Family

The family of Nichelle Nichols was just handed a hefty sum ... after a jury awarded them millions in a lawsuit.

The TV and film icon's estate was awarded $13 million as a result of a wrongful death lawsuit against Gila Medical Center in Silver City, New Mexico, where Nichols was treated in 2022.

The legendary Nichols was a trailblazer as Lt. Uhura on “Star Trek” ... the first Black woman to play a starring role on TV. She also appeared as the beloved character in several 'ST' films.

Kyle Busch's wife is opening up on the NASCAR legend's tragic death ... saying the love his fans have sent to their family has gotten them through the worst days of their lives.

Samantha went to Instagram minutes ago to say thank you to the 41-year-old's supporters ... sending the emotional note alongside a heartbreaking family photo.

"The prayers, messages, flowers, meals, hugs, and countless acts of kindness have carried us through the most heartbreaking days of our lives," Samantha said minutes ago. "While our hearts are absolutely shattered, we have felt God’s presence and arms wrapped tightly around us through each and every one of you."

Update in the suspected murder-suicide down in Florida ... officials say Ryan Whiten slaughtered his ex-wife and their daughters before killing himself.

As we reported ... Ryan, his ex-wife, Melanie Hyer, and their daughters Savannah and  Sienna, were found dead with stab wounds in their Doral home Tuesday after deputies from the Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office responded to a welfare check.

MDSO suspected a murder-suicide but didn't know who did the stabbing ... and now they've determined it was Ryan.

Police have not released a motive for the heinous act or detailed how long they were dead before being found.

The investigation is ongoing.

Melanie and Ryan were previously married and were co-parenting their daughters at the time of their deaths. They had each remarried after their split, though Melanie had finalized a divorce in March, per court records obtained by TMZ.

Ryan’s ex-wife, who divorced him in 2024, told 7 News Miami Melanie and Ryan had a toxic relationship and often fought over their kids, but was shocked to hear about their murders.

She recalled ... "He was always so sweet with his girls and loved them deeply. I don’t know what happened."

Mom life looks good on Amber Heard ... the actress was snapped out and about on a bike ride with her daughter, Oonagh Paige, over in Europe.

Check out the photo ... the "Aquaman" actress looked like she was having a great time biking through Madrid, making memories with her 5-year-old on a beautiful Friday in the heart of Spain.

Amber looked cute and cool for the outing, cruising through the city in a tank top and khaki-style skirt while sporting a pair of sunglasses on top of her head.

She clearly loves being a mom and getting quality time with her kids ... earlier this year, she was all smiles while walking with them around Madrid.

2:25PM PT -- Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office Homicide Bureau detectives have posted a second update, saying they've "determined that Mr. Whiten is the biological father of Ms. Savannah Whiten and Ms. Sienna Whiten, and co-parent to Ms. Hyer."  

The statement adds ... "The investigation revealed that Mr. Whiten committed these heinous acts and then took his own life. The investigation continues."

A Florida realtor, her ex-husband, and their two young daughters are all dead ... in what police are calling a murder-suicide.

Law enforcement responded Tuesday to a welfare check at a Doral home and found Melanie Hyer, Ryan Whiten and their daughters Savannah and Sienna dead, according to the Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office.

MDSO says all four had stab wounds and they believe the tragic incident is a murder-suicide ... but no word yet on who did the stabbing.

Vivian Wilson's relationship with her famous father Elon Musk is so bad she cringes at the very mention of his name ... journalists in Spain just found out the hard way ... and it's all on video.

Check out this awkward exchange from the Desigual Vintage event in Ibiza ... where Vivian was blindsided by a reporter asking, "Your father the best, no?"

Vivian seems stunned ... and when she confirms they're asking her about Elon, she turns heel and storms off.

Karl-Anthony Towns' mom wasn't physically in the stands for game 1 of the NBA Finals, but the Knicks star says he felt her presence in a real way ... and it helped KAT lead N.Y. to a huge victory!

"I just felt a calm and a peace that had to be coming from the woman above," Towns told the "Inside the NBA" crew after the thrilling game.

"It felt like I was a kid getting ready to go play my Saturday AAU games and Sunday AAU games. In a way, I felt like I was seeing her in the stands. It was fun. It was really fun, and it was really comforting."

Rare sighting for the teenage son Anna Faris shares with her ex-husband Chris Pratt ... Anna brought Jack Pratt to the "Scary Movie" premiere ... and they looked super cute together.

Check out these pics from Wednesday night's global premiere at the Paramount Theatre in Los Angeles ... where Anna and her 13-year-old son posed together for the cameras.

We hardly ever see Jack out in public like this ... the teenage celebuspawn rarely attends Hollywood events with either of his movie star parents.

Steve Shirilla's contract for his teaching job has not been renewed, TMZ has learned. And Steve tells us he's the one who wanted out.

He told TMZ ... "I wouldn’t resign a contract with them for the simple fact of how they handled this situation… the school and the diocese showed their true colors…"

Steve also says, "I’m done talking about this or anything that’s not about the injustice my daughter has been put through my only focus is her."

Remember, Mackenzie Shirilla's dad had been put on leave after the Netflix documentary "The Crash" dropped ... because of comments he made about his daughter smoking weed.

Nicole Curtis' ex Shane Maguire is dragging the former HGTV star to court to try to change their custody arrangement … months after she was fired from the network for using the n-word.

In court docs, obtained by TMZ, Shane asks the court to modify the current custody plan from one that involves frequent exchanges to one that allows their 10-year-old son, Harper, to have one week with him followed by one week with Nicole.

Shane claimed the current custody arrangement is creating "conflict" and “instability” for Harper and exposing him to “ongoing parental conflict.”

Larry Fitzgerald is opening up after the death of his father, Larry Fitzgerald Sr., paying homage in a heartfelt tribute that'll have you reaching for the box of tissues.

"My father was a man of strength, love and encouragement. He opened countless doors for me and my brother," the soon-to-be first ballot Hall of Famer wrote on social media.

"He believed in us and pushed us to pursue every opportunity with conviction, he was the rock of our family. He taught us that perseverance, hard work, and unwavering commitment are the foundations of a meaningful life and personal success."

Actor Owain Rhys Davies -- best known for his role as Agent Wilson in "Twin Peaks," has died under mysterious circumstances, according to his family.

Davies passed away "suddenly, naturally, and peacefully," but there are "questions that remain unanswered regarding the circumstances of his death," his brother, Rhodri, wrote Sunday on Instagram.

Davies played Agent Wilson in the 2017 reboot of David Lynch's famous "Twin Peaks" TV series from the 1990s. He also landed a role in the Netflix science fiction drama, "The OA," as well as parts in several movies, including "Alice Through The Looking Glass," and "A Serial Killer's Guide To Life."

Charli D'Amelio's dad, Marc, is doubling down on denying he stole millions from his famous daughter while he was in charge of her account.

Marc scoffed at allegations he moved a bunch of her money into an offshore bank account, explaining ... "I wouldn't even know how to do that."

Charli's dad said he's got his own money and doesn't need his daughter's ... and he insists Charli's rise to fame was never about making money for the family.

Jenny Mollen is catching flak on social media for a bizarre caption on some pics with her son ... in it, she mentions a toxic dating relationship with a son, but it sounds like this was a poor attempt at humor.

Check it out ... Jenny shared 3 photos of her lying on top of her son in bed -- she's in between his legs, holding him in her arms with her hands caressing the back of his head ... and that's not even the part that's got folks asking questions.

The since-deleted Facebook post is captioned ... "Your eldest son will be the most toxic guy you ever date."

"Alaskan Bush People" star Matt Brown's death is taking a toll on his brother, Bear Brown ... and he's letting his emotions out for all to see.

Bear shared a touching tribute to his late brother on social media after Matt's body was recovered from a river ... posting a picture of him and Matt standing side-by-side holding rifles and opening up about what Matt meant to him.

Matt's brother remembers him as "intelligent, curious, creative, and endlessly fascinated by the world around him."

Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Tanner Scott's family was targeted with death threats and wishes made toward their kids after a loss ... with his wife exposing the hateful comments on social media.

As the Dodgers held a 3-1 lead in the eighth inning, Scott took the mound against the Philadelphia Phillies on Saturday ... but gave up three earned runs, resulting in a 4-3 loss.

After the final, some baseball "fans" unloaded unhinged messages to Scott's wife, Maddie ... writing wild things like "gun shot your family tonight."