Movies

English actress Veronica Cartwright was only 13 years old when she was cast as the birthday girl Cathy Brenner -- who narrowly escapes the throngs of ferocious fowl in the small town of Bodega Bay -- in Alfred Hitchcock's classic 1963 horror film, "The Birds."

Cartwright shared the silver screen with Rod Taylor as the protective older brother, Mitch Brenner, Jessica Tandy as the unfriendly mother, Lydia Brenner ... and of course, Tippi Hedren as the famous socialite with a bad reputation, Melanie Daniels.

Cartwright went on to star in a long list of TV shows and movies including other fright films and spooky shows like "The Twilight Zone," "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" and "Alien."

Colin Kaepernick has found his younger self ... with "The Get Down" star Jaden Michael landing the role of teen Kap in the upcoming Netflix series based on the QB's early life.

Kap and Emmy winner Ava DuVernay have teamed up to create a 6-episode limited series based on the QB/social activist's early experiences  ... titled "Colin In Black & White."

The project just announced it has added 17-year-old Michael -- a rising star in Hollywood -- to play the role of Kap in his high school days in Turlock, CA.

You may have seen Michael's work in the past -- he's starred in projects like Todd Haynes' "Wonderstruck" and Lorne Michaels' "Vampires Vs. The Bronx."

The show will focus on Kap's childhood -- growing up as a black man in an adopted white family, and how his life shaped him to become one of the most important activists of our time ... as well as an NFL quarterback.

32-year-old Kap (the real one) will also be personally involved in the project as the narrator.

Kaepernick tweeted about the news ... saying, "I never thought I would be casting a young me in a show about my life. I can’t wait for the world to see @ItsJadenMichael be an all-star on @netflix"

Next up for LeBron James after an NBA championship? The Lakers superstar is partnering with CNN to create a documentary that he hopes will shed new light on the 1921 Tulsa race massacre.

LBJ's SpringHill Company announced this week it's in the process of making "Dreamland: The Rise and Fall of Black Wall Street" -- a project it hopes educates millions on a 100-year-old tragedy.

FYI -- in May and June 1921 ... a race war was kicked off in Tulsa, Okla. after a 19-year-old Black man was accused of assaulting a 17-year-old white woman in an elevator.

When Black men went to defend the man after some in the city wanted him lynched -- an ensuing altercation with white people ignited a massive race war.

Reportedly, mobs of white people launched an attack on Black people in the city ... murdering dozens, causing millions of dollars in property damage, and displacing hundreds from their homes.

Many historians believe the massacre has since been underreported and even covered up ... and Bron and his company's reps are now hoping to change that with their new documentary.

"We cannot move forward until we acknowledge our past and this is about honoring a prosperous, booming Black community, one of many, that was brought to an end because of hate," SpringHill’s chief content officer Jamal Henderson said.

"We are bringing this documentary together with a diverse crew, including local Tulsans, and making it our mission to uplift voices and people while creating impactful content."

Added CNN Worldwide rep Amy Entelis, "CNN Films could not be more proud to partner with The SpringHill Company for this long-overdue recognition of the tragedy of what happened in Greenwood, and to contribute to the reconciliation that comes with the acknowledgment of history."

The late Chadwick Boseman put his John Hancock on a copy of the first "Black Panther" comic -- which has skyrocketed in value, and is primed to fetch a pretty penny at auction.

Nate D. Sanders Auctions is putting the rare autographed book up for grabs on Oct. 29, with the opening bid starting at $8,000 -- but it's expected, we're told, to reach anywhere in the ballpark of $25k when it's all said and done.

The reason ... other than Chadwick's signature, Stan Lee himself signed this variant of 'BP' #1, not to mention 'Black Panther' director Ryan Coogler. So, yeah, there's a trifecta thing happening here -- and with Chadwick's recent passing, and Stan's in 2018 ... the comic is worth even more now.

You might notice the cover is different from the OG cover of the first stand-alone "Black Panther" comic from 1976 -- from which this iteration is derived, but with a modern cover. It's also vastly changed from Black Panther's first appearance ever in Fantastic Four #52 ('66).

The one for sale is the Middle East Comic-Con variant -- which got its own art whipped up and featured Stan next to T'Challa. For those of you in the know ... It's been certified a 9.8 rating with the CGC Signature Series rating system. That means it's REALLY valuable.

Wendell Pierce might be singing the blues soon, because he's NOT been tapped to play B.B. King in an upcoming film as he's proclaimed ... according to King's estate anyway.

Pierce -- known for his roles on "The Wire" and "Treme" -- made his announcement Monday, saying ... "We are official. Preparation has begun on a film where I will be honored to play the great, BB King. Humbled."

Something doesn't add up though, because Vassal Benford -- chairman of B.B.'s estate -- tells TMZ ... they're furious Pierce announced he's the lead in the biopic. Benford claims Pierce has not been named by the estate or King's family members to play him, and in fact ... he says other actors are being considered, like Kenan Thompson.

Benford insists there's no official news about who's playing B.B. unless it comes from the estate, and he adds ... "I think Mr. Pierce misspoke."

To further muddy the waters ... Michael Zanetis -- producer and co-writer of the B.B project, which is titled "The Thrill is On" -- tells us King's estate has known about this film for years and has never had a problem with anything until now.

Zanetis claims Wendell has been under contract for the role of B.B. since 2009, and there's nobody better to play him. He adds that King's grandson, Eric Mitchell, has been an executive producer on this film since 2012 and fully supports the story.

Finally, he claims B.B. himself gave him his blessing to make the movie before he died in 2015.

So, it's even stranger Pierce tweeted out a clarification this week, saying ... "The Estate of BB King has requested I clarify the film THE THRILL IS ON is not a biopic in the traditional sense. It is a dramatized version of a real-life friendship story."

Zanetis confirms with us the film is a docudrama -- not a biopic.

Regardless, Zanetis claims the estate is trying to suppress him ... and tells us that goes against everything B.B. King stands for.

President Trump thinks Sacha Baron Cohen is an unfunny jerk who tried, but ultimately failed, to fool him years ago -- and to that, SBC says ... appreciate the plug, DT!!!

POTUS gave a harsh critique of Sacha and his work as Borat, especially as it pertains to the sequel that just came out this week. He told reporters on Air Force 1 that he didn't really know what the new fuss was all about -- it's about Rudy Giuliani, if he isn't aware -- but went on to say Sacha tried duping him a while back, but that he called out his whole act.

Trump reportedly said, "That's a phony guy and I don't find him funny." He also called him a "creep," and it appears Borat himself caught wind of the insult ... and promptly replied.

Sacha writes, "Donald—I appreciate the free publicity for Borat! I admit, I don’t find you funny either. But yet the whole world laughs at you." He also offers Trump a job while making a presumption about Election Day results.

What Trump's referring to when he says he caught Sacha in the act dates back to the mid-2000s, when SBC got Donald to agree to a sit-down interview with another popular character he plays ... Ali G. Ali tries pitching Trump on an ice cream invention, but Trump remains stoic throughout and eventually leaves the interview entirely. No gotchas, no scandal.

Trump has maintained over the years he saw right through Sacha's bit, which is why he cut the interview short and left abruptly. Sacha doesn't think that's entirely true, but in any case ... he's never been able to completely prank the guy -- unlike Trump's adviser, Rudy.

If you hadn't heard, Giuliani is one of Borat's "victims," if you will, in the new flick -- and is actually caught in what some might describe as a compromising situation with Sacha/Borat's sidekick, who's portraying a reporter.

After interviewing him, she invites him into her bedroom for a drink and removes his microphone and untucks his shirt. Then Rudy puts his hand down his pants, seemingly to tuck in his shirt, but Sacha's claimed it was more creepy.

For his part, Rudy has since claimed nothing inappropriate was going on and that he was just tucking in his shirt. Sacha and co. argue the opposite -- asking ... who knows where it would've gone if left uninterrupted?

Danny Trejo wants voting rights restored to felons who've paid their debt to society, but while they're on the inside ... he thinks Kim Kardashian's doing more to help than President Trump.

We got the actor -- who spent years in various prisons back in the day -- at Trejo's Cantina in Hollywood, and asked him if prisoners should be allowed to vote from behind bars, or while on probation or parole.

Danny says ex-inmates should be allowed to vote, along with people being held in county jails before they've been convicted. He's staunchly in favor of states -- like Florida has done -- restoring voting rights to folks who complete their prison bids.

As for prison reform's impact on the election -- Danny scoffs at President Trump tooting his own horn. Despite, the fact POTUS signed the First Step Act into law ... Trejo doesn't think he deserves all the credit.

Arnold Schwarzenegger might really be a Terminator -- he just had another piece of his heart replaced, and yet he says he's feeling good enough to take his new parts out for a stroll.

Arnold just made the surprise revelation about the surgery -- coming after the procedure he had 2 years ago. He said he now has a "new aortic valve to go along with my new pulmonary valve from my last surgery."

He got it done at the renowned Cleveland Clinic, and posted some pics from his hospital bed. He didn't say exactly when the procedure was done, but added ... he's been out and about, feeling "fantastic" on the streets of the Land.

Arnold thanked everyone at the hospital who worked on him, and it sounds like they deserve it. The 73-year-old guy's checking out statues around the city like a tourist, instead of heart surgery patient.

We broke the story ... the former California governor had emergency heart surgery in March 2018, and he later revealed it left him fighting for his life.

He recounted the experience in an awesome commencement speech earlier this year in a message to graduates encouraging them to have a vision with their lives.

White House security is looking pretty lax in new video showing Sacha Baron Cohen's 'Borat' costar easily gaining access and coming within feet of President Trump.

The footage is of Maria Bakalova -- who plays Borat's daughter in the newly released sequel -- and shows her getting a tour of the White House press briefing room by OANN reporter Chanel Rion. It appears Rion, a regular member of the WH Press Corps, and her outlet were duped last month into getting Maria onto the White House grounds somehow.

There's also footage of Maria within feet of POTUS at a reception for Trump supporters back in February in Phoenix -- and there she's seen shaking Donald Trump Jr.'s hand. She was blonde at that time.

BTW ... Maria gaining access into the White House is NOT in the newly-released film, but it calls into serious question the security measures in place at 1600 Penn. Sacha claims Maria wasn't checked for a credential, nor did she have a COVID-19 test.

Jennifer Aniston isn't laughing with the folks voting for Kanye West ... she says a vote for Yeezy is flat out irresponsible.

The actress says she just dropped her ballot off and her early vote is for the Joe Biden and Kamala Harris ticket ... adding there's nothing cool about voting for Kanye.

Jen explains her vote like this ... "a few men in power are deciding what women can and can’t do with their own bodies. Our current President has decided that racism is a non-issue. He has repeatedly and publicly ignored science... too many people have died."

She's urging voters to consider the implications in the election ... suggesting if Donald Trump wins re-election, it will hurt our nation's daughters, minority groups, elderly folks with illnesses and on and on.

Jen says the future of our country and the world is on the ballot and the election is all about voting for equal human rights, love and decency.

Sacha Baron Cohen says it's pretty clear to him what was on Rudy Giuliani's mind during his notorious scene in the 'Borat' sequel ... but urges everyone to judge for themselves.

Borat himself, along with Maria Bakalova -- who plays his daughter, Tutar, in "Borat Subsequent Moviefilm" -- addressed Rudy's compromising appearance in the movie ... in which he puts a hand in his pants after being duped into a fake interview by Bakalova's character.

Giuliani denies any inappropriate behavior and claims he was simply tucking in his shirt after taking off recording equipment ... but Cohen calls BS.

The actor tells "Good Morning America" ... "If the president’s lawyer found what he did there appropriate behavior then heaven knows what he’s done with other female journalists in hotel rooms."

The movie was released Thursday night, so everyone can judge for themselves.

Bakalova says she's thankful Cohen busted in to save her when things started getting dicey, and he claims he was "quite concerned" during the scene ... and felt the need to protect her.

100 million eligible voters did not cast a ballot in the 2016 election, and celebs like Kevin Bacon, Keke Palmer and Sterling K. Brown are determined to make sure those voices are finally heard.

Kevin, Keke and Sterling put together some fun and informative videos to encourage eligible voters to make sure they're registered this election, because 100 million people could have A LOT of sway.

Kevin's hilariously shaming folks into voting with a 'Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon' twist, Sterling's reminding Black voters why their ballot matters and Keke's got a message for millennials and Gen Z, the largest voting demographic in America.

The PSAs were put together by the Enough! Collective, a group of Hollywood bigwigs with visions of effecting social change on a systemic level by mobilizing voters for the upcoming election.

You can check out what the stars have to say about registering yourself -- but the gist is ... this election is too important to sit out, so register ASAP!!!

New York native Christopher Atkins was only 19 years old when he landed his first big acting role as the scantily clad cousin Richard Lestrange -- who knocks up his co-star while surviving the natural challenges of living on a deserted island -- in Randal Kleiser's 1980 film "The Blue Lagoon."

Christopher Atkins shared the big screen with Bradley Pryce and Chad Timmerman as his small son, Paddy, who's named after the cook who saved them as children played by Leo McKern and of course Brooke Shields as Richard's cousin and baby mama, Emmeline Lestrange.

Terrence Howard claims he's getting hustled because 20th Century Fox is using his likeness from "Hustle & Flow" to promote "Empire" ... so now he's suing the studio.

Terrence -- who played Lucious Lyon on all 6 seasons of "Empire" -- just filed a lawsuit claiming 20th Century Fox gave him the runaround when asked how it came up with the "Empire" logo ... since he never sat down for a photoshoot.

In the docs, obtained by TMZ, Terrence says he ultimately determined the image was taken from the "Hustle & Flow" scene where "It's Hard Out Here for a Pimp" is being recorded in a studio.

According to the docs ... Terrence says "the still frame was selected, reversed (face looking left, not right), and subjected to CGI that simply distilled the cinematographer’s skilled capture of the head with vibrant light and shadow” to make the 'Empire' logo.

Terrence is upset because he says he would have gotten paid by Paramount -- the studio behind "Hustle & Flow" -- if 20th Century Fox got a proper license to use his image from the movie. He's suing for damages and wants an accounting of all the Empire merch using the logo.

Rudy Giuliani might have some 'splaining to do about an apparently compromising scene in Sacha Baron Cohen's new 'Borat' installment.

President Trump's adviser admits he got duped into shooting the scene back in July -- he'd agreed to be interviewed in NYC by a conservative news outlet, which was really just a setup for "Borat Subsequent Moviefilm." Well, now we know what happened in the scene and it's jaw-dropping.

According to Vanity Fair -- which has seen the movie in advance -- Giuliani meets up with Borat's daughter, who's posing as a journalist, for an interview in a hotel room. At one point, he holds her hands, compliments her looks and she suggests they go to the bedroom for a drink.

Then she "elaborately" takes off their microphones, Rudy lies down on the bed, and puts his hand in his pants ... according to VF.

That's when Cohen, as Borat, busts in to the room to interrupt. To be clear, Giuliani's not seen doing anything illegal -- but the report about the scene sounds embarrassing, at the least.

We knew Rudy was in the movie because he made a big deal about it when it was filmed. You might recall, he called NYPD on Cohen at the time ... claiming the actor busted in the room wearing "a pink transgender outfit."

Rudy boasted to reporters afterward, "I thought about all the people he previously fooled, and I felt good about myself because he didn’t get me." He also stated he was a fan of Borat and didn't hold a grudge over the prank.

Let's see if that holds up when Amazon Prime releases 'Borat 2' on Friday.

It's lights, camera, action for Jussie Smollett ... he's back to work after the alleged attack in Chicago, but this time he's behind the camera.

The former "Empire" star has a new showbiz gig after allegedly staging a hate crime last year ... and in what could be the future for Jussie, he's taking a shot at directing instead of acting.

Jussie's got a full cast and crew behind him in New York City, where he's directing the film adaptation of "B-Boy Blues."

As you can see, Jussie looks super focused ... getting hands-on with the cast, which stars Ledisi, Brandon Evans and Broderick Hunter.

Jussie pulled down his face-covering to give a few directions and watched intently behind the camera with a huge pair of headphones and some Starbucks to keep the creative juices flowing. Seems he's taking a liking to directing.

While many in the industry assumed he would never work again after the "attack," Jussie's proving a comeback's almost always possible ... it just requires some evolving, and a hit doesn't hurt either.

For his part, Jussie still insists the "attack" was not a hoax, and says he has new evidence to back it up. He'll get a chance to present because he's still facing criminal charges and a civil lawsuit from the City of Chicago.