Celebrity Hackings

Sony execs are now convinced someone who worked for the studio is behind the massive hacking ... because no one from the outside could so precisely target the compromising information.

Multiple sources connected to the studio tell TMZ ... the strong, prevailing view is that the North Koreans are probably involved, but they used someone with intimate knowledge of the Sony email system to laser in on the most embarrassing information.

We're told the people at Sony who are investigating believe the hackers had intimate knowledge of mail systems and their configurations. They also believe the hackers have knowledge of the internal media distribution systems and the internal IT systems, including human resources and payroll.

On the same day the Sony hackers made a 9/11 scale threat against theaters showing "The Interview" -- the New York premiere of Seth Rogen and James Franco's movie has been scrapped.

A rep for the Landmark Sunshine Cinema confirms Thursday's scheduled premiere is cancelled. It's unclear if the event will be rescheduled.

This is the first cancellation for an event surrounding the controversial movie. The Hollywood premiere went on as planned last week, but they didn't do any red carpet interviews.

As TMZ first reported ... the U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security doesn't view the latest threats as credible.

Sony is letting theaters decide whether to play the movie -- leaving the door open for big financial losses.

The latest threat by Sony hackers -- warning a 9/11-type attack at movie theaters that play "The Interview" -- is not credible, at least on available intelligence ... this according to The U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security.

A DHS official tells TMZ ... "We are still analyzing the credibility of these statements, but at this time there is no credible intelligence to indicate an active plot against movie theaters within the United States."

The hackers released an ominous-sounding message, warning people not to see the movie, saying, "Remember the 11th of September, 2001. We recommend you keep yourself distant from the places at that time."

The Sony hackers have threatened to turn violent and they say their targets include people who dare go to the theaters to see "The Interview."

In the latest leak Tuesday morning ... the hackers say, "The world will be full of fear. Remember the 11th of September, 2001. We recommend you to keep yourself distant from the places at that time."

The hackers go on, describing "how bitter fate those who seek fun in terror should be doomed to."

Sony Pictures sat back and did nothing to protect its current and past employees from hackers, who now have access to crucial financial records of more than 15,000 people ... according to a new lawsuit.

The class action suit was filed by two ex-employees, on behalf of other Sony workers in their situation ... claiming the company was warned by the hackers, Guardians of Peace, on November 24th -- but then failed to take any action to protect its records.

The ex-workers -- who left Sony years before the hacking -- say G.O.P. now have access to 47,000 social security numbers ... as well as the birth dates, addresses, salary history, and more for Sony employees.

Al Sharpton made it clear to us ... Sony honcho Amy Pascal's head is on the chopping block, or as he put it, "I'm gonna give her a lotta heck about the hack."

Al was in NYC when our photog asked about the numerous leaks, but the one he seems most offended by is the email about Obama in which Pascal suggests the Prez is a devotee of black films.

Sharpton says Pascal invited him and other civil rights leaders to meet with her and after the showdown they'll decide whether to ask for her resignation.

But Sharpton thinks the bigger issue is that African Americans don't have a seat at the big tables in Hollywood.

Beyonce's dad tried to cash in on his famous daughter's name last year with a Destiny's Child biopic ... according to the latest batch of leaked Sony emails released by hackers.

Mathew Knowles reportedly reached out to Sony in December 2013 ... offering the studio first dibs on a movie about the girl group -- and execs seemed into the idea.

However it doesn't look like they ever came to a deal. Lifetime is reportedly planning a D.C. movie next year, but unclear if Mathew's behind that one.

Another leaked email referenced a possible Kanye West feature film. A Yeezy staffer sent an email sent to Sony Pictures honcho Amy Pascal ... pitching her a movie project involving "cinematic and technological innovation."

Seth Rogen doesn't know how Sony Pictures honcho Amy Pascal walks with cojones the size of grapefruits -- but he's glad she does since she's releasing "The Interview" ... despite the hackers.

Seth, who directed and starred in the movie, spoke briefly before last night's Hollywood premiere -- where broadcast media was banned -- and said ... "Before we start we just want to thank Amy Pascal for having the balls to make this f**king thing!"

But the best part of Seth's speech -- when he actually cops to the fact part of the movie is crap. You gotta see it!

Angelina Jolie could not give a better look of death to the Sony honcho who was part of a conversation in which Angie was trashed as an untalented, egomaniacal brat.

The "Unbroken" director came face-to-face Wednesday with Amy Pascal at an event Wednesday for women in Hollywood.

Angie was the subject of a now-famous leak ... during a time she was in a battle with head honchos over who would direct the movie, "Jobs."

The bad guy in the email conversation is not Amy but super-producer Scott Rudin, who called her "a minimally talented spoiled brat." He also said, "She's a camp event and a celebrity and that's all and the last thing anybody needs is to make a giant bomb with her that any fool could see coming."

You gotta admit ... Pascal has balls, and Angie clearly wants to cut them off.

Kevin Hart has come out swinging at the Sony exec who groused, "I'm not saying he's a whore, but he's a whore" ... saying he will NOT be taken advantage of by ignorant bosses.

Kevin was the subject of a Sony leak Wednesday ... when an email was leaked from Clint Culpepper who made the comment because Kevin wanted additional money for promoting the movie "Think Like a Man Too" on social media.

Kevin just fired back on Instagram, "I OWN MY BRAND ... I MAKE SMART DECISIONS FOR MY BRAND ... I PROTECT MY BRAND ... I will never allow myself to be taken advantage of."

Kevin takes a swipe at Culpepper, saying, "I'm able to brush ignorance off of my shoulder and continue to move forward."

And Kevin offers inspiration by saying, "Knowing your self worth is extremely important people ... i worked very hard to get where I am today."

Kevin talked about the leak on a Phoenix radio interview this morning, ironically while promoting a movie.

10:00 AM PT -- Rudin is now apologizing, saying ... "Private emails between friends and colleagues written in haste and without much thought or sensitivity, even when the content of them is meant to be in jest, can result in offense where none was intended. " He adds the comments were insensitive and not at all funny -- and he is "profoundly and deeply sorry" to anyone he offended.

For her part, Pascal says even though the private emails were stolen ... she accepts full responsibility for what she wrote ... and apologizes for the comments.

Neither apologized for the Angelina Jolie comments.

President Obama just loves him some slavery movies, and don't get him started on Kevin Hart -- that's what a couple of Hollywood power players joked about anyway -- in new leaked emails.

In the exchange ... Sony Pictures honcho Amy Pascal asks blockbuster producer Scott Rudin for advice on small talk with the prez at a fundraiser, saying ... "Should I ask him if he liked DJANGO?"

Rudin replied, "12 YEARS" ... and Pascal fired back ... "Or the butler. Or think like a man?"

The racially charged email convo, first published by Buzzfeed, wraps up when Rudin says ... "Ride-along. I bet he likes Kevin Hart."

At least Obama's in good company -- the hackers already leaked Sony Pictures emails ripping Angelina Jolie, Michael Fassbender, and Hart.

Rudin and Pascal never mentioned a Madea movie though. Sorry, Tyler Perry.

Michael Fassbender's popularity ... and penis size ... were topics of conversation in the latest round of emails released by the Sony hackers ... revealing one big time producer who's feeling inadequate.

This most recent batch of emails revolves around discussion for the upcoming Steve Jobs biopic, which originally was supposed to be produced by Sony (it's now with Universal).

When the topic of Fassbender taking the lead role came up, somehow producer Michael De Luca brought up Fassbender's infamous manhood, saying he "makes you feel bad to have normal sized male genitalia."

Screenwriter Aaron Sorkin knocked Fassbender down a notch in another email to producer Scott Rudin, writing, "I don't know who Michael Fassbender is and the rest of the world isn't going to care."

In another series of emails, "Community" star Joel McHale wrote to a Sony exec asking for a discount on a TV ("Community" is a Sony show).

Score one for the hackers -- Sony Pictures is shutting down all interviews with Seth Rogen and James Franco at the Hollywood premiere of "The Interview" ... in the wake of repeated cyber attacks.

Sony says it's banning all broadcast media from Thursday night's red carpet for the event ... and print reporters will not be allowed to interview any of the cast and crew from the controversial movie about assassinating Kim Jong Un.

Kevin Hart tried to gouge Sony Pictures out of extra money -- on top of the millions he already received -- for promoting his movie on social media, and a Sony exec groused, "I'm not saying he's a whore, but he's a whore" ... this according to the latest in the Sony Leak.

Clint Culpepper, a studio exec, sent several emails to studio heads, complaining that Kevin made $3 million and then $4 million for his last 2 Sony flicks, yet when he was asked to tweet out a plug for "Think Like a Man Too," his agent balked because he felt Kevin's expertise in social media was worth additional money.

Culpepper suggests they put the screws to Kevin, writing, "I'm tempted to suggest we call his bluff. If he doesn't do his normal routine, his film will not open as well and his brand will appear diminished and he will -- in fact -- be f***ing himself because we have his next 2 immediate films."

The leakers are in high gear, because the movie they want killed -- "The Interview" -- is slated for a premiere tomorrow night.

Angelina Jolie behaves like a petulant child, and an untalented one at that ... this according to a big Hollywood producer who's the latest Sony Leak victim.

Famed producer Scott Rudin -- whose credits include "Captain Phillips" and "Moneyball" -- fired off an email to Sony Pictures Co-Chairman Amy Pascal, warning her NOT to listen to Jolie's objection of David Fincher directing "Jobs."

Rudin -- who is producing "Jobs" -- wrote, "I am not destroying my career over a minimally talented, spoiled brat." But he wasn't done, describing "the insanity and rampaging spoiled ego of [Jolie]."

And there's still more. Rudin wrote, "She's a camp event and a celebrity and that's all and the last thing anybody needs is to make a giant bomb with her that any fool could see coming."

The hackers -- who call themselves Guardians of Peace -- have threatened to continue the leaks unless Sony pulls the upcoming movie, "The Interview."

A sizzling model had nude photos hacked from the iCloud ... and the perp gave her an ultimatum -- ante up some cash, or the world will see your naked body.

Madison Louch says she realized on Sept. 7 she was locked out of her iCloud. Later that day she got a call from a guy who bragged he hacked her account. He told her he was "notorious" for hacking into the accounts of celebs and posting their nude photos online.

Madison says the guy demanded $900 or else he'd "ruin her modeling career." He ordered her to deposit the money in a brown Trader Joe's bag in a planter located at a building on Fairfax Ave in Hollywood.

Madison freaked out and called the LAPD, which then planned a sting. Turns out a woman came to the location at the exact time, grabbed the bag and cops swarmed her.

The woman -- Jamie Munoz -- told cops she knew she was picking up money for someone who was threatening to post nude photos, but she says she wasn't part of the plot. She gave cops the name of the guy -- Nicholas Douglas from Vancouver.

Munoz ended up pleading guilty to attempted extortion and got 3 years probation and community service -- no jail.

Law enforcement says they are still on the hunt to find out if there is such as person as Nicholas Douglas and if he's the hacker.