RIP

Nikita Pearl Waligwa -- a young actress who starred in a Ugandan Disney movie about a chess prodigy -- has reportedly died ... this after battling health issues a few years earlier.

According to the Ugandan news outlet, The Daily Monitor, Nikita recently passed away. While they don't say exactly how, the paper seems to link her death to a 2016 diagnosis ... which found she had a tumor in her brain. Unclear if she was fighting full-blown cancer.

Even more tragic ... the Monitor says a funding campaign was started for Nikita to get treatment in India, because local doctors were quoted as not having the proper equipment.

As for her acting career, it appears she only starred in the one Disney flick, "Queen of Katwe," playing a friend of the actual chess prodigy, Phiona Mutesi. It also featured Lupita Nyong'o and David Oyelowo -- the film's got a great Rotten Tomatoes score, critics loved it.

Nikita was only 15 years old.

Lou Williams decided to honor Kobe Bryant and his daughter, Gianna, by getting a HUGE mural in his man cave at his Atlanta home this week .. and it's pretty amazing!

TMZ Sports has learned the Los Angeles Clippers guard hit up his good friend and tattoo artist Fennell "InkByKali" Cunningham for the Mamba and Mambacita mural.

We're told because Lou and Kobe were real close, InkByKali had to make sure the mural was perfect ... so he hit up another artist, Tay Hill, to help out.

You can see in a video of the mural, obtained by TMZ Sports, the art is a HUGE painting of Kobe in his Lakers gear with Gianna in her Mamba Academy jersey. All told, we've learned the piece took 13 HOURS to paint!

"Definitely honored to have been a part of doing this mural," InkByKali tells us.

After Kobe tragically died in a helicopter crash on Jan. 26, Lou went on Twitter the next day and expressed how much pain he was in, saying, "Been crying on and off."

"Have random thoughts about things we spoke about then laugh. Cry again."

Lou even put out a song dedicated to the Mamba called "24" this week ... writing a caption along with the track that read, "Wrote a open letter to the homie."

Of course, Lou ain't the only NBA baller honoring the Mamba ... stars like LeBron James and Anthony Davis have gotten tribute tats -- while others in the league have been hoopin' with messages to Kobe on their sneakers.

Barack Obama says the loss of Kobe Bryant and his daughter hit extra-close to home because he himself, as a father, has been a champion of his own kids in and out of sports.

44 spoke Saturday at a brunch hosted by the NBA for All-Star weekend, and while talking to a room full of journalists ... BO said he knew Kobe's death was still fresh on the minds of several people in the NBA family -- and rightly so, as he too seemed stunned by it.

In a video posted by CNN's Wolf Blitzer, Barack says ... "That loss is something that I know many are still grappling with -- particularly, Kobe because he was with his daughter and those families and those children. And, those of us who have had the joy and privilege of being parents, and taking our kids to ball games, and rooting for our children and then seeing our dreams and hopes passed on to them ... nothing is more heartbreaking."

He goes on to offer his and Michelle's condolences to the NBA family, not just over Kobe but also for former NBA commissioner David Stern -- who died of a stroke earlier this year.

At the time of Kobe's death, Obama remembered him with kind words too ... writing, "Kobe was a legend on the court and just getting started in what would have been just as meaningful a second act. To lose Gianna is even more heartbreaking to us as parents. Michelle and I send love and prayers to Vanessa and the entire Bryant family on an unthinkable day."

Kobe was 41. His daughter, Gianna, was just 13.

The plans for Kobe and Gigi Bryant's Staples Center memorial are getting locked down and details for the service will be unveiled Friday.

Sources familiar with the planning tell us event organizers are working closely with Kobe's family to finalize who will speak at the service, and which singers and entertainers will take part.

We're told tickets will be available to the general public, although there will be a number of invited guests who get tickets first, including family, friends, players, NBA officials and, we're told, season ticket holders.

We're told the seats that remain will be sold to the public at a price that reflects the memories of Kobe and Gigi. We're told one of the options being discussed was to sell the upper bowl seats at $24.02 -- 24 representing Kobe's number and 2 representing Gigi's. The net proceeds will go to a charity selected by the family. Whatever the price ends up being, our sources say it will reflect and honor Kobe and Gigi.

We don't know which charity will be the beneficiary, but the Mamba Sports Academy was recently renamed Mamba & Mambacita Sports Foundation. As we reported ... Vanessa Bryant says the decision for the name change -- "Because there is no #24 without #2."

Our sources say there will be extra precautions taken in printing the tickets to make sure they can't be scalped.

The memorial is set to be televised live on multiple networks, and as we told you ... the streets around Staples will be closed for security and traffic control, so law enforcement is encouraging people who don't get tickets to stay home and watch it on TV.

Though the memorial is being held Feb. 24, Kobe and Gigi were buried in a private family service near the family’s Orange County home last week.

Days later, Vanessa opened up about losing both her husband and her 13-year-old daughter, saying ... "I can’t process both at the same time. It’s like I’m trying to process Kobe being gone but my body refuses to accept my Gigi will never come back to me."

She added ... "It feels wrong. Why should I be able to wake up another day when my baby girl isn’t being able to have that opportunity?! I’m so mad. She had so much life to live."

She concluded by saying ... "God I wish they were here and this nightmare would be over. Praying for all of the victims of this horrible tragedy. Please continue to pray for all."

Vanessa Bryant just shared an emotional Valentine's Day message to Kobe ... saying to the Mamba, "To my forever Valentine, I love you so much."

"Missing you so much on your favorite holiday," she said in the social media post. "Te amo per sempre."

Along with the emotional message to the Lakers legend ... Vanessa also posted a throwback photo of the two, with Lauryn Hill's famous love song "Tell Him" playing in the background.

"Kisses to you and Gigi in heaven," Vanessa said. "Happy Valentine’s Day, my babies. With all my love, your boo-boo."

Kobe -- who passed away along with his daughter, Gianna, less than 3 weeks ago in a tragic helicopter crash -- would have surely loved the message.

Remember, Bryant is a HUGE Lauryn Hill fan ... even posting a picture with the Grammy winner and Vanessa back in 2018.

"@vanessabryant surprised me with a date night to see my sister Lauryn Hill at The Hollywood Bowl," Bryant wrote at the time. "Loved catching up with her. My wife is winning the battle of best date night ideas.. FOR NOW"

A public memorial for Bryant and his daughter is set to take place at Staples Center on Feb. 24. Vanessa is expected to attend.

A celeb nutritionist who once appeared on "The Dr. Oz Show" and "The View" to hawk a weight loss product shot and killed his ex-wife and her husband ... according to the 911 call.

Robert Lindsey Duncan can be heard on the call -- obtained by TMZ -- telling the dispatcher 2 people tried to shoot him and his wife as they pulled into their driveway in Yellow Springs, Ohio ... but he shot them instead.

Duncan says ... "I shot them. They came up to our window and had a gun pointed at my wife’s head. The other one got out of the car, went over to the car -- they tried to shoot my wife."

He then says he shot both of them and "both are down." Duncan's wife reveals one of the victims is her husband's ex-wife and claims she's been "trying to kill us for years now."

Duncan tells the dispatcher he believes the man he shot is still alive, but the woman is dead.

According to law enforcement, who were heavy on the scene ... the alleged attack by Duncan's ex-wife, Cheryl Sanders, and her husband, Robert R. Sanders, may have been planned because the 2 arrived in separate vehicles and one of them had a counterfeit Ohio temporary tag.

Cops say Duncan and his wife were confronted by Robert with a gun as they arrived at their home and a shootout ensued ... because Duncan has a concealed carry permit and was also armed.

Duncan allegedly fired at Robert in self-defense and hit him, and around the same time ... Cheryl pulled up and pointed a gun at his wife, who was still sitting in the car. Duncan says he then shot and killed his ex.

Another wild note ... the Sheriff's office says Duncan reached out to them about 5 years ago claiming his ex-wife was trying to hire someone to murder him.

Duncan is known for his appearances on both "The Dr. Oz Show" and "The View" years ago to sell a product he claimed resulted in unbelievable weight loss. However, the FTC and Texas attorney general went after him ... claiming he was simply a marketer who couldn't make such medical claims.

Odell Beckham is finally revealing the ink he got to honor Kobe Bryant after the Lakers legend's tragic death ... and it's pretty amazing.

You can see in a picture posted by the Browns superstar Friday ... the art on his rib cage -- done by tattoo artist Joaquin Ganga Lopez -- features a classic photo of Kobe chewing on his Lakers jersey.

Of course, it's an iconic image of the Mamba ... who was known to bite his uni during nearly every game -- and famously passed on the tick to his daughter, Gianna Bryant, before they were both killed in a helicopter crash on Jan. 26.

Odell went under the needle just days after the accident ... forever putting art on his body to remind him of how much Kobe meant to him.

"You taught us ALL so many valuable lessons Kobe," Odell said after the tragedy. "Your sacrifice and dedication to this game is somethin that every athlete can admire."

"You showed us that there is no substitute for hard work. You’ve been thru it, yet u always found a way to overcame it all. This one hurt beyond words."

Odell is one of many athletes and celebs who have gotten Kobe tats to honor the legend ... The Game famously got Bryant ink on his forehead this month while LeBron James and Anthony Davis got thigh tats.

Others, like Bryant's longtime friend, Olden Polynice, have turned to drawing to honor Kobe ... telling us art is helping him get through the grieving process.

Vanessa Bryant says Kobe's charity will have a new name -- the Mamba & Mambacita Sports Foundation -- and she says it's all to honor Gianna Bryant.

"Because there is no #24 without #2, we have updated the Mamba Sports Foundation to now be called the Mamba & Mambacita Sports Foundation," Vanessa said Thursday.

It's an amazing tribute ... especially because Vanessa says the foundation's goal of helping young people through sports "remains the same -- and stronger than ever."

If you're unfamiliar ... Kobe's charity has helped more than 10,000 kids as well as hundreds of veterans -- with the org saying they have over 1,000 volunteers lending a hand.

The charity has been flooded with donations since Kobe and Gigi tragically died in a helicopter crash on Jan. 26 -- and Vanessa says she's overwhelmed by the love.

"Thank you all for the outpouring of support and your kind donations to date as we carry forth Kobe and Gigi’s legacy," Vanessa said. "We hope to empower young athletes in a world they left us all to help shape."

A memorial for Kobe and Gigi has been set for Feb. 24 at Staples Center ... and we're told proceeds from the tickets will be donated to charity.

It's unclear which orgs will get the benefits ... but it seems safe to assume the Mamba and Mambacita Sports Foundation will be one of the organizations to get money.

The memorial for Kobe and Gigi Bryant will be attended by friends, family, NBA officials and players, season ticket holders and local politicians. The remaining seats will be ticketed and go to members of the public on a first-come, first-served basis.

As we reported, the memorial will be held at Staples Center on February 24, where seating capacity stands at around 20,000. Fact is ... hundreds of thousands of people would like to honor Kobe and Gigi, but there's no way all of them can be accommodated.

No word yet on how the public can get tickets, but law enforcement sources tell us ... if people can't get into Staples, they're not going to get close to the venue.

We're told just like the Michael Jackson and Nipsey Hussle memorials, the streets around Staples will be closed for security and traffic control. The memorial will not be broadcast on the screens outside Staples or L.A. Live.

Several law enforcement sources tell TMZ, they're encouraging people who don't get tickets to stay home and watch the memorial on TV. We're told it will be broadcast on multiple networks.

Three victims in the Kobe Bryant helicopter crash were honored with a special memorial service at Angel Stadium.

John Altobelli, his wife, Keri, and their daughter, Alyssa, were remembered at a public memorial Monday ... just two weeks after Kobe Bryant's helicopter crashed, killing 8 passengers plus the pilot.

The service included speakers close to the Altobellis. There was also a video tribute.

The Costa Mesa Fire Department rolled out its fire trucks and hung a massive American flag to honor the victims. There's also a sign in front of Angel Stadium that reads "Celebrating the Lives of John, Keri and Alyssa" with the entire family pictured.

Not far from the main entrance is also a huge collage of the Altobellis.

Altobelli, of course, had deep roots in Orange County. He was entering his 28th season as Orange Coast College's baseball coach. The Pirates were coming off an incredibly successful season ... after capturing their fourth state title.

Alyssa and Gianna Bryant were teammates at the Mamba Sports Academy. She was only 14 and Gianna 13, respectively. You'll recall, Gianna had her No. 2 jersey retirement ceremony at her private school last week.

The Altobellis have 2 surviving children -- a 29-year-old son, and a 16-year-old daughter.

Spike Lee's instant-classic Oscars suit paying tribute to Kobe Bryant is going to the Hall of Fame ... the Spike Lee Hall, that is.

The famous director was at LAX Monday -- heading back to his beloved NYC, we're presuming -- when we asked him about the night's most talked-about fashion statement.

Spike tells us his purple and gold homage, complete with #24 embroidered across the lapels and on the back, will be framed and hung up at his NY crib. In fact, he says it was shipped back ahead of him ... it's Gucci, after all.

Not a big shocker Spike decided to honor Kobe at the 92nd Academy Awards. The NBA superfan posted several tributes to hoops superstar following the tragic helicopter crash.

Spike and Kobe go way back -- he directed the 2009 documentary "Kobe Doin' Work" -- but it's clear he's not quite ready to talk about making another film about Bryant.

"My brain refuses to accept that both Kobe and Gigi are gone."

Vanessa Bryant just opened up about how she's dealing with the tragic losses of her husband and 13-year-old daughter ... and it's emotional.

"I can’t process both at the same time," Vanessa said. "It's like I'm trying to process Kobe being gone but my body refuses to accept my Gigi will never come back to me."

"It feels wrong," she added. "Why should I be able to wake up another day when my baby girl isn’t being able to have that opportunity?! I’m so mad. She had so much life to live."

Vanessa says one of the things keeping her going so strong throughout this insanely difficult time is the example she feels she needs to set for her three daughters.

"Mad I'm not with Kobe and Gigi but thankful I'm here with Natalia, Bianka and Capri," Vanessa said. "I know what I'm feeling is normal. It's part of the grieving process. I just wanted to share in case there’s anyone out there that’s experienced a loss like this."

"God I wish they were here and this nightmare would be over. Praying for all of the victims of this horrible tragedy. Please continue to pray for all."

As we previously reported, Kobe and Gianna Bryant -- along with seven others -- passed away in a helicopter crash on Jan. 26.

'Wild Wild West' star Robert Conrad has died.

The 1960s and '70s TV and film actor passed away Saturday due to heart failure at his home in Malibu, according to family spokesperson Jeff Ballard. Ballard, on behalf of the Conrads, tells TMZ ... "He lived a wonderfully long life and while the family is saddened by his passing, he will live forever in their hearts."

Conrad was a major star in his heyday, with lead roles in 'WWW' -- where he played Secret Service agent Jim West opposite Ross Martin as Artemus Gordon -- as well as Major Gregory 'Pappy' Boyington in 'Baa Baa Black Sheep,' later syndicated as 'Black Sheep Squadron.'

He was also featured on 'Hawaiian Eye,' 'Centennial,' 'Assignment: Vienna,' 'The D.A.,' '77 Sunset Strip,' 'Mission: Impossible,' 'High Mountain Rangers,' 'Jesse Hawkes,' 'High Sierra Search And Rescue,' and had brief appearances in other hit shows like 'Mannix,' 'Columbo,' 'The Duke,' 'J.J. Starbuck,' 'Adam-12,' 'The Gallant Men,' 'Sea Hunt' and 'Maverick,' among many, many others.

RC also acted in films and TV movies such as 'Young Dillinger,' 'The Bandits,' 'D.A.: Conspiracy to Kill,' 'Adventures of Nick Carter,' 'The Last Day,' 'Sudden Death,' 'The Lady in Red,' 'Hard Knox,' 'Police Story: Gladiator School,' 'Jingle All the Way,' 'Dead Above Ground' and more.

He's survived by his 8 children, whom he shared with two different ex-wives ... Joan Kenlay, and LaVelda Fann.

Actor and comedian Orson Bean is dead after being struck by a car while crossing the street ... TMZ has learned.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ Bean was allegedly jaywalking in Venice Friday night when he was clipped by one vehicle and then struck by another. We're told Bean died at the scene and both vehicles stayed after the incident. Cops are currently investigating whether the collision was criminal or an accident.

Bean's career began in the 1950s... he frequently made guest appearances on "The Tonight Show" with both Jack Paar and Johnny Carson.

Bean was a frequent guest on the game show "To Tell The Truth" and made appearances on versions of the show from the late '50s through 1991. He also made appearances on "Super Password" and "Match Game."

He also made regular appearances on TV ... with a role on two episodes of "7th Heaven" in 2003, "How I Met Your Mother" in 2007 and "Modern Family" in 2016. Bean was in the 2018 film "The Equalizer 2" as an elderly Holocaust survivor.

Orson was 91.

RIP

The Rock shared the moving eulogy he delivered for his father's funeral.

Rocky "Soulman" Johnson died last month, and Rock wanted his fans to know what his dad meant to him.  He said, “Man, I wish I had … I wish I had one more shot. I wish I had one more shot to say goodbye … to say I love you, to say thank you, but I have a feeling he’s watching. He’s listening.”

And, he went on ... “I was on my way to work, the other day on Jan. 15 and I was just pulling into work and we were shooting that day and it was the very first day of production,” he said, going on to tell the story of how his wife Lauren called to tell him that “something’s going on with your dad.”

“Lauren was with our babies, she was with my mom and she said, ‘You know, I really can’t talk… I think you should call Cora though’, so of course I called Cora,”

Soulman passed away from a heart attack on January 15 at age 75. He started the National Wrestling Alliance in the '60s and joined the WWE in the '80s.

Rocky and Tony Atlas became the league's first African-American tag team champions as The Soul Patrol.

It's only a matter of time before someone turns Kobe Bryant's story into a major Hollywood blockbuster ... according to Ron Howard, who says the guy had a life fit for the big screen.

Howard is one of the most powerful people in the movie industry -- he recently worked closely with NBA superstar Dwyane Wade for a new documentary that's about to drop.

So, we had to ask if he'd consider working on a Black Mamba project at some point down the road and Howard says he's definitely intrigued.

"If given the opportunity under the right set of circumstances, sure. Without a doubt," Howard said.

One of the biggest issues surrounding a possible Kobe movie is the timing -- Ron says working with the family would be crucial, but they're still reeling from the tragedy and need to grieve before jumping into a movie.

Ron says whoever ultimately tells Kobe's story needs to be especially sensitive about that.

Besides being one of the greatest basketball players of all time, Howard says Kobe was a great guy, an emerging artist and a promising entrepreneur who was about to do some BIG things before his tragic death.

As we previously reported, Kobe was a part-owner of the UFC, was deeply involved in the tech industry and was making big moves in entertainment after winning an Oscar for his animated short film "Dear Basketball."

RIP.