Movies

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter -- a new Universal Studios Hollywood park -- is 2 months from launch, and there's a problem ... it makes people barf.

The ride is supposed to be a carbon copy of the one that's already up and running at Universal in Orlando. It takes thrill seekers on a 3D broom ride through Hogwarts Castle and other iconic locations from the book.

Problem is ... something about the Hollywood ride is different and makes people hurl. The guinea pigs, aka Universal employees, who have jumped on the broom haven't been able to handle the adventure, and the engineers are trying to figure out what's different from the Orlando ride.

We reached out to Universal for comment ... so far, no word back.

Check out the video below from the Orlando version of the ride -- as you can see, it's definitely on the trippy side.

Tony Burton, one of only a handful of actors to appear in the 1st 6 installments of the 'Rocky' franchise, has died.

Burton played Duke, Apollo Creed's trainer, and also trained Rocky in the 4th movie. Prior to acting Burton was himself a professional light heavyweight boxer and football player.

Burton was apparently ill and unable to see 'Creed.'

The actor also starred in "The Shining" and "Stir Crazy."

'Rocky' co-star Carl Weathers confirmed the death in a tweet, "RIP Tony Burton. intensity and talent helped make the Rocky movie successful #BePeace."

Burton was 78.

R.I.P.

Jamie Foxx thinks people have gotten way too serious about the Oscar protests ... and thinks everyone's just got to laugh more.

Jamie took some heat for joking about #WhatsTheBigDeal and #ActBetter recently at the American black film festival awards. The Oscar winner is firing up his new comedy act, and thinks people have got to start exercising their funny bones more.

In other words, #ItsJustTheOscarsDude

Taryn Manning got a visit from the ghost of movies past -- her former co-star Brittany Murphy -- right in the middle of her DJing gig ... or at least she thought so.

Taryn was spinning for an H&M party in Toronto when she played Eminem's "Lose Yourself" from "8 Mile" ... which, of course, co-starred Taryn and Brittany.

Watch what happened when she shouted out Brit, who died in 2009. Manning seems convinced spirits are a thing.

Then again ... someone just coulda tripped over a power cord.

"Straight Outta Compton" got big props on Wednesday night, winning big at the All Def Movie Awards, but the biggest winner was Ice Cube.

The ceremony was held in Hollywood, clearly a response to the lily white, upcoming Oscars. 'Compton' won Best Picture. Most Quoted Movie went to "Friday" (Ice Cube got the award), and Best Black Survivor in a Movie went to Ice Cube for "Anaconda."

Michael B. Jordan won best actor for "Creed," Will Smith got the Lifetime Achievement Award, and Norman Lear snagged the Vanguard Award.

Our favorite ... the "Most Likely to Steal Your Girl Award' went to Amber Rose.

Tyrese told our photog it's not really the "black" Oscars ... it's for everyone.

Chris Pratt says he's not as fit as you think, but the secret will soon be out because he may just go back to being fat Pratt.

We got Chris out at LAX Wednesday afternoon and he was super excited about "Guardians of the Galaxy 2." But he's also a little bummed about his favorite alcoholic drink that's not on the diet.

Christian Slater destroyed his father's acting career by going public with allegations his dad is suffering from mental illness ... according to a new defamation lawsuit.

Thomas Knight Slater -- who's acted under the name Michael Hawkins -- says his son did an interview last year where he described his father as suffering from "manic-depressive schizophrenia."

Hawkins denies the comment and points out his son has no medical creds to make such a diagnosis.

In the suit -- filed Wednesday in L.A. and obtained by TMZ -- Hawkins says the article resulted in him being "blacklisted" in Hollywood. He says he was hoping to land more roles in the "autumn of his life," but that won't be possible after Christian's lies.

Hawkins had roles in soap operas like "Ryan's Hope" and "As the World Turns" in the '70s. He's also had small roles in some big movies -- 'Amityville Horror,' "Midnight Run" and "Mommie Dearest."

TMZ has obtained video of the accident that left Paz de la Huerta with a broken back that derailed her career.

The video was shot on the set of "Nurse 3D." You see Paz walking across a street -- umbrella in hand -- when the side mirror of an ambulance nails her, sending her crashing to the ground.

Paz filed a lawsuit against Lionsgate for $55 million, claiming the 2011 accident left her unable to work and permanently hurt. She had to have surgery to correct a spinal fracture.

The video will be the centerpiece of her trial. She's due in Santa Monica court Tuesday because Lionsgate is trying to get the suit dismissed.

He was awesome as Ray ... he crushed it as Django ... and apparently Jamie Foxx also brought down the house playing RONDA ROUSEY!

It's a pretty cool story ... UFC champ Holly Holm says Foxx invited her over to his L.A. pad after she won the fight back in August -- and treated her to a live reenactment of the K.O. seen 'round the world.

So, how'd Foxx do?

HOLM LOVED IT!

Sidney Poitier -- the first black actor to win a best-acting Oscar -- went to Craig's to celebrate his 89th birthday ... and a truckload of stars showed up to honor him.

Check out the video ... Denzel Washington, Lenny Kravitz, Patrick Stewart, Lori Laughlin and others came to watch Sidney blow out the candles. Nick Jonas showed up at the same time as the others and left around the same time as well, so it looks like he was part of the celebration.

Mike Tyson thinks Leonardo DiCaprio's famed Oscar drought should come to an end this year ... saying that Leo's killed it in "The Revenant" and deserves to take home a gold trophy.

A collection of Mario Puzo's rough drafts of "The Godfather" was snatched at an auction for the very godfatherly price of $625k.

Puzo's children unloaded 45 boxes filled with reams of handwritten notes and drafts from multiple versions of the famous novel and screenplay ... which Francis Ford Coppola eventually brought to the big screen.

Puzo died in 1999.

Jennifer Lawrence got A-level Wang treatment in NYC ... at the expense of some frigid shoppers.

Alexander Wang's store went into lockdown mode Thursday so J Law and a friend could browse the racks by their lonesome ... leaving a few vagabond shoppers to shiver in the 37 degree weather.

Shortly after the actress arrived, the manager pulled down the blinds for complete privacy.

It's like Dickens ... only real.

Gwyneth Paltrow's alleged stalker is still a threat to the actress ... no matter what the jury said in his felony stalking case -- so says the LAPD.

LAPD cops with direct knowledge of Dante Soiu tell us ... they're surprised a jury found him not guilty, but it doesn't mean Gwyneth is safe. Soiu has showed signs of mental instability over a period of years, and a dangerous obsession with the actress.

We're told LAPD officials will meet with prosecutors to figure out why the case went south and how to shore up any future case against Soiu. One thing is clear ... the LAPD doesn't think this is the end of Soiu and his bizarre conduct toward Gwyneth.

Somebody get Maverick on the horn ... Val Kilmer appears to be on the road to recovery, and ready for a wingman.

Val was spotted at Heathrow Airport Wednesday, looking the best we've seen him in a long time. You'll recall, about a year ago he was getting treatment for what doctors suspected was a tumor on his throat -- and he's rarely been seen in public since then.

He's been taking in some London plays recently and touring art galleries.

Vanity, lead singer of the '80s girl group Vanity 6, has died after years of battling kidney failure and, more recently, an abdominal illness.

Vanity, whose real name was Denise Katrina Matthews, passed away in a Fremont, CA hospital on Monday ... according to sources close to her family. A few months ago she set up a GoFundMe page, and said she'd been diagnosed with sclerosing encapsulating peritonitis -- an inflammation of the small intestines.

She also battled crack addiction in the '90s, and after a 1994 OD her kidneys were shot. She had to undergo nearly daily dialysis treatments.

Vanity's biggest hit came in 1982 with "Nasty Girl" ... a song produced by Prince. The group toured with Prince on his 1999 tour, but she quit right after that. She went on to sign a solo record deal with Motown, and starred in movies like "The Last Dragon" and "Action Jackson."

She eventually ditched Hollywood, quit drugs and became a born-again Christian in the mid '90s. She remained active in her local church up until her death. We're told she was in church on Saturday evening and told the congregation she was "ready to go home."

Vanity was 57.