Movies

Skylar Astin's looks over the years are positively "Pitch Perfect!"

Here's the 19-year-old version of the American actor and singer rocking some tight curls at a "Totally Tisch" star-studded gala in New York City back in 2007 (left) -- just five years before his big break in the film "Pitch Perfect."

And, 15 years later, the now 34-year-old "So Help Me Todd" actor is still treble-making his way through NYC and recently posed for a photo with a more blown out 'do at the premiere of "Spring Awakening: Those You've Known" (right).

Skylar is still scoring a 10.0 in the looks department.

The question is ...

Amber Heard might not be getting much of a shoulder to cry on from the public amid her trial with Johnny Depp -- but her legal team certainly is ... specifically, Elaine Bredehoft.

It's been a strained week for Team Heard ... at least that seems to be the general consensus online, with many noticing what appears to be obvious -- namely, that Ms. Bredehoft had a tough go during redirect after Camille Vasquez's laser-focused cross-examination of AH.

If you watched that on Tuesday (Amber's last day on the stand), you certainly saw the frustration as Vasquez constantly objected to questions Bredehoft asked ... and the judge sustaining a fair amount of them, almost to the point EB could barely get a word out.

In fact, Bredehoft seemed to acknowledge the difficulty in the moment ... apparently looking up into her thoughts/figuring out a way to ask something without objection. She literally said, "I'm trying, I'm trying" ... and in the end, didn't have too successful of a redirect.

After Bredehoft wrapped redirect, Amber left the courtroom in a hurry ... this after the judge told her she could step down and rejoin her attorneys. Frankly, Amber seemed pissed.

There've also been rumors -- unconfirmed ones, mind you -- that AH and her team have gotten into squabbles and shouting matches in court when the camera wasn't rolling. No way of telling if that's true, but it would seem to lend to most people's belief that AH and co. are getting out lawyered throughout this trial ... and that it may be taking hold internally.

That leads us to the sympathy Elaine seems to have garnered by some ... folks on TikTok and elsewhere say she and the other Heard attorneys look down and out a lot of the times -- and a handful of apparent Depp supporters even say they feel for EB, suggesting she's got an uphill battle as well as a not-so-easy-to-defend client -- at least that's their read.

Of course, we're certain Elaine herself would fiercely disagree with that characterization -- and, more importantly ... it's up to the jury on who's got a leg up right now and who'll win.

While a good amount of folks might think Amber's testimony was so-so in firming up her defense -- others say the witnesses her team put on thereafter were way more effective in backing up her claim that Johnny was allegedly abusive/controlling amid their relationship.

JD's ex, Ellen Barkin, testified he once threw a wine bottle toward her and was jealous. Plus, other AH witnesses testified to seeing alleged injuries and/or actual beatdowns of Amber by Johnny first-hand ... and if the jury believes he struck her on even one occasion, he loses.

Viola Davis says that even at her status in Hollywood, racism persists on a regular basis for her ... especially from one man who apparently referred to her as his hired help.

The actress -- who's already won an Oscar, among other accolades -- did an interview with Variety at the Cannes Film Festival about Women in Motion ... and she expressed the notion that despite her high level in the biz, there are certain barriers she can't seem to get over.

One of those barriers is getting certain scripts to be written with dark-skinned Black women as the lead -- like a mid-aged darker Black woman in her '50s going through a sexual awakening, she explains -- while suggesting Hollywood still very much digs into stereotypes and "fits" when it comes to an actor's appearance. She's alluding to colorism here, BTW.

But, the more shocking anecdote she tells in the same breath is about a longtime director she's known and been friends with accidentally calling her "Louise" ... his maid's name.

Now, Viola did clarify that this happened relatively early in her career -- when she was about 30, she says -- but still feels those types of "microaggressions" happen all the time.

Her larger point, of course, is Black actors simply aren't given that great of material to work with movie-wise to be able to church out Oscar-worthy performances like their white counterparts ... unless they're roles that play into stereotypes and/or formulaic stories.

Johnny Depp is getting support from what some might think is an unlikely group, but maybe not -- an org protecting abused women and children.

The group, Mission NGO, is Italian-based, and fronted by former Miss Italy Valeria Altobelli. She expressed "compassion" for Johnny in the wake of his trial with ex-wife Amber Heard.

Altobelli said, "In deep respect of the victims of domestic abuses that we have to affirm for intellectual honesty are, generally, WOMEN, we feel to express, as women, as mothers, as free thinkers, our compassion for Johnny Depp in this bad page of his personal history."

NGO is not alone ... public sentiment seems to be clearly on Johnny's side, which by clearly means lots of people -- maybe most -- don't believe Amber's claims of abuse at the hands of Johnny.

As we reported, the only uncontested incident of abuse was at the hands of Amber -- she admitted it on an audiotape that the jury heard.

Peacock's new series, "Angelyne" was a complete fail at capturing the L.A. icon, and it did not do her life's work justice, at all ... at least that's the real Angelyne's review.

The Los Angeles billboard queen tells TMZ ... it was painful to watch someone try to be her, and adds Emmy Rossum -- the series' star -- was way off in her portrayal. Angelyne went so far as to call the performance unprofessional.

She says she had little to no involvement with the show.

Angelyne did speak to Emmy and granted permission to use her copyrights for music, artwork and billboards. At first, she thought it was a good idea, but later regretted it, calling it a "blonde moment".

Angelyne says she was the original influencer to inspire folks like Kim K and Paris Hilton ... and the show misses the mark, by having an actress pretending to be an influencer. She says, the actress is the complete opposite of her, and it comes off almost like a parody.

We should note, she says she doesn't think anyone can truly play her -- so, it's less of a personal jab at Emmy, and more about putting ANY actress in the role.

On the upside, it gave her the opportunity to create her own movie -- which she says, will premiere this summer and show the 'real Angelyne,' from her own experiences, not just a made-up story.

Nancy Armstrong is changing the narrative about ADHD in a new documentary ... telling us the disorder can actually be a secret power.

The Executive Producer joined "TMZ Live" to talk about the new doc, titled "The Disruptors" and the upside for folks who have attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), which she says is heavily misunderstood.

She tells us she wanted to do this documentary because there is a disconnect between what the public thinks and what scientists know about ADHD from decades of research and endless studies.

On a more personal note ... she's a mother of 3 children with the diagnosis, so she understands how overwhelming and challenging it can be for families.

However, she makes it clear -- while ADHD has some challenges that need to be managed, it also has some pretty impressive strengths. She adds understanding how to balance both can actually be a huge asset.

For example -- on the flip side of things like distractibility, hyperactivity and impulsivity, there are some positives -- such as curiosity, energy and creativity.

ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder, which affects 10% of kids and a rising number of adults in the U.S. The doc follows the challenges of 5 families and sheds light on the beauty behind it all.

Nipsey Hussle's family is making sure the cannabis empire he'd started to build still comes to fruition, despite his tragic death.

On Friday, the estate dropped a new documentary titled "The Marathon Cultivation" which chronicles the grind Nip and his brother Samiel Asghedom endured in creating their favored Marathon OG marijuana strain.

The doc also serves as the official announcement of the upcoming opening of their dispensary The Marathon (Collective), which opens on June 18 in Los Angeles.

TMZ Hip Hop attended the screening last week … Sam greeted the crowd, detailing some upcoming plans -- including getting Nip a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame this summer.

All Money In artists J. Stone, Pacman da Gunman and BH -- along with some other family members -- were also at the event.

The 40-minute film features a well-placed cameo from Snoop Dogg, who sang the product's praises when Nipsey hand-delivered him a special package.

Good news for Calum von Moger ... the star bodybuilder is resting at home and walking without any assistance -- just days after he was in the ICU after reportedly jumping out of a window -- according to a news outlet in Australia.

The Geelong Advertiser is reporting Calum was back at his Mount Duneed home in Australia on Thursday ... where the alleged near-death incident took place.

Remember, von Moger was seriously injured after reportedly crashing through a second-story window earlier this month.

At the time, Generation Iron reported that 31-year-old Calum was fighting for his life ... after suffering a severe injury to his spine. CVM was reportedly in a medically induced coma, too.

We're told von Moger underwent successful surgery for his injuries. A friend of Calum's also told The Sun he was "awake and recovering" in the hospital after surgery, surrounded by loved ones.

The former Mr. Universe -- who also played a young Arnold Schwarzenegger in the 2018 movie, "Bigger" -- has had a rough go these past few months, but, before the accident, vowed to be a better person in an emotional Instagram post where he addressed his actions.

"Everyone has a past. We've all been through hard times. I admit. I messed up bad many times," he wrote.

Famed filmmaker Len Wiseman is getting court-ordered protection from a man he claims keeps showing up to his home, even once posing as a delivery man and using his outdoor spa.

Kate Beckinsale's ex-husband beelined it to court this week and got a temporary restraining order against a 29-year-old man named Jose Lamas, whom Len claims is getting way too comfortable popping up on his property without an invitation.

According to new legal docs, obtained by TMZ, Len claims Lamas recently showed up unannounced at his Laurel Canyon estate, buzzing the front gate and posing as a Postmates delivery man.

Len says when he told the guy over the intercom to scram, Lamas walked around the property and opened a side gate to the backyard, tried to get inside the home and then stripped down to his boxers and got in the jacuzzi.

Len says the guy stayed in the hot tub for 45 minutes ... leaving only when cops showed up and arrested him.

It sounds crazy ... Len says there's surveillance showing Lamas at his house the day before the spa incident ... adding Lamas has been sending him threats on social media.

Among the alleged messages Lamas sent Len on Instagram ... "you are a stupid a** piece of f****** s***" and "come and get some, I will beat you to a pulp."

Len says the guy even reached out to him a couple days after the jacuzzi incident, sending him this message ... "I am sorry to bother you. I am a stone cold loser and I swear I will never bother you again."

But, Len says Lamas did bother him again ... claiming the guy showed up at his home a third time, rattling the front gate and again trying to gain entry.

Len says when cops arrested Lamas for the jacuzzi romp, the guy told officers he was Len's father and he played basketball for the Lakers.

Music legend, Vangelis, the composer behind massive Hollywood hits like "Chariots of Fire" and "Blade Runner" has died.

A representative for Vangelis confirmed he died at a hospital in France, where he was being treated for an illness ... but it's unclear what he was fighting.

Vangelis was a self-taught musician that rose to fame after scoring the 1981 film, "Chariots of Fire." The soundtrack reached #1 on Billboard charts ... and remarkably, he ended up winning an Oscar for Best Original Score.

In addition to the Oscar, he scored Ridley Scott's 1982 film "Blade Runner" ... and wrote songs for films, including "The Bounty."

He was 79.

American actor Danny Nucci was 28 years old when he was cast as Fabrizio de Rossi -- the Italian native and Jack Dawson's best friend who journeyed on the Titanic ship -- in the 1997 classic romance film "Titanic."

Nucci shared the big screen with some of the greats including Leonardo DiCaprio as the optimistic and poor American seeking to become rich through his journeys, Jack Dawson and Kate Winslet as the rich socialite who is seeking freedom from an arranged life, Rose DeWitt Bukater.

During the 1990s, Danny acted in two other films where he also was killed off: "Eraser" and "The Rock."

Camille Vasquez is staying tight-lipped about speculation that she and her client, Johnny Depp, might be a thing -- but the answer is already out there.

The actor's hotshot attorney was leaving court in Virginia Tuesday with the rest of the team, head up and looking proud of the intense cross-examination of Amber Heard they'd just put on for most of the day ... particularly Camille, who was leading the charge.

A pap was outside and asked what a lot of people have suspected the past several weeks -- namely, the notion she and JD could, perhaps, be dating.

Watch ... she doesn't offer much of an audible response, but her body language is kinda telling -- a nod/smile, it seems. What it's communicating, though, is up for interpretation we suppose ... but, frankly, we already know what's behind curtain #1 on this non-issue.

As we first told you ... Camille and Johnny are not dating, despite all the innuendo and shipping going on among fans ... of which there is a lot, especially online.

For what it's worth ... Amber's shown her attorney some affection as well, but there's no online buzz about anything going on over there.

Before this girl turned into a teen idol and a multi-award-winning actress, she was a child model .. hanging and posing outdoors in San Francisco, California.

While this photogenic chick with beach-perfect blonde hair is most known for her role in the hit comedy film "Clueless," she's also a loving and goofy mom, who enjoys sharing her tight-knit relationship with her son on Instagram.

Her acting genre-repertoire spans from comedy to thriller. Oh, and speaking of thrillers ... she made her film debut in the thriller "The Crush" in 1993.

Johnny Depp's attorney insisted her client hadn't looked at Amber Heard once in this trial to uphold a promise he made -- but his ex is calling BS ... offering a very different explanation.

Johnny's lawyer, Camille Vasquez, kicked off her cross-examination Monday with a simple question ... Johnny hadn't shot a glance her way amid the trial, had he? Amber said she didn't believe so, and Camille suggested she knew exactly why ... because he vowed she'd never see his eyes again.

She then played an audio recording where Johnny and Amber were arguing -- this after she'd gotten a TRO against him -- and in it you hear him say something to that effect.

Amber hadn't refuted it much during cross, but on redirect -- when her attorney, Elaine Bredehoft, reopened the door on the eyes thing -- Amber pounced to refute Johnny's supposed reasoning ... arguing, instead, that he couldn't look at her because of guilt.

It made for a dramatic moment ... Amber got emotional, saying she'd survived him -- adding that she believes he wouldn't look at her since he knows he's in the wrong for this case.

She also claimed he had, in fact, looked her in the eye a few times after that meeting in July 2016 -- when they tried reconciling post-TRO -- and Amber even says Johnny had shown her kindness thereafter ... allegedly slipping her his new phone number.

We'll say this ... Johnny has been dedicated in not staring up at Amber once while she's been under oath -- which is kinda awkward, because she's certainly shot him a look or two throughout. In any case, it seems she and her attorneys think the eyes narrative is nonsense.

Anyway, Amber ended up getting the last word with her attorney leading the way -- she's done now with her testimony. Unclear if another witness is going to be called to the stand, including Johnny himself, but the court is currently on another break.

Amber Heard's story about the Australia incident that claimed Johnny Depp's finger is getting diced up and tossed in the fire on cross-examination ... she's knee-deep in a grilling.

The actress is enduring rapid-fire questioning by JD's attorney, Camille Vasquez, who is getting into the weeds on just about every one of Amber's allegations of physical assault -- as well as the notorious lost digit tale that's up on the chopping block Tuesday morning.

Vasquez is asking about the exact sequence of events -- insisting Amber has testified to specific actions happening in specific order -- but AH says she can't recall what happened first/next, etc. ... while also claiming she's never said she did remember the chronology.

It's interesting -- what's being dissected here is the claim Johnny sexually assaulted Amber with a liquor bottle of some sort -- the same day JD lost his finger, BTW -- which Vasquez is attempting to pick apart by going through the alleged assault in slow-motion, frame by frame ... constantly bringing up her previous testimony, either in this trial or in older depositions.

Here's another thing that Johnny's team is latching onto consistently ... the fact that there seems to be little to no medical records documenting horrific injuries Amber claims she suffered -- including the ones in Australia -- but now, Amber seems to be saying that her perception of some of the injuries at the time might've been worse than the reality.

In any case ... Amber has acknowledged she didn't seek medical treatment for a lot of the alleged injuries, but maintains they did in fact happen -- and that Johnny was responsible.

Vasquez is constantly trying to keep Amber on track and focused on exactly the questions she's being asked -- and while the questioning is tenacious, Amber seems to be holding up pretty well. CV's clearly going to be diving in on just about everything Amber's testified to -- which has been a lot thus far.

The cross-examination is just getting started, and it's bound to get even juicier.

Sarah Paulson is super upset and on the prowl ... in search of her friend's missing pup, after she says it was stolen by a dog sitter.

Sarah pled with her IG followers Monday to help her friend, Clementine Ford, whose dog, Winnie, just disappeared. Sarah believes Winnie's been dognapped, so she wants everyone in the area to keep their eyes peeled for the pooch. Clementine is Cybill Shepherd's daughter.

The "Ratched" actress squarely pointed the guilty finger at the sitter ... "Help. Spread the word. This woman stole my friend's dog. Share far and wide. I'm begging you."

According to Sarah's friend Clementine, she left Winnie with a sitter she found on the 'Rover' app before heading out of town for a wedding. She claims, the sitter went radio silent when she began asking about the dog.