Movies

Decades after he last played the role, William Shatner's going to become a real-life Captain Kirk ... because he's going to space ... on Jeff Bezos' rocket ship ... TMZ has learned.

Though he won't be boldly going where no man's gone before -- because Bezos and his Blue Origin crew already did it -- sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... the 90-year-old actor is slated to be part of the second crew to take the space flight in the New Shepard capsule. That would make him the oldest person ever to be launched into space.

We're told Shatner will be on board in October for the 15-minute civilian flight -- similar to the last launch. What we don't know -- BUT WHAT WOULD BE AWESOME -- is if he wears his Capt. Kirk getup.

Our sources say the mission will be filmed for a documentary. We're told Shatner's people were talking to Discovery about the special, but that didn't materialize ... but our sources say Shatner and Co. have taken the project elsewhere and are in negotiations.

It's unclear who will be joining William on the flight, but they'll join elite company as some of the first few amateur astronauts in space. You'll recall, when Bezos went up, up and away in July ... he was joined by just his brother, Mark Bezos, test pilot Wally Funk and recent HS grad Oliver Daemen.

That crew reached an altitude of 66.5 miles, floated around for a few minutes in zero-gravity while playing with ping pong balls ... then made their way back down for safe landing.

"The Killing of Kenneth Chamberlain" star Frankie Faison says he hopes the new Morgan Freeman-produced film brings justice to the family and sheds light on what really happened.

Frankie joined "TMZ Live" on Thursday and explained the film's purpose is to highlight the horrific 2011 police shooting of Kenneth -- a U.S. Marine, whose family is still fighting for a sliver of justice in the case ... after the cops involved were acquitted.

Frankie, who plays the title character, says bringing accountability and opening eyes to those who don't know the complete story is the goal here ... and perhaps a lesson on how to avoid such a tragic thing from happening again.

If you don't know ... Kenneth, a 68-year-old Black Marine veteran who suffered from bipolar disorder, accidentally set off his medical device alarm necklace in his White Plains, NY home in the early hours of November 19, 2011.

Cops ultimately rushed to his home, but a confrontation ensued ... culminating with cops tasing Kenneth before fatally shooting him. At the time, cops initially said Kenneth came at them with a butcher knife ... but an autopsy report later concluded Kenneth's arms were at his side when he was shot.

Soon after, a grand jury decided the cops wouldn't face criminal charges ... and in 2016, the family lost a $21 million wrongful death lawsuit.

Daniel Craig's taking heat for saying a woman shouldn't play James Bond because women deserve better parts, but another 007 is defending him -- while adding his own slightly different take.

George Lazenby, best known as the second guy to portray James Bond after Sean Connery, tells TMZ ... he understands where Craig's coming from and believes he was just backing up the boss, Bond producer Barbara Broccoli.

If you're not familiar ... Barbara's known for her work on the Bond film franchise, and in an interview with Variety last year she said the JB character "can be of any color, but he is male."

She added ... "I’m not particularly interested in taking a male character and having a woman play it." Instead, she said strong new characters should be created for women.

So, George firmly believes Daniel was just echoing one of the best producers in the biz, who also happens to be a woman.

That said, George points out Bond has been played by a wide range of men -- a Scot, an Irishman, a Welsh guy, 2 Englishmen and even an Aussie (himself) -- so he thinks it should be up for grabs ... male or female. He predicts it will happen, just maybe not right away.

Finally, Lazenby points to the late Dame Diana Rigg -- the Bond Girl who co-starred with him in his 1969 film, "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" -- telling us she was "everything a top spy could be -- sexy, tough, sassy and able to look after herself. So, there’s no reason why you can’t have a special agent like that."

For now, we're getting Craig's final performance (he swears it this time) as Bond when 'No Time to Die' comes out next month.

Anthony Johnson's death has left his family scrambling to find a way to cover his burial -- something his wife says isn't being made easy with the empty lip service they're getting.

Lexis Jones Mason tells TMZ ... she and her family have been getting a ton of what she describes as "fake love" left and right in the wake of her husband's sudden passing earlier this month ... which she's quite upset about, seeing how she needs financial assistance.

This interview's heartbreaking -- Lexis fights back tears as she explains how the Johnson family has started a GoFundMe, but have come up way short of the $20k goal they set to properly bury him and give him the service he deserves ... so far raising less than $800.

And, in spite of people apparently telling her they'd donate and chip in ... Lexis says much of that just hasn't materialized, and seems folks would rather lend emotional support instead of actually helping out in a way they really need right now.

Lexis isn't asking for a handout either, BTW ... literally just enough to do right by Anthony. And, as many know, funerals are not cheap by any stretch of the imagination.

While she says she doesn't expect anything from anyone, Lexis would absolutely appreciate any donations friends or fans of AJ could contribute. And, if no one comes through, Lexis says she'll probably cremate him -- and will go back to work ASAP to cover that on her own.

Patty Perez -- AKA, "Goddess Patty," who made a memorable cameo in a 'Jackass' film -- has died ... TMZ has learned.

The actress and Internet sensation's daughter, Priscilla, tells us ... Patty passed away last Friday at a hospital in Reno, where she lived -- and where she was being treated for complications related to her type 1 diabetes, which she'd been dealing with since birth. BTW, this wasn't COVID-related

Priscilla says her mom's kidneys were failing -- the result of a lifelong struggle with her health and weight that she'd endured for years and years.

Patty lived her life out loud despite her health concerns. She ended up becoming featured in 'Jackass 2' back in 2006, as well as "Jackass 2.5" the following year -- portraying herself in a hilarious skit they filmed with Jason Acuna, AKA Wee Man ... and gaining notoriety from it.

It was a segment of the film that they called "Magic Trick" in which they'd make WM disappear. The means for that, as it turned out, was having Patty jump onto him while lying on a bed ... and her body practically enveloped him. Johnny Knoxville shows up at the end, cracking up and asking where Wee Man went -- it's pretty hilarious.

Patty went on to star in one episode of "My Big Fat Fetish" ... where they showcased her sitting on guys who wanted to pay for that type of pleasure. There are other clips of her on the Internet, in which everyday activities are seen as a struggle for her.

Her family has set up a GoFundMe to help cover funeral and other expenses -- for now, they have a $6,000 goal. Priscilla also tells us, "We want to express our immense gratitude for the love and kindness everyone has shown to our mom." She adds, "Being able to entertain and bring light and happiness to people was the highlight of her life. She was so proud of the work she did in the film industry."

Patty's survived by her four children, her mother and her grandchildren. She was 57.

Michael K. Williams' family is convinced a posthumous Oscar and Emmy is in the cards ... based on not-yet-released projects he starred in before his tragic passing.

Dominic Dupont, Michael's nephew, tells TMZ ... while the family's bummed Michael didn't win Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for "Lovecraft Country," they're hopeful a few upcoming projects could clinch him the coveted gold statues.

For starters, Dominic points to two upcoming films Michael starred in ... the Indi thriller "892" and Civil War-era drama "Surrounded." Dominic hasn't screened either film but believes the flicks give Michael a chance for an Oscar. As for why Dominic feels this way ... he says it's because Michael had the unparalleled ability to bring characters to life.

As for a future Emmy ... Dominic says his role in season 2 of the Vice TV docuseries "Black Market" could sway voters. Dominic, who traveled with Michael during the filming of "Black Market," says after 5 Emmy nominations ... everything teed up for an Emmy win next year.

Dominic says everyone at the Emmys was gracious to him and his wife ... and that they felt Michael's energy in the room. Dominic tells us Billy Porter and Jurnee Smollett greeted him and his family and expressed their sympathy ... while also making it clear they wanted Michael's legacy to live on.

We caught up with Dominic after the Emmys and he told us he was bummed his uncle didn't get an Emmy (it went to Tobias Menzies for his portrayal of Prince Phillip in "The Crown"), but he told us he very much appreciated Kerry Washington's gesture in honoring him onstage.

Canadian actress Rachelle Lefevre was in her 20's when she landed the role of the rebel vampire Victoria -- who plots to kill Bella after her coven leader James is destroyed -- in the 2008 fantasy film "Twilight" and the 2009 sequel "The Twilight Saga: New Moon."

Lefevre shared the screen with her coven cast including Edi Gathegi as the "vegetarian" vampire, Laurent ... and of course Cam Gigandet as the bloodthirsty leader, James.

In a surprise switch-up, Rachelle Lefevre was replaced in the final film "The Twilight Saga: Eclipse" by Bryce Dallas Howard.

Anthony Johnson -- best known for his roles in "House Party" and "Friday" -- has died ... TMZ has learned.

Johnson's nephew tells us ... A.J. was found lifeless in a store earlier this month in Los Angeles and rushed to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. So far, no cause of death has been released.

The actor and comedian's career took off in 1990 after he landed the role of E.Z.E. in "House Party" and going on to do stand-up all over L.A.

After that, he appeared in films like "Lethal Weapon 3" and "Menace II Society" before his breakout role playing Ezal in the 1995 comedy "Friday."

A.J. would go on to appear in nearly 50 films and TV shows, including "Moesha," "Martin," "Malcolm & Eddie," "The Players Club" and "I Got the Hook Up" and its sequel. It's also rumored Johnson was cast to reprise his role in the upcoming "Last Friday."

Johnson was 55.

RIP

Tyler Perry is full of Bullwinkle.

It's pretty shocking ... a GIGANTIC moose somehow made its way into Tyler's backyard, and it's both a glorious and frightening sight. A moose can be super dangerous, but when you stand back and watch ... well, it's awesome.

It's unclear where the video was taken -- frankly, it looks like his backyard in the Hills of Beverly. But, we've never seen a moose in these parts, so it's more likely somewhere like Montana or Wyoming. He's been working remotely lately, managing and producing shows for his massive ATL studio compound.

Tracee Ellis Ross posted photos and vids of the scene, with the caption, "this is magic!!! They are sooooo beautiful !!!!!"

Marvel's newest action hero actor, Simu Liu, allegedly once compared being a pedophile to being gay -- which he likened to a genetic mutation and an illness ... and something he was sympathetic toward.

The lead star of "Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings" is in the crosshairs of Twitter right now, as people have resurfaced old Reddit posts from an account that's being attributed to him ... and which even appears to have ID'd itself as belonging to Simu at various points.

The account has since been deleted, and a lot of those posts are scrubbed, but content lives forever on the internet ... and many of the posts in question -- including the pedophilia ones -- have been screen-grabbed and cataloged ... and the dude's catching major heat for it now.

The pedophilia posts are the most outrage-inducing ... as the account literally says pedophilia is no different from being gay, from a biological standpoint. It goes on to dissect research that the owner of the account says they'd done for a role of theirs in which they played a pedo.

We won't get into the nitty-gritty -- you can read their full take above -- but let's just say ... the user here suggests pedophiles need help -- but NOT conversion therapy, something that's been used (controversially so) among certain groups to "treat" gay people's sexual orientation.

The user also makes it clear that taking advantage of minors is wrong -- but the whole argument is weird and convoluted ... and gets into dicey territory. Of course, this person roping in LGBT folks to get their point across makes it all the more inflammatory.

Simu himself seems to have responded to this controversy -- linking back to a 2019 tweet of his in which he says he's only advocated for positivity in his life, and to direct any anger at him to "the system that did this to ALL of us."

He also replied to that with this new thought, "Twitter is a slanderous place sometimes, and it feels good to shut down trolls and bad faith actors who want to drag your name through the mud." Unclear what that might mean exactly, or if it's an admission of ownership of the posts.

Jennifer Lopez shared something pretty shocking that at first blush seems ridiculous but when you think about it, you get it -- she says she feels like an outsider in Hollywood.

J Lo's featured in a new video on her J Lo Beauty Instagram page. As she hyped her products for Sephora, she opened up about her time in Tinseltown, confessing she often feels she doesn't belong in Hollywood.

On the surface, that seems absurd ... she's got 30 movies in the can, yet she said she feels like "an outsider."

Ben's GF said, "I think for me, I know it is important for all of us to feel like we belong, um, and like most people there's so many times in your life when you feel like an outsider, I feel like that in Hollywood sometimes."

Now she could be unloading her feelings because she wasn't nominated for "Hustlers," which was a little surprising giving some serious Oscar buzz. Tyler Perry went off on the Oscars, saying she richly deserved a nom.

There are plenty of folks who are big stars who don't get embraced by center Hollywood ... and some of it's clearly jealousy and ego. In J Lo's case, she gets more publicity than just about anyone for things she does offset and people she dates, and that probably annoys other actors who don't get the shine she does.

Jamie Foxx gave a street eulogy for Michael K. Williams, and it was emotional, stirring and clearly heartfelt.

Jamie was leaving Caffe Roma Friday in Bev Hills, and our photog asked if Williams, who died earlier this month of an apparent drug overdose, should finally win an Emmy. That opened the door to a flood of emotions.

Jamie says MKW was better than the rest ... that he was in the league of Joe Morton and Samuel L. Jackson.

It was clearly hard for Jamie to process Williams' death ... he says they broke bread and talked about life just a few weeks back.

Jamie waxed poetic, saying Michael lived an artistic life and should be honored with the elusive award.

Michael is nominated for best supporting actor for his work on "Lovecraft Country." Fact is ... he was considered the shoo-in even before he died.

If he wins, his nephew, Dominic Dupont, will accept the award in Michael's honor. Jamie has some simple advice for Dominic on what to say and how to say it.

Bobby Brown's heard the rumors about the possible remake in the words of Whitney Houston's "Bodyguard" ... and he's not feeling it at all.

We got Bobby out Thursday at LAX, and our camera guy asked him point-blank if he thinks remaking such a classic is a bad move, Bobby didn't hesitate ... saying, "Yeah" without a second thought.

Tony-nominated playwright Matthew Lopez has reportedly been tapped to write a reimagining of the iconic 1992 romantic drama starring Whitney and Kevin Costner -- and much like Bobby, many fans' reaction to the news was essentially, "That's a no for me dawg."

The film was not only a monumental success at the box office with more than $400 million grossed worldwide ... but the soundtrack is the bestselling movie soundtrack of all time, featuring classic Whitney hits like, "I Will Always Love You."

Now, Bobby had a much better reaction to some other musical news -- the fact Rolling Stone named Aretha Franklin's "Respect" the No. 1 song of all time. Bobby gives it 👍🏽.

As for that 'Bodyguard' remake -- no word yet on a possible cast, but that's just fine with fans who are already destroying the concept.

Peter Dante -- you've seen him play goofy roles in just about every Adam Sandler film -- is in serious trouble after cops say he threatened to kill his neighbor over construction noise.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... cops showed up at Peter's L.A. area home Wednesday morning after he allegedly went berserk on a neighbor. Cops say Peter was upset about loud noise from construction work at a neighbor's house.

Apparently, it set Peter off ... cops say the actor ended up confronting his neighbor in a big way. Officers say they were told the confrontation escalated to the point Peter threatened to kill the neighbor and harm his wife and their kids.

Our sources say after talking to everyone involved ... cops arrested Peter for making felony criminal threats. He was taken into custody but posted bail and was released.

It's not the first time Peter's been accused of making threats. As we reported ... he was arrested back in 2013 and thrown out of an L.A. hotel after allegedly making violent threats and using racial slurs.

Jason London is harkening back to his most popular movie role, but in the worst way possible -- cops say he was so drunk he swerved off a road and crashed his car ... multiple times.

According to a police report, obtained by TMZ, the "Dazed and Confused" star was arrested late Tuesday around 11:30 PM in Ocean Springs, Mississippi when cops found him behind the wheel of a 2010 Nissan Maxima that was on fire and stuck in a ditch.

Cops say London's passenger was standing near the car -- which had sustained heavy damage on the passenger side -- and London claimed someone had sideswiped them and run them off the road.

According to cops, London -- who played football star Randall "Pink" Floyd in the 1993 Matthew McConaughey film -- reeked of booze, could barely keep his balance and had slurred speech.

Cops investigated the scene and believe he swerved off the road, mowed down a sign, got back on the road, and then hit a concrete object before driving into a ditch.

London was booked for public intoxication and leaving the scene of an accident. When they got him to jail in Jackson County, cops say he was so drunk and out of it they couldn't fingerprint him.

Bam Margera's tough times aren't getting any better ... his wife's asking for custody of their 3-year-old son, but hasn't pulled the trigger on ending the couple's marriage.

According to court records ... Nicole Boyd filed docs Wednesday in Los Angeles seeking full custody of their child, Phoenix Wolf. She's willing to give Bam visitation, but only with a monitor -- whom he can select -- but she must approve.

It's interesting ... you usually see child custody issues attached to a divorce, but Nicole made custody a stand-alone. She did not file a divorce petition to end their 8-year marriage.

As you know ... the "Jackass" star has had an incredibly turbulent past couple years, which recently culminated with him suing Johnny Knoxville and several other members of the "Jackass" team for alleged "inhumane treatment."

This came well after Bam got booted from the fourth installment of the film franchise for failing to stay clear of drugs and alcohol, escalating attacks on the "Jackass" crew and rants about suicide. Things got so bad, director Jeff Tremaine got a restraining order against him.