Movies

To kick things off, American actor Spencer Treat Clark was only 12 years old when he landed the role of Lucius Verus -- Commodus' nephew who inspects gladiators through bars and idolizes Maximus -- in the iconic 2000 film "Gladiator."

Spencer was part of an ensemble cast including Russell Crowe as the strong and fearless warrior who wants to free the slaves, Maximus, Joaquin Phoenix as the ruthless Roman emperor who takes the throne after killing his father, Commodus, and Connie Nielsen as Maximus' former lover and Commudus' older sister, Lucilla.

Cuba Gooding Jr. understands what Jussie Smollett went through in his ongoing ordeal with the justice system after the Illinois State Supreme Court's ruling today ... pointing out how celebrities endure sensationalized treatment in the public eye.

The controversial actor stopped by "TMZ Live" Thursday to discuss Jussie Smollett's conviction being overturned today ... and, Cuba says Smollett's experience shows the climate we're in today.

Gooding adds he knows how tough it is to go into a courthouse as a celebrity ... pointing to the intense public reaction to every twist and turn of a trial before a final outcome is delivered, and in its aftermath.

"Gladiator II" is one of the most anticipated films of the year, with a whopping $250 million budget -- and the cast definitely found time to live it up between those epic battle scenes.

Pedro Pascal and Paul Mescal, among others, were living their best lives on set in Morocco, England, and Malta -- where most of the film was shot, including the iconic Colosseum, which was recreated at Fort Ricasoli.

Clearly, it was an intense 49-day shoot, because Pedro and Paul were snapped cooling off in the ocean -- talk about a well-deserved splash break!

Move over, Regina George -- Andy Cohen just slid into the iconic spot alongside Lindsay Lohan and Lacey Chabert as they recreated a legendary "Mean Girls" scene.

On Wednesday's "Watch What Happens Live," Lacey -- AKA Gretchen -- brought us back to high school, delivering the lunchroom scene where the Plastics laid down the rules for new girl Cady.

It's comedy gold -- Andy, rocking a blonde wig, absolutely nails his Regina moment -- totally obsessed with calories, and storming off for some cheese fries while Lacey keeps rattling off the rules.

Netflix's new holiday rom-com, "Hot Frosty," is sure to melt icy relations in the bedroom for some couples this winter ... this according to a renowned sex therapist.

Dr. Laura Berman, who is best known for her show on the Oprah Winfrey Network, tells TMZ ... the seasonal flick will likely help guys get laid during the winter months -- which is a notorious time for dry spells.

According to the doctor, studies show people's sex drives decrease in the winter months, especially around the holidays ... likely due to the stress and lack of alone time with families being home more. Depression is far more common in the winter, too.

The first crowd to see "Rust" audibly gasped during a scene that eerily paralleled the real-life tragedy that happened during filming ... when Alec Baldwin shot and killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.

One of the first reviews from the "Rust" premiere in Poland is out, and the report in Vulture says there was a noticeable shock in the room when a character was accidentally shot to death.

The shooting scene happens early in the film ... and the review says the crowd reaction was definitely related to Hutchins' death.

French Montana's paying tribute to all the immigrant moms in America who sacrifice for their children ... telling his story in his new documentary -- but, he's really shining a light on his own mom and her struggle.

The rapper stopped by "TMZ Live" Wednesday to discuss his documentary "The French Montana Story: For Khadija" -- released on Paramount+ yesterday -- and, he says it really focuses on immigrants coming to the U.S.A. to forge better lives for themselves.

Montana says he came to this country from Morocco at 13 years old with his mom, dad and siblings. The family overstayed their visas ... and, after his dad started several failed small business, the family was in deep trouble.

Alec Baldwin was absent from today's "Rust" premiere, hanging out instead in NYC this week -- as the film's opening focused on honoring cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, who tragically lost her life on set of the movie in 2021.

Just days after Kazimierz Suwała, the director of the EnergaCAMERIMAGE Film Festival, explained they didn’t invite Baldwin in order to avoid distractions ... the premiere in Toruń, Poland, went down without a hitch Wednesday -- Baldwin-free and drama-free.

It’s unclear if Baldwin would’ve attended even if invited, but he certainly looked off the clock, spotted pushing a stroller in NYC Monday. Regardless, Suwała made it crystal clear to The Hollywood Reporter the event wasn’t about Baldwin at all -- it was all about honoring Halyna.

Moviegoers will get a chance to see the world from Halyna Hutchins' point of view when they go see "Rust" ... so says the new cinematographer brought on to finish up the flick.

Bianca Cline -- the new director of photography brought on to finish the film -- spoke alongside director Joel Souza at Camerimage Film Festival in Poland Wednesday before the movie's world premiere ... telling the audience it's amazing so many people came out to support Halyna's vision.

Cline says all filmmaking is about being vulnerable, especially when it comes to cinematography ... explaining that, by watching the movie, viewers will really get a chance to see the world how Halyna saw it.

Wayne Knight’s health glow-up is next level ... and now he’s spilling the tea on it all, including how his weight loss has negatively impacted his Hollywood career.

We caught up with the actor at LAX on Tuesday, and he told us he’s shed a whopping 100 pounds since 1993's "Jurassic Park" -- something he's achieved by trying everything from therapy to radiation… and in true comic Wayne fashion, even "being taken by aliens."

Jokes aside, you’ve gotta watch the full video -- 'cause Wayne reveals which method actually worked best for him. Plus, he gets real about how years of yo-yo dieting have impacted him.

Paul Mescal can't believe his eyes after meeting his official doppelgänger ... who nabbed the title earlier this month in Ireland in a look-alike competition.

Unlike Timothée Chalamet, who made a surprise appearance at his own competition in NYC, the "Gladiator II" star didn't get the pleasure to attend the event ... though, the contest was clearly on his radar.

While speaking with the winner -- a recent college graduate named Jack Wall O’Reilly -- on Zoe Ball's BBC Radio 2 'Breakfast Show' Wednesday, the Oscar nominee confessed he "saw the photo" after the fact ... applauding the young man, who he said "captured the spirit of me very well."

Denzel Washington is getting real about his battle with alcohol, admitting his wine consumption ravaged his body.

The Oscar-winning actor sat down for a wide-ranging interview with Esquire while promoting his new flick "Gladiator II" — and, at one point, he went into detail about his love for expensive wines.

Denzel said it started in earnest in 1999 when he constructed a ten-thousand-bottle wine cellar in his house, which only served to enhance his booze intake.

Demi Moore, Julianne Moore and Selena Gomez were among a bevy of stars attending Tuesday's "Elle Women In Hollywood" event — and all the ladies looked stunning in their amazing outfits.

Demi, Julianne, Selena and the other celebs arrived on the red carpet at the Four Seasons Hotel on Tuesday night, posing for a slew of paparazzi pics.

Check out the photos ... Demi sparkled in her gold reflective dress; Julianne looked elegant in her red gown; and Selena was a sight to see in her black jumpsuit.

Actor Ray Santiago was 20 years old when he played Jorge -- the alleged son of Gaylord "Greg" Focker -- in the sequel rom-com film "Meet The Fockers" back in 2004.

Ray was part of an ensemble cast including Ben Stiller as the the awkward and funny nurse, Greg and Teri Polo as the school teacher and expecting mom-to-be, Pamela Martha Focker.

Other worthy cast mentions include Dustin Hoffman as Greg's fun and eccentric father, Bernie and Barbra Streisand as the down-to-earth sex therapist and Greg's mother, Roz.

Santiago was also in "Accepted" with Justin Long and Blake Lively.

Dan Hennessey, a veteran Canadian voice actor behind many iconic cartoon characters, has died, TMZ has learned.

Dan's family tells TMZ ... he died Wednesday at home in his sleep from complications associated with Parkinson's disease.

You’ve definitely heard his voice at some point -- he voiced Chief Quimby on "Inspector Gadget," George Raccoon on "The Raccoons," Father Bear on "Little Bear" and Braveheart on "The Care Bears."

Gene Wilder’s Bel Air home just had its price slashed by $3.5M, now sitting at a still-eye-watering $9.5M ... with a requirement that the future buyer must preserve the property's legacy.

The listing agent, Drew Meyers of Westside Estate Agency, tells TMZ the previous owner -- Elon Musk -- tacked on a restrictive covenant to the sale to preserve the historic nature of the property ... meaning the house that was originally listed in August for just under $13M can't be torn down.

Drew adds ... "A house of this significance should never be torn down. It should be restored and brought back to life while maintaining its beautiful soul. We want to make sure it’s sold to someone who appreciates its timelessness.”