Movies

Viola Davis might be setting a tone for A-listers -- because, despite recently receiving an independent film waiver, she's stopping down on her new movie ... all to support the strike.

The actress told Deadline Saturday that she was bowing out of her Amazon flick, "G20," for now -- saying ... "I love this movie, but I do not feel that it would be appropriate for this production to move forward during the strike."

She adds, "I appreciate that the producers on the project agree with this decision. JuVee Productions and I stand in solidarity with actors, SAG/AFTRA and the WGA."

It's a bold move, and speaks volumes on where Viola's priorities are. Like we said, just the other day ... the producers behind "G20" got the green light to go ahead and continue with production -- even though Amazon is obviously a major studio. The fact an independent production company, MRC, is also behind it appears to be the reason it got a pass.

In any case, it would seem moving forward while thousands of other actors are on the picket lines wasn't sitting well with her ... which is interesting, because a lot of other big stars are also attached to independent flicks right now that got SAG waivers as well.

Those names include ... Anne Hathaway, Jenna Ortega, Paul Rudd, Matthew McConaughey, Mark Wahlberg, Sigourney Weaver, Mads Mikkelsen, Ben Kingsley, Dave Bautista, Ice Cube, Dakota Fanning, John Malkovich, Sean Bean, Rebel Wilson ... to name a few.

Again, them being attached to indie films -- with no direct ties to AMPTP -- is why they can keep trucking (especially overseas) ... but some have raised an eyebrow regardless -- viewing their continued work as a betrayal. That's, perhaps, unfair, but it's a real POV out there.

Now that Viola is putting her foot down ... it may be a signal for other mega stars to do the same -- even though they can technically proceed through the SAG indie loophole.

The principle of the matter could be why Brad Pitt reportedly stood down on filming as well. There was word that his F1 movie, "Apex," was continuing to film in Hungary last week -- with some claiming BP himself even got behind the wheel at one point for some scenes.

Oliver Stone thinks President Biden is leading us right into a looming Armageddon as it relates to Russia's war with Ukraine -- while also lamenting ever having voted for the guy.

The famed director went off on POTUS during a recent interview he did with Russell Brand -- who has tended to lean right in his political views these days. That was echoed in Oliver's diatribe ... where he accused Biden of being on the verge of starting World War III.

Check it out ... OS says Joe is repeating historical missteps with his foreign policy, especially as it relates to how he and his administration are dealing with the ongoing conflict.

He doesn't really get into specifics -- at least not in this lone clip -- but he seems to be alluding to the fact that the U.S. continues to support Ukraine through funding and weaponry ... which he seems to think is only further antagonizing Putin, maybe for the worse.

Stone also had this to say about having buyer's remorse on election night ... "I voted for him – I made a mistake, I was thinking he was an old man now that he would calm down, that he would be more mellow and so-forth, I didn’t see that at all. I see a man who maybe is not in charge of his own administration. Who knows."

Ariana Grande hasn't seen her boyfriend Ethan Slater in person for awhile ... because he's preoccupied with his estranged wife and their divorce, and she's giving him space to work things out.

.Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... Ariana and her 'Wicked' costar haven't been in the same city for several weeks. Ethan's currently in New York, trying to navigate the end of his marriage with estranged wife, Lilly Jay.

Our sources say Ariana is coming to Los Angeles this weekend. We're told she and Ethan want to see each other, but that's not in the cards for the immediate future.

Ethan's got a lot to work out with Lilly ... they share a child together and, as we first reported, he "desperately" wants to co-parent their baby son. We've been told Ethan and Lilly have been talking daily, mostly about their little boy.

Remember ... Ariana and Ethan started dating several months ago while filming 'Wicked' together, a romance that came as a surprise to Lilly, who is feeling betrayed and heartbroken.

To be clear, sources close to Ariana and Ethan have maintained they were both split from their spouses -- Dalton Gomez and Lilly -- when they first got together.

Ethan's since filed for divorce ... and divorce docs are on the horizon for Ariana and Dalton.

Inga Swenson, famous for her work in the early 1980s ABC sitcom "Benson," is dead.

The actress died Sunday night in Los Angeles as a result of natural causes ... her son, Mark, tells TMZ.

Inga's son says her husband, Lowell Harris, was with her when she died at a board and care facility. We're told Inga's heath had been in decline for the past 6 months, so her death did not come as a shock to the family.

Inga famously played German cook Gretchen Kraus on "Benson" ... appearing in over 150 episodes over seven years and earning three Emmy nominations for her work.

"Benson" was a spin-off of another TV sitcom, "Soap," where Inga had a multi-episode role as Ingrid Svenson.

In addition to "Benson," Inga also starred on Broadway ... and her performances as Lizzie Curry in "110 in the Shade" and Irene Adler in "Baker Street" resulted in two nominations for the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical. She's a trained lyrical soprano.

Inga acted in two movies in 1962 ... with a pair of supporting roles in "Advise and Consent" and "The Miracle Worker," where she plays Helen Keller's mother.

She married Lowell, a sound engineer, in February 1953, and the couple had two children, one of whom already passed away ... and in 1998 she retired from Hollywood.

We're told she wanted to be cremated and have her ashes buried with her late son in San Rafael, CA.

Inga was 90.

Offset and Cardi B know how to handle their real-life drama well -- take all the turmoil and turn it into a hit record that boosts their bank account!!!

The former Migos member took full advantage of having a superstar rapper wife when he dropped his new single "Jealously" on Friday ... along with a music video he directed himself, taking a page outta John Singleton's 2001 classic hood romance, "Baby Boy!!!"

The visual costars Offset and Cardi's children, as well as "Baby Boy" star Taraji P. Henson, who resumes her role as the hot-headed "Yvette" to instruct Cardi on how to deal with her hubby's fictional transgressions ... strictly for the music vid.

It was just a month ago when Cardi lashed out at Offset, who had publicly accused her of cheating on him after he was accused of doing the same thing! Real messy stuff ... the song definitely sounds better.

"Jealously" was released on Motown Records, a big win for Offset as he had sued his ex-label Quality Control for blocking his music from coming out.

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson just made UFC fighter Themba Gorimbo's dream come true -- surprising the welterweight at the gym in an incredibly emotional video.

Remember, Gorimbo said he only had 7 bucks in his account before UFC Fight Night in Vegas last month ... a similar story to The Rock, who was also scrambling for cash at the beginning of his career.

The movie superstar got wind of Gorimbo's story and reached out to him on social media at the time ... saying he was so moved by his journey, he wanted to meet in person.

That day finally came on Thursday ... with the two linking up for the very first time -- and Gorimbo could barely keep it together as he saw his hero in the flesh.

Gorimbo -- who was doing a staged interview -- turned around, bolted up and hugged Johnson ... choking up as he realized what was happening.

"We’ve never met but I had to fly to Miami to look this man @thembagorimbo_mma in the eyes, hug him and shake his hand," The Rock said of the interaction.

"I’ve been moved & motivated by his story ❤️"

Gorimbo also spoke about the special meeting ... saying, "I am very grateful to have finally met @therock today after he saw about my $7 bucks situation."

"Big man with a big heart and he has changed my life completely today and I shall forever be grateful. I didn’t know how to thank him because words aren’t enough."

The world of "Barbie" is mourning the death of Bill Cunningham, the original voice of the famous Ken doll in the 1960s.

Cunningham died at his L.A. home on July 15, but news of his passing first surfaced Thursday in a report published by Deadline. His cause of death was not disclosed.

CESD Talent Agency, which Cunningham co-founded, issued a statement praising Bill as being "among the great innovators and gentlemen of the talent representation business."

The company also noted Bill's major contributions in his chosen field and described him as a "gregarious, classy man who made a positive impact on all those he represented and employed."

Bill began doing voice-overs after he returned from military service in World War II. He got his first big break on NBC’s "Voices of Walter Schumann" and "The Tennessee Ernie Ford Show." He also sang on soundtracks for Hollywood movies produced by Fox, Paramount and Warner Bros.

His career skyrocketed in 1961 when he was tapped to be the voice of Barbie's boyfriend, Ken, after the Mattel toy company created the iconic dolls.

Bill was 96.

Megan Fox is firing back at the people who are blasting her for sharing a GoFundMe for her friend's cancer-stricken father ... saying the haters don't understand the full story or her relationship with the friend.

The actress took to social media Thursday to explain why she is helping crowdfund for her nail technician's ailing father ... instead of ponying up the money herself, as some folks online think she should.

Megan says her nail tech didn't want her money because it would create an uncomfortable dynamic in their working relationship ... and ditto for the woman's other celeb clients.

In her IG story, Megan also questions her haters' emotional intelligence ... and ends by calling them psychos.

As we reported ... after Megan shared the GoFundMe, donations started to pour in ... but some folks questioned why Megan was asking other people for money instead of just covering all the medical expenses herself.

Kevin Costner's getting his chance to go on a summer vacation with his three kids ... and after his estranged wife took the kiddos to Hawaii, Kevin's bringing them to Colorado.

The "Yellowstone" star is in Aspen this week with his daughter and two sons ... with Kevin picking them up from the airport Monday, hauling their luggage around in cowboy boots and a cowboy hat.

Kevin and the kids beelined it from the airport to a grocery store ... presumably to stack up on supplies for their time together.

As you know ... Kevin and his estranged wife Christine Baumgartner are going through a bitter divorce, but the split means double summer vacations for their children.

Christine took the kids with her to the Big Island of Hawaii just last week ... staying at a swanky resort and also spending some time with one of Kevin's friends.

Kevin's got a place of his own in Aspen ... so the kids probably aren't staying in a resort like they did in Hawaii ... but they're getting a second vacay all the same.

Ethan Slater's estranged wife, Lilly Jay, is breaking her silence after all the drama regarding her husband and Ariana Grande.

Lilly tells TMZ ... "I'm focused on my son and doing my best to navigate a spotlight I have never wanted or experienced before." She adds she wants to set the record straight after she's "watching with horror as stories are published speaking to my experience."

She finishes, saying, "I am asking for privacy and respect as an individual who is not in the entertainment industry and as a mom. I ask to be left alone to rebuild my life and raise the beautiful boy I gave birth to last year."

TMZ broke the story, Ethan filed divorce papers Wednesday, looking to put an end to their 4-year marriage.

We're told Lilly was "blindsided" by Ethan's relationship with Ariana. Ariana and Ethan, we're told, insist they did not hook up until after he split with Lilly.

Page Six says Lilly told them, Ariana is "not a girl's girl. My family is just collateral damage."

Ariana Grande's boyfriend wants a totally clean slate going into his new relationship with the singer ... filing to divorce his estranged wife.

According to legal docs, obtained by TMZ, Ethan Slater decided to legally end things Wednesday with Lilly Jay ... filing divorce papers in New York. We don't yet know the specific reason Ethan's listed for the split.

Ethan and Lilly were high school sweethearts -- getting hitched back in 2018 -- and welcomed a son together last year.

The move isn't necessarily surprising, TMZ broke the story ... Ariana and Ethan have been together for several months now, sources told us both were single when they started dating after meeting on the set of "Wicked."

However, sources close to Lilly told us she was heartbroken to hear about Ethan's new relationship ... and feels he abandoned his brand-new family.

As for Ethan and Ariana's side of Lilly's claims, a source close to the two told us, "It's understandable that emotions are high and it's hard seeing your ex move on, especially in such a public way, and her friends are trying to protect her. But Ari and Ethan are just trying to lay low and be respectful of their exes as they pursue this new relationship."

Page Kennedy is feeling the burn of the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike ... not only putting a damper on his upcoming summer blockbuster, but also reminding him how crappy royalty checks are!!!

TMZ Hip Hop caught up with Page, who says he's in shambles over the strike, which is affecting his upcoming film with Jason Statham "Meg 2: The Trench" ... a real bummer because he says he almost drowned filming the project.

Page reprised his role as "DJ" from the first 'Meg' thriller, but tells us he wasn't fully prepared to film scenes in the ocean -- at one point, he swallowed more water than his gills could handle. Luckily, the crew was able to usher him to safety.

The veteran actor/rapper has dozens of film credits under his belt, but echoed the sentiments of many actors who say their ever-shrinking residuals aren't cutting it -- and he even showed us some of his checks to drive home that point.

For example, his one-episode appearance on FX's popular Western drama "Justified" paid him $123 ... while his time on the short-lived FOX series "Backstrom" just netted him $59.

It might not be a get-rich-quick option, but Page says his love for acting is still there ... even if he feels execs like Disney CEO Bob Iger wear their greed on their sleeves!!!

He's also in the trenches with the picketers every day, and is back in his rapper bag with a new album, "A Book of Pages," slated for an August 4 wide release.

Los Angeles native Skyler Shaye (now known as Skyler Shaye Lopez) was 20 years old when she played the role of Cloe -- the Bratz 'doll' who is clumsy yet highly skilled in soccer -- in the comedy/family film "Bratz: The Movie" back in 2007.

Skyler shared the big screen with the other main Bratz members including Logan Browning as the sassy one who goes after what she wants, Sasha, Janel Parrish as the eccentric one who isn't affraid to stand out, Jade and Nathalia Ramos as the quiet one who enjoys writing and animals, Yasmin.

Selena Gomez appears to be extending an olive branch to her organ donor and one-time friend, Francia Raisa, wishing her a happy birthday after their recent falling out.

Selena took to social media Wednesday to wish Francia happy birthday, posting what appears to be an old photo of them along with the caption ... "Happiest of birthdays to this special human beings. No matter where life takes us, I love you. ❤️ @franciaraisa."

It's a noteworthy post from Selena ... Francia recently revealed their relationship was broken ... so this could be a sign Selena wants to patch things up.

The outstanding issue ... Francia took offense to an interview where Selena said the only person she was close to in Hollywood was Taylor Swift.

Selena's answer didn't sit right with Francia, because the two former child actors go way back and she donated a kidney to Selena in 2017.

Francia unfollowed Selena after the interview and still does not follow her on IG ... so it will be interesting to see if the birthday post moves the needle.

Ariana Grande and Ethan Slater's romance came as a surprise to the Broadway actor's now-estranged wife who feels he abandoned his family ... TMZ has learned.

Sources close to Lilly Jay -- who married Slater back in 2018 -- tell us she's devastated her family's been torn apart. She's also upset their young son, who was born in August 2022, won't have both his mom and dad around constantly, now that they've split.

Our sources say Lilly and Ethan aren't on good terms now that the Ariana relationship is full steam ahead.

We're also told, for her part, Lilly feels like he's completely turned his back on his family.

What's more, we're told Ariana actually used to hang out with both Ethan and Lilly while they were still a happily married couple, and she even liked his Instagram tribute to Lilly on Mother's Day this year. Remember, we're told Ariana and Ethan's romantic relationship started several months ago.

The whole thing has left Lilly feeling betrayed and heartbroken ... according to our sources.

Additional sources close to the situation tell us, "It's understandable that emotions are high and it's hard seeing your ex move on, especially in such a public way, and her friends are trying to protect her. But Ari and Ethan are just trying to lay low and be respectful of their exes as they pursue this new relationship."

TMZ broke the story ... Ariana and Ethan first met on the set of "Wicked" and their relationship grew from there. Sources close to them have maintained both Ariana and Ethan were split from their spouses -- Dalton Gomez and Lilly -- when they got together.

Sources tell us while they haven't yet filed divorce docs, there's definitely one on the horizon for Ariana and Dalton.

As for Lilly and Ethan ... it doesn't appear either has filed yet, but it sounds like things are beyond repair.

Kevin Spacey is cleared of sexual assault charges in his UK trial -- a London jury just found him not guilty.

The verdict was handed down in Southwark Crown Court Wednesday in London after 2 days of jury deliberation.

Spacey was originally facing 13 counts including sexual assault, indecent assault, and causing a person to engage in a sexual activity without consent. The 4 indecent assault charges were dropped, with the judge citing its removal as a "legal technicality." He was found not guilty of the remaining charges.

It's a huge victory for Spacey, who had been facing the possibility of life in prison if he'd been convicted.

As we reported, Spacey's been on trial in London for allegedly sexually assaulting 4 men from 2001 to 2013. The trial kicked off at the end of June, and he was spotted looking cheerful as he headed into court for the first day.

Prosecutors claimed Spacey performed oral sex on a man while he was asleep, was aggressively "touchy-feely" with one of his drivers, and even groped a man backstage -- something the alleged victim said was done "with such force it was painful."

A lot came out during the trial -- for starters, one of his alleged accusers compared him to his serial killer character in "Se7en" ... telling cops in a prerecorded interview the actor was "a bit like that. A bit creepy. Maybe not quite as bad."

Spacey took the stand last week, describing one of the accusers as funny and charming, describing himself as a "big flirt" and insisting what went down between them was gentle and consensual.

He admitted he really liked the man, but claimed he never knew he would "stab me in the back" 20 years later. Spacey said he thinks his 4 accusers were attacking him after regretting being intimate with him.

Elton John's name came up during the trial because one of the accusers claimed he was groped by Spacey while driving to the singer's annual White Tie and Tiara Ball in either 2004 or 2005.

The Rocket Man himself actually testified remotely during the trial, saying Spacey only attended 1 of his bashes in 2001, not 2004-05. Elton's husband, David Furnish, also said Elton's recollection of the timing was backed up by photos of the past events.

In closing arguments, Spacey's defense team told the jury, "It is not a crime to have sex, even if you’re famous" -- adding it's also not a crime to sleep with someone "of the opposite sex, because it’s 2023 and not 1823."