Exclusive

Canadian filmmaker Bryan Michael Stoller, a longtime friend of Michael Jackson's, hasn't seen the upcoming biopic "Michael" ... but he tells TMZ he's got high expectations.

When we ran into Bryan in Studio City Monday, he told us he's only seen the trailer for the movie like everyone else ... but he already has a strong intuition for how his late pal would have accepted the film.

Bryan said having Michael's nephew Jaafar Jackson play him would have been enough to win him over.

Liberace’s old L.A. pad is back on the market after 22 years -- and it’s asking a flashy $3,195,000 ... a price tag that definitely reflects that iconic piano-shaped pool!

The Mid-Century Modern estate is a legit slice of Los Angeles history ... sitting on a sprawling 17,800-square-foot lot and featuring the world-famous pool, the ultimate symbol of Liberace’s over-the-top legacy.

It’s got all the goodies ... 4 bedrooms, 4 baths, with bright, open interiors, and a private primary suite that doubles as its own chill retreat with direct access to that iconic backyard.

There's a LOT on the line when Jake Paul and Anthony Joshua enter the boxing ring in 17 days -- not only is El Gallo hoping to pull off the unthinkable and beat a former heavyweight champion ... but one very famous bettor is looking to cash in BIG on an upset.

TMZ Sports is told ... former Sony Pictures head Jon Peters is all-in on the YouTuber-turned-fighter's chances against A.J. on Dec. 19 -- to the tune of a whopping $5 MILLION wager.

So ... why all the confidence in the Disney kid?? We're told Peters and Paul recently had a lengthy chat about the bout ... and the film producer (with flicks like "Flashdance," "A Star Is Born," and "Batman" to his name) was fully convinced.

Famed skateboarder Terry Kennedy -- who's behind bars, serving a 5-year prison sentence for an assault that resulted in the death of fellow skater Josiah Kassahun -- is scheduled to be released at the end of the month, TMZ Sports has learned.

The Illinois Department of Corrections tells us that Kennedy, who is 40 years old, "was eligible for and received sentence credit" ... meaning his release date was pushed up, and he'll walk out of the slammer on December 31, 2025, just in time for New Year's Eve.

We're told TK will remain on supervised release until June 30, 2026, at which point he is scheduled to be fully discharged.

The Game got on his soap box at his birthday party ... grabbing the mic and telling the world to free Diddy and R. Kelly ... and then he started talking baby oil and urination ... and it's all on video.

TMZ obtained footage from The Game's Friday night birthday bash in Hollywood, and you hear him voice support for a couple of infamous musicians ... Diddy and Kelly.

The Game gets bolder and bolder as he spouts off into the mic ... making light of all the baby oil and urination aspects of the Diddy and Kelly trials ... as some R. Kelly music starts to play.

Shaggy was one of the handful of musicians who rushed to aid Jamaica with resources and awareness to the destruction caused by Hurricane Melissa ... but the country isn't out of the danger zone yet!!!

TMZ caught up with Mr. Boombastic in NYC last week ... the reggae legend was on another awareness mission for a big fundraising relief concert going down there next month.

Shaggy kept it real ... his and the existing efforts have gone a long way, but says 60-70% of the island is still without electricity or water, and things might not bounce back until February -- whatever you're seeing online is 100% worse!!!

"90 Day Fiancé" star Matt Branistareanu was in hot water during the show's tell-all, when Jasmine Pineda accused him of only proposing to her because they have a child together ... and speaking to TMZ, Matt seems to be doubling down on that revelation.

Matt and Jasmine welcomed their daughter Matilda in March this year, and have been living together while Jasmine finalizes her divorce from estranged husband Gino Palazzolo.

While Matt and Jasmine share the same address, Matt told us he sometimes sleeps at a buddy's house because of how bad their arguments can get.

Post Malone may have more on his mind than his recent Grammy nominations ... 'cause it looks like the singer is spending some downtime with a potential mystery woman ... and they're matching!!!

Eyewitness tells TMZ ... Posty was out shopping with the mystery woman and two bodyguards on Saturday at a local Trader Joe’s in Salt Lake City.

We're told the couple shopped for a while ... and even though people left him alone for the most part ... our source says the couple shared a few kisses while they browsed.

Joe Manganiello and fiancée Caitlin O’Connor are leveling up after their engagement -- ditching L.A. and settling into a slower life ... all because they’ve got babies on the brain.

Sources close to the couple tell TMZ Joe and Caitlin packed up for their native Pittsburgh ... officially swapping Hollywood for a place in Joe's hometown of Mt. Lebanon.

We’re told the move came after they realized they wanted to be closer to family -- and figured Pittsburgh would be the perfect place to raise kids ... when that time rolls around.

Rapper POORSTACY is dead ... and it sounds like he may have taken his own life.

The death of POORSTACY -- legal name Carlito Milfort -- was confirmed by the Palm Beach County Medical Examiner ... the Boca Raton Police Dept. told TMZ he died early Saturday in the city.

A Boca Raton hotel worker tells TMZ ... POORSTACY was transported to a local hospital for a medical emergency Saturday morning ... he was the only one hospitalized. We're told the rapper had been staying for 10 days at the hotel ... he had checked in with a woman and a toddler. No one else was reported injured Saturday.

Ric Flair's shocking claim that "street drugs" killed Hulk Hogan is simply not true ... this, according to the wrestling legend's widow, who tells TMZ Sports the Nature Boy was fed some bad info.

Flair recently addressed Hogan's death on the "DOUBL3 COVERAGE" podcast ... when he stated he spoke with Hulk the day before he passed about his deteriorating health.

Flair claimed Hogan's doctor stopped prescribing him pain medication to combat his numerous wrestling injuries ... so he resorted to unorthodox measures to deal with his suffering.

Things seriously blew up between Zachery Ty Bryan and his girlfriend before their arrests this weekend -- and TMZ's got the messy play-by-play ... and honestly, it seems like the "Home Improvement" star’s lucky to be alive.

Lane County Sheriff’s deputies tell us they responded to a reckless-endangering call near a camping area outside Lowell, Oregon, on Saturday -- where they found Zachary in a pickup truck with his fiancée, Johnnie Faye Cartwright, and their three small children.

Deputies say they learned that earlier, Bryan stepped out of the pickup and started walking along Big Fall Creek Road ... and that’s when Cartwright allegedly hit the gas, aimed the truck at him, and ended up crashing into a ditch with the kids still inside.

Bill Belichick's Tar Heels couldn't protect their endzone on Saturday, but the North Carolina head coach at least provided some coverage for his girlfriend, Jordon Hudson ... ditching his coat to keep her warm after the game.

The football legend shifted into boyfriend mode after NC State embarrassed his team in a 42-19 effort ... taking the puffy blue jacket off his back to make sure the 24-year-old Hudson was warm in the Raleigh weather Saturday night.

It didn't look like Hudson was prepared for the cold -- she was wearing a navy and Carolina blue ensemble with see-through printed pants ... and her arms were fully exposed.

C.J. Stroud is all about family ... and he tells TMZ Sports that once his dad is released from prison, he plans to have him work with his foundation!!

The Houston Texans quarterback opened up to us about his plans nearly a decade after his father, Coleridge Bernard Stroud III, was sentenced to Folsom State Prison near Sacramento.

Stroud's dad is currently serving a 38-year sentence after pleading guilty to carjacking, kidnapping, robbery and misdemeanor sexual battery in 2015.

Bert Kreischer's a diehard Tampa Bay Buccaneers fan, and he LOVES Baker Mayfield ... and we now know why.

The uber-popular comedian joined Babcock on the heels of the Bucs' third straight loss, when we asked whether he'd lost faith in his squad.

Kreischer hasn't, saying "I still feel good" ... though it's the why that's notable.

No matter what happens in the ring on Dec. 19, Jake Paul has got some massive balls to take on Anthony Joshua ... so says comedian Bryan Callen, who tells TMZ Sports El Gallo is "borderline crazy!"

We spoke with the comedian at LAX ... and talked all about Paul and Joshua's showdown at Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida.

Sure, many see Joshua, an Olympic gold medalist and two-time boxing champion, winning by a landslide ... but Callen says you've still got to give Paul credit for even taking on the challenge.