Movies

Michelle Trachtenberg's cause of death will not be released ... because the beloved actress' family has turned down an autopsy, TMZ has confirmed.

According to the New York City medical examiner ... Michelle's family has asked the ME not to perform an autopsy on Michelle to determine the cause of death.

The medical examiner tells us that if there were any suspicion of criminality, then an autopsy would automatically be performed ... but, since there isn't, they won't be doing one.

Zendaya's diving into the swamp ... 'cause she's just been cast in "Shrek 5," bringing some more star power to the ogre-filled franchise.

Zendaya's taking on the role of Shrek and Fiona’s daughter Felicia in the beloved animated series -- and Universal’s already teased her appearance with a sneak peek in the cast announcement vid.

Mike Myers and Cameron Diaz are returning to their roots as Shrek and Fiona -- who they've been playing since the first film in 2001.

Sarah Michelle Gellar has poured her heart out in a gut-wrenching tribute to her "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" costar Michelle Trachtenberg after MT's shocking death -- and it’s bound to devastate fans of the show.

The actress posted a series of photos of them together, both on and off set, with a heartbreaking caption ... "Michelle, listen to me. Listen. I love you. I will always love you. The hardest thing in this world, is to live in it. I will be brave. I will live… for you 💔💔💔🗝️."

Any Buffy fan will instantly recognize the meaning of her caption -- Trachtenberg played Buffy’s little sister, Dawn Summers, and in the season 5 finale, Gellar’s Buffy sacrificed herself after saying, "Dawn, the hardest thing in the world is to live in it. Be brave. Live for me."

Gene Hackman once spoke about his fear of dying in a haunting interview that’s now resurfaced ... just a day after he, his wife Betsy Arakawa, and their dog were found dead at their New Mexico home.

In a 2004 chat with Larry King, Gene admitted he didn’t fear much -- but dying definitely freaked him out ... adding it’s the kind of thing that hits you when you get up there in age.

Gene, who was 74 at the time, said his fear of dying wasn’t just about him -- he wanted to make sure his wife and family were taken care of, too.

Gene Hackman was rarely seen in public leading up to his tragic death, and the last sighting of him and his late wife shows them enjoying each other's company.

Gene and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, were spotted nearly a year ago at Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen in New Mexico. During their outing on March 28, 2024 at the Albuquerque restaurant,  Gene is seen holding his wife's arm for support.

At the time, Gene had recently turned 94 and was holding onto a walking cane as the couple stepped out of the restaurant. Gene was keeping his look casual with a vest, cap and sunglasses, while Betsy wore a patterned shirt.

Gene Hackman is being mourned by Hollywood following the unexpected news of the deaths of the actor and his wife of 34 years, Betsy Arakawa.

Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza confirmed the pair were found deceased in their Santa Fe, New Mexico home on Wednesday -- reportedly after a neighbor called in for a wellness check.

It's no secret the Oscar winner had an immense impact on the film industry, having a prolific five-decade career before he retired in 2004. The stars are feeling the heartbreaking loss and taking to social media to share their sorrows and fond memories of the big-screen legend.

Former actor Gideon Jacobs was just 11 years old when he played Aaron -- the smart young camper who gives Gail, played by Molly Shannon, advice about men -- in 2001's satirical comedy, "Wet Hot American Summer."

In addition to acting alongside Molly Shannon, Jacobs shared the big screen with Michael Showalter as the cheesy comedian from the Catskills, Alan, Paul Rudd as the cool counselor at Camp Firewood, Andy, and Amy Poehler as the choreographer for the camp's talent show, Susie.

Today, Aaron writes for publications like The New York Times and The New Yorker.

10:55 AM PT -- Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... Michelle Trachtenberg’s body may have rejected the liver transplant she received within the last year, causing complications. We're told Michelle's mother found her.

Michelle Trachtenberg, known for her roles in "Gossip Girl" and "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," has died.

Police sources confirmed the shocking news to TMZ, though the exact cause of her death remains unclear. We're told police and paramedics responded to a call for a woman in cardiac arrest, and found Michelle unresponsive. She was pronounced dead on the scene.

A separate source tells us the actress had received a liver transplant recently ... meaning within the last year. At this point, police reportedly believe she died of natural causes.

We're told Michelle was out with friends Thursday night of last week at Sartiano's in NYC.

In recent months, she had posted photos where fans felt she appeared gaunt and frail.

Sylvester Stallone's not just the "Tulsa King" ... he's the king of giving too -- 'cause an experience with Sly and a couple luxury sportscars donated by a local dealer made a heavyweight stack of cash for a great cause.

The veteran Hollywood actor partnered with Nick Dossa of Vegas Auto Gallery -- a luxury dealership in the city -- to donate some high-priced items for the Power of Love Gala.

Dossa donated two cars -- the 2024 Lotus Emira -- to the auction ... a high-performance sports car that retails for close to six figures. While he originally planned to donate just one car, the bidding got so competitive he felt compelled to give one to each of the top two bidders.

Justin Baldoni’s lawyers are blasting Blake Lively camp for asking for an enhanced protective order ... especially given how Blake has publicly smeared him ... even having her husband make a joke over the situation on "Saturday Night Live."

In a letter to the judge on Tuesday, obtained by TMZ, Baldoni’s lawyers accuse Lively of trying to keep crucial evidence from the public, pointing out that she’s been anything but shy about her accusations in the past. They’re calling her move a bold attempt to keep the public in the dark because they feel her image is tarnished.

In Baldoni's legal letter, his lawyers point out what they call "a planned skit" on "Saturday Night Live: 50th Anniversary Special," last week in which Lively’s husband Ryan Reynolds stood up and made a joke about her claims for sexual harassment and emotional distress.

Last week, Lively’s lawyers filed a motion, claiming the "case involving high-profile individuals and allegations of sexual harassment" needed extra privacy to protect the involved parties from threats and potential witness tampering.

They also claimed identifying the two women from the "It Ends With Us" set would expose them to a "dangerous climate of threats, harassment, and intimidation."

Was Blake Lively trying to recreate a scene from a 2011 film in last year's "It Ends with Us" that's led to controversy and jealousy? One fan's conspiracy theory has taken off online, and others are noting similarities.

In the 2011 comic book flick "Green Lantern," Blake's character dances with the hero -- her future husband, Ryan Reynolds -- and it seems to resemble a disputed scene in "It Ends with Us" that's part of a harassment lawsuit.

Blake is suing her "It Ends with Us" castmate and director Justin Baldoni for sexual harassment, and her lawsuit describes one scene in which the two slow-dance in a bar -- she says Baldoni nuzzled her neck and whispered into her ear, making her uncomfortable ... and no one was aware of the comment.

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson is mourning the loss of his beloved French Bulldog, Hobbs.

The heartbroken "Fast X" star announced on Instagram late Monday night his pup passed over the Rainbow Bridge ... vulnerably writing he feels "numb over this loss."

He added, "We're so grateful for every ounce of pure love he gave our entire family and we’re so grateful he didn’t suffer long as he quietly and bravely left in the night."

Filming for Christopher Nolan’s next movie “The Odyssey” has set sail, and TMZ has photos of Nolan on set for the first time!

Shooting started a couple weeks back, with the crew currently in the village of Aït Benhaddou in the country of Morocco -- and from the looks of this set, just like the story itself, this thing is going to be epic!

The news Nolan is tackling this ancient text has prompted some folks to dust off their copy of the tale that's surely been collecting dust since high school, to refresh their memory before the film’s release in July 2026.

Don't mess with Alec Baldwin when it comes to the "Rust" case ... a Donald Trump look-alike just learned that lesson the hard way.

Baldwin was loading luggage into the back of his SUV in NYC when the Trump impersonator walked up to him on the street and started needling him about everything from the 2024 presidential election to his criminal case.

Check out video posted Monday to X, which shows The Donald doppelgänger -- known as Jason Scoop -- throwing zingers at Alec, who tries to ignore the dude while dealing with his bags.

Timothée Chalamet now has the elusive Hollywood award he couldn't seem to get, winning for his role as Bob Dylan -- and his record-setting victory came after his SAG Awards night got off to a rough start.

TC was nominated for Outstanding Lead Actor for "A Complete Unknown," Sunday night, and he joined his costars Elle Fanning, Edward Norton and Monica Barbaro early in the evening to introduce clips from the film ... but reading the teleprompter was, apparently, harder than playing a legendary songwriter.

After flubbing his line and laughing at himself, Timothée joked ... "Shoulda done a rehearsal." It was a pretty smooth recovery, and he got to redeem himself again later in the night.

The most star-studded union in the world showed their style solidarity Sunday ... with card carrying SAG members lookin' real fashionable at this year's Screen Actors Guild Awards!

Kristen Bell didn't look nervous to host the show whatsoever on the red carpet ... sharing a small smile in her layered multicolored mesh ensemble. Selena Gomez pulled off a more monochromatic look -- stunning in navy blue dress. Meanwhile, Ariana Grande channeled Glinda in a frilly pink gown.

TV star Kerry Washington channeled the silver screen in her silver dress ... taking the 'little fires everywhere' and bringing the heat to the red carpet.