Movies

An actress from Martin Scorsese's first film was hit by THREE CARS before she died in 2012 -- one of which dragged her 600 feet ... and her husband is now suing everyone involved in the accident.

Zina Bethune's husband Sean is suing Independent Taxi, one of its cabbies, as well as two other drivers ... claiming it's their fault Zina was killed on Forest Lawn Drive on February 12, 2012.

Zina -- who starred in Scorsese's 1967 debut film "Who's That Knocking at My Door" -- had just exited her car to help an injured animal on the side of the road ... and Sean recounts the tragedy that unfolded.

According to Sean, a taxi driver immediately collided with Zina, causing his left side view mirror to break. Sean says the driver left Zina in the middle lane of traffic while he retrieved his mirror, failing to assist Zina in any capacity as she lay in the roadway.

Soon after, Sean claims Zina was hit by a second car ... which dragged her body 600 feet.

At that point, Sean says a THIRD car then ran over Zina ... and when that driver pulled over, she noticed the taxi driver attempting to leave the scene ... so she blocked him. Zina didn't survive the accidents.

Academy Award-nominated actor Djimon Hounsou is INDIGNANT when he hears people say this is the year for black people at the Oscars.

There's a lot of talk in Hollywood about what some think is a movie trend ... triggered by "12 Years a Slave" and "The Butler." Djimon thinks the preoccupation with race is ridiculous.

The real "Wolf of Wall Street" Jordan Belfort still thinks he's king of the world -- despite owing nearly $100 million in restitution to his victims -- dropping names like "Leo" and "Marty" like they're his best friends.

The fast-talking Belfort was running his mouth Monday in L.A. ... and all but took credit for the film.

Pretty shocking, considering Belfort is still way in the red after bilking victims out of more than $200 million in the 90s. He was subsequently ordered to pay back $110.4 million ... so far, he's only ponied up $11.6 million.

"Entourage" director Doug Ellin had a brush with disaster on a yacht this weekend in Miami -- accidentally dropping his expensive camera into the ocean ... after shooting a wild bikini scene for the movie ... but thankfully, the damage was minimal.

Sources on the set tell TMZ, Ellin was stepping off the yacht onto a smaller boat when he accidentally dropped his personal camera into the water. He offered to pay divers $1,000 to find it, but it was impossible.

Luckily, the camera didn't contain any official film footage ... but it did have more than 500 behind-the-scene photos of all the girls in bikinis. Arguably a bigger loss.

Lee Daniels couldn't care less about the Oscars dissing his flick 'The Butler' because he tells us he doesn't buy into Hollywood's self-congratulatory award crap, but the thing is ... we're not sure Lee's keeping it 100.

Here's the deal ... 'Butler' came up goose eggs for Oscar noms -- nothing for Lee, Forrest Whitaker, or Oprah Winfrey -- even though critics LOVED the movie.

Daniels shrugged off the controversy at LAX ... telling us, "we don't do it for the awards, we do it for the art" -- which is either a totally chill thing to say ... or just what you HAVE to say when you get snubbed.

Daniels does end up getting a little consolation prize in this clip.

James Cameron is not a script-stealing thief ... and does NOT have to pay billions of dollars from "Avatar" profits ... because he just won a HUGE lawsuit, TMZ has learned.

TMZ broke the story ... science fiction writer Bryant Moore sued Cameron for $2.5 billion back in 2011 -- claiming he had come up with the basic premise behind "Avatar" ... and Cameron jacked it.

Now, according to court docs a federal judge just shut down Moore's suit ... saying the plots of his projects were "palpably different" from "Avatar."

The judge also said the similarities that do exist -- sci-fi with a love story -- are too vague to be protected.

Brad Pitt's enlisted a military style haircut, but it's not just for a movie role -- BP now says there's another, more vain, reason for the new 'do.

Pitt cruised into LAX on Sunday looking like he was heading to basic training -- sporting a high and tight fade ... telling paps, "It's fashion, baby."

Truth is Brad's also shooting a World War 2 drama called "Fury" -- but does it really matter?

Rapper Jim Jones sucked the life blood out of a vampire flick ... and now the bitter investors have sued Jones claiming he lined his own pockets with the money that was supposed to be used for the movie.

Short story ... Jones was supposed to produce a movie called "Vampire Life III." He was also going to provide the soundtrack for the movie.

The investors plunked down $200,000 with high hopes ... hopes that were dashed when Jones stopped returning their phone calls and emails.

The investors were PISSED when they learned ... Jones allegedly used some of the money to make mix tapes that were supposed to go in the movie but Jones was releasing them independently.

The investors were doubly upset when they found out Jones allegedly used the rest of their seed money to produce and release a Vampire-Life clothing line that was supposed to be merchandising for the movie.

Bottom line -- the investors feel like they were had -- the movie with a cool soundtrack and clothing line was a fiction ... the only thing that was real was Jones using their money to profit from the music and the threads.

The investors want $700K minimum.

An actress who played a Munchkin in the "The Wizard of Oz" has died at age 95 ... and now there's just one surviving little person from the flick.

Ruth Robinson Duccini -- who stood 4 feet tall -- was the longest surviving female Munchkin ... she died of natural causes today at a hospice center in Las Vegas.

Duccini received no screen credit for her role as a Munchkin townsperson -- she was one of 124 little people cast in the movie.

Robert Pattinson has just gotten rid of the L.A.-area mansion he once shared with Kristen Stewart ... ya know, before she cheated on him with the married director of that "Snow White" movie.

We've learned ... Pattinson just closed the sale of his 4,026 square foot Spanish Colonial home in Los Feliz for a cool $6.35 MILLION.

The "Twilight" star has only owned the home for a few years -- he bought it back in Sept. 2011 for $6.275 ... so not a huge profit, but better than taking a loss.

The mansion is pretty incredible -- with a great back yard, 3.5 bathrooms and a steller master bedroom that Kristen Stewart probably never saw again after July 2012 ... when she went behind Robert's back and hooked up with the very married Rupert Sanders.

Han Solo's hairy sidekick Chewbacca was extremely tight with Princess Leia during filming of the "Star Wars" flicks -- at least that's how some new behind the scenes pics make it seem.

Sure, it's damn near bestiality ... but it beats kissing your sister. Right, Luke?

Amy Adams proved she can belt out showtunes with the best of 'em ... and by best of 'em, we mean the crowd at a gay karaoke bar in L.A. ... and TMZ has the footage.

Just days before winning the Golden Globe for Best Actress in a musical or comedy ... Adams hit up a gay bar and belted out a stellar rendition of "Defying Gravity" from "Wicked."

The performance may have been loud ... but we're told everyone in attendance was pretty impressed (and not just 'cause they were drunk.)

If award shows were actually awesome ... Emma Thompson would be the totally boozed up presenter at all of 'em -- just like she appeared to be at the Golden Globes tonight.

Emma lazily carried her shoes on stage, along with a martini, while doling out the award for "Best Screenplay" -- and the 54-year-old celeb struggled to keep to it together through her rambling ... yet entertaining presentation.

The champagne she downed on the red carpet probably helped too.

It was the BATTLE OF THE REBOUNDS in Hollywood last night ... with Sean Penn and his ex-wife Robin Wright each hitting the town with their new hot significant others -- but who came out on top?

Robin hit up RivaBella on Sunset with her "Lone Survivor" fiance Ben Foster -- he's attractive.

Sean went to his Help Haiti Home gala with new rumored GF Charlize Theron -- she's also attractive.

It's been almost 3 years since Sean and Robin finalized their divorce, but you KNOW they're judging each other's rebounds ... because that's what exes do.

So, we gotta ask ...

Jennifer Lopez has been dragged into what looks like the craziest catfish debacle of all time -- a man just sued the singer, claiming she duped him into sending her naked photos in the mail ... but it appears a rando 53-year-old woman is secretly behind everything.

Rodrigo Ruiz filed the $10,000 suit against Lopez in L.A., claiming she sent him a letter in 2008 after he submitted a demo tape to someone he believed was in Lopez' camp. Ruiz claims Lopez demanded he reply with naked photos ... as well as more demo CDs.

He claims the letters led him to believe he had a chance at a music career -- and even a romantic relationship with Lopez, but she never followed through and he eventually gave up hope. Ruiz says he was so depressed he sought out professional help.

Ruiz sent us a few of the 3-line letters he received from "Lopez" and they're obviously bogus ... the first reads, "I just wanted to let you know that I do remember you and that I am interested in you. I have plans on leaving my husband. But I can't say much right now so that's it for now. Send me pictures of you both with clothes and without clothes."

Here's the second -- "This is Jennifer Lopez writing to you again and just to let you know that I got your packages, music, and demos. And just to let you know you need to send me pictures of you with and without clothes."

The third is the best -- "This is Jennifer Lopez and as you can tell its been a while since I last wrote and as you can see I have a new boyfriend which means your in for the long haul and you have to put up with the fact that I am f**king him and sucking his d**k."

In addition to the lawsuit, Ruiz filed a police report claiming sexual harassment.

Ruiz still believes Lopez sent these letters to him, but records show the P.O. box he replied to is owned by a 53-year-old L.A. woman.

We called her to ask about the lawsuit and everything else, and she nervously concocted a lame explanation about operating a Jennifer Lopez fan mail exchange ... and hung up on us.

A rep for J.Lo tells TMZ, "this is a small claims matter that appears to be a desperate attempt for notoriety. Ms Lopez has never seen or met the plaintiff, nor has she ever communicated with him. We believe this matter should be summarily dismissed."