Movies

Damon Dash's pockets could be a tad lighter soon ... 'cause he's been ordered to cough up a cool $300k in a lawsuit over a mafia movie.

The movie and music producer was just ordered to pay noted author Edwyna Brooks after he took an L in court. She sued him about a year ago claiming they struck a deal in 2015 for Damon to direct the mafia boss film, "Mafietta," based on her series of books.

But, according to docs, obtained by TMZ, Brooks claimed things quickly went south after he agreed to direct the film. She claimed Dash wasted production time and money on his side projects ... like filming a music video.

She said she fired him from the project but claims that didn't stop Dash from claiming co-authorship over the movie and trying to sell it on iTunes and his Dame Dash Studios website .... all without Brooks' permission.

Brooks sued for damages ... and the judge agreed with her claims and awarded her $300k in damages plus interest. This, of course, will only add to Dash's legal woes.

Dame tells us, "The copyright claim was incorrectly decided in our opinion as you were the dominant author. In any event the damages awarded were based on pure speculation so both findings are being appealed."

Danny Goldman -- the actor best known for voicing Brainy Smurf in "The Smurfs" -- has died ... TMZ has learned.

Goldman died at his home Sunday night in front of friends and family while in hospice after suffering a couple of strokes around New Years ... this according to his longtime agent, Doug Ely. His death is not related to COVID-19. Ely took to Facebook to give his decades-long friend a touching tribute.

Ely wrote, "Danny was truly one of a kind. He always had strong opinions and didn't mind telling you about them. He was incredibly funny. He loved to root for the little guy and help wherever he could. He had a huge heart. We lost a good one today. He will be missed."

Goldman's acting credits date back all the way to 1963 with a stint in "General Hospital." He later landed roles in "Young Frankenstein" as a young medical student who questioned Gene Wilder.

Goldman also landed roles in "MASH" and "Busting Loose" but he reached stardom voicing Brainy Smurf when "The Smurfs" debuted in 1981 as a Saturday morning cartoon series on NBC. Brainy Smurf -- easily one of the most identifiable characters with his trademark thick glasses -- was known to never back down from sharing his smarts.

He'd hold on to that role until the series ended in 1989 but the show's popularity kept the series on the air via USA Network, the Cartoon Network and now the Boomerang channel.

Kate Beckinsale is proving she's got a type -- spry, strapping lads, 30 or younger -- and in this case, her new fella's on the younger end of the spectrum.

The actress was spotted out Sunday in Brentwood, where she was holding hands with Goody Grace ... a Canadian musician. Who also just happens to be 22. Heyo!!!

They seem pretty cozy here, and the PDA almost certainly signals dating. It seems they've been an item for at least a few months now -- Kate and Goody were also seen hanging out together back in January, and they definitely looked like a bit more than just pals.

Also of note, Kate's newest boo thang follows a trend of her going after young dudes -- especially lately. We're talking, of course, about Pete Davidson and comedian Matt Rife ... both in their 20s.

Kate's also been romantic with Jack Whitehall, who's in his 30s. Kate, BTW, is a smoking hot 46.

Speaking of that, it's worth mentioning Kate seems to be doing what LOTS of older successful men often do ... date way below their respective age group.

WWE's newest champ Drew McIntyre is giving a sincere shoutout to The Rock for believing in his potential before he ever dreamed of getting a belt ... and the video will hit you right in the feels.

Let's take you back to July 2019 when TMZ Sports posted a video of Dwayne Johnson being asked to name a wrestler who could be the next big thing.

The Rock quickly shouted out McIntyre -- explaining, "I think he's got a great look, great build" and insane potential!

Well, the video made quite an impact on Drew -- who says it came out of the blue at a time where he was still trying to find his identity in the ring.

And, to hear someone like The Rock publicly talk about his talent gave him a huge boost to his confidence and his career.

Ya gotta watch the clip ... Drew is incredibly humble and grateful for the support -- and he'll never forget it.

'Harry Potter' star Rupert Grint and his girlfriend have made some magic of their own happen ... they're having a baby!!!

The English actor, best known for playing Ron Weasley in the fantasy film franchise, and his partner, Georgia Groome, were out in London Thursday picking up some groceries.

Now, the fact they were spotted not wearing face coverings might be newsworthy, but it's overshadowed by the bigger news ... revealed by Georgia's baby bump.

A rep for the couple confirms with TMZ ... they're "excited to announce they are expecting a baby." It will be their first child together.

Rupert and Georgia were rumored to have secretly tied the knot last year after they were seen wearing matching rings. Unclear if that's true ... but they're about to start a family together nonetheless.

Congrats!

Dieter Laser -- the German actor best known for playing the evil Dr. Heiter in "The Human Centipede" -- has died.

Laser's death was revealed by his wife, Inge, who says he actually passed in Berlin back on February 29. His cause of death is unknown at this time.

The German star has more than 60 acting credits to his name -- including appearing in the Glenn Close film, "Meeting Venus," in 1991 -- but didn't achieve international fame until starring in the controversial horror film, 'Centipede,' in 2009. He also appeared in 'The Human Centipede III' in 2015.

Tom Six, director of the cult horror series, says of Dieter ... "He was a force of nature, a unique human being and an iconic actor. I’m so damn proud we created pop culture together."

Dieter was an acclaimed film and theater actor in Germany for years, though. He won a German Film Award in 1975 for his leading role in "John Gluckstadt." Almost 35 years later ... he won a Scream Award for Best Villain for playing the deranged 'Human Centipede' surgeon.

Laser's other notable credits over the years include the sci-fi TV series, "Lexx," and the 2003 thriller, "Baltic Storm."

Dieter was 78.

Tommy "Tiny" Lister -- best-known for playing Deebo in the "Friday" movies -- is doing something Ice Cube would be proud of ... delivering weed!!!

Here's the deal ... the "Friday" star is teaming up with Pineapple Express, a company that delivers medical and recreational marijuana in Los Angeles, and he's dropping off dank to some very lucky stoners.

Pineapple Express is holding a contest this month, and each Friday they randomly select 4 winners from the sweepstakes and those potheads get a special delivery from Deebo!!!

The best part ... Tommy drops off the goods precisely at 4:20 PM, which as you know, holds a special place in the hearts of pot smokers across the globe.

Legal marijuana businesses have been deemed essential in L.A. so they're still operating despite shelter-in-place orders during the coronavirus pandemic ... and Pineapple Express says Tommy's gonna take extra precautions during his deliveries.

Finally, someone who actually wants to see Deebo pull up on a bike!!!

New York-native Helen Slater's fame took flight in the early '80s when she landed the role of Linda Lee -- who uses the guise as Clark Kent's cousin to blend in with the people of Earth while also defeating Selena as Supergirl -- in the 1984 DC cinema spin-off, "Supergirl."

Slater shared the big screen with big names including Peter O'Toole as the spacey Zaltar, Mia Farrow as the Kryptonian Alura ... and of course, Faye Dunaway as the evil Selena.

Helen Slater can still be spotted on the CW version of the "Supergirl" TV show as the character Eliza Danvers.

Jeffrey Katzenberg says his new streaming service, Quibi, is revolutionary in the entertainment game -- bringing the highest quality video exclusively to your phone, and with a starting price ya can't refuse.

The mega-producer launched Quibi on Monday, and joined us on "TMZ Live" to tell us all about his baby. Jeffrey told us smartphone video is the next big medium for premium content that includes shows with Liam Hemsworth, Idris Elba, Bill Murray, Chrissy Teigen and Chance the Rapper.

One thing Qiuibi's done is to shorten your viewing time per episode -- much of the programming is 10 minutes or less.

Of course, ya might have heard by now ... TMZ has its own show under Quibi's Daily Essentials category. "TMZ No Filter" features the latest celeb stories and some hot takes on them ... twice a day. It's already streaming, so go check it out.

JK also touches on why Quibi might just be the perfect remedy for folks fighting the quarantine blues. It's easily consumable shows and movies, which you can enjoy from the confines of your home -- and for FREE for the next 90 days too.

Ezra Miller appeared to have a physical altercation with a woman in Iceland, and though it started out seeming like a joke ... people at the bar took it very seriously.

According to our sources ... "The Flash" star was visiting the Prikið Kaffihús bar in Reykjavik on April 1 when this went down. Take a look, Miller seemed to be pretending to be annoyed as a smiling woman danced toward him -- but then he said, "Did you wanna fight? Is that the deal?"

The actor grabbed her by the throat and attempted to throw her down, at which point the person recording the video says, "Whoa, bro. Bro. Bro," and stops shooting.

It's unclear what led to the altercation or if the woman suffered any injuries. Sources at the bar tell us police were not called, but Ezra got booted. He's reportedly a regular at the trendy spot whenever he's in town.

We reached out to Ezra's team ... so far, no word back.

Honor Blackman -- one of the first iconic, and perhaps most iconic Bond girls of the movie franchise -- has died.

The 1960s and '70s movie and TV star -- who was considered a bonafide bombshell in her day -- passed away peacefully at her home in Lewes, Sussex, surrounded by loved ones. Her family says she died of natural causes, unrelated to the coronavirus.

Her fam says, "As well as being a much-adored mother and grandmother, Honor was an actor of hugely prolific creative talent; with an extraordinary combination of beauty, brains and physical prowess, along with her unique voice and a dedicated work ethic, she achieved an unparalleled iconic status in the world of film and entertainment and with absolute commitment to her craft and total professionalism in all her endeavours she contributed to some of the great films and theatre productions of our times."

Honor starred as Pussy Galore opposite Sean Connery in 1964's "Goldfinger," which was the first smash hit Bond film to emerge from the series at that point. Pussy was the leader of a group of acrobatic women who worked for the villain, but she falls in love with 007, naturally, and helps him defeat Goldfinger. They also memorably banged under a parachute.

The actress' other huge role was as Cathy Gale in 'The Avengers' -- not the Marvel series you know today, but the black and white show from the '60s. It was a British espionage show, and Honor played one of John Steed's bright and beautiful assistants.

Her acting career went way beyond those two projects, though ... Honor has 115 credits to her name dating back to the 1940s. She had prominent roles on shows like "Probation Officer," "The Four Just Men," "ITV Play of the Week," "The Lives of Benjamin Franklin," "Never the Twain," "Doctor Who," "The Upper Hand," "Coronation Street," and others.

Of course, she's also worked in countless films over the years.

Honor was 94.

RIP