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John Boyega isn't part of Disney's rat pack anymore, so he's speaking his mind freely about how he thinks they did him dirty in 'Star Wars' ... and he ain't sugarcoating a thing.

The actor is gracing the October cover of British GQ, and talked to the mag about some lingering gripes over his time playing Finn in the latest 'Star Wars' films. While he says he'll always defend J.J. Abrams -- who directed two of the flicks -- he says the studio itself screwed the pooch and misled both him and the fan base about the Finn character.

John says quite bluntly, "[W]hat I would say to Disney is do not bring out a Black character, market them to be much more important in the franchise than they are, and then have them pushed to the side." He adds "It’s not good. I’ll say it straight up."

We've gotten hints that John wasn't too happy with the way the Mouse House downplayed his character -- as we've seen him squabble with internet trolls about the franchise's direction before -- but now ... we know how he really feels.

He goes on to tell GQ his costars Daisy Ridley and Adam Driver's characters were fully fleshed out, and in the end ... got the biggest storylines (not to mention love interests). John says Daisy and Adam would admit the same, so he's not dropping any bombshell.

The tributes to Chadwick Boseman keep pouring in, and the latest honor for the late "Black Panther" star is all about education.

Walter Mayfield, principal at T. L. Hanna High School in South Carolina where the actor attended, tells TMZ ... they're forming the Chadwick Boseman Memorial Scholarship for a yearly honor to a deserving student.

Mayfield says the goal is to create a sustainable scholarship for years to come, and the school is aiming to raise $100k toward that end. The principal says a bunch of people have already reached out about contributing in Chadwick's honor -- without even publicizing the idea yet -- so they're off to a good start.

We're told the school is trying to work with Boseman's family on the plan -- Mayfield feels it's essential they be involved to help formulate criteria for the award.

Chadwick's former H.S. basketball coach, Wayne Jones, is pushing for the school to retire the number he used to wear -- 32 -- in his memory.

He tells us the cinematic superhero was an all-around solid player on the court who played 4 years on the varsity squad ... and could do a little bit of everything. T. L. Hanna has never retired a number before, but Principal Mayfield says this is the time to consider it.

If the Boseman scholarship gets up and running, it will be the second one in honor of a T. L. Hanna legend ... the first is James "Radio" Kennedy. His scholarship goes to a student pursuing a career in special ed.

As we told you ... Chadwick's South Carolina hometown is also set to honor him soon.

Masika Kalysha still believes faking her own kidnapping served a good purpose, so she has no regrets about that ... but her apology stands for those she offended.

The former "Love & Hip Hop: Hollywood" star was leaving Craig's late Tuesday night when we asked her about her publicity stunt, and she says ultimately it brought awareness to something she's passionate about ... so mission accomplished.

Masika tells us even though she didn't intend to trigger anyone -- so she's sorry for that -- she suggests the ends justify the means ... because she's opened up a dialogue about sex trafficking.

She even goes as far as calling out those who are upset with her for not doing more themselves to bring light to the important subject ... and says you can't be afraid of pissing off people.

As we reported ... Masika expressed some similar thoughts when she issued her apology last week, saying she "got caught up in the excitement of the moment" while filming her show on human trafficking but was pleased she brought awareness to it.

However, her distasteful act resulted in her being fired from the "Double Cross" TV show, anyway ... and she was rebuked by the founder of the sexual exploitation nonprofit -- the R.O.S.E. Organization -- with which she falsely claimed to be working.

What she's yet to address ... is why she promoted her own OnlyFans account and asked for money during her fake kidnapping video.

It sure seems she could have gotten the point across without doing that. Like she's admitted ... her delivery was far from perfect.

Neymar -- one of the most famous athletes in the world -- has reportedly tested positive for COVID-19 after a holiday in Ibiza.

Neymar's pro soccer club Paris Saint-Germain confirmed Wednesday that 3 members of the team tested positive -- but the organization did not release the names of the players.

However, media outlet L’Équipe and ESPN say sources have confirmed the 28-year-old Brazilian superstar is one of the players who tested positive ... along with his PSG teammates Angel Di Maria and Leo Paredes.

All 3 men were recently spotted out in Ibiza after PSG's August 23 loss to Bayern Munich in the UEFA Champions League final.

PSG has issued a statement on the situation saying, "Three [PSG] players are confirmed positive after a Sars CoV2 test and have undergone the appropriate health protocols."

"All players and staff will continue to be tested over the next few days."

The team has been off since the loss in the finals -- but are scheduled to pick back up on Sept. 10.

Neymar was in hot water last month for breaking COVID protocol when he swapped jerseys with Leipzig defender Marcel Halstenberg following their August 18 game.

Players have been banned from the jersey swap -- and there were fears Neymar would be blocked from competing against Bayern Munich in the final, but he ultimately was allowed to play.

The L.A. driver, who appeared to be utterly wasted after smashing into 3 parked cars and walked into the sunset with cops watching, has gotten the break of the century ... because he can't be prosecuted.

Law enforcement sources tell us ... there's no way legally charges could stick, because LAPD officers never gave the guy a field sobriety test. The reality ... even though you see him on video clearly not in control of himself as he repeatedly stumbles and falls, it's not enough to file charges.

The guy's lawyer could easily argue there were other reasons the guy seemed out of it. He could argue it was some unexplained medical condition or something else. Fact is ... prosecutors would have to prove beyond a reasonable doubt he was driving under the influence, and there's no way they can do that without a field sobriety test or a blood test back at the station.

The LAPD is conducting an internal investigation to determine why cops utterly ignored the obvious at the scene.

Patrick Mahomes wasn't the only one in his household to get a massive ring on Tuesday ... the superstar QB just proposed to his longtime GF, Brittany Matthews, with a diamond that's bigger than her knuckle!!!

Mahomes surprised his lady with a floral arrangement and bright signs at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City after getting his Super Bowl ring ... and Brittany's ring might be even more impressive.

Since 24-year-old Mahomes just signed the fattest contract in NFL history -- he signed a $503 MILLION extension -- it shouldn't come as a surprise that he splurged on the jewelry.

Unclear on how much he paid for it, but by the looks of it ... it wasn't cheap.

Of course, the couple has been together since their high school days ... and have been pretty much inseparable ever since.

25-year-old Matthews -- a pro fitness trainer -- has been one of Mahomes' biggest supporters since day one and definitely made sure fans heard her cheers all throughout the Chiefs' Super Bowl run this past season.

Speaking of ... Mahomes and his Kansas City Chiefs teammates finally got their championship rings for the 2019 season just before the proposal ... and they're pretty spectacular.

The champs held a special social-distanced celebration on the Arrowhead Stadium field on Tuesday ... receiving their rings for their Super Bowl LIV win over the San Francisco 49ers.

The rings -- made by Jostens -- feature the Chiefs logo (made of 60 diamonds) and 2 Lombardi trophies (made with marquise-cut diamonds) on the top ... and includes 16 rubies to signify 10 AFC West Division titles and 6 playoff appearances under head coach Andy Reid.

There are also 50 diamonds surrounding the design, which represent the 50 years since the team's first Super Bowl title.

The sides feature the SBLIV logo and player names and numbers -- and even "142.2" to honor Arrowhead's record-setting decibel rating.

The inside of the rings are just as special -- they feature the logos and scores of all KC's games throughout the playoffs ... and each recipient's autograph.

The team captured the moment Mahomes put his ring on for the first time ... and you could see the dude's smile pouring out from behind his mask!!

Look out, NFL -- these guys look like they're ready for another.

A Ukrainian woman was waiting in the wings for her chance to shine after a family vacation, and took it in a bizarre way when their plane touched down.

Check out this passenger aboard a Ukraine International Airlines flight that had just returned from Turkey this week -- she just had to get off the plane one way or another, and opened an emergency exit to do just that ... John McClane style.

In the video, the woman literally pops out of the exit and starts taking a little stroll along the plane's wing, not looking to jump or anything ... but to simply stretch her legs and get some fresh air.

That's what she told airport authorities anyway when they questioned her about this ... that she was hot and wanted to cool down. Doesn't seem like the folks at UIA bought it though, because apparently her own kids were reportedly already deplaned when she did this.

So, in other words ... it may very well have been a stunt for kicks. In any case, the woman is banned from flying with them ever again -- the captain also apparently called in the cavalry to deal with her ... airport security, border patrol and airline cops, the works basically.

Scott Disick has more time on his hands following his split from Sofia Richie, and he's spending a lot of it with Kourtney Kardashian ... but the exes aren't getting back together.

Sources close to Scott and Kourtney tell TMZ ... they're NOT a couple, even though they've been hanging out more since his breakup with Sofia.

We broke the story ... Scott and Sofia called it quits last month ... this time for good.

As you know ... Scott and Kourtney hit up Nobu in Malibu over the weekend, where they ate under the same roof as Sofia. Sushi by the ocean is a hot date for a lot of folks, but we're told not so for Scott and Kourtney.

Our sources tell us Scott and Kourtney still consider themselves a family and co-parenting their 3 children is a priority for both. Hence, the time they spend together, even when the kids aren't there, is still all about fam.

Consider their recent trip to Lake Coeur d'Alene in Idaho. We're told the kids had a blast, and Scott and Kourtney realized it's good for the fam and they want to do more of it.

These family outings were rare when Scott was dating Sofia.

Tony Gonzalez is predicting BIG THINGS for Tom Brady's squad in 2020 -- telling TMZ Sports he's already got 'em pegged as early Super Bowl contenders!

Of course, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are pretty loaded on offense -- with TB12 at the helm and stars like Rob Gronkowski, Mike Evans and Chris Godwin catching passes.

"I think that whole team is gonna be AWESOME," Tony told us on his way out of Erewhon market in L.A. ... "They're gonna be real good."

The "NFL on FOX" star clearly believes the guys in "Tompa" have insane potential -- and he's super geeked to do the pregame breakdown for their season opener against Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints on Sept. 13.

By the way, props to Tony for putting on his mask on the way out of the market ... NO ONE WANTS COVID TO RUIN FOOTBALL!!!!!

Before this arts and crafts kid launched her critically-acclaimed acting career, she was just another sweet school girl doing her assignments while growing up in Atlanta, Georgia.

This little lady got her start at just 10 years old with her first role in a historical drama alongside huge names like Lupita Nyong'o and Brad Pitt. The biographical memoir earned nine Academy Award nominations and took home three wins, including the most prestigious Oscar for Best Picture.

Now at 17 years old, you can watch this famous face in a blissful HBO television series where she plays Zendaya's younger sister.

Tyler Perry's got something else to take ownership of ... he's now a billionaire!!!

Tyler's net worth just jumped and made him the newest official member of the 3-comma club, according to a new Forbes report detailing his rise from being "poor as hell" to rich and powerful.

The numbers are in ... here's a breakdown of how Forbes is calculating Tyler's milestone net worth:

-- $320 million for his entire library of movies, TV shows, plays, etc., as he owns 100% of the content he's created

-- $300 million in cash and investments

-- $280 million for Tyler Perry Studios, which sits on 330 acres in Georgia

-- $60 million for his equity stake in BET+, the streaming service that debuted last year.

-- $40 million in homes and toys

Add it all up ... and that's a cool $1 billion. Not bad for a guy who once slept in his car.

Harvey Levin interviewed Tyler back in 2017 for the show, "OBJECTified," and Perry explained how he believed in betting on himself and why he relishes commercial success in addition to artistic success.

The mother of Trevor Ariza's 12-year-old son claims the NBA star has physically abused their child on multiple occasions and she's demanding a restraining order on the child's behalf, ASAP.

But, Ariza says the allegations are patently false -- and he's fighting back in court docs of his own.

The 35-year-old Portland Trail Blazers star opted out of the NBA restart in the Orlando bubble -- reportedly to spend time with his son.

Ariza and the mother of his child, Lana Allen, have been locked in a custody battle for a while.

But, Allen recently filed new court documents in Los Angeles accusing Ariza of carrying out a pattern of domestic violence against the child, dating back to 2019.

The details are graphic -- but the allegations are that Ariza, a strong, pro athlete, clearly crossed a line when dishing out corporal punishment on at least two occasions.

Allen claims she reported the alleged abuse to the LAPD, which documented the alleged injuries and looped in the Dept. of Child and Family Services.

In new court docs, Allen is requesting a restraining order against Ariza in hopes of keeping him away from the child.

She claims the child "fears" his father and is "not safe in his care."

Ariza has filed a response to the allegations -- strongly denying the accusations of child abuse and vowing to clear his name.

Ariza says it's Allen who's been alienating him from the child -- causing a rift in their relationship.

Ariza says, "what is occurring here is in fact [Allen's] abuse of the minor child by her relentless, cruel loyalty conflict for [the child], alienation campaign and selfishly driven attempts to interfere in father and son's relationship."

A woman went flying into the air when a boat exploded in Italy ... and ya gotta see the video.

The blast happened recently in the Italian port of Ponza, an island in the middle of the Tyrrhenian Sea, with the boat bursting into flames while it was getting refueled.

As you can see, the woman hands the fuel hose over to a gas station attendant moments before the explosion, which catapults her off the stern, into the air ... and eventually crashing down into the water.

The attendant was also thrown by the blast and had to hop into the water to avoid flames. Another man and woman aboard the boat had to leap to safety as the vessel kept burning.

It's pretty incredible ... Italian newspaper La Repubblica says everyone escaped without serious injuries -- just bruises for the 2 people on board.

Ben and his associates just fleshed out their thoughts even further in a scathing rebuke of local Louisville law enforcement officials who appear to have tried getting her ex-BF, Jamarcus Glover, to falsely pin her as part of a crime syndicate ... this AFTER she'd died.

Ben and co. write, "This is why the Black community has no trust in America’s justice system. It’s enormously ironic that the accused drug dealer here acted with honor, refusing to falsely discredit Bre after her death -- even when offered the temptation of no prison time for lying, while prosecutors and police acted in the most egregiously dishonest and dishonorable way possible."

Ben goes on to say the police have already killed Breonna once, and now they're trying to do it again by killing her reputation and her good name. He adds, "Disgusting behavior by those who are supposed to be the protectors of justice."

The family of Breonna Taylor is rattled by the news of the shocking plea deal offered to her ex-boyfriend, according to their attorney, who adds ... they're losing even more confidence in Kentucky authorities.

Ben Crump came on "TMZ Live" Tuesday to discuss the bombshell news about local prosecutors in Louisville seemingly trying to smear Breonna with a false claim she was a criminal. That came out in a plea deal offered to her ex-BF, who was arrested on drug charges.

Crump says he's not buying prosecutors' claim the plea deal was merely a draft whipped up early on in negotiations. He tells us it's yet just another piece of evidence that local authorities were trying to sweep Breonna's killing under the rug from the very beginning.

Crump says the plea deal proves they were out to dirty up Breonna's character and says that's shaken her family's trust Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron will get them justice in the case.

He tells us bluntly -- Breonna's family is losing faith in the process, and not only because Cameron still has not announced charges against the officer involved in Breonna's killing.

Crump tells us there's no reason a clear answer shouldn't be reached in the next couple weeks, and insists the family only wants one thing -- equal treatment under the law. Plain and simple.

Chadwick Boseman fans will be able to see his iconic performance as Jackie Robinson on the big screen one last time ... with "42" getting re-released days after his tragic death.

Boseman's main role as the baseball hero was one of his first major gigs on the silver screen ... leading to projects like "Draft Day," "Get on Up," and the legendary character of T'Challa in "Black Panther" and the 'Avengers' series.

AMC Theaters announced it will show the 2013 film -- which also stars Harrison Ford and Nicole Beharie -- in 300 different locations later this week ... as a tribute to the beloved actor.

Tickets will be made available on Tuesday ... and the showings will begin as early as Thursday.

As we previously reported, Boseman died at age 43 on Friday after a 4-year battle with colon cancer.

The entertainment and sports worlds have been grieving the loss ever since ... including a tribute from LeBron James prior to the Lakers vs. Blazers game on Saturday and a lengthy farewell from co-star Michael B. Jordan.