RIP

Sandra Bullock's heartbreaking loss of her longtime partner is raising awareness for all ALS patients ... and spurring huge donations for an ALS organization.

Honchos at the ALS Association tell TMZ ... the group's seen a significant funding spike in the 24 hours since Bryan Randall died following a 3-year battle with ALS. We're told donations are up 500% over the same time last year.

Remember, Sandra's sister praised the actress for taking care of Bryan as he secretly fought ALS to the very end, and the family's asking for folks to donate to the ALS Association instead of sending flowers.

Sandra's fans are definitely heeding that call, and the ALS Association tells us it's "grateful for the amazing outpouring of support in honor of Bryan."

The org says the money pouring in will "help our urgent work to make ALS a livable disease through local care, national advocacy, and global ALS research."

Robert De Niro's grandson died from a lethal combination of illicit drugs, including fentanyl ... TMZ has learned.

According to New York City's chief medical examiner, Leandro De Niro Rodriguez died from the toxic effects of fentanyl, bromazolam, alprazolam, 7-aminoclonazepam, ketamine, and cocaine.

The Medical Examiner is ruling Leandro's death an accidental overdose.

As we reported ... Robert's 19-year-old grandson was found dead of a suspected overdose last month ... with cops saying investigators found one bag of cocaine, one straw with residue, two blue pills and seven rectangular tablets believed to be Xanax.

Police said Leandro bought counterfeit oxycodone and Xanax just days before his death ... and the fake oxycodone pills were laced with fentanyl.

The official cause of death also lines up with what Leandro's mother, Drena De Niro, has said on social media, "Someone sold him fentanyl-laced pills that they knew were laced yet still sold them to him."

Former child star Austin Majors died as a result of a fentanyl overdose ... in a trend that's become all too common.

The ex-"NYPD Blue" actor's autopsy results were released Tuesday by the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner's Office -- and his cause of death is attributed to fentanyl toxicity. The manner is listed as accidental, and the place of his death reads ... "residence."

Remember, Majors passed away while staying at a homeless housing facility in L.A. back in February -- and we were told at the time that fentanyl was suspected to be in play.

It's a tragic end to Majors' story ... who was a successful actor in the early years of his life. He famously played Theo Sipowicz on the famed ABC drama series, starring in 48 episodes.

In addition to "NYPD Blue," Majors had worked on other big shows like "Providence," "How I Met Your Mother," "ER," "Hercules," "Threshold," "According to Jim," 'NCIS,' "American Dad!," "Desperate Housewives" and others. He'd also been in a handful of memorable movies.

His acting career appears to have slowed down in the late 2000s ... Majors doesn't have credit post-2009. The family released an emotional statement at the time of his death, remembering the best parts of his life.

The statement read, in part ... "Austin was the kind of son, brother, grandson, and nephew that made us proud and we will miss him deeply forever."

Majors was just 27.

Sinéad O'Connor is being laid to rest in Ireland, and droves of fans are flocking to the streets to say their final goodbyes during the funeral procession through her hometown.

Sinéad's coffin was driven Tuesday through the town of Bray, just outside of Dublin, and it looks like thousands of her adoring fans turned out to honor her ... tossing flowers onto the hearse as it slowly rolled past.

Mourners applauded the late singer as Bob Marley's "Natural Mystic" blared from a vehicle driving just ahead of the hearse.

The procession stopped in front of Sinéad's former home for a few minutes before continuing to her burial site.

Some of Sinéad's fellow music legends attended the funeral ... including U2's Bono, Edge, and Adam Clayton, as did The Boomtown Rats' Bob Geldof and Ireland's President Michael D. Higgins.

As we reported, Sinéad was found dead inside her London home last month, and her unexpected passing shook the world.

Artists around the world performed touching tributes, including a rendition of her hit, "Nothing Compares 2 U," from Pink and Brandi Carlile.

Sandra Bullock is getting major props for taking good care of her longtime boyfriend, Bryan Randall, as he battled ALS to the very end.

Sandra's sister, Gesine Bullock-Prado, posted an emotional message on Instagram, praising the actress for being there during Bryan's private, 3-year battle with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis -- a nervous system disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord.

Gesine started off by saying she's convinced Bryan is already casting his lure at the best fishing spot in heaven, teaming with salmon.

She then addressed Bryan's ALS fight, pointing out it's a "cruel disease," but "there is some comfort in knowing he had the best of caretakers in my amazing sister (Sandra) and the band of nurses she assembled who helped her look after him in their home."

Bryan died Saturday at 57. His family announced his passing Monday, thanking all the doctors who treated Bryan's health issues.

The model-turned-shutterbug first crossed paths with Sandra in 2015 when she hired him to photograph her son Louis' birthday party. The two soon began dating and came out as a couple later that year.

DJ Casper, the creator of the internationally famous "Cha Cha Slide," has died after a battle with cancer.

The artist passed away Monday, according to his family. He'd been diagnosed with liver and kidney cancer in 2016 -- something spotlighted in a Chicago interview that chronicled his health challenges, as well as his contribution to music.

Casper is most famous for his catchy dance song, which he first cooked up in the studio back in 1998, and which he tweaked and re-released in 2000. The "Cha Cha Slide" has gone on to become a go-to favorite and staple at weddings and parties all over the world.

The making of the track is well-chronicled ... DJ Casper said he first made it with the intention of it being used for his nephew's aerobics class, but upon seeing how well-received it was -- and how much play it got in local fitness clubs -- he thought it had potential as a single, and made a second version for wide release.

The track got some radio play in Chicago and then blew up in the years to come. The infectious line dance, similar to the 'Electric Slide', literally gives you step-by-step instructions throughout the dance ... which is partly what's made it such a party staple.

Millions have danced to it over the years -- in addition to your cousin's wedding, the song's also been featured in tons of movies and TV shows ... like "SNL."

"Cha Cha Slide" had done well on several worldwide music charts, and is certified platinum in the UK. It's easily DJ Casper's main claim to fame.

Casper was 58.

RIP ... and cha cha real smooth.

Sandra Bullock's boyfriend, Bryan Randall, has died, after a private battle with ALS ... TMZ has confirmed.

Bryan's family tells us, "It is with great sadness that we share that on August 5th Bryan Randall passed away peacefully after a 3 year battle with ALS."

They say Bryan decided to keep his struggle with ALS a private matter, adding, "Those of us who cared for him did our best to honor his request."

They add, "We are immensely grateful to the tireless doctors who navigated the landscape of this illness with us and to the astounding nurses who became our roommates, often sacrificing their own families to be with ours."

People was first to report the news.

Sandra and Bryan first met back in 2015 when he photographed a birthday party for her son, Louis -- they went public later that year. Despite keeping things between them mostly under wraps, she called him the "love of my life" in 2021 during her time on "Red Table Talk."

She even said at the time that they shared her 2 kids together -- 13-year-old Louis and 10-year-old Laila, both of whom she adopted.

There were reports that the couple was on the rocks and were allegedly living separately last year ... although his battle with ALS could've contributed to living apart.

Bryan was 57.

William Friedkin, the famed filmmaker who directed "The Exorcist," has died.

The news was confirmed Monday by his wife, Sherry Lansing, who says he passed in L.A. -- but the exact details of his death have yet to be revealed. It's a big hit to the film community -- as Friedkin was an influential force behind some of the 20th century's most iconic movies.

While he might best be remembered for his work on the 1973 horror flick -- which, by all accounts, changed the genre forever -- WF had several other notable credits to his name ... including the Oscar-winning "French Connection," which he also directed.

Other films he helmed included ... "The Brink's Job," "Sorcerer," "Cruising," "To Live and Die in L.A.," "Rampage," "Deal of the Century," "The Guardian," "Blue Chips," "12 Angry Men," "Rules of Engagement," "The Hunted," "Killer Joe" and lots of others.

He also directed a handful of episodes for memorable TV shows ... like "Tales from the Crypt," "The Twilight Zone," "Rebel Highway," "The Alfred Hitchcock Hour," "CSI" and more.

Friedkin was a diverse director ... dabbling in all types of flicks, from horror to drama, and even comedy. While some of his work is more well-known than others, he was respected in all regards -- and certainly carved out his own corner in pop culture.

The last time we saw him, he was out here in L.A. signing autographs and talking "Get Out."

Friedkin was 87.

RIP

Aqib Talib's brother, Yaqub Talib, has been sentenced to 37 years behind bars for his role in the shooting of a youth football coach last summer.

Yaqub learned his fate inside a Dallas County courtroom on Monday morning. Aqib was in attendance for the proceedings. The older Talib was remanded into custody immediately following the sentencing.

Neither brother spoke to reporters as they made their way inside of the courthouse ... and prosecutors say Yaqub did not speak during the sentencing hearing either.

Yaqub was accused of shooting Michael Hickmon during a heated dispute at an Aug. 13, 2022 youth football game involving a team that the Talib brothers were helping coach.

According to a lawsuit against the Talibs filed by Hickmon's family, the Talib brothers were upset with Hickmon -- who was helping coach the opposing team -- over a call on the field ... and confronted him over it after abruptly ending the game.

During the altercation, Hickmon's family claimed Yaqub pulled out a handgun and fired five shots at Hickmon, striking him multiple times ... leading to his death.

40-year-old Yaqub was charged with murder shortly after the incident ... and he eventually pleaded guilty last month.

Aqib's attorney said in a statement at the time of Hickmon's death that the ex-NFL star was "very distraught and devastated over this terrible loss of life" ... though the former Super Bowl champion has not spoken out over it all since.

Tragic news out of Liberty University ... freshman offensive lineman Tajh Boyd died over the weekend, the school announced. He was only 19.

"We thank God for bringing Tajh into our Liberty Athletics community and we will always remember him as a Flame. Tajh will be missed dearly," Liberty Athletic Director Ian McCaw and head coach Jamey Chadwell wrote in a statement.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with Tajh's family, his teammates and friends, our football coaching staff, as well as our entire athletics department and the greater Liberty University community."

6'4", 300 lb. "Big Baby" was a three-star recruit at Oscar F. Smith High School in Virginia -- a school he helped lead to two state championships. Tajh chose Liberty over the likes of Duke, Maryland, and Virginia Tech.

Boyd joined the team in January ... and was gearing up for the start of Liberty's season the first week of September against Bowling Green.

Away from the football field, Tajh was an Interdisciplinary Studies major at Liberty and hoped to become a computer science engineer.

As you'd expect, his teammates were crushed by the news.

Fellow offensive lineman X'zauvea Gadlin Tweeted ... “It’s gone be a while before this feels real. But imma see you again. Rest easy Lil Brother.”

Boyd is survived by his mother Tanzania, and his father Dawntay.

Quavo recently pushed his "Rocket Power" album back a bit, but he's still busy hosting his 2nd "Ultimate Back 2 School Giveback" ... which benefitted 270+ Atlanta local families!!!

The event, held at The Gathering Spot in Atlanta, was bittersweet with the absence of his late nephew Takeoff ... but Quavo and the family honored the fallen Migos rapper with commemorative "94 Rocket Power" jerseys, referencing the year of Take's birth.

Fellow Atlanta-bred artist 6LACK also showed up to support the Quavo Cares and Tender Foundation collab. No child went home empty-handed ... backpacks, notebooks and pencils were all dished out and 2 kids even won iPad Minis!!!

Quavo's giveaway served grades pre-k all the way to high school and kept the youth busy with apparel giveaways, popsicles for the hot weather, a live DJ, a sensory station, and more games.

Cops are investigating the connection between Pop Smoke's murder and a dead body found in a barrel on the beach in Malibu ... TMZ has learned.

The barrel, containing the naked body of Javonnta Murphy, washed ashore July 31. We've learned Javonnta is the brother of Jaquan Murphy ... one of the 5 people arrested in the wake of Pop Smoke's murder in 2020.

Jaquan was first charged with attempted murder for Pop Smoke's death, but later cleared. He is, however, currently awaiting trial for an unrelated murder in L.A. County.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... L.A. County Sheriff's Department's investigators are currently looking into the possibility Javonnta's murder was a retaliation killing for Pop's murder. Of course, it's not their only theory, but definitely one they're digging into.

Paul Reubens was a busy man before his sudden passing this week -- as he privately battled cancer, the guy was hard at work almost right to the end ... and there'll be something to show for it in the near future.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... the 'Pee-wee Herman' star had been actively involved in various different film/TV projects in the final months of his life, including an upcoming HBO documentary (focused on his titular character) that was announced in 2021.

The doc is being helmed by the Safdie brothers, and we're told producers were able to get all of the interviews and insights from Paul himself before he died Monday.

Our sources say Paul had good and bad days toward the end, but when he was feeling up to it ... he was able to get quite a bit done ... spending upwards of 40 hours on interviews he did for the HBO doc. Between that and other interviews from over 25 different friends/collaborators, our sources say the 'Pee-wee' doc has over 1,000 hours of footage.

In addition to this documentary ... we're told Paul was working on his memoir ... a first draft of which Paul completed prior to his death. So, yes ... we'll get to hear his story from his POV somewhere down the line.

Angus Cloud's death was viewed as a possible overdose by cops -- and we've heard rumblings he may have even taken his own life ... but his mom's denying that last part.

The "Euphoria" actor's mother, Lisa Cloud, took to Facebook to pen an emotional message, writing ... "Friends, I want you all to know I appreciate your love for my family at this shattered time. I also want you to know that although my son was in deep grief about his father's untimely death from mesothelioma, his last day was a joyful one."

She goes on to describe was Angus was doing that day, saying he was reorganizing his room and placing items around the house ... which she believes meant he had an intention to be around for a while. Lisa also says he'd been talking about wanting to help family members with college, among other signs that -- in her eyes -- point to him not being suicidal.

Then, Lisa says this point blank ... "I don't know if or what he may have put in his body after that. I only know that he put his head on the desk where he was working on art project's, fell asleep and didn't wake up. We may find out that he overdosed accidentally and tragically, but it's abundantly clear that he did not intend to check out of this world."

She adds, "Social media posts have suggested his death was intentional. I want you to know that is not the case. To honor his memory, please make random acts of kindness part of your daily life."

It's interesting that she's batting down any notion of suicide. Not only did a family statement released at the time suggest he died by suicide ... but sources familiar with the situation have further assured us that Angus was, indeed, having suicidal thoughts of late.

Unclear if there's more evidence to indicate he may have taken his life -- like a note, for example. In any case, his mother's backing that he was in high spirits -- which we've seen ourselves -- in his final days ... despite having a hard time dealing with his father's death.

BTW, Lisa appears to have been on the scene in Oakland when Angus was found ... first responders cited her as being the one who called 911 that fateful Monday morning.

He was 25.

It's becoming more clear why the death of Angus Cloud's father hit the actor so fast and hard ... his dad was suffering from stage 4 cancer leading up to the actor's own death.

The late "Euphoria" star's dad, Conor Hickey, died from fluid buildup around his lungs and heart, with stage 4 cancer in those same organs ... this according to his death certificate.

The doc, obtained by TMZ, shows Angus' dad had stage 4 mesothelioma ... which may explain why his sudden passing hit Angus like a ton of bricks.

TMZ broke the story ... Angus' family says he struggled in the wake of his dad's very quick cancer battle, laying his father to rest in Ireland a week before he died in the family's Oakland home.

The circumstances of his dad's death could explain how serious things were for Angus mentally ... and it brings some insight into his final days.

Remember ... a source close to the family told us Angus had been struggling with thoughts of suicide since returning home from his dad's funeral ... and he was staying in the family home as he tried to work through the grief of losing his father.

As we first reported ... Angus' mom called 911 about a "possible overdose," claiming her son didn't have a pulse.

Since Angus' death, a mural went up down the street from his home ... and a candlelight vigil was held at the same spot, which has become the central gathering place for people wanting to pay their respects.

Lisa Marie Presley's oldest daughter, Riley Keough, is now the one and only in charge of her mother's estate ... this after settling with her grandmother, Priscilla Presley.

An L.A. County Superior Court judge signed off Friday, so Priscilla is officially out of the picture.

Riley is now a substantial owner of the Elvis Presley Graceland Estate, but according to the settlement, Priscilla will be allowed to use it as her final resting place. TMZ broke the story, during negotiations between Priscilla and Riley, Priscilla wanted to be buried right next to Elvis, which would have displaced Elvis' mom and dad. Remember, Priscilla was divorced from Elvis at the time of his death.

As we reported, Riley paid Priscilla millions to back off from challenging who administers Lisa Marie's trust ... a trust which benefits Riley, along with Lisa Marie's twins, 14-year-olds Harper and Finley.