95M from the "Avatar: The Way of the Water" flick.

Now for some youth -- Taylor Swift, who's the only woman in the top 10, made $92 million to put her at number 9, and Bad Bunny collected around $88 million from his massive tour.

Of course, the list was a bit different than last year's ... which boasted celebs like Kanye West, Bruce Springsteen and Jay-Z.

BEN AND J LO We're Showing Our Commitment ... With New Tattoos!!!

Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck are proving their devotion to one another ... by getting inked up.

Jen just revealed the recently married couple's new tattoos ... as part of a Valentine's Day post to her husband.

J Lo is sporting some new ink on her rib cage ... an infinity symbol with an arrow cutting straight through the middle.

The tattoo looks fresh, Jen still has a bandage on the ink, which makes it hard to make out the wording, though it appears both of their names are present.

Ben's tatt is a little bit different ... but it still incorporates Jen and their marriage. He's got a pair of intertwined arrows along with their initials "J" and "B."

Jennifer captioned the post "Commitment" and that seems to be a big theme here ... she included four hashtags ... #CommitmentIsSexy #ThisIsUsThen #ThisIsUsNow #ThisIsMeNow ... along with a photo dump.

The photos are super cute too ... Jen included a bunch of shots of her and Ben kissing and cuddling in different locations, including a yacht.

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COUPLES THAT TAT TOGETHER...

Bennifer 2.0 is really putting some roots down ... in addition to the new ink, they also are in escrow to buy an incredible property in the L.A. area.