Movies

Sequels to beloved hip hop classics are typically frowned upon, but not the new "House Party" ... so says one of the OG film's stars Christopher 'Kid' Reid, and he's giving LeBron James props for keeping the brand strong.

We caught up with Chris out in Santa Monica, where he joked about his cameo in the reboot being a bit on the "Where's Waldo?" side.

That aside, Chris notes how LeBron -- whose SpringHill Company acquired the rights for "House Party" -- has always shown love to his iconic group Kid 'n Play.

Back in 2009, LeBron and Rich Paul starred in a State Farm commercial based around RP's car getting burglarized, with the crooks leaving only a Kid 'n Play CD ... setting the stage for LeBron and the State Farm agent to do the group's iconic dance from the original film.

And then in 2013, LBJ gave his sons Bronny and Bryce the trademarked Kid 'n Play haircuts shortly before they were basketball phenoms in their own right.

The first "House Party" dropped in March 1990 -- paving the way for loads of hip hop cinema. Chris tells us the new generation of actors is doing a bang-up job carrying the torch ... and gave us his best Whitney Houston impression to hammer home his point!!!

Chris also revealed his famous high-top fade only cost him $25 back in the day -- a far cry from $1k, $500, and $420 that Diddy, Kanye, and Lil Baby are reported to be paying their barbers.

Alec Baldwin will be prosecuted for the fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on his "Rust" movie set.

Prosecutors in Santa Fe County, NM made the announcement Thursday morning that Baldwin will be charged with involuntary manslaughter. The film's head armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed was also charged with involuntary manslaughter. Both face a maximum of 5 years in prison if convicted.

The Assistant Director, Dave Halls, has agreed to a plea deal for the charge of negligent use of a deadly weapon. He will get a suspended sentence and 6 months probation.

Interestingly ... no charges will be filed in connection with the non-fatal shooting of director Joel Souza, who was hit in the shoulder by the same bullet that killed Halyna.

Attorney Brian Panish, who represents the Hutchins family, tells TMZ, "We want to thank the Santa Fe Sheriff and the District Attorney for concluding their thorough investigation and determining that charges for involuntary manslaughter are warranted for the killing of Halyna Hutchins with conscious disregard for human life."

Panish goes on ... "Our independent investigation also supports charges are warranted. It is comfort to the family that, in New Mexico, no one is above the law. We support the charges."

It's interesting ... Halyna's widower, Matthew Hutchins, settled with Baldwin and the production and actually became an Executive Producer on the film.

In announcing the charges, the special prosecutor, Andrea Reeb, who was appointed by the D.A., said, "The evidence clearly shows a pattern of criminal disregard for safety on the 'Rust' film set. In New Mexico, there is no room for film sets that don't take our State's commitment to gun safety and public safety seriously."

Reeb said, "If any one of these three people - Alec Baldwin, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed or David Halls - had done their job, Halyna Hutchins would be alive today. It's that simple."

Alec has all along denied any wrongdoing, insisting all he did was follow instructions during a rehearsal where he was practicing how to position the pistol for a "cross draw" scene in a chapel ... as director Joel Souza and Halyna figured out camera angles.

He's also repeatedly said Halls, the assistant director, handed him the prop firearm (something Halls denies) and said it was a "cold" gun ... meaning it was unloaded and safe.

While Gutierrez-Reed, the lead armorer, was not in the chapel ... Alec has suggested she bears some responsibility, as it was her job to prepare and check the props.

Alec was visibly torn up on set immediately after Halyna was shot. However, in subsequent interviews he went on the defensive, saying it was a tragic accident for which he bore no responsibility. He also insisted he did NOT actually pull the trigger on that fateful day.

The FBI disagreed with Alec's assertion ... after testing the weapon, it issued a report which concluded the pistol would not fire without someone pulling the trigger.

Halyna's death was eventually ruled to be accidental -- the medical examiner found no intent to cause harm in their official report.

Still, Halyna's family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Alec and others involved in the production, saying he directly caused her death and that he was negligent in his handling of the gun -- not to mention safety protocols on the set.

They ultimately settled the lawsuit in October, and agreed to complete filming "Rust."

Alec also sued four crew members -- Gutierrez-Reed, Halls, Sarah Zachry and Seth Kenney - claiming they failed to safeguard the film set.

Julian Sands, a British actor with dozens of movie and TV credits over four decades in Hollywood, is missing ... and he was last seen hiking a mountain outside Los Angeles.

Law enforcement identified Julian as the missing hiker who vanished after going for a hike in the Mt. Baldy area, which is currently blanketed in snow and ice.

Search efforts are underway to find Julian, but severe winter weather on the mountain is making it difficult for rescue teams.

Julian's family reported him missing Friday, but he wasn't publicly identified as the missing hiker until Wednesday -- several inches of snow fell on the mountain since he disappeared.

The 65-year-old was born in England but now calls North Hollywood home ... and his acting career dates back to the 1980s, with appearances in movies like "A Room With a View," "Arachnophobia," "Leaving Las Vegas" and "Warlock."

Julian was also on episodes of "Dexter" and "Smallville" ... and he had a role in "The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo."

Jeremy Renner was moaning in pain in the background of the 911 call from his snowplow accident ... with his neighbor telling the operator he'd been "crushed" by a Snowcat.

In audio of the emergency call, obtained by TMZ, the actor's in agony as one of his neighbors frantically explains Jeremy's injuries ... including damage to his ribs, chest, torso and head, resulting in "a lot of blood."

The neighbor tells dispatchers Jeremy was on the ground in front of their house after being run over and having his ribs crushed by a Snowcat. The caller says Jeremy's breaths are getting shorter and begs for help to come immediately.

The audio makes it clear Jeremy was in need of life-saving measures ... he's screaming in agony for over 15 minutes, with his neighbor explaining JR was conscious but in "a lot of pain."

TMZ broke the story ... the 911 emergency log notes Jeremy was having "extreme difficulty" breathing after being "completely crushed" by the Snowcat and was experiencing heavy bleeding from his head.

As we reported, Nevada officials say Jeremy was helping a family member get their car out of heavy snow on New Year's Day, with the actor stepping out of his snowplow to chat with the family member when the Snowcat started to roll. Officials say Jeremy tried to get back into the driver's seat but was crushed by the 7-ton snowplow.

Jeremy was ultimately airlifted to a local hospital from the scene of the accident, which was on a private road in an area blanketed by tons of snow.

"Justtttttt a bit outside."

Charlie Sheen, Corbin Bernsen, and Tom Berenger reunited, almost 34 years after the first 'Major League' movie hit theaters, with the three actors hitting up a sports collectors convention in Houston (feels like it should've been Cleveland) ... where they signed autographs and took pics with a gang of fans.

It's one of the first times the three stars of the movie have been together since the movies were released decades ago. "Major League" came out in 1989 ... and "Major League II" in 1994. There was a third movie, without Sheen and Berenger (Bernsen appeared in the film), but we won't talk about that.

Sheen portrayed the movie's most notable character, Ricky "Wild Thing" Vaughn ... a flame-throwing pitcher with bad eyesight and questionable control.

Berenger played Jake Taylor ... a former All-Star catcher whose body -- particularly his knees -- broke down from all the innings behind the plate.

Bernsen played Roger Dorn ... the team's prima donna star third baseman.

If you haven't seen the movie, shame on you ... it's hilarious.

Jeremy Renner is still on the road to recovery after his nasty snowplow accident ... but at least that road's led him back home to continue recuperating.

The "Hawkeye" star tweeted Monday night, "Outside my brain fog in recovery, I was very excited to watch episode 201 with my family at home" -- referring to the season 2 premiere of his show, "Mayor of Kingstown."

Needless to say, his concerned fans were thrilled by Jeremy's unexpected update ... as he was flooded with messages congratulating him on making it home with his family, and at least one added, "We are still praying for you everyday and will continue to do so."

This is a big step forward for Jeremy -- as we reported, he was in critical condition at the beginning of the year after getting "completely crushed" by the Snowcat, according to the 911 emergency log. It also stated the right side of his chest collapsed.

Cops investigating the incident said Jeremy was working to get a family member's vehicle out of the snow when it happened.

He was rushed to the hospital and had undergone surgery, but doctors were optimistic -- he even shared a pic from the ICU, thanking the healthcare team for all their help.

Tyler Perry isn't just concerned with including more Black people in TV/film, he's also worried about pollution in Black neighborhoods ... and he's willing to drop several million for a federal building to prove it.

The media mogul says he's considering buying the Forces Command building, a former U.S. military training complex adjacent to Tyler Perry Studios in Atlanta. The building's currently tagged to become an FDA laboratory, but TP's seen the proposed plan and has deep concerns about potential fumes ... according to ATL news blog, Saporta Report.

The building was reportedly approved to be sold to Easterly Government Properties in 2019 for $17M -- and the current plan is to lease to the FDA, which would have it up and running by 2025.

Tyler already offered to buy it for the same $17 mil, but the feds sold it to Easterly, instead.

He's not giving up that easily, because Tyler says he's willing to pay a premium for the property now, if that's what it takes to block the lab. He told Saporta, "To allow someone to put a laboratory in the heart of this development with smokestacks is not okay with me. They would not do it in Buckhead, so why would they do it here? It feels like environmental racism.”

An FDA official says Tyler's description of the lab's "smokestacks" is not accurate, and the facility's actually designed to clean all emissions. The building sits right next to land where Tyler's expanding his studio.

The 28th annual Critics' Choice Awards went off without a hitch Sunday night ... and while celebs were takin' home gold all night long, they were having loads of fun when the cameras WEREN'T rolling,

Brendan Fraser and Ke Huy Quan hugged it out behind the scenes, marking another emotional get-together for the 2 since last working together in 1992's "Encino Man." They both were winners of the night -- Brendan for "The Whale" and Ke for "Everything Everywhere All At Once."

Award season frontrunners Austin Butler and Cate Blanchett -- who won for Best Actress -- buddied up for the camera backstage, too!

Angela Bassett, who took home the award for Best Supporting Actress for her work in "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever," was all smiles at the Fairmont Century Plaza Hotel in L.A.

It was a 'Big Lebowski' reunion, too -- as good buds John Goodman and Jeff Bridges were cheesin' hard together ... as you know, John had the honor of presenting Jeff with this year's Lifetime Achievement Award.

ICYMI -- Brendan gave an incredibly emotional acceptance speech for his win, breaking down while telling the crowd he was recently "in the wilderness," and is grateful to have been rediscovered. What followed those remarks was just as powerful.

Brendan Fraser delivered a rousing speech at the Critics Choice Awards after taking home a big win -- and by the end of it, he pretty much had the whole room in tears.

The actor was presented with one of the top honors of the night -- Best Actor for his role in "The Whale" -- and when he got onstage, he immediately got emotional as he thanked his costars, as well as the writer and director of the Oscar-buzzy film.

Eventually, BF dropped the most poignant line ... saying he was recently "in the wilderness," and is grateful to have been rediscovered. What followed those remarks was just as powerful.

Brendan broke down with his closing words, evoking a standing O and a lot of waterworks out in the audience. He's been a clear favorite throughout this entire awards season ... and you can tell folks are happy for him.

As you might know ... he's been absent from mainstream Hollywood for years, and until somewhat recently, had faded into obscurity -- only to bounce back now with "The Whale."

In the flick, Brendan plays a morbidly obese man who's trying to rekindle a relationship with his teen daughter -- while also struggling with his health and mental health problems. His performance had been getting rave reviews since 'Whale' first debuted last year.

Of course, he didn't win at the Golden Globes -- Austin Butler did for "Elvis" -- but some have speculated politics might have been at play there. Brendan didn't even attend the Globes ... the reason being, he publicly accused the HFPA's former Prez of sexual assault in 2018.

Gina Lollobrigida -- one the last mega celebs of old Hollywood and one of the most beautiful -- has died.

Her attorney says she passed away Monday in a Rome hospital. It's been reported she'd been receiving treatment for some time, but it's unclear for what.

Lollobrigida was a beloved and coveted movie star in the 1950s and '60s -- having costarred in films alongside Hollywood heavyweights like Humphrey Bogart, Rock Hudson, Anthony Quinn, Errol Flynn, Frank Sinatra, Yul Brynner and other leading men of the time.

While her acting career somewhat petered out post-'60s, she had a run for about a decade or so where she was one of the most in-demand A-listers, both here and abroad ... rivaling other starlets such as Marilyn Monroe, Sophia Loren, Elizabeth Taylor and more.

Some of her most famous flicks include "The Hunchback of Notre Dame," "Solomon and Sheba," "Come September," "Buona Sera, Mrs. Campbell," "Beat the Devil," "Beautiful But Dangerous," "Crossed Swords" ... and countless others.

Another element she'll be remembered for ... just how much business mogul Howard Hughes was infatuated with her. He'd signed her to a movie deal early on, but while she was under his employ ... he's said to have proposed to her several times, only to be rebuffed.

Post-acting, Lollobrigida had a successful career in photojournalism, and even tried her hand at Italian politics -- which didn't turn out to be as fruitful. Still, quite the life indeed.

She was 95.

Janelle Monae won the SeeHer Award at the Critics Choice show this weekend -- and it seems she wore something that was pretty on theme ... 'cause everyone got an eyeful.

The actress/singer hit the red carpet Sunday at the Fairmont Century Plaza Hotel in L.A., where she was one of the clear standouts of the night in terms of fashion ... wearing an elegant black dress that appears to be from Vera Wang's Spring 2023 collection.

Of course, while she looked great ... what really turned heads was the fact that her gown was see-through, especially upstairs -- where she didn't seem to be wearing a bra.

There were other somewhat revealing cutouts in the dress -- around the pelvis area -- that made it a total stunner ... and Janelle pulled it off with style. She's naturally a knockout, but a lot of people were kinda shocked she went out there like this ... showing off the bod!

Eventually, she accepted her award for the night -- which was meant to honor artists who offer up representation and authenticity in their roles and performances and work ... and Janelle does both in film and in her music. She acknowledged as much in her speech.

JM identified her pronouns (she/her, they/them) ... and made a point to shout out any LGBT kids at home who might live with families who don't accept them. She said, "I see you."

Bella Ramsey is opening up about how she identifies ... telling the world she's gender-fluid.

The "Last Of Us Star" talked about identity in an interview with The New York Times, saying ... "I guess my gender has always been very fluid. Someone would call me 'she' or 'her' and I wouldn't think about it, but I knew that if someone called me 'he' it was a bit exciting."

While Bella says she would identify as "nonbinary" if given the option, she says she's "very much just a person." She says she doesn't put a lot of weight into pronouns, but doesn't like "being gendered."

Bella's known for playing female characters on HBO series ... she's Ellie in "The Last of Us" and was Lyanna Mormont on "Game of Thrones."

Austin Butler's Golden Globes speech is suddenly carrying even more weight after Lisa Marie Presley's death ... because tears were shed as he told her he'd love her "forever."

As you know, Austin took home the gold Tuesday night for his portrayal of Lisa Marie's father, Elvis Presley ... and now that she's passed, his speech is going viral as social media users are even more touched by his words.

The actor went through his list of thank yous, before stopping to offer special gratitude to the Presley family -- specifically Lisa Marie and her mother Priscilla Presley, who were both in the audience. He thanked them dearly for opening themselves up to the project, adding "I love you forever."

Lisa Marie got really emotional during Austin's big win, and folks online took the moment to heart ... with one saying the exchange is "extra powerful now," and another calling it "shockingly sad."

TMZ broke the story ... Lisa was rushed to the hospital after suffering cardiac arrest Thursday morning.

Sources told us EMTs were able to regain a pulse before she was transported, but tragically was pronounced dead at the hospital.

Ezra Miller has pled guilty to one count of unlawful trespassing stemming from their 2022 incident, allegedly stealing liquor bottles from someone's home.

According to legal docs, obtained by TMZ, the 'Flash' star agreed to a plea deal in a Vermont courtroom Friday in exchange for a reduced sentence. Miller's now ordered to cough up $500 and will do one year of probation -- no jail time.

Miller had originally been charged with burglary and petit larceny as well, but those charges were dropped as part of the plea deal.

If Miller violates probation for any reason, however, the court says the dismissed charges can be reinstated.

TMZ broke the story ... a homeowner lodged a burglary complaint with the Vermont State Police last May against Miller -- after several bottles of alcohol were reported missing while the homeowners were away.

Surveillance videos allegedly showed Miller to be the perpetrator, so Miller was charged with felony burglary.

As you know, Miller's been in a ton of legal trouble in the past year alone ... including getting aggressive with cops while getting cuffed during an arrest on the Big Island. They were also accused of grooming a minor and cuffed for disorderly conduct, harassment and assault in 2022.

Filmmaker Michael Bay is now charged with killing a pigeon while directing a film in Italy ... but he's firing back, denying it ever happened under his watch.

The blockbuster director was hit with charges relating to the bird's death, which allegedly happened back in 2018 on the set of the Netflix flick “6 Underground."

However, sources connected to the production tell TMZ ... all the homing pigeons used in the film landed safely during filming.

One source told us, "Everyone knows Michael is an animal activist. This would never happen on his set. There are dozens of witnesses who said that this didn’t happen."

Italian officials say otherwise -- prosecutors claim the pigeon was killed by a dolly while Michael was filming in Rome ... where it is illegal to harm or kill wild birds.

Authorities say someone from the set saw the whole thing, and took a photo before reporting it to law enforcement.

The allegation isn't that Michael himself harmed the bird, but because he was the director ... he's being held responsible for the incident. Michael reportedly tried to get the case thrown out several times, but prosecutors persisted.

Dakota Johnson has a new ad campaign with Gucci -- where she's rocking a ton of their gear, including animal skin handbags -- and PETA isn't happy about it ... not at all.

The actress just came out as an official ambassador for the luxury fashion brand, and appeared in a new commercial where she's showing off a ton of their products -- and, of course, there's photoshoots galore where DJ is in all Gucci. So, she's all in.

The problem, according to PETA, is that a couple of these Gucci handbags Dakota's advertising here are made with authentic reptile skins ... specifically, python and crocodile. Gucci isn't hiding it either, as its website touts the fact the hides are the real deal.

That doesn't sit right with the animal rights org -- and it let Dakota know all about it in an informative, yet somewhat scathing, letter to her team.

In the correspondence, obtained by TMZ, PETA takes issue with Gucci's python and crocodile handbags -- ranging from $3,100 to $31k -- being so unabashedly flaunted by Dakota ... which they say is odd, since she's outspoken on a lot of social issues.

They're right, her IG is full of advocacy posts for everything from BLM to women's rights and a lot more.

So, PETA's asking if she cares about the animals that were slaughtered for the bags -- and reminds her poachers and hunters go to extreme lengths to obtain the skins ... including torturing and ripping them to pieces while still alive.

PETA also mentions this tidbit ... "The killing of these snakes is so cruel that in California, it would be illegal to buy the very goods you’re promoting, because their sale is banned."

Gucci even acknowledges that fact on its web pages for a couple of these handbags.

Bottom line ... PETA is asking Dakota to strongly reconsider her association with Gucci and to denounce its use of exotic animal skins, especially with vegan alternatives available.

We tried looking to see if Dakota has spoken out on animal rights issues, specifically, and it sounds like she considers it a righteous cause -- seeing how her famous grandmother, Tippi Hedren, was a huge advocate of animal protection ... and DJ has spoken fondly of her work.