Movies

This actor from across the pond has starred in -- and even written -- some of the biggest hit films of the 21st century ... but, can you guess who he is without seeing his face?

It wasn't mission impossible to get this star to talk to us back in 2015 outside celebrity hot spot Craig's ... and, he talked all about grooming for the modern man -- including whether a dude would end up in some hot fuzz for getting a "Boy-zilian"

"Silence of the Lambs" totally missed the mark when it came to handling gender identity onscreen ... so says one of the movie's biggest stars.

Ted Levine -- the actor who played Buffalo Bill in the hit 1991 film -- finally addressed the controversy surrounding his character in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter.

If you haven't seen the movie, Buffalo Bill is a serial killer who flays women and wears their skin over his own ... which, in more recent years, many have claimed makes the character an unflattering portrayal of transgender or gender nonconforming people.

"Varsity Blues" actor Eliel Swinton says he messaged his co-star James Van Der Beek before he died, telling TMZ Sports he had a gut feeling the actor's health was failing.

Swinton -- who acted alongside Van Der Beek in the 1999 hit football film -- told us he reached out to James a few weeks ago after noticing they hadn't communicated in some time, which concerned him given his cancer battle.

"I sent him a little note about maybe three weeks ago, maybe a month ago, on Instagram to him personally to say, 'Hey, man, I know you're sick. If I don't hear from you, it's okay. I'm here to help your family anyway I can with sports and stuff, but if I don't see you, brother, I will see you again upstairs. Love you,' and I didn't hear from him, so I realized it really got bad," Swinton said.

Johnny Depp is happy to be working on a Hollywood movie set again, and Amber Heard looks happy to be living the lowkey mom life over in Europe.

Check out these photos of Amber on a walk with her kiddos over in Madrid ... she's all smiles on a Friday outing in the Spanish capital.

Amber looks content pushing a stroller ... far from the glitz, glamour, and drama of Hollywood.

2:07 PM PT -- A spokesperson for Madame Tussauds tells TMZ ... "We have been made aware of the incident. Madame Tussauds attractions are interactive experiences, and guests are expected to treat the figures with respect."

The spokesperson continues ... "This behavior is not tolerated. We are reviewing the incident and will take appropriate action to uphold our standards."

Blueface choked out Zendaya ... well, the wax figure version of her, at least -- squeezing its neck at Madame Tussauds Hollywood on Thursday.

The rapper shared several videos from the popular Los Angeles tourist spot ... including one where he pushed in Wax-Daya's chair before walking around to sit across the table from it.

BF then bizarrely launches at the statue and grabs its throat before swearing at it. We've reached out to the museum for comment on the odd behavior.

Welsh actor Rhys Ifans was in his early 30s when he played Spike -- the socially awkward flatmate, championing for his roommate to confess his love to an A-list actress -- in the 1999 rom-com classic "Notting Hill."

Rhys was amongst Hollywood's biggest actors, like Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts. American actress Mischa Barton also made a cameo ...

Eva Longoria leaned on a trusted friend while assembling the cast of Netflix's "The Fifth Wheel" ... tapping Brooks Nader for a role in the Netflix comedy.

Production sources tell TMZ ... it was Eva who personally asked Brooks to be part of the female-driven film. The two have been friends for a few years, and Eva believed Brooks would be a strong fit for the project.

We're told there were no shortcuts, and Brooks still came in and read for the role like any other actress. She auditioned, impressed, and landed the part.

We got photos of Brooks on set in Pasadena Wednesday, deep in filming. Our production sources say she's not just popping in for a cameo ... she's playing a meaty role with multiple speaking scenes.

Sydney Sweeney and Scooter Braun just took a big step in their relationship ... 'cause things are to the point where Sydney's mom is flying on Scooter's private plane.

Check out these photos of Sydney's mother, Lisa, getting the VIP treatment Wednesday at an airport in Los Angeles ... hopping out of an SUV on a tarmac and climbing into the music exec's plane.

Sydney's mom had her German Shepherd with her, and it looks like they had the jet all to themselves ... talk about living the life of luxury. Thanks, Scooter!

Reese Witherspoon is honoring James Van Der Beek's life as she mourns his death, saying she's heartbroken over the loss of the talented actor.

Witherspoon paid tribute to Van Der Beek on her Instagram Story after he passed away Wednesday in Austin, Texas. While an official cause of death has not been released, Van Der Beek had been battling stage 3 colorectal cancer since August 2023.

Reese writes she's "devastated" about Van Der Beek's passing, calling him an "extraordinary, talented man who also showed great kindness and grace in every action.” Witherspoon went on to say she's praying for Van Der Beek's family.

Van Der Beek's final acting role will come in the upcoming TV series, "Elle," based on Reese's iconic character, Elle Woods, from the 2001 flick "Legally Blonde." Witherspoon is an executive producer on the show, which is set to premiere on July 1. In the series, Van Der Beek portrays Dean Wilson -- a school superintendent and mayoral candidate.

James Van Der Beek's GoFundMe has raised more than a million bucks less than 24 hours after his death was announced ... and it's still growing.

As of Thursday morning, the crowdfunding page has $1.2 million in donations, from fans and big-name friends alike. "Dancing with the Stars" pro Derek Hough dropped $1,000, Oscar-winner Zoe Saldana -- using her married name of Zoe Saldaña-Perego -- donated $2,500, the Marla Maples Foundation sent in $5,000, and Lyn Lear, the late Norman Lear’s wife, and YouTuber Codie Sanchez even each donated $5,000 on a monthly basis!

Notably, TMZ has not verified the donations -- but it's clear Van Der Beek's death hit people in the heartstrings, as more than 24,000 donations have poured in.

Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni will be taking their legal beef all the way to trial ... at least that's what Baldoni's lawyer is predicting.

Photogs got Bryan Freedman outside a federal courthouse in lower Manhattan following Wednesday's settlement conference, and he was asked if this case would make it to trial.

Bryan says that's where this seems to be headed ... and he's looking forward to duking it out with Blake's legal team.

Lewis Pullman has been walking the nepo baby tightrope perfectly ... admitting he couldn't achieve everything he did on his own -- but, he has been taking pride in building a name for himself.

We ran into the actor at LAX Tuesday ... and we asked him about him drawing even more buzz than his famous father, Bill Pullman.

Check out the clip to see for yourself ... you can tell it means a lot for him to hear the praise after appearing in several well-received projects -- like "Thunderbolts*," "The Testament of Ann Lee," "Outer Range" and "Lessons in Chemistry" over the last few years.

Actor Bud Cort, who starred in movies and TV for decades, has died.

Cort had many credits, beginning in television and movies in the late 1960s, and working steadily into the 21st century.

Cort starred in the films "Harold and Maude" and "The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou," and was featured in "Coyote Ugly" and "M*A*S*H" among many others.

He had a notable role in the TV show "Arrested Development." Most recently, he was the voice of The King in 2015's animated movie "The Little Prince."

Bodybuilder Jayne Trcka -- who played Miss Mann in "Scary Movie" -- died from heart and circulation issues ... TMZ has learned.

The San Diego County Medical Examiner listed Jayne's immediate cause of death as hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease complicated by left femoral fracture.

The M.E. says chronic alcohol use was a contributing factor in her death ... and they say her death was an accident.

Big names like Teyana Taylor, Timothée Chalamet, and Kate Hudson showed up and showed out at the Beverly Hilton in L.A. Tuesday morning ... turning the daytime 98th Oscars Nominees Luncheon into a full-blown fashion flex!

The men came suited, booted, and dangerously handsome ... with Jacob Elordi and Leonardo DiCaprio leading the pack like it was a red carpet rehearsal.

Emma Stone was back in familiar territory, while other heavy hitters like Elle Fanning and Michael B. Jordan also pulled up, proving awards season is already in full swing.

Bad news for some Lovatics ... Demi Lovato just pulled the plug on a whopping five dates from her "It’s Not That Deep" tour.

In a lengthy IG Stories post Tuesday, Demi revealed she’s also pushing back the tour kickoff -- moving it from April 8 in Charlotte, NC to April 13 in Orlando, FL -- saying the call is all about protecting her health.

Demi explained once rehearsals got underway, it became clear she’d overextended herself. Bottom line: she needs more time to "rest and rehearse" so she can actually make it through the entire run.