Johnny Depp It's Jack 'Spooky' Sparrow Season ... Costume Sales Spiking, Aarrgh!!

Johnny Depp's post-trial high is rolling right into Halloween, and that means you should get ready for even more Captain Jack Sparrow costumes than usual while you're out partying.

There's a notable trend going on at the world's largest costume retailer -- honchos at Halloweencostumes.com tell us they're seeing a 90 percent sales spike in purchases related to Johnny's famous Disney character.

The retailer has a couple Jack Sparrow costumes -- a basic one for $85 to $95, and a higher quality one for $245 to $299 -- and we're told folks have already cleared out over 85% of the inventory.

The run on Jack Sparrow costumes is further evidence of Johnny's big comeback since his legal win over Amber Heard in court.

Since the defamation trial, Johnny's been swarmed by fans around the world during his music tour, appeared as MTV's Moonman and signed a lucrative deal to return as the face of Dior's Sauvage men's scent.

Johnny's last 'Pirates' movie was back in 2017, but we're told Jack Sparrow costumes are still more popular than those you'd consider more relevant -- like "Top Gun: Maverick," "Hocus Pocus 2" and 'Lightyear.'

'Coco' 'Mama Coco' Inspiration ... Dead at 109

Maria Salud Ramirez Caballero -- the lady who supposedly inspired one the main characters in the movie, "Coco" -- has died.

Her death was confirmed by Roberto Monroy, the Secretary of Tourism for the Mexican state of Michoacan, who said she'd passed away in Santa Fe de la Laguna ... the same town where she was born more than a century ago.

A cause of death wasn't announced, but Monroy remembered her as a "tireless woman and life model."

She's come to be known as "Mama Coco" -- named after the Disney/Pixar character of the same name in the 2017 animated film, which is centered around Mexico's Day of the Dead traditions. Mama Coco was voiced by actress Ana Ofelia Murguia.

While the Mouse House hasn't officially acknowledged Caballero as the source material behind its titular character -- her family claims a team from Pixar visited their area, photographed Caballero extensively and lived with them for a while.

The family asserts a lot of the exact buildings and architecture Pixar/Disney documented while doing research for the movie showed up in the film ... and that "Mama Coco" likeness is uncannily similar to Caballero.

With that said, her family stopped seeking recognition/validation from the company some years ago -- even though she's a local legend.

Caballero was a clay craftswoman who made pots and other items ... which she'd sell to locals. She's survived by 3 children, lots of grandchildren and even more great-grandkids.

She was 109.

RIP

Angela Lansbury Dead at 96

Hollywood legend Angela Lansbury -- famous for "Murder, She Wrote" and as the voice of Mrs. Potts in "Beauty and the Beast" -- has died.

Angela died Tuesday at her home in L.A., according to a statement from her family. They say she passed in her sleep at 1:30 AM.

Although, she's most beloved for her role as murder mystery Jessica Fletcher on the iconic TV hit "Murder, She Wrote" ... Angela was an incredibly accomplished star of the stage before her huge television career.

The British-born actress won 5 Tony Awards while starring in productions like "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street," "Gypsy" and "Dear World." She was awarded a 6th Tony as a Lifetime Achievement.

'Murder' ran for 12 seasons on CBS -- from 1984 to 1996 -- and was the network's biggest hit during its run. She got 12 Emmy nominations for the role.

Angela will also be remembered for playing Mrs. Potts in the animated "Beauty and the Beast" in 1991.

She is survived by her 3 children, 3 grandchildren, 5 great-grandchildren and brother.

JANUARY 2012
LAST TIME WE SAW HER ...
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Angela was 96.

RIP

Lindsay Lohan I'm Game For 'Freaky Friday' Sequel ... Ball In Disney's Court?!?

Lindsay Lohan is down to film a sequel to "Freaky Friday" with Jamie Lee Curtis ... which means both the OG stars are on board if Disney wants to make a second movie.

Sources close to Lindsay tell TMZ … she'd be interested in a 'FF' sequel, but she hasn't heard anything from the Mouse House, at least not yet.

Jamie's been vocal recently about potentially making a sequel to her 2003 film with Lindsay ... she's mentioned the possibility at least twice during her media blitz for her new 'Halloween' movie.

JLC was on "The View" Monday and she gave her pitch to Disney ... she wants to be a grandma who switches places with Lindsay's parent character.

Our sources say Lindsay hasn't spoken to Jamie about doing a sequel ... but we're told she's heard rumblings about another installment of not only "Freaky Friday," but also "Mean Girls."

The ideas are being kicked around ... and Lindsay's game.

Stay tuned ...

'Hocus Pocus' Sanderson Sisters Cottage Hits Airbnb ... Form a Calming Circle!!!

The iconic cottage from "Hocus Pocus" is coming to life ... the Sanderson Sisters are opening up their home to two lucky guests, who can try to cast some ancient spells.

In celebration of the upcoming release of "Hocus Pocus 2," the witches are hosting a super rare overnight stay at their Salem, MA home, which has been frozen in time for 300 years.

The famous cottage from the OG Disney movie is being recreated into an Airbnb for one night only ... and 2 guests can relive their favorite moments from the Halloween classic for only $31!!!

If you're lucky enough to snag the spot, a night inside the "Hocus Pocus" home will have you feeling like Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy.

The timeworn cottage is nestled in the woods and it will be pretty spooky ... the home's got creaky wooden floorboards and cupboards filled with ingredients primed for a witches' cauldron.

INVESTIGATING THE SECRETS
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Winifred, Sarah and Mary Sanderson promise not to swoop in on broomsticks and kidnap children ... but overnight guests can still try their hand at a few enchantments in the ancient spellbook.

Salem's famous for its witches ... and guests will also be able to visit the town's most haunted properties, before a special screening of "Hocus Pocus 2" back at the cottage.

Fans looking to recreate the music magic can request to book the cottage October 12 for the Oct. 20 stay. Airbnb will also make a donation to Salem's Boys & Girls Club to celebrate the rare event.

Zeke On 'Wizards of Waverly Place' 'Memba Him?!

American actor Daniel Benson was just 20 years old when he was cast as Zeke Beakerman -- the exceptional student and cheerleader at Tribeca Prep -- in Disney's 2007-2012 series "Wizards Of Waverly Place."

Daniel shared the screen with David Henrie as the oldest Russo kid who has the ability to create his own spell, Justin Russo, Selena Gomez as Justin's sneaky younger sister who is not the most studious when it comes to her wizard trainings and school, Alex Russo and Jake T. Austin as the third Russo child who eventually loses his powers, Max Russo.

Guess what he looks like now!

Maitland Ward Danielle Might Hate Me ... I Think I Was Too Hot on 'BMW'!!!

AT ODDS WITH OLD FRIENDS
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Maitland Ward has a theory about why things aren't great between Danielle Fishel and her -- and it's all about the former costars having an unspoken war of hotness.

We got the actress -- who's doing adult films lately -- in L.A. on the heels of her releasing a memoir, "Rated X: How Porn Liberated Me from Hollywood." She's dishing juicy stories she's experienced in the biz ... including while shooting "Boy Meets World."

One of the nuggets that seeped out into her writing was an apparent feud that developed between Topanga (Fishel) and her. The puzzling part of that revelation is Maitland tells us the beef evolved out of nowhere ... at least on the surface of things.

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We asked why she thinks Danielle might've given her the cold shoulder in recent years ... and what sparked the apparent animosity?

In Maitland's eyes, she thinks it all goes back to the Disney set they used to share, and the spotlight she thinks Danielle wanted all for herself.

Not just that, Maitland also suggests that her pivot into porn might have something to do with this -- she says Danielle's a bit more straight-laced than she is, and her career shift probably doesn't sit too well with her ... especially since Maitland's character was already getting the extra-sexy treatment during their original run way back when.

Speaking of that, there's another sort of bombshell Maitland revealed in her book -- namely that producers for the show allegedly used to ask her to model lingerie as they were tinkering with storylines.

WHO KILLED MJ?

Slimy stuff, no doubt and painfully reminiscent of allegations other child stars have recently made about their on-set experiences.

We're betting Maitland has more where that came from in 'X Rated' ... which is out now.

Brie Larson Acknowledges 'Capt. Marvel' Hate ... Catches Flak Anew

Brie Larson can't catch a break in the world of Marvel -- something she acknowledged this weekend with a snarky answer ... for which the internet is once again criticizing her.

The actress was on hand Saturday at the D23 Expo -- where Disney showcased a ton of new stuff they got coming out. One of those projects, "The Marvels," involves Brie and her character Captain Marvel ... only this time, it'll include other ladies with Marvel-like powers.

While she was doing press outside the main stage area, she was asked a pretty straightforward question -- how long do you think you'll continue to play Capt. Marvel?

Her answer's telling. She says she frankly doesn't know, openly wondering/questioning whether people actually want her to take up the mantle any more than she already has. It was a little tense, and the interviewer tried lightening the mood ... to no real avail.

Now, the backlash ... Brie's catching flak from a good amount of folks replying to this video in the comments -- with their main gripe being, why is she making such a big passive-aggressive stink over such a layup of a question ... especially with this saga being years old.

We'll spare you the details of it all, but essentially ... when Brie was cast as Captain Marvel back in 2018 and with its release in 2019, there was a lot of seemingly random hate aimed at her -- for a variety of reasons not even we understand. Her haters say she's simply unlikable -- her advocates say she's the victim of blatant misogyny by a rabid fan base.

The apparent dislike for her wasn't just confined to Twitter either -- there were reports of her movie and others she was affiliated with around the time getting review bombed by people who simply wanted to spite her ... again, for reasons ill-defined and out of nowhere.

Some have said her support of more diverse casts/critic pools -- via inclusion riders, etc. -- might be a catalyst ... but in any case, Brie's obviously aware of the target on her back. FWIW, Brie's also getting a lot of folks rushing to her defense ... but it's a mixed bag.

Of course, she's going to do this newest movie -- which comes out next year -- where she'll reprise her character ... but with all the grief she's getting, we wouldn't be surprised if she hangs it up and moves on from the Mouse House.

John Boyega gets this all too well ... he, too, had a rough go with the 'Star Wars' fan base, and Disney at large. Safe to say, that studio and all that comes with it ain't for everyone.

OG 'Little Mermaid' Jodi Benson's Ariel Besmirched ... Amid Halle Bailey's 1st Look

Halle Bailey finally showed the world what she looks like as Ariel in "The Little Mermaid" reboot, but per usual -- Twitter's found a way to ruin it ... by tearing down Jodi Benson.

Here's the deal ... Disney dropped the new 'Little Mermaid' trailer Friday, and while most everyone was in awe of the first look at Halle under the sea -- some couldn't help but draw comparisons to the original voice actor who played Ariel back '89 ... that'd be JB.

Some were grabbing clips from the animated film, including iconic singing parts, and putting them up side by side with Halle's -- going on to mock Jodi's performance, by saying she sounds "a little flat."

There was more mocking ... including folks posting shots of Halle's Ariel next to the animated Ariel and noting that HB has a ton of Grammys noms, while cartoon Ariel (aka, Jodi) had zero. FWIW, 'The Little Mermaid' did in fact win a handful of Grammys at the time.

Bottom line though ... they're besmirching the iconic work Jodi did all those years ago.

There was also someone who was trying to create drama between these two ... which appears to be completely manufactured. They posted a screenshot of what looks to be a post on Jodi's IG story, showing a photo of animated Ariel with the caption, "Love my Ariel."

The Twitter user who grabbed this is trying to make it seem like Jodi posted this in response to the trailer coming out -- and as a shot at Halle, but that's not the case ... it's an old post.

Fact is, Jodi has been nothing but supportive over Halle's casting -- something a good handful on the bird app noted as they tried to shut down this anti-Jodi narrative building among rabid Halle stans. The question ... why can't we celebrate each woman's take???

There's been some racist uproar over the fact Halle, who's Black, was cast at all in this role -- and now, this response seems to be extreme opposite reaction -- at the expense of Jodi.

Truth be told, Halle looks and sounds fantastic as Ariel ... as did Jodi. We would ask, can't we all just get along and enjoy things??? But, unfortunately, we already know the answer.

Harrison Ford Emotional Over New 'Indy' Flick ... This One'll Kick Your Ass!!!

UPDATE

2:55 PM PT -- Harrison Ford reunited with an old friend/costar during Disney's convention -- none other than Ke Huy Quan!!!

UPDATE
UPDATE

The two actors posed for a photo backstage, where KHQ was hugging up on one-time 'Indiana Jones' hero. You might recall ... Ke Huy played Short Round in 'Temple of Doom' way back in the '80s, and now he's all grown up and getting work in Hollywood anew.

UPDATE

In addition to starring in 'Everything Everywhere All at Once' this year -- to much fanfare -- he's also been announced as being cast in the new season of 'Loki.' Totally awesome!

Harrison Ford doesn't tear up much, but for his new 'Indiana Jones' movie -- he did just that ... promising it'll leave an impression.

The legendary actor was on hand Saturday during the D23 Expo, where the Mouse House is showing off a ton of projects they got in the works ... and the fifth installment to the beloved franchise was among the most highly anticipated.

Word is, they showed the first trailer for 'IJ5' ... and right afterward, HF came out on stage himself to talk to the crowd which had packed the place. It was here that he got emotional.

Check it out -- Harrison says this latest turn as Indy packs a punch, and not just that ... but he says it has a lot of heart, just the originals did. While saying this, the dude seemed to get a little choked up -- to which the audience responded positively with cheers and applause.

He also shouted out his costar, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, who's also in the flick -- saying she's a big reason why this one rocks. As he puts it, 'Indy 5' will "kick your ass."

Also of note ... Harrison says this is gonna be his last outing as the titular character, telling the crowd this is the last time he falls down for us. The guy's literally 80 years old, so ... totally understandable.

In any case, sounds like this will be one you can't miss.

Originally Published -- 12:12 PM PT

Winnie The Pooh Disney Character-Turned-Murderer In Trailer for Horror Flick

UPDATE

12:01 PM PT -- The guys behind the new (and improved?) Winnie the Pooh movie say they pissed off a lot of fans of the beloved character -- but they say it was 100% worth it to get into uncharted territory.

UPDATE

Rhys Waterfield and Scott Jeffrey -- the director and producer of 'Blood and Honey,' respectively -- joined us on "TMZ Live" Wednesday to talk about all the buzz on their horror take of the yellow bear ... and they say it wasn't easy going down this road.

UPDATE
MORE COMING SOON
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UPDATE

As you can imagine, there's a lot of folks who know WTP as an innocent stuffed animal -- and when Rhys and Scott ventured into turning him into a serial killer ... they felt the wrath of that base. Still, they tell us this take is for a whole new audience -- and that their murderous Winnie doesn't necessarily have to tarnish people's memory of the soft-spoken one.

UPDATE

BTW, they say there's other famed fictional characters that are in the public domain now that they wanna take a horror-filled crack at -- including the boy who never grew up! 😅

Winnie The Pooh, one of Disney's most beloved characters, is now a thing of nightmares ... thanks to a new horror flick coming out which turns Pooh into a murderer, and we've got one of the first looks at the trailer.

The movie appears to be the tale of Winnie's friend, Christopher Robin, returning to The Hundred Acre Wood to find his stuffed animal BFF and Pooh's pals missing. Things quickly take a turn for the worse, and all hell breaks loose.

From there ... there's plenty of screams, blood, violence and possibly murder. Much different than the kid's tale. BTW, "Winnie The Pooh" became public domain in 2022, which is how they were able to pull the whole thing off.

Demonic photos of the new Pooh first went viral back in May, building a ton of anticipation for the project. Looks like it's finally getting close to a release.

The kids may never know Pooh as he once was...

Originally Published -- 8:00 AM PT

'Pocahontas' Star Irene Bedard Arrested In Ohio ... For Disorderly Conduct

Irene Bedard, the actor who voiced Pocahontas in the animated film, sounds like she had a rough day ... based on what cops are saying about her latest arrest.

The Disney star was arrested Friday in Greene County, Ohio for disorderly conduct ... and the arrest report paints a pretty sad picture.

According to the police report, obtained by TMZ, cops say officers were conducting a welfare check after receiving a report a woman had passed out in the bushes on a residential street.

When police arrived, they say they found Irene in a nearby parking lot and she displayed a roller coaster of emotions ... one moment she's talking calmly with cops and the next she's upset and crying.

Cops say Irene was with another woman, Sheila, who told police the name of someone they could contact for Irene ... causing Irene to scream about not wanting that person to get involved. Officers say Irene then dashed away from them and almost knocked over a table on the sidewalk.

The report says Irene stopped running and calmly walked with cops for a moment, then suddenly became furious over a previous interaction with police.

11/27/20
GETTING PERSONAL

Remember ... Irene was arrested twice over a three-day period back in November 2020, and police body cam shows her getting hostile with the officers who showed up to talk to her.

After things allegedly got heated this time, cops say Irene backed into a large window while yelling at the officers, who grabbed her by the wrist for fear she would shatter the glass, escorting her away.

Police say they confirmed Irene had no one to call to care for her, then told Irene she was under arrest ... and that's when cops say she tensed her arms and tried to pull out of one officer's grip, resulting in other officers restraining Irene with handcuffs.

11/30/20
RUSHING POLICE

The drama didn't end there ... cops say Irene became dead weight when they were taking her to the police car, so she had to be held up.

Irene was taken to Greene County Jail, where she was booked for disorderly conduct ... and we're told she was released from custody on Sunday.

We reached out to Irene's camp ... so far no word back.

NBA's Brook Lopez Proposes To Girlfriend ... At Animal Kingdom

NBA hooper Brook Lopez -- a self-proclaimed Disney fanatic -- went to his favorite place in the world to propose to his girlfriend ... getting on one knee and popping the question right in front of the iconic Tree of Life at Animal Kingdom!

The Milwaukee Bucks center had it all planned out for Aug. 15 -- starting off with an intimate dinner with Hailee Nicole Strickland at Disney World's Tiffins Restaurant in Florida.

After filling their bellies, Lopez brought Strickland to the massive Tree of Life -- which stands 145 feet high -- and asked for her hand in marriage.

If Strickland's smile didn't give it away ... she said "YES!!"

After the engagement, the 7'0" baller enjoyed a photo shoot with his private Pilates instructor fiancée -- rockin' a special pair of Minnie Mouse ears and a diamond ring.

And, the reason for the specific date and location ... that's exactly when and where the couple first met 13 years ago!!

Of course, this is the most important ring of Lopez's life, but it ain't the first -- he won an NBA Championship with Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks in 2021.

Congrats!!

Disney World 'Toy Story' Hug Characters Need to Embrace Kids of All Races ... Says Fam in Viral Video

The family behind the viral video of Woody and Jessie from 'Toy Story' making sure to hug their kids at Disney World say their experience needs to be the norm for all children ... regardless of race.

PARADE PALS
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The parents, Candice and Harold, say they didn't know about the controversy swirling right now about costumed characters at other venues allegedly snubbing Black kids. They merely posted video because they were glad their daughter, Hayyn, got a hug from her favorite Disney character.

WOODY TO THE RESCUE
TikTok/@lifesigma

The parents say Hayyn would have been happy to get a wave from Jessie -- and it was a huge bonus when Woody flagged down Jessie to give the little girl a hug.

Hayyn was waiting on Jessie for the whole parade ... even wearing a Jessie dress, while holding Jessie and Woody dolls.

Of course, after posting their video they became aware of the allegations at Sesame Place and Chuck E. Cheese, and Harold and Candice say everyone's child deserves at least some kind of acknowledgment -- even if it's just a wave or blown kiss from their favorite character.

JULY 2022
SESAME SNUB
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As we've reported, there's now a class action lawsuit filed against Sesame Place in Philadelphia.

There's no doubt that case helped fuel online interest in Hayyn's Disney World hug -- a prime example of how these interactions should ideally play out ... for all kids.

Disney World's Woody Makes Sure Black Kids Greeted ... No Sesame Place Drama!!!

WOODY TO THE RESCUE
TikTok/@lifesigma

Someone at Disney World is reading headlines, or so it seems based on how a Woody character went out of the way to engage Black children waiting along a parade route.

Check out this video posted by a proud dad who took his 2 young kids to Disney's Orlando theme park this week -- it shows the little ones shouting out to a costumed Jessie mascot from the 'Toy Story' franchise as the characters walk down the street lined with cheering fans.

Jessie was on the other side of the street and appeared preoccupied entertaining that part of the crowd, but her pal Woody notices some Black kids and actually responds to them.

Check it out ... Woody flags Jessie down, points to the young'ns ... and they both head over to interact with them -- which is obviously awesome, since they were desperately trying to get Jessie's attention and seem to be really big fans.

JULY 2022
SESAME SNUB
Instagram / @__jodiii__

Not to turn this into a negative story -- because it's obviously very sweet -- but one can't ignore this happened in the midst of what's become a disturbing trend lately ... namely, mascots/costumed characters at theme parks and such snubbing Black children, allegedly intentionally.

It's been happening all over the country, it seems ... whether it's Sesame Place, Disneyland or even Chuck E. Cheese. All over, some messed-up videos have circulated appearing to show classic characters either ignoring or walking away from kids of color.

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While most of the establishments have denied any overt racist intentions, people are having a hard time buying that.

It's hard to say for sure whether Woody here had any of that on his mind when he did what he did ... but it's certainly possible. Considering how big this controversy has gotten in recent weeks, ya gotta imagine some higher-ups at places like this have had talks with their staff.

'Little Mermaid' Star Pat Carroll Voice of Ursula Dead at 95

Pat Carroll, famous for voicing Ursula in 'The Little Mermaid,' has died.

The longtime actress and comedian passed away at her Cape Cod home Saturday after a bout with pneumonia -- according to her daughter, Kerry Karsian, who confirmed her death to The Hollywood Reporter.

Carroll is perhaps best known for playing Ariel's half-octupus/half-human nemesis in the 1989 hit Disney movie -- and for all the show-stopping numbers she pulled off on her own, doing all of the singing for the film by herself ... and reprising the role throughout the years.

PC had done a lot more before that, though ... she was a veteran in sitcoms well before 'TLM' came along -- having starred in fan favorites such as "The Danny Thomas Show," "The Mickey Rooney Show," "The Red Skelton Hour," "Getting Together," "Busting Loose," "Galaxy High School," "Too Close for Comfort," "Foofur," "She's the Sheriff" and many more.

Carroll also had lots of guest appearances on iconic series, plus regular bookings on variety, game and talk shows throughout the 20th century -- her humor and wacky personality was a hit with audiences and hosts alike.

Her career speaks for herself ... the woman had won a Grammy, an Emmy and accolades from her theatre work as well. As many have rightly said, she was a pioneer in the biz.

Caroll is survived by her daughters and granddaughter. She was 95 years old.

RIP

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