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Matthew McConaughey seems awfully gubernatorial for his 4th of July message to America -- but his message also sounds pretty damn appealing ... let's unite, and maybe sing about it.

The actor -- and rumored Texas Governor hopeful -- just posted a video addressed to these United States ... and it's chock-full of that classic MMC charm, but underneath all the charisma and showmanship, Matt's actually got a great sentiment he's trying to impart.

Check it out ... the guy's talking all about how we, as a country, need to constantly be reminded that we're striving toward an ideal, and that we should be working toward that in harmony with one another. He even suggests what sounds like a new national anthem.

Of course, the backdrop of his remarks here is a lot of renewed chatter on what America means today ... and for whom. Consider Macy Gray's call for a revamped flag, and more recently ... when Olympic hammer thrower Gwen Berry turned her back on the flag/anthem.

In Matt's eyes ... those feelings are not something to shy away from, but to embrace -- and work to get better for everyone's sake. He acknowledges we should be attempting to be as inclusive in our individual pursuits ... because it really benefits everyone, and reminds us -- we're Americans, united as one. We know ... it's got politico prose written all over it.

Speaking of that ... Matt has slipped in favorability of late in a hypothetical run between himself and incumbent Gov. Greg Abbott (a Republican) -- but not by much, just 1 point.

He's still doing a heck of a lot better than actual politicians who are rumored/already set to run as well ... including Beto O'Rourke and Don Huffines. So, all things considered -- he's being eyed as the favorite to go head to head with Abbott.

New Orleans will have fireworks once again this year -- this after almost having to scrap the show because of a lack of dough ... and it's all thanks to Will Smith, who threw down big time.

The actor -- who's filming his latest movie, "Emancipation," down in NOLA right now -- caught wind of the city planning on skipping this year's big firework show due to a lack of funding ... and, of course, they had to refrain from last year's show as well -- due to COVID.

He wasn't about to let that happen though, it seems ... the dude ponied up a whopping a $100,000 -- with the help of his company, Westbrook -- to help pay for the fireworks and for the festivities to carry on as originally planned -- which will come to fruition later tonight.

So, basically ... he's the local hero for this 4th of July, and the gesture didn't go unnoticed. He got tons of thanks from city officials, as well as locals who are more than happy to have their firework display back. The big boom will go down over the Mississippi River at 9 PM ET.

BTW, this movie that Will's working on right now sounds like classic Oscar bait. It tells the story of a slave named Peter on a Louisiana plantation, who escapes and ends up fighting for the Union in the Civil War. It's based on a true story too -- you've probably seen the photo.

"Peter" is also known as Gordon ... and he's the slave who posed for that iconic photo, showing off the whipping scars on his back -- which shed a light on the brutality of slavery.

"I would say a good percentage of professional wrestlers, maybe 69% to be exact, wanna be The Rock by the time it's all said and done."

That's Dean Muhtadi (formerly known as Mojo Rawley in WWE) -- telling TMZ Sports he's getting into acting -- in a way only he could.

Muhtadi landed a role in the upcoming action flick called, "Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins" -- starring Henry Golding -- that's set to be released on July 23.

(Muhtadi's fighting the guy with the chain in the trailer above.)

Dean -- who says he plans on getting back into pro wrestling in the future -- also had a cup of coffee with the Green Bay Packers ... and Muhtadi says acting in action scenes are super hard, physically.

"I'm not gonna lie. I felt like I just had a pay-per-view match or a big football game. But, man, what a blast we had," Dean tells us.

"Henry was absolutely unbelievable, great guy to work with, very down to the Earth, humble guy."

'Snake Eyes' was Dean's first big-time acting gig ... but he doesn't plan on it being his last.

"It was such a cool experience. I'm looking forward to more in the future."

So ... watch your back, Dwayne!!!

George Jung -- the prolific cocaine smuggler portrayed by Johnny Depp in the film "Blow" -- died of kidney failure due to advanced liver disease, and as you'd probably imagine ... his hard-living played a major role.

According to George's death certificate ... George's immediate cause of death is listed as hepatorenal failure due to alcoholic cirrhosis. In other words, his organs succumbed to his chronic alcohol abuse. The manner of death is listed as natural causes.

George died on May 5 in Lowell, MA, and he was cremated 2 days later. Interestingly, his occupation is listed as storyteller/teacher/education. If you've seen the movie, that's not entirely inaccurate.

TMZ broke the story ... George had been experiencing kidney and liver problems before his death. He had been in home hospice care and died with his wife, Ronda, and friend, Roger, by his side.

George served 20 years in prison for running drugs for the Medellin Cartel. He was known as "Boston George" and infamously helped notorious drug lord Pablo Escobar smuggle planeloads of coke into the U.S.

At the time, Escobar's cartel was reportedly responsible for 80% of the world's cocaine.

Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck let it ride Friday ... taking in all the cool stuff at Universal Studios.

The freshly re-minted couple were joined by 2 young girls -- unclear whose kids -- as they meandered around the amusement park.

This wasn't your average day pass to the park ... they had security follow them around. When they got to the Jurassic World ride, park security told the normies in line they would be joined by some "special guests." That they were.

They spotted Ben first, followed by Jen and the 2 girls. They arrived at the ride through a side door and immediately climbed into their own personal car.

Ben and J Lo have been shuffling between coasts for the last few months after their romance re-ignited. They've been anything but secretive about it, showing up at places where celebs are routinely photographed.

It seems they'll settle for the Left Coast. As we reported, J Lo has been checking out schools in L.A. It's unclear if they'll move in together but the relationship seems as intense as when they were engaged back in the day, so that seems like more than a possibility.

A super team of celebs showed up for LeBron James' big night -- with the NBA superstar hosting a bash to celebrate "Space Jam: A New Legacy."

King James showed up at Six Flags Magic Mountain Tuesday night for the huge event ... with names like Don Cheadle (who stars in SJ2), G-Eazy, Tiffany Haddish, MGK, Megan Fox and Olivia Rodrigo coming through to party.

Of course, the flick is set to release on July 16 after YEARS of hype ... so it's only right to kick things off with a fun time.

Chris Brown and Tyga even took part in a hoops shootout challenge ... and while Breezy had no issue finding the bottom of the net, the "Splash" rapper was definitely not making it splash on the court.

Hey, we're just playing with ya, Tyga ... we're all trying to have a good time.

Bron's family also popped up for the party -- with the 4-time champ and his wife, Savannah, cuddling up as they watched the action on the court.

BTW -- Bronny is looking TALL!!

Other stars like Diplo, Zedd and Duckwrth were there ... so in case the aux cord gave out, there woulda been plenty of options to keep the music going.

Chris Kattan allegedly pulled an anti-masker moment onboard an American Airlines flight, frightening other passengers and prompting airline staff to order him off the plane ... TMZ has learned.

Sources with direct knowledge tell us ... the ex-'SNL' star had boarded the flight Monday from Dallas/Fort Worth to LAX, but his appearance startled several passengers who were seated near him in first class.

We're told Chris was stumbling and seemed sick, at least to other passengers ... partially because he had mucous hanging out of his nose when he leaned over. He was not wearing a mask at that point, and we're told passengers alerted flight attendants ... who brought him paper towels and ordered him to put on a mask.

We're told Chris did put one on -- the federal mask mandate is still in effect for air travel -- but left it below his nose ... and by now his behavior had other passengers on edge. Witnesses say he begged flight attendants not to boot him, and even asked if they'd seen him on 'SNL.'

Staffers asked him multiple times to pull up his mask, and warned if he didn't do it immediately their next call would be to the cops. At that point, he finally got up and left.

We've made calls to Kattan's team to get his side of the story, but so far ... no word back.

Ariana Grande singing karaoke in any capacity might seem unfair -- but that's especially true when she gets a number that lets her show off her pipes as this famous duet did.

AG was filmed hanging out with friends and crooning along to "Suddenly Seymour" from "Little Shop of Horrors" ... in which she took up singing duties for Audrey (Ellen Greene) while a pal handled Seymour's lines (performed by Rick Moranis in the movie version).

Ellen was always the more impressive of the pair from the iconic scene -- and that proved to be true here as well. Not to say her friend singing for Rick was bad or anything ... but Ari just shined through for some weird reason. It's almost like she's a pro.

BTW, her hubby, Dalton Gomez, was by her side for the impromptu show ... cheering her on after she hit that final note on "SEYMOUR IS YOUR MAN."

Nia Long is showing some serious love for her fiancé Ime Udoka ... praising her soon-to-be hubby on becoming the new head coach of the Boston Celtics!!

The Cs officially announced the former Brooklyn Nets assistant as Brad Stevens' successor at a press conference on Monday ... and the "Boyz n the Hood" actress couldn't help but gas up her man.

"Today you are officially the Head Coach of the Boston Celtics," Long said on IG. "Big love to the entire staff for the warm welcome. I am beyond proud of this man."

Long is already getting used to rockin' the green and white -- sporting a #18 Celtics jersey, with the digits symbolizing Udoka becoming the 18th head coach in franchise history.

"The legacy continues. #coachudoka18."

FYI -- Long and Udoka have been together for 10 years ... and she's been by his side as he's moved around the league in hopes of someday getting that head coaching spot.

Long is confident Udoka will thrive in Beantown ... saying, "expect great things because that's what he does."

As for coach, Udoka raved about the gig, saying, "I look forward to having success with you guys."

"The relationships have been great. I look forward to building those. As far as the players and the roster, I'm very excited, honored to be a part of it and let's go for 18 [championships]".

This is Udoka's first gig as head coach ... he's been an assistant coach for 3 teams (Spurs, Sixers, Nets) since 2012 and won a championship in 2014.

In a matter of weeks, Richard Hutchins went from homeless to hosting his own art gallery show/auction in Beverly Hills ... and, pretty soon, he'll be coming to a theater near you.

Richard -- an artist who spent years living on the streets in L.A. after his art studio burned down -- joined "TMZ Live" on Monday alongside Charlie Rocket ... 2 Chainz's ex-manager who met Richard by chance on Easter Sunday in a grocery store parking lot.

The story's a rags-to-riches tale akin to the Golden Voice or "The Soloist" -- Charlie discovered Richard's an uber-talented artist, who in his heyday had been commissioned to do work for Muhammad Ali, Richard Pryor and Marvin Gaye, among others.

Richard had been down on his luck for years, but fast forward to last week ... when he was lauded as he strolled into his own gallery/auction featuring his work at the Sofitel. Around 500 people attended the shindig, including Damon Dash.

After Charlie got to know Richard, and his artistic skill, he helped set up Richard's art website so he can sell prints ... and Richard tells us he's hauled in more than $200k.

In fact, 2 Chainz was one of the first customers, and Steve Harvey also bought a painting for a cool $3,000.

So, what's next? Richard says he's already gotten an acting offer for a role as an artist. He also wants to give back now that he has the resources ... and tackle Skid Row.

The people have spoken, and they say Bow Wow beat Soulja Boy in a "Verzuz" -- which begs the question ... can Shad get a little respect on his name now??? Sheesh!

That's exactly what we asked BW Saturday in WeHo as he was leaving Catch ... this after his highly-anticipated showdown with his 2000s contemporary, which was put on in front of an audience at the Hollywood Palladium (where "Verzuz" battles have gone down lately).

Check out what Mr. Moss had to say when we asked if him (unofficially) winning the faceoff solidifies his contribution to music and culture ... something that's actually been in question in recent years, as Bow Wow's often been the butt of many online jokes/challenges.

Bow Wow had possibly the best answer to the question of relevance ... all you gotta do is punch his name into a search bar, and you'll quickly learn who he is. Well said, sir.

BTW, Lil Romeo came out as a surprise guest during the jam-packed "Verzuz" and gave both Bow Wow and Soulja their respective props ... which many say were long overdue considering their legacy and impact as it pertains to pretty much everything hip-hop.

It made for a sweet moment ... but it was just one of many highlights. At one point, Bow Wow busted out the Harlem shake -- which he made famous as a little tyke -- right around the time he was blowing up from his "Like Mike" role. We gotta say ... he hasn't lost a step!

The show ended up being an awesome walk down memory lane for pretty much anyone who was born in the '90s and grew up on Soulja and Bow Wow's music.

Liam Neeson is still saving the day onscreen -- even at the ripe age of 69 -- which is something he can't believe ... but might need a history lesson on, 'cause it's been done before.

The legendary actor -- whose legend only continues to grow with each new action flick he's cast in, including his latest for Netflix, "The Ice Road" -- did an interview with EW, in which he dissected the phenomenon of him getting tapped to play the hero time and time again.

He says, in part ... "I just turned 69 years of age, and the conversations I have with my agent now are, 'Liam, have you read this script? It's an action script,' and I say, 'Chris, let me ask you this, they do know what age I am, right?' 'Yes, they do.' 'Okay, that's all I want to know, thank you.'" So, yeah ... everyone seems to be in on the secret -- he's a senior citizen!

Liam adds, "That being said, I keep reasonably fit, and you just have to for some of these films. If you're playing the lead in any film, you have the responsibility; you're in practically every scene, it behooves you to be fit. You don't have to look like Arnold Schwarzenegger at the age of 35, but you have to have stamina."

Of course, Liam as the modern-day Stallone/Willis/Schwarzenegger can largely be attributed to his standout action film, "Taken," which became a cultural hit ... and apparently led to Hollywood honchos thinking LN would be THE perfect guy to whoop on baddies going forward.

And, hey ... the dude's not complaining either. Seems like he's taking this bizarro typecasting in stride -- but he'd be far from the first mainstream actor to be playing an older gun blazer.

Yes, we're aware Harrison Ford is once again donning the brown fedora for "Indiana Jones 5" -- and he's 78, so he might be the king in this convo -- but the one and only Charles Bronson seems to have been one of the early few to pave the way for both HF and Liam.

The man was acting in action flicks -- including a fifth installment of 'Death Wish' in 1994 at age 72/73 -- until he was in his late 70s, before passing in the early 2000s at age 81.

Quentin Tarantino was immovable Friday night ... standing firm on his desire to retire, despite persistent protestations by Bill Maher.

Quentin was awesome, bluntly telling Bill, “I know film history and from here on in, filmmakers do not get better."

Maher grilled the 58-year-old filmmaker like a cheeseburger, imploring him to keep making flicks ... even suggesting 58 is the new 57, but it was a no-go.

Q.T. caused quite the stir, briefly saying his next film -- which he says will be his last -- will be a "Reservoir Dogs" reboot, before adding he was just joking.

And then, Bill started talking about the PC world of film, and Quentin had lots of thoughts ... saying ideology now trumps everything else in cinema, including art and entertainment.

Bobb'e J. Thompson -- known for playing the foul-mouthed, trouble-making kid in "Role Models" -- is in some real-life trouble ... for allegedly having a stolen gun.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... the actor was going through security at LAX when a Glock firearm was found in his baggage. We're told the gun was loaded too, but did not have a round in the chamber.

Our sources say during the airport police investigation, cops learned the gun was stolen ... and Bobb'e was arrested and taken to the station.

According to police ... Thompson -- also known for roles on "That's So Raven," "30 Rock" and 'House of Payne' -- was booked for felony possession of a stolen firearm.

He was released after posting a $35,000 bond.

You can't see him, but you WILL see John Cena back in the squared circle once again ... with the WWE Superstar confirming he's DEFINITELY making a wrestling comeback!!!

44-year-old Cena hasn't been in the ring since WrestleMania 36 last year ... when he lost to "The Fiend" Bray Wyatt.

But, the WWE legend hasn't hung up his spandex just yet -- Cena revealed he's 100% coming back to Vince McMahon's organization in the future.

"Those rumors are true," Cena said on "The Tonight Show" with Jimmy Fallon.

So, when's he making his highly anticipated return?? THE TIME IS NOW!!!!

Just kidding.

"I'll definitely be back to the WWE, I just don't know when," Cena told Fallon.

When pressed about his cryptic Instagram post of the WWE logo back in May, Cena said he was just feeling "pretty nostalgic" and wasn't trying to announce a big comeback.

"Some people took it as I was returning immediately, which that's not the case. I haven't had my last match and I can't wait to have my next match."

Cena's name has been thrown around as a possible guest for SummerSlam in August ... and Triple H recently told TMZ Sports he felt like the huge event could act as a "pretty big carrot" to get him to take a break from Hollywood.

But, as Cena points out, his movie contracts ain't exactly letting him go get beat up on the weekends while filming massive blockbuster flicks.

Britney Spears' ex-BF, Justin Timberlake, says she's being done wrong -- by her family, her conservators and the courts -- especially when it comes to controlling her own body.

Justin came out strongly in support of freeing Britney Wednesday, hours after her bombshell testimony for the judge in her conservatorship case ... saying, "No one should ever be held against their will ... or ever have to ask permission to access everything they've worked so hard for."

JT's support for Brit's efforts to end her conservatorship is especially interesting because he became a target of the #FreeBritney movement after the 'Framing Britney Spears' documentary came out. The film highlighted a moment when many feel he slut-shamed her by publicly bragging about having sex with Britney when they were dating.

The singer seemed to reference that low point in another tweet, when he said, "Regardless of our past, good and bad, and no matter how long ago it was ... what's happening to her is just not right."

As we reported, Britney told the judge in no uncertain terms she wants out from under the conservatorship, and without any further mental evaluation. She also said her conservators are forcing her to use an IUD, which she wants to remove because she said she wants to have another baby and get married to Sam Asghari, her BF of nearly 5 years.