Movies

Will Smith won't be able to attend the Oscars for 10 years -- and while some think that's mega, David Spade is here to say, whoop-de-doo ... suggesting it's not a big deal at all.

We got the comedy legend -- and good pal of Chris Rock -- Friday at Avra in Bev Hills ... and of course, we had to get his take on Will's decade-long ban, which had just been handed down by the Academy hours earlier.

Check it out ... David actually seems to be okay with the punishment -- saying the movie honchos had to do something, and this seems fitting. But, when we pressed on whether it was too harsh ... he scoffed.

In Dave's eyes ... not being able to attend the ceremony or vote for future flicks doesn't really come off as a major consequence -- and he says himself, "Who cares?"

DS also reveals if he's spoken to Chris yet ... and indeed, he certainly has. He refuses to dish on what his buddy thinks, though, respecting the guy's confidence and privacy. As for what he thinks the Academy can do to make it up to CR -- he's got a hilarious response.

BTW, just to give you a sense of how close David is with Chris ... check out this podcast appearance the latter made on Spade's "Fly on the Wall" back in January, which he hosts with Dana Carvey. Chris told an interesting story about being bullied in childhood.

There've been other reactions to the 10-year ban as well ... including from 'Dodgeball' star Chris Williams, who says it's a stiff sentence -- but one that makes sense considering the conduct.

Just like David, CW also thinks Will is going to land on his feet in the long run ... and that he can get past this with some time and healing -- and the forgetfulness of society as the next big thing captures our attention.

We also asked if Williams thinks Smith's got another Oscar in him amid this 10-year ban -- and the guy says, hell yeah ... predicting he may actually win one after his final year.

Johnny Depp and Amber Heard are going to trial next week -- and the latter says she's unplugging from the world as she heads into court to defend herself against his claims.

The actress opened up on social media Saturday, just a couple days before she and her ex-husband are set to face off in front of a judge and a jury in Virginia Monday ... where they'll hash out once and for all if Amber defamed him by suggesting she was a victim of DV.

AH writes, "I’m going to go offline for the next several weeks. As you may know, I’ll be in Virginia where I face my ex-husband Johnny Depp in court. Johnny is suing me for an op-ed I wrote in the Washington Post, in which I recounted my experience of violence and domestic abuse."

She notes she never named him, but discussed the price women pay for speaking against powerful men, adding, "I continue to pay that price, but hopefully when this case concludes, I can move on and so can Johnny. I have always maintained a love for Johnny and it brings me great pain to have to live out the details of our past life together in front of the world."

She finishes ... "At this time, I recognize the ongoing support I've been fortunate to receive through these years, and in these coming weeks I will be leaning on it more than ever."

Of course, Amber is referring to this article, where she says, in part ... "[T]wo years ago, I became a public figure representing domestic abuse, and I felt the full force of our culture’s wrath for women who speak out," going on to detail how she felt she'd been blackballed for speaking her truth ... this in the wake of her tumultuous 2-year marriage with Depp.

Interestingly enough, JD has also argued he's been blackballed from the industry ... and the proof is kind of in the pudding -- especially as it relates to his 'Fantastic Beasts' recasting.

At any rate ... he's looking for a much-needed W here in the States -- his reputation took a major hit after he lost his libel case in the U.K. ... where he was labeled a "wife-beater" by a newspaper there, and which a judge ultimately agreed was "mostly true" after trial.

As we've reported ... their witness list is a who's-who of Hollywood, with the likes of Elon Musk, James Franco, Paul Bettany and others who are expected to take the stand.

Like we said -- this thing is set to get underway in about 48 hours or so, and it'll be interesting to see where the dust settles when it's all said and done.

Will Smith's 10-year ban from the Oscars has left many in the Academy with mixed feelings -- some think too harsh, others think too lenient ... and some think it's just right.

THR published several reactions from a handful of members -- none of whom are on the Board of Governors -- with many going on the record with how they feel about the decision doled out this week ... namely, making WS persona non grata at the ceremony for a decade.

A good amount of these folks actually stuck up for Will, saying the punishment doesn't fit the crime -- including Stephen Potter of the Sound branch, Harry Shearer of the Actors branch and Beverly Walker of the Marketing/PR branch ... who all felt this was punitive.

Harry (famous from "The Simpsons") says, in part ... "If Will Smith, or any other A-list actor, had run on stage and simply pulled down his pants and defecated, I seriously doubt he'd/she'd be back on that stage in 10 years, or ever ... A decade-long ban seems oddly parental, as in, he'll have outgrown his slappin' phase by then."

Beverly was firmly in Will's corner, or rather ... very much so NOT in Chris's -- or any other comedian the Academy might hire as a host/presenter to roast the crowd.

She takes issue with "the Academy's longstanding habit of hiring comedian/hosts to march out and insult or make fun of the very people being celebrated," adding, "there have undoubtedly been some who would've liked to make some sort of protest" ... and finishing by saying, "What Rock said was egregious and he had to know it would not be appreciated."

Others took aim at Academy leadership itself -- especially Prez David Rubin and CEO Dawn Hudson ... whom many felt had screwed the pooch by failing to respond in the moment.

Mitchell Block -- a doc-maker -- put it well ... "The board of governors should have reviewed why David Rubin and/or Dawn Hudson failed to have Will Smith immediately removed from the theater after he physically attacked one of the hosts." He adds, "Their poor judgment demonstrated an inability to lead and be proactive under pressure and respond to this behavior. I am deeply disappointed that the governors did not censure them."

And yet, even more came out swinging ... saying Will deserved more severe consequences, like criminal charges and maybe outright disqualification from all things Oscars, forever.

Steven Scott summed it up like this ... "I also am disappointed that Chris Rock and The Academy decided not to press charges for Will's attack. What message are we sending -- that when we're assaulted, it's best to just keep our 'composure' and not complain?"

He also addressed the whataboutism that has bubbled up -- with many drawing comparisons over what happened to Will with others who they feel have perhaps done worse.

To that, Scott says ... "Before someone tells me that other Hollywood A-listers have done awful things, yet kept their Oscars, none of them did their crimes live, on air, from the Academy home stage on our special night, in front of all the world to see."

He adds, "There is no precedent for Will's horrific physical and verbal assault, and the punishment should have been unprecedented as well. I am disgusted by my Academy's appallingly weak, amoral, kowtowing-to-an-A-lister response."

As you know ... Will is OK with the Academy's decision. And, while he can't attend Academy Awards ceremonies or official events for 10 years -- he can still be nominated for Oscars and even win Oscars ... they'll just have to mail him any would-be statuettes if that occurs.

He also gets to keep his Oscar -- so all things considered, really not all that bad.

Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck are giving it another shot -- the pair are engaged -- nearly 20 years after Ben first asked Jen for her hand in marriage.

J Lo shared the news with her fans via a video message on her newsletter Friday, she's teary-eyed and simply says, "You're perfect" before you can catch a glimpse of her beautiful green diamond ring.

Of course, we noticed Ben may have popped the question already when J Lo was spotted out furniture shopping with her daughter and was wearing a massive diamond on THAT finger. Interestingly enough, she tried to flip the diamond into her palm when she saw a cam.

The engagement comes on the heels of another very significant step for the couple -- they recently plunked down around $55 million on a massive Bel-Air estate together.

The home has plenty of room to blend their families with 20,000 sq ft. 10 bedrooms and 17 bathrooms ... not to mention a pool with stunning views.

Will Smith finally got his punishment for slapping Chris Rock at The Oscars -- the Academy of Motion Pictures has made him persona non grata for a decade for that slap.

The Academy's Board of Governors met Friday and after the vote, the Academy President and CEO said, "The Board [of Governors] has decided, for a period of 10 years, from April 8, 2022, Mr. Smith shall not be permitted to attend any Academy events or programs, in person or virtually, including but not limited to the Academy Awards."

He continues with an Academy mea culpa  ... "During our telecast, we did not adequately address the situation in the room. For this we are sorry. This was an opportunity for us to set an example for our guests, viewers, and our Academy family around the world, and we fell short -- unprepared for the unprecedented."

The Prez went on to thank Chris Rock ... "We want to express our deep gratitude to Mr. Rock for maintaining his composure under extraordinary circumstances."

A statement allegedly from Smith after the announcement read, "I accept and respect the Academy's decision."

TMZ broke the story ... our sources told us the Academy lied about asking Will to leave the Dolby Theater after the slap. Turns out it was the exact opposite ... as the show's producer Will Packer told Will he could stay.

The Academy was slammed for getting caught in a lie, so this disciplinary hearing also served as its best way to make good for an, at best, fumbled response.

Will had also been dealing with the fallout -- a bunch of his projects are now on ice and he already resigned from the Academy.

Fat Joe says Will Smith slapping Chris Rock at the Oscars has serious consequences for all POCs when it comes to demanding respect ... especially because it was Will who got violent in public.

We got Joey Crack Thursday in New York City, and asked for his take on the fallout from Will's actions, and the impact on minorities.

You can tell it pains him to say it, but Joe says Will being the culprit makes it much worse for the culture than, for instance, Fat Joe and 50 Cent beefing.

Watch the clip, he really did take that shot at himself -- but his point is people expect more from Will, because as he put it ... the Oscar winner is "the best we got."

What's more, Joe says the slap looks bad from the outside because it comes at a time when Black and brown people are demanding more respect in society.

Before this cute 5-year-old girl was bringing in award-worthy nominations as an actress, she was just another happy girl with a bright future growing up in Santa Monica, California.

Even though this girl decked out in ruffly stripes no longer rocks the pigtail look, she still serves us an edgy look with her cropped bangs, which she sometimes clips back or pushes to the side.

Her star-worthy smile has clearly paid off, as she starred in "The Addams Family" in the early 90s and would go on to land other notable roles such as her iconic character in "Sleepy Hollow."

The first comic book ever to feature Captain America just sold at auction for a near-record price.

The winning bid for "Captain America Comics No. 1" came in Thursday at a whopping $3.1 million ... which is not far off from the $3.6 million someone shelled out in 2014 for the first comic with Spider-Man.

The comic book, which introduced fans to Captain America and his trusty sidekick, Bucky, was published way back in 1941 ... and this one was in near mint condition.

The issue, sold through Heritage Auctions, is 45 pages and the cover features imagery of Captain America punching Adolf Hitler and fighting the Nazis.

Here's the top prices for other superhero comics ... the first appearance of Superman went for $3.2 million in 2014, while the first comic with Batman fetched $2.2 million in January 2021.

The $3.1 million sale price for "Captain America Comics" puts it in the top 5 most expensive comics ever sold.

This same issue has grown in value over the years ... it was previously sold at auction twice before, fetching over $25,000 in 2010 and $915k in 2019.

Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck may have officially cemented their future together -- cause she is wearing a diamond ring on THAT finger -- and something she did with the diamond is raising more suspicion.

J Lo and her daughter, Emme, were out furniture shopping Monday, possibly for their new $55 million home, and if you take a closer look, there's definitely a diamond on the singer's left ring finger.

Interestingly enough, J Lo seems to pick up on the fact there's a photog, because on her way out of the store, she appears to flip the ring, hiding the diamond side in her palm.

If it's legit, the engagement would come on the heels of another big step in Ben and Jen's relationship ... the $55 mil mansion they just went in on together.

As we've previously reported, the massive 10-bedroom, 17-bathroom estate sits in the ritzy Bel-Air area of Los Angeles ... and J Lo and Ben are gearing up to blend their families together and make it their home.

BTW, it wouldn't be the first time the two got engaged to each other, Ben popped the question 18 years ago ... but they called things off before any wedding.

A huge collection of Betty White's personal items are going up for auction, with pieces spanning over her 8-decade career.

The items are going on the block in September, courtesy of Julien's Auctions in Bev Hills, and the treasure trove includes signed scripts, wedding bands and her popular outfits.

The collection will be displayed in various countries around the world before ending up at Julien's ... countries like Chile and Ireland. The collection will also make its way aboard the Queen Mary 2's Transatlantic Voyage.

The auction house says, "We are honored to work with her Estate in this exclusive presentation of these precious artifacts and personal mementos from her storied life and career which will be offered for the first time at auction to the public, museum curators and her legions of fans worldwide."

Mark Wahlberg is getting out of Beverly Hills -- his massive estate there just hit the market ... and he is going to turn a HUGE profit considering what he first paid for it way back when.

The actor has listed his BH compound -- which includes a main mega-mansion with 12 bedrooms and 20 baths, plus a separate guest house -- for a whopping $87.5 million ... he first bought the land in 2009 for $8.25 mil and spent years building the home.

Overall, it's 30,500 square feet of living space ... covered in European limestone.

No matter what amount Mark settles for, he's obviously coming up big in the black ... we're talking tens of millions of dollars based on nothing but good old-fashioned real estate appreciation. Not bad!

As for the property itself ... it's literally Los Angeles luxury defined. It's got a full-blown library/study room, a waterfall pool, a grotto, tennis court, basketball court, a private spa, a 5,000-bottle wine cellar, a fully-equipped gym, a movie screening room -- and even separate quarters for any hired help, plus a media entry space!

There are other amenities that you should see for yourself ... seriously, this place rocks.

Like we said ... Mark's been soaking in this palace for well over a decade. Now, he seems ready to move -- because it's for sale and up for grabs. Whoever the new owner will be is someone that's gotta have deep pockets ... because this purchase is no walk in the park.

The house is listed by mega-realtor Kurt Rappaport.

Music legend Bobby Rydell, one of the first teen idols back in the 1960s, is dead.

Bobby, whose famous songs include "Volare" and "Wild One," died Tuesday. A person close to Bobby tells us he had some health issues over the last few months and was recently diagnosed with pneumonia ... which is believed to be the cause of death. We're told it was not COVID-related.

Bobby was a central part of the Philadelphia dynasty in music ... so big, streets were named after him. Paul McCartney famously said Bobby's hit, "Swinging School," served as the inspiration behind The Beatles' early mega-hit, "She Loves You."

Bobby toured as part of The Golden Boys stage production with Frankie Avalon and Fabian, and he was easily the most talented singer among the trio of teen idols.

While Bobby's mostly known for his music, he was also a talented actor ... starring on TV, stage and film, most notably a role in the movie version of "Bye Bye Birdie" with Ann-Margret and Dick Van Dyke.

There's even a nod to Bobby in the Broadway and film version of "Grease" ... the high school, "Rydell High," was named after him.

Bobby sold over 25 million records ... and his other hits include "Kissin' Time, "Sway," "I've Got Bonnie," "The Cha-Cha-Cha" and "Forget Him."

He was 79.

Shaun Weiss is back and better ... and now he'll be returning to the big screen ... 'cause the dude's just landed a role in a movie.

The 'Mighty Ducks' star tells TMZ ... he'll be in the film, "Jesus Revolution," starring Kelsey Grammer -- based on the true story of Lonnie Frisbee and the hippies he baptized in the '70s -- and the role is reflective of his own life.

Shaun tells us, someone from Lionsgate actually saw his sobriety story and wanted to offer him the role. He did a read for a director via zoom, and voila!

We're told, he plays a strung-out Vietnam vet who gets saved and sobers up. And, he's really gotten into the role ... even asking his dentist if he could temporarily take out the implants he just got, to look the part.

Well, that wasn't possible but, either way, Shaun says the role has taken him back to his own life and being drugged out ... so much so, he says, playing the role is almost like experiencing a relapse.

As we previously reported, Shaun has struggled with drug addiction for many years ... even losing most of his teeth from drug abuse. He's since turned his life around, gotten a new set of pearly whites and has been sober for 2 years!

Talk about a comeback ...

Musician and American actress Fairuza Balk was just 23 years old when she played Vicki Vallencourt - the girlfriend who's a ride or die for her 'geek' of a boyfriend -- in the 1998 football film "The Waterboy."

Balk was cast alongside some of the greats including Adam Sandler as momma's boy and H20 enthusiast turned all-star player, Bobby Boucher, Kathy Bates as Bobby Boucher's overprotective mother, Mama Boucher, Rob Schneider as the annoying yet supportive "you can do it" character, Townie and Henry Winkler as the convincing coach, Coach Klein.

Kim Kardashian and Pete Davidson's relationship continues to grow ... in fact, it's spreading to other parts of Pete's family now too!

Sources connected to Pete tell us Kim recently joined him on a trip to NYC. We're told Pete was there working on a movie -- so Kim came to check things out -- and the production happened to be close to Pete's grandparents' home on Staten Island.

After the shoot wrapped for the day, Kim and Pete dropped in to spend some time with his family ... and Kim got to officially meet his grandparents.

Of course, the meeting shouldn't be all that surprising -- the two have been together for several months now -- but bringing the family into the mix is always a big step.

We also know Pete's become more than familiar with Kim's family -- including her mom and sisters -- one of the first pics we saw of the pair together was snapped at Kris' home in SoCal with the Kardashian family matriarch and Flavor Flav.

Pete's also been openly accepted by Kim's closest circle of friends, who have all told us he's a great guy and a good addition to Kim's life.

Our sources say Pete has still not met Kim's kids, out of respect for Kanye, so it will be interesting to see if that changes down the line.

Estelle Harris, who brilliantly played George Costanza's mom, has died.

Estelle passed away Saturday at her home in Palm Desert, CA, just outside of Palm Springs.  Her son Glen says she died from natural causes, adding, "It is with the greatest remorse and sadness to announce that Estelle Harris has passed on this evening at 6:25."

Glen went on to say, "Her kindness, passion, sensitivity, humor, empathy, and love were practically unrivaled, and she will be terribly missed by all those who knew her."

Estelle played a loud, opinionated and confrontational mom who was quick to take on her hubby and George at the drop of a hat. Short story ... she was hysterical!

And, speaking of story ... Estelle played Mrs. Potato Head in the 3 most recent 'Toy Story' flicks. There's a lot more to her CV ... "The Suite Life of Zack & Cody," "Tarzan II," "The Pinocchio Shop," and tons of other voiceover work.

Estelle was a New Yorker by birth and got her big break on "Night Court."

She was married to Sy Harris from 1953 to 2021, when he died. She's survived by 3 kids -- Eric, Glen and Taryn, as well as 3 grandsons and a great-grandson.

Estelle was 93.

RIP