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Justin Timberlake's deal to make a documentary about his blockbuster album "The 20/20 Experience" isn't sitting well with the project's director, who's now suing JT for years of hard work ... according to a new lawsuit.

The singer is being sued by John Urbano, who claims JT recruited him back in 2012 to shoot and edit a documentary film about the making of his third studio album.

According to the lawsuit, obtained by TMZ, Urbano claims Justin proposed an arrangement where he would share profits from the film with Urbano instead of paying him his normal fee -- but Justin shelved the doc, which is why the director feels he got the shaft.

Urbano claims he filmed Justin for a total of 60 days all across the world and spent about 2,500 hours editing the footage into a documentary titled, "The Making of The 20/20 Experience."

The director says if he had been paid on the front end for the project, his filming and editing fees would have reached $2,450,000 ... but he says the only money he's seen out of Justin is a modest $20,000 upfront fee, plus reimbursements for expenses incurred while filming. According to his math, Urbano's been paid just $7 per hour for the project.

Urbano claims Justin was moved by the documentary at first, but after his album became his most successful solo project he lost interest in the doc, which has never been released.

The problem for Urbano ... he says Justin promised to share profits with him, but if the doc sits on a shelf, the promise of a big payday goes out the window.

Urbano claims Justin used his network of agents, managers, and handlers to stop the director from getting paid ... and he wants compensation for an allegedly breached agreement.

The director wants Justin to cough up lots more money, and he also wants a judge to declare he owns all the rights to the documentary.

Richard Gere has a buyer for his impressive New York estate ... and while he ended up selling for under the original asking price, he's still walking away with a fortune.

The "Pretty Woman" star's 50 acres of property sold on Wednesday -- the buyer shelled out $24.15 million for the entire space out in Pound Ridge, about an hour north of NYC in Westchester County.

The compound includes 5 structures, a pool and some stables -- the area has rolling hills that are perfect for horseback riding, making those stables look like a necessity. The main residence alone is a whopping 11,600 square feet.

The compound also comes with its own private beach, an island you can reach by rowboat ... and there's even a soccer field, too. The surrounding area is incredibly lush -- over 4,300 acres of protected land circle the estate.

Richard listed the property back in October for $28 mil, and records show he bought the space 35 years ago for a measly $1.5M -- talk about a profit!!!

A tourist's photo-op with an orangutan turned super intimate when the chimp started grabbing both of her breasts and kissing her cheek ... and it's all on video.

The wild interaction went down June 27 at Safari World in Bangkok, Thailand ... where caretakers allow orangutans to roam free for photos with visitors.

As you can see, the woman is sitting on a swing when the orangutan walks up behind her and cups one breast, then the other ... even appearing to give them a squeeze.

The chimp apparently wants more -- smooching her on the cheek several times as she laughs and they both smile. Good luck topping this social media post!!!

Baltimore Ravens pass rusher Jaylon Ferguson died last month due to "the combined effects of fentanyl and cocaine," officials announced on Friday.

In a statement to TMZ Sports, a spokesperson for the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Baltimore, Maryland added the death was ruled an accident.

No further details were made available.

As we reported, Ferguson was found unresponsive at a Baltimore residence on June 21 and, according to cops, never regained consciousness. He was pronounced dead by medics on the scene.

At the time, cops did not suspect foul play ... and added they were investigating the possibility that Ferguson had suffered an overdose.

He was just 26 years old.

Jaylon was selected by the Ravens in the third round of the 2019 NFL Draft ... and played in 38 total games for the team the last three seasons, tallying 4.5 sacks and 67 tackles.

He had previously starred at Louisiana Tech, where he set the NCAA record for most career sacks.

Alicia Keys' hubby, Swizz Beatz, certainly knows how to make his wife smile while she's working abroad ... all with the help of some serious ice.

Alicia was performing in Milan Tuesday when Swizz and their kids surprised her with the massive bling -- a piece made possible by Celeb Jeweler Elliot Eliantte.

We're told at about 150 cts, the Egyptian-themed necklace set Swizz back about $400K. The baguettes around the main piece are set in a brick formation like the Great Pyramids.

The pendant is designed after Nefertiti, the queen of the 18th Dynasty of Ancient Egypt, but with Alicia's face on it. Nefertiti stands for strength, power, and beauty, while the infinity links symbolize eternal life.

R. Kelly will be in his 80s when/if he gets out of prison, but there are still concerns the old man will remain a threat -- especially to minors -- so, he'll have to live under a slew of strict conditions and counseling.

When Judge Ann M. Donnelly handed down Kelly's 30-year sentence for federal sex crimes, she also ordered mental health treatment for the singer upon his release. According to docs, his treatment will include therapy for an unspecified sexual disorder, and he must avoid all contact with anyone under 18.

That seems like a no-brainer, considering how the disgraced R&B hitmaker ended up in prison -- but there are even more criteria.

As we reported ... prosecutors said Kelly is especially menacing to society, because he'd continued his criminal behavior for years after standing trial in Chicago for sex crimes. Seems that struck a chord with the judge, who ordered Kelly must inform anyone choosing to live with him that he is a sex offender.

The only way he'll be allowed to be around someone under 18 is if it's a family member, or it's in a therapeutic setting with a "responsible adult" present -- ditto for associating with convicted sex offenders. And, all of the above scenarios would first have to be approved by his probation officer.

He's gonna get to know that P.O. very well -- Kelly will remain under supervised release for 5 years once he gets out ... and, that's just for this sentence.

The mother of Miles Bridges' two children just shared several disturbing images of the injuries she claims to have suffered at the hands of the NBA forward ... saying she sustained a fractured nose and wrist, a severe concussion and more.

"I hate that it has come to this but I can't be silent anymore," Mychelle Johnson said in an Instagram post on Thursday. "I've allowed someone to destroy my home, abuse me in every way possible and traumatize our kids for life."

TMZ Sports broke the story -- Bridges was arrested for felony domestic violence on Wednesday ... after Johnson claims they got in an argument that turned physical.

The woman's identity was not revealed at the time, but Johnson is now breaking her silence on the alleged incident ... and her version of the story is troubling.

Mychelle says Miles choked her until she went to sleep ... tearing muscles in her neck in the process.

The photos appear to show various marks and bruises on different parts of Johnson's body -- including her face, arms, legs, neck, hands, wrists and back.

Johnson also appeared to share her medical forms from the emergency room ... where the diagnosis is listed as "Adult victim of physical abuse by male partner."

The form states Johnson suffered "Assault by strangulation, brain concussion, closed fracture of nasal bone, contusion of rib, multiple bruises, strain of neck muscle."

"I don't need sympathy," Johnson added. "I just don't want this happening to anyone else, I just want this person to get help, my kids deserve better."

"That's all I want. It hurts, everything hurts, this situation hurts, most importantly I'm scared and hurting for my kids who were witness to everything."

Along with the alleged injury photos, Johnson also posted a video where their son recounts the alleged attack on his mom.

Johnson and Bridges first started dating around 2016 ... and have two young children together. There are reports the couple is married.

Bridges -- who has not addressed the allegations -- was booked and released Wednesday afternoon ... and resurfaced on Thursday at a basketball workout.

Bridges is coming off the best season of his career ... and was expected to be a top target in free agency.

Jamie Spears flatly denies bugging his daughter's bedroom ... one of the most explosive charges leveled against her former conservator.

Jamie filed a declaration, obtained by TMZ, in connection with the ongoing battle over alleged misdeeds committed during Britney Spears' 13-year conservatorship, and he said flatly, "I am informed of the allegation by Britney's counsel that a listening device or 'bug' was placed [in] her bedroom as surveillance during the Conservatorship. This allegation is false. I never conducted or authorized any surveillance of Britney's bedroom at any time, including during the conservatorship."

He went on to say he was not aware of any such device that was placed in his daughter's bedroom.

The New York Times documentary about Britney's conservatorship featured Alex Vlasov, a former employee of Black Box Security ... the company Jamie hired. He claimed such a device was indeed secretly placed in her bedroom to spy ... allegedly listening to private conversations.

Britney's lawyer, Mathew Rosengart, has gone after Jamie hard, saying he violated his client's privacy and civil liberties.

Arguably the biggest days in Brittney Griner's life have finally arrived -- her drug case trial in Russia has begun ... and it appears she chose to send a loud and clear message with her fashion for the monumental moment.

Cameras at a courthouse in Moscow captured Griner in the minutes before the trial officially began Friday morning ... and they showed the WNBA superstar rockin' a Jimi Hendrix T-shirt for the occasion.

While we're sure Griner is a big fan of the musician's work ... it seems the 31-year-old -- who's been detained in Russia since mid-February after authorities claimed she had hash oil in her luggage at an airport -- was attempting to send an "I'm innocent" note to the world.

You'll recall, Hendrix was arrested in Toronto back in 1969 after he, too, allegedly had drugs in his bags at an airport. Hendrix eventually stood trial in the case, but was found not guilty.

Griner -- who's facing up to 10 years behind bars if convicted on the charges -- is clearly hoping for a similar result in her drug case.

Friday's hearing reportedly lasted around two and a half hours, and is scheduled to continue next week. U.S. officials said at the courthouse following the proceedings that Griner told them she is in good spirits and "is keeping up the faith."

Griner's wife, meanwhile, spoke with CNN on Thursday night ahead of the important hearing ... and stressed she still wants to get in front of Joe Biden to make sure he knows just how important Griner is to her, her fans and America.

"He has that power -- he is the person that ultimately will make that decision for BG to come home," Cherelle Griner said. "And, so while everyone else wants to tell me they care, I would love for him to tell me he cares."

Cardi B's break is officially over, and she's got Chicago's finest -- Kanye West and Lil Durk -- for her first track since last year.

Cardi dropped "Hot S***" at midnight, and her fans are going nuts over the highly anticipated new music ... which has her flexing about her over-the-top lifestyle.

For instance ... "All this jewelry at the grocery store, I'm obnoxious / Bought a home and closin' on another, I know I'm blessed." She even says "I don't know what's colder, man, my heart or my necklace."

Ye starts his verse off strong too, poking fun at his own unpredictability -- "Pinky swear you ain't scared when you heard Ye appear."

Cardi was pretty hesitant about dropping the single -- she says she's been holding it for about 3 years, making it older than 2020's "WAP."

It's her first track since "Up" in 2021, and it's holding over her fans until they get that long-awaited second album. Cardi told followers on Instagram Live "Hot S***" doesn't have a music video, but she's confident they'll still dig it.

She thinks the song is appealing to a lot of different demographics, too -- "It's masculine, it's great for the clubs, it's great for the bitches."

Dylan O'Brien and Chloe Bennet have all the makings of Hollywood's newest couple ... we're told their lunch date got super flirty.

TMZ got these pics of Dylan and Chloe grabbing a bite together over the weekend at Potato Chips Deli in Los Angeles, and folks who were eating there tell us the actors were giving off much more than just a friendly vibe.

We're told Dylan and Chloe were flirting with each other ... and while it was clear this was a relaxed date, we're told their demeanor suggested they were very comfortable with each other.

Actors love dating other actors, and Dylan's famous for his work on "Teen Wolf" and "The Maze Runner," while Chloe is known for her role in "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D."

A$AP Rocky's arrest in Sweden a few years back almost triggered an international trade war ... with then-President Donald Trump demanding his release -- or else.

Sweden's Justice Minister just revealed the information ... that Trump threatened to impose trade restrictions if A$AP wasn't freed stat.

The Justice Minister said Trump's threats were classic bullying, adding, "If you can try and do something like this against Sweden, what will you then try and do to slightly weaker countries that don't have the European Union behind them?"

The J.M. said Trump's actions clearly showed how essential it is to stand up for democracy.

As we reported ... A$AP was arrested 3 years ago in Stockholm after he and 2 bodyguards beat up a fan outside a fast-food restaurant ... and it was caught on video. They hit and kicked the guy ... then hit him with a broken bottle.

A$AP and co. said the guy had been harassing them and hurling racial epithets at them well. A$AP was held for more than a month.

Trump was briefed by Kanye and tweeted his support for A$AP, saying "Very disappointed in Prime Minister Stefan Lofven for being unable to act. Sweden has let our African American Community down in the United States," adding, "I watched the tapes of A$AP Rocky, and he was being followed and harassed by troublemakers. Treat Americans fairly. #FreeRocky."

Brad Kelly, the star of Discovery Channel's "Bering Sea Gold," will serve prison time after striking a plea deal for a brutal domestic violence case in Alaska ... TMZ has learned.

The reality TV star was arrested back in February after beating up a woman with whom he shares a child. Cops said hospital staff told them the woman suffered life-threatening injuries after being struck in the head.

According to the police report, obtained by TMZ, the woman told cops she got into an argument with Kelly, went to sleep and woke up to find him standing over her in a pool of her own blood.

Kelly told officers the woman fell and hit her head on a table, but he was arrested and charged with second-degree assault domestic violence.

Kelly's attorney, Jon-Marc Petersen, tells TMZ ... his client pled guilty to felony assault and prosecutors dropped the remaining charges.

Kelly was sentenced to 4 years behind bars, with 3 of those years being suspended. His lawyer says Kelly could be released after 8 months ... as long as he keeps his nose clean behind bars. Once he's out, he'll be on probation for 5 years.

Dave Bautista is so furious over Roe V. Wade being overturned ... he's now begging men to get off their asses and speak up about women's rights, clearly believing it'll help avoid similar situations in the future.

"Every f**ing man needs to be louder about the rights of women," the former WWE champion said.

The "Guardians of the Galaxy" star made the urging at The Henry out in L.A. earlier this week ... just days after the U.S. Supreme Court reversed Roe V. Wade, the 50-year-old precedent that legalized abortion nationwide.

Bautista was very obviously still PO'ed over the decision ... and said flat-out that men should be doing and saying more to make sure women are not marginalized.

"[They should be] speaking out," he said. "Be f***ing loud."

This is not the first time the 53-year-old has taken a strong pro-abortion rights stance ... back in 2021, he said in a tweet if you disagree with him, he's "not open to discussion about" it.

U.K. native and actress Miffy Englefield was just 7 years old when she was cast as Sophie -- one of the sweet daughters who is seeking a mother figure -- in the 2006 romance/comedy film "The Holiday."

Miffy shared the big screen with A-listers Cameron Diaz as the successful movie trailer business owner, Amanda, Jude Law as the sensitive and romantic book editor and widower, Graham, Kate Winslet as the intelligent society columnist for 'The Daily Telegraph' in London, Iris and Jack Black as the loyal movie composer, Miles.

Bret Michaels is currently being treated in a Nashville hospital ... a medical emergency that occurred just before he was set to get on stage with Poison.

The band is part of a massive stadium tour with Def Leppard, Motley Crue and Joan Jett. Audience members claim members from Poison got on stage Thursday night and let the crowd know Bret had to go to the hospital for a bad reaction to medication.

As a result, the other band members announced they wouldn't be able to perform their set.

Obviously, some fans were upset, going to Twitter to express their disappointment. One fan wrote, "Came all the way from KC to watch poison. Bret Michaels was admitted to hospital. No poison in Nashville."

Unclear how long Michaels will be sidelined, the tour continues with a date Saturday in Florida and Sunday in Mississippi.

Get well soon!!!