Movies

Viola Davis is coming full circle for her birthday by buying the house (and property) where she was born -- a place that was formerly inhabited by slaves.

The actress celebrated her 55th Tuesday by posting a photo of what she calls her birthplace -- an old rundown house on what's been said to be a former plantation in South Carolina. She said she not only snapped up the home, but the land surrounding it as well.

Viola captioned her pic with a moving tribute, writing ... "The above is the house where I was born August 11, 1965. It is the birthplace of my story. Today on my 55th year of life....I own it....all of it." She's previously described the property -- saying it's about 160 acres all in all.

Viola followed up with a Cherokee birth blessing, "May you live long enough to know why you were born." In light of all the success she's found, it seems she's done that too.

A bit more history on the former plantation ... Viola described it in an interview back in 2016, and said her grandmother used to live there, and that her house -- presumably the one depicted here -- was a one-room shack, without a bathroom, running water or much else.

Despite sparse conditions ... she recalls her mother telling her that on the day she was born, a bunch of relatives packed in here to honor the occasion, and enjoyed themselves. Viola says she didn't live there long, but came back to visit over the years as she grew up.

Amazing visual of just how far Viola's come from her humble beginnings.

The world's last remaining Blockbuster store is getting an extreme makeover ... it's converting into a rental property for an epic end-of-summer sleepover!!!

Here's the deal ... Sandi Harding, the manager of the only surviving Blockbuster in Bend, OR, is converting the store into an Airbnb for 3 nights only ... and the once-in-a-lifetime experience sounds pretty freaking cool.

The 3 lucky folks who snag one of the reservations are in for a sleepover unlike ever before ... they get the keys to the store -- literally -- and can watch movies to their heart's content in a makeshift living room complete with a pull-out couch, bean bags, lamps and pillows.

Movies aren't any fun without snacks ... and this Blockbuster sleepover includes free pizza, Pepsi, candy and popcorn, plus whatever else you wanna bring.

The store's entire movie collection is up for grabs, plus video games too. Oh, and there's a VHS player, as long as you remember how to work it!!!

Reservations are available starting Monday at 1 PM PT, but ya gotta be a resident of Deschutes County to book the Blockbuster for one night only. The overnight sleepovers are set for Sept. 18-20 and the place accommodates up to 4 people.

Sandi says she wants to thank the local community for supporting the world's only surviving Blockbuster, which is why it's only being rented to locals and costs a measly $4.

Ryan Reynolds or Sir Paul McCartney could become the next chief of a First Nation in Canada ... the native community has spoken, and the famous non-natives are up for election.

Ryan and Paul have been nominated as Chief for Walpole Island First Nation, a reservation nestled on an island bordering Michigan and Canada ... according to the indigenous community's director of operations, James Jenkins.

He tells TMZ ... the actor and rock icon were nominated by 2 eligible electors this weekend, which instantly qualifies the celebs as official nominees for Chief.

It's pretty interesting ... we're told Ryan and Paul don't technically have to be part of the native community to be nominated or even rise to the top as Chief. There's a loophole from way back in 1868, when Walpole Island First Nation elected a non-member as chief, forging a precedent allowing nonmembers to run for Chief.

Now, Ryan and Sir Paul just have to get on the ballot. Actually, they're already on, but we're told they have until Thursday to contact the Walpole Island membership office to have their names removed. If the deadline passes without a peep from either, we're told they'll both remain legit candidates for Chief when the election is held Sept. 19.

If one of them wins, the First Nation would contact them, and Chief Ryan or Chief Paul would have to assume office or resign.

The intentions behind the nominations remain unclear, and we're told there are mixed emotions about it. Some members believe either has the stuff to be an effective leader because of their wildly successful entertainment careers.

What else would ya think after seeing 'Van Wilder' ... right? And, that's why others think their nominations are an inappropriate joke.

The Chief, we're told, is similar to being mayor ... they're the head of the council and the voice of the community, tasked with overseeing programs and services run by administrators. Naturally, we're told Chief is the most respected position in Walpole Island First Nation, which has about 5,000 members.

Walpole Island is no stranger to celebs ... we're told Cher and Kid Rock have spent a great deal of time in the area, going fishing and duck hunting.

One last caveat ... we're told Ryan or Paul would likely have to move close to the reservation if elected Chief. Sorry, you can't attend tribe meetings on Zoom.

Ryan's at least Canadian, so that gives him a leg up, but ... Paul's a Beatle.

Patrick Schwarzenegger spilled the beans, possibly unintentionally, but his sister, Katherine, and her hubby, Chris Pratt, have had their baby.

The news came after a photographer spotted Patrick Sunday and congratulated him on becoming an uncle and then asked how Katherine and the baby are doing. PS responded, "Doing great, just got her a little gift." He then made it even clearer by showing the photog the gift, wrapped in a pink ribbon.

So, Katherine and Chris had a girl!!! It's Katherine's first child and Chris' second. He and ex-wife Anna Faris have a son, Jack. ET first broke the story.

They tied the knot in June 2019 ... remember those days?

So that makes The Terminator a first-time granddad and, of course, Maria Shriver a first-time grandma!!!

Congrats all!!!

Sylvester Stallone is rarely EVER down for the count ... but when it comes to his tricked-out Escalade, he's decided it's time to hang up the gloves and sell the whip for a small fortune.

The folks over at Becker Automotive Design did the customization and now are handling the sale of Sly's 2019 Cadillac Escalade. But, it's no ordinary Escalade, not when Rocky's the owner. The pimped-out whip is the stretched version ... 20 inches to be exact, and it's decked out for the VIP of all VIPs.

The beast is loaded with a 43-inch UHD LCD smart TV built into the electric center divider partition, plus rear 12-inch LCD screens for rear-facing passengers. It's also loaded with two SIM cards from different carriers to ensure you always have the most reliable internet connection.

Got back problems? Enjoy the massagers built into the seats with thermoelectric cool and heat functions.

For extra privacy, the windows are outfitted with electric curtains, and for a more comfy ride -- 2 fully electric rear bucket seats and electric leg rests. The car alone cost $89,500 but the interior enhancements -- for a cool $136,330 -- are what really make this a powerhouse on wheels.

So, why's Sly selling this beast? He says, "I ordered my Becker ESV for a specific purpose, however, my requirement for it has recently changed and I no longer have a need for this beautiful vehicle." Whoever lands this luxury room on wheels will enjoy the Stallone touch ... considering he personally designed the luxurious interior. Howard Becker, BTW, also worked with Tom Brady for his 2017 Cadi.

Sylvester says, "The on-board electronics and ride quality are second to none. I hope the new owner gets years of fulfilling use from this sensationally appointed Becker Cadillac ESV."

Child actor and Pennsylvania-native Robert J. Steinmiller Jr. (now goes by Bob Steinmiller) was only a teenager when he shot to stardom after playing the brave young boy, Jack Leary -- who deals with life in his dysfunctional family and navigates through his strange neighborhood -- in the 1993 Marshall Herskovitz film, "Jack the Bear."

Robert J. Steinmiller Jr. shared the big screen with some awesome actors including Miko Hughes as the younger brother, Dylan Leary ... and of course, Danny DeVito as the defective dad, John Leary.

Steinmiller is also known for playing Chuckie in the 1991 canine movie, "Bingo."

Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Garner have a long past together, and judging by the photos they may also have a present.

The former "Alias" stars hit up Malibu beach Wednesday, along with a little girl who appears to be Bradley's daughter, Lea De Seine Shayk Cooper.

Bradley and Jen have something in common ... they've both split from their partners ... obviously Jen more recently than Bradley.

The 2 have been seen together over the years, but now that they're both available ... who knows? But, if you can glean anything from a few snapshots ... sure looks flirty.

There were rumors during their "Alias" days that costars Bradley and Jen may have been a thing, but it never materialized ... at least not publicly.

Who knows whether this is something, but when people break up they often gravitate to people they know, and lots of times that develops into something. If you didn't know that ... it's actually a thing.

Brooklyn-based singer and actor Ellen Greene is best known for her role as the blonde-bob babes and shop assistant, Audrey -- who is the love interest (and meal interest) of the skid row plant shop -- in the plant-based 1986 musical, "Little Shop of Horrors."

Ellen Greene was cast alongside an epic group of actors in the film adaptation of the broadway botany hit including Steve Martin as the nitrous huffing boyfriend and dangerous dentist, Dr. Orin Scrivello ... and of course Rick Moranis as the alien plant feeding florist and Audrey's forever love, Seymour Krelborn.

Daisy Coleman -- one of the teenage girls featured in "Audrie & Daisy," the Netflix documentary about multiple rape cases -- has died by suicide ... according to her mother.

Daisy's mom, Melinda, says her daughter took her own life Tuesday night. Her body was discovered after Melinda called the police to do a welfare check.

Melinda says ... "She was my best friend and amazing daughter. I think she had to make it seem like I could live without her. I can’t. I wish I could have taken the pain from her!"

Daisy was 14 years old in January 2012 when she was allegedly raped at a Missouri house party after being plied with alcohol ... though no one was ever convicted.

The 2016 Netflix doc followed Daisy and members of her family as they dealt with the trauma of her alleged assault, and the hostile reaction of their community.

Daisy's mom says, "She never recovered from what those boys did to her and it’s just not fair. My baby girl is gone." The family coped with another tragedy just last year when Daisy's younger brother was killed in a car accident.

"Audrie & Daisy" also focused on the sexual assault of Audrie Pott in September 2012 in California. Audrie died by suicide 10 days later.

Following her rape case, Daisy co-founded the organization SafeBAE with the mission of ending sexual assault among middle and high school students and helping survivors. The org says it is devastated by her death and has "suffered an irreplaceable loss."

Daisy was 23.

The Rock owns the XFL and former L.A. Wildcats head coach Winston Moss has a message for DJ ... GIVE ME A JOB!!!

Moss lost his head coaching gig when the 2nd iteration of the XFL went under -- largely due to the COVID-19 pandemic -- leaving the former NFL player and coach without a job.

Winston -- who played football at University of Miami a few years before Johnson -- thought his time with the XFL was done ... until The Rock swooped in, threw down $15 mil, and rescued the league.

Now, Moss tells TMZ Sports he BADLY wants another crack coaching in the XFL.

"I was excited to hear the news. I've been on pins and needles ever since we were shut down due to COVID-19 and how can you not be excited about The Rock?!" Moss tells us.

"He's an ex-football player, he's a great entertainer, has a passion for whatever he does, has a passion for football, he seems to love the game. Both of us are University of Miami alumni, so c'mon!"

Moss says working with Johnson would be a huge privilege.

"I think he brings so much to the table that I would be honored, I would be thrilled to work with somebody with that stature."

Now, this obviously ain't the XFL's 1st rodeo ... so Moss has some ideas that he believes will make Johnson's league a hit the 3rd time around.

Bruce Lee might be dead, but his spirit is very much alive in this little boy from Japan ... who knows one of the legend's insane nunchuck movie routines like the back of his hand.

Meet Ryusei -- a legitimate Kung Fu prodigy who's obsessed with all things Bruce ... including his famous fight scene from "Enter the Dragon," where he's swinging around the chucks like the master martial artist he was. Turns out, Ryusei wasn't too far behind him .... at age 5!!!

The clip you see here was shot a while ago, but it shows the kid with his back turned to the movie playing in the background. As Bruce starts chuckin', so does Ryusei ... who's completely in sync with the routine, damn near perfectly. It's pretty wild to see it play out.

Since then, the kid only appears to have gotten better at his craft -- he's got an IG page ... at age 9 now, he looks like he could be just good as Bruce was in his prime. He may be better by that age, in fact ... Ryusei is already sparring with fully-grown adults and holding his own.

His high-level ability -- and the natural comparisons to Bruce -- is definitely something his parents play up. It looks like they post a ton of side-by-side shots of Ryusei with the late legend, and they even went out to Bruce's gravesite in Seattle to pose for a photo-op.

Ben Affleck and Ana de Armas are looking madly in love these days, and they're even doing steamy double dates with Matt Damon and his wife.

Ben and Ana packed on some mouth-on-mouth PDA Monday in Malibu, rolling around in the sand, and taking a romantic stroll down the coastline.

Typical hot date -- lots of passionate kissing, tight hugs, and smiles all around -- but this time Matt and Luciana were tagging along. Yeah, they got that awkward front seat to Ben and Ana's make-out session.

Take note, Ben did have a face covering, but with all the kissing it remained firmly in his back pocket. Can ya blame him?

The friendly neighborhood home of the Boggs family in "Edward Scissorhands" is on the market, and though there's no sign Edward's been trimming the hedges ... there's still plenty to like about the place.

The outside of the Florida house -- featured in the 1990 Tim Burton cult classic, starring Johnny Depp and Winona Ryder -- is a different color now but still looks very much the same ... and it's listed for $224,000.

The 1,432-square-foot residence comes with 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms, all of which have been recently renovated ... including a completely remodeled master bath.

The house still boasts some original attributes too -- like the kitchen cabinets and countertops and, of course, all the charm showcased in the movie.

The Boggs' house -- used for exterior and interior shots -- was built in 1989, just months before filming began for 'Scissorhands' in the Tampa Bay area. It's actually in a subdivision in the suburban town of Lutz.

Hopefully, all the neighbors are nice as well ... nothing like those Esmeralda or Jim characters.

New York City-native Mercedes Ruehl gained fame in the '80s when she landed the role of the distraught mother, Mrs. Baskin -- who wields a knife and chases her big son out of the house and later threatens him on the phone -- in the classic 1988 over-grown comedy, "BIG."

Mercedes Ruehl shared the screen with stars like Robert Loggia as the toy giant, Mr. MacMillan, John Heard as the paddle ball-cheating Paul Davenport, Elizabeth Perkins as the ravishing Susan Lawrence ... and of course, Tom Hanks as the larger-than-life Josh Baskin.

That same year Mercedes solidified herself as a star after she was in the film, "Married To The Mod," as the gangster wife, Connie Russo.

Shia LaBeouf doesn't need a bumper sticker to show his support for Joe Biden ... a face covering will do just fine.

The actor was out Monday morning in L.A. arriving at a film set while also doing his part to stem the spread of the coronavirus. But, Shia's face mask is doing double duty ... because he's using his as a billboard to show his support for the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee.

It's a move that's in polar opposition to many of President Trump's supporters ... and we're not talking politically.

The Prez himself was first to politicize face masks by refusing to wear them during most of the pandemic -- and his backers have followed suit.

You'll recall at Trump's Tulsa rally back in June, hardly anyone wore a mask. One supporter even brought a tiny baby into the potentially super-spreading event. Making matters worse ... Trump's campaign staff ordered the removal of social distancing signs, and video clearly shows them doing exactly that.

Herman Cain, who attended that rally and did not wear mask, died from COVID-19 a little over a month later.

Gerard Butler had himself quite the weekend -- one second he was putting on a show for his buddies, and the next he was getting stopped to pose with an adorable pooch. Quite the life!

The "300" star was hanging out Sunday at a cafe in the Marina del Rey neighborhood of L.A. -- right by the beach, pretty much. He was definitely dressed down and somewhat covered up to where you might not recognize him at first -- but that ripped bod's hard to miss.

Anyway, it seemed like he was with a lady friend and some other pals as well -- who were getting a nice little story out of Gerard with all his animated motions and gestures. From the POV of the person in the car, it kinda looked like a game of charades or something.

Anyway, it all came to a screeching halt when someone showed up with their pug and seemingly asked if Gerard would snap a photo with it. He did -- wearing his face mask at first -- but quickly realized life is much better when a guy's face-to-face with man's best friend.

THIS ... IS ... SO CUTE!!!!!