'Gladiator II' Denzel's Gay Kiss Not Scripted ... Improvised Take Among Several Not Used

Denzel Washington threw some shade at the producers of "Gladiator II" when he talked about a gay kiss he had in the film that was cut, allegedly over cold feet ... but it seems there is more to the story, TMZ is told.

A production source tells us ... the moment in question happened, but it was not in the script -- and done during an improvised take of which there were many for the scene.

The kiss take -- and other improvised takes -- ended up on the cutting room floor as a story choice. No prejudice went into making the decision, we're told.

Megan Fox Check Out My Baby Bump!!!

Megan Fox is showing off her growing baby bump ... all while looking hot as hell.

The pregnant "Transformers" star proudly displays her bun in the oven in a series of shots posted on social media ... featuring Megan wearing some black lace lingerie.

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As you can see, Megan is cradling her baby bump in a sheer look ... covering up her private parts but showing lots of skin.

Jeff Goldblum Ariana Grande, Who??? Drew a Blank on Their First Meeting 20 Years Ago

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WE GO WAY BACK
NBC

"Wicked" isn't the first time Jeff Goldblum and Ariana Grande have crossed paths ... with the veteran actor confessing he met the pop star 20 years ago -- but totally forgot all about it.

The "Jurassic Park" alum swung by "TODAY" Thursday, where he opened up about working with the Grammy winner on the musical movie ... and revealed they actually go way back.

Jeff says halfway through the making of the big screen adaption of "Wicked," Ariana reminded him that they had actually met in NYC once before ... though, she was a little girl at the time.

Conan O’Brien I'm Hosting The Oscars!!!

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Tune in !!!

Conan O’Brien’s got some big news -- he’s making his Oscars hosting debut!

The talk show legend shared a hilarious clip holding the iconic Oscar trophy, pretending he'd snagged a major movie award -- until someone yanks it away, leaving him awkwardly realizing he’s actually the new host of the 97th Academy Awards.

His acting in the clip might not win him an Oscar anytime soon, but his wit was on point -- he joked in the caption that America’s demand for him as host rivals the love for Taco Bell’s new Cheesy Chalupa Supreme.

'Spy Kids' Star Robert Vito GF's TRO Request Granted ... After His Domestic Violence Arrest

Update

2:27 PM PT -- Lindsey Jennings' TRO against Robert Vito has been granted.

The ex-girlfriend of 'Spy Kids' actor Robert Vito is asking a judge to order him to stay away from her ... days after he was arrested for felony domestic violence.

According to a new legal document obtained by TMZ ... the actor's ex is seeking a temporary restraining order against Vito -- after making several troubling accusations.

'Wicked' Star Cynthia Erivo I Still Get Nervous Before I Sing!!!

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STAGE FRIGHT
TMZ.com

Cynthia Erivo is a Grammy award-winning singer, but she still gets nervous when she has to show off her pipes ... admitting as much on camera.

We got the "Wicked" star Wednesday at ABC Studios in New York City and our photog asked her about her live, impromptu duet with costar Ariana Grande on "TODAY" ... when they sang Chaka Khan's "I'm Every Woman" for Hoda Kotb and Savannah Guthrie.

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A WICKED DUET
NBC

Cynthia says she still gets nervous every time she sings ... and it was no different live on air.

Cameron Diaz 'Back In Action' With Jamie Foxx, Ending Hiatus!!!

Cameron Diaz is back from her lengthy Hollywood hiatus, joining Jamie Foxx for a new Netflix movie, which also marks his big comeback after a well-documented health scare.

The trailer for "Back in Action" -- a totally fitting name for both of them -- is packed with adrenaline, showing Cameron coming out of her 11-year acting retirement swinging and kicking some serious butt alongside Foxx.

The movie centers on their characters, Emily and Matt, getting pulled back into the espionage world when their cover’s blown, years after they left their CIA spy lives behind to start a family.

Cynthia Erivo & Ariana Grande 'Can't Help' Crying Over 'Wicked' ... Still 'Sorry,' Though!!!

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CHANGED FOR GOOD
NBC

Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande are feeling "Popular" ahead of the release of "Wicked" ... admitting they've cried through a number of press interviews for the musical movie.

The actresses, who play Elphaba and Glinda, respectively, in the new flick, stopped by "Today" to discuss their special bond ... revealing it's part of the reason they've shed a tear or two while promoting the movie.

Cynthia said a few journalists have wept with them while discussing the highly anticipated movie, sharing they've broken out in tears over all the love. The internet has certainly had a field day over the pair's tearful reactions, too ... roasting both Cynthia and Ari in a number of posts on X.

Pedro Pascal Upstaged by Transgender Sis ... in Revealing Cutout Dress at 'Gladiator II' Premiere

Pedro Pascal may be the star of the new 'Gladiator' flick, but all eyes were on his transgender sister, Lux, at the London premiere of the action movie.

Check it out ... Pedro posed for photographers in an all-black getup for a screening at London's Leicester Square -- but the "Gladiator II" actor paled in comparison to his sister, who was by his side on the red carpet.

While the evening wasn't about Lux, she certainly stole the spotlight ... wearing a revealing black dress that boldly showed off a saucy amount of skin. The gown featured a diamond-shaped cutout situated at the bottom off her ribcage ... and ran all the way down to her lower thigh, giving photogs an ample look at her curves.

Dwayne Johnson 'Red One' Needs 'Oppenheimer'-Size Screen ... Comparison Trolled Online

Dwayne Johnson is comparing his new flick "Red One" to "Oppenheimer" ... and, his take is bombing online -- with fans calling it laughable to stack up the 2 films.

Here's the deal ... in a clip posted online by IMAX, Johnson told a story about going to see Christopher Nolan's World War II epic while filming his Christmas flick, "Red One" -- saying he went to the same theater where Nolan watches his films and even sat in the director's preferred chair.

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JUST AS GOOD

While DJ says he was impressed, he claims he immediately thought about the possibilities regarding 'R1' ... basically, if you put the film in an IMAX theater it would be "game over."

Denzel Washington Locked Lips W/ Man in 'Gladiator II' ... Producers Cut the Scene!!!

Denzel Washington brought some authenticity to his "Gladiator II" character's sexuality ... 'cause he says he straight-up kissed a dude in a scene -- but, fans won't get to see it.

The actor sat down for an interview with Gayety -- an LGBTQ+-focused media company -- and, they asked him about his character's revelation that he'd been in same-sex couplings before ... leaving them to wonder how gay the Roman Empire truly was.

DW says they didn't just reference his character's past in the flick ... they actually showed him lip-to-lip with another man in a scene -- a full-on smooch in the Ancient Rome film.

Denzel Washington Nervous Meet And Greet ... With King Charles At "Gladiator II" Premiere

Denzel Washington typically portrays a cool and confident character in his films ... yet he was anything but that when he met King Charles at the London premiere of "Gladiator II."

The Oscar-winning actor stepped onto the red carpet at the Wednesday night opening of the action-adventure movie with his costars, Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal, Connie Nielsen and director Sir Ridley Scott.

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ROYALTY MEETS ROYALTY
AP

Denzel and the others formed a line so Charles could greet them one by one at Leicester Square Odeon -- but when British royalty approached Hollywood royalty things got a little awkward.

Toy Scout Joel Magee Make 'Wicked' $$$ on X-Rated Doll Error

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GET 'EM WHILE YOU CAN!
TMZ.com

The Toy Scout, Joel Magee, is advising people against tossing out the "Wicked" toys incorrectly labeled with a porn link ... explaining owners could majorly cash in on the X-rated error.

The toy expert tells TMZ ... he's never seen a mistake like this on a toy before, especially involving a company as famous and as big as Mattel. In fact, he's baffled the proof team didn't catch such a glaring error, calling it a "heavy" misstep.

However, the mistake actually makes the toy even more valuable now ... with Joel encouraging owners to ignore Mattel's instructions on how to dispose of the NSFW packaging.

George Lemore Tony Todd Is the Only 'Candyman' ... 'Leave It Alone'!!!

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CANDYMAN LIVES ON!!!
TMZ.com

George Lemore, who starred in the 1995 film "Candyman: Farewell to the Flesh," doesn't think anyone should pick up the villain's famous hook in the aftermath of Tony Todd's death.

We caught up with the actor a week after his former costar died of natural causes at the age of 69, prompting George to advocate to the powers that be to leave the 'Candyman' franchise alone.

As George put it ... the horror series, which dropped its first film back in 1992, should be left as a classic and shouldn't be rebooted again ... declaring it's comparable to other greats in the popular genre.

'Gladiator II' This Movie Keeps Us All Entertained ... Denzel Washington, Pedro Pascal & More at Premiere

The "Gladiator II" cast will soon enter the Box Office Colosseum ... but, for now, they're simply enjoying the run-up to the wide release of the film -- attending the premiere in London.

Denzel Washington led the way for the 'G2' stars ... King Kong ain't got a thing on his outfit -- looking handsome in a plain black suit.

Pedro Pascal showed off a little more skin ... wearing his black shirt open to the middle of his chest, his sister Lux standing alongside him.

Ariana Grande & Cynthia Erivo Pitch-Perfect Together ... Sing 'I'm Every Woman' Live on 'Today'

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A WICKED DUET
NBC

Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo are proving they're perfectly in-sync ... busting out into song during their recent appearance on "TODAY."

Check it out ... the stars of the upcoming "Wicked" film sit down with Savannah Guthrie and Hoda Kotb to discuss their bond after making the musical movie -- and give a taste of their pitch-perfect sound together.

When asked by Hoda if there's any song they can't help but sing when around one another, the on-screen besties confess "I'm Every Woman" by Chaka Khan is a favorite ... jumping into a live rendition of the song.