TV

"Euphoria" star Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje is defending creator Sam Levinson's controversial ending -- saying Rue's death was ultimately meant as a tribute to the late Angus Cloud.

We caught up with Adewale, who played ruthless drug kingpin Alamo Brown in the final season, and he told us Levinson was using the storyline to shine a light on the harsh realities of addiction.

According to Adewale, Zendaya delivered a powerful performance that reflected what many people and families experience when addiction turns tragic.

Matthew Perry's personal belongings are up for auction ... but his handwritten letter from Jennifer Aniston is no longer for sale.

The note -- which Jen seemingly wrote around the time "Friends" wrapped in 2004 -- was originally one of the items listed in a charity auction of MP's belongings.

But Heritage Auctions confirmed to The Independent that the letter had been withdrawn from the sale.

Kylie Jenner is soaking up some sun on vacation -- and, unsurprisingly, she's not exactly packing much fabric.

The beauty mogul turned up the heat in Turks and Caicos, slipping into a pink snakeskin-print bikini that puts her famous curves front and center while she soaked up the sunshine.

Kylie looked right at home on the beach ... coffee in hand, poses flowing, and the camera never too far away as she enjoyed the island escape.

We want you to be a part of TMZ, so every weekday, between 10:30 AM and 12:00 PM PT, we take you inside our newsroom via live stream.

You never know what you're gonna get ... a big story that breaks, an argument erupts in the room, or someone's just joking around.

Your comments are a big part of the stream, and the staff spends a lot of time speaking directly to you. Every day is different!

Duane Ollinger, the star of Discovery Channel's "Mystery at Blind Frog Ranch," has died at 68, TMZ has learned.

A family source tells TMZ Duane died yesterday at a Texas hospital following a battle with ALS.

The Texas oilman became a fan favorite on the reality series, which follows Duane and his son Chad as they hunt for a legendary cache of lost Aztec gold believed to be hidden beneath their sprawling Utah property.

Lindsay Hubbard blew up on West Wilson during the latest part of the "Summer House" Season 10 reunion ... and it's a hard watch.

In the episode, Amanda Batula shuts down and exits the stage in tears after she can't take the heat from her castmates ... and West just sits there. That is, until Lindsay screams at him to "man up" and chase after his girl.

West, however, isn't sold that's the best move ... arguing that they'll all just attack him for leaving, too. But, Kyle Cooke -- Amanda's estranged hubby -- takes a calm approach to the situation, and his advice encourages West to head on out to check in on Amanda.

The cast is obviously unimpressed by Amanda, saying there are loads of unanswered questions and she can't keep shutting down. Lindsay even compares the situation to her past in the hot seat ... it's all in the clip.

Bret Michaels' daughter -- Raine Michaels -- isn't hiding anything from her rockstar dad as she steps into her new reality TV spotlight ... including her potential new side hustle selling feet pics.

We caught up with Raine -- who is starring on the new Netflix reality series "Calabasas Confidential" -- out in Los Angeles and asked about the buzz surrounding the new show ... and she tells us her dad has been loving it.

One storyline that's getting people talking is Raine's interest in Feet Finder, the subscription platform where creators can sell feet content ... while some parents might need a minute to process that, Raine tells us her pop has been fully supportive in the idea.

TV personality Simon Van Kempen was in his 40s when he first appeared on "The Real Housewives of New York" back in 2008, alongside his wife Alex McCord.

Simon was all about the fashion shows, step-and-repeats, and not backing down from the OG housewives, Bethenny Frankel, Ramona Singer, Jill Zarin, and Luann de Lesseps.

CBS News has fired veteran "60 Minutes" correspondent Scott Pelley ... just a day after a fiery clash with the show's new executive producer.

Tensions escalated this week during a staff meeting, when newly appointed executive producer Nick Bilton was introduced to the newsroom ... and Pelley openly criticized the decision -- however a letter was sent to Pelley the following day, saying CBS News was terminating him immediately.

Pelley reportedly openly criticized the direction of the longstanding newsmagazine and took aim at CBS News chief Bari Weiss, accusing her of dismantling the culture that made "60 Minutes" a television institution.

During the clash, Pelley reportedly questioned why Bilton would even accept the role given the resistance he was facing from longtime staffers.

Pelley joined CBS News in 1989 and went on to become one of its most recognizable faces, serving as anchor of the "CBS Evening News" and spending more than two decades as a correspondent for "60 Minutes."

Karamo Brown is opening up about his decision to cut ties with the "Queer Eye" franchise ... saying he often felt like an outsider ... and that was before he got backstabbed!!!

The last straw for Karamo ... castmates trashing him behind his back on a hot mic -- which TMZ first reported.

To this day, Karamo still doesn't say what his fellow cast members said about him on set during the reboot's final season ... he didn't want specifics -- because he knew it was so brutal, it devastated his mother, who overheard the trash talk.

TMZ broke the story ... Karamo walked away after the show's 10th and final season -- skipping the final press tour due to his hurt and bitterness over what he called a toxic workplace.

Alexa Demie isn't losing any sleep over not having Sydney Sweeney-level fame ... because she says that's never been the goal.

The "Euphoria" star is pushing back on online chatter comparing her career to some of her castmates' skyrocketing success ... making it known she's perfectly happy with her career and notoriety.

In a new interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Alexa addressed comments about her relatively low profile compared to other stars from the HBO hit.

A Pennsylvania mayor isn't buying the fairy-tale ending for a former police officer who traded his badge for a spot on "Love Island USA" ... arguing the move left taxpayers holding the bag.

Bethlehem Mayor J. William Reynolds joined us on "TMZ Live" Monday and weighed in on ex-officer Sean Reifel's career pivot ... he says police departments across the country are already struggling to recruit and retain officers, even without the lure of a gig in reality TV.

Check out the interview ... Reynolds compares the situation to leaving litter behind for someone else to clean up, arguing cities pay a price when they invest in recruits who leave less than a year later.

The stars of "Heated Rivalry" didn't turn down Variety's "Actors on Actors" because of their Emmy ineligibility, despite speculation suggesting otherwise ... TMZ has learned.

Our sources tell us Connor Storrie, Hudson Williams and François Arnaud aren't avoiding the high-profile series over concerns about awards campaigning or optics ... instead, we're told the actors are just too busy.

Variety's co-editor-in-chief Ramin Setoodeh claims he tried to book the trio but was turned down ... and he says he's certain they would have accepted if "Heated Rivalry" was eligible for the next Emmy Awards. The show is not eligible because the Canadian streamer that produces the series did not submit it for consideration.

However, our sources say the Emmys, or lack thereof, played no part in their decision not to accept an invite to go on the show.

"Euphoria" was full of surprises this season, but last night's series finale was the biggest shocker of all -- with Zendaya's character dying of a drug overdose!

Sunday's "Euphoria" Season 3 finale saw Zendaya's Rue Bennett ingesting Percocet pills laced with fentanyl, which were purposely left out for her by crime lord Alamo Brown, causing her to overdose.

Alamo wanted Rue dead after finding out she was a snitch, knowing she would pop the pills if he left them out because of her serious drug habit.

Are Sydney Sweeney's looks over the years her best assets?!

Here is a 20-year-old version of a stunning Syd at "The Handmaid's Tale" premiere back in 2018 (left). She played Eden Blaine before landing a starring role on "Euphoria" the following year ...

And 8 years later, the blonde bombshell showcased her SYRN lingerie at Diplo’s Honkytonk during Stagecoach last month (right).

We know her hot shots are a fan-fave -- and this gorgeous gal from Spokane, Washington is killin' it here in Hollywood, but the question here is: Good Genes or Good Docs?!

“Euphoria" season 3 comes to a close tonight -- and while fans and some of the show’s stars believe this may be the wrap-up of the series, we’re spotlighting the chaos, glam, and drama with its stars, past and present.

Singer Rosalía made her "Euphoria" debut this season, pictured above alongside Zendaya ... And, can't forget Barbie Ferreira -- who starred as Kat Hernandez on seasons 1 and 2.

Check out this throwback of Sydney Sweeney and Alexa Demie posing in their cheerleading 'fits -- playing two of the popular girls at East Highland High School.